Chapter 37: Striking While the Iron Is Hot

"So, we’re checking the commercial street?"

Old Song was no fool. He had abandoned his previously lethargic posture behind the wheel; now, his hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, and his back was hunched like a giant prawn.

"Exactly. There aren't many minivans on the island, so it shouldn't be too hard to identify. I just didn't catch the license plate at the time," Zhang Shutong said with a note of regret. He wasn't a car person, so "minivan" was the best he could do.

"If you had managed to catch the plate, I'd suspect you were an accomplice rather than a detective." A faint smile finally tugged at the corners of Old Song’s mouth. "It was a Jinbei. I forget if it was a Sea Lion model or something else, but it won't be that hard to find."

"Actually, there's another angle to consider," Zhang Shutong mused. "Even setting aside the friction at the commercial street, people usually buy minivans for hauling cargo."

"You think the guy runs a supermarket?" Old Song asked immediately.

"Not necessarily. I mean, supermarkets and restaurants are the kinds of places that need minivans, and the only place on the island where such shops are clustered is the commercial street."

"Then there's only one last problem: what if the van isn't back there?"

"It should be." Zhang Shutong glanced at his phone. "I was there last night. Many shops were still open. They’re mostly family-run businesses where everything depends on the owners, especially restaurants. That's why I say we can still catch them if we go now."

"Alright then, I'll pick up the pace. We'll be there in ten minutes, tops." The engine’s RPM climbed. Old Song was truly a skilled driver; in his hands, the little Ford Focus handled like a rally car.

They were navigating a mountain road in the dark. At times, the turns were so sharp that they could barely see the road ahead. Zhang Shutong’s heart hammered against his ribs; he was terrified that before Gu Qiumian even faced any trouble, he would meet his end here.

"There's no need to rush for three or five minutes, take it slow..."

"Relax, I've driven faster than this. If it weren't for the rain, I'd be going even faster." With his thoughts finally clear, Song Nanshan’s mood had brightened considerably. "You’re not bad, kid. You usually seem so dull, but you’ve suddenly had a breakthrough. Did you learn this from Qingyi?"

Zhang Shutong rolled his eyes. "You can only learn a man's 'mission' from him."

To his surprise, Old Song grinned. "I think that’s exactly what you’re missing right now."

The somber man from a moment ago had vanished, as if a Mega Venusaur had suddenly devolved. He was back to being a carefree, rugged guy. "Tell me, is your heart racing? Do you need your teacher to play you a song? You can't have such a romantic moment without a soundtrack."

"Romantic?"

Zhang Shutong was genuinely stunned. More stunned than he had been seeing that black dog poisoned. He thought to himself, *what on earth is romantic about this?* He was already starting to feel cold; he had been so focused on the culprit that he hadn't realized his shoulder was soaked, with rainwater trickling down his neck.

Zhang Shutong knew that some luxury cars had heated seats, but Old Song’s Focus clearly didn't have that. He could only slide his seat as far forward as possible, pulling his legs in and hugging his shoulders while sitting in front of the air vent, listening to Song Nanshan ramble on about his philosophy.

"Saving the girl you love—that’s just how it is. For thousands of years, that’s been the essence of a man’s romance. It’s just that they used to be on horseback, and now they’re in cars. I don't see any difference in the core of it—it’s all about racing forward with your life on the line. Missions, destinies... you might be bleeding, but to the girl you love, a man’s scars are just medals. At a time like this, the music doesn't matter; what matters is the wind."

As he spoke, he rolled down the window, desperate to embrace the romance. However, the icy wind poured into the cabin, causing both the mentor and student—already soaked to the bone—to sneeze violently. It wasn't romantic; it was almost fatal.

After a long pause, Old Song muttered, "It seems you really don't like Gu Qiumian."

With nothing else to do but keep driving, Zhang Shutong asked why he kept bringing that up.

Old Song’s answer was simple: "Because you sneezed."

