Chapter 60: The Red Pin Reappears
The morning sunlight, like shredded gold foil, slanted across the floor through the slits in the curtains. In a narrow patch of light, countless tiny dust particles twirled and danced. Yu Hao had just popped his toothbrush in his mouth when his phone vibrated on the bedside table. The words "Luo Xin" danced slightly on the screen. "Hello?" He hurriedly tilted his head and mumbled the call, white toothpaste foam dripping down the corner of his mouth. Luo Xin's apologetic voice came through the receiver. "Yu Hao, I'm sorry, I have something urgent to do and can't leave... Could you please go to school for me? Today is Xiaoxue's parent-teacher conference after her midterm exam." Yu Hao quickly wiped the foam from the corners of his mouth with a towel, his voice clearer: "Sure, what time does it start?" "Nine o'clock sharp, please." Luo Xin's voice was clearly hurried. "I'll be there as soon as I'm done here. I guess I won't be there until noon." "Don't worry, I'll leave it to you." Yu Hao hung up the phone, opened his wardrobe, and carefully selected a neatly ironed light gray shirt—wearing a police uniform would be too conspicuous for a parent-teacher conference. At 8:30, the silver-gray police car quietly pulled up downstairs from Luo Xin's house. Luo Xue ran out, backpack slung over her shoulder, her uniform tied with a red bow. "Uncle Yu!" The girl dove into the passenger seat like a happy little bird, throwing her schoolbag onto the seat. "I knew you'd come! Mom said you'd be very busy now that you're the team leader." Yu Hao poured a cup of hot milk from his thermos and tested the temperature before handing it over. "It's freshly warmed, drink it slowly. I'll come again next time if you want." "Then it's a deal!" Luo Xue held the cup of milk, her eyes curved into crescents. "Our teacher said that at this parents' meeting, we'll give certificates of merit to students who have made great progress! I think I'll definitely get one in Chinese. My last composition, the teacher gave me an excellent star!" "Really? Xiaoxue, you're awesome." Yu Hao ruffled her hair, his fingertips touching the soft strands, and a warmth welled up in his heart. The police car slowly drove out of the narrow alley. Luo Xue chattered about interesting things at school in the passenger seat. She said her deskmate was a naughty boy who always liked to pull her braids in class, and was punished by being made to stand in the corner by the teacher; that the art teacher praised her butterfly drawings for being so lifelike that they even had them exhibited in class; and that… “Uncle Yu, Sun Lei is top of the grade again this time.” Luo Xue’s voice suddenly trailed off. “But he seems even less talkative. I saw him in the library yesterday and wanted to invite him to read the new comics, but he just shook his head and walked away.” Yu Hao’s grip on the steering wheel suddenly tightened, and the plane trees outside the car window…
The early morning sunlight was like cut gold foil, slanting down onto the floor through the gaps in the curtains. In a long and narrow spot of light, countless tiny specks of dust were tumbling and dancing.
Just as Yu Hao put the toothbrush into his mouth, his cell phone began to vibrate on the bedside table, and the words "Luo Xin" on the screen jumped slightly with the vibration.
"Hello?" He hurriedly turned his head and answered the phone incoherently, with white toothpaste foam dripping down the corners of his mouth.
Luo Xin's apologetic voice came from the receiver, "Yu Hao, I'm sorry, I have something urgent to do and can't leave... Can you help me go to school? Today is Xiaoxue's parent-teacher meeting after her midterm exam."
Yu Hao quickly wiped the foam from the corners of his mouth with a towel, and his voice became clearer: "No problem, what time does it start?"
"Nine o'clock sharp, thank you for your help." Luo Xin's voice was clearly hurried. "I'll be there as soon as I finish my work here. I guess I won't be there until noon."
"Don't worry, leave it to me." Yu Hao hung up the phone, opened the wardrobe, and specially picked out a neatly ironed light gray shirt - wearing a police uniform would be too eye-catching to attend a parent-teacher meeting.
