Chapter 11: Lin Jinrui

Chapter 11: Lin Jinrui

So she wasn't that happy after all—perhaps that was the only photo where she was smiling.

Cheng Miao had seen her face, bruised and mottled with blood, in a dilapidated, abandoned courtyard. He passed by it every day on his way home, and one day, as if possessed by some inexplicable impulse, he wandered in. When he crouched down to pick up a beautiful glass bead by the bed, he saw her lying silently underneath the bed.

Cheng Miao was terrified. He recognized the school uniform and the person. He wanted to call to her, but his voice wouldn't come out. He ran out in a panic, and later the police showed up.

The whole town was on edge, thrown into chaos, with rumors flying everywhere. Some said the crime scene was that courtyard, happening at noon, right after school let out. Some said the killer was an outsider who had already fled. Others said the girl had been strangled and sexually assaulted.

A small, ancient town hadn't seen such a major incident in a long time. It erupted suddenly, then quietly faded away.

Everyone had their own lives—three meals a day, the daily grind, family matters. There were too many trivial things to worry about. Time dulled all emotions, and a small, insignificant girl vanished without a trace.

During that period, Cheng Miao fell ill with a fever that lasted three full days. When he woke up, he could barely remember the lifeless face under the bed, but he remembered that black-and-white smile. He kept dreaming of passing that courtyard, watching her walk in, wanting to grab her but frozen in place.

Afterward, Cheng Miao lost a lot of weight and became dazed. He couldn't sleep, and when he did, he'd wake up crying. Mother Cheng hugged him, sobbing loudly, and then they moved to the city.

Cheng Miao forgot some things, and remembered others.

Cheng Miao looked at the girl in the distance. She still stood off to the side, awkward, trying hard to look less lonely, but the lively crowd only made her look even more out of place.

That radiant smile had ended up as nothing more than a memorial photo. Cheng Miao let out a low sigh, feeling heavy-hearted.

Lu Yu noticed Cheng Miao's downcast look, thought it odd, but didn't push it. He gently shook the arm Cheng Miao was holding and said, "You ready to go?"

Cheng Miao snapped out of it: "Oh, yeah, let's go!"

Cheng Miao was off for the rest of the period. He seemed spaced out, brow furrowed, occasionally glancing left without realizing it.

Lu Yu followed his gaze and immediately noticed Lin Jinrui—back straight, sitting up properly, focused on the lesson.

He remembered her a bit. In yesterday's Chinese class, Lin Jinrui read her essay, "A Busy Weekend." Over the weekend, she spent her days cleaning, cooking, and doing laundry, then finished her homework at night under a dim lamp.

When it was read as an exemplary piece, the Chinese teacher praised Lin Jinrui for being filial in helping her parents with chores and diligent in finishing her homework.

But Lu Yu noticed a few girls whispering to each other, clearly up to no good. He knew that kind of snide, passive-aggressive vibe all too well.

Kids this age crave adult approval, but when they don't get it, they turn that longing into sneering contempt. And those who do get approval become targets of their full-blown malice—raw, undisguised jealousy, on full display at the most innocent age.

Lin Jinrui, though, didn't get it. She kept offering her kindness, only to be ignored, walked all over, and then slink away, disappointed.

Lu Yu looked away, indifferent. People like her were pitiful and pathetic—only someone with Cheng Miao's overflowing sympathy would give a damn.

Cheng Miao spent the whole afternoon restless, looking around, frowning now and then, lost in thought.

He was wrestling with a dilemma. He wanted to help her—a life cut short before it ever really got to live was too cruel.

He tried hard to remember what had actually happened. Because he'd been so scared, Mother Cheng stayed by his side almost constantly and kept him from finding out more. It wasn't until he went back to school, catching fragments of classmates' scattered talk, that he heard bits and pieces—wildly different, some of it exaggerated nonsense.

Winter days were short and nights long. When school let out around five, it was already getting dark. Cheng Miao walked, pondering what to do.

Suddenly, Lu Yu grabbed him. Cheng Miao instinctively looked at him, once again face-to-face with the boyish Lu Yu. He still wasn't used to it. Little Lu Yu stayed expressionless, but that seriousness on a baby face was oddly cute, making you want to pinch his cheek.

Before Cheng Miao could act, the other spoke: "What's wrong with you? You've been distracted all day?"

Cheng Miao thought for a moment—better to wait until he'd figured things out before saying anything.

He shook his head and said softly, "Nothing, just letting my mind wander!"

Lu Yu glanced at him, face unreadable, feeling a pang of bitterness. Yesterday he'd so earnestly said they were friends. Ha, friends! He said flatly, "Are you thinking about Lin Jinrui?"

Cheng Miao was startled, eyes wide as he stared at him. How did this guy guess?

Lu Yu looked at his round eyes and utterly shocked expression—he'd guessed right.

He couldn't be bothered to say more and kept walking ahead.

Cheng Miao watched him, thinking maybe he should tell Lu Yu. Lu Yu was always sharp and could help him figure something out.

Just as he was about to speak, he looked up and saw an abandoned house nearby—rotting wooden door, collapsed courtyard wall. Cheng Miao knew that past the door, the first room on the right was a small bedroom. In the cramped space, besides a cabinet against the corner, there was only a bed with a faded peony-patterned sheet, long enough to cover everything underneath.

"Creak!" A gust of wind rattled the wooden door. Cheng Miao's heart tightened. He gripped Lu Yu's hand tightly and hid on the side away from the door. The pitch-black darkness inside that opening felt unsettling.

Cheng Miao's voice came out hoarse: "I'm a little scared. Let's, let's run!"

With that, he pulled Lu Yu's hand and sprinted. The cold wind howled, the snow hadn't fully melted, and after a day of trampling, it had refrozen into ice by evening, making every step slippery.

The two stumbled along, barely managing not to fall. By the time they reached the slope in front of their home, both were out of breath.

Lu Yu looked at him, confused, waiting for an explanation.

Cheng Miao played dumb: "Too hungry—running gets us there faster."

Lu Yu wasn't one to pry. He could be sure Cheng Miao was dealing with something, but since he didn't want to talk, so be it.

Lu Yu nodded and headed inside.

Cheng Miao let out a sigh of relief.