Chapter 9

Townhouses behind Lane 2, Victoria Road, in the British Concession.

The lobby lights had long been turned off, but when looking up from the garden, one could see that the master bedroom on the second floor to the south was still brightly lit. Even though the half-drawn velvet curtains allowed some light to pass through, they could not hide the bright lights inside.

For some reason, Jiang Fengming suddenly had a nightmare in the middle of the night. He stared at the crystal chandelier on the ceiling with his eyes wide open and sweating profusely. He lay on the bed hugging his quilt and shouted loudly, trying to summon a group of servants.

Not all the servants in the mansion were disturbed, but Yu Congyi, who had just fallen asleep, was. He hurriedly put on an overcoat and came downstairs. Seeing the hallway open and servants coming and going, he ran to the master bedroom, pushed open the door, and stood in front of Jiang Fengming's door. "What's wrong, Fengming?"

Upon seeing him, Jiang Fengming breathed a sigh of relief and called out, "Big Brother!"

Yu Congyi's eyelids were sore, so he raised his hand to press his temples. Seeing Jiang Fengming sitting on the bed in his disheveled pajamas and messy hair, he knew that nothing serious had happened. Hearing the youthful tone in his "Big Brother," Yu Congyi's heart softened. He sat down, shifted his position, and sat next to Jiang Fengming at the head of the bed. He then instructed the servants behind him, "You may all leave."

"Brother, I just dreamt that someone was chasing me..." Jiang Fengming stared blankly, truly terrified by the dream. He sat there clutching the blanket, his eyes glazed over, muttering to himself as he recounted the horrific scene from his dream the previous night. "That person, I know that person, he, he is the enemy who killed Aunt! He killed Aunt, and now he's coming after me for revenge!"

Yu Congyi frowned, far from believing such absurd claims. He reached out and put his arm around the other man's shoulder, making Jiang Fengming look at him. "Fengming, Fengming, don't be afraid."

"You had a nightmare. Drink some water and calm down." He got up, pulled his robe tighter, and went to the outer room to ask a servant for a pot of hot water. When he returned, he saw Jiang Fengming still sitting there with his eyes wide open. He handed him the cup and said softly, "Fengming, don't overthink it. There's a saying that what you think about during the day, you dream about at night. Maybe you've been thinking too much during the day, which is why you had such a terrible dream. It's alright." Jiang Fengming murmured, "I feel like I've offended someone, and they're trying to harm me." Yu Congyi looked into Jiang Fengming's eyes. "Fengming, don't think so much. Your older brother is here."

Jiang Fengming looked at him, pitifully gripping his wrist, "Big brother, but this dream is too real, I'm so scared! That person keeps chasing me, I can't escape!"

Yu Congyi hadn't expected a dream to frighten him so much. Hearing his trembling voice, he knew he was terrified. Yu Congyi quickly comforted him, "Don't be afraid. What happens in a dream can't happen in reality. Even if it's all just a dream, it's all aimed at your brother. I'm not afraid. Your brother will always protect you. I told you that, do you remember?"

Jiang Fengming believed this. He pursed his lips, looking as if he were about to sob from grievance. He was so young, and his appearance mostly resembled his mother's, with his eyebrows and eyes leaning towards a pure and childlike look. Even though he was already an adult in stature, this occasional pouting and coquettish look in front of Yu Congyi made people's hearts ache, and they felt a sense of pity and affection for him.

Yu Congyi freed his left hand to wipe away the half-tear that had accumulated in the corner of his eye. He said helplessly, "Fengming, Fengming, everything will be alright. Trust me, okay? Trust your older brother."

Jiang Fengming paused for a moment, nodded, and spoke again with a slightly nasal tone. He looked at Yu Congyi, "Brother, will you sleep with me tonight?"

Yu Congyi had slept in the same bed with him before, so he didn't think this request was unreasonable. He nodded and whispered, "Okay, brother will sleep with you."

