Jania sat at her desk all Sunday morning. There are chemistry textbooks and homework on her desk, as well as two calendars. One of them is her own schedule, and the latest mark is still on the day when she went to the beach for vacation. The other is a "junk calendar" printed from the municipal website to remind her whether she should put something in her home today. Colorful garbage bags were piled at the door.
Unstable garbage collection days have always been a big trouble for foreigners living in Regenberg, and it is even worse for foreigners who do not understand the classification rules. Her brother often made mistakes when she was a child, either throwing the bottle caps with the bottle body, or throwing the milk carton into the blue trash can. He also kept mistakenly throwing things into the black bin that didn't qualify as "other trash," so much so that the garbage truck ignored him for four weeks.
This is not entirely her brother's fault, because garbage sorting is often a problem for local people. Malcolm can always sort the unpopular garbage he created very accurately, but he often misses the time when the corresponding type of garbage truck will arrive. He missed recycling days for organic waste and residual garbage, and a terrible smell of rotting food waste lingered in the yard for nearly two weeks, and her mother was furious.
"How hard can it be?" her mother asked in a high-pitched, desperate voice. "You just take the trash bags out the night before!"
But it can be hard sometimes, especially when you can't concentrate and have a regular routine. Her mother herself made a mistake once, arguing with a client all night long because of the sudden appearance of major adverse evidence, and turning the blue recycling diary into black. Jania basically concluded that what her mother was thinking about at that time was stuffing her rich and asshole client into a black garbage bag.
Jania herself hasn’t missed a garbage collection day yet. She would sometimes forget the night before but always remember in time before the garbage truck came by the next morning. Maybe it's because she's the only one in the family who doesn't have to deal with work, but she feels like there's more to it than that. She is really lucky in this regard, or she has a talent for doing things at critical moments, such as catching the last second before the subway closes and buying the last roll of paper towels at a discount in the store. She always had an inkling that she could make it in time.
But luck alone is not enough. Like many lucky people, she secretly worries when no one is around whether her luck will suddenly run out and cause trouble like a credit card loaded with debt. She couldn't always rely on luck, otherwise sooner or later it would abandon her at the most critical moment. She must prepare in advance.
She was very careless last night. She had known for a long time that her brother was back, but she still left all kinds of things that exposed her investigation work in the bedroom. Of course, her brother couldn't find either of the two photos she hung on the "detective board", one of Coraine and "Mr. Gloves." There are also various myths and legends she printed out, local news in Lihai City, and her brother’s public information records on social networking sites for more than ten years... She always uses machine translation to convert them into German, and then prints them out. Disguised as notes and brought to school for study. And, of course, this matter will delay her attendance in class, so she has been copying Hannah's homework since last week. She promised Hannah that she would make it up sooner or later, before the exam anyway. And she didn't feel guilty about it at all. Anyway, she had discovered from those terrible machine-translated German that her brother used to copy Mr. Glove's homework.
Whenever she was sure certain documents were no longer useful, she would steal her mother's shredder and destroy them, hiding them in the belly of a stuffed animal under her bed, waiting to be disposed of on the next blue bin day. But when Jania saw her brother staring at the trash can in the yard from the window in front of her desk, her luck, which had always been able to turn the tide, sounded the alarm for her. She suddenly realized that her brother must be reading something, some kind of document in the blue trash can. But before she could throw the shredded paper inside, what else could attract her brother's attention?
Newspaper, definitely a newspaper. She immediately thought of the portion Doppler Colon had brought to cushion the chair. People of Cologne's age don't like to read those dazzling small words on the mobile phone screen. They will still read the newspaper at the breakfast table, cut out the parts they are interested in and save them, and use the rest to pad the corner of the table or It's car window cleaning.
She didn't pay attention to the newspaper that was trampled under the feet of Old Cologne, because at that time her mind was full of anonymous couriers. But is it really such a coincidence? Could it be the one she posted on her "detective board"? Not impossible. It was a regional newspaper, the kind that local elderly people liked to read. Besides, the old Cologne was once a security policeman, so he would have taken a second look at the prison collapse incident.
However, she knew that her brother could not understand an article that was too complicated. The report did not publish the photo of Lenny Colin, but revealed the photos of two other more controversial and famous murderers. . Pure idiots who believe they can suck life out of children's bodies are clearly out of fashion, and newspapers are favoring trendier political issues, like "angels of death" overdosing patients because they're tired of nursing, or racial discrimination. And killing people with knives on the street. These issues are certainly more fashionable than pedophilia at the moment, and may even be used as fodder for the next local election campaign.
These famous murderers buried in the collapsed prison did not bother Yu Xiaorong. She didn't think that all of these people could escape like Lenny Colin, but rather believed that they were really buried under the rubble, which would save everyone outside the prison from worry. But she really couldn't guarantee that her brother wouldn't associate these people with Lenny Colin - he was actually smarter than he looked in some respects.
