It’s Him – Ch04

Finding Someone Together

The woman was named Li Yugui, and her daughter was the pride of Pingcheng’s senior high school students—an entertainer of information—Li Xun.

Her daughter was truly smart, exceptionally quick-witted. She understood everything at a glance. Though her grades were not particularly stable, she was sure to get into a good university.

Li Yugui stood in the basement for a while, holding an iron rod she had picked up from upstairs. Normally, she used this rod as a rolling pin.

The basement was constructed during a time when market regulations in Pingcheng were lax. Few people knew about it, and it was originally intended for storing items.

There was no light, but she knew someone was nearby.

She shouldn’t have tortured the person. That was something they had agreed upon from the beginning. She had promised.

She had assured them she would not kill the person.

But she couldn’t help herself.

Not far from her, Teacher Zhao made no sound. Although he was bound tightly and gagged, making noise would not have been difficult.

Yet he remained silent.

His eyes, forced open, were in indescribable pain, and every part of his body ached due to the restraints. But he maintained his composure, uttering not a word.

Teacher Zhao was no fool. Being tied up here, he knew that shouting would only provoke his captor.

He had seen the news in class the day before: the sketch of the perpetrator looked exactly like him.

That very night, he had been kidnapped. When he woke up, he was in this darkness. It wasn’t hard to guess his captor’s intentions.

This was the moment when his captor’s emotions were at their peak. Anything he said would be useless until she calmed down.

There was an abundance of information about the case online. Teacher Zhao could imagine what kind of treatment the perpetrator would receive if they fell into the hands of the victim’s family.

He listened intently, but his captor made no sound. Soon, he heard footsteps fading into the distance—she had left.

He breathed a sigh of relief, yet he found the woman’s voice oddly familiar.

Because he had so many students, and because he was so tense when he heard the voice, he couldn’t place who it was.

When Li Yugui went upstairs, Li Xun had just returned home.

Li Xun called out, “Mom,” and, noticing her pale face, went to the kitchen to pour her some hot water. “Aunt Zhang came by to ask if you could cater a family dinner at her place.”

Li Yugui turned her head, finally noticing Sister Zhang peering in from the doorway.

Sister Zhang said, “My relatives are visiting this Saturday. Initially, we planned to eat out, but you know how heavy-handed those restaurants are with their seasonings. My family isn’t used to it. I heard from others in the community that your cooking is delicious and lightly seasoned. I was wondering if you could come to my house tomorrow. The price is negotiable, and the dishes are simple.”

Li Yugui had initially wanted to decline.

Her breakfast shop hadn’t been open these past few days, and money was tight. Since it was midday and just a one-time gig, she agreed.

“You look so pale. Are you okay? Take care of yourself,” Sister Zhang said as she added Li Yugui on WeChat for easier communication.

As they spoke, a loud bang came from downstairs.

“Is everything okay downstairs?” Sister Zhang asked.

Li Xun replied, “I’ll go check.”

Li Yugui stopped her, saying, “There’s no light down there; it’s pitch black. Be careful not to trip.”

Li Xun said, “Mom, you’re not curing bacon in the basement again, are you? This isn’t the countryside. You can’t do that here anymore. If someone finds out, it’ll be trouble.” A sealed basement was perfect for curing bacon.

The woman snapped back to reality and murmured, “Mm.”

Sister Zhang commented, “I’ve tasted your cured bacon before, but it had a strange flavor.”

An elderly neighbor had been watching the conversation from outside. She had been thinking about asking Li Yugui if she needed help.

The old woman, over seventy and still robust, occasionally helped out at Li Yugui’s breakfast shop and collected cardboard and plastic bottles to sell. She was well-liked in the neighborhood.

Hearing the remark, she immediately retorted, “You must not have tasted authentic local bacon. It’s fragrant, not strange.”

Li Xun replied, “Whether it’s tasty or not, it’s not allowed. Grandma, don’t you remember last year when someone got arrested for curing bacon?”

Li Yugui said, “I’m not curing bacon.”

The elderly woman added, “If anyone should cure bacon, it’s me. At my age, if they want to arrest me, let them.”

Li Xun quickly intervened, coaxing, “Grandma, bacon isn’t healthy. You shouldn’t eat it anymore. It’s bad for digestion. Please stop.”

Sister Zhang interjected, “I know someone in the park who offers bacon-curing services. You just bring the meat; it’s two yuan per pound. You should try it.”

Li Xun said, “Really? I’ll go with my mom to check it out sometime.”

Sister Zhang, getting a phone call, said, “Let’s confirm the catering for tomorrow. I’ll message you the details later.”

Li Yugui nodded, absentmindedly seeing her out. Afterward, she seemed to regain her composure.

Li Xun didn’t notice her mother’s odd behavior and busied herself escorting the elderly neighbor home.

That evening, dinner was stir-fried bamboo shoots with pork, spinach, and tomato-egg soup.

Li Yugui barely touched her food, saying she wasn’t hungry.

A knock came at the door.

“Hello, is anyone home?” A young man’s voice called out.

“Mom, someone’s at the door. I’ll check.”

Opening the door, a young man stood there.

She recognized him immediately—it was the homeroom teacher’s son.

Still dressed as he was during the day, he asked, “Hello, I’m Zhao Jingzheng. I heard your family runs a breakfast shop and gets up early. I was wondering if you’ve seen this person.”

He handed over a printed photo.

It was Li Xun’s homeroom teacher, Teacher Zhao.

Li Xun quickly stepped forward. “That’s our homeroom teacher.”

The man seemed surprised. “So, you’re my dad’s student.”

Li Yugui also stepped out, staring at the young man at the door.

“Yes.” Li Xun pulled her mother closer. “My mom has been under the weather, so we haven’t opened the shop recently. We told her about the disappearance. The police still haven’t found him?”

Zhao Jingzheng, sensing her concern, replied, “The police are still looking. They said they’re investigating online clues but haven’t made progress. I’m just asking around for witnesses.”

Li Xun offered, “I’ve just finished washing up. I’ll go with you. I know this area better than you.”

Grateful, Zhao Jingzheng said, “Thank you so much.”

Li Xun changed her shoes and left with him, reminding her mom, “Don’t cure bacon at home. I’ll be back soon.”

As they walked through the streets, they found no useful leads.

Li Xun suggested checking stores with surveillance cameras, which would take significant effort.

After gathering footage from several shops, they returned with hours of recordings to review.

Despite the slow progress, it was a start.

Zhao Jingzheng, grateful for Li Xun’s help, suggested she focus on her upcoming exams, but she reassured him of her dedication.

That night, as Li Xun rested, Li Yugui sat in the living room, holding a phone that wasn’t hers. She scrolled through the photos and social media of its owner.

If Li Xun were there, she would have recognized it as her teacher’s phone.

The most recent post read:

“An idle parent asks for nothing but your health.”

Attached was a screenshot of a transfer message:

“I got paid for my tutoring job, Dad. This is for you.”

He had a son, a promising young man who had gone to university and was now pursuing a master’s degree.

Her own child was dead. Her child, who died in the winter, was now buried in some dark, cold place.

But the killer’s son was alive and thriving.

Her child had been smart too. She had once dreamed of her child going to university.

She was unwilling to accept this.

For 25 years, she had dreamed of killing this man.

And now, the murderer was in her basement.

But she couldn’t kill him. Not yet. She needed to know where her child was buried.