Adventure withdrawal syndrome
The strange events that have occurred no longer need to be kept secret.
“Xianxian’s actions were indeed ill-considered, but she’s always been like this since she was little—smart and meticulous.” Bai Langtao sighed softly, not expressing much negative emotion about his family’s ancestral graves being dug up. He simply shook his head slowly. “At least digging it up in the middle of the night gives us more time to deal with the aftermath. It’s a pity her eyesight isn’t very good; did she take after me?”
She spoke as if she were genuinely offering advice to Bai Yunxian. Cheng Xiangwu glanced at the old woman, whose thoughts were drifting off again as she spoke, and couldn't quite figure out what she was trying to say.
"I heard it was Bai Yuntian who hit her," she said, then asked, "Aren't you going to hit her?"
"How could I bear to?" Bai Langtao waved his hand dramatically. "Besides, I can't really fight her. At her age, she's better off just watching the show. Xianxian is very agile and disobedient; she's very difficult to fight."
These words made Bai Yunxian sound like a wild monkey running around the mountains. Cheng Xiangwu had nothing to say to this assessment, and changed to the question she wanted to ask, "Is the closure of your family ancestral hall related to what happened thirty-three years ago?"
“Yes, it’s related.” Bai Langtao nodded. “Xiao Song suggested that we believe in science, so we abandoned feudal superstition.”
“…Okay,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
"You really believe that?" Bai Langtao looked at Cheng Xiangwu.
"Actually, no." Cheng Xiangwu thought about the cause and effect, "Besides, it wouldn't make a difference even if you stopped it."
If subjective disbelief were effective, then Senhu City would be much more peaceful by now.
"Hahaha!" Bai Langtao laughed. "You have such an unpleasant way of speaking!"
“…I see.” Cheng Xiangwu had no intention of apologizing.
“This story really begins in the ancestral hall. Our ancestral hall originally enshrined the immortal of Senhu Lake. He didn’t have a formal name, so everyone just called him the Immortal of the Lake,” Bai Langtao said slowly and methodically. “The Immortal of the Lake was a great immortal who lived at the bottom of the lake. The immortal was immortal, his heart encompassed the heavens and the earth, his voice was as resounding as the vibrations of mountains, and his body was as vast as a giant beast in the sea. Senhu Lake originally had a river that flowed to the outside world. Some people said that the river led to the sea, and the immortal came by crossing the river, and also came from the sea. Unfortunately, my sister and I didn’t have time to cross the river and leave before it dried up.”
She spoke very slowly, as if she had to grind each word several times on the tip of her tongue before uttering it. As a result, the words that came out no longer contained the emotions they originally carried, leaving only a hoarse, breathy sound in her throat.
“I’ve been to that farm,” Cheng Xiangwu said. “I also saw the current Senhu Lake.”
"How are you feeling?" Bai Langtao asked slowly.
“It’s very dirty,” Cheng Xiangwu said truthfully.
Upon hearing this, Bai Langtao raised his hand and slapped Cheng Xiangwu on the head with a loud thud. Seeing that she didn't flinch, he laughed and said, "The Immortal of the Lake can't protect us, nor can it protect those ferrymen, nor can it protect Senhu Lake. It can't even protect itself."
Indeed, that's true. "What does this have to do with your family's affairs?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.
“It was fine at first,” Bai Langtao said. “You know how difficult that was back then, but those people were really resourceful. One of the Western missionaries used a mirror at night to see the shadow of a man hanging upside down and lying on a servant. The scene was... well, let’s just say it was quite something.”
“A shadow crawling on a person,” Cheng Xiangwu repeated, sounding like a scene from a horror story.
“That seems to be it. Shadow ran away when he saw a lot of people. The foreigner chased Shadow to the ancestral hall. The others restrained the servant who was about to cut off his own head, treated his hands and feet, and gave him medicine. Xiao Song did an autopsy. I don’t know what she thought, but in the end she said that the heart was connected to the brain and there was a problem.” Bai Langtao clicked his tongue in amazement. “Back then, there were no X-rays or CT scans. The mentally ill people in the village either had their brains punctured or were simply left to die. But I’ve never seen anyone in such a hurry to die.”
Perhaps because supporting herself on one leg for too long was uncomfortable, she switched to supporting herself on the other leg. "On the other side, the foreigner told us that there was something wrong with the statues in the ancestral hall."
“The statue of the Fairy in the Lake,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
“Yes, but it has nothing to do with the appearance, it’s all about the material.” Bai Langtao patted the stone monkey beside him. “The stone was brought out of the mine by the exploration team. The largest piece was taken home and crafted into a statue, which is placed in the shrine. The other smaller pieces were also made from the same material. In short, they’re everywhere.”
