Anchor Effect - Chapter 24.2: You chase me

"Can I kill someone without any bloodshed?" Ye Yuchen quipped, "I'm using the cabinet to cover it up."

"Oh," Yu Xiu rang the doorbell again, mimicking, "Ding dong."

"Here I am," Ye Yuchen hid the blood-stained clothing in the cabinet, approached the door, and greeted, "Hello."

"Hello, sir," Yu Xiu wore a friendly smile, "I'm here for the natural gas inspection."

"Come in," Ye Yuchen casually gestured towards the kitchen, "The kitchen is right over there."

"Alright," Yu Xiu donned shoe covers and headed in the direction Ye Yuchen indicated, inquiring, "Do you and your wife cook often?"

Ye Yuchen pretended to glance at the pots and pans in the kitchen and replied, "Frequently."

"I can tell," Yu Xiu observed. "There must be several people in the family, given the number of bowls."

"Stop," Ye Yuchen gestured for a pause and interrupted Yu Xiu. "Do you think there would be many people in the homeowner's house?"

Yu Xiu withdrew, contemplated for a moment, and said, "It doesn't seem likely."

"If there were many family members, one wouldn't know when someone might return, and the risk of getting caught during the murder would be too high," Ye Yuchen explained. "Since I've chosen to kill and dismember the body here, it suggests that the homeowner likely lives alone."

"Yes," Yu Xiu agreed. "Your logic makes sense. Please continue."

"Okay," Ye Yuchen declared, bending down to resume dragging the "body." "Action."

"Ding dong," Yu Xiu rang the doorbell once more, stating, "Hello, the natural gas company is conducting a routine inspection. I've scheduled it with you. Please open the door."

Yu Xiu's character continued to probe about the homeowner's family situation, though the murderer would naturally avoid revealing accurate details.

Ye Yuchen deliberately remained silent for a moment and then replied, "I've done quite a bit of cooking."

"Then you must be a family man," Yu Xiu inferred.

Yu Xiu, a confident thief with well-prepared tools, delved further, inquiring, "This built-in stove in your kitchen doesn't look cheap, does it?"

"It's decent," Ye Yuchen responded.

"And what about this oven below?"

"It works well."

"Remember to ventilate while cooking," Yu Xiu advised.

"Of course."

After completing the inspection, Yu Xiu handed Ye Yuchen a work sheet for a signature.

Ye Yuchen hesitated for a moment, being careful to avoid leaving fingerprints on the sheet as he signed it with a pen gripped between his teeth.

Naturally, Yu Xiu didn't pay much attention to the signature. He collected his tools and asked, "May I use your bathroom?"

Ye Yuchen, in character, replied, "It's not convenient."

"I really can't hold it in any longer," Yu Xiu pleaded, feigning discomfort. "Don't worry; I won't make a mess of your place."

Ye Yuchen pursed his lips, saying, "It's truly inconvenient."

"I just need a minute," Yu Xiu continued, clutching his belly in apparent distress. "I can't hold it any longer."

As the plot progressed to this point, Ye Yuchen temporarily stepped out of character and asked, "Why do you need to use the bathroom at my place?"

"Because I want to see if you have any valuable items in your home," Yu Xiu admitted candidly. "It's best if I can check out your bedroom and get a sense of the layout."

Ye Yuchen raised an eyebrow, remarking, "Well, that motive makes sense. I was afraid you were setting up a forced encounter with the corpse."

"That's not the case," Yu Xiu clarified. "After all, it's quite odd for a natural gas maintenance worker to need to use the homeowner's bathroom."

"You're right," Ye Yuchen snapped his fingers. "So, from the audience's perspective, they don't know you're a thief or that there's a body in the bathroom. They'll only assume the role of the murderer and wonder why you'd need to use the bathroom at someone else's house. If you don't explain your motive clearly, the audience will feel confused from this point onwards."

"So," Yu Xiu began to explain, "this is a crucial moment for revelation."

"Ah, you mean a plot twist, right?" Ye Yuchen asked, now understanding.

Yu Xiu nodded, saying, "Exactly. It's a common device used in suspense stories. Simply put, it's about revealing certain information."

"It's a turning point," Ye Yuchen agreed. "So here, you're showing the audience that you're actually a thief."

Both of them essentially said the same thing simultaneously.

Ye Yuchen didn't quite hear Yu Xiu's words and questioned in confusion, "Revelation?"

Yu Xiu elaborated, "It's a professional term, also known as a 'big reveal.' It's frequently employed in suspense stories. Essentially, it involves unveiling certain key information."

"It's a plot twist, got it," Ye Yuchen confirmed. "Keep going."

"So, at this point, I need to show the audience that my true identity is a thief," Yu Xiu stated, resuming his character. "I can use a flashback to reveal some background. For instance, before I came for the site visit, I was involved in selling stolen goods, and so on."

"Alright," Ye Yuchen agreed. "This way, the audience will understand why you need to use the bathroom—to assess what's valuable in the house. They'll begin to sympathize with the homeowner, hoping they'll figure out that you're a thief."

"But the homeowner doesn't pay any attention," Yu Xiu added. "Because the moment I needed to use the bathroom, he made up his mind—"

"He's going to kill you too," Ye Yuchen finished the thought.

The two of them exchanged high-fives, and Ye Yuchen inquired, "Shall we continue?"