Chapter 84 The Little Black Cat's Inkstone

Su Xiaonuan knew they meant well and were thinking of her.

But she had her own plans and secrets, so she could only politely decline: "Thank you for your concern, but I currently... well, I don't have any plans to open a shop yet. Things are fine as they are now."

Seeing her resolute attitude, the relatives felt it was a pity, but they didn't say anything more. Their attention quickly returned to the main character of the day—the little birthday girl who was sleeping soundly in the stroller.

After the lively luncheon, Su Xiaonuan felt she had drunk too much, so she told Zhao Liyue and her aunt and got up to go to the restroom.

The corridor was quiet.

As she passed the next private room, she noticed that the door was not closed properly, leaving a crack.

The faint sounds of men urging each other to drink could be heard from inside, and there seemed to be some arguing between them, with their tone not very friendly.

Su Xiaonuan glanced at it casually and didn't pay it any mind, heading straight for the restroom.

When she returned from the restroom, the people in the next private room seemed to have already left. The door was open, and the waiters were cleaning up inside. Only a few people remained sitting at the table, their faces flushed, clearly having drunk quite a bit.

Su Xiaonuan shook her head, thinking that family gatherings were still the most heartwarming, and then returned to private room 4116.

The rest of the time was mainly spent chatting among relatives and playing with the baby, creating a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

The joyous full moon celebration banquet finally came to an end around 3 p.m.

Su Xiaonuan and Zhao Liyue helped their aunt's family see off the other relatives, chatted for a while, and then pulled their now-empty stroller away.

On the way back, Su Xiaonuan was in a good mood. The mission was completed smoothly, the relationship with relatives was harmonious, and she even received praise from everyone.

She leaned back in her chair, pondering what name she should give the little black cat that evening.

Zhao Liyue drove quietly, her gaze occasionally sweeping across the rearview mirror, a hint of worry still lingering in her eyes regarding their Saturday appointment.

The next morning, as dawn was breaking, Su Xiaonuan was still drowsy in bed when her phone chimed with a breaking local news notification.

She groggily picked up her phone, glanced at the headline, and instantly snapped awake, sitting bolt upright in bed!

[Breaking News! A horrific murder has occurred at the Youming Hotel. The victim's death is bizarre and suspected to be related to the "Full Moon Murders" series of cases three years ago!]

Youming Hotel?! Isn't that the hotel where they held their one-month celebration yesterday?!

Su Xiaonuan's heart sank suddenly, and her fingertips, feeling a little cold, clicked on the news details.

The report states that the incident occurred late last night, shortly after they left the venue.

The deceased was a male who was found at the end of a corridor on a certain floor of the hotel. His death was extremely gruesome—his abdomen had been cut open and his internal organs had been removed!

Its posture was even more bizarre. The corpse was placed in a kneeling position, facing a huge abstract art painting depicting a full moon hanging on the corridor wall. Its hands were clasped together, and the posture carried a kind of chilling "devotion"!

The scene, the method... are almost identical to the case discovered near the lake in the center of the Snow Lake Woodland.

Copycat?

Is it the same "Full Moon Killer" who has been silent for three years, reappearing and extending his clutches to the city?

Su Xiaonuan frowned, her expression grave.

Without any hesitation, she threw off the covers, got out of bed, grabbed her phone, and rushed out of the bedroom.

Zhao Liyue had just returned from her morning run, taken a shower, and was standing in the living room drying her wet short hair with a towel.

She saw Su Xiaonuan walking towards her with an unusually serious expression, holding her phone, and asked in surprise, "What's wrong, Xiaonuan?"

Su Xiaonuan didn't say anything, but directly handed the phone screen to her.

Zhao Liyue put down the towel, took the phone, and lowered her eyes to read it carefully.

As she read on, her expression gradually changed. The flush on her cheeks, which had been rosy from exercise, faded, and her eyes became sharp and heavy.

“Youming Hotel… right where we were yesterday…” Zhao Liyue’s voice carried a chilling disbelief. “I specifically observed the area around the hotel and the parking lot last night and didn’t find anything unusual… I never expected it to still happen…”

She handed the phone back to Su Xiaonuan, rubbing her temples with a serious expression.

It seems that the unsolved case from three years ago has resurfaced, and its complexity and bizarre nature far exceed their imagination.

The murderer was extremely cunning, adept at using the environment and crowds as cover, and his actions were meticulous.

Su Xiaonuan took the phone and suddenly remembered the strange thing that happened when she passed by the private room next door on her way to the restroom last night.

The door wasn't closed tightly, and the sounds of people urging each other to drink, tinged with a hint of argument, came from inside... At the time, I just thought it was an ordinary social drinking session and didn't pay much attention to it.

But now that I think about it, perhaps... there are dead people among them? Or maybe they are related to the case in some way?

However, this was just her speculation, without any evidence.

Moreover, she needs to see the surrounding environment of the crime scene with her own eyes in order to make a more accurate judgment.

Unfortunately, the scene has definitely been tightly sealed off by the police.

"Sister Yue, don't think too much about it." Su Xiaonuan saw Zhao Liyue's brows furrowed, clearly annoyed that she hadn't noticed anything unusual last night, so she patted Zhao Liyue's arm to comfort her.

Then, she bent down and picked up the little black cat that had been rubbing against her feet and put it in her arms.

The little guy seemed to sense his owner's somewhat down mood, and nestled obediently in her arms, nudging her chin with his head.

“By the way, Sister Yue,” Su Xiaonuan forced a relaxed smile and changed the subject, “Let’s give it a name, shall we? We can’t keep calling it Little Black Cat.” She scratched the kitten’s chin, and the little guy purred contentedly.

Zhao Liyue understood that Su Xiaonuan wanted to ease the somber atmosphere, and her heart warmed. She also temporarily suppressed her worries about the case.

She looked at the kitten in Su Xiaonuan's arms—completely black except for its white paws and tail tip, and bright golden eyes—and pondered for a moment before offering a few suggestions: "It's so black, how about calling it 'Sesame'? Or 'Coal Ball'? 'Tangyuan' (glutinous rice ball) is also quite fitting, with black sesame filling. Or... 'Black Rice'?"

These names do fit Su Xiaonuan's current job as a "food stall owner" very well, and they are also quite vivid and down-to-earth. Su Xiaonuan also finds them quite cute.

However, when she lowered her eyes and looked at the kitten in her arms that was also looking up at her with its golden eyes, those eyes were clear and deep, as if they contained the starry sky and ancient wisdom. They were not at all like the naivety of an ordinary kitten, but instead had a kind of calmness and spirituality.

In an instant, a name suddenly entered Su Xiaonuan's mind—Inkstone.

It was an ancient writing implement, solid in texture, with a deep, rich ink color. It had become even more lustrous with age, and it seemed to perfectly complement the little guy's glossy black fur and his calm yet lively temperament.