"...This one too?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.
"Want to guess?" Bai Langtao asked. "If you guess right, I'll give it to you as a gift, hahaha!"
Cheng Xiangwu didn't want it and shook her head.
"In the end, we sent the stone back based on the Westerner's advice, which not only caused an earthquake but also attracted the attention of higher-ups." Bai Langtao said, nodding slowly. "You've probably heard some of what happened after that from Xianxian. Cheng Song started researching something about reflections, but who understands that? All we know is that she kept going to that breeding farm to collect materials, and before long, she and your dad hit it off. Later, she said she wanted to use amber as inspiration to make a cage for that thing. We didn't know anything about it, so we opened a laboratory for her at the Senhu Grand Hotel, and let the guests practice on it."
As she listened, Cheng Xiangwu asked, "I heard that my dad was kicked out. Does that mean the farm doesn't allow the two of them to be together?"
“It’s not that rigid.” Bai Langtao waved his hand. “That Westerner seems to have gone crazy after the earthquake. One day he ran out of the ward and said he wanted to purify something and tried to do something to your mother. He was killed by your father. Tsk tsk tsk, the body was probably thrown into the forest lake.”
She spoke casually, as did her previous remarks, like an ordinary old woman telling a younger generation about her adventures in her youth. Cheng Xiangwu listened casually as well, finding these events from thirty years ago quite novel, more so than the scenes in her own memory.
"Later, the wax was developed," Cheng Xiangwu said.
"It's been used." Bai Langtao nodded.
“Then my parents went to open a restaurant,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
“Yes,” Bai Langtao said with emotion. “None of us expected that she really wanted to be a chef.”
“Then we’ll continue to use that thing as our signature dish,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
"Lazy, isn't she?" Bai Langtao chuckled. "She's been researching that thing all along."
"They're quite popular," Cheng Xiangwu smiled.
“…Yes,” Bai Langtao said, “and then you were born. You know what? Your name came first, then Wuxianglou, but it sounds like the other way around, right? According to your mother’s family rules, you should have been called Chengfu, Xiangfu, but Chengsong said he hated that name and it was hard to choose a nickname for you, so he changed it to something simpler.”
“…There’s such a thing?” Cheng Xiangwu murmured to himself.
Twenty-eight years ago, Cheng Song and Du Ke's child was born. As if to commemorate something, she was named Cheng Xiangwu.
However, the meaning behind a name, whether it looks good when written, or whether it commemorates something—these are all irrelevant to the person being named. She was given this name before she was even born, so these are the things the giver needs to constantly worry about.
Cheng Song chose a simpler, more catchy name for her child, so she should have continued to call her by that name until Cheng Xiangwu herself felt dissatisfied or tired of it, and continued to watch over Cheng Xiangwu's fate until she herself said goodbye to her parents. But now, they have both lost that right.
A breeze blows through the mountains and forests, swirling among the stone courtyards. In one corner stands a stone sculpture that looks like a saw standing on the ground. The wind then winds around the pitted and uneven saw face, carrying a long, drawn-out sound, like someone's sigh.
"You sound like a good person, but honestly, you're very suspicious." Cheng Xiangwu looked at the person who was always inexplicably smiling and asked, "Do you have anything to explain?"
"What makes you think like that?" Bai Langtao frowned as if troubled, the wrinkles conveying her sadness.
"...I can't find anything for now." Cheng Xiangwu thought for a moment. Aside from her attitude, there was currently no evidence to prove her suspiciousness. Even so, she had an important question to ask, "My mother's opinion is one thing, but as the boss, what are your thoughts on my job duties?"
“Thirteen years ago, that fire almost burned it to death.” Bai Langtao looked steadily at Cheng Xiangwu and said, “If you could light another fire on your birthday, I believe it would be difficult for it to survive.”
That's a very righteous statement.
"What if I can't do it?" Cheng Xiangwu asked. "I heard that fire is very difficult to light."
“…Then forget it.” Bai Langtao laughed magnanimously, his already beaming lips curving even more. “Let’s give it a try first. If it fails, we can just say that the Bai family didn’t receive this birthday gift.”
"...Speaking of your birthday," Cheng Xiangwu asked, "what did the mayor say about you—"
"Xiao Cheng," Bai Langtao interrupted, then asked jokingly, "Do you like Gu Wanqiu?"
The question came suddenly, and Cheng Xiangwu paused. Under this person's gaze, she pondered for a moment but still couldn't come up with a definite answer. She could only say, "I don't dislike her."
