As he opened the round iron door, he immediately sensed changes in the “room”.
The discarded thin hemp rope lay in a tangled mess on the mattress. Traces of burnt candle wax lingered in the stale air. Listening carefully, he could hear the crunching sound of someone eating crackers in the dark corner.
He closed the iron door and stood at the entrance for a moment before slowly approaching the darkness.
Within the candlelight’s reach, a pair of filthy bare feet appeared, quickly retracting like two startled mice. At the same time, two gleaming eyes stared at him from the shadows. Though he couldn’t make out her face, the continuous crunching indicated the girl was still stuffing crackers into her mouth.
He took another step forward.
“Don’t come any closer!” A muffled warning came from her cracker-filled mouth. Simultaneously, a glint of metal flashed before his eyes. He held the candle closer and saw the girl wielding a compass in her right hand.
He retreated to the mattress, casually picked up a bottle, and inserted the candle into its mouth. The candlelight formed a warm circle around him, bright at the center and gradually fading at the edges. He pulled out a baguette and a bottle of water from his canvas bag. After some thought, he tore the baguette in half. Then, crouching at the edge of the light, he placed the bread and water bottle on the ground.
Silence fell over the darkness across from him. A few seconds later, the sound of clothes rustling against the floor could be heard. The girl’s crawling movements were barely visible. Soon after, the bread and water bottle were quickly dragged into the darkness by equally dirty hands.
He sat back on the mattress and began eating his half of the baguette in large bites. Chewing sounds also arose from across the room, occasionally interspersed with gulping noises.
The two sat opposite each other in candlelight and shadow, silent. The candle’s meager illumination formed a wall between them. He couldn’t see her clearly, but he could sense her desperate hunger and ravenous eating.
Her escape plan had failed. Even with that large coil of thin hemp rope, she still hadn’t made it out of the labyrinthine sewers. Based on the timing, she had been trapped underground for a day and a night. Finding her way back here was quite fortunate.
Despite the candlelight, this unromantic dinner lasted only a few minutes. He quickly stuffed the half baguette into his stomach but wasn’t fully satisfied and felt thirsty. Smacking his lips, he got up from the mattress and picked up several empty beer bottles from the corner, shaking each one. In the end, he only managed to pour out a few drops of stale beer from one of them.
At that moment, he heard a faint rustling sound behind him. Then, the water bottle rolled out of the darkness, bumping against his foot before coming to a stop.
He bent down to pick up the water bottle, shook it, unscrewed the cap, and drank the remaining half bottle in one gulp.
With a slightly full feeling in his stomach, he tossed the water bottle aside and lay down on the mattress fully clothed. He then picked up the “candlestick” and blew out the flame with a puff.
The “room” was once again plunged into complete darkness. As the candlelight disappeared, the girl let out a short, startled cry before falling silent again.
He knew she was curled up in the darkness behind him, her eyes fixed on him, perhaps still clutching the compass. But this couldn’t prevent him from quickly falling into a deep sleep.
He slept for an unknown length of time. In this dark underground, day and night held no meaning, nor did the passage of time matter.
To be precise, he was awakened by hunger. Last night’s half baguette had long since been digested. He got up, pulled a lighter from his pocket, and lit the candle beside him.
The small candle flame illuminated the “room”, making it seem a bit warmer. He rubbed his eyes and instinctively looked behind him. In the dim light, the girl’s eyes were still bright, and she hadn’t even changed her squatting position, as if she hadn’t slept at all.
He didn’t care about that. Now that he was awake, it was time to go out and work. The cash he had received last time had already turned into those bottles in the corner. If he didn’t collect some items to exchange for money, he’d have to go hungry soon.
He pulled a crumpled cigarette pack from his pocket, extracted a flattened cigarette, and lit it using the candle. Then, he removed the candle, picked up the canvas shoulder bag from the ground, put it on, and walked up the steps toward the door.
Passing through the pipe and opening the round iron door, he walked to the right along the main rainwater pipe. There was still some shallow standing water in the pipe, making splashing sounds as he stepped. After walking about a dozen steps, he heard similar splashing sounds behind him.
He turned around and, by the candlelight, saw the girl standing in the water, looking at him with a panicked expression, her backpack on her shoulders.
He silently turned back and continued walking. The splashing sounds behind him resumed as the girl followed, maintaining a distance of a few meters.
He stopped again and silently looked at the girl.
The girl looked back at him, quietly withdrawing her hand as if to hide the compass. After a few seconds of eye contact, the girl seemed to gather her courage and stammered, “Can… can you take me out of here?”
After lunch, Jiang Ting picked up a small bottle of dish soap and took her lunch box to the hot water room. After cleaning the lunch box, she slowly walked back along the corridor. Just as she reached the classroom door, she saw Mr. Zhou from the Youth League Committee chatting with the homeroom teacher near the podium. Seeing her enter, the homeroom teacher waved her over, “Jiang Ting, wait a moment.”
Jiang Ting felt puzzled, especially when she noticed Mr. Zhou looking her up and down, which made her feel uncomfortable.
“Alright, I’ll take her to try it out,” Mr. Zhou picked up the camera placed on the podium and gestured to Jiang Ting, “Come with me.”
Jiang Ting looked at the homeroom teacher, who just smiled and said, “Go on, Mr. Zhou has an important task for you.”
What this “important task” was remained unknown. Mr. Zhou walked ahead at a brisk pace, seemingly with no intention of explaining. Jiang Ting could only obediently follow behind him.
The two walked one after the other, reaching the end of the corridor, down the stairs to the first floor of the teaching building, and through another long corridor. Jiang Ting suddenly realized their destination and involuntarily slowed her pace.
Mr. Zhou opened the door to the auditorium and turned around, finding Jiang Ting standing about ten meters away, looking terrified.
“What are you standing there for? Come in quickly.”
Jiang Ting took two steps forward and stopped again. “Mr. Zhou, what exactly do you want me for?”
“To save the day,” Mr. Zhou’s expression was rather impatient. “Hurry up.”
