chapter 8

Chapter 8

At this point, I asked Shan Jing, “What do you think of this story?”

Shan Jing couldn’t hide her astonishment and only asked, “Is this true?”

“Don’t worry about whether it’s true or not.”

But Shan Jing was persistent: “I don’t know much about your past. I only know you come from a single-parent family, lived with your mother, your father disappeared early on, and your mother passed away later. I know these things are a hidden pain in your heart, so I’ve never tried to probe.

“But today, you took the initiative to tell me a story: the protagonist is also named He Mu, whose father also disappeared early, whose mother also passed away later, who studied bioengineering in college, then wrote novels and kept reptiles, and in 2009 married Shan Jing-that is, me-so this really is your own story, isn’t it?”

“It’s just to make it more immersive, to enhance your reading experience,” I explained. “Don’t worry about what’s true or false. Let’s get back to the story itself. Tell me your thoughts.”

Shan Jing scrutinized me suspiciously, but ultimately chose to believe.

She thought for a moment and said, “You said you’re afraid of sheep, then told this story. But it seems like the story has nothing to do with sheep.

“There’s also a detail. After the father disappeared in the story, the mother and son searched for a month without reporting it to the police. In the end, it was the neighbor who filed the report. That feels a bit strange. Four or five days would be understandable, but a whole month? That’s a bit much. It’s like they weren’t really worried about the father.

“The content itself is quite convoluted, but the story is told too straightforwardly. The father was a murderer, then disappeared, then his body was found and the case was solved.”

“You’re right,” I paused and said, “The story isn’t over yet. What I just told you is only the surface plot. Next comes the hidden thread.”

“The father isn’t actually dead.”