"In that case, it's not a big deal," Bai Langtao said casually. "If you care about her, you'd better think about this more."
"...Why do you say that?" Cheng Xiangwu asked.
"The wax was given to her to control the thing's movement while the locals were sleeping, but that was just buying time," Bai Langtao said. "Besides, that thing is poisonous, and people will die if they use it for too long."
Even after leaving the stone forest, Cheng Xiangwu was still recalling Bai Langtao's expression as he spoke. She had never sat and talked with an old man like that before, and she wondered if this way of talking was normal, or if the unease she felt was just her imagination. She always felt that Bai Langtao was somewhat absent-minded, perhaps because he wasn't interested in her questions, or perhaps because he wasn't interested in her at all.
If it were the latter, that would be even better. Cheng Xiangwu thought to herself, and took out her phone to call Gu Wanqiu, but there was still no signal. So she put her phone away and prepared to go back to Bai Yunxian's house first, but she almost bumped into someone on the way out of the stone road.
"Hey!" She quickly moved to the side, clearly not expecting someone to suddenly appear out of nowhere.
“…I’m sorry,” Cheng Xiangwu said. She hadn’t expected anyone to go up to the third floor, and this person wasn’t Xiao Fu.
Before her stood a young woman with her hair tied up and draped over her shoulders. She glanced at Cheng Xiangwu from head to toe, then looked at the path behind her, and asked, "Excuse me, are you... back from meeting Chairman Bai?"
Her voice was like the rustling of green bamboo.
“That’s right.” Cheng Xiang nodded and stepped aside. “You can get there from this road.” Then she prepared to leave.
"...Please wait a moment." The person behind him caught up. "I am Fu Xiao. May I ask your name?"
"Cheng Xiangwu." Cheng Xiangwu replied. Seeing that Fu Xiao seemed to have something to say, she returned to the corridor along the stairs and turned around to wait for him to speak.
"I apologize for following you like this, but I've been here for several days and haven't seen Chairman Bai in person. Out of curiosity, I wanted to ask you about her." Fu Xiao turned his head slightly to look up at the mountain.
“If you want to see him, just walk in through that road,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
"...Chairman Bai might not be willing to see me." Fu Xiao smiled and shook his head, then looked at the person he was talking to. "Besides, I'm just curious about how she is now. It's enough to get some information from someone else. It's better than me going there and having nothing to say to her so she'll feel bored."
“She’s fine.” Cheng Xiangwu thought for a moment and then added, “She’s quite healthy and energetic.”
“…That would be perfect.” Fu Xiao sighed softly.
"Was she not very healthy or energetic before?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.
“When Chairwoman Bai was in charge of managing the company's affairs, she was a very prestigious and strict person. At the same time, she also had to manage the mining area's affairs. We all thought she was under a lot of pressure.” Fu Xiao turned his head slightly. “Perhaps retirement can indeed relieve a lot of the pressure.”
“That’s true.” Cheng Xiang nodded. Who wouldn’t want to retire early?
“…I won’t keep you any longer,” Fu Xiao said with a slight smile. “Then, farewell.”
She then nodded slightly, turned, and left along the corridor.
Cheng Xiangwu didn't see him off. He turned around and went to the door of Baiyun Immortal House. He knocked twice and waited for the person inside to call him to come in before opening the door and going in.
The reception room was empty; Xiao Fu was nowhere to be found. Outside, under the wooden pavilion, Bai Yunxian's wheelchair was parked, and she herself was sitting on the wooden steps with a plate of watermelon beside her.
"Sit down." She turned around and casually patted the wooden board beside her. Cheng Xiangwu then sat down as well. The floor creaked, but it was not dusty to the touch.
"That person went down to the next floor to gather information. Talent is truly an unreasonable thing." Bai Yunxian pushed the watermelon plate. "Where did this person come from?"
"It's from abroad." Cheng Xiangwu took a slice; the triangular red melon had no seeds.
“…Who asked you that? Never mind.” Bai Yunxian sighed, then asked, “How did your chat with my mom go?”
"It was alright, she talked a lot about the past." Cheng Xiangwu thought for a moment and asked, "Did your mother never mention 'me' when she spoke before?"
“Back when she was still working, she could talk four of me into a conversation with just one sentence.” Bai Yunxian pushed up her glasses. “What did she say?”
So Cheng Xiangwu told the youngest member of her family what had happened.
"...With your level of listening skills, I know why you even need an agent to accompany you to meet the client." Bai Yunxian said with disdain, "Didn't you notice how many things are missing in this story that it's so disjointed? This isn't how you summarize things. What's the difference between this and those historical archives that have no reference value? Honestly, you can't believe even a tenth of what's in this passage."