Passing through rows of seats, climbing onto the stage, and going backstage, the rehearsal room appeared before her eyes. Jiang Ting’s palms were covered in cold sweat, and the feeling of fear was gradually intensifying.
Finally, Mr. Zhou pushed open the door to the rehearsal room, and she immediately saw Ma Na, dressed in a white gauze dress, laughing with two other girls.
Ma Na’s expression was equally surprised, quickly turning hostile. The boy called Yang Le, however, didn’t show any surprise and smiled at her friendly.
“Don’t just stand there, go change your clothes,” Mr. Zhou looked at his watch. “We only have less than an hour of rehearsal time left.”
Then, he opened the cabinet against the wall, rummaging through rows of dresses, seemingly muttering to himself.
“Found it,” he took out a dress and tossed it to Jiang Ting. “Go to the changing room and put this on. Gather back here in two minutes.”
The other girls also got up to retrieve their costumes from the cabinet, giggling as they rushed into the changing room.
Jiang Ting knew this was the grand finale of the English Festival – the English play “The Little Mermaid.” The actors were selected from various classes in the high school department. Some of them were familiar to her and, seeing her bewildered state, came over to help.
“There’s a zipper at the back, pull it down to the waist.”
“If you find it troublesome, you can keep your pants on.”
“No, Mr. Zhou has high standards. He always requires full costume changes – he calls it an immersive experience.”
“Why are you so silly? Just roll up your pant legs. The dress will cover them anyway, no one will see.”
With everyone talking at once, Jiang Ting became even more confused about what to do. She looked at the dark red dress with white lace trim in her hands and suddenly noticed two delicate characters on the label at the neckline.
Su Lin.
Jiang Ting was the last to leave the changing room. The other actors, including Yang Le and Ma Na, had formed a circle in the middle of the rehearsal room.
Mr. Zhou peeked out from behind the camera and handed her a stack of stapled printed papers.
“The script,” Mr. Zhou’s eyes remained fixed on the small screen of the camera. “Your role is Handmaid C, not many lines, should be easy to remember. Let your hair down.”
Jiang Ting tucked the script under her arm, undid the rubber band on her ponytail, and used her hands to arrange her hair as it fell over her shoulders.
“Not bad,” Mr. Zhou left the camera and smiled at her. “Stand in the third position to the right of the prince, slightly in front of him.”
Jiang Ting did as told. When she raised her head after getting into position, she met Ma Na’s icy gaze. She flinched and quickly lowered her eyes.
“Alright, today we’ll start rehearsing from Act Four,” Mr. Zhou clapped his hands. “Jiang Ting can read from the script, everyone else must be off-book.”
Everyone perked up, except for Ma Na, who stood with her arms crossed, head tilted, glaring at Jiang Ting.
“Ma… Princess, begin.”
All eyes turned to Ma Na. But she remained silent, not even changing her posture.
“What’s wrong?” Mr. Zhou frowned. “Forgot your lines again?”
“No,” Ma Na turned her face away. “I’m not used to the newcomer. Can’t get into character.”
“You’ll get used to it soon enough,” Mr. Zhou pursed his lips. “Aren’t you aiming to be a movie star? Can’t you overcome such a small issue?”
“We could do without one, why add someone new?” Ma Na rolled her eyes. “Don’t you have anything better to do?”
“Su Lin dropped out, we must find someone to replace her role,” Mr. Zhou was starting to lose patience. “Otherwise, the balance on stage will be disrupted, it’ll look awkward.”
“Fine, find someone then, but what kind of taste is this?” Ma Na continued to complain. “You found such an ugly one.”
Jiang Ting suddenly raised her head, her face turning so red it seemed blood might drip from it. She clutched the script tightly in her hands, making the papers rustle.
A girl nearby muttered, “Not even a star yet, and already acting like a diva.”
“We have less than two weeks until the performance, don’t disrupt the rehearsal!” Mr. Zhou was trying to control his emotions. “Rein in that spoiled princess attitude of yours!”
“Who are you to boss us around? What’s so great about you?” Ma Na looked disdainful. “Go home and drink your wife’s foot-washing water.”
Song Shuang and Zhao Lingling giggled.
Mr. Zhou’s face suddenly turned pale. He straightened up from behind the camera and stared directly at Ma Na.
“Say that again!”
Ma Na looked a bit flustered but still defiant: “A kept man, what are you showing off for?”
“Ma Na!” Yang Le suddenly spoke up, “If you can’t perform, please withdraw. Don’t waste everyone’s time!”
The “Princess” glared at the “Prince” for a few seconds, then suddenly waved her hand: “Fine, fine, let’s just start already.”
However, no one moved or spoke. Mr. Zhou was still staring at Ma Na, his features contorted as if he might pounce at any moment.
At this point, a calm voice came from the crowd.
“Mr. Zhou, let’s start the rehearsal,” Handmaid C smoothed out the wrinkled script with her hand. “I’m ready.”
Mid-ocean ridge volcanoes are mostly distributed in areas where new oceanic crust is growing from basaltic magma. The erupted lava is rapidly cooled by seawater on the surface at the seafloor, but the interior remains in a high-temperature state.
Jiang Ting thought, oh, I am a mid-ocean ridge volcano.
Setting aside the unpleasant parts, the first rehearsal went relatively smoothly. Especially Jiang Ting’s pure pronunciation, which earned praise from Mr. Zhou after he had calmed down. After changing back into her school uniform and taking her script, Jiang Ting calmly left the auditorium, walking back to the classroom with her classmates without so much as a glance at Ma Na.
The afternoon classes were Chinese, Algebra, English, and Politics. To others, Jiang Ting seemed no different from usual. Quiet, well-behaved, attentively listening to lectures, and taking careful notes.
Only she knew that for the entire afternoon, she was in a state of excitement. Her mind repeatedly replayed Ma Na’s face, ugly with embarrassment, resentment, and anger. She had made a small counterattack with her composed attitude and fluent lines – this made her hands and feet feel hot, all her pores slightly open, her face constantly flushed.
