Zuo Mu's silence dampened Tang Tang's enthusiasm for further conversation.
The wall clock in the room ticked steadily as the two sat in silence.
After a long while.
Zuo Mu shook his head firmly. "Don't even think about doing anything like this again."
"Why?" Tang Tang pouted, clearly disgruntled.
"There's no why. Your safety will always be my top priority."
Zuo Mu had always been the reliable and gentle big brother figure to Tang Tang. This was the first time he had spoken to her in such a stern tone.
Tang Tang paced anxiously around the room. "But if we don't do something, when will the killer show up?"
The audio clip and the bloody photo had haunted her for far too long.
Zuo Mu's heart softened at the sight of the distressed girl. He walked over and gently ruffled her hair. "You're still a kid. Catching the killer is our job. Promise me you'll always put your safety first."
After all, on one side was a high - school girl, and on the other, a malicious killer hiding in the shadows. Zuo Mu didn't dare to take that risk.
Zuo Mu's eyes were so clear and intense as he stared directly at her. It was as if there was a captivating dagger in his gaze.
Tang Tang felt the butterflies in her stomach flutter wildly.
Finally, she blushed and nodded, reluctantly giving in.
Zuo Mu let out a sigh of relief. Looking at the food on the table, he walked over, set the tableware, and called out to Tang Tang. "Come and eat quickly. The food's getting cold."
Tang Tang had a hard time enjoying this meal. Even her favorite tomato - stewed beef couldn't alleviate the guilt and anxiety gnawing at her.
Zuo Mu naturally noticed the girl's unease. That evening, he asked her, "Do you want to watch some cartoons?"
Tang Tang burst out laughing. "That's such a generational gap. It's not cartoons. It's shoujo manga."
Zuo Mu, a seasoned veteran, knew all about anime. He had watched plenty of R - rated ones. He just said it to cheer Tang Tang up.
This little episode successfully distracted Tang Tang. The girl immediately immersed herself in her latest anime series, temporarily forgetting about the unpleasantness in the outside world.
The next morning, Tang Tang got up early and started bustling around in the kitchen. She put the toast in the toaster, fried bacon and eggs, looking extremely busy.
Zuo Mu also woke up early but was still a step behind. As soon as he entered the living room, the delicious smell from the kitchen lured him in. He peeked into the kitchen and saw Tang Tang wearing an apron. With her rosy cheeks, she looked quite the little cook. She seemed a bit hot from the cooking.
Hearing Zuo Mu's footsteps, Tang Tang waved him away while flipping the food on the stove. "Go out quickly. It's smoky in here. Wait to taste my cooking, Big Brother Zuo."
Zuo Mu felt a sense of paternal pride. Chuckling, he obediently returned to the dining table.
A short while later, Tang Tang came over with the food and tableware.
"Amazing! Our Tang Tang has really grown up." Zuo Mu took a bite. To his surprise, it tasted quite good.
"Of course!" Tang Tang beamed like a contented kitten.
After a simple yet hearty breakfast, as usual, Zuo Mu drove Tang Tang to school.
Before she got out of the car, Zuo Mu reminded her repeatedly, "Wait for me to pick you up before you leave school."
"Okay, okay. I know." Tang Tang impatiently tugged at her ear. Zuo Mu had repeated the same words so many times. He was probably still shaken up by Shen Tian's incident.
Seeing Tang Tang's nonchalant attitude, Zuo Mu didn't know what to do with her.
"Good. Remember my words." Only after watching Tang Tang enter the school gate did Zuo Mu turn the car around and drive away.
He still had to follow up on the case today.
As soon as Tang Tang entered the school, she saw students in twos and threes rushing towards a certain building.
Puzzled, she stopped a classmate. "Hey, where are you guys going?"
The student she stopped was a chubby boy. They were probably in the same grade. Although they didn't know each other well, his face looked familiar.
The chubby boy pushed his glasses up and said mysteriously, "You know that Wang Lin from our school? Her parents are here to make a scene. They're right downstairs of the principal's office."
Hearing this, Tang Tang froze on the spot.
The moment she heard Wang Lin's name, the terrifying photo flashed through her mind.
Without hesitation, Tang Tang rushed towards the place the boy had mentioned.
Since it was still early and class hadn't started yet, many students were just arriving at school. A large crowd had gathered downstairs of the principal's office.
After all, Wang Lin's case had caused quite a stir.
Tang Tang was squeezed out at first. Taking advantage of her small stature, she managed to wriggle through the crowd and finally made her way to the front.
A middle - aged woman was holding Wang Lin's photo and crying hysterically.
The middle - aged man beside her also looked heartbroken as he stared at the photo and the woman. His hair was graying, and his expression was so sorrowful that it was even more distressing than the woman's obvious wailing.
"My Linlin. She went to school like normal. How could she just disappear?" Even in this state of distress, the woman's hair and clothes were neatly arranged. It was obvious that she was a woman who cared about her appearance.
However, any mother would go crazy if her daughter went missing.
The students around felt deeply sympathetic.
The school leadership quickly reacted. Class teachers were dispatched to round up their students, while the school leaders came out immediately to console Wang Lin's parents.
"Mrs. Wang, we understand how you feel. We've been urging the police. Trust the police. They'll surely bring justice to Wang Lin."
Tang Tang, who was standing nearby, saw the usually fierce dean trying his best to comfort the grieving mother. Unable to bear it any longer, she turned around and left the chaotic scene.
Mrs. Wang cried even louder and collapsed to the ground.
The crowd was gradually dispersed.
Although there were not many people left at the scene, this incident still caused a huge uproar in the school.
After all, the parents had come to the school to make a scene. No matter how hard the school tried to suppress it, there were always gossips. Eventually, almost everyone in the school knew about this big news.
With the addition of those who loved to stir up trouble, the story became more and more outlandish. There were even rumors that Wang Lin was involved in drug - related crimes. The rumors were as ugly as they could be.
Those who knew the truth, like Tang Tang and her friends, tried their best to refute the rumors, but it was impossible to stop everyone's mouths.
Tang Tang finally understood the power of gossip.