"Hmm." Cheng Xiangwu took a bite of watermelon after hearing the criticism; it was crisp and crunchy.
"What the hell!" Bai Yunxian looked at the person next to her, wanting to hit them on the head with something, but when she reached around, all she found was her own wheelchair, so she gave up. "From what I've heard, what she's going to do isn't such a bad thing."
"Do you still need my help?" Cheng Xiangwu asked.
“…Yes.” Bai Yunxian nodded. “What are you planning to do next?”
"Find a way to get to the mining area," Cheng Xiangwu said, "and then go celebrate your mother's birthday."
"What do you mean by 'method'?" Bai Yunxian asked.
“…I’m thinking about it,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
“I’ve heard that phrase a lot too.” Bai Yunxian paused. “If you want to take a helicopter, you can find the mayor.”
Speaking of this, Cheng Xiangwu recalled what Bai Langtao had said.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Bai Yunxian turned her head. "Are you embarrassed, Cheng Xiangwu? When you need to request support during a mission, remember to mention my name when you do, okay?"
“…I’ll go out and ask.” Cheng Xiangwu sighed.
"When are you going? Who has decided who will go?" Bai Yunxian asked.
"As soon as possible, maybe tomorrow if all goes well." Cheng Xiangwu thought for a moment, "There are two of us, and a reporter."
"Count me in too." Bai Yunxian reached out her hand.
"...Are you serious?" Cheng Xiangwu glanced at the man's legs, which were still bound with sticks.
"It's just a superficial injury, nothing serious, I know what I'm doing." Bai Yunxian shook her hand. "Besides, to be honest, you need some kind of identification to get in there, right? Look at my face."
The reflection of Bai Yunxian's glasses flashed across her face.
Cheng Xiangwu didn't say anything more, but took a slice of watermelon and put it in the man's hand.
"You're smart to know what's good for you." Bai Yunxian took back the watermelon with satisfaction. "I'll come see you tomorrow. Let me know if you have any news, okay?"
"Okay." Cheng Xiangwu said, standing up. "I'm leaving now."
"Push that cart over here for me, oh well, just give me that cake, the spoon's in the drawer next to the dishwasher," Bai Yunxian ordered without any politeness. "And pour me a cup of coffee, iced."
“…Okay.” Cheng Xiangwu did as instructed.
As Cheng Xiangwu walked down the corridor, he found Xiao Fu in the center of the ground floor. She was sitting in the pavilion in the middle of the bridge, writing something. Her back was straight. When she saw someone coming, she turned her head, put away her notebook, stood up, and straightened her trench coat.
“Let’s go,” she said.
Back in the car, Cheng Xiangwu first told the story of the strange things that had happened at the Bai family's house.
“So in the previous case, it really did not need any auxiliary transmission medium to act directly and complete the hunt.” Little F pulled out his notebook again with satisfaction. “This can be classified as a normal individual, at least no different from those I have observed before.”
There were two unconventional cases, which outnumbered the other two.
"Based on the results so far, the fairy in the lake is indeed unrelated to the case, at least not like that thing, actively killing people." Cheng Xiangwu felt that this part was quite strange. "Is it just because of the existence of that whale?"
“There is indeed room for expansion in this. Perhaps the fat in her brain provides her with space for reflection. In my opinion, it is indeed more subjective. After all, she knows how to name herself and create a shell.” Xiao Fu said, picking up his pen and muttering to himself, “Let me sign this part. Miss Bai Yunxian is indeed quite hardworking among her peers.”
"It would be better to just describe them as smart," Cheng Xiangwu suggested.
"...That's a rather cunning adjective, I won't use it rashly," Little F said disapprovingly.
Speaking of intelligence, where have all the adventurers from thirty years ago gone?
"...Now that I think about it, only the whereabouts of that Westerner and my mother are clear." Cheng Xiangwu thought for a moment and then said, "At least it's confirmed that they're dead. Is it possible that the rest are still alive?"
If someone is still alive, then there will be a way to verify what Bai Langtao said.
“…Five-spice,” Little Fu exclaimed. “How come I didn’t know you could be so optimistic?”
“Alright.” Cheng Xiangwu sighed and took out her phone. “Go to the mining area to check the rest. Xiaobai said she wants to go too.”
“Then let her take us to the top floor of the White House while she’s at it,” Little F said without looking up.
The phone, which barely received two bars of signal, vibrated several times. There were two missed calls in the message bar, which had come not long ago. The callers were Zhou Mi and Cheng Xiangwu. After getting off the bus, they called back.
