I took the letter from the little girl and opened it: "Grandson, I'm back, don't worry, I'm not the Guizuo Zhe, but hahaha, you should know who I am. It seems you're in deep trouble this time. I know if I don't act, you'll be in real trouble. Alright, let's go, the Siheyuan."
"Grandson? What? How is that possible? Didn't my grandfather already..."
I was so confused, wondering if the letter was fake and if it was a trap set by the Guizuo Zhe to lure me in. I distinctly remembered seeing my grandfather die, hung from a gourd, and I personally handled his remains. Now I was being told he was back? And didn't someone send me a letter before? That was the Guizuo Zhe's doing. Now it was my grandfather?
Despite my doubts, I knew I had to return to the Siheyuan. Even if it was a trap, I couldn't back down.
There was a peculiar feeling, a familiarity with the handwriting on the letter.
Yes, if this were a true scheme by the Guizuo Zhe, they wouldn't be able to imitate the handwriting. My grandfather's elegant yet strong brushstrokes were inimitable. He had a habit of pressing down particularly hard on the right stroke when writing the character "我" (wǒ - I), leaving a more distinct and profound trace. The left-side radical of the character "院" (yuàn - courtyard) in Siheyuan was also a characteristic; the vertical stroke was deliberately elongated. These were all markers of my grandfather's handwriting. And there was something even more important: a symbol from our He family's forensic examiners. It was a symbol formed by the combination of a "shadowless reflection tube" and a "bamboo leaf extractor."
Yes, it had to be my grandfather!
I drove home like my life depended on it. I had to rely on Dao Zhiyong's car. Guangming City was quite a distance from Fuming City. I was worried about being intercepted on my way home, but there was no other choice. My grandfather must have had a plan to ensure I could return home safely to meet him.
When I arrived at the Siheyuan, everything seemed calm. It was already dark. The once peaceful courtyard now felt dim and lonely. Perhaps the Siheyuan hadn't changed, but the person who returned was in a different situation. Everything I saw now carried a hint of tragic beauty.
Entering the back gate of the Siheyuan, I found that the wing room where my grandfather used to rest was indeed lit.
I felt a jolt of realization, like waking from a dream, as if a lifetime had passed. Was it true?
As I approached the dim yellow light, I kept asking myself, was this really happening?
Why was he still alive, and why hadn't he told me?
What had he been doing all these years? Who was the person who died?
When I reached the window of the room, I saw a familiar elderly silhouette sitting inside. He was as he always was, drinking tea and reading at night. Noticing the movement behind him, he said, "He Sheng, you're back? I was really worried you wouldn't dare to come."
"Grandfather, how could I not? Is this really a dream?"
"Certainly not. Ah ha, I'm sorry, I should say it like this. In fact, I've always been here. Remember when you sometimes thought you saw my figure? That wasn't an illusion. I'm truly alive. The 'me' back then was actually swapped out by the clan leader long ago. The foolish Polaris thought that person was me. Polaris is extremely cunning and powerful, and very elusive, but our He family isn't without its experts. It was He Jinghui who saved me. I was with the clan leader at the time, but my appearance was different then. Do you understand now?"
"You were that old man by the clan leader's side?" I asked, curious.
"Ah ah ha, shouldn't you say that old man was me? Alright, I asked you to come this time because I want to help you. But given your current situation, I heard the news. Captain Yang, who is in charge of this case, has deployed personnel in both Guangming City and Fuming City. The evidence is very clear, and although Dao Zhiyong and the others have been helping, it's still difficult to prove your innocence."
"Then Grandfather, what should I do?"
"We are a family of forensic examiners, but the Guizuo Zhe has created a problem with the handwriting. This time, our forensic techniques might not be effective. You are the last forensic examiner of our He family. If there was no other choice, you wouldn't have become a forensic pathologist. People must move with the times, right? In fact, the child last time was arranged by me, but I am not the Guizuo Zhe. The reason I pretended to be one of their people was to divert Captain Yang's attention. They know I'm back, and they're definitely still searching in Guangming City. Little do they know, I've suddenly returned. I wrote that letter in a hotel in Guangming City."
"Ah, this... I really thought... I never expected it was you. Actually, what is the Guizuo Zhe?"
"They are a criminal organization just below Polaris. Over the years, they seem to have had conflicts. The Guizuo Zhe has always wanted to be the king of the criminal world, which is why they made a bet with Polaris all these years. The two have been competing, and reportedly, the Guizuo Zhe is currently ahead."
"So, in the future, will we have to deal with the Guizuo Zhe as well?"
"Perhaps. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. After all, there are so many criminals like this in the world. We probably won't be able to fight them all in our generation. Alright, time is running out. I need to tell you the important part. This time, our forensic techniques really won't be of much use. But I tell you, your father doesn't have your talent for forensic examination. He can only be a criminal investigator. No matter what, you must use our He family's forensic techniques to solve future problems, understand? If you can't do it, then after our generation, our He family will have no descendants left. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Grandfather. I will not let you down. Now that you're back, it means our He family's forensic examiners will truly make a comeback. We will definitely not be buried, nor will we be forgotten by the world..."
"Heh heh, Mr. Song also gave you a reminder. That fellow is indeed as hospitable as ever. You should visit him when you have time to learn from him, understand?"
"I understand. In fact, I haven't visited Mr. Song for a long time. It's been difficult to see him since he went into seclusion."
"Hmph, remember not to forget him. Well, I need to rest. I'm old now, and my body isn't as good as it used to be. He Sheng, I'm 79 this year, I don't know how many years I have left. Go check the attic, I've left something for you!"
With that, my grandfather ignored me and closed the window. I heard his footsteps approaching the bed. For some reason, the moment he closed the window, tears welled up in my eyes...