Sitting on his electric scooter, Su He was a little absent-minded. He found Cai's account on the short video platform, with over 12 million fans. Every video was about Cai traveling around tasting food at restaurants and giving reviews, often going to five-star hotels and spending over ten thousand yuan per meal.
Cai also had a girlfriend named An Ni, also a top beauty blogger with 8 million fans.
The two of them lived in the capital but were always traveling to shoot videos.
Su He couldn't imagine Cai as a murderer. He was rich, handsome, with a girlfriend - there was no way to connect him to the supermarket owner's daughter.
Besides, Su He remembered the murderer dressed just like a normal middle-aged man. Cai dressed fashionably. The only similarity was they had about the same height.
Su He was caught in a dilemma - the police didn't give him more information, while Cai had no motive to kill a supermarket owner's daughter. He had career, romance, fame and fortune - it didn't make sense.
On stage, Su He also felt Cai's warm and kind side. Was he overthinking this?
Suddenly, his phone rang. It was Shen Yuanzhong calling to inform Su He to go to the capital the day after tomorrow, everything was arranged.
After hanging up, Su He stopped overthinking and continued taking orders, trying to earn more money for Shen Yue's treatment.
"Ding, you have a new delivery order, please check it immediately."
Once busy with work, Su He soon forgot about Cai. Taking orders, picking up food, delivering food, going upstairs and downstairs...he worked nonstop until 1 am before stopping for dinner at a small restaurant.
Finally having time to check his phone, Su He saw several people had messaged him.
It turned out the live broadcast of the food competition was aired by Jinan TV Station. Many noticed that special figure on stage - a food delivery guy frying egg fried rice in a big wok.
Short video platforms and friends' circles exploded with all kinds of comments about him.
With so many people there, many interesting videos were taken of course.
Some were concerned about Su He's looks, some scolded him for not knowing his place, some refuted saying Su He's egg fried rice tasted great.
There were even over 10,000 people debating fiercely whether egg fried rice should appear in a food competition.
Some even dug out the video of Su He beating the martial arts school coach, commenting food delivery guys were like crouching tigers and hidden dragons. Though some said it was just hype.
Su He didn't care. He would quit his job tomorrow and take a flight to the capital the day after. These comments wouldn't affect him - he was just watching the show.
After finishing a bowl of rice with gravy, Su He returned to Gangwan Youth Apartment. As soon as he entered, he found Dong Yong and Pan Zhigang whispering, while Ma Mingzhe hadn't returned.
"Su He, Ma Mingzhe's wife came here with their kid looking for him!" Dong Yong hurried to tell Su He.
"Looking for him for what?" Su He was surprised.
Ma Mingzhe was also a pitiful man. Two years ago he had led a blissful family life - his wife was beautiful and his daughter was well-behaved. But one day when Ma Mingzhe was delivering food, he happened to deliver to the unit next to his home. Thinking his home was so close by, he wanted to go back and surprise his cute daughter.
Yet as soon as he opened the door, what a surprise indeed - his wife was rolling in bed with a stranger while his daughter watched Peppa Pig in the living room.
Ma Mingzhe was furious and beat up his wife and that man. The next day, his wife took their daughter and left.
She had been gone for two years now. Even so, she would pester him for money every now and then. Later Ma Mingzhe would rather spend all his money tipping livestreamers than give her any.
He didn't expect her to show up at his door this time.
Only Dong Yong and Su He knew about this. Pan Zhigang had just learned about it today.
Usually Ma Mingzhe would only say his wife was home with their kid, when in fact she had run off with another man.
Suddenly, Su He's phone dinged. Ma Mingzhe sent a message in the Top Supporter Chat Group: "Bros, let's go out for drinks."
By the time Su He and the others arrived at Sister Liu's Restaurant, Ma Mingzhe had already finished a bottle of baijiu.
"Come on, let's drink baijiu tonight. Take a seat, why are you standing there!" Ma Mingzhe smiled as he poured everyone drinks, not mentioning his wife and kid at all.
Knowing Ma Mingzhe was just in a bad mood, Dong Yong who was usually close to him soon started drinking with him cup for cup.
Su He and Pan Zhigang didn't drink since they would have to carry these two home later.
Soon Ma Mingzhe started telling stories, like his wife asking him for money while their daughter wore tattered clothes, so he gave that woman another 3,000 yuan.
The plot was clichéd. Su He had long grown tired of Ma Mingzhe's stories, while Pan Zhigang listened with great interest.
At 2 am, Dong Yong managed to get Ma Mingzhe drunk while passing out himself. Su He paid and carried Ma Mingzhe on his back while Pan Zhigang carried Dong Yong, slowly walking towards Gangwan Youth Apartment.
Suddenly, a man wearing a duckbill cap and black face mask brushed past them.
"Stop!" Su He turned back and shouted at him.
That man broke into a run!
Su He wanted to put Ma Mingzhe down to chase him, but Ma Mingzhe had his arms tightly locked around his neck, mumbling drunkenly, "Wife, don't leave me..."
Seeing the man vanish into the night, Su He could only keep carrying Ma Mingzhe forward.
"Su He, what's wrong?" Dong Yong thought Su He was shouting at him to stop.
"Nothing, let's go..."
...
The next morning, Su He was woken up by the loud police siren. He leapt out of bed, got dressed in seconds and rushed out.
Across from Gangwan Youth Apartment was a patch of self-built housing where many migrant workers also rented places, as not everyone was willing to squeeze into such a small room.
By the time Su He got downstairs, he saw the police car turning in. Without hesitation he followed them in.
In front of a 5-story building, police tape had been set up. Several policemen were questioning the person who called the police.
There were many onlookers. Su He blended into the crowd.
The caller was a woman in her twenties. She was very nervous with pale complexion, apparently frightened. She kept mumbling, "Someone's dead...someone's dead..."
Seeing her state, the police took her away.
Soon Su He saw Wen Police Officer arrive with his team.
Recalling the man he met last night, Su He regretted some for not dumping Ma Mingzhe to chase after him. That murderer had clearly killed again!
"Su He?" Yang Lin spotted Su He among the crowd.
Seeing Officer Yang walk over, Su He smiled. "Morning, Officer Yang."
"What are you doing here?"
"I live nearby. I came down for breakfast and wandered over to take a look."
Yang seemed half believing as he walked inside.