Even with fresh air, the communication signal was still not very strong, but fortunately the other party answered the phone quickly.
"Xiao Mi?" Cheng Xiangwu asked, "Are you looking for me—"
"Xiang...you..." The signal was so bad that the call sounded like a secret code, but at least Zhou Mi's voice didn't sound too anxious, just a little angry.
"Xiao Mi?" Cheng Xiangwu asked uncertainly, "What's wrong? The signal here isn't very good."
"...What...come back?" Zhou Mi asked.
"It will take about another hour," Cheng Xiang replied, half-guessing.
The call ended, and Cheng Xiangwu stared blankly at the end of the call screen. This was the first time Zhou Mi had hung up on her like this.
"Go back as soon as possible," she said as she got into the car. "It seems like something happened back home."
"Want to test the quality of the local transportation bureau's equipment?" Little Fu touched the steering wheel.
The vehicle spiraled down the mountain, defying gravity and traveling against the rules of driving, at a very high speed.
“Let’s come back here tonight,” said Little F. “Let’s go check out the third floor.”
"What else could it be?" Cheng Xiangwu asked, puzzled.
"Logically, there shouldn't be much left. If faith has expired, it should be sealed in a museum. But some staff members claim that they occasionally see light coming from the cracks in the doors on the third floor at night," Xiao Fu said with interest. "I don't know if it's limited to a time or a date, but as a tourist, I have to find a way to see the sights."
“Alright,” Cheng Xiangwu replied.
Once the vehicle reached an area with stable signal, Cheng Xiangwu dialed Gu Wanqiu's number, which was answered after three rings.
"Hello, Mayor's Office." The voice was as deep and calm as ever, as steady as gold.
"It's me." Cheng Xiangwu was inexplicably nervous.
"How's the investigation going?" Gu Wanqiu asked.
“We just met with Bai Langtao. She told me a lot about the past, and,” Cheng Xiangwu thought for a moment and said, “someone from the guild came to me and said that she can always see that thing and control it to brainwash other guild members.”
"Thank you for your hard work." Gu Wanqiu paused, then continued, "Have you figured out a way to control it?"
Through the phone, Cheng Xiangwu couldn't see how the other person reacted to their investigation progress, or whether they were satisfied. Of course, even if they actually met in person, she probably still wouldn't be able to tell.
"Bai Langtao said that she asked me to set fire to her birthday party in order to completely get rid of that thing," Cheng Xiangwu said.
"You believe it?" Gu Wanqiu asked.
Cheng Xiangwu found the laughter coming from the driver's seat particularly inexplicable.
“…We’ll try to verify it,” she said. “We’re trying to get to that mine; can you help us with the transportation?”
The sound of papers turning over came from the other end of the phone.
"Do you have a plan that can convince me?" Gu Wanqiu asked.
Cheng Xiangwu couldn't really come up with a plan. She thought for a moment and said, "Diana said she could lead the way, and then Xiaobai and Baiyunxian said they would also go and could get someone to let us in, and..."
“And me, the prospector,” Little Fran introduced himself.
“There’s another prospector,” Cheng Xiangwu added.
There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. Cheng Xiangwu inexplicably felt guilty during this time. She thought about what she could submit and added, "We think we still need to go to the scene ourselves, otherwise we can only rely on what others say. Diana's investigation is about on par with ours, but we lack some evidence, so, well, so..."
Gu Wanqiu seemed to sigh faintly, "...Okay, I'll have Xiao Yan pick you up from the city hall tomorrow."
"Her?" Cheng Xiangwu was taken aback.
“She has a private helicopter pilot’s license and a senior security guard’s license,” Gu Wanqiu said.
"She came to pick us up, but what about you?" Cheng Xiangwu asked.
"You want me to pick you up?" Gu Wanqiu asked.
"...Bai Langtao told me that if you use the candle she gave you for too long, you will die," Cheng Xiangwu said.
“She also told me that,” Gu Wanqiu said.
"That--"
“She also sent me an invitation to her birthday party,” Gu Wanqiu interrupted. “I know about this.”
She didn't explain how much it was, and Cheng Xiangwu had nothing to say.
"Then I still have work to do. I'll report any news promptly and be careful," Gu Wanqiu said.
“…Okay,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
The call has ended.
The car was quiet for a while, with the engine making a low hum and the wind howling, but no one spoke.
"The wax used for summoning the spirit is missing one last ingredient: that special whale blubber." Little Fu didn't let the car be quiet for long. "Oh, just so you know, the adipocere was purchased from a local funeral home, so there's no need to doubt its source."
