The Little Boy Who Clapped a Ball

Huang Xiaotao asked the police officers below what was going on. One officer came up stammering that he seemed to have heard some sounds just now. When he went to take a look, there was nothing there. Just as he was about to turn his head, he caught a glimpse in the glass reflection of a little boy bouncing a ball. The eyes of that little boy were white, and he even smiled at him.

Huang Xiaotao and Wang Dali looked at each other, and Wang Dali shuddered as he said, "Brother Yang, could this house really be haunted?"

I said, "What's the difference between a real ghost and a fake one? We still have to investigate the case as usual."

Huang Xiaotao scolded the police officer angrily, "Listen up, the police are even afraid of ghosts. It will become a laughing stock when spread out!"

Police officers carry an aura of darkness by nature. Ghosts generally do not dare get close to them. I feel this naughty little ghost was simply ignorant to brazenly show itself like that.

I said, "Alright, let's take the corpse back to the police station."

Huang Xiaotao asked doubtfully, "That's it? How come I didn't see you burn paper money and chant scriptures for the corpse this time?"

"That's because the examination is not complete yet. I'll go order a pillow tomorrow." I said.

"Order a pillow? I can give you one. Someone gave me two sets of tea leaf pillows the other day. You probably haven't heard of them! It's said to beautify and nourish the skin. I've been sleeping on them for a few nights and they feel quite comfortable. I'll bring you one tomorrow." Huang Xiaotao waved her hand generously.

I laughed. "The pillow I'm ordering is for the corpse!" Then I added, "Speaking of which, how could someone give you pillows, and two sets at that? What intentions did this person have?"

"Are you jealous? When will you be thoughtful enough to give me something?" Huang Xiaotao grinned mischievously.

"Alright, alright, I get it." I nodded again and again.

Huang Xiaotao got someone to clean up the scene and put the corpse in a body bag to bring back. It was already one o'clock in the morning by then. Ye Shiwen and Zhang Yan had already left. I didn't even notice when the two of them had left.

Wang Dali said, "I can't get back to the dormitory tonight. Why don't you go over to Sister Xiaotao's place to spend the night?"

"What about you?" I asked.

"I'll just find an internet cafe to play League of Legends. Anyway there's no class tomorrow." Wang Dali had the pitiful look of a single dog.

Huang Xiaotao said, "That's too tiring. You should just come over to my place to spend the night. Do I seem like the kind of person who plays favorites?"

Wang Dali clapped his hands excitedly, "Really? Then I will humbly accept your kindness!"

There was only one bed in Huang Xiaotao's home. The sofa would be too narrow for Wang Dali and I to sleep on. And I would feel bad letting Huang Xiaotao sleep on the sofa. So I said, "Never mind, don't want to trouble you. Please just drop us off at the school gate. We can find a small hotel to spend the night in. It's only fifty yuan a night, quite affordable."

Huang Xiaotao drove us to the school. At this time of night, there were still roadside food stalls at the school gate, and quite a lot too. They were there to serve those who went to internet cafes to stay up all night.

Huang Xiaotao rolled up her sleeves and said, "There are stalls selling grilled skewers so late. Come on, let's grab a few."

"Aren't you going back to sleep?" I asked.

"I'm hungry! You wouldn't even treat me to a few mutton skewers, stingy." Huang Xiaotao pouted.

"Eat whatever you like. Let me fulfill my duties as a landlord." I really couldn't resist her pouting face. Anyway, with the bountiful rewards from cracked cases, I had more than enough to spend.

So Huang Xiaotao parked the car at the roadside, and we found a grill stand. We ordered some mutton skewers, lamb waists, beers and peas. As Wang Dali drank his beer, he said I was really brotherly tonight, helping him get the goddess' number. He was so happy.

When the speaker has no intention, the listener reads meaning into it. Huang Xiaotao gave me a sidelong glance with a naughty laugh. I wondered what I did wrong this time.

After a while, the grilled food came up. Huang Xiaotao picked up a skewer and brought it under my nose, "Smell it, is this real mutton or rat meat soaked in sheep urine?"

I took a whiff and said, "Don't worry, it's mutton."

"This piece looks so fatty, I'm afraid I'll get fat if I eat it. Help me eat it, will you?"

