"Thank you for today." Professor Lin said gratefully.
He then brought up his student, asking worriedly, "What about Yang Ming...?"
"Don’t worry, I’ll arrange for someone to keep watch and protect Yang Ming as soon as I get back." Captain Ma assured.
"Wouldn’t it be better to just tell Yang Ming not to go night running?" Professor Lin suggested, concerned for his student.
Captain Ma shook his head, "No, we can’t, because we’re not sure yet if the killer’s actions are premeditated, or if they’ve already set their sights on Yang Ming.
If Yang Ming is being targeted by the killer, he’ll be in constant danger."
"So I suggest not telling him about this and let him follow his usual routine of night running. When the killer shows up, we’ll catch them and prevent future harm!"
After hearing this, Professor Lin, considering Yang Ming’s safety, nodded in agreement.
"Doctor Yang, what do you think?" Captain Ma asked Yang Lin, who was standing by, since Yang Ming was his cousin.
Yang Lin nodded, "I agree too. Thank you for your efforts, please make sure to catch the killer!"
Captain Ma puffed out his chest, "We certainly will!"
With matters concluded, Captain Ma left with Lin Xiaoyan.
Upon exiting Professor Lin’s office, they saw Yang Ming anxiously waiting at the door.
Seeing them come out, he quickly stepped forward.
"Brother..."
Yang Ming called his cousin softly, hoping he’d clear his confusion, as their look just now made him uneasy.
Yang Lin looked at his cousin with a complex and sympathetic gaze, giving a slight smile and patting his shoulder, "It’s okay."
"Really?" Yang Ming looked at his cousin’s smiling face, feeling more apprehensive.
"Really, nothing’s wrong. You go on with your business, I’m leaving."
Yang Lin patted his cousin’s shoulder again and left with Lin Xiaoyan.
Before leaving, Lin Xiaoyan glanced back at Yang Ming, taking a good look at him with a tsk in his heart.
No wonder the killer targeted this guy; this Yang Ming is not only handsome but also has a great build. Alas, poor thing!
Yang Lin noticed Lin Xiaoyan’s gaze and chuckled, "What’s up?"
Lin Xiaoyan looked up at Yang Lin, "Nothing, just think your cousin... got it rough."
"Tell me about it."
Yang Lin beamed, "But lucky he met you, or his reputation would’ve been gone, hahaha..."
Hearing Yang Lin’s words, Captain Ma couldn’t help but laugh as well.
Lin Xiaoyan looked at the two laughing heartily and felt helpless, "In today’s society, not only women but even men need to protect themselves now..."
"That’s right, so make sure you stay safe when going out - there are too many perverts nowadays!" Yang Lin advised, looking down at Lin Xiaoyan.
Lin Xiaoyan nodded, "I’ll buy some self-defense tools when I get back!"
"Doctor Yang, you should have some, just in case!"
Lin Xiaoyan teased, looking at Yang Lin.
Yang Lin: ...
Night fell.
Yang Ming finally finished recording a batch of lab reports, stretching and checking the time.
"Wow, it’s quite early today, only eleven!"
Yang Ming happily packed up his things, getting ready to head back to the dorm.
Seeing Yang Ming tidying up, someone beside him smiled and asked, "Work done for the day?"
"Yes, today went smoothly, finished early. Do you need any help, senior?"
"No, no, I’m almost done too. You go rest."
"Alright then, I’m off, senior."
"Mm."
Yang Ming picked up his backpack and was about to leave.
As he passed by Professor Lin’s office, the door opened.
Seeing Professor Lin, Yang Ming paused, "Teacher, why haven’t you left yet?"
Professor Lin looked at Yang Ming with a complex expression, "I’ll leave in a bit. You... heading back?"
"Yeah, I’m done here. Tomorrow when Professor Zhang and the others come, they’ll run the tests to see how it goes."
"Okay, then off you go."
"Sure, Teacher."
Yang Ming turned to leave.
"Wait..." Professor Lin couldn’t help but call out.
"Teacher?"
Yang Ming turned back, puzzled, looking at Professor Lin.
Professor Lin opened his mouth, looking at his young student, feeling a pang in his heart but couldn’t ruin Captain Ma’s capture plan.
"It’s nothing, just come earlier tomorrow morning." Professor Lin eventually held back.
Yang Ming smiled and nodded, "Alright, Teacher, you should head back to rest earlier too."
"Ah, okay."
Yang Ming returned to his dorm, a single dorm that Professor Lin had arranged for him at Qingying Building.
Quickly freshening up, he checked the time - eleven twenty. Not feeling sleepy yet, should he go for a night run?
He asked in the night running group, "Anyone up for a night run?"
Everyone in the group were night owls, not asleep yet, quickly responding.
"Dude, it’s eleven-thirty, running at this time?"
"Don’t go night running, come play a game with us instead, play then sleep!"
"Bro, night running is dangerous, it’s late, be careful!"
"Ahem, yes, I’d advise against running too..."
"Everyone above is so timid?"
...
After he was done tidying up, Yang Ming looked at the group, nobody joining him for the run, so he’d go alone.
Run for half an hour, come back to shower, then sleep.
Outside Qingying Building, Zhang Ming and Li He were battling mosquitoes fiercely.
With a "slap!" Zhang Ming killed one mosquito, glancing at the dorm building.
"This kid probably won’t go night running tonight, right? It’s so late already."
Li He kept waving mosquitoes away from himself, "Who knows, young people nowadays are impulsive. Some run at two or three in the morning.
We must buy mosquito repellent tomorrow, too many mosquitoes!"
Recalling the task Captain Ma assigned upon return, Zhang Ming couldn’t help but laugh.
"Nowadays girls are really daring, doing such things. This kid is pitiful, but also lucky, hahaha..."
Li He looked up, seeing someone coming out of the dorm building, "Oh my, really heading for a night run this late!"
He nudged Zhang Ming, "Quickly, follow him."
Zhang Ming looked at the person ahead, curling his lips, "Young people are so energetic!
This time at night, how dangerous!"
"Tell me about it..."
Running energetically around the campus, Yang Ming maintained his usual route, circling Bright Moon Lake, finishing in half an hour.
However, as he approached a dark grove, he suddenly saw a girl running at night too.
Seeing the girl, Yang Ming couldn’t help but think, girls really shouldn’t run at night, it’s too dangerous.
"Ouch!"
Suddenly, the girl ahead tripped and fell to the ground.
"Ouch..." she seemed to have fallen hard.
Out of kindness, Yang Ming stopped and asked the girl.
"Are you alright? Anything wrong?"
The girl seemed startled to find someone else there.
Yang Ming quickly waved his hand, "I’m not a bad guy, I’m just here for a night run too."