Jiang Fengming crawled into bed first, and Yu Congyi turned off the light. After sitting back on the bed, he took off his bathrobe, leaving only a thin shirt on his upper body. The large bed was covered with only one quilt. Jiang Fengming, with his youthful temper, quietly crawled out of the quilt and climbed up to Yu Congyi, reaching out to hug him and pressing his ear against his shoulder. Jiang Fengming's temper came and went quickly. Now, he closed his eyes and lay silently on his side. In the darkness, Jiang Fengming murmured, "Brother, if there really is such a person, don't wait for him to come to me. Go and kill him for me first."

Yu Congyi rested his hands behind his head, remaining silent and only nodding. The events of the day had left him somewhat weary, and Jiang Fengming's outburst had stirred his thoughts. He stared wide-eyed at the crystal chandelier hanging in the ceiling, and Tang Zefei's face suddenly appeared in his mind.

Was this the kind of person his enemy was? Yu Congyi wondered how Jiang Jiejie had come to have a grudge against the other party, which led to her being murdered.

In his heart, Jiang Jiejie, his aunt, was a woman whose name reflected her character—a pure moon, a bright pearl. How could such a person be considered an enemy and brought to her death? Jiang Jiejie couldn't possibly have done that, but if not, there was no way to explain her death. Several days passed, and the matter remained buried deep in Yu Congyi's heart, causing him to be consumed by self-blame, heartache, and resentment, which gradually fermented in the endless darkness of the night.

Beside him, Jiang Fengming was already fast asleep, his breathing even, no longer showing any signs of nightmare-induced terror. Yu Congyi, however, didn't know how long he had kept his eyes open, staring until the darkness before him was no longer as thick as ink. Later, his eyelids grew tired, and he had no choice but to close them. Besides the sound of his breathing, he could hear the faint rustling of autumn winds sweeping through the bare trees in the courtyard outside the window. He succumbed to exhaustion and unease, drifting off to sleep.

…

The next day, as Yu Congyi walked down the street to the Military Police Headquarters, his mind was still somewhat hazy. The events of the previous night had kept him awake for half the night, and the cool breeze blowing in his face forced him to wake up, temporarily leaving everything behind. It was still early, and the faint light of dawn fell on the main street of the British Concession, the classical European buildings on both sides welcoming this hurried and unbearable day.

In the evening, he left the military police headquarters, changed into his regular clothes, and went to the post office on Zhongjie Street to buy an evening newspaper as usual. Standing under the post office, he hurriedly flipped through the thin paper bathed in the red glow of the setting sun, when he caught a glimpse of someone out of the corner of his eye.

With his gaze following closely, Yu Congyi suddenly tightened his grip on the newspaper. He stood there motionless, quietly observing the man's every move.

He wasn't mistaken. The day Jiang Jiejie was murdered at the Lin Mansion, the killer was now brazenly appearing before him! Lu Jin had changed his clothes, and the cuffs weren't the same red pattern from that day, but Yu Congyi remembered his face perfectly. What a twist of fate! He crumpled the newspaper into a ball and threw it in a corner, pulled his hat down low, and followed him.

…

Not far away, beside the gate of the villa behind the HSBC bank, Merrick, dressed in a Western-style suit, wearing sunglasses and carrying an elegant leather bag, stood on the steps waiting for her driver. A young maid followed behind her, holding an umbrella to shield her from the setting sun. The two walked one in front of the other. Merrick seemed quite at ease, chatting casually with the maid, who, though responding hesitantly, kept her eyes downcast, as if still worried about her young master's illness the previous night.

This morning, the young master of the Tang family was experiencing a blood transfusion rejection reaction, with his body fluctuating between hot and cold and shivering. Merrick was already used to this, and simply sent a few servants to prepare medicinal meals for the young master, and that was it. Now that she had some free time to go out, she was in a good mood. While chatting, she lowered her head and freed one hand to adjust the jade bracelet on her right wrist, letting it air out in the sun and turning it to examine it. Her fingers were as delicate as scallions, showing no signs of age despite years of pampered living and not having to do mundane tasks.

