Finding that woman wasn’t easy. Luo Ren and Yi Wansan decided to drive to the bridge to take a look, and Mu Dai insisted on going along. After the previous night, afraid she’d be in low spirits, basically whatever she requested, no one objected.

Mu Dai changed her outfit: cowboy boots with a black baseball jacket, and a baseball cap on her head. Her long ponytail pulled through the back opening of the cap, swinging behind her head.

Everyone got in the car and headed straight for the bridge. Along the way, they stopped at a traffic light, and a traffic police officer on a motorcycle came toward them. Mu Dai became very nervous, lowered her head, and put on her mask.

The officer just passed by.

Luo Ren sighed quietly to himself.

However, going to the scene so long after the murder wouldn’t reveal anything. The bridge approach was all cement; even if a vehicle had crashed there, it wouldn’t have left any traces.

After searching fruitlessly, they had to turn back. On the way, Yan Hongsha said, “Why don’t we offer a reward? South Field is so small, we can post online or put up small advertisements on the street to find the woman who fell off her electric bike on the bridge that night. It might work.”

It could work, but it didn’t seem like the best approach. Being so conspicuous would easily attract the police’s attention.

Luo Ren pondered without offering an opinion.

Yi Wansan suddenly spoke up: “Luo Ren, stop, stop the car.”

Luo Ren pulled over. Without explaining why, Yi Wansan opened the door and walked ahead toward a traffic officer who had just finished his shift and was resting nearby, unscrewing a bottle of mineral water.

Cao Yanhua wondered: “What’s my Third Brother doing?”

Through the car window, they could see Yi Wansan walking up to the traffic officer, exchanging pleasantries, then sitting down beside him. They seemed to be getting more animated in their conversation.

Even Mu Dai couldn’t help leaning toward the window to watch.

Cao Yanhua said: “That’s just how my Third Brother is—naturally sociable. He has one way of chatting with hooligans and another way with traffic police.”

After a while, Yi Wansan said goodbye to the officer and jogged back, opening the door and getting into the car.

He said, “I asked about it. Here’s how it works: electric bicycles must be registered under a household registration system, with areas divided according to addresses under the corresponding traffic police jurisdiction. I thought about it—that woman riding across the bridge at that hour—she wouldn’t be visiting friends or relatives at that time, most likely she was heading home. So her registered jurisdiction would be the suburban traffic police unit. When registering, she would have filled out personal information and provided a copy of her ID. If we could establish a connection with someone working at the traffic police unit, we might be able to find a woman in her forties who owns an electric bike in that area. There’s hope.”

Yan Hongsha listened in amazement, and even Luo Ren couldn’t help reassessing him: “Well done, Yi Wansan.”

Only Cao Yanhua felt jealous, envying Yi Wansan for thinking faster than him. Refusing to compliment him, he asked: “How did you think of that?”

Yi Wansan hesitated for a long time, reluctantly answering: “In the past, when I couldn’t make ends meet, I considered stealing bicycles. Bicycles need to be photographed and stamped with steel marks when purchased—if bicycles are managed this way, electric bikes should be regulated even more strictly.”

As they spoke, Yan Hongsha had already found the traffic police unit’s location online.

The person responsible for registration and form management was a clerk at the traffic police unit, who also wore a police uniform and had an expressionless, indifferent face.

This type of situation was difficult to handle. Sneaking in to access her computer wouldn’t be appropriate, especially without the password. Bribing her wasn’t possible either; she wasn’t like Chen Xiangrong, the cleaning lady—she would adhere to confidentiality principles.

After discussing in the car for a while, they noticed the woman coming out for lunch. Suddenly, Cao Yanhua’s eyes lit up: “I’ll do it!”

He dashed over.

Everyone watched to see what trick he had up his sleeve, but as they observed, nothing remarkable seemed to be happening. He appeared to have made up some excuse, putting on a flattering face, smiling and pleading, bowing and nodding like anyone seeking a favor. The woman looked haughty.

Yi Wansan provided a voiceover for Cao Yanhua in the distance: “Please, beautiful lady, just help me look this up. It won’t break any rules…”

The woman raised her head.

Yan Hongsha instinctively continued the dubbing: “No way, we have regulations! You need a leader’s signature!”

Luo Ren and Mu Dai both turned to look at them.

Yan Hongsha hadn’t realized: “What’s wrong?”

Luo Ren said, “You two are having quite a good time.”

In the distance, the first phase concluded. The woman left Cao Yanhua behind, stomping away. Cao Yanhua sat dejectedly on a stone platform nearby, not coming back to the car.

Yi Wansan snorted: “Fatty Cao got shut down. All that ‘I’ll do it’—I thought he had some trick…”

Luo Ren hushed him, gesturing not to speak.

Yi Wansan looked up and saw the woman returning, her head lowered as if searching for something.

