The situation was becoming more complex than anticipated. All along, this had been Zhang Ying's game, her life's grand design. Both Gao Qiang and Professor Bai Fa were merely her pawns, her stepping stones. Zhang Ying had used them to escape poverty and step into a life of luxury. I had never imagined it would involve me. But now, it was different. Almost everyone in Foreign Trade Class Three was saying I looked like Jiang He. This was a problem. If they pursued it, I might actually become Jiang He.
After parting ways with the class monitor, I returned to the dormitory and thought it over all night. The more I thought, the more terrified I became. How could such formidable people exist in this world? They were preparing to turn me into someone else. Damn it, I knew it. The Whispering Ghost had arrived. He must be somewhere near me.
...
I was getting scared, truly scared. I knew nothing about the fake Jiang He's identity, and they would surely use Jiang He's identity against me.
The next day, I went to the task force early, offering to buy everyone coffee. Yu Xiao Luo, holding a cup of coffee, looked at me with a half-smile. "No reason to be so solicitous unless you're up to something. Spill it, what bad idea are you cooking up this time?"
I looked around, then pulled Yu Xiao Luo by the wrist towards the interrogation room. I was too nervous. It wasn't until we reached the conference room that I realized Yu Xiao Luo's gaze was fixed on my hand gripping her wrist. I quickly let go. "Sister, you have to save me. I feel like I'm finished this time."
"What's going on?"
I explained the entire situation to Yu Xiao Luo. She burst into laughter, her body shaking with mirth.
"You don't believe me!"
"You are you, and Jiang He is Jiang He. What does it matter if you look alike? Can't I vouch for you? Can't Captain Luo? If we can't, isn't there still Group Leader Wang? How much have we been through together since Ruili? Never mind what others say, even if you thumped your chest and said you were Jiang He, do you think you could fool Group Leader Wang?"
Yu Xiao Luo's words reassured me somewhat, but the sense of crisis in my heart lingered. Coincidentally, Luo Bo, drawn by Yu Xiao Luo's laughter, pushed the door open and entered the interrogation room.
"Xiao Luo, has the case been cracked? Why are you laughing so heartily?"
"Tang Nan, tell Captain Luo too, let him share in the joy."
I sat to one side, while the two of them sat on the other. They listened to me recount how I might be turned into Jiang He, as if interrogating a criminal. It was hard to take seriously, and Xiao Luo couldn't help but chuckle. But I noticed Luo Bo's brow furrowing.
"Captain Luo, do you also find something amiss?"
"Primacy effect."
"What?"
The primacy effect refers to the impact of the initial information encountered on subsequent behaviors and judgments. The impression formed during a person's first interaction occupies a dominant position in their mind, and this effect is known as the primacy effect.
After Luo Bo's explanation, I was still a bit confused.
"Brother Luo, I haven't met them for the first time, have I?"
"This fake Jiang He assumed the identity of a deceased person to enter university. We can set aside his motives for now. Let's just speculate about his daily behavior. He must have had very little contact with his classmates, leaving no photos, and perhaps even engaging in archival theft."
"Yes, yes... yes, I think so too."
Luo Bo was indeed a highly skilled detective. His words were convincing. I glanced at the gleeful Yu Xiao Luo, having provoked this elder sister. She said, displeased, "Captain Luo, you're busy. Don't just goof around with Tang Nan."
Yu Xiao Luo thought Luo Bo was just joking around to earn that cup of coffee. But Luo Bo was very serious. "Anyone who has been to university knows that the first year is mainly about familiarizing oneself with the campus and surroundings. There are fewer classes, and dormitory mates become close, while classmates might not be as well-acquainted. By the second year, with more specialized courses, one becomes familiar with classmates. However, Jiang He barely attended school during the first semester of his second year due to the SARS outbreak. His classmates had essentially forgotten him. Therefore, the initial impression he left on his classmates was the incident where Zhang Ying mistook Tang Nan for Jiang He during a makeup exam. This theory holds true for teachers as well, who are even less clear about students' faces during daily lectures."
I understood. "So, it's a case of first impressions. Everyone suddenly thinks I look like Jiang He, and it doesn't matter what Jiang He actually looked like. They believe I look like Jiang He."