…

"Young Master, there's a phone call for you." At that moment, Tang Zefei received a call from a servant on the landline in the living room of the mansion. On the other end of the line was Zhan Yuewei, the only son of Boss Zhan, a renowned foreign trade merchant in Tianjin Weiying Leasing.

Zhan Yuewei is the only heir of the Zhan family, but she often neglects her duties and is extremely dissolute. She is very frivolous and promiscuous. Although she is only twenty years old, she has already played in all the brothels in Tianjin. Moreover, she has a peculiar habit - she only plays with men.

The purpose of the call was self-evident. The caller said that a high-end dance hall near the Kaisiling Café had "new arrivals" and invited the young master of the Tang family to go and enjoy them. Tang Zefei hung up the phone and instructed the maid to bring her ironed clothes, meticulously dressing herself before leaving, as was her custom.

Over there, Lu Jin walked into a phone booth, made a brief call, and headed straight for a dance hall with a clear purpose.

Yu Congyi followed him at a distance, but never found a suitable opportunity to make a move. Finally, when he saw him dive into a mixed-race nightclub like a fish, he didn't want to give up and had no choice but to continue following him silently.

Lu Jin led the way, weaving and twisting, while Yu Congyi relentlessly pursued him. They passed countless scenes of debauchery and allure, which Yu Congyi grew weary of. Several times, in a fit of rage, he wanted to end Lu Jin's life in this chaotic place, but his selfish desire to uncover Lu Jin's true motives for killing Jie Jie prevented him from acting. Thus, Lu Jin moved swiftly through the surging crowd, like a fish in the sea, almost disappearing from Yu Congyi's sight several times.

Even so, Yu Congyi still carefully observed the way he had come. Ahead, Lu Jin turned and entered a private room. Yu Congyi glanced up and noticed that the room was named "Tongque Chun Shen" (Bronze Sparrow Spring Depth). Before he could ponder its meaning, his feet were already moving. Upon entering the room, a strong fragrance assaulted his senses. Although the aroma was rich, it felt cloying and unpleasant to inhale, making him dizzy and his chest feel heavy. Yu Congyi wasn't intoxicated by fragrance, but the pungent smell made him frown quickly. The lighting was extremely dim. Lu Jin kept pushing his way through the crowd, and Yu Congyi realized that the room was enormous. Even stranger, everyone around him was a man. A thick haze of smoke filled the air. The crowd wasn't particularly dense, but the smoke obscured everything, making it difficult to see clearly. Another strange fragrance permeated the air, making his heart race with unease.

Lu Jin didn't stop walking. Yu Congyi sensed something was wrong and thought something was wrong. He stopped and tried to back off, but was suddenly pushed a few steps by a surging crowd. When he looked up again, Lu Jin was nowhere to be seen. His leg hit the armrest of the leather sofa, and an elbow from behind almost made him fall onto the sofa in front of him. Yu Congyi was shocked when he saw what was in front of him. The luxurious sofas were arranged in a U-shape, and two men sat at the innermost part. One of them was handsome and frivolous, and Yu Congyi didn't recognize him. The other was none other than Tang Zefei. He was wearing a dark red open silk shirt with some kind of beaded jewelry hanging on his chest. He had a thin cigarette between his index and ring fingers on his left hand, which was adorned with a diamond, and he held a small wine glass in his right hand. His face was hidden behind the swirling smoke. He was extremely debauched and dissolute, completely different from what Yu Congyi had seen the day before.

These two young masters were clearly of much higher status than everyone else around them, so they were the only ones who enjoyed the privilege of sitting on the sofa, legs crossed, wine glasses in hand, while the others leaned or stood by. Yu Congyi stopped abruptly, crouching down, intending to slip away before Tang Zefei noticed him, but at that moment a slender wine glass was passed to him, clamoring for him to offer a toast.