That’s right, I won’t let you have your way, I’ll make you uncomfortable!
This state continued until the evening. Jiang Yushu also noticed her daughter’s unusual behavior. Jiang Ting, who had often been gloomy lately, was particularly lively tonight. Not only was she chatting and laughing with her mother, but she was also playing upbeat music while doing her homework. Although somewhat puzzled, Jiang Yushu couldn’t help but be infected by her high spirits. She cut a plate of fruit and brought it to her daughter’s room, watching her do math problems while swaying her shoulders to the music’s rhythm, finding it even more amusing.
“Behave yourself,” she patted her daughter’s shoulder. “You look like a monkey.”
Jiang Ting speared a piece of apple with her fork and popped it into her mouth, making a face at her mother in the process.
“What’s gotten into you today?” Jiang Yushu sat on the edge of the bed. “Did something good happen?”
“Not really,” Jiang Ting shook her head playfully. “Monkeys are just happy when they get fruit.”
“You little rascal,” Jiang Yushu reached out and poked her forehead. “It’s like you’ve become a different person. Alright, do your homework properly.”
With that, she turned and left the bedroom, closing the door behind her.
Jiang Yushu didn’t see her daughter’s pen stop moving on the homework book. She was even more unaware that another Handmaid C had appeared in her daughter’s mind.
She knew nothing of this, still basking in the pleasant mood her daughter had brought. So, Jiang Yushu decided to relax a bit tonight too, temporarily setting aside those troublesome account books.
She washed a big, red apple, comfortably curled up on the sofa, and turned on the TV. The local station was broadcasting “Get Your Fix,” perfect timing as the opening theme had just started.
“Get a fix, speak my mind. Don’t worry with the sky so high, true intentions for a true heart…”
However, before the song ended, the doorbell rang.
Jiang Yushu, still biting her apple and humming “Love him to the clouds and mist,” walked lightly to the door, not giving a thought to who might be visiting so late at night.
As soon as she opened the door a crack, her good mood vanished, and she instinctively tried to close it. Sun Weiming quickly stuck his arm in, pleading, “Ten minutes, just ten minutes, okay?”
Jiang Yushu looked back at Jiang Ting’s bedroom, hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside from the door with a cold face.
Sun Weiming hurriedly slipped in, taking off his shoes. Seeing Jiang Yushu already seated at the dining table, he followed and sat across from her.
“You have ten minutes,” Jiang Yushu realized she was still holding the half-eaten apple and set it down heavily on the table. “Say what you need to say quickly.”
“Alright, I won’t waste time with useless talk,” Sun Weiming quickly organized his thoughts. “I want to take Tingting to Beijing, and you don’t agree, right?”
Jiang Yushu nodded expressionlessly, “That’s correct.”
“Yushu, you have to admit one thing. We can’t continue living together, but the child is innocent, isn’t she?”
“Yes.”
“As parents, we must always consider our child’s welfare. Don’t you agree?”
“What are you trying to say?”
“For the sake of our child’s future and prospects, we as parents should be willing to make some sacrifices. Don’t you think that’s reasonable?”
Jiang Yushu fell silent, furrowing her brow as she looked at Sun Weiming.
“Regarding the child, I have two proposals to discuss with you.” Sun Weiming paused, and seeing that Jiang Yushu had no intention of responding, he continued, “The first option is for you to come with me. We’ll take the child to Beijing together, and I’ll be responsible for both of your living expenses.”
“Ha!” Jiang Yushu let out a loud, mocking laugh as if Sun Weiming had said something utterly ridiculous. “Just tell me the second option.”
“I understand.” Sun Weiming showed no sign of disappointment, seemingly prepared for Jiang Yushu’s reaction. “The second option is for Tingting to come with me to Beijing. After she finishes the college entrance exam, she can decide whether to stay or leave. What do you think?”
Jiang Yushu was momentarily stunned, then quickly became angry.
“Sun Weiming, don’t think I can’t see through your little scheme!” She stood up. “You want to create a fait accompli and then shamelessly insist on it?”
“That’s not my intention at all.” Sun Weiming spread his hands innocently. “How about this: Tingting takes the college entrance exam with a Beijing household registration, but spends her winter and summer breaks with you. Surely that’s acceptable?”
“You’re dreaming!”
“Is there something wrong with your brain?” Sun Weiming lost his patience. “How long do you think you can keep the child tied to you? A year at most? If she gets into a university in another city, won’t she leave you anyway?”
“That’s different!”
“How is it different? There’s such a good opportunity right now for Tingting to easily get into Peking University or Tsinghua University. Yet you’re so stubborn, willing to ruin the child’s bright future for your selfish interests?”
“Yes, I am that stubborn!” Jiang Yushu was furious, forgetting that her daughter was in the bedroom, and shouted, “Because she’s my daughter! Not yours! You don’t deserve to be a father!”
Sun Weiming’s face suddenly turned pale, his lips quivering, unable to speak.
“If you want to go to Beijing, go! But don’t you dare think about my daughter!” Jiang Yushu was hysterical now. “Take your mistress and that brat with you! To arrange for your son to attend Peking University!”
“He’s not my son.”
Sun Weiming’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was enough to make Jiang Yushu fall silent instantly.
She stared at Sun Weiming in shock, and after a while, managed to squeeze out a few words through gritted teeth: “What did you say?”
Sun Weiming let out a long sigh. His face changed from white to ashen, the skin on his face sinking in, and his posture hunched over, as if he had aged a decade in an instant.
“That child isn’t mine,” he covered his face. “He’s our factory director.”
Jiang Yushu sat back down at the dining table. “What happened?”
“She said she was the factory director’s distant niece, and I believed her. She said the child was premature, and I believed that too.” A hoarse voice came through Sun Weiming’s fingers. “As the child grew, he looked more and more like the factory director. She said it was because they were relatives, so it wasn’t strange for them to look alike. I was such a fool to believe that too.”
“How did you find out?”