There are only two ways to obtain this material: either from Bai Langtao or from Du Qingyu himself, both of which are extremely difficult.
"What are you doing making that thing?" Cheng Xiangwu asked.
"Of course, it's to let you practice, Chef Five Spices," Xiao Fu laughed. "I can't really let you embarrass yourself on the spot, can I? Where would my professional ethics as a real estate agent be then?"
As she spoke, she gave a cold laugh, "And I will prove that flame itself is absolutely just an optical representation."
Cheng Xiangwu had nothing to say.
The car was parked outside the residential area. The passenger in the front passenger seat got out and found that Zhou Mi's convenience store was closed.
"Go park the car first," Cheng Xiangwu said, taking out her phone to call Zhou Mi.
The call was answered quickly.
"Hello?" Cheng Xiangwu asked, "Xiao Mi—"
"Have you arrived yet?" Zhou Mi asked, using the tone of a character from a crime drama, which he seemed to have picked up from who-knows-where.
“I’m at your shop entrance…” Cheng Xiangwu said, and she wondered if it was just her imagination, but she thought she heard someone sobbing on the other end of the phone.
“…We’re at your doorstep,” Zhou Mi said seriously.
"You guys?" Cheng Xiangwu asked in confusion, "You and who?"
“…Come back and see for yourself.” Zhou Mi sighed and hung up the phone.
Looking at the end of the call screen, Cheng Xiangwu had a bad feeling. The last time someone hung up on her like this was her operator. The task was completed, but the body was stolen by a strange lunatic and disappeared without a trace. The client did not accept the death, which caused them to work overtime all night. Since then, she has started to pay extra attention to the way bodies are handled.
After parking his car, Xiao Fu followed. The two went upstairs, and just as they were about to turn a corner, they heard a sobbing sound.
"Don't worry, I'll speak for you!" The voice was unmistakably Zhou Mi's.
"...Really, is it really okay...?" The owner of this voice was quite suspicious.
Seemingly having overheard something, Xiao Fu stopped at the corner and hid in the shadows, saying in a disdainful whisper, "You handle it yourself."
“…Okay,” Cheng Xiangwu said, having no idea what had happened.
Two people were standing at the entrance of the apartment building.
One of them was wearing an apron covered with fan art decorations, with her hands on her hips and her toes touching the ground; she was Zhou Mi.
Another woman stood somewhat awkwardly, her chest occasionally heaving as she inhaled. She carried a small wooden box, and a suitcase was parked beside her. Her hair was neatly braided at the back of her head, and she wore a crisp black stand-up collar robe and cloth boots, looking like a boxing instructor.
She is Du Huangliang.
“…Ah!” She immediately spotted Cheng Xiangwu standing at the corner of the stairs. With that sound, Zhou Mi also turned around alertly and immediately saw the person standing still or even trying to turn around and leave.
"...You..." Cheng Xiangwu was now trapped and could only ask, "Why are you here?"
Upon seeing this person, her abdomen, arms, and respiratory tract began to ache again.
"I..." Du Huangliang sniffed and said something, his voice so soft that no one could hear him.
"What do you mean 'Why are you here?'" Zhou Mi's voice was quite clear, and it also contained anger. "Haven't you already turned her away enough?"
She pulled Du Huangliang quickly to Cheng Xiangwu's side and pushed her forward, saying, "Sister Xiangxiang, you can't just think of your friends and not your family!"
Within her outstretched arms, Du Huangliang, the symbol of "family," cautiously raised her head and glanced at Cheng Xiangwu. Her eyes were still bloodshot, and there were tear tracks on her cheeks, which were partially covered by her bangs. Looking at her like this, she did indeed resemble a left-behind child who had been abandoned.
The problem is that Du Huangliang is no longer a child, and given her expectations of family, Cheng Xiangwu has no motivation to consider acknowledging her as a relative.
“…My aunt…” Du Huangliang’s voice was very soft, but Cheng Xiangwu could hear it clearly at this distance. “My aunt kicked me out of the house.”
After saying that, she started crying again, not making a big fuss, just standing there with her eyes downcast and tears streaming down her face, occasionally letting out a gurgling sob from her throat.
"Your aunt?" Cheng Xiangwu was taken aback. "Du Qingyu?"
“…Yes.” Du Huangliang nodded, his voice choked with emotion. “She…she said I broke the family rules and wouldn’t be a member of the Du family anymore…”
After she finished speaking, she could no longer suppress her sorrow, and tears fell to the ground like melting ice crystals under the eaves in early spring.
"Oh dear." Zhou Mi handed him a tissue with concern. "Don't cry, don't cry."