Yu Congyi had no idea about the rules, unaware that this was the lewd game these people were playing, and how the wine cup ended up in his hands. This wasn't an ordinary toast; it involved holding the cup by the stem with your teeth and offering it to one of the seated people, with lips and teeth touching, and not a drop spilling. No wonder these people were playing such a lousy game.

Yu Congyi had sensed something was amiss earlier, and now he was even more certain, knowing he was no pushover. He threw down his wine cup and turned to leave. The surrounding crowd erupted in uproar and loud murmurs, but Yu Congyi paid no heed. Seeing no one dared to accept his cup, he simply flung it away, carelessly tossing the cup down. Unexpectedly, half of the wine landed on Zhan Yuewei. Through the swirling smoke, Zhan Yuewei looked up at the uninvited guest, her anger about to erupt.

Just as he was about to stand up and reprimand the other man, Tang Zefei suddenly grabbed his shoulder, whispered something in his ear with a smile, stood up from the sofa, and picked up the cup Yu Congyi had thrown down. It turned out he had noticed him all along. Just as Yu Congyi was about to leave, Tang Zefei met his gaze across the crowd. She gave him a charming smile and said, "I'm taking him tonight." With that, she tossed the cup aside, put her arm around Yu Congyi, and walked away against the flow of people.

Yu Congyi thought to himself, "What a small world!" In this situation, he had no choice but to follow Tang Zefei into his arms. In the crowd, Lu Jin, who had been watching coldly from the side, also followed Tang Zefei.

Once they reached a corner where they could catch their breath, Tang Zefei released his arm, took a step back, and asked him how he ended up there. Yu Congyi didn't want to say much and gave a perfunctory reply. Tang Zefei glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and saw Lu Jin standing behind him like a wooden stake, which was annoying, so she casually dismissed him. Only after Lu Jin disappeared from his sight did Yu Congyi realize that he had failed again on this trip.

Before he could even feel remorse and regret, Tang Zefei asked him again if he was free. Yu Congyi gave a perfunctory answer, saying that he had something to do and had to leave first. Then, without waiting for a response, he turned to leave.

But then Tang Zefei smiled slightly, stepped closer, and blocked his path. Tang Zefei was taller than him, and this block slowed his steps. Yu Congyi was puzzled, but Tang Zefei moved even closer, a faint smile playing on her lips, "Don't you know what I meant when I helped you out of that situation earlier?"

Such a distance was not what Yu Congyi wanted. He clenched his fist and took a step back, avoiding the situation and whispering, "Thank you." Then he rashly tried to leave, but Tang Zefei simply braced one arm against the wall, trapping him in a corner. Yu Congyi frowned and looked up at him. Tang Zefei took the opportunity to pinch his chin and kiss him on the lips.

"It means you'll be spending the night with me." Tang Zefei's smile faded, his eyes deep and unfathomable. He lowered his arm and stood beside Yu Congyi. Yu Congyi's mind went blank for a moment, completely unprepared for such a move from the other party. Then, he looked up angrily, shoved Tang Zefei on the shoulder, and said irritably, "I will never accompany you in whatever you want to do."

Tang Zefei lowered his body and lowered his voice, turning his back to him and giving him a loose hug, saying, "I am, after all, a son of the Tang family. Please give me some face. Young Master Zhan is watching." After saying that, he put his arm around the two of them and pretended to walk out of the crowd's sight.

Yu Congyi thought to himself, "What does this have to do with me?" Although his anger and shock hadn't subsided, he remained rational and didn't do anything to embarrass Tang Zefei. At the same time, he was secretly on guard, his fingertips reaching for the pistol at his waist. When they reached the entrance of the dance hall, Tang Zefei released him. Facing the neon-lit street, he stood in the cool breeze, looking outside, and asked, "Were you following me the whole time?"