Based on the lazy genes buried deep in their blood, when humans thought about complicated problems, they often tended to simplify the logic and reach answers in the simplest, most brutal way.
For example, poor exam results must mean one had not studied hard enough or had not mastered the material;
Or, if some witch gave you a bottle of water, she must want to have monkeys with you;
Or perhaps, if a pet kept at school went missing, it must have been snatched away by some monster, and so on.
These conclusions could not exactly be called wrong, but upon closer examination, one would find that they were not comprehensive or fair enough.
Failing an exam might also be related to one's mood or physical health; a witch giving you a bottle of water most likely meant she wanted to subtly express some kind of gratitude, not that she wanted to have monkeys with you; and if a pet disappeared on campus, it might not have been taken by a monster—it could also have run off with its mate.
After Zheng Qing and the others patiently listened to Dr. Xiao's long, convoluted analysis, they finally could not stand it any longer. They interrupted him and said bluntly:
"So, you mean Little Dragon disappeared because some female snake that woke from hibernation lured him away?"
"I already raised that possibility!" Fatty Xin immediately lifted a hand to voice his opinion.
Xiao Xiao adjusted his glasses, looking at the two of them with slight helplessness. Then he sighed. "No. I merely wanted to remind you that reaching a conclusion is a complicated process. Do not conduct an investigation with preconceived assumptions."
The answer was still baffling—and Zheng Qing privately thought it was rather pointless—but Dr. Xiao had always liked saying strange