Chapter 72
Inside the studio, Lin Xiaoyu was still chattering away, trying to "process" the flat, round clay piece into a small ornament base. The original owner, Shi Ye, just watched quietly. Occasionally, when Lin Xiaoyu poked a hole in the clay, her fingers would twitch slightly, as if she wanted to stop her but dared not. Su Xiao, at Teacher Wang's prompting, began to methodically tidy up the other unused clay and tools.
In the control room, Secretary Li removed one earphone and whispered into the microphone, summarizing: "The second activity has ended, with no obvious abnormalities throughout. Ms. Shi initially showed reluctance when working with clay, then exhibited unconscious, rule-based shaping behavior which was preserved in the middle stage, and was passively observed and interacted with in the later stage. Her physiological data remained stable, with occasional slight fluctuations that corresponded to behavioral milestones. After Ms. Lin joined, the overall atmosphere became more relaxed. Assistant Su provided assistance throughout and did not overstep any boundaries in her words or actions."
Inside Qi Jin's office, she didn't respond immediately. The screen had switched back to a panoramic view of the studio, showing Su Xiao carefully moving the flat, round clay piece, along with the cardboard underneath, into a covered, transparent plastic box.
“After the event, seal that clay piece separately, mark it ‘A-2 Original,’ and send it to me.” Qi Jin suddenly spoke, his voice transmitted through the line to Secretary Li, “After the event, seal it separately, mark it ‘A-2 Original,’ and send it to me.”
Secretary Li paused for a moment: "...Yes." She was somewhat surprised. What did President Qi want that rough, shapeless clay piece for? But her duty was not to ask questions, but to carry out orders.
Qi Jin's gaze fell again on the left hand fingers on the screen, which were still covered with bits of clay. The hand was unconsciously rubbing together, trying to remove the debris. That subtle, habitual action of cleaning the fingertips…
"Make a copy of the activity video, especially the close-ups of the hands and the first ten minutes of the tactile exploration, and encrypt it. Send it to Dr. Chen for a second, more detailed analysis," Qi Jin continued. "Also, the next activity is tentatively scheduled for five days from now. Materials... prepare some smooth pebbles, fabrics with different textures, warm water, and clean towels."
Her instructions were jumpy yet specific: pebbles (white?), fabric (texture?), warm water towel (cleaning?). Secretary Li quickly jotted them down, her doubts deepening, but she still agreed.
Qi Jin cut off the communication.
Silence returned to the office. She didn't turn off the computer; instead, she pulled up the clip of Shi Ye unconsciously pinching out a flat, round piece of paper, her left hand gently stroking its edge, and played it repeatedly, zooming in and slowing it down. The screen light flickered on her face, reflecting a deep, almost obsessive focus.
Her left hand, with its slightly bent fingertips, traced the edge of the clay repeatedly at a specific angle and with a particular force, attempting to make it smoother and more regular. This action perfectly matched the delicate smoothing motion that she remembered would always occur unconsciously in front of the easel, on the edge of a book, or even just while holding a water glass.
Once is a coincidence, but twice?
And that preserved, flat, round piece of clay.
When Shi Ye looked at it, the fleeting confusion and concern in his eyes were genuine.
Qi Jin leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. The pain in his right shoulder seemed to be intensifying, but it was far less intense than the turmoil churning beneath the icy surface of his mind. The ice of doubt remained thick, but certain small, undeniable pieces of evidence belonging to "Shi Ye" itself were like stubborn spring grass, trying to push open the cracks.
She must be more cautious, and also... bolder.
---
(After the studio was cleaned and tidied up)
Lin Xiaoyu, arm in arm with Shi Ye, was still excitedly planning: "Sister Shi Ye, how about we bring some acrylic paint next time? That thing I made for you... uh, that flat, nice thing, we can paint it! We can paint a little flower or a star! Or we can just paint it all white, like a little piece of porcelain!"
The original owner of this body was a little dizzy from being shaken, but a faint trace of warmth, belonging to a living person, seemed to seep into the usual paleness on her face. She softly hummed in agreement, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Su Xiao placed the sealed clay box on a separate shelf, turned around and smiled, "Designer Lin has so many ideas. But it seems President Qi has some new materials planned for next time, let's see what they are first."
"What did Senior arrange this time?" Lin Xiaoyu asked curiously, then pouted, "Senior is just too nervous, she won't let us do this or that. But she really has good taste, this place is really nice." She looked around, then suddenly lowered her voice and leaned closer to Shi Ye and Su Xiao, "Hey, do you think Senior might be secretly watching us from some corner? I have a feeling there are cameras flashing red lights..."
