Sometimes, death was very close to us. The Reaper might be sitting in the very same vehicle.
After reading Liu Yi's message, Gao Ming put away his phone, stood up, and headed toward the back of the bus.
He walked past the bandaged man and sat beside Saeki. Zhou Sisi looked back curiously, unsure why Gao Ming had suddenly left.
"Long time no see." Gao Ming quietly studied Saeki. He noticed the scratches on Saeki's fingers and the scars on his neck. Psychological problems often left "evidence" on the body. Saeki had once been caught in a storm all alone.
Saeki's lips moved slightly as he muttered something. Only when Gao Ming leaned closer could he make out the words.
"Pavlov's dogs, Thorndike's cats, Skinner's rats, Bandura's babies, Köhler's apes grabbing bananas, Tolman's white rats running mazes..."
"Psychological experiments?" Gao Ming had memorized these mnemonics too. Saeki wouldn't talk to anyone and kept reciting bits of psychology knowledge. He seemed trapped in a particular lecture.
After muttering for a long time, Saeki seemed to suddenly come to his senses. He sprang to his feet and looked at all the classmates on the bus, clawing at his face with both hands. "Is class over? Why haven't you gone back to class yet?"
"Saeki, you've already graduated," Gao Ming soothed him softly. "We've all graduated."
"If we've all graduated, why are we still together? Are you trying to lure him back?!" Saeki turned and bent over, his face almost touching Gao Ming's head. His eyes were badly bloodshot.
"Lure who back?" Gao Ming was puzzled.
"Him! It's him!" Unable to explain himself to Gao Ming, Saeki gouged bloody scratches into his face before reverting to his previous state.
Saeki seemed to know something. Gao Ming carefully recalled their university days. Saeki's descent