So Jania took the most decisive action. She took out the processed scraps of paper from the doll's belly, then ran to the yard and used the pile of scraps to cover the newspaper that might reveal the secret. Her brother seemed startled by her, which was a good sign that he didn't realize what he was missing. She then drew his attention away from the trash can.
At the time, she wasn't worried about what her brother might find in the scraps of paper she threw away. Her mother's paper shredder could shred paper so finely that her brother could hire a hundred kids to do it for three years. But the newspaper was still lying intact under the shreds of paper. She didn't dare to sneak out at night, because the door of the guest room was facing the window of the living room, and through that window, the scene in the front yard would be unobstructed. She also didn't forget that her brother had poor sleep quality and didn't want to make things worse due to accidents.
The paper recycling truck will come next Tuesday and take away the newspaper and all the scraps, but Jania still feels unsafe. She was a little worried that her brother would actually look through the scraps of paper to confirm whether it was her homework. What if she didn't get all the information in pieces? There would be no problem with the text, but there were also photos and pictures. If a scrap of paper happened to have half a face on it, would her brother recognize it? The odds were slim, but she always wanted to be more sure.
She staked out the front yard all morning. You don't have to sneak downstairs to do this. You just need to stretch your neck slightly in front of the table and you can see the blue trash can in the front yard downstairs from the window. Her brother had not been near there all morning, but was busy cooking in the kitchen. Yu Xiaorong could hear him starting the meat grinder or digging out the iron pot from the deepest part of the cupboard. He probably wanted to get some fresh food, although Jania didn't think there was any need for it. It was an eccentric notion shared by her mother and her brother, as if bread and butter, jars of jam, white sausages and cold salads were not a serious meal. It was weird, but it didn't hurt her. She didn't mind more tender and juicy grilled meat slices or tomato curry rice, not to mention keeping her brother's attention away from the trash can.
Love reading books
Hopefully her brother would go out shopping or visit the neighbors so she could take out the old newspaper and check it out. And the painting—the thought of that painting made Jania uneasy. She felt she knew who it was from and was sure it was addressed to her. But what does it mean? a joke? A warning? Or a clue? She was absorbed in thinking about the painting and did not write a single word of homework until her brother knocked on her door at almost noon and asked her to go down to eat.
"I have to hold a video conference later," her brother said.
"with who?"
"People in the company, I have to say hello to them first. I will close the door later. If you come to see me in an emergency, just knock on the door. Got it?"
Jania agreed, but wasn't entirely convinced. After the door of the guest room was closed tightly, she quietly put her ear to it and eavesdropped on what was going on inside. She heard several people greeting each other in Chinese, and one of them called him "Mr. Xiao Luo" when introducing her brother. They also mentioned titles and departments, and it did seem to be business matters. Everything seemed to be real, except that her brother was playing the recording inside.
She quietly pulled away and ran to the trash can in the front yard. After making sure no one was around, she reached into the blue trash can—luckily it contained only scrap paper—and groped for the newspaper that Doppler Colon had stepped on. She only glanced at it briefly, then crumpled it into a ball of paper, waiting to be disposed of in a deserted place. It might have been a waste of time in the end, but she still had to keep her brother updated on Lenny Colin as late as possible. It would be really noisy if he got hysterical. More importantly, the greater the information gap between them, the more secrets she is likely to uncover.
Leo emerged from the house and ran to her side. It must have caught Jania digging through the trash can just now, so its barking was filled with excitement and joy. It also used its wet nose to nudge the paper ball in Jania's hand, urging her to play a ball toss. game. Zhannia ordered it to sit down quietly, and then it reluctantly placed its butt on the grass, its tail violently sweeping the top of the grass.
She touched its head. "We'll go for a walk in a minute," she assured him. Leo always understood this sentence and began to lick the palm of her hand.
It looked so happy that Jania was reminded of how it looked yesterday at noon. Dogs are not brooding or slow animals, and even if Malcolm suddenly bursts through the door with a strong smell of citrus, he will use the loudest voice to convey his likes and dislikes. Why was it staring at her brother so quietly yesterday? It wasn't happiness or hostility, it was a bit like confusion.
At that time, the little head of a canine with a keen sense of smell must have been running with some thoughts that Zhannia could not imagine. She really wished that her hand touching Leo's head could reach into the depths of his mind and touch the secrets that Leo couldn't tell her. She even thought of an American book about a linguist trying to teach his dog to speak English in order to uncover the truth behind his late wife's death at home. The delusion, of course, failed, and the ultimate truth turned out to be nothing more than a haunting childhood memory. A job that whitewashes the faces of the dead every day. A depressed patient who gradually goes crazy in daily life. Climb an apple tree and jump off - commit suicide.
Jania put the leash on Leo. She led him out of the courtyard and strode along the street to the woods to the north. On Sunday, all the shops were closed for business, and she came out a little earlier than the walking time that Regenberg residents are used to. There were not many people on the road, only a few neighbors tending flowers and plants in the yard. Jania greeted them and told them that her brother had arrived yesterday.