"Yes, everyone will think that. Thinking about it, that Zhang Ying really warrants a thorough investigation."
Just then, Luo Bo's phone rang. He glanced at it and smiled. "Old Wang is a real taskmaster. We haven't even finished our morning coffee, and he's already urging us to work." He answered the phone and got straight to the point. "Group Leader Wang, has the case of the impersonator using a deceased person's identity been transferred to our team? No? Then why are you calling me? Arranging more work? We're flesh-and-blood staff, not steel soldiers. If you add more work, we won't be able to keep up even if we work around the clock. What? Interpol? What's so special about Interpol? A famous painting? Tell them to go cool off wherever they can. My multi-billion dollar fraud case is already a mess, who has the mood to help those foreigners find a painting? What... it's related to our case. The painting 'Woman 3' that Governor Zhou accepted as a bribe... In that case, transfer it over. You want me to send someone to pick them up by afternoon flight? I can't. No time. Americans? What's so great about Americans? Language barrier. Can't be helped. Never mind Americans, even as a Chinese person, I wouldn't understand them in Hohhot. Goodbye, still have work to do."
...
Luo Bo hung up and fell into thought. Yu Xiao Luo seemed puzzled. "What task did Group Leader Wang assign? Is it that difficult?"
"It's not related to Group Leader Wang's task. Tang Nan is right. The criminals are definitely well-prepared, and this is specifically targeting Tang Nan. Xiao Luo, you'll pick up the Interpol officers this afternoon. We need to understand the situation as quickly as possible. Tang Nan, you don't do anything else for now, except attend classes at school. Stay at the task force."
Yu Xiao Luo wanted to say more, but seeing Luo Bo's serious expression, she swallowed her words. However, as she left, she couldn't resist asking Luo Bo, "Captain Luo, is this possible? Isn't it a bit far-fetched?"
"What if the criminal has that capability?"
"Isn't that a bit outlandish?"
...
The Interpol officers were here to investigate the missing painting case. According to the information they shared, a Chinese national stole a painting valued at 140 million US dollars, "Woman 3," and then entered China.
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Consequently, Interpol contacted the Chinese police. In the spirit of international friendship, the Chinese police cooperated closely. The only clue related to the painting was in the confession of the 105 major fraud case, where someone bribed Governor Zhou with a replica of "Woman 3."
When "Woman 3" was stolen, the thief replaced the real painting with a fake. By the time the owner discovered it, it was too late. Therefore, even knowing the painting used to bribe Governor Zhou was fake, they still had to come and see, holding onto a sliver of hope.
...
The investigation by Interpol had nothing to do with me. Their focus wasn't on how much I resembled Jiang He. Upon arrival, they began authenticating the fake painting used to bribe Governor Zhou. This had nothing to do with me. Everyone in the task force was busy, so I returned to school.
In the afternoon, I was in the computer lab for my CAD class. I didn't see the class monitor. To be honest, not seeing him put me at ease. It wasn't just me, the idle one, skipping class. After class, I headed to the main building for my major course. On the way, I ran into the class monitor. He looked flustered. "Jiang He, ah, no, Tang Nan, you're here!"
"Are you crazy? You mistook me for Jiang He?"
"My mind was elsewhere. Did you know? Interpol came today and went directly to Professor Zhang Ying in the School of Management."
I scoffed. "You know everything. It's a shame you're studying equipment automation. You should have studied journalism. I think you'd be great as a paparazzi."
"Let me finish."
"Speak!"
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"Teacher Zhang Ying has a painting at home that Jiang He gave her. It's one of the paintings Jiang He would deliver to her office every day when he was infatuated with her."
"Stop with the nonsense, get to the point."
"What's remarkable is that one of those paintings has been certified as a masterpiece by the experts brought by Interpol."
Hearing this, I was stunned. That childlike painting, that "Woman 3," was the real thing.
"Are you serious?"
"Of course, it's true. For this reason, I skipped my CAD class. I... Hey, Tang Nan, where are you going? This is homeroom class."
"Cover for me," I said, leaving behind a message. I then rushed to the school gate, hailed a taxi, and headed straight for the task force. This trap was becoming clear. No, I had to tell Luo Bo, tell Yu Xiao Luo. The Whispering Ghost was really going to turn me into Jiang He, into a criminal.