Cao Yanhua approached her, and after saying something, the woman’s attitude changed dramatically. She suddenly became cordial toward Cao Yanhua, and then, in an unexpected twist, she led Cao Yanhua toward the office building.

Before entering, Cao Yanhua, while the woman wasn’t looking, turned back toward the car with a flirtatious wink.

Luo Ren laughed heartily.

Yi Wansan was confused, pressing: “What happened?”

“Fatty Cao performed a catch-and-release act. Didn’t you see? He first stole something from her, then pretended to be an honest person waiting to return it. She felt embarrassed and took the opportunity to save face. She’s probably taking him to see the records now.”

Yi Wansan drew in a sharp breath: “That’s skill!”

Cao Yanhua had copied down several names and addresses.

Luckily, there aren’t many electric bike owners in this jurisdiction. I was worried the electric bike might not be registered under her name, so I copied almost everything. But I have a prime suspect, this one…”

He proudly pointed to one of the names: “Wu Yuping, 46. See? She listed her company: South Field Danjin Garment Factory.”

Yan Hongsha didn’t understand: “What’s significant about a garment factory?”

“Because they have assembly lines that sometimes can’t be stopped once started. They work in three shifts, often with night shifts.”

Luo Ren carefully examined Wu Yuping’s address and slowly started the car: “Let’s go there first.”

He glanced at Mu Dai, who was indeed slightly nervous, her hands twisted together.

Wu Yuping’s home was at the marketplace entrance of a township under South Field’s jurisdiction. It was a two-story building with a general store on the first floor and an electric bike parked outside.

Luo Ren got out to look. The battery was removed, and there were many scratches on the bike’s body.

He exhaled, turned back toward the car, and made a gesture. It seemed they had found the right person; the other addresses wouldn’t be necessary.

According to the plan, Luo Ren would take the lead while others waited in the car.

But Mu Dai also wanted to get out. Luo Ren hesitated: “She’ll recognize you.”

Mu Dai became stubborn: “I’ve changed my clothes and I’m wearing a hat and mask… I want to hear what she says.”

Even if it was bad news, hearing it firsthand would allow her to finally accept it.

Luo Ren didn’t stop her anymore.

Wu Yuping’s husband, who had mobility issues, was watching the store on the first floor. When told they were looking for Wu Yuping, he didn’t move, just shouted upstairs. After two calls, Wu Yuping came down.

Wu Yuping was 46 years old, but possibly due to years of hard work and frequent night shifts, she looked much older than her actual age. She hurried down from upstairs, her hands still wringing clothes she hadn’t had time to put down: “Looking for me?”

Luo Ren pointed to the electric bike outside: “Did you have an accident with this bike a few days ago?”

Wu Yuping’s reaction was surprisingly quick: “Are you here about the case on the big bridge?”

South Field County was very small. News from one day spread like wildfire the next. Wu Yuping had heard about it immediately and had even remarked to her husband: “I was on the bridge that night and collided with someone who wasn’t watching where they were going. What a close call!”

She told everyone: neighbors knew, her coworkers at the garment factory knew. They even joked: “You should report this to the police station.”

Wu Yuping refused, not wanting to create trouble for herself.

She looked at Luo Ren: “Are you from the police station? You don’t look like it.”

Luo Ren said, “We are… friends of the deceased.”

Sympathy appeared on Wu Yuping’s face: “Poor thing, I heard he was a student. I heard they caught the killer—huge guy, took three people to hold him down.”

Luo Ren couldn’t help smiling at how vividly the rumors had been embellished, even describing the arrest in vivid detail.

As Wu Yuping continued, she became puzzled: “But why are you looking for me?”

She invited the two to sit in the living room.

Luo Ren said, “Mainly to understand the situation at that time, to see if we can get more clues. You were on the bridge—did you almost collide with someone?”

“Indeed! In such a hurry, rushing like they were racing to be reborn, heading straight for my bike! If I hadn’t braked quickly, I would have fallen.”

Luo Ren remained composed: “But you fell anyway, on the other side?”

Wu Yuping said: “That was because that damn kid scared me so badly my legs and hands went weak. I wasn’t paying attention and fell again.”

Her expression was resentful, her anger had not yet subsided.

“At that time, on the bridge, did you see a young woman?”

Luo Ren asked this slowly. Mu Dai’s breathing gradually stopped as she stared at Wu Yuping’s mouth, feeling as if time had slowed down.

“A young woman? Yes, I saw her.”

“When I got up from the ground and was steadying my bike, I saw her on the bridge. She didn’t even offer to help—that bike was so heavy.”

Heavy bike? How heavy could it be? Heavier than her heart at this moment?

Mu Dai’s breathing became rapid. The mask clung to her face, as if stealing away her oxygen.

Luo Ren reached over and held her hand, still addressing Wu Yuping: “Can you remember her face?”

Wu Yuping frowned: “I was a bit far away, but I should be able to. I have an impression.”

