Outside the restaurant, there was a small garden. At this time, it had already darkened, and Shen Shiyan and I stood in the garden. This detective stood upright, his mouth tightly pursed, silent. I said: "Don't worry, Zhuang Yu is a sharp-tongued but soft-hearted person. If she has feelings for you, she won't give up easily."

  Shen Shiyin was quiet for a moment before asking, "Are you also very familiar with Zhuang Yu?"

  I said: "Not familiar, but because of Jiao Jiao, I have some understanding."

  Shen Shiyan reached out his hand and said, "Give me one."

  I tossed the pack of cigarettes at him and said, "I thought you didn't smoke."

  He said: "It's rare, this thing is no good."

  I said: "Yes, this thing is no good."

  We sat down on the bench in the garden, both quietly smoking for a while. I said: "You've always wanted to know why we can predict that person's crime. You've been guessing in your heart whether we are accomplices or have some bitter knowledge."

  Shen Shiyan didn't say anything.

  I smiled and said, "Actually, the reason is very simple. Because we come from the future. What has not happened yet for you, for me, are all historical memories. Including the fourth victim's name is Ye Xunyi, and the fifth victim's name is Wu Miao. We know which day they will go missing, in which area they will disappear. Can you believe my explanation?"

  Shen Shiyan stared at me with wide eyes.

  After a while, he shook his head with an ugly expression: "I don't believe it."

  I said: "That's it, so we can't explain."

  Shen Shiyan puffed on his cigarette, his face pale and solemn, before saying harshly: "I won't accept this explanation. How can anyone possibly predict the future..." He suddenly paused: "Did Xiaoyu believe it?"

  She always believed in Tang Jiao.

  "Every time?"

  "Yes, every time. Every time we go back in time and meet her again."

  Shen Shiyan was silent for a long time before standing up and saying, "Sorry, I still can't accept it."

  "So we still have to go back to the police station with you?"

  He said: "Yes."

  "I said, 'Alright, let's compromise. Actually, as long as we catch that person, everything will be clear. But the police won't believe us and will set up a defense in advance. If they take action first, it'll definitely scare him away and there'll be no hope left. If Tang Jiao goes to the police station now, he won't even have time to catch him. The day after tomorrow, you come with us to catch the person. After we catch him, we'll go back to the police station with you and accept whatever investigation, as long as we can catch him.'"

  Shen Shiyan didn't say a word. After a while, he extinguished the cigarette butt and threw it into the trash can, saying: "Alright, it's settled. If you don't keep your promise and run away, I'll personally catch you myself. No matter if you're friends with Xiao Yu or not."

  I also said: "Okay."

  It doesn't matter whether he can catch us again or not, and whether we will follow him back to the police station afterwards. Because two days later, the case will be exposed, and it's also close to the time when we leave again. Shen Shiyan has always been a honest person, he doesn't know this layer of meaning.

  We walked shoulder to shoulder into the restaurant, when Shen Shiyan suddenly asked again: "If you really know about the future, have you seen me and her..."

  I remained silent for a while and then said, "This is no longer your first encounter."

  Shen Shiyan was taken aback, and he didn't know how to understand my words, but he suddenly laughed self-deprecatingly and muttered: "No wonder I felt... when I saw her..."