Chapter 69

Chapter 69 6. The Silence of the Lambs-0

Liu Yi turned and saw Ying Chuan smiling behind him.

They kept a little over a meter of distance between them. The man’s expression and body language were just right—neither overstepping nor awkward for a first-time encounter.

“Professor Ying?”

Liu Yi was somewhat surprised.

When he left the auditorium, Ying Chuan had still been surrounded by seven or eight students and seemed unlikely to break free anytime soon. Liu Yi thought that even strolling leisurely across campus, it had only been about ten minutes, yet he had already been caught up with—and the other person even greeted him, a stranger, first.

Although Liu Yi knew his appearance and demeanor were striking, he wasn’t so vain as to think that a single glance in a crowd could make a worldly and accomplished person like Professor Ying remember him.

He squinted, thought for a moment, and asked, “Have we met before?”

Ying Chuan shook his head with a smile.

“Actually, when I saw you sit next to me earlier, I was wondering why you came to my lecture.”

Liu Yi put away his phone and headed toward the north gate parking lot. Ying Chuan naturally walked beside him, speaking as they went: “I had students fill in the guest invitations. We mostly invite psychology experts and professors. I know exactly who received them, and inside…”

He paused, his gaze scanning Liu Yi from head to toe, a faint smile at the corner of his eyes.

“…there wasn’t anyone as young and outstanding as you.”

Liu Yi tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. “From your tone, it sounds like you’re implying I’m an uninvited guest?”

Ying Chuan laughed heartily.

“Not at all! I feel honored, more than I can express!”

His speech had skill. Slightly hoarse, calm tone, measured micro-expressions, a faint scent of cologne mixed with a trace of smoke, paired with today’s double-breasted black suit—it naturally conveyed maturity and reliability beyond his years. Even the compliment sounded sincere and convincing.

But Liu Yi didn’t fall for it, countering, “Honored? How so?”

“Let me guess,” Ying Chuan said, his eyes lingering on Liu Yi’s finely chiseled profile, especially his slender eyes and thin, moist lips, for several seconds.

“The fact that you could get an invitation shows you have decent personal connections with psychology experts and are genuinely interested in this lecture. At the very least, you must have had a good education, enough to understand the lecture content.”

Liu Yi let out a quiet snort.

“Professor Ying, what you just presented wasn’t some high-level academic conference. If anything, it was closer to a ‘popular science’ level. Even ordinary non-psychology students could understand it easily. I don’t think it requires a high level of education to follow.”

“That’s my second point,” Ying Chuan said, not at all offended, rather showing interest. “During the lecture, I noticed you took notes.”

Liu Yi nodded, thinking it wasn’t just his imagination—this person really was paying special attention to him.

“Many take notes at the lecture, but most students just copy the board slowly, often only jotting major theoretical headings. But you…”

He pressed his lips, smiling at Liu Yi.

“I noticed that when you took notes, you recorded some of the case analyses and recent statistics, not only writing the data but also paying attention to my references. I assume you intend to review the original materials yourself afterward, am I right?”

Ying Chuan summarized.

“So, you are not only well-educated and accustomed to academic research methods, but you also value practicality, excel at independent analysis, and synthesizing new information. Furthermore, your composure and confidence from experience aren’t something a rookie could fake.”

He spoke while observing Liu Yi’s subtle expressions.

“I’d bet you are also a leading figure in your own field, right?”

Liu Yi turned, eyes locked on Ying Chuan, and after a moment, smiled. “So, what profession do you think I’m in?”

“That’s not hard to guess,” Ying Chuan said, seeing Liu Yi’s response as tacitly confirming his guess, his smile growing more evident.

“I just said that you could get an invitation and take notes during my case analyses. That indicates that in your field, you have access to psychology experts and can utilize knowledge of criminal psychology.”

Liu Yi nodded. “Yes, I don’t deny that, you’re right.”

Ying Chuan laughed again.

“Also, I noticed a detail. I included some crime scene photos in the slides. Not very gory, but not pixelated either. Ordinary students in the audience, seeing these photos for the first time, would instinctively avert their gaze, tilt their heads, frown, or cover their faces—automatic avoidance and disgust reactions.”

He raised his left hand, gesturing lightly toward Liu Yi.

“But you were different. You didn’t look away; you focused intently, even tilting your ear and head slightly—showing genuine interest in the content.”

Ying Chuan saw Liu Yi’s eyes widen slightly, satisfied as he continued his psychological profiling.

“If it were just fearlessness toward gore, you could be a doctor—but ordinary doctors don’t use criminal psychology. And if you were a police officer, you’d likely exude a more aggressive frontline presence, but you don’t…”

He smiled, giving an answer. “So I guess—you’re a forensic pathologist, right?”

Liu Yi stopped, eyes probing, repeatedly examining Ying Chuan.

“If not for the wedding ring on your hand…”

He looked at the ring finger on Ying Chuan’s raised left hand, smiled knowingly, and said, “I’d almost think you’re trying to flirt with me.”

“Hahaha!”

Ying Chuan laughed loudly as if amused by Liu Yi’s remark.

“Sorry, sorry. Actually, that last analysis was me cheating a bit.”

After laughing, he took a pack of cigarettes from his suit’s inner pocket, shook one out, and offered it to Liu Yi. “Actually, I recognized you the moment you sat next to me, Forensic Liu.”

Liu Yi took the cigarette, quickly glanced at the pack, and saw it was Marlboro—matching Ying Chuan’s personality. “How did you know it was me?”

Ying Chuan didn’t answer immediately, instead lighting Liu Yi’s cigarette first, then placing one in his own mouth, drawing in expertly.

“The previous Liu Yang’s only son kidnapping case—you were everywhere online.”

He explained, “Your appearance is very recognizable, easy to remember.”

Liu Yi said, “Oh,” understanding.

When Liu Lingxiao was killed, Liu Yi had insisted on a post-mortem, was beaten by Liu Yang in a rage, and somehow the media outside obtained his photo, spreading it widely. His white-background ID photo from the forensic institute was circulated online thousands of times along with case materials.

Although later cleaned up by cyber police, traces remain searchable.

“Pleased to meet you,” Ying Chuan said, extending his right hand, without a cigarette. “Glad you came to my lecture.”

He shook Liu Yi’s hand, tilted his chin toward a garden path, smiling sincerely. “There’s a Japanese restaurant over there with good food. Care to join me for lunch?”

The Japanese restaurant “Hetianju” was a well-known spot on X University campus.

It occupied a vacant area beside the agricultural garden greenhouse, built as a semi-open glass atrium. Rose and lilac vines lined the fence, creating an elegant dining environment.

Maintaining such a garden must be costly, so the menu prices were naturally high. Few poor students frequented it; it mainly served visitors during holidays who came to enjoy the campus atmosphere.

Although it was a holiday lunch hour, when Liu Yi followed Ying Chuan inside, only three tables were occupied, with enough distance between them for privacy.

“This way.”

Ying Chuan, apparently a regular, led Liu Yi to a small corner booth.

The spot was secluded, quiet, and offered a view through the glass wall of blooming magnolias and dripping deers’ horn vines—very pleasant.

A beautiful server in a uniform quickly brought them menus.

Liu Yi wasn’t particularly fond of Japanese cuisine, especially raw dishes like sashimi, but an occasional meal was fine.

They quickly ordered, then sipped tea while waiting for the food.

Ying Chuan smiled at Liu Yi. “By the way, Forensic Liu, I didn’t get a chance to ask before—how did you find my lecture?”