At half past eight, a silver-gray police car quietly stopped downstairs of Luo Xin's house. Luo Xue ran out with her schoolbag on her back, a red bow tied around the collar of her school uniform.
"Uncle Yu!" The girl jumped into the passenger seat like a happy little bird and threw her schoolbag onto the seat. "I knew you would come! Mom said you must be very busy now that you're the captain."
Yu Hao poured a cup of hot milk from the thermos and tested the temperature before handing it over: "It's just warmed up, drink it slowly. I'll come back next time if you want."
"It's a deal then!" Luo Xue held the milk cup, her eyes curved into crescents. "Our teacher said that at this parents' meeting, we'll give certificates of merit to students who have made great progress! I think I'll definitely get one in Chinese. My last composition teacher gave me an excellent star!"
"Really? Xiaoxue is awesome." Yu Hao ruffled her hair, feeling the soft strands of hair with his fingertips, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart. The police car slowly drove out of the narrow alley.
Luo Xue was chattering away in the passenger seat about interesting things that happened at school. She was talking about a naughty boy sitting next to her who always pulled her braids in class and was made to stand in the corner by the teacher. She was also talking about how the art teacher praised her butterfly drawings for being so lifelike that they even had them exhibited in class. She was also talking about...
"Uncle Yu, Sun Lei is top of the grade again." Luo Xue's voice suddenly dropped. "But he seems even less talkative. I saw him in the library yesterday and wanted to ask him to look at the new comics I bought, but he just shook his head and walked away."
Yu Hao's grip on the steering wheel suddenly tightened. The sycamore tree outside the car window quickly retreated, its leaves shining green. "He...maybe he's been in a bad mood lately."
"Everyone in the class is saying that his father did something bad and was arrested by the police." Luo Xue raised her head, her clear eyes full of confusion, "Is Sun Lei's father really guilty of breaking the law? What will happen to Sun Lei in the future?"
The car stopped at a red light. Yu Hao turned his head and looked into the girl's pure eyes. Suddenly, his throat tightened.
"Some things, you'll understand when you grow up." Yu Hao finally said this, trying to keep his tone gentle. "Sun Lei needs some quiet time now. Let's give him some time, okay? Just like when you're wronged, you also want to be alone, right?"
Luo Xue nodded, seeming to understand, and turned back to the window. The light turned from red to green, and the police car merged into the morning rush hour traffic.
On the playground of Yucai Primary School, lower graders were doing morning exercises. The radio played the cheerful and lively "Health Song," the lyrics of "Three circles to the left, three circles to the right" mingling with the children's laughter and playfulness, like a pot of boiling sweet porridge.
The teaching building was unusually quiet. On the door of the sixth grade (two) class was a red slogan "Parents' Meeting". The handwriting was a little crooked, probably written by a student.
Yu Hao followed the other parents into the classroom. Over thirty desks and chairs were neatly arranged. Each desk held a midterm report card, some even covered with small drawings by children. Near the window, several parents were talking quietly, their voices low, as if afraid to disturb anyone.
Luo Xue's seat was in the third row, her report card in a transparent folder on the corner of her desk. Yu Hao picked it up and took a look. 92 in Chinese, 88 in Math, 95 in English, and 90 in Science—a significant improvement from the last monthly exam, especially in Math, where she had only scored a 75.
His fingertips brushed over the "Homeroom Teacher's Comments" column. In Teacher Li's elegant handwriting, he read: "Lively and cheerful, helpful, and with significant progress in mathematical thinking. I hope you'll keep up the good work."
His eyes unconsciously swept to the empty seat diagonally in front of him - that was Sun Lei's seat. The table was wiped clean, and the textbooks and stationery were neatly arranged. It was obvious that the owner was an extremely self-disciplined child.
On the report card pressed against the corner of the desk, the red scores glared: Chinese 100, Math 100, English 100, Science 100. Another landslide first place, but the chair next to me was empty.
The parent-teacher meeting has begun.