“I caught them. One time, I came home from work to get some materials, and as soon as I opened the door, she and the factory director were…”
Jiang Yushu looked back at her daughter’s closed bedroom door, unsure of what to say.
“You must be secretly rejoicing, right? Karma, isn’t it?”
Jiang Yushu was silent for a moment, then shook her head. “No.”
“I feel like a complete idiot,” Sun Weiming removed his hands from his face. “But I guess I didn’t lose out entirely. First, I got the position of Youth League Committee Secretary, and now I’ve secured a Beijing household registration.”
He suddenly burst into a harsh laugh. “How could he refuse? If he did, I’d bring everything down with me. We’ll see who suffers more in the end.”
“What will you do now?”
“I’ll start my new position in Beijing next month as Deputy Director of the Head Office. The old director is about to retire. In a few more years, I’ll be at the department head level.” Sun Weiming rubbed his face vigorously. “We’ll divorce in a year, citing long-distance and incompatibility.”
“What about her and the child?”
“I’m sure her ‘uncle’ will arrange something for them,” Sun Weiming said sarcastically. “It won’t be my concern anymore.”
Jiang Yushu suddenly smiled. “You know how to adapt, don’t you?”
“Don’t mock me,” Sun Weiming caught her sarcastic tone. “A real man does what needs to be done, without being constrained by trivial matters.”
Jiang Yushu snorted. “Now I understand. You want to take Jiang Ting to Beijing not for her future, but because you’ve lost everything and you’re trying to salvage something for yourself, right?”
Sun Weiming lowered his eyes. “You can’t put it that way…”
“If you hadn’t discovered you were raising someone else’s child, Tingting would just be an insignificant child in your eyes, wouldn’t she?”
“Do you have to put it so harshly?”
“Ultimately, Tingting is just a replacement for that child, isn’t she?”
“How could that be possible?” Sun Weiming hurriedly defended himself. “Tingting has my blood too.”
“That’s exactly what I’m worried about.”
Sun Weiming was stunned. “What do you mean?”
“I want my daughter to be an upright person. Someone who doesn’t bully others, but who fights back when wronged,” Jiang Yushu stared at Sun Weiming. “Not someone who cowers with their tail between their legs, shamelessly trying to grab whatever they can.”
Sun Weiming suddenly became extremely uncomfortable. “I…”
“Just now, seeing how pitiful you looked, I actually felt a bit sorry for you, and even wavered for a moment,” Jiang Yushu said slowly and deliberately. “But I can’t let Tingting live with you. I can’t let Tingting become someone like you. Even if she has your blood, I’ll find a way to eliminate your despicable genes and make sure she grows up to be a good person.”
Sun Weiming closed his eyes tightly for a moment, then opened them.
“Yushu, give me one more chance. I can change.”
“You can’t change.”
Jiang Yushu pointed to the half-eaten apple on the dining table. The flesh had oxidized, turning brownish-yellow and unappetizing.
“Once it’s gone bad, it’s bad. No matter what, it can never be the same as it was before.”
She picked up the apple and threw it into the garbage bin at her feet.
“Don’t bother Tingting and me anymore. Have I made myself clear enough?”
Sun Weiming leaned back in his chair, staring motionlessly at Jiang Yushu. Gradually, a cold, hard expression appeared on his face.
“Fine, then there’s nothing more to say.”
He turned and walked towards the door, putting on his shoes. After opening the door, he looked back at Jiang Yushu, who remained seated at the dining table.
“I will never give up on Tingting. We’ll see about that.”
Wang Xianjiang sat in the passenger seat, sucking on a nearly burnt-out cigarette while studying the map in his hands. The “buffer zone” was already marked with more than a dozen small red circles, corresponding one-to-one with the storm drains on the transparent sulfuric acid drawing paper.
He was so engrossed that he didn’t notice his lips were burning until he hurriedly pulled out the cigarette butt and threw it out the car window. At that moment, he saw Tai Wei jogging over with two plastic bags.
“The road ahead is a dead end. There must be very few people here at night,” Tai Wei climbed into the driver’s seat, pointing forward. “There’s a wall on this side of the street and shops on the other side. I checked, and they’re mostly small eateries, general stores, and a few places selling plastic steel windows and key-cutting services.”
“Those kinds of shops usually don’t stay open very late.”
“Exactly. When it’s late at night, this place will be deserted,” Tai Wei leaned towards the map, searching for a moment. “Master, I think we can mark this storm drain.”
Wang Xianjiang grunted in agreement, took out a pen, and drew a circle at a certain location on the map.
“The last one!” Tai Wei pumped his fist, then opened the plastic bag. The aroma immediately filled the entire driver’s cabin. “Come on, Master, let’s celebrate.”
“You’re just trying to fob me off with a few measly buns,” Wang Xianjiang joked. “No sincerity at all.”
“We’re working with limited resources here, make do,” Tai Wei grinned. “When we crack the case, we’ll drink for three days and nights.”
Wang Xianjiang was genuinely hungry and started stuffing the buns into his mouth. The two ate in silence in the car, but their eyes kept darting towards the map marked with red circles.
After finishing four buns, Wang Xianjiang picked up a cup of soy milk, inserted the straw, and started slurping.
“This area has the highest concentration of suitable storm drains,” he pointed at the map. “The second highest is here.”
“Near Longjiang Hospital,” Tai Wei said without hesitation. “And around Huishan Road and Nanjing Street.”
“Let’s prioritize. We’ll start investigating around Longjiang Hospital first.”
“The question is,” Tai Wei held the pen but started scratching his head, “what kind of person are we looking for?”
“Between 30 and 40 years old, living alone, unemployed, or with a flexible work schedule.”
“A man.”
Wang Xianjiang glared at Tai Wei. “Obviously!”
Tai Wei chuckled, then turned serious again. “But Master, I think we should revise our previous profile of the suspect.”
“How so?”
“We previously speculated that the suspect was a low-income individual, but now I think that might be off the mark.”
“Why?”