Luo Ren took out three photographs from his pocket and placed them in a row on the table: “Please try to identify her.”

The three photos were the same size. One was of Mu Dai; the other two were just searched and downloaded from the internet.

Luo Ren admitted to himself that he had a bias and favoritism. The two photos he chose were of women who resembled Mu Dai: long hair, slender, delicate nose, large eyes, even with similar smiles.

Back then, Little Pocket smiled so beautifully, carefree and without worries, unlike now, either not smiling at all or smiling in a way that broke one’s heart.

Wu Yuping picked out one photo and said: “This one.”

Mu Dai felt Luo Ren’s hand, which was holding hers, tighten for a moment when Wu Yuping picked up the photo.

Probably afraid she couldn’t bear it.

Mu Dai turned to look at Luo Ren, slowly pulling her hand from his, and said: “I’ll wait for you outside.”

She stood up and left, each step feeling unsteady. At the door, she saw Luo Ren’s car with its window open, Yan Hongsha anxiously waving to her, as if asking: How did it go?

Mu Dai looked away without getting into the car and walked straight back the way they had come. Behind her, Yan Hongsha’s waving hand froze in mid-air, her face filled with bewilderment. Yi Wansan and Cao Yanhua got out of the car, watching her back, wanting to call out but remaining silent.

Cao Yanhua said: “This is bad, bad… it must be bad news…”

Luo Ren came out too, looking grim. He opened the car door and got into the driver’s seat, asking: “Where’s Mu Dai?”

Cao Yanhua and Yi Wansan didn’t dare speak. Yan Hongsha pointed in the direction they had come from.

Luo Ren started the car, drove forward, turned around, and slowly caught up to her.

On the dirt road, the wind kicked up a lot of sand and dust. On both sides were rice paddies, undulating like endless waves, giving a sense of hopeless infinity.

Mu Dai was truly thin. She must have lost a lot of weight recently. A lone, solitary figure with frail shoulders—he could probably encircle her with just one arm.

Hearing the car, Mu Dai stopped walking.

The car stopped beside her. Luo Ren pressed the button to lower the window. The car window slowly rolled down, revealing her face like frames in a developing photograph.

She said: “I’m not going back to the hotel. Take me to the police station. They must be looking everywhere for me, searching back and forth, which must be tiring.”

“Please call Hong Yi, find Dr. He, and get me a certificate. I didn’t want to kill someone. I really must be sick.”

Luo Ren didn’t speak. He couldn’t bear it and turned his head away.

Cao Yanhua also lowered his head. He sniffled, feeling like he was about to cry. Yi Wansan sighed, resting his head on the car headrest, staring blankly at the car ceiling.

Only Yan Hongsha spoke up. She said, “Why don’t you all say something?”

No one spoke, but Mu Dai smiled at her slightly.

That smile instantly brought tears to Yan Hongsha’s eyes.

She shouted through her tears: “I don’t agree!”

She practically kicked the car door open and got out, immediately grabbing Mu Dai.

“Mu Dai, you’re upset right now. My grandfather… my grandfather taught me, he said that when people are especially sad, depressed, disappointed, or angry, they should never make decisions—any decisions.”

“You’re too sad right now. You just think, ‘Fine, let it be this way.’ This is your momentary thought, but once you go in, whether you’re locked in jail or a mental hospital, that’s for life—for your whole life.”

She slapped the car hard: “Luo Ren, say something! Fatty Cao, Yi Wansan, have you all gone mute? Say something!”

No one spoke. Feeling isolated and helpless, Yan Hongsha’s tears streamed down like water. She let go of Mu Dai and did something no one expected.

She climbed onto the hood of Luo Ren’s car and sat down. Not satisfied with just sitting, she lay down, sprawled out, with her head resting against the windshield, her messy hair sticking to the glass. It was truly an indescribable scene.

Mu Dai came over and said, “Red Sand, you have no sense of dignity…”

Suddenly, she stopped, and both of them almost simultaneously remembered that when they went to Four Village, Mu Dai had said the same thing when Yan Hongsha used a shovel as a carrying pole.

Yan Hongsha choked up, as if in a battle of wills: “How can it be like this? My uncle died, my grandfather died too, and now you’re going to prison. Am I a broom star, eliminating you all one by one?”

“I just don’t believe it. All your life, even with dissociative identity disorder, you’ve never done anything bad. That night at the hotel, when I slept in the same bed with you, you stayed put all night. I never saw you leave. Why, of all nights, did you have to go to that broken bridge and push someone into the water? How could you be so unlucky that when you arrived, he happened to be urinating on the bridge? One push and he fell. If he hadn’t been urinating at that moment, would you have picked him up and thrown him over? I don’t believe it. Is this some kind of ghost story? This must be the work of ghosts, right?”

A thought suddenly flashed through Luo Ren’s mind, startling him.