Our homeroom teacher, Ms. Li, wore thin-framed glasses and spoke softly. She began by summarizing the midterm exam results and praising students who had made significant progress. When she mentioned Luo Xue, she smiled deliberately: "Luo Xue made significant progress this time, especially in math. Her problem-solving skills have become much clearer. Furthermore, her essay, 'My Policeman,' is filled with genuine emotion. She portrayed the policeman as incredibly brave. I was deeply moved when I read it."
Luo Xue, who was sitting in the back row of the classroom, blushed like a ripe apple when she heard this. She stole a glance at Yu Hao, unable to hide her smile, and winked mischievously. Yu Hao smiled at her, and his heart warmed.
When it was her turn to praise the top student in the grade, Teacher Li's smile faded a little, and there was obvious regret in her tone: "Student Sun Lei is still the top student in the grade this time. He got full marks in all four main courses. He is very outstanding." She paused, her eyes fell on Sun Lei's empty seat, she sighed softly, and said no more.
The classroom was quiet, and some parents began to whisper. Yu Hao could feel a few eyes on him—most of them knew he was a police officer and had vaguely heard about Sun Lei's family situation. This kind of thing couldn't be kept secret.
After the parent-teacher meeting, Yu Hao waited until all the other parents had left before slowly walking to the podium.
"Hello, Teacher Li." Yu Hao carefully chose his words, trying to make his tone sound natural. "I'd like to ask about Sun Lei's recent situation at school."
Teacher Li clearly knew Yu Hao. An understanding expression crossed her face, and she pushed up her glasses. "Captain Yu, please take a seat." She opened a drawer and pulled out a blue-covered composition book. "Sun Lei is a very thoughtful child. Take a look at his composition..."
Yu Hao leaned over and saw that the pages of the composition book were a little brittle, with words written on them in black pen: "The leaves outside the window have fallen, and no one picked them up. The wind is very strong, blowing the shadows into a mess. I counted them, and there were a total of seventeen leaves fallen in the corner of the wall. They were huddled together, as if they were trembling." The handwriting was as neat as if it was printed, but it revealed a gloom that was inconsistent with the age, which made people feel heavy.
"I've talked to him a few times," Teacher Li's voice dropped. "He always keeps his head down and doesn't talk. There are also vague rumors among his classmates that his father is in trouble. I suppressed them, but last time during physical education class, when we were divided into groups for games, no one wanted to join him. He stood alone in the corner of the playground for the entire class. The sun was so bright, and he didn't move a muscle..."
Yu Hao felt something tug at his heart, a sharp pain. He recalled the day Sun Yong was taken away, Sun Lei's heartbreaking cries shaking the hallway; he recalled himself in the interrogation room, Sun Yong repeatedly saying, "Don't tell Lei Zi about those things."
"I understand," Yu Hao's voice was a little hoarse, his brows furrowed. "I will visit him more often. Thank you, Teacher Li."
"That's great." Teacher Li's eyes lit up. "This kid is so smart. His problem-solving ideas are clearer than even the teacher's. But he's a bit too boring. I'm really worried that if he keeps withdrawing like this, something bad will happen."
"Well, his situation is quite special," Yu Hao nodded. "I'll have to trouble you to keep a close eye on him. Please let me know if anything happens."
"Don't worry, Captain Yu," Teacher Li nodded seriously. "Someone from the police station also talked to me about it. We teachers will definitely do our best. It would be a shame if this child went astray."
"Then please." Yu Hao smiled politely.
Just as he turned around to leave, a little girl with pigtails passed by, the red school badge on her chest particularly conspicuous in the sunlight.
Yu Hao's eyes were suddenly attracted by the pin on the school badge - it was a small red pin, shaped like a butterfly with its wings spread, which coincided with a vague shadow deep in his memory.
"Wait." Yu Hao called her subconsciously.
The little girl stopped and turned around in confusion. Teacher Li was also a little puzzled: "Captain Yu, what's wrong?"
