Chapter 24 I heard that fishermen like to go deep into the mountains and forests...
The four of them ate, drank, and had fun all afternoon until it was getting dark. Dong Yuncheng glanced out the window and said, "Let's call it a day for today. Shi Lu and I have an appointment tonight. Can we get together again next time if we have time?"
Guan Xia was the first to nod, "Okay, I'll take you there."
Pang Le also stood up and tidied up the messy coffee table.
Dong Yuncheng and Shi Lu consciously picked up the garbage bag in their hands and planned to throw it away when they went downstairs.
Guan Xia didn't bother to be polite with them. Before leaving, she looked around again to make sure that nothing was left out before opening the door.
Dong Yuncheng had just taken a step forward when he suddenly remembered something and turned to Guan Xia, "By the way, Guan Xia, can I borrow the picture albums in your study? I'm halfway through one and want to finish it. If it's inconvenient, please give me a link and I'll buy one."
Guan Xia suddenly remembered the open picture album that he had put away before leaving the study at noon. It turned out that Dong Yuncheng was reading it.
"Of course I can borrow it," Guan Xia said with a smile. She walked back to the study, took out the album, returned to the living room, and handed it to Dong Yuncheng. "Here you go."
Dong Yuncheng put down the garbage bag in his hand and flipped it open to take a look. "It's this one. Thank you, Guan Xia. I'll return it to you after I finish reading it."
It was rare for someone to like the same thing as her, so Guan Xia said happily, "Don't worry. If you like reading, there are three more books in this series. I'll give them to you when the time comes."
Dong Yuncheng also laughed, "Okay."
Pang Le looked at Guan Xia and then at Dong Yuncheng with a suspicious expression.
Shi Lu looked at Dong Yuncheng silently, then bent down to pick up the garbage bag. "Let's go, the elevator is here."
After leaving the unit, Shi Lu threw away the two bags of garbage in his hands, and the group walked for a while before reaching the parking lot.
Just as Guan Xia was about to say goodbye, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye while looking at Pang Le. She subconsciously looked over and found that Shi Lu and the others had parked their car near Building No. 7.
The domestic violence man I had seen before was wearing a large hat, a windbreaker, carrying a fishing rod, and holding two big fish over one meter long in his other hand. He walked towards the unit door happily.
An old man walking on the street saw this and greeted him in surprise, "Hey, Lao Liang, you went fishing again today? You caught such a big fish by yourself?"
The smile on the face of the domestic violence man known as Lao Liang became more exaggerated. "If you don't catch it yourself, are you stealing other people's fish? A few days ago, a fishing friend told me about a place with big fish. I went to check it out today, and sure enough, there was a big one. How about we go together tomorrow?"
The old man was a little tempted, but when he turned around and looked at his husband who was glaring at her, he could only shake his head and said, "Forget it, I can't run that far at my age. You go by yourself."
"That's a pity. I thought I would have a companion tomorrow." The man said this, but his expression did not show any regret. He grabbed the old man and showed off a few more words before walking briskly into the unit.
Guan Xia withdrew her gaze and turned around to see Shi Lu and Dong Yuncheng watching the domestic violence man disappear with a slightly longing expression.
Pang Le was a little amused, "Do all you men like fishing when you reach a certain age?"
Dong Yuncheng's expression changed, and he spoke seriously, "It's not just about age. Some young people also like fishing, like me and Shi Lu. Sometimes, when we're stressed out at work, we like to go deep into the mountains and forests. If we don't want to climb mountains, we'll go fishing. We'll just bring a stool and sit there all day, without thinking about anything. We'll just look at the sky and the water, and occasionally glance at our fishing rods. As long as we don't catch anything, that day is considered very fulfilling."
Pang Le curled his lips in confusion, but Guan Xia felt a sense of relaxation from Dong Yuncheng's words, as if he was temporarily away from the hustle and bustle of the world.
Dong Yuncheng noticed it and actively invited, "How about you join us next time we go fishing?"
Pang Le glanced at Shi Lu, thought about it seriously, but finally shook his head, "Forget it, I can't sit still. I might as well run a few laps with that little time."
Guan Xia's heart was only moved for a second, and then she also refused, "No, no, I heard that fishermen like to go deep into the mountains and old forests, and so do murderers. Many fishermen have caught corpses. What about you?"
Speaking of the fisherman, Guan Xia thought of the murderer she saw that day. She was very suspicious that with her and Pang Le's current physical condition, if they really went there, they might just run into the murderer burying the body.
