Chapter 2 A beautiful friend

New crimes are reported in the newspapers every day, and the world has long been accustomed to this, and can only mutter indifferently: Here we go again!Although not too surprised.But after calming down and thinking about it, I couldn't help exclaiming to myself: What a dangerous world this is!The metropolis of Tokyo is certainly good, but there are three or four bloody incidents that shock the world every day.For example, planning to kill his own brother and bury him in front of his house, and then drive the accomplice—also his own brother—crazy and send him to a mental hospital.On the one hand, this reminds me of the horror legend about the tribe of adopted sons and murderers handed down from the nineteenth century;

However, the above-mentioned criminal incidents are all exposed to the eyes of the world.As a criminologist said, only two or three out of ten crimes are exposed, so how many more horrible and frightening crimes have occurred in the dark than the ones you read in the newspapers every day? It is beyond our imagination.For example, when reading a detective novel, have you ever suddenly become afraid of the neighbors just across the wall, so subconsciously hold your breath and listen carefully to their movements?This sounds creepy, but such suspicions are not idle fantasies in Tokyo. Besides, after the amateur detective Akechi Kogoro solved the "Spider Man" incident, the time to really relax and rest was only ten short days. This is not a plot made up by the novelist.In other words, less than ten days after the tragic death of Spider-Man in Panorama Hell, the "magician" had already killed someone, and Akechi was involved again for reasons that could not be evaded.

Although Akechi is known as an amateur detective, he doesn't make a living by putting up signs.If he didn't want to, he wouldn't be obliged to take so much time to assist the police in handling the case, but this "magician" incident had a strange fascination that attracted him.It is wise to have a hunch that this is definitely a crime no less than "Spider Man". (As might be expected, in this case he was initially at the mercy of the murderer, and almost died.) Moreover, he was interested in the case for another important reason. Amateur detective and love, this combination is really incongruous.The author was baffled when an actor asked Sir Conan Doyle to put Holmes in a flamboyant love affair.Detective and love, the fate between the two is so shallow.But behind the crime, almost without exception, there is a love story.It can even be said that if the detective in charge of solving the case is a wooden man who doesn't know what love is, he will be incompetent anyway.Leaving aside the truth, our wise Kogoro is indeed not a steel robot who has no emotions but only reasoning like some detectives.

Early the next morning after solving the "Spider Man" incident, Akechi took a suitcase and got on the train at Ueno Station.He wanted to escape from the hotel that was harassed by newspaper reporters and take a good rest alone.He even declined the celebration banquet specially hosted by the police chief. Akechi missed the lake for no reason, so he bought a ticket to S Station on the Chuo Line.But in retrospect, this was actually the first step in his being involved in the "Magician" incident, and his fate was really elusive. As soon as the train arrived at station S, Akechi immediately ordered the driver to drive to the Lakeside Hotel which he had heard about for a long time.

The lake water in autumn reflects the blue sky and becomes brighter and clearer.The cool and slightly cold weather in the morning and evening is very suitable for Sensei's extremely tired body and mind, and his whole body suddenly feels indescribably happy.Whether it's a hotel room, a maid from the country, or a Japanese-style bathhouse, all of them are so beautiful and comfortable for a wise man who has lived abroad for a long time without a fixed place. During the ten or so days of living in the hotel, I was wise and unrestrained, happy like a naughty boy.And rowing on the lake in a small rowboat borrowed from the hotel is his daily routine.Sometimes, he also drove the lovely children who lived in the same hotel, while struggling to shake the oars, singing the song "Big Wind and Big Waves" in his boyhood, and paddling across the mirror-like water.

Leaning against the window of the hotel room, the scenery in front of me is very pleasant.The red leaves all over the mountain are like a painting reflected on the smooth mirror-like lake, and the white boat skims across the water like a light water bird.On the boat, there was a white figure struggling to swing back and forth, it should be the wise man in the white shirt, and the cheering in front of it were the children playing in the water with the boat. At this time, the children's parents came to the balcony of the hotel, greeted each other with smiles, and the nostalgic singing intermittently drifted across the lake to their ears.