“All the victims’ bodies were naked. Their clothes and personal belongings weren’t found in the Hongqu Canal,” Tai Wei pondered. “Even if the suspect lives near the dumping sites, he couldn’t possibly be running around in the middle of the night with a naked corpse, even if he used a bicycle.”
“Looks like this guy must have a car,” Wang Xianjiang mused for a moment. “That would also explain the disappearances of Yang Xinqian and Du Yuan.”
“Exactly,” Tai Wei mimicked his gesture of stroking his chin. “Especially Du Yuan. Think about it, Master. She had been drinking, couldn’t get a taxi, and then suddenly a car offers her a ride…”
“If that’s how they made contact,” Wang Xianjiang nodded, “then the killer must be someone who appears refined, or at least not off-putting.”
“Right, the type that doesn’t raise suspicion.”
“However,” Wang Xianjiang frowned, “you’d think someone like that wouldn’t lack female companionship. Why resort to rape and murder?”
Tai Wei blinked. “Psychological disorder.”
He then waited for his master to smack the back of his head. However, the old man didn’t seem inclined to refute him.
“If that’s the case…” Wang Xianjiang pondered for a moment, “Which school did you say that Teacher Qiao works at?”
Early in the morning, Gu Hao got up to clean the room. He washed clothes, changed the bed sheets and duvet cover, cleaned the ashtray, organized the refrigerator, prepared the various ingredients and seasonings he had bought yesterday, and wiped clean every corner of the house.
This took him most of the morning. After finally finishing the cleanup, Gu Hao sat on the edge of the bed, wiping sweat and smoking a cigarette. Feeling that something was missing in the room, he scanned around and fixed his gaze on an empty wine bottle before getting up and heading out.
Circling the residential building, Gu Hao went straight to the flower beds behind it. He glanced at the first flower bed with its thriving lettuce, green onions, and crown daisy, then walked directly to the flower bed under his window.
Although no one tended to it, the wildflowers and weeds grew lush, almost level with the windowsill. As Gu Hao was examining the red, pink, purple, and blue flowers swaying in the breeze, trying to decide which one to pick, a terrified little boy’s face suddenly appeared among the flowers.
Gu Hao was startled. The little boy, however, seemed relieved and greeted him listlessly, “Hello, Uncle Gu.”
It was the younger son from the Su family across the hall. Gu Hao was very surprised. “What are you doing here?”
Then he realized something was off. “Shouldn’t you be in school today?”
“I… I didn’t go,” the little boy’s mouth turned down, his voice tinged with tears. “I spent the morning at the arcade, but I ran out of money and had nowhere else to go…”
Gu Hao reached out and pulled the little boy from the flower bed, brushing off the dirt from his clothes. They sat side by side on the edge of the flower bed.
“Don’t you have a house key?”
“I do.”
“Why didn’t you go home?”
“I’m scared,” the little boy was on the verge of tears again. “My mom will beat me if she finds out I skipped school.”
“I don’t think your mom is home,” Gu Hao thought for a moment. “I saw her leave when I was hanging clothes to dry this morning.”
“I still don’t dare go back,” the little boy shook his head. “If she comes home early, she’ll find out.”
Gu Hao sighed. “Why did you skip school?”
The little boy lowered his head, fidgeting with his fingers. “I don’t understand what the teacher says, and I can’t do the homework.”
He started sobbing. “The teacher always criticizes me, and my classmates make fun of me.”
Seeing how pitiful he looked, Gu Hao reached out and patted his back. “Didn’t your sister used to tutor you at home?”
“Yes, but I still couldn’t keep up,” the boy cried, rubbing his eyes. “My sister taught according to the textbook. The teachers are teaching ahead, they’re already on second-year middle school content… Everyone else understands, except me.”
“If you can’t keep up, why don’t you talk to your parents about repeating a grade?”
“I don’t want to go to school anymore,” the boy’s crying intensified. “It’s not fun at all. The teachers are so mean, not like my sister. She was so patient when she taught me… I miss my sister… waa waa waa…”
Gu Hao lit a cigarette and quietly listened to the little boy cry.
“Why are you forcing me to go to school? Can’t I just stay at home? No one keeps me company, and all you do is make me do homework every day…”
“Where did your sister go?”
“She went to my cousin’s house. She won’t come back until she finishes university.”
“Which cousin? Have you met them?”
“No.”
“Where does your cousin live?”
“Jiang… Jiangsu.”
“Where in Jiangsu?”
“I don’t know.”
Gu Hao chuckled, “You say you miss your sister, but you don’t know anything about where she is.”
“My parents don’t tell me anything,” the little boy’s eyes welled up with tears. “My sister doesn’t tell me either. One day I woke up, and she was gone. She hasn’t come back since.”
Gu Hao fell silent for a moment. “Do you miss your sister?”
“Yes.” Tears rolled down the boy’s cheeks. “My mom said my sister would write to me.”
“Have you received any letters?”
“No.” The boy shook his head, crying. “Not a single one.”
“Ask your parents for your cousin’s phone number. You could call your sister.”
“We don’t have a phone at home.”
“Just get the number. You can call from my place.”
” Uncle Gu?” The boy grabbed Gu Hao’s hand, looking at him eagerly. “Can I?”
“Of course.” Gu Hao flicked away his cigarette butt. “Have you eaten lunch?”
“No.” The boy lowered his head. “I spent my lunch money on game tokens.”
“Come on.” Gu Hao picked a few flowers and took the boy’s hand. “Let’s go to my place for a while.”
The boy devoured a large bowl of egg noodles. Gu Hao told him to stay quiet and read a book on the bed while he went to the communal kitchen to cut up some pork belly. When he returned, the boy had fallen asleep against the headboard, his textbook on the floor.
Gu Hao removed the boy’s shoes, laid him flat on the bed, and covered him with a blanket. He then washed the empty wine bottle, put the wildflowers in it, and waited quietly, watching the clock on the wall.
At four o’clock sharp, Du Qian arrived as promised. She had barely smiled at Gu Hao when she froze, stunned by the sight of the sleeping boy on the bed.
