Chapter 24 I Heard Fishermen Like to Go Deep into the Mountains…

Chapter 24 I heard that fishermen love to venture deep into the mountains and forests...

The four of them ate, drank, and had fun all afternoon until it started getting dark. Dong Yuncheng glanced out the window and said, "Shall we call it a day? Shi Lü and I have plans to meet someone tonight. How about we get together another time?"

Guan Xia was the first to nod. "Sure, I'll walk you out."

Pang Le also stood up and tidied the messy coffee table.

Dong Yuncheng and Shi Lü conscientiously took charge of the trash bags, planning to throw them out on their way downstairs.

Guan Xia didn’t object. Before leaving, she took one last look around to make sure nothing was left behind, then opened the door.

Just as Dong Yuncheng stepped one foot out, he suddenly remembered something and turned back to ask Guan Xia, "By the way, Guan Xia, can I borrow that art book from your study? I was halfway through one and wanted to finish it. If it’s not convenient, just send me a link—I’ll buy a copy."

Guan Xia immediately recalled the open art book she had put away before leaving the study at noon. So it was Dong Yuncheng who had been looking at it.

"Of course you can borrow it," Guan Xia said with a smile, walking back to the study. She pulled out the book and returned to the living room to hand it to Dong Yuncheng. "Here you go."

Dong Yuncheng put down the trash bag, flipped through the book, and said, "This is the one. Thanks, Guan Xia. I’ll return it once I’m done."

It was rare to find someone who shared her interests, so Guan Xia said happily, "No rush. If you like it, there are three more books in this series. I can lend them all to you later."

Dong Yuncheng also smiled. "Sounds good."

Pang Le glanced at Guan Xia, then at Dong Yuncheng, his expression slightly suspicious.

Shi Lü silently looked at Dong Yuncheng, bent down to pick up the trash bag, and said, "Let’s go. The elevator’s here."

Once outside the building, Shi Lü tossed the two bags of trash into the bin, and the group walked a short distance to where the car was parked.

Just as they were about to say goodbye, Guan Xia caught sight of a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye while looking at Pang Le. She focused her gaze and realized that Shi Lü had parked the car near Building 7.

The domestic abuser they had seen before was wearing a broad-brimmed hat and a windbreaker, carrying a fishing rod over his shoulder and holding two fish over a meter long in his other hand. He was walking cheerfully toward the building entrance.

An old man taking a stroll noticed him and exclaimed in surprise, "Hey, Lao Liang, went fishing again today? Such big fish—did you catch them yourself?"

The man, referred to as Lao Liang, grinned exaggeratedly. "If I didn’t catch them myself, did I steal them? A fishing buddy told me about a spot with big fish a couple of days ago, so I went to check it out today. Sure enough, I hit the jackpot. How about it? Want to join me tomorrow?"

The old man seemed tempted but glanced at his glaring wife and shook his head. "Nah, I’m too old to go that far. You go ahead by yourself."

"What a shame. I thought I’d have company tomorrow," the man said, though he didn’t look disappointed at all. After boasting to the old man for a bit longer, he walked briskly into the building.

Guan Xia withdrew her gaze and turned to see Shi Lü and Dong Yuncheng watching the domestic abuser’s retreating figure with a hint of longing.

Pang Le found it amusing. "Do all men reach an age where they become obsessed with fishing?"

Dong Yuncheng’s expression turned serious. "It’s not about age. Some young people love fishing too, like Shi Lü and me. Sometimes work pressure gets too much, and we like to escape into the deep mountains and forests. If we don’t feel like hiking, we go fishing. We just bring a stool, sit there all day, and don’t think about anything. We watch the sky, the water, and occasionally the fishing rod. As long as we don’t come back empty-handed, it’s a fulfilling day."

Pang Le pursed his lips, unable to understand, but Guan Xia could sense the relaxation of temporarily escaping the world’s noise in Dong Yuncheng’s words.

Dong Yuncheng noticed and enthusiastically invited them, "How about you join us next time we go fishing?"

Pang Le glanced at Shi Lü and seriously considered it for a moment but ultimately shook his head. "Forget it. I can’t sit still for that long. I’d rather go for a run."

Guan Xia was tempted for only a second before also refusing. "No, thanks. I’ve heard that fishermen love venturing deep into the mountains and forests—just like murderers. Quite a few fishermen have accidentally fished up corpses. What about you two?"