"Thank you..." Du Huangliang carefully took the tissue and pressed it to his eyes, crying even harder.
"...This child came early this morning, looking for you. She stood at your door for a long time, thinking you wouldn't open it, so she cried as she walked away, but I stopped her." Zhou Mi said in a deep voice, "Sister Xiangxiang, she said you are her biological sister."
The word "亲" (qīn, meaning "close") is pronounced with considerable emphasis.
“…She isn’t…” Cheng Xiangwu didn’t know how to explain. “Okay, she is, but—”
“You two should have a proper talk,” Zhou Mi said, her eyes filled with complex emotions. “Right now, you only have each other left.”
After saying that, she ignored Cheng Xiangwu's gaze and strode downstairs.
"...Let's go inside first." That was all Cheng Xiangwu could say.
“Okay!” Du Huangliang replied quickly.
After the two entered the house, Xiao Fu followed them in. Cheng Xiangwu picked up the suitcase and noticed that something inside seemed to have moved slightly, which gave her a bad feeling.
"...I've put Alice on it," Du Huangliang said cautiously. "She's very well-behaved, but it's fine to leave her outside too!"
After careful consideration, Alice was stopped at the entrance.
According to Du Huangliang (now Du Liang), Du Qingyu herself appeared in her bedroom last night and declared that, based on the unanimous decision of the entire Du family, her opportunistic attempt to force Cheng Xiangwu to return home and drown herself in the lake violated the Du family's long-held principles of integrity. Therefore, she was officially expelled from the Du family. However, considering her diligent performance as head of the family, she could freely use the items in the house. She needed to pack her belongings that night and leave the Du family's farm after sunrise the next day, and was never allowed to approach within a ten-kilometer radius of it again.
"But isn't Miss Du Qingyu feeling unwell?" Xiao Fu asked.
"That's how it is." Du Liang's cheeks were a little red. "But she said that she called Xihe and the others back, exchanged some consciousness with them for some material, and then they were able to come out and move around again. Hehe, so now the head of the family is Auntie!"
She seemed quite happy as she said this, but it's unclear why.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Fu looked at the suitcase. "To be honest, this exchange sounds completely unfeasible, but since the other party is a cat, I can accept it."
"Huh?" Du Liang didn't quite understand what she meant. She thought for a moment and said, "Now everyone is going on a trip again, but Alice doesn't like outsiders, so I took her with me."
As she spoke, she handed the wooden box she had been holding to Xiao Fu, “This is from your aunt. She also asked me to apologize on her behalf, saying that she didn’t answer your question last time because she didn’t want to talk to foreigners.”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Fu merely raised her eyebrows slightly and said, "...Okay, I forgive her." She then took the container, placed it on the table, unlocked the two structural locks, and immediately closed the box again after opening it a crack.
The faint smell wafting over was similar to that in the corridor near the forest lake at the fish farm.
"This is a very apology gift that suits my taste perfectly. I forgive her," she said with satisfaction, hugging the wooden box to her chest.
“…That’s good then.” Du Liang said, politely placing his hands back on his knees.
Having traveled so far to the city, knowing how to find his way, how to apologize for others, and how to bring things for people, even though he would cry if he couldn't find anyone, Cheng Xiangwu felt that Du Liang could barely be considered to have the ability to survive independently.
"So where are you planning to go next?" Cheng Xiangwu asked.
“Based on Uncle Xingke’s experience, I’ve decided to find a place for myself and Alice to stay first, and then look for a job,” Du Liang said, making a seemingly serious plan. He then glanced at Cheng Xiangwu and pulled a crumpled letter from his robe pocket. “I found this among the letters I received before.”
She opened the envelope and pulled out an invitation that Cheng Xiangwu had seen before, but this time there was writing in the recipient's field: "Representative of Du's Breeding Farm".
"I asked my aunt, and she said she's not going, so I'm planning to go to this banquet." Du Liang's voice was filled with anticipation. "They said food and lodging are included..."
“That’s true.” Cheng Xiangwu nodded.
“…Auntie said you’ll be going too…” Du Liang whispered.
"I will definitely go," Cheng Xiangwu said. "Why?"
Du Liang flipped over on the sofa like a monkey and sat down next to Cheng Xiangwu in a flash. As soon as she touched Cheng Xiangwu's arm, Cheng Xiangwu felt the pain again, but Du Liang didn't notice at all. She clung to Cheng Xiangwu's arm and looked at her expectantly, asking, "Sister, can you take me with you?"
"...You don't know the way?" Cheng Xiangwu tried to pull her arm away, but couldn't.
