I'll Tell You Every Day

In the meantime, Zhihao, Liu Jin, and Butler Tang worked hard to crack the case surrounding Hou Bingwen.     

"Say Zhichen-gege."     

"Mmm?" He asked as he continued working with his computer.     

"Can I try?" Zhihao asked.     

Zhichen paused.     

"Alright." He scooted over and Zhihao took the laptop from him.     

"So, from what I understand, what you're trying to do is this?" Zhihao asked as he worked with the codes on the laptop.     

"Yeah but you can't do it that way because –" Zhichen paused and stared as Zhihao's hands moved away.     

Soon, the code he was having such a hard time to crack was undone by Zhihao.     

"Like this?" Zhihao turned to face him.     

"Wow." Zhichen blinked.     

"Huh?" Zhihao asked.     

"…"     

"…"     

"You have your use after all."     

"What do you mean by that?!" Zhihao gritted his teeth.     

"I didn't know you could code."     

"I don't. But its kinda similar to what I do when I play around with the files from my video games."     

Zhichen paused.     

"Want me to teach you the basics?"     

"Huh? Why?"     

Zhichen looked at his idiot little brother staring back at him with innocent eyes. If Zhihao could hone his innate genius for computers, maybe he could become something great…     

"Nothing. Don't you want to spend more time with your big brother?"     

Zhihao's eyes widened and sparkled.     

"I do! I want want want want!"     

Zhichen chuckled and ruffled his hair. Now, to disguise the 'studying' part so that the idiot doesn't notice.     

---     

While Zhichen and Zhihao worked on the CCTV cameras, Liu Jin started snooping around to find out more about the circumstances regarding the online post. It was posted about fifteen minutes after they left the music room which means that the person must have left the academy around the same time as they did.     

As such, he went to check the security log by the academy gates. There, he found names of teachers, some sports club members who practiced until late at night, and then, an unfamiliar name.     

"Duan Luli?" He raised a brow. Who was that?     

He started asking around but found no one by that name.     

"Ah, I think I know her." One of his classmates said.     

"She's a junior high student."     

Liu Jin paused. A junior high student? What was she doing over at the senior high department? Curious, he decided to check it out.     

---     

The moment he set foot at the junior high building, the girls there immediately swooned.     

"Hey, can I speak to you for a minute." He asked a random girl he saw.     

"S-sure." The girl replied with a blush.     

"Do you know anyone named Duan Luli?"     

She nodded.     

"She's from class 2B. I think if you go now, you can still catch her. She usually leaves early."     

"Leaves early? She has club activities?"     

"No. She goes to the senior high department every day."     

"… Why?"     

The girl shook her head.     

"We don't know. Maybe she's stalking her crush. She's a pretty weird girl. Always quiet and shifty."     

Liu Jin paused before patting the girl's head.     

"Thanks." He said before walking away.     

The girl blushed and immediately held the part of her head where he had touched before staring at his retreating back.     

---     

Liu Jin went over to class 2B. However, before he could enter, he was pushed by a girl who was on her way out of the room.     

"Sorry." The girl bowed before continuing on her way.     

"Is she Duan Luli?" He asked another girl in the room.     

The girl nodded.     

Liu Jin immediately turned around to follow her.     

Just as expected, the girl made her way to the senior high department. There, she headed straight towards the music room but she didn't enter it. Instead, she entered the room next to it.     

Liu Jin raised a brow. He followed the girl into the room and saw her sitting by the wall.     

"W-who are you?" The girl immediately stood up.     

Liu Jin heard music and voices coming from the music room. The walls in this room must be thin enough to let the sounds in.     

"Are you Duan Luli?" He asked.     

The girl paused before furrowing her brows.     

"What do you want…?" She asked, warry of his presence.     

"Why did you post that rumor about Daiyu?"     

The girl took a step back, surprised.     

"I-I don't know what you're talking about."     

Liu Jin paused before taking a step closer. He used his skill on her and confirmed that he had guessed correctly.     

"How do you know Hao Mingxia?"     

The girl's eyes widened.     

"W-Wha… Wha-"     

"It's alright. I'm on your side." He immediately said to calm her down.     

The girl was still visibly shaken and could not speak. As such, Liu Jin approached her slowly, trying his best not to startle her.     

"We're investigating Hou Bingwen right now. If you know anything, please tell me." He looked into her eyes, his face full of sincerity.     

The girl paused, her eyes growing teary.     

"I… I don't know anything." She looked away.     