Speaking of fishermen, Guan Xia was reminded of the killer she had seen that day. She strongly suspected that, given hers and Pang Le’s current luck, they might just stumble upon a murderer burying a body.

Shi Lü and Dong Yuncheng exchanged a glance, their expressions turning subtly.

Shi Lü said, "We’ve never fished one up ourselves, but we’ve seen pictures in group chats. Someone really did fish up a female corpse."

Guan Xia and Pang Le were surprised but not entirely shocked. They pressed, "What happened later? Suicide or homicide?"

Shi Lü replied, "Suicide. Apparently, she jumped into a river and drifted over ten kilometers before being fished up. Her body was bloated from being in the water."

Guan Xia shuddered at the mental image. She would never go fishing.

Pang Le, who had already been uninterested, was even more put off now. "I like excitement, but not that kind. You two go ahead without me."

After chatting for a few more minutes, Shi Lü and Dong Yuncheng drove off. Before leaving, Pang Le mimed calling to Guan Xia, who knew he was still thinking about those criminal investigation books. She nodded, feeling somewhat helpless.

Back home, Guan Xia reorganized the new books she had hastily placed on the shelves according to their series. While she was busy, Pang Le called.

"You’re home already?" Guan Xia pulled out one book, set it aside, and filled the gap with another from her arms. "Shi Lü and the others must really have urgent business tonight. It’s only been half an hour, and you’re already home."

"Don’t change the subject," Pang Le’s voice was serious. "Honestly, what were you thinking when you bought those criminal investigation books? Was it really just because of inspiration?"

Guan Xia pinched the bridge of her nose. Of course, the "inspiration" excuse was because Shi Lü and the others were there. Now, with just Pang Le, she could be honest.

Guan Xia placed the book in her hand on the desk, sat down in her chair, and after a moment of thought, calmly said, "It really wasn’t because of inspiration. Interest was one reason, but another was to build a knowledge base."

"Knowledge base?" Pang Le’s voice rose several pitches. "What are you planning to do?"

Perhaps realizing he sounded too sharp, Pang Le fell silent for a few seconds before speaking earnestly. "Guan Xia, I’m not trying to control you. I respect and support all your choices. I just want to say that no matter what you do, your safety should always come first. I know you have a talent for this—you can help the police a lot, maybe even save potential victims. I get it. But killers are ruthless and sharp. Remember that repairman? He observed us for a long time without us noticing, even got close and tried to attack us. Guan Xia, I’m not trying to scare you, just remind you that you’re an ordinary person. Your first priority should always be protecting yourself."

Guan Xia had expected Pang Le to say something like this, but hearing it still moved her.

After taking a few deep breaths to collect her thoughts, Guan Xia spoke slowly, "Pang Le, ever since Xu Nian called me the other day and we accidentally encountered another killer, I’ve been thinking. For some reason, whether it’s you or me, our circumstances have definitely changed. Maybe this change will stay with us, or even get more extreme."

"Most importantly, we still have to go out," Guan Xia paused before continuing. "We need to eat, shop, travel. I need to sketch and gather inspiration for my work, and you have your various thrill-seeking hobbies. The thought of going out in the future, unaware that one or even multiple killers could be hiding in the crowd, terrifies me. We can’t guarantee we’ll always be lucky enough to escape unscathed even if targeted. I figured if I learn a bit about criminal investigation, even just a little, I might have a better chance of spotting a killer early. What do you think?"

Pang Le didn’t respond, seemingly deep in thought. After a long while, he let out a heavy sigh. "I’ve said it before—I respect and support all your choices. As long as you’ve thought it through and put your safety first, I won’t stop you. In fact, I’d really like to help you."

Pang Le laughed helplessly. "But after thinking about it, aside from sticking with you and protecting you if danger arises, there’s not much I can do. Can’t be helped—I’ve been relying on brawn over brain since I was a kid. Even if I wanted to use my brain now, it wouldn’t cooperate. But don’t worry, I’m very confident in my physical skills. If—and I mean if—we ever run into trouble, I’ll protect you well enough to hold out until the police arrive."

Guan Xia also laughed. "You make it sound like I’m going to pick a fight with a killer tomorrow. I’m just preparing for the worst. Who knows if I’ll ever need it?"

Pang Le fell silent again before tentatively asking, "How about we run a test?"

