Shadow

'How is that possible!'

Shi Qi finally lost control of his emotions at this point, anger making his eyes seem to burn: 'He was only fifteen, what could he have done!'

'Because Shang Sui is in a Special Sensitivity Period.'

Li Zhao's gentle voice was as hard as ice now, a simple statement whose implications sent a chill through Shi Qi: 'Though people talk about gender equality, society has always held prejudice against them.'

'Psychopaths, lunatics, potential murderers... you should know, that's how most people evaluate those in a Special Sensitivity Period.'

'And besides, both the physical evidence left at the scene and Zeng Yu's dying confession all pointed to Shang Sui.'

'...'

'But fortunately, the Haicheng Major Case Unit took this case very seriously. After a month-long investigation, the police finally confirmed Shang Sui was innocent. The physical evidence found at the first two crime scenes was deliberately planted by Zeng Yu.'

'Deliberately planted?'

Shi Qi repeated the words in disbelief.

Everything was too absurd; he couldn't imagine why a serial killer would frame a child: 'Why would he do that?'

'We speculate that Zeng Yu might have wanted to choose Shang Sui as his successor,' Li Zhao said. 'The probability of a Special Sensitivity Period appearing among Alphas is completely random. The offspring of a regular Alpha and Omega have a very small chance of being in a Special Sensitivity Period, and correspondingly, the offspring of someone in a Special Sensitivity Period also have only a very small chance of being in one.'

'Zeng Yu once had a child, but his offspring was just a regular Alpha. Dissatisfied with this, he abandoned his wife and child, changed his appearance, and came to Haicheng.'

Shang Sui had been seen as a child by someone like that?

Shi Qi felt a wave of intense nausea, his fingers gripping the photo so hard his knuckles turned white.

Seeing he couldn't speak, Li Zhao's eyes flickered with concern. She paused in recounting the story, asking softly, 'Are you okay, Xiao Qi?'

'I'm fine.'

Under extreme anger, Shi Qi instead became calm.

Once you peeled away the seemingly strange surface, even an answer that normal people couldn't understand was very likely the truth.

Shi Qi organized his thoughts, speaking word by word: 'So Zeng Yu never hoped the police would mistake Shang Sui for an accomplice or the real killer. His dying accusation was just meant to leave Shang Sui with a lifelong shadow.'

Even though the police had done their best, in the process, Shang Sui inevitably had to endure others' suspicion, doubt, and even malice.

If he was pushed to the breaking point, he might very well walk the path Zeng Yu wanted.

Since society couldn't accept you and chose to look at Special Sensitivity Periods through tinted glasses, since you'd been cursed at and endured cold stares time and again, why not just make the accusation real?

'If Shang Sui couldn't overcome the psychological shadow, he might break down, or even become a second serial killer. Even if he didn't, Zeng Yu wouldn't lose anything.'

'He was already under arrest. Even if he hadn't committed suicide, he would have been sentenced to death.'

Li Zhao looked at Shi Qi with slight surprise, not expecting him to calm down so quickly under the shock: 'That's right.'

Back then, the case was completely sealed off later on. Her mentor had limited information and never understood why Zeng Yu targeted a teenager.

It took him a long time to piece together the truth bit by bit, but Shi Qi reacted very quickly.

Shi Qi didn't notice her approval; he only felt half-rotted maggots crawling up from the soles of his feet, and pairs of hollow eye sockets radiating undisguised malice.

Years later, what he felt more deeply was a profound helplessness.

'Why...' Shi Qi murmured involuntarily, 'Why him.'

Shang Sui hadn't even been an adult then. Of all the people in Special Sensitivity Periods in the world, why did Zeng Yu have to cling to him even in death—

No, wait.

Shi Qi suddenly remembered something.

If that was the case...!

If it really was like that.

Shi Qi's fingers grew cold bit by bit, his whole body as if plunged into an ice cellar.

He seemed to finally understand why Shang Sui occasionally showed a self-loathing side, and sometimes seemed out of place among people.

This was a secret that, in the truest sense, no one could know.

Realizing this, Shi Qi's fingers dug into his palm first. He forced himself to keep his expression neutral, avoiding any display of too-intense emotion.

Li Zhao didn't notice his abnormality, only shaking her head: 'I don't understand either. Maybe it was just a coincidence?'

'Besides the conclusive investigation results, there was one thing in Shang Sui's favor. During the process, the victim of the last case escaped from Zeng Yu's hands, and he has always firmly stood by Shang Sui's side.'

Fragments flashed through Shi Qi's mind: the day he went to Ningshan Hospital for treatment, Shi An mentioned that Shen Qianyu and his mother were the final targets of the Haicheng Serial Killings.