Zhang Shutong had no idea what kind of sorceress Gu Qiumian was. Could someone who loved her be imbued with magic that made them impervious to the cold?

Old Song nodded, saying that if she were truly the person he wanted to protect, he would have magic in his veins right now and wouldn't feel a thing. But since he didn't, he sneezed.

Zhang Shutong instinctively thought it was nonsense, yet for some reason, it felt like there was a grain of truth to it. Still, he had never experienced such a thing in his life, and certainly didn't hope to.

Once outside a delivery room was more than enough.

But what hospital has drafty walls? There are no drafty hospitals, yet there are always walls that let the wind in.

"There’s no such thing as a wall that doesn't let the wind through," Old Song suddenly sighed. "Do you think that person is stupid or just evil? What's the point of poisoning a dog just because Gu Qiumian’s dad isn't home? They're going to suffer for it later anyway. Do they really think these big bosses are soft-hearted?"

"What if they go after Gu Qiumian herself?" Zhang Shutong countered.

"...Then that’s neither stupid nor evil; that’s insanity." Old Song paused. "I suspect the worst-case scenario is just smashing a window while no one is around for these two days. Nothing grand, just petty malice—disgusting the family every day. Anything more extreme, like throwing filth... well, my hometown had that happen a long time ago, but where would you even find that stuff now? You’d just end up disgusting yourself first."

"What if a rabbit bites when it’s pushed into a corner?"

"If we’re being serious, it’s not impossible. Regardless, Li Yipeng’s situation is rare. There really are families who rely entirely on their shops to eat. And don't count on the demolition compensation being generous. These aren't valuable commercial storefronts in a big city; many don't even have proper ownership titles. They might even be illegal structures from years ago that the government just turned a blind eye to."

Old Song thought for a moment. "Put that way, the scope of our investigation narrows down a bit. It’s likely a family in dire straits, someone pushed to the brink."

Zhang Shutong was about to analyze this further when he heard Old Song, who seemed to have had an epiphany of his own, say: "Remember what Li Yipeng said today about the kid who ordered him around? He also held a grudge against Gu Qiumian’s family. Maybe we’ll get an unexpected harvest on this trip."

"Let’s find the minivan first," Zhang Shutong said, thinking Old Song was quite the optimist.

"But what if we don't find it tonight? Even if your reasoning is flawless, plans don't always keep up with changes."

Old Song abruptly shifted his tone, becoming pessimistic and earnest. "Shutong, listen to me this once, okay? Stop obsessing over solving this case. I know I shouldn't discourage you, and as a teacher, I’m proud, but this really isn't something for someone your age to be dealing with."

"Listen to me. In a bit, either we take Qiumian to your place, or I’ll take you both out to have some fun. We don't need to clash with the commercial street. If we make it through this weekend, we’ve won. Leave the rest for her dad to worry about."

Zhang Shutong wished he could.

He didn't want to clash with the commercial street either. Ruoping was still calling him to go celebrate Dukang’s birthday. The first weekend after the reset was supposed to be for resting at home or hanging out with his best friends. His mindset had inadvertently become younger; Old Song had mentioned that those "tender beef wraps" were delicious, and Zhang Shutong actually wanted to find time to try one. Carefree youth was such a fleeting moment; once missed, it would never return.

It wouldn't be impossible to take Gu Qiumian off the island and avoid the disaster. But if he dodged it today, he’d have to face it tomorrow. He only had this tiny bit of information brought back from eight years in the future, and the "reset" was gone. If he didn't seize this chance to pull out this nail, when would he get another opportunity?

Should he solve it in one go, or leave it there to become a lingering trouble that he couldn't ignore but didn't want to deal with?

He was a contradictory person at times. He couldn't stand by and watch Gu Qiumian die, but he also found the prospect of being a "knight in shining armor" indefinitely to be a nuisance.

So, it was best to solve it in one go.

He nodded, saying nothing more, remaining noncommittal.

Seeing this, Song Nanshan sighed.

Fortunately, the commercial street was almost in sight.