"That's great," the neighbors said, expressing polite surprise even though they should have known better. After all, this is not a big city, and any stranger coming in or out is under the nose of the neighbors. But they may not know about the anonymous courier, because yesterday she asked Doppler Colon to keep it secret on the phone. As for Anti-Pierre, no one could get anything interesting out of her fingers. She is still a mystery even to herself.
"Jennia!"
Someone called her from behind, and Zhannia looked back and saw brown-haired Marlene Judit running towards her, panting. She also held a leash in her hand, holding the grinning bulldog Pious.
Devotees. Jania always felt that adults who gave dogs such names might be on the verge of losing their minds. Marlene Judit was almost dragged forward by the dog. She was too thin and too timid to control the "devout". As it approached Jania, it seemed completely unaware that its owner was about to be pulled down by it. Saliva flowed from its open mouth, leaving an almost continuous water mark on the road.
Leo had already turned back from in front of her feet to behind her, his front body lowered, his sharp teeth exposed, and he let out low growls from his throat. The appearance of the "devout" immediately put it on alert. Jania tightened the leash and stared at the "devotee" motionlessly. This French bulldog of questionable origin has a flat head, vicious eyes, and unusually broad shoulders and neck. In its eyes that always stare forward, it seems that the front is just a cloudy and uncertain fog without any clear intentions or smart emotions.
This look had made Doppler Colon suspicious. He had a whole dog farm to take care of, so he didn't mind his neighbors' business, but secretly he told Jania that it was best to stay away from that dog, or at least be wary of that dog at all times. Even though the Judit family said it was a purebred French Bulldog, Doppler Colon suspected that it was mixed with pit bull blood, and its origin was unknown, and it might not have been officially registered. It may suffer from some kind of innate mental illness, and it usually obeys its master's orders, but when the mental pain and mania suddenly break out, the bloodthirsty impulse hidden in the genetic defect will make it not hesitate. Bite off the owner's hands and feet, and then wolf it down.
Zhannia didn’t want to think about Marlene Judith being bitten to pieces. But she could almost smell the incense smell of blood—just last fall, the devotee ran into the woods with its aimless eyes, and finally took out half of the deer in its mouth. They couldn't identify the specific species of deer it was, it was almost a mass of broken bones and rotten flesh. The "devout" carried the poor thing all the way back to Judit's house, and the broken flesh and blood were scattered all over the floor. The children of Judit's family had few friends at school, and there were rumors among the students that Judit's family must have killed someone. They are madmen who moved here from a foreign country and will eat raw flesh and blood on the table. If placed next to them, Anti-Pierre's eccentricity would pale in comparison.
Those were interesting stories, but Jania figured they weren't true. Except for their extreme arrogance and timidity, the five children of Judith's family are generally consistent with ordinary people in terms of mental development and living habits. Their family may be horrific, but at least Marlene Judit isn't a monster. She was just malnourished, nervous, and always afraid of being scolded by her parents. Marlene was someone she could safely associate with - but her parents were not, and neither was the dog she was holding.
She stared at the Devotee as calmly as possible, without appearing timid or overly provocative. Let your dog sense your confidence, Colon Sr. said, by letting them know that you are in control of the situation. Dogs don't care how much money you have or how well-spoken you are, they will smell your fear and weakness. That's their superpower.
The "Piety" stopped two or three meters away from Leo. Its chaotic eyes glanced at Zhaniya's face, as if it didn't hear Marlene Judith calling its name imploringly. After a few seconds, it finally walked away slowly. Leo's shoulders and neck also relaxed, but his head still followed it.
There was sweat on Marlene Judith's face. She was wearing an outdoor jacket that was too large, which seemed a bit heavy in this season. The clothes may have been worn by her brother or sister, and she was extremely short and skinny, like a sapling that was seriously short of water. When she was talking to Jania at close range, she even had to tilt her head upward to maintain polite eye contact with Jania. They were far from being good friends, but whenever Marlene looked at her like a junior child, Jania always unconsciously wanted to show a more mature and steady face.
"Zhania," she asked softly, "did you hear that?"
There was more and more sweat on her forehead, whether it was due to the heat or excitement. From Marlene's strange question, Zhannia realized that she was not talking about her brother. But Jania didn't know what other new news made Marlene so excited. It might be a scandal involving a certain star. She hadn't paid attention to entertainment news for several days.
"What's wrong?" she asked, trying to sound curious.
Marlene wiped her sweat with the sleeve that extended beyond her wrist, and said a little stuttering: "Trees, corpses in the woods!"
Jania instinctively lowered her head to look at the "devout", almost asking the beast with her eyes, "Did you do it?" Marlene Judith's face turned red, and she pulled the reins back twice pitifully and in vain.
"No, no," she said hastily, "it wasn't bitten by a dog - I heard it was killed by someone."