Yu Hao's eyes fell on the little girl's school badge. The red pin was pinned to the corner of the badge, its metallic sheen gleaming in the sunlight. "Why are your badge and pin red? I see other students' are blue."
The little girl blinked and said in a thin voice, "Because I got first place in the class last time. The teacher said that the red one is awarded to the first place."
Teacher Li explained with a smile, "It's a little rule in our school to give students with excellent grades a little encouragement. This girl is Liu Yan, from the class next door. She came in first in her class on the last final exam." She paused, then added, "Speaking of these red pins, Sun Lei in our class has the most, but he never wears them."
Yu Hao's pupils suddenly contracted, and his heartbeat suddenly accelerated. The red pin... At the Wang Shun crime scene, that exquisite red pin at the end of the bed! He had never been able to figure out the origin of that pin. It turned out to be a prize given by the school to the first place winner!
Sun Lei was top of the class and had the most pins like this. But how did it end up on Wang Shun's bed? Did Sun Yong accidentally bring it over? Or... Countless thoughts flashed through Yu Hao's mind, like a jigsaw puzzle.
"Thank you, little friend." Yu Hao tried to make his voice sound calm, but his fingertips were still trembling slightly.
The little girl nodded and ran away with her homework book.
"Captain Yu, is there anything else?" Teacher Li noticed that he looked unhappy and asked with concern.
"Nothing," Yu Hao shook his head. "I just think this reward method is quite unique." He glanced at the wall clock and said, "It's getting late. I'll go home first."
"good."
As we walked out of the teaching building, the sunlight had become somewhat glaring. On the playground, several students on duty were cleaning, their brooms making a rustling sound as they swept across the ground.
Yu Hao held Luo Xue's hand and walked towards the school gate. From a distance, he saw a thin figure walking across the other side of the playground.
It’s Sun Lei.
He was thinner than the last time we met, his washed-out school uniform draped over him like a cloth sack slung on a bamboo pole. He carried an old black schoolbag, the straps noticeably too short for his shoulders, causing them to hunch slightly. He lowered his head and walked quickly, as if hiding from something. The sunlight shone on him, but it seemed unable to penetrate the thick haze.
"Sun Lei." Yu Hao called out subconsciously, his voice sounding a little abrupt in the empty playground.
The boy's steps suddenly stopped, as if he had pressed the pause button. He didn't look back, but his shoulders were obviously tense.
Yu Hao took a few steps forward, wanting to say something to him—to ask if he'd been sleeping well lately, if he'd eaten on time, if he wanted to go out for dinner together. But the words faltered as they reached his lips. Should he apologize or offer comfort? Neither seemed appropriate.
He is the policeman who sent Sun Yong to prison, and also the neighbor who watched Sun Lei grow up. These two identities are like two parallel lines, with no possibility of ever intersecting.
At this moment, Sun Lei suddenly quickened his pace and almost jogged across the playground. His back was so resolute as if he was running away from something, without even turning his head back.
Yu Hao stood there, feeling empty inside.
Luo Xue came over at some point and gently tugged at the corner of Yu Hao's clothes: "Uncle Yu, does Brother Sun Lei not like me anymore?"
"No." Yu Hao squatted down, looked at the girl's worried face, and reached out to help her tidy up her hair. "He just... has too much on his mind, and he needs some time to process it slowly. Just like you get a toothache when you eat too much candy, he also needs to slowly 'process' all those unhappy things."
Luo Xue nodded, not quite understanding.
Yu Hao walked towards the school gate holding Luo Xue's hand, but his heart felt like ice. He solved the case, caught the murderer, and got promoted, but looking at Sun Lei's lonely back, he suddenly felt as if he had lost something.
The police car slowly drove away from the school. Yu Hao glanced at the teaching building in the rearview mirror. Sun Lei had disappeared. Only the old locust tree swayed in the wind, its leaves gleaming green, but unable to obscure the thick shadow beneath.
There are still many things he wants to do.
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