Guan Xia was curious. "What kind of test? Go out shopping?"

Pang Le said, "Weren’t we planning to visit a temple? I’ve done the research—Qu Chun City. I asked around, and several friends said that temple is really effective, way more than the ones in our city. Let’s use this trip as a test."

Guan Xia understood. "You mean use this trip to confirm whether we’ve turned into Conan-like magnets for trouble?"

Pang Le grunted in agreement. "It’s on the way anyway. If we really run into something, I’ll accept it. After we get back, I’ll need to step up my training. I’ve been slacking off since leaving active duty, relying on talent and combat instinct. I’d be out of shape by now otherwise."

Guan Xia thought for a moment. "Should I train too?"

She quickly made a plan. "At my age, I can’t start learning martial arts like you. These old bones won’t stretch that far. But I can work on my fitness. If something happens, at least I’ll have the stamina to run. In my current state, I’d be gasping for breath after less than a kilometer."

Pang Le couldn’t help but laugh. "Serves you right! I’ve always said you’re too out of shape, cooped up at home all day, but you never listened. Now you’re finally willing to move. But you have to keep at it—no skipping days."

Guan Xia hadn’t exercised much since high school. The thought was daunting, but considering the potential dangers ahead, daily jogging didn’t seem so bad.

"Deal!" Guan Xia nodded firmly. "It’s just running. I can do it!"

Pang Le said, "Then give it your all. We’re not kids anymore, so let’s skip the mutual supervision. You’ll have to push yourself."

After a few more casual remarks, the call ended with Pang Le's resigned sigh.

Guan Xia acted immediately, swiftly organizing the remaining books by series, then digging out the exercise clothes that had been buried at the bottom of the closet even when she first moved into her new home. Before bed, she even set five consecutive alarms, making sure she’d start the next day.

Thanks to the five alarms, Guan Xia did wake up a bit earlier than usual the next day—but only by a little, as she still felt it was too early and unsafe.

After splashing some water on her face, Guan Xia stood on the balcony and glanced downstairs. Although the neighborhood looked pretty empty with most residents at work, there were still plenty of elderly people buying groceries or doing morning exercises. She stretched a bit and headed downstairs.

Not daring to challenge herself too much on the first day, Guan Xia set a small goal: jog two laps around the neighborhood.

Her new neighborhood wasn’t large, with just over twenty buildings. But because it was located in the suburbs, the space between buildings was quite spacious, featuring large grassy areas and a small square equipped with exercise equipment.

In reality, Guan Xia had overestimated herself. Just two laps—less than four kilometers in total—left her gasping for air, her lungs burning by the time she finished.

It had been so long since she’d felt this way that she desperately wanted to lie down immediately after finishing. But knowing some basic common sense, she forced her tired body to walk slowly for a while before finally slumping down on the stone steps at the neighborhood entrance.

As she massaged her legs and glanced around idly, she noticed two elderly women she’d seen before, who looked familiar, walking slowly past her carrying groceries.

One of them complained, "Xiao Luo didn’t come today—must’ve been poached by other neighborhood groups in the group chat. I’ve gotten used to buying groceries right at the neighborhood entrance every day. Walking all the way to the market is exhausting, and I didn’t even buy that much, but my hands are already sore from carrying it back."

"Tell me about it," the other sighed. "And to make matters worse, you probably haven’t checked the neighborhood group chat. Apparently, one of the building’s elevators was making strange noises last night. The property management brought people over first thing this morning and said they’re inspecting all the elevators in every building."

The first woman exclaimed in surprise, "Why didn’t you say so earlier? I bought all these groceries—climbing the stairs will just about kill me!"

The other laughed lightly, "I just saw it too. Otherwise, why would I have bought so much? But it’s fine—neither of us has to work. We can just sit here and chat until the elevators are fixed, then go home."

The first woman glanced down at her groceries and nodded in agreement. "Alright, my grandson is at kindergarten, and my son and daughter-in-law are at work. I’m home alone anyway. Let’s sit for a while before heading back."

Watching the two elderly women enter the neighborhood, Guan Xia shifted to get more comfortable on the steps.

Originally, she had planned to rest for a bit before going home. But after hearing this unexpected news, she decided to sit a while longer. Although she lived on the 9th floor, which wasn’t too high, she wasn’t up for moving after her run. She’d wait until the elevator inspection was finished before heading back.