Jiang Miaokong and Song Zhuoyang wandered around the city until nightfall before heading back. Naturally, they could not return to the county office, so they went to a small courtyard Jiang Miaokong had rented instead.
After returning, they lit a lamp and sat in the courtyard. Seeing that Song Zhuoyang had fallen silent again, Jiang Miaokong reached out and held his hand. "Wait here for a bit. I'll go make you something to eat."
Song Zhuoyang turned his hand over and clasped Jiang Miaokong's. "Thank you for everything you've done lately, and for never giving up on me."
At those words, Jiang Miaokong's eyes suddenly stung. He tipped his head back and blinked rapidly, forcing back his tears.
Trying to sound casual, he said, "Of course I would. You helped me before, and Xianghe and I were good friends. I want his killer caught too.
"I also know how much he loved and admired you as his big brother. Of course I have to help him take good care of you."
Song Zhuoyang wanted to ask him, "Is that all?" But before he could get the words out, Jiang Miaokong had already run into the kitchen.
Jiang Miaokong lit the kitchen lamp and began cooking. He ladled a few spoonfuls of water into the pot, then took out a fire starter and lit the stove.
He added beans and rice, chopped up just under half a head of cabbage, and put in some sweet potato noodles.
He did not know how to cook anything else, only this rice-and-vegetable dish. As he was feeding wood into the stove, a dark figure slipped furtively through the back door.
As the saying went, the mantis stalked the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it. This particular mantis never imagined that his every move