“Who is…”
“The neighbor’s kid,” Gu Hao gestured for her to lower her voice. “He skipped school and came here for refuge, afraid to go home.”
Du Qian stuck out her tongue. “I thought you old dog might have some new situation going on.”
“What new situation could I possibly have?” Gu Hao laughed wryly. “Is Dawei coming later?”
“He’s not coming.” Du Qian sat on a chair by the bed, fanning herself with a handkerchief. “Haven’t seen him for days. Don’t know what case he’s busy with.”
The aroma filled the air. Gu Hao’s heart raced.
Du Qian noticed the wildflowers in the wine bottle and smiled, moving closer to arrange them.
“Are these for me?”
“Just picked them from the flower bed out back,” Gu Hao scratched his head. “I thought you might like flowers and plants.”
“They’re pretty,” Du Qian leaned in to smell them. “Fragrant too. The vase could use an upgrade though—I’ll get you a proper one later.”
She rolled up her sleeves, took out a bottle of red wine from her bag, and placed it squarely on the dining table.
“Find me an apron,” she patted Gu Hao’s shoulder. “I’ll cook something delicious for you.”
They moved to the communal kitchen. Du Qian first praised Gu Hao’s knife skills, then set to work efficiently.
She caramelized sugar, stir-fried the pork belly, and added broth and seasonings.
Du Qian worked tirelessly. Gu Hao stood beside her, following her instructions. They moved back and forth in the cramped kitchen, exchanging casual conversation. When their bodies occasionally touched, Gu Hao instinctively shied away, but Du Qian paid no mind. Gradually, Gu Hao stopped avoiding the contact.
He had never experienced anything like this before. Especially when she was stirring the pot, and he stood next to her chopping scallions. Their shoulders touched, and he could feel the springy sensation. Despite his “good knife skills,” Gu Hao cut absentmindedly, nearly slicing his finger instead of the scallion whites.
The meat simmered in the pot, bubbling loudly. The aroma quickly spread through the communal kitchen. Du Qian tasted the soup with a ladle, smacking her lips in satisfaction.
“Not bad. Go get four raw eggs.”
Her hair was slightly disheveled, and tiny beads of sweat had formed on the tip of her nose. Perhaps due to the rising steam, her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes sparkled.
Gu Hao stared at her, lost in thought, until Du Qian pushed him, chiding, “What are you spacing out for?”
He walked back to the room with light steps. As he opened the door, he saw the little boy sitting on the edge of the bed, putting on his shoes. Seeing Gu Hao enter, the boy asked fearfully, “Is my mom back?”
“No, don’t worry,” Gu Hao found it amusing. “I’m just cooking. I’ll warn you if I see her.”
The boy relaxed and sniffed the air. “It smells so good.”
“Braised pork with eggs,” Gu Hao opened the refrigerator. “I’ll send a bowl to your house when it’s done.”
The boy’s face lit up. “Thank you, Uncle Gu.”
Gu Hao thought to himself that the kid was pretty bold, considering his backside might not be safe yet. Nevertheless, he took eight eggs from the refrigerator. Then he paused and put one egg back.
“What time do you usually finish school?”
“Five o’clock,” the boy blinked. “I get home at five-thirty.”
Gu Hao glanced at the clock on the wall. “Alright, you stay in the room. Don’t make any noise and don’t come out.”
The boy nodded vigorously.
Gu Hao returned to the kitchen carrying seven eggs in both hands. Du Qian’s eyes widened. “Why did you bring so many?”
“Let’s make some for the neighbors across the hall,” Gu Hao nodded to the side. “A family of three.”
“Sure, it’s good to maintain good relations with neighbors,” Du Qian took the eggs. “We can cook them all anyway. Go get another pot and boil these eggs.”
Gu Hao agreed and bent down to find a soup pot from the cabinet. Just as he straightened up, he heard the front door being pushed open.
Old Su’s wife walked in, looking tired and travel-worn. Seeing Du Qian in an apron, she was startled for a moment before greeting Gu Hao.
“Brother Gu.”
“You’re back?” Gu Hao put the soup pot on the stove. “This is my friend, she’s here for dinner.”
Du Qian waved at her. “Hello.”
Old Su’s wife smiled weakly. “Hello.” Then she opened the door to room 101 and went inside.
Du Qian turned to Gu Hao and whispered, “Your neighbor doesn’t seem very friendly.”
“Don’t mind her,” Gu Hao shook his head. “They’ve had… a lot going on recently.”
Du Qian’s curiosity was piqued. “What happened?”
Just as Gu Hao was about to answer, the door to room 101 opened again. Old Su’s wife came out with an eggplant and two potatoes, dragging her feet.
She nodded at Gu Hao and Du Qian, then started cooking without a word.
“Sister, don’t cook too much today,” Du Qian pointed at the steaming wok. “We’re making braised pork with eggs. We’ll bring you a bowl later.”
Old Su’s wife put down her knife and turned to smile at her. “That’s too kind of you.”
“It’s no trouble,” Du Qian waved her hand. “There’s only two of us, we can’t finish it all anyway.”
“It smells delicious. I won’t refuse then,” Old Su’s wife sniffed. “I’m tired today, so that saves me some work.”
She did indeed look exhausted. After putting the eggplant and potatoes in the pot, she stirred listlessly, as if the long-handled ladle weighed ten pounds.
“Sister, if you’re not feeling well, why don’t you go rest?” Du Qian couldn’t bear to watch. “I’m here in the kitchen anyway, I can keep an eye on your pot.”
Old Su’s wife hesitated, then put down the ladle. “Alright, I’ve added all the seasonings. Just turn off the heat when the soup is done.”
She took off her apron, crumpling it in her hands. “Thank you so much, sister.”
“It’s no problem, don’t worry about it.”
After thanking Du Qian again, Old Su’s wife wobbled back to room 101.
Gu Hao looked at his watch. “It’s about time to send that little rascal home.”
He walked back to room 102, opened the door, and made a hushing gesture to the boy, then nodded toward the door.
The boy understood immediately. He silently put on his backpack and crouched low, ready to sneak out.