Jiang Yan had always thought Shen Qianyu and Shang Sui shared a secret—they both hated Thunderstorm Day.

When chatting with Jiang Yan, the latter had mentioned that Shen Qianyu chose the medical profession without hesitation, got his Psychological Assessment license for Special Sensitivity Periods as fast as possible during grad school, and then became Shang Sui's personal doctor.

Back then, Jiang Yan's brain wasn't working yet, and he mistakenly thought Shen Qianyu had a crush on Shang Sui.

Now it made sense: Shen Qianyu stood firmly by Shang Sui's side only because Shang Sui was his lifesaver.

'Is that person surnamed Shen?'

'Yes,' Li Zhao replied. 'He's now the vice president of Ningshan. Because of this incident, the families of the other victims are very grateful to him.'

'Actually, according to that vice president's description, Shang Sui was the one who subdued the killer.' Li Zhao paused slightly, also feeling sorry for what he had gone through:

'He should have been praised like a hero.'

'At the time, many media outlets were following this case. My mentor followed it most closely and knew the most inside information. He received a warning and ended up only reporting the part about the vice president from Ningshan, erasing Shang Sui's existence from the whole thing.'

'Out of protection for Shang Sui, and also as his own choice, the police discussed it with the Shang family and decided to conceal all information related to Shang Sui.'

Li Zhao revealed everything she knew, then gestured again at the photo in Shi Qi's hand: 'Apart from the police's archived files, this should be the last image in the world showing Shang Sui's connection to the Haicheng Serial Killings.'

'You have a special relationship with him. It's up to you how to handle it.'

Shi Qi silently put the photo into the envelope, and only spoke after a long while: 'I understand. Thank you.'

He looked at Li Zhao and said solemnly, 'Please keep it secret for him.'

'Of course, it was originally his privacy.' Li Zhao showed an apologetic expression. 'After you two talk, if possible, I'd like to apologize to him on behalf of my mentor.'

'I'm very sorry. Back then, even though he agreed to the Shang family's request, my mentor kept this photo privately.'

Shi Qi didn't speak.

He didn't like to take his emotions out on others. Society was already prejudiced against Special Sensitivity Periods, and Li Zhao's mentor had passed away, but...

What exactly did they take Shang Sui for?

A potential suspect? Live news material?

Seeing Shi Qi in a bad mood, Li Zhao comforted him: 'Talk to him. You're very important to him. I believe he'll be willing to tell you everything.'

Shi Qi said quietly, 'I need to think it over first.'

He hadn't yet figured out how to handle the photo. If it were his own, he would burn it, but this was Shang Sui's past.

With too much information coming in too short a time, Shi Qi didn't even know how to start the conversation.

Six years ago, he met Shang Sui in Qi Jiang, who was accompanied by several bodyguards. Now he realized it was because Shang Sui's family was afraid he would suffer misfortune again.

When he first got to know Shang Sui, he was always taciturn, as if living in his own world. Occasionally, the expression on Shang Sui's face reminded one of withered flowers.

On the night of the Thousand Lantern Festival, he said he wasn't good at dealing with people and hadn't been in contact with strangers for a long time.

And then there was the Thunderstorm Day he had always hated.

What kind of shadow had the experience eight years ago left on Shang Sui?

Shi Qi closed his eyes, then slowly opened them again.

Seeing Shi Qi about to leave, Li Zhao mustered her courage at the last moment: 'Xiao Qi, wait!'

'The Haicheng Serial Killings greatly intensified the public's prejudice against Special Sensitivity Periods, but in fact, the one who subdued the killer in a Special Sensitivity Period was another person in a Special Sensitivity Period.'

She was clearly hesitant too, but when she saw Shi Qi stop, she continued: 'Too many years have passed. Shang Sui probably doesn't care about these things anymore. But if he's willing, I'd like to do a new report on him.'

'The public's impression of Special Sensitivity Periods is deeply ingrained. After it's published, it might just sink like a stone, but I think... at least in this one report, he can be free from prejudice and get the praise he deserves.'

Shang Sui stared intently at the images in the Album.

Beside him, Jiang Yoning cupped her face in her hands, looking blissful: 'So cute, right! This is the only one with long hair! Just that one time, Xiao Qi was tricked by me and Xiao An's dad into wearing a wig.'

'After that, he wasn't so easy to fool.' Jiang Yoning looked regretful.

The boy in the photo wore a blue-and-pink dress. Jiang Yoning had braided a big plait for Shi Qi, decorated with over a dozen small blue velvet bows, the excess black hair cascading down his back. Because he was young, his gender was almost indistinguishable.