Shi Lu and Dong Yuncheng looked at each other, and their expressions became a little subtle.
Shi Lu said: "We haven't caught anything, but we saw others posting pictures in the group chat, and they did catch a female corpse."
Guan Xia and Pang Le were surprised but not surprised at all. They asked, "What happened next? Was it suicide or homicide?"
Shi Lu replied, "He committed suicide. They say he jumped into the river and drifted for more than ten kilometers before being fished out. He was swollen all over."
Guan Xia imagined the scene and shuddered. She would definitely not go fishing.
Pang Le was already not interested, and after hearing this, he lost interest even more. "Although I like excitement, I don't like this kind of excitement. You guys should go fishing by yourselves, no need to call me."
The few of them chatted for a few more words, and Shi Lu and the others got in the car and left. Before leaving, Pang Le made a phone call gesture. Guan Xia knew that Pang Le still remembered the things in the criminal investigation books, and nodded helplessly.
After returning home, Guan Xia reorganized the new books that she had hastily put on the bookshelf according to the series. While she was busy, Pang Le called her.
"You're home so soon?" Guan Xia pulled out a book and put it aside, then filled the empty space with the book in her arms. "It seems Shi Lu and the others really have something urgent to do that evening. It's only been over half an hour, and you're already home."
"Don't change the subject," Pang Le said in a serious tone, "Tell me the truth, what were you thinking when you bought those crime books? Was it really just inspiration?"
Guan Xia pinched her brows. Of course, she had just said that inspiration when Shi Lu and the others were present. Now that she was facing Pang Le alone, she naturally told the truth.
Guan Xia put the book in his hand on the desk, sat down on the chair, thought for a moment, and said calmly, "It's really not because of inspiration. Interest is one reason, and another reason is to accumulate some knowledge.
"Knowledge reserve?" Pang Le's tone rose several degrees. "What do you want to do?"
Perhaps realizing that his attitude was a bit sharp, Pang Le was silent for a few seconds before he said seriously: "Guan Xia, I don't want to control you. I respect and support all your choices. I just want to tell you that no matter what you do, you must first ensure your own safety. I know you have some talents that can help the police a lot, and maybe even save the next victim who might be killed. I understand all this, but the murderer is extremely vicious and they are very perceptive. Remember that maintenance worker? Without us noticing, he quietly observed us for a long time and even touched us, trying to attack us. Guan Xia, I don't want to scare you, I just want to remind you that you are just an ordinary person. The first person you have to protect is always yourself."
Guan Xia had already guessed what Pang Le would say, but when she heard it in person, she couldn't help but be moved.
After taking a few deep breaths, Guan Xia gathered her thoughts and spoke slowly, "Pang Le, ever since Xu Nian called me a few days ago and we once again stumbled upon a murderer, I've been thinking about it. Although I don't know why, and I'm not sure if it's you or me, our constitutions have indeed changed. Perhaps these changes will persist, or even become more exaggerated."
"The most important thing is that we always have to go out," Guan Xia paused, then continued, "We have to eat, go shopping, and travel. I also sketch and collect folk songs for inspiration, and you have all kinds of exciting hobbies. I get scared when I imagine us going out in the future without knowing anything, with one or more murderers hiding in the crowd. We can't guarantee that we will always be so lucky, and even if we are targeted by the murderer, we will eventually escape danger. I think if I have more knowledge of criminal investigation, even a little bit, I will have a better chance of discovering the murderer in advance. What do you think?"
Pang Le didn't say anything, as if he was thinking seriously. After a long while, he let out a long breath and said, "I said before that I respect and support all your choices. As long as you think carefully and put your own safety first, I certainly won't stop you. In fact, I really want to help you."
Pang Le said with a helpless smile, "But after thinking about it carefully, it seems that there is nothing I can do except follow you and protect you when you encounter danger. There is no other way. Who told me to lose my brain when I was a child? I am used to using my hands instead of my brain. Now I won't work hard even if I want to use it. But don't worry, I am still very confident in my skills. I mean, if, if I really encounter such a situation, I will definitely be able to protect you well and will definitely be able to hold on until the police come."
Guan Xia also laughed, "You talk as if I'm going to challenge the murderer tomorrow. I'm just preparing for a rainy day. I don't know if it will be useful in the future."
Pang Le was silent again, and after a moment he asked tentatively, "How about we do a test?"
Guan Xia was curious, "How do you test it? Go out shopping?"