“Thank you, Uncle Gu.”
“Don’t thank me,” Gu Hao put on a stern face. “This is the only time, understand? No more skipping school, and don’t expect me to cover for you again.”
The boy made a face. “I got it.” Then he opened the door, closed it, and walked towards room 101.
“Mom, I’m home.”
Braised pork with eggs. Pan-fried beltfish. Deep-fried peanuts. Stir-fried lettuce.
The sumptuous dinner was ready. Du Qian turned off the stove in the Su family’s kitchen, covered the pot, and placed a bowl of braised pork with three eggs on the stovetop.
Gu Hao carried the four dishes one by one to the table in his room, setting out bowls and chopsticks. The small table, usually fit for just one dish and rice, was now crowded. Du Qian took off her apron, washed her face, and followed him back to room 102, closing the door behind her.
She picked up the wine bottle and told Gu Hao to find two more glasses. After searching for a while, he only found two ordinary water glasses.
“I don’t have any of those tall-stemmed glasses. Will these do?”
“They’ll have to,” Du Qian handed him the bottle. “Come on, it’s time for the man to show his skills.”
The two glasses were filled with dark red liquid. Gu Hao and Du Qian sat across from each other at the ends of the table. Du Qian raised her glass, smiling at him. “Won’t you say a few words?”
Gu Hao also raised his glass, thinking for a moment. “Why don’t you do it?”
Du Qian laughed again. “You’re the host. How can you ask the guest to make a toast?”
“I’m not good at this,” Gu Hao scratched his head. “Well then, here’s to a happy and peaceful life in our later years.”
“Oh, you,” Du Qian clinked her glass with his and took a sip. “Still as awkward as ever.”
The wine was mellow, and the food was delicious. They ate and drank slowly, chatting in low voices. The topics ranged from their past lives to Dai Wei’s current situation. Du Qian seemed to be in high spirits. Most of the time, she spoke while Gu Hao listened quietly. Before they knew it, the wine bottle was more than half empty. Gu Hao gradually felt a sense of déjà vu, as if this scene was not happening for the first time, but was a common occurrence. He and Du Qian drinking together seemed not like a rare reunion of old friends, but something eternal.
Gu Hao and Du Qian sat in room 102, feeling as if they had spent a lifetime together.
This thought made Gu Hao instinctively wary, yet he was reluctant to pull away. One voice told him it was wrong, while another lazily urged him to stay immersed in the moment.
Du Qian refilled her glass and took a sip. Then, resting her chin on her hand, she tilted her head and looked at him. “Why aren’t you talking?”
Gu Hao lit a cigarette and smiled. “I didn’t realize you could hold your liquor so well.”
“Ha! There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” Du Qian waved her hand. “Back when you used to visit, it was always you and Zhiliang drinking and boasting. I never got a chance to join in.”
At the mention of that name, one of the voices in Gu Hao’s ear suddenly grew louder.
“He was my only true friend in this life,” he took a deep breath. “It was only when I was with him that I felt I had so much to say.”
“Yes,” Du Qian smiled, her eyes misty. “If he hadn’t let it slip, I never would have believed those letters were from you.”
Her face suddenly turned cold. “Tell me, are you a liar?”
Gu Hao grinned awkwardly. “You’ve had too much to drink.”
“Are you or aren’t you?”
“Yes, yes, yes,” Gu Hao raised his hands in surrender. “I’m a big liar. Happy now?”
Du Qian held out her glass to him. “Then drink this.”
Unable to refuse, Gu Hao took the glass and downed it in one gulp.
Seeing him grimace, Du Qian burst out laughing.
“You need someone to take care of you.”
“What for?” Gu Hao popped a peanut into his mouth. “I’m too old for that.”
“Use those con artist skills of yours,” Du Qian leaned in, staring at him intently. “Any woman would fall for them.”
Gu Hao’s heart fluttered, and he quickly tried to cover it up. “Don’t be ridiculous. Let’s drink.”
He reached for the wine bottle, but Du Qian snatched it away. “Tell me the truth, why haven’t you gotten married?”
Gu Hao looked at her. Du Qian’s gaze was focused, like a hawk ready to strike, filled with burning intensity.
“I… I never met the right person.”
“I want the truth!”
Gu Hao was completely flustered, almost wanting to stand up and flee. Just then, there was a loud bang from the iron gate outside, followed by heavy footsteps.
“The neighbor’s back,” Gu Hao finally found a plausible excuse. “I’ll take them the braised pork.”
Du Qian narrowed her eyes, making Gu Hao even more nervous. He stood up, avoiding her gaze, and opened the door to go to the kitchen.
Old Su was still in his work clothes, covered in coal dust, his features barely distinguishable. Gu Hao called out to him, “Old Su, I saved a bowl of braised pork and eggs for your family.”
Old Su just grunted and hurriedly pushed open the door to room 101. “Is Su Zhe back?”
“Yes, he’s in his room doing homework,” his wife’s voice came from inside. “I’ll go heat the food… Hey, what are you doing?”
There was a series of crashing sounds, followed by the boy’s cries mixed with Old Su’s angry shouts.
“You little bastard, you dare skip school! If the teacher hadn’t called, I would’ve thought you were at school behaving yourself!”
“What’s going on? Old Su, stop hitting him… Su Zhe, you didn’t go to school today?”
Questions, pleas, and the boy’s broken explanations filled the air.
Gu Hao stood at the door of room 101, holding a bowl of braised pork, unsure what to do. After a moment’s thought, he turned and went back to room 102.
Du Qian had heard the commotion. Seeing him enter, she gave him a questioning look.
“The kid’s been caught skipping school,” Gu Hao shook his head with a bitter smile. “His parents are dealing with him now.”
Du Qian smiled. “Aren’t you afraid of getting in trouble for covering for him?”
“What could I do? I couldn’t let the kid wander around hungry,” Gu Hao put the bowl of braised pork on the table. “We’ll wait until things calm down over there.”