Among this group of parents, there is a beautiful girl, she looks at the boat full of joy with a smile on her face.This girl is the daughter of the Tamamura family, a well-known gem businessman in Tokyo, and her name is Taeko.On the way home after the hot spring tour in Shinshu, I left my father and his party for a while, and I took an elderly servant with me, and a young man with me, and stayed here for a while.A good friend of Ms. Taeko's girls' school days (she just graduated last spring) also happened to be staying in S, and she wanted to meet her old friend during this trip. Why does Taeko-san look at the wise boat with the child's parents?That's because besides the old servant, Miss Taeko was traveling with a ten-year-old boy named Shinichi, who was sitting on the wise boat at this time.Shinichi is very cute. He was originally the son of a small merchant who lived in the longhouse under the name of Tamamura.Since both parents passed away, Taeko, seeing him helpless, begged her mother to raise him as her own younger brother.From this point alone, it can be seen that Taeko-san is not at an age that is ignorant of the world.In the impeccable ladylike, gentle and virtuous temperament, there is a bit of majesty.During these leisurely days, Zhizhi and the children became more and more friendly, and became familiar with the parents, especially Taeko Tamamura, who were deeply attracted by each other's temperament.Not only did they dine at the same table, but they also made an appointment to drink tea together, and even went boating on the lake together, avoiding the sight of the old servants, and became intimate.

When there were only the two of them left, Sensei would row the boat to the mouth of the lake and fjord where they could not be seen from the restaurant.A lush evergreen forest grows on that bank, dotted with a few bright vermilion leaves among the green bushes, and the lake surface is as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the beautiful scenery in it.The two let the boat drift in the shadow of the trees, indulging in the fantasy story.But readers, please don't make random guesses about the relationship between the two.Zhizhi is no longer a frivolous young man, and Taeko is no longer a frivolous woman who commits herself to others in just a few days of acquaintance.So far, they've been nothing more than like-minded friends.

Having said that, to be honest, although I don't know what Taeko's intentions are, at least Akechi has deeply fallen in love with this young, charming and smart girl in front of him. This feeling is different from ordinary friendship, and it gets better every day. "Hey, hey, cheer up, what dream are you dreaming of? Think about your age, you are already a middle-aged man who is nearly forty years old. Taeko is the jewel in the palm of a wealthy businessman, how can you be so poor The ronin can afford it. Well, stay away from her as soon as possible." Sensei tossed and turned in bed, berating himself repeatedly, and decided to leave the next day.However, every morning he regretted it and stayed.Taeko's father unintentionally solved this problem that troubled Akechi.He was worried about his daughter staying outside for too long, so he called from Tokyo one day and told his daughter to return home as soon as possible.The well-behaved Taeko left the hotel that day.It's just that when she said goodbye to Zhizhi, whether it was a psychological effect or not, she also seemed very reluctant to part with her.

After Taeko left, Akechi took the children on a boat on the lake every day as usual.Although he appeared to be as happy as ever, the sadness on his brow could not be erased. Taeko's soft body, her white teeth that are exposed when she smiles... She has a beautiful face like a dream, and a sweet voice that evokes people's hearts, all of which will become more and more as time passes It became more and more vivid, Zhizhi was upset all day long like a young man in his twenties. The pleasant conversation while boating on the lake has also become the seed of memory.It's just that some unhappiness is unavoidable in this spring-like communication.Once, Taeko was uncharacteristically talking about a matter that had been buried in her heart for a long time, which was extremely gloomy and terrifying.I don't know why, but the strange and irrelevant topic she said has been lingering in Zhizhi's mind, lingering.In any case, it was just a small episode at the beginning of the story, so I want to make a simple explanation.At that time, the boat was drifting in the shade of the green forest covering the shore, Taeko seemed to be possessed by a monster, and began to talk nonsense.

"This may be just a dream with no basis, but it is unbelievable that since I was young, I have had a supernatural ability to foresee the future. My mother passed away five years ago, but I predicted it half a year ago. This matter. Every time I think that this time may be like my mother’s, the nightmare will become reality, I am terrified. When I suddenly think of this matter before going to sleep, I feel like I am poured with a bucket of cold water, and my whole body trembles.” "Sister, why are you here again, don't talk about it again." Even though he was only ten years old, Shinichi shouted with the fearful expression of an adult. "What kind of dream was that?" Akechi was taken aback by Taeko's unusually gloomy expression, and quickly asked back.Taeko lowered her voice very low, as if she felt terrified just by saying it out of her mouth: "How should I put it, there is a ghostly black cloud gathering at an alarming speed and covering my house. For the past two or three months, I have felt the existence of this black cloud all the time. It is like a pheasant that can predict a big earthquake. Chicken... I feel that someone has cast a vicious curse on my family, and our family may be murdered by unknown vicious monsters at any time." "Then, what caused you to have such an ominous premonition?" "I don't know a thing, so that adds to the horror. I have no idea what kind of disaster it will be." Of course, Taeko knew that Kogoro Akechi was a detective.She confided in him, confessed her fears, perhaps seeking his advice.It's a pity that this illusory raving has no basis in reality, and even the wisest and wisest are helpless.Just at this time, the servant from the hotel came to Taeko, saying that there was a call from Tokyo for her.