“I do recognize them…” Du Liang frowned, and said pitifully in a low voice, “But there are so many people there… Auntie said to be careful of city people, and I also have Alice with me…”
Cheng Xiangwu thought that city dwellers should be wary of these two.
“Alright then.” Xiao Fu said with a smile, holding the box. “Wu Xiang, take Miss Du Liang to the hotel to check in. I’ll go and finish the final step of the experiment. See you tonight.”
“…Alright.” Cheng Xiangwu stood up and pulled up the person clinging to her arm as well. “Let’s go now.”
The hotel only requires two things for check-in: an ID card and an invitation letter, but Du Liang didn't have the first half.
"Can't you find a place to stay without an ID card?" Du Liang asked, holding Alice in his arms, his suitcase stopped at her feet. Her clothes, along with the large tuft of hair in her arms, made her quite conspicuous in this season.
The two sat in the waiting area outside the Senhu Grand Hotel. Just a few steps away stood the enormous golden whale statue, gleaming in the sunlight, water still gushing from its vents. But Du Liang didn't feel much admiration for it; after all, in her eyes it was just a large golden fish, not her aunt, not the fairy of the lake.
“Yes,” Cheng Xiangwu replied.
"But none of the people at the farm have this," Du Liang said, puzzled.
“Because that’s your home.” Cheng Xiangwu thought for a moment and asked, “Didn’t you bring any identification?”
“…No…” Du Liang said somewhat helplessly.
That makes sense, Cheng Xiangwu took out her phone and started looking for people. She couldn't just let Du Liang wander around like this. Putting aside everything else, Zhou Mi would definitely not accept it.
"...But I heard that Uncle Xingke didn't take anything with him when he left," Du Liang said softly.
“That’s because someone took him away,” Cheng Xiangwu said while typing on her phone, finding it difficult to multitask.
After learning about the mission, the identity broker said that the computer was already turned on.
"Who is that person?" Du Liang asked expectantly. "Can I go find that person too?"
“That person is my mother, she’s dead now, so it won’t work,” Cheng Xiangwu said, looking at her phone.
"Oh..." Du Liang was stunned, falling into deep thought in silence.
During the wait, people occasionally got on and off at the parking area. Cars came and went, and people came and went. The hotel entrance was as orderly as a screw factory. Occasionally, someone would stop to make a decision, but it did not disturb the contemplative person's thoughts.
“But,” Du Liang said, troubled, still seemingly unable to understand, “Uncle Xingke still doesn’t have identification, so how did he manage to find a place to stay?”
Upon hearing this, Cheng Xiangwu turned her head to look at the questioner. The martial artist holding the cat stared fixedly ahead, his brows furrowed. Du Liang's appearance and behavior could blend into this world, but his mind seemed unprepared. After not seeing him for a while, she had forgotten how slow-witted he was.
“Because that place later became his home,” Cheng Xiangwu said, looking at her. “It’s also my home.”
"Is it that room from before?" Du Liang turned his head and asked.
“No, that place has already been burned down,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
Du Liang was taken aback by her words, turned to look at her, and then quickly lowered her head again. "...The family rules were right after all..." she murmured to herself in disappointment.
The phone vibrates to indicate that the task is complete.
"What?" Cheng Xiangwu didn't hear clearly, stood up and said, "Let's go."
"...Where are you going?" Du Liang asked without standing up.
"I'll go check you in." Cheng Xiangwu said, pulling her suitcase over and turning back to say, "Let's go."
“…Oh!” Du Liang paused, then quickly stood up and followed.
"Do you have a cell phone?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.
"The one you're using? I don't have one." Du Liang said softly, then looked at her and tentatively asked, "How can I check in without an ID card?"
"I just got you a temporary one," Cheng Xiangwu said. "I'll take you to buy a phone after you've put your luggage away."
“…Great!” Du Liang suddenly perked up, skipping over to the person in front of him, the white fluffy ball in his arms swaying back and forth. “Does Alice need an ID card to check in?”
"No need," Cheng Xiangwu said.
"Why?" Du Liang asked. "Alice needs a home too."
“Because cats are free,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
When checking in, the receptionist seemed a little surprised to see Alice, but didn't say anything, simply showing her the locations of the hotel's facilities before giving her her room key. It wasn't until she got into the elevator that Cheng Xiangwu remembered some questions about the cat.
"Has Alice been dewormed and sterilized?" she asked.
"What?!" Du Liang hurriedly hid Alice behind his back. "Alice is very clean!"
So there wasn't one. Cheng Xiang nodded at five o'clock, and there was one more thing to do in the afternoon.
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