The wig Jiang Yoning chose was very long, almost reaching Shi Qi's thighs. His dark gray eyes were watery, upturned like a cat's, his whole being like a meticulously crafted doll.

Shang Sui flipped to the next page. In the next photo, Shi Qi seemed to sense something was wrong, pursed his lips slightly, and looked at the camera with displeasure.

Unlike the elaborate outfit before, Shi Qi was wearing only a white fluffy tulle skirt. He knelt on a fuzzy carpet, the sheer skirt spreading out, arms hugging a brown plush bear, as if in a sulk.

Shang Sui couldn't help widening his eyes: 'So cute.'

'Right, right! This was the last time Xiao Qi wore girl's clothes. It was my birthday, and I begged him to make a wish, so he reluctantly agreed.'

'He glared at me at first, then felt it wasn't right, and ended up not saying a word the whole time. So adorable, our baby, really, really cute!'

Shang Sui said at the right moment, 'Like a little angel.'

'Exactly, exactly!'

Jiang Yoning looked gratified and gave Shang Sui a 'you have good taste' look.

The two Alphas finished looking through the Album together, and when they reached the last page, both felt it wasn't enough.

Shang Sui noticed there was another notebook by her hand.

'This isn't one too?'

It was a blue leather notebook, decorated with a bright yellow cat embroidery.

Jiang Yoning shook her head: 'This seems to be Xiao Qi's old diary. I accidentally brought it along. I'll give it to him later.'

As soon as she finished speaking, the person they were talking about pushed the door open.

Shi Qi walked silently to Shang Sui's side and glanced at the Album in his hand. Before, Shi Qi might have felt embarrassed, but now his attention was completely occupied by something else.

He looked at Shang Sui, seeming to want to speak but stopping.

Jiang Yoning was called away by Shi An, and Li Zhao was still outside, leaving only the two of them in the living room.

Shang Sui smiled at him with curved eyes: 'Your old photos are so cute.'

'...' Shi Qi said sullenly, 'They're just okay.'

The bar stool wasn't tall enough; the Alpha's long legs touched the ground, like a lion lazily resting in the sun.

Just by looking at Shang Sui now, no one could imagine he had gone through such a dark past.

Seeing the smile on his face, Shi Qi could no longer hold back his emotions, a barely perceptible pain flashing in his eyes:

'Why are you so unlucky.'

Shi Qi's voice was a little hoarse. Shang Sui put away his joking expression and set the Album aside.

He coaxed Shi Qi softly, asking, 'What's wrong, baby.'

Shi Qi's fingers unconsciously brushed the pocket on the right side of his thigh, which held the photo Li Zhao had given him.

For a moment, he felt regret for speaking before he had thought it through.

Shi Qi didn't answer, but Shang Sui quickly guessed roughly.

When they first met, he had felt Li Zhao observing him. They were strangers; if Li Zhao had seen him before without his knowledge and been shocked...

Combined with Li Zhao's profession, he could roughly guess what she had told Shi Qi.

Shi Qi's low voice brought back Shang Sui's attention: 'Why does everyone always bully you.'

A malicious serial killer, the public's ingrained prejudice against Special Sensitivity Periods, and most recently, Yu Zhiling's unhinged, unfiltered words, like stabbing Shang Sui right where it hurt.

'It's not that unlucky,' Shang Sui met his gaze knowingly, and seeing Shi Qi's low spirits, reached out to ruffle his fluffy hair, 'Didn't I meet you?'

'What use is meeting me? Obviously—!'

Shi Qi didn't continue.

He had originally wanted to think it through before talking to Shang Sui. This matter was no small thing; if he brought it up rashly, he was afraid of stirring up bad memories.

He had been doing well earlier, and even Li Zhao, who was good at reading people, hadn't noticed anything unusual.

But in front of Shang Sui, his eyes stung. It seemed the closer someone was to him, the easier it was for his emotions to show.

Shi Qi bit his lip, nearly crying.

'What did Li Zhao tell you?'

'...'

After a long moment.

Shang Sui cupped his face, as if handling a light, soft feather.

'No matter how much she knows, it's just a past.' Shang Sui looked into his wet eyes. 'Do you remember? I said I once told you an incomplete story.'

'When you remember it all, I want to tell you everything completely.'

'Meeting you is very important. You are very important to me.'

'Because the past with you has overwritten that terrible past.'

Shi Qi's eyelashes trembled, and only after a moment did he dare to confirm the meaning of those words.

That is, he had helped Shang Sui six years ago?

As if to confirm Shi Qi's guess, Shang Sui smiled at him: 'You are my most special friend.'

'Even if you once forgot my name, it will always be the same.'