True Mutual Aid Group
If Bai Yuntian is dead, then many things make sense. For example, why the person in her office is a stand-in, why Bai Yunxian felt that her family had become strange after she left, why Gu Wanqiu said that Bai Langtao's behavior had become abnormal half a year ago, and why she didn't react much when Lu Que died.
Because Bai Yuntian is someone who has been dead for half a year, everything about her ended half a year ago, and since then, she is no longer responsible for anything related to her.
But if Bai Yuntian died half a year ago, one thing becomes extremely illogical—
—Who placed the murder order in Cheng Xiangwu's hands?
If a stand-in dies, another stand-in will appear. The existence of Bai Yuntian is practically endless. Who exactly does the client want to kill? Is it Bai Yuntian himself, or the ghost possessed by the stand-in named Bai Yuntian, sitting in the chairman's secretary's office?
The latter was far beyond Cheng Xiangwu's capabilities, posing a major career crisis, and her expression instantly turned serious.
"...This morning, Bai Yuntian asked us to talk to her about Bai Langtao's birthday banquet. The person sitting in her office is a stand-in." Cheng Xiangwu told her this news first.
"Is there any evidence?" Diana asked first.
“I have nothing to show you, but even if this is true, we can’t be sure if Bai Yuntian is really dead,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
“…If the person who died wasn’t Bai Yuntian, then all the following discussions are meaningless,” Diana said softly, then smiled. “So from now on, let’s believe that she is indeed dead!”
“…Alright then.” Cheng Xiang nodded. “Let’s assume she’s dead.”
“Assuming she’s dead, then the true purpose of everything Bai Langtao did, everything I experienced, and everything the mayor experienced all need to be questioned.” Diana picked up a French fry and drew a question mark. “Let’s start with the first one. If Bai Yuntian is dead, the matter of the successor shouldn’t have been decided at this time in the first place. What was the purpose of Bai Langtao holding his birthday party?”
Moreover, as far as Cheng Xiangwu knew, Bai Yuntian was not actually Bai Langtao's biological child. Unless Bai Langtao intended to keep anyone with the name Bai Yuntian as chairman, she really shouldn't have done that.
"This is a question," Cheng Xiangwu thought for a moment, "I'll try to ask about it. I'll be meeting with Bai Langtao next."
“…You really went all out,” Diana exclaimed. “I’m so honored to have someone like you as a colleague and helper.”
“…Eh.” Cheng Xiangwu took a sip of cola.
“Don’t be shy!” Diana encouraged, picking up two more fries. “Next is the second one. Why are the union members hunting me down? Honestly, it’s definitely a manhunt. Although being hunted down as a journalist sounds like a stereotypical joke, experiencing something like that wouldn’t have made my career any more legendary. If the people hunting me down were really from the Bai family, this wouldn’t be a problem…”
The last sentence was tinged with regret.
"Are you being hunted down solely because of that photo? Or is there another reason?" Cheng Xiangwu pondered.
“At first, I also thought it was a combination of old and new grudges. I consider myself to be quite valuable, but if the person who died really was Bai Yuntian,” Diana blinked, “don’t you think the argument that the guild didn’t want the news of Bai Yuntian’s death to be leaked is rather strange?”
How did the union members know that Bai Yuntian was dead? Why didn't they want the news to get out?
"...Why?" Cheng Xiangwu frowned.
“One possibility, and the best explanation, is this