At 6:29 in the morning, a scream pierced the tranquility of the "Silent Time" cafe.
The sound was sharp and short, cut off abruptly by the muffled sound of some liquid splashing and porcelain breaking.
Lu Chen sat up from the simple single bed in the kitchen, still wearing yesterday's black shirt.
He did not rush out immediately, but sat quietly for three seconds, like a precision instrument being started, his ears catching all the noise in the front hall - only the extremely suppressed sobs that seemed like drowning were left.
It's Lin Ya. A part-time worker on the morning shift at the store.
He put on his slippers and walked out of the narrow kitchen.
A strong aroma of burnt coffee mixed with a faint smell of blood hit his face.
His gaze did not immediately focus on the source of the sound, but quickly scanned the entire space like a radar.
On the dark gray floor mat at the door, there was a small dark-colored wet mud stain. The edge was slightly dry. It was obviously not left just now.
The air conditioner is set at 23 degrees, and cold air is blowing silently from the corners of the ceiling, accurately passing through the booths at the innermost side of the store.