He sat back down at the table, keeping his eyes lowered. He knew Du Qian was still staring at him, her expression unchanged, determined to get answers.
Sure enough, after a few seconds of silence, Du Qian spoke again.
“You still haven’t answered…”
“Has the food gotten cold?” Gu Hao interrupted, “I’ll go heat it in the kitchen.” He reached for the plates.
Suddenly, Du Qian snapped, “Sit down!”
Gu Hao flinched and withdrew his hand.
After another awkward silence, Du Qian sighed softly.
“Old Gu, I’m a woman. There are some things I might only do once in my life. Some questions I’ll only ask once.”
Gu Hao lowered his head, saying nothing.
“You’re not stupid. You must know what I’m thinking,” Du Qian’s voice was low but clear. “Why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind?”
“I…”
“For a man, you’re quite indecisive,” Du Qian sat up straight. “You’ve crawled out of death piles, don’t make a woman look down on you.”
Gu Hao ran his fingers through his hair repeatedly, stammering for a while before finally gathering his courage.
“Du Qian, from the very beginning, I…”
Suddenly, there was a loud crash outside, as if the door to room 101 had been violently pushed open. The boy’s cries echoed in the hallway.
“I’m going to find my sister, waaah… I don’t want to stay with you anymore.”
Old Su’s furious voice rang out again: “You dare mention your sister? If it weren’t for her, would you even have a household registration? Would you be able to go to school?”
Du Qian patted Gu Hao’s hand. “Go on…”
But Gu Hao shook her off, gesturing for her to be quiet as he stared at the door with a grave expression.
“I don’t want to go to school! Waaah… I want my sister to come back!”
“Get back inside! What sister? You won’t find her!”
Gu Hao sprang to his feet and rushed to the door, flinging it open and running out.
The boy’s face still bore clear handprints. He clung to the doorframe, wailing loudly. Old Su grabbed his collar, forcefully dragging him back toward room 101.
“Have you no shame? Your sister sacrificed herself to get you a household registration, and you skipped school? You…”
Seeing Gu Hao emerge, Old Su’s scolding abruptly stopped, but his grip tightened.
“Get back inside! Say another word and I’ll beat you to death!”
Gu Hao stepped forward and pulled him away. “Old Su, what are you doing?”
The boy took the chance to hide behind Gu Hao. Old Su, still fuming, his chest heaving, shouted, “The little brat skipped school! I’ve been unloading cargo all day. The teacher even called our workshop! I only found out when I ran into the dispatcher after my shift!”
“Children need proper guidance. Beating him like this will only harm.”
“Do you know how hard I worked to get his household registration?” Old Su reached for the boy. “If I’d known you’d turn out like this, I wouldn’t have kept you!”
The boy desperately tried to hide behind Gu Hao. Gu Hao used one hand to block Old Su and the other to protect the boy, continuously trying to calm the situation. At this moment, Old Su’s wife rushed out of the room, wordlessly walked up to Gu Hao, grabbed the boy’s collar, and dragged him back inside.
Her movements were swift and decisive. The boy only managed a few kicks and struggles before disappearing into room 101. Old Su stood there stunned, hands on his hips, panting for a while before managing a forced smile at Gu Hao.
“Brother Gu, sorry you had to see that.”
“It’s alright, every family has its problems,” Gu Hao waved his hand. “Go back and talk to the child calmly.”
“Okay, I’ll head back in then.”
Old Su turned and went into room 101, closing the door behind him.
Gu Hao quietly moved closer, straining to hear the sounds from inside.
Scolding, slapping sounds, and the boy’s cries could be heard intermittently. Then, he loudly promised never to skip school again and to study hard. After that, he was sent to his room.
“No dinner for you tonight. Go hungry.”
The matter seemed to be settled. Then came the conversation between Old Su and his wife.
“Stop wandering around all day. Starting tomorrow, take him to school in the morning and pick him up in the evening.”
Old Su’s wife’s voice was low, barely audible, seeming to be making excuses.
“What’s the point of searching? If she were alive, she’d have come home by now. Stop doing useless things.”
Old Su’s wife began to sob.
“Just listen to me! Do what I tell you to do!” Old Su shouted again. “This matter is over, don’t mention it again. Let’s pretend we never raised her.”
Old Su’s wife’s voice became a bit clearer: “…But she’s my flesh and blood.”
“And our son isn’t? Even if you could find her, would we be in the right? Would Old Ma’s family accept it? What about our son’s household registration? What about the money?”
Old Su’s wife’s voice became indistinct again, seemingly accusing him. Then came the sound of a chair being kicked over.
“What can I do? Tell me, what can I do? Stop dreaming. The child is gone, and that’s that. What’s the point of fighting a losing battle? Don’t you care about our son’s future?”
Old Su’s wife cried even louder.
“Stop wailing and eat your dinner. I… I don’t even know what I’m living for anymore!”
Gu Hao listened, feeling a chill run through his body, his fists clenched tightly, almost wanting to break down the door. At that moment, the door to room 102 opened behind him.
Du Qian had put on her coat and was carrying her purse. She walked out quickly.
Gu Hao was stunned. “You’re…”
“I’m leaving,” she said without looking at him, pulling open the iron gate. “You seem busy. I won’t bother you anymore.”
“I’m not…” Gu Hao hurried to stop her. “This isn’t…”
Du Qian shook off his hand and walked out, slamming the iron gate shut behind her.
Gu Hao stood at the closed door for a while, then slowly walked back inside.
Most of the food on the table remained untouched. Gu Hao picked up the wine bottle, drained it, and lit another cigarette.
His thoughts were in a tangle. Gu Hao chain-smoked several cigarettes but couldn’t sort out his feelings. He didn’t know if he was thinking about Du Qian or the missing girl. His mind was a boiling, churning mess. A pressure built in his chest, with no way to release it.
He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, tasting only bitterness in his mouth.
Suddenly, he felt as if someone was watching him from behind.
He spun around quickly, but there was only the empty room and the pitch-black night outside the window.
In the distance, thunder rumbled. A storm was coming.