So I bit off the piece for her.

Suddenly, Wang Dali clutched his chest. I asked what was wrong. He said, "Damn, you two are shamelessly flirting without regard for others. Can you please not abuse a single dog like this? Dogs are man's best friends."

Huang Xiaotao passed the mutton skewer to him, "Look at you being so sour. I treat everyone equally. I'll feed you one too."

Wang Dali waved his hands repeatedly, "This is not mutton. If I eat it, it's dog food to me. You guys continue. Don't mind me!" Then he looked up at the sky, "Ah, the stars are so beautiful tonight!"

The two of us laughed at his joke. Huang Xiaotao said, "Let's talk about something serious! Yang, I had a thought on the drive over. You said the two corpses were very strange. Could someone have deliberately created them?"

"Not very likely." I thought about it and answered.

"You're so sure?" Huang Xiaotao asked.

"If it was just ordinary destruction of evidence, there would be no need to go through so much trouble. If the killer had other intentions, or was psychologically perverted, what would he gain from the crime? Killing two people at the same time and dumping them in the same place is not something serial killers like to do. And leaving the corpses in such a remote place would not cause a social commotion at all, so the killer would gain no thrill from the crime..."

"What do you think then?" Huang Xiaotao nodded blankly.

"I'm also confused now. Let's talk again after the autopsy tomorrow." I sighed.

"What directions should we investigate for now?" Huang Xiaotao asked.

"First confirm the victims' identities, then look into the history of this house, see who the current owner is. This should be a murder house. Check if anyone died here before, best if we can investigate their social relations." I said swiftly.

"Alright, I'll get someone on it first thing tomorrow morning." Huang Xiaotao made note of everything I said.

Wang Dali gave me a thumbs up, "Sister Xiaotao is always so decisive."

Huang Xiaotao laughed, "Solving cases is a race against time after all. The sooner it's solved, the less likely another victim appears!"

After eating, Huang Xiaotao told Wang Dali to go first as she wanted to talk to me alone.

I asked, "What's up?"

Huang Xiaotao said, "You clueless guy, that girl is interested in you and you didn't even notice?"

"Which girl?" I was puzzled.

"The one whose number you helped Wang Dali get. She left her number for you, but you were completely unaware?" Huang Xiaotao said in disbelief.

I scratched my head awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

Seeing I wasn't speaking, Huang Xiaotao nudged me with her arm, "Is she pretty, that girl?"

"Just average." I answered insincerely.

"Sigh, you're truly dense when it comes to girls. An air stewardess like me will have to educate you properly. Alright, I should head home." Huang Xiaotao said resentfully.

"Um..."

"What is it?"

I had something I wanted to say, but was too shy to speak it out when it came to my mouth. "Never mind, next time."

Huang Xiaotao gave a naughty laugh, "Remember not to be late tomorrow morning."

That night, I was tormented to death by Wang Dali's questions about how far I've gone with Huang Xiaotao, if we held hands or kissed, encouraging me to make bolder moves and so on. I didn't know how to respond at all.

Then he asked me to help analyze if he and Xia Mengmeng had potential, the odds of success, if their personalities matched well. Later I got sleepy and just gave perfunctory answers until I fell asleep unknowingly.

Early next morning, we went straight to the police station. There wasn't much to discuss at the case meeting. At this initial stage, we still didn't even know the victims' identities. All we could do was investigate tirelessly.

After the meeting, I went to a carpenter's shop and drew them a blueprint, asking them to make me a wooden pillow according to it, as quickly as possible!

The police, including Huang Xiaotao, went out to investigate. I could only wait around, as there was nowhere to go in the city. So Wang Dali and I went to an internet cafe to hang out. As soon as Wang Dali got online, he eagerly started playing League of Legends. I'm useless at all games and only know how to log onto QQ and read news online.

I searched for information about this house online, but the results from Baidu were all irrelevant. After half a day of fruitless searching, I still didn't find any valuable intelligence.

I shook my head and opened my QQ. But the instant I opened QQ gave me a huge shock!

Only to see all the avatars of his friends turned into blood-eyed, vengeful ghost children who kept shaking and sending him the same message: “Song Yang, I want you dead!”