Pang Le said, "Aren't we planning to go to the temple to worship? I've prepared a guide for Quchun City. I've asked several friends about it, and they all say that the temple there is very effective, at least better than the one in our city. Let's use this to test it."
Guan Xia understood, "Are you planning to use this trip to confirm whether our physique has become Conan's?"
Pang Le hummed, "It's just a matter of time. If I really encounter it, I'll accept it. I have to practice my skills again after I come back. Since I retired, I have been thinking about playing all day. If it weren't for my talent and fighting instinct, I would have been useless by now."
Guan Xia pondered for a moment, "Then should I practice too?"
Guan Xia quickly made a plan. "At my age, it's impossible for me to learn martial arts like you. My old arms and legs can't even stretch. I'm training to improve my physical fitness. If I really encounter an enemy, at least I'll have the physical strength to escape. Otherwise, in my current state, I'll be out of breath before I can run even a kilometer."
Pang Le couldn't help but laugh. "God has spared no one. I used to tell you that you were too weak and couldn't stay at home all day, but you just wouldn't listen. Now you're finally willing to move, but you have to persevere. You can't just fish for three days and dry the net for two days."
Guan Xia hasn't done much exercise for many years since graduating from high school. The thought of it makes her feel overwhelmed, but when she thinks about the dangerous situations she might encounter in the future, she feels that running every day is nothing.
"Okay!" Guan Xia nodded seriously, "It's just running. I can do it!"
Pang Le said: "Then you should work hard. We are not children, so there is no need to supervise each other. Just work hard on your own."
After chatting for a few more words, the phone was hung up with Pang Le sighing with emotion.
Guan Xia did what she thought and quickly sorted all the remaining books into series. She then took out the sportswear that she had pushed to the deepest part of the cabinet even when she moved to a new house. She even set five alarms before going to bed, forcing herself to start the next day.
Thanks to the five alarm clocks, Guan Xia did get up a little earlier than usual the next day, but only a little earlier, because she always felt it was unsafe to get up too early.
After washing his face, Guan Xia stood on the balcony and glanced downstairs. He saw that although the community seemed a little empty because most people were at work, there were still many old men and women buying groceries or doing morning exercises, and then they went downstairs to stretch their bodies.
Guan Xia didn't dare to take on any big challenge on the first day and only set a small goal for himself of running around the community twice.
The community that Guan Xiaxin moved into is not big, with only about twenty buildings in total. However, because it is located in the suburbs, the distance between the buildings is very wide. There are not only large lawns, but also small squares where a lot of equipment is placed.
In fact, Guan Xia still overestimated herself. It was only two laps, less than four kilometers in total. Guan Xia ran intermittently and gasped until her lungs were about to explode before she finished the run.
Guan Xia hadn't felt this way for a long time. She really wanted to lie down immediately after running, but she also knew some common sense. She dragged her tired body and walked slowly for a while before sitting down on the stone steps at the entrance of the community.
Guan Xia was pounding her legs while looking around boredly, and then she saw two old ladies who she had seen before and looked familiar walking slowly past her carrying vegetables.
An old lady complained, "Xiao Luo didn't come today. He must have been dragged away by someone from another community in the group. I'm used to being able to buy vegetables at the community gate every day. It's a bit tiring to walk all the way to the vegetable market. I didn't buy much, and my hands are pinched after walking all the way back."
"Who says it's not?" another old lady sighed. "To make matters worse, you must not have read the group message in our community. It seems that the elevator in one of the buildings was making unusual noises last night. The property management team came early this morning and said that all the elevators in the buildings were being inspected."
The old lady who spoke first said in surprise, "If you hadn't told me earlier, I would have been exhausted from climbing up the stairs to buy all these vegetables."
The other old lady chuckled, "I just saw it too. Otherwise, why would I buy so many vegetables? But it's okay. We both don't have to go to work anyway, so we can just sit downstairs and chat. We can go home when the repair is done."
The old lady who had spoken earlier glanced down at the food in her hands and nodded in agreement, "Okay, since my grandson is in kindergarten and my son and daughter-in-law are at work, I'm the only one at home. Let's sit for a while before going back."
Watching the two old ladies walk into the community, Guan Xia moved his butt and found a more comfortable position for himself.
Guan Xia originally planned to rest for a while and then go home, but now after hearing this unexpected news, she decided to stay for a while. Although her life on the 9th floor was not high, she just finished running and really didn't want to move. She decided to wait until the elevator was inspected before leaving.
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