Chapter 143

Zhang Xinyu nodded, then shifted a little and said, "What is this thing? It's digging into me."

The cameraman was startled. Big brother, no way, you're driving even inside the car?

Chen Fan said, "Yeah, the head. It wouldn't fit in the back, so I just kept it by my side."

????

No, wait, are you serious?

Zhang Xinyu looked at the bag, then stared at Chen Fan in disbelief.

Chen Fan said, "Just kidding. It's a pumpkin. I thought pumpkins were pretty good, so I bought one in the village. We can make pumpkin porridge when we get back."

Zhang Xinyu was startled, then suddenly thought of something and said, "Um, you forensic doctors, do you eat at the autopsy table?"

Chen Fan said, "Don't lump me in with ordinary forensic doctors. I'm a celebrity forensic doctor, got it? How could I ever do something so vulgar?"

Zhang Xinyu nodded. Indeed, Chen Fan probably wouldn't.

Over at the forensic side, Chen Fan carried a tray to the autopsy room and said, "Old Liu, stop working. Today's pumpkin porridge, it's really good. Have some first."

"Call me Teacher. And why are you bringing food in here?"

"It's just that good. I was worried someone would steal my meal."

Old Liu's face darkened. He ignored him, finished writing the document, handed it to the assistant beside him, and had someone send it out.

The few of them ate in the cafeteria.

At the table, Old Liu expressed his welcome and took the initiative to drink a glass of wine.

A few newcomers on the side silently lowered their heads, eating without a word.

"I've been watching this livestream. Everyone performed very well. I'll give each of you full marks."

Everyone looked at Old Liu.

Old Liu said, "Surprised? Don't be. I'm really giving you full marks. You listened to what I said. I told you from the start not to listen to other people. We forensic doctors speak with facts."

Qu Yiling said, "But, you and Chen Fan, the moment you saw the corpse, you figured it out."

"Chen Fan was the fastest. I'm slower."

Everyone looked at Chen Fan.

This guy is a monster. Are we supposed to compare ourselves to a monster?

"Teacher, I want to know, is there any scientific basis for what you did?"

Old Liu said, "Did you study forensic pathology for nothing? We're forensic doctors. Break the two words 'forensic doctor' apart—what are we? We're still half a doctor."

Qu Yiling understood instantly and said, "Well, actually, forensic pathology, I'm still just researching it, I haven't mastered it yet. I didn't think it could be used this way."

Old Liu put down his chopsticks and said, "When I saw this person, I knew he had alcoholic liver disease, and the tobacco tar between his fingers—these things shouldn't appear on a villager. So, generally, he's just a vagrant. We can basically confirm the individual's identity."

"These don't require an autopsy, just analysis. This isn't deduction, it's a summary of life experience. Understand?"

Cheng Ruofei said, "When I was organizing the clothing, I found a hair. That counts as something left behind, right?"

"Mm."

Cheng Ruofei said, "Sigh, I tested it. Unfortunately, it's not that woman's."

??????

The few celebrities eating on the side nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

Hu Ge said, "Wait, the woman you mentioned, she's the deceased's sister-in-law, right? What do you mean it's not her?"

Chen Fan said, "Bad men get the girls—don't you even know this logic? That big brother was eating on the side. As for who he was eating with, who knows? The village will slowly investigate."

Old Liu said, "This is a village that traffics people. They specifically look for abandoned babies, or steal children, or snatch women. There are quotas in the village. The quota is the number of single people. If the quota is met, they get quite a bit of money."

"How much is that?"

"Not much. A few hundred extra a month, maybe a thousand-something yuan more if it's good."

Sister Jing Tian fell silent, then said, "Is this little bit of money really worth trampling the law?"

Old Liu said, "What worries me most isn't this. What I fear most is that we keep finding more bones. Every one we find could break a lot of people's hearts. And what about the ones forgotten?"

The table fell silent.

Chen Fan said, "Teacher, let's eat. Really, talking about this—here, try this pumpkin, it's really good."

Old Liu said, "Aren't you going to tell us where the pumpkin grew?"

The few of them looked at Chen Fan.

Chen Fan said, "I bought it."

"Nonsense. These are wild pumpkin seeds. They haven't lived in the countryside, but I have. These ground-rolling pumpkins—the seeds were planted on the nearby mountains."

The few celebrities began to feel nauseous.

Chen Fan said, "Fine, I secretly took the pumpkin."

"Where did you take it from?"

"A grave..."

??????

yue.

Zhang Xinyu stood up and said, "Sorry, I need to step out for a moment."

"Wait for me."

Sister Jing Tian followed her out.

Chen Fan looked helpless, glanced at the remaining newcomers and said, "You guys are pretty good."

"Mm, we're used to it."

Chen Fan took a bite of pumpkin and said, "Mm, the taste really is different. When I dug it up, the root went straight through someone's head."

The few of them instantly bristled. The newcomers stood up and left the table too.

Xiang Qinqin and Chen Fan exchanged a quick glance and immediately started fighting over the remaining pumpkin to eat.

Old Liu was speechless and said, "You two really — just to eat a bit more pumpkin, is it worth it?"

Chen Fan said, "Anyone who fights me for good food has to die."

Xiang Qinqin didn't hesitate either — love was optional, but good food absolutely could not be let down.

At that moment, a ding-dong sound rang in Chen Fan's ear.

"Ding — congratulations, Host, you've obtained a new skill. Please check it."

Please, Ancestor above, I'm willing to offer my good friend's next ten years of singlehood.

Give me a normal skill instead, I'm seriously begging you.

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