Chapter 5
Chapter 5
November 13, 2020
I couldn’t sleep tonight.
I can’t be wrong!
It has to be this!
The little boy and his sister from earlier today kept flickering before my eyes, refusing to leave my mind.
In my head, I repeatedly replayed the afternoon Yutong disappeared, trying to recall everyone who had come to my stall to buy red bean cakes.
Specifically, those who bought them before the kindergarten let out for the day, and who were younger than Ding Yutong.
As I tossed and turned, it suddenly hit me.
One person fit the description.
It was a little girl I had never seen before.
She didn’t seem to be from that kindergarten.
I couldn’t remember what she looked like or what she was wearing, but I remembered one thing clearly:
She paid for the cake.
Furthermore, she looked old enough to be in kindergarten herself. Why was she out and about before school let out?
Could my judgment be wrong?
No, no!
There must be something I haven’t thought of yet!
Chapter 10
August 6, 2024, 11:40 AM
“What? You’re saying that on the day Ding Yutong went missing, her younger sister came to your stall to buy a cake before school let out, and Ding Yutong knew about it?”
“I’m afraid so,” I said.
Brother Liu furrowed his brows and lit a cigarette.
“Damn… then there really is something wrong here.”
“What is it, Brother Liu?”
“Think about it. If they were in the same kindergarten, it might make sense. The problem is…” Brother Liu took another drag. “I asked about this before. Ding Yutong’s sister wasn’t at the same kindergarten as her.”
“Then there’s only one possibility,” I said.
“Right, only one possibility.” Brother Liu’s expression turned grave. “Someone picked up her sister early that day and brought her there.”
Chapter 11
August 6, 2024, 11:50 AM
“Does this have any connection to Ding Yutong’s disappearance?” I asked.
“I can’t judge that yet, but there’s definitely something fishy!”
As he spoke, Brother Liu picked up the phone. “Captain, are you in your office?”
Ten minutes later, Brother Liu and I were in the Captain’s office. Brother Liu gave a brief report on what we had just discussed.
“It’s been nearly four years since this case started. If you want to go and confirm this detail now, that’s fine,” the Captain said. “But mind your manners. They aren’t suspects.”
“Understood,” Brother Liu and I replied in unison.
The Captain added, “Besides, no matter how much you try to dig up old details, it won’t be enough. The key to the problem always lies in reality. Why did Ding Yutong vanish during those twenty minutes? It’s been four years-where is Ding Yutong?”