She was just joking casually, but the original owner of Shi Ye suddenly froze, her face turning pale instantly. She subconsciously shrank closer to Su Xiao, her eyes scanning the surroundings in fear.
Su Xiao's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly smiled and changed the subject: "Designer Lin, don't scare Miss Shi. Security here is good, and some of the sensors are working perfectly. President Qi is just trying to ensure absolute safety." As she spoke, she gently patted Shi Ye's arm, the movement natural and reassuring.
When Shi Ye was touched, his body trembled again, but this time he did not dodge. Instead, as if he had grabbed a piece of driftwood, his fingers subconsciously gripped the fabric of Su Xiao's sleeve tightly.
This subtle action, carried out by a wide-angle camera, was clearly transmitted back to the control room and Qi Jin's screen.
Secretary Li frowned. Had Su Xiao's contact and reassurance crossed a line? Yet, it also seemed like a necessary response to Lin Xiaoyu's inappropriate remarks.
Qi Jin stared at the fingers that were gripping Su Xiao's sleeve on the screen, and at the momentary look of surprise on Su Xiao's face (which then turned into a gentler, reassuring smile), his eyes unfathomable.
Su Xiao… this girl always seems to appear "just in time" when Shi Ye needs a little support. The first time was by knocking over the basket of natural materials to distract him; this time, she promptly defuses the panic caused by Lin Xiaoyu. Is it professional competence? Is it keen empathy? Or… a meticulously calculated move with ulterior motives?
"Assistant Su." Secretary Li's voice rang out calmly through the hidden speaker in the studio, interrupting Lin Xiaoyu's playful tongue-out and Shi Ye's panic. "Please escort Miss Shi and Miss Lin downstairs. The car is ready. The sealed items will be handled later."
Su Xiao immediately responded, gently pulling her sleeve from Shi Ye's hand (the movement was gentle but firm), and then lightly supporting Shi Ye's arm: "Miss Shi, let's go. Designer Lin, here's your bag."
Shi Ye seemed to snap out of his daze, hastily letting go of Su Xiao's hand, lowering his head, and following her out. Lin Xiaoyu also quickly picked up her canvas bag, made a face at the air (probably towards the camera), and then caught up.
The group left. The studio was once again empty.
Secretary Li walked out of the control room and went straight to the shelf containing the clay tablet box. She put on gloves, carefully placed the box into a silver, sealed case bearing the Qi family mark, and locked it.
She picked up the box, her gaze sweeping over the spot where Shi Ye had just sat; a few bits of clay remained on the floor. She then looked at the place where Su Xiao had stood comforting Shi Ye.
Everything seemed normal.
But it also seems that something extremely subtle and ineffable has silently changed the course of this tightly monitored space.
---
(That evening, in Qi Jin's apartment study)
The silver sealed box sat on the desk, already opened. The transparent plastic box had been removed, revealing a light terracotta-colored, rough, flat, round piece of clay. Only a desk lamp was on in the study, casting a dim, yellowish light that gave the shapeless lump of clay an almost warm, almost ethereal quality.
Qi Jin wasn't wearing gloves. She stretched out her left hand, her fingertips hovering above the plastic box, lingering for a long time before finally deciding not to touch it.
Just watching.
Looking at those clumsy, trying-to-be-ordered but still crooked edges.
Look at the fine lines and warmth that may remain on it from your fingertips (if there is any).
Her right hand unconsciously and repeatedly rubbed the skin on the inside of her left wrist—there was nothing there, but her fingertips seemed to be imitating some delicate touch from her memory.
Dr. Chen's preliminary secondary analysis report is already in my inbox. The core conclusion is concise: "The subjects' hand coordination patterns and subtle left-hand gestures in non-verbal tasks are highly consistent with specific fine motor habits, which cannot be imitated or faked in the short term. The behavior of retaining outputs without instructions suggests potential emotional or cognitive connections, which may point to a subconscious maintenance of 'integrity' or 'self-traces'."
It's not a disguise.
It is a remaining, real "trace".
Qi Jin's gaze shifted from the clay piece to the desk drawer—where the necklace and jade clasp were locked.
Then the focus shifted to the paused scene on the computer screen—Shi Ye's panicked yet dependent gaze as he grabbed Su Xiao's sleeve.
The lava beneath the ice was churning more and more violently.
She needs to recalculate.
Visiting at the appointed time.
To Su Xiao.
This project, which seems "healing" but is actually fraught with danger, is a complex and potentially dangerous undertaking.
Perhaps... she should try a different way of "observing".
Closer.
To be more... direct.
Qi Jin turned off the desk lamp.
The study was plunged into darkness, with only the city lights outside the window casting blurry spots of light on the glass, which also illuminated the dark yet gradually clear, icy determination in her eyes.
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