"… Please help me."     

No answer.     

"… Help me stop him from creating more victims."     

The girl's eyes widened in horror. She immediately faced him, tears streaming down her face. After hesitating for a while, she began to speak.     

"W-What do you need to know?" She asked.     

"Tell me everything."     

The girl paused before opening her mouth to speak.     

"H-Hao Mingxia is my friend. We went to – to that man's music classes together."     

---     

Zhihao and Zhichen finally hacked into the academy's CCTV cameras.     

"Alright! Let's check the music room's camera at once!" Zhihao said and Zhichen nodded.     

After fumbling about the computer for a while. They both let out a sigh.     

"It's broken."     

"What a nasty coincidence." Zhihao gritted his teeth.     

"Let's not stop there. Let's check the hallway cameras to see if we can find anything."     

As such, they studied the footages for the past week and found the same girl stalking around the room every day.     

"Woah… who's that?" Zhihao raised a brow.     

"I don't know… let's tell Jin immediately."     

Zhihao nodded and grabbed his phone.     

"Hey Jin. We found a lead."     

"I did too." His voice came through the speakers.     

"Huh?"     

"I found Hao Mingxia's childhood friend, the girl she was with on the day of her disappearance."     

The brothers immediately looked at each other. Just then, Zhihao saw something from the corner of his eye and he immediately turned to face the computer screen.     

"Hey Jin. Are you still at the academy?"     

"Yeah. What's up?"     

"Can you try to enter the music room? I just saw Hou Bingwen bring in a paper bag marked with the same brand as your camera."     

"Camera? …" Liu Jin's eyes immediately widened and he clenched his fist.     

"Where are you? Don't do anything rash. This record was from five days ago. Besides, your arm's not yet healed." Zhihao warned.     

"… I'm in the room next to the music room."     

"Alright. Stay put. I'll come get you."     

Liu Jin clenched his fist but nodded.     

"Hurry up."     

"Gotcha."     

---     

Zhihao made his way to the academy while Liu Jin and Luli waited for him. During that time, Luli and Liu Jin continued their talk.     

"I went to buy us some ice cream. But when I returned, she was gone. I – I have no proof that he did it. But I know! I have a strong gut feeling about it." She said as she buried her face onto her palms.     

"Over the years… I've seen the police give up on her… and even her parents had moved on… but Mingxia… Mingxia might still be alive." She turned to face Liu Jin, her eyes teary.     

"I want to help her. That's why I've been following that man around. I couldn't do much outside of the academy, that's why I concentrated on the music room. That's when I noticed how… how he's been focusing so much on Daiyu… just like he did to Mingxia before she disappeared. I… I didn't want anymore victims!" She said, tears streaming down her face.     

"That's why I started the online rumors. If I could… if I could stop him from hurting more people…"     

Liu Jin took his handkerchief and gently wiper her tears away.     

He smiled.     

"Thank you. You're a very good friend. Hao Mingxia is lucky to have you."     

Luli looked at him before breaking down. She had always blamed herself for Mingxia's disappearance. That's why she worked hard to bring her back. However, throughout the years, she had begun doubting herself. Could she really do it?     

"Thank you for protecting Daiyu…" Liu Jin said as he hugged the girl and gently rubbed her back.     

"She's really precious to me." He continued.     

"In return for your help, I'll help you look for Hao Mingxia too."     

"R-really?"     

"Mmm. That man will have his day. I'll make sure of it." He said as he looked into her eyes, a silent rage burning inside him.     

Just then, they both heard a loud bang.     

They both faced the wall from where the sound came from. It was from the music room. Minutes later, the sound of things breaking continued. Hou Bingwen's frustrated grunts could also be heard.     

"W-what's happening?!"     

"Shhh…"     

Luli covered her mouth as Liu Jin pressed his ear against the wall. He could only hear muffled sounds but he knew that Hou Bingwen was terribly upset.     

Soon, there was silence. After a while, the door to the music room opened before closing again. The sound of footsteps was heard until they slowly faded into the long hallway.     

"He's gone…"     

Liu Jin nodded. He then stood up and took a peek from the door. When he saw that the coast was clear, he opened it and left the room with Luli.     

"Wh-what are we gonna do?" She asked, worried.     

"Break into the room and find evidence."     

Luli's eyes widened.     

"W-will we be alright?"     

Liu Jin paused.     

"Can you stand guard for us? Stay there by the corner and tell me if anyone's approaching. If it's a blond idiot, don't worry, he's one of us."