In the backyard, there was a woodshed.

  But this woodshed didn't seem to be used for storing firewood—it was used for locking people up. If any household ever caught a thief, they would throw him in the woodshed.

  Inside, there were spiders, rats, dog droppings, and cat urine. There were broken pots, shattered bowls, and leftover coal dust. It had everything—except firewood. Not a single stick of it.

  And no people.

  The man who had been tied up like a dumpling—Nangong Chou—was gone.

  All that remained on the ground was a pile of ropes.

  Guo Dalu stood there in a daze for a long moment before picking up a severed rope and inspecting it. “This was cut with a knife.”

  Yan Qi added, “And a very sharp one.”

  Only a sharp bde could slice through rope so cleanly.

  Lin Taiping frowned. “That means he didn't escape on his own—someone must have come to rescue him.”

  Guo Dalu chuckled. “I can't believe even a man like him has friends.”

  Yan Qi asked, “Could it have been those two little brats?”

  Guo Dalu shook his head. “No, they don't have the skill or the guts. Besides…”

  He suddenly smiled. “Kids are just like women in some ways.”

  Yan Qi asked, “In what way?”

  Guo Dalu said, “They're not very loyal.”

  Yan Qi gred at him, but before he could respond, Lin Taiping interjected, “Could it have been Jin Shi ?”

  Guo Dalu asked, “What made you think of him?”

  Lin Taiping said, “I never saw Jin Shi that day. Maybe Nangong Chou had already let him go, or maybe they were in on this together from the start.”

  Guo Dalu scratched his head. “Nangong Chou is the kind of person who would do anything, but there’s one thing he would never do.”

  Lin Taiping asked, “And what's that?”

  Guo Dalu smirked. “He would never share his spoils with anyone.”

  He chuckled and expined, “If there were three bowls of rice on the table, even if he couldn't finish them, he wouldn't leave any for someone else. He'd rather stuff himself to death than let anyone else eat.”

  Lin Taiping's expression darkened. “So you think he killed both Gun Zi and Jin Shi?”

  Guo Dalu nodded. Then, after a brief pause, he said, “I'm hungry.”

  This sentence has absolutely nothing to do with what they are talking about now—not even the slightest connection. You can hardly imagine someone suddenly saying something like that at a time like this.

  Lin Taiping stared at him, eyes wide open. Wang Dong and Yan Qi were also looking at him, as if trying to figure out whether this person was built differently from everyone else.

  Guo Dalu chuckled and said, “The moment I mentioned three bowls of rice, I realized I was hungry. When I talked about eating, I immediately thought about how you all probably haven't eaten for most of the day.”

  Wang Dong asked, “So whenever you mention something, you immediately think about it?”

  Guo Dalu replied, “Seems like it.”

  Wang Dong said, “So if you talk about dog poop, does that mean you'll—”

  Before he could finish his sentence, Guo Dalu suddenly turned around and ran.

  He ran straight toward the restroom.

  Wang Dong was left staring, completely stunned.

  Yan Qi let out a long sigh but couldn't help ughing. “This man is truly a genius.”

  Lin Taiping ughed and said, “There probably aren't many geniuses like this in the world.”

  Yan Qi added, “Not only are there few, I'd say there's only one.”

  Wang Dong finally let out a sigh as well. “Thankfully, there’s only one.”

  That was the final conclusion.

  If there were more people like Guo Dalu, the world might just be a happier pce.

  Among all animals, cats and dogs are perhaps the closest to humans. Some people prefer keeping dogs, while others think there's no real difference between raising a cat or a dog.

  But in reality, they are quite different.

  Cats, unlike dogs, don't like going out or running around outside.

  Cats prefer staying home, usually curled up by the firepce.

  Cats love eating fish, especially fish heads.

  Cats also like curling up in people's arms, enjoying gentle strokes on their necks and ears.

  If you pet a cat regurly, hold it in your arms often, and stroke it gently, it will grow fond of you and become your close companion.

  But don't ever think that it is solely yours.

  Unlike dogs, cats are not loyal. If your pte is empty, it will likely wander off to someone else's home—and before long, it will become that person's friend.

  The next time you see it, it might not even recognize you. It may have already forgotten you.

  Cats may not look as fierce as dogs, but they are far more ruthless.

  Even when starving, a cat will never simply devour a mouse in one bite.

  Instead, it will toy with its prey, dizzying it before slowly savoring its meal.

  A cat's paws are soft, and it moves without a sound. But if you provoke it, those soft paws will suddenly reveal razor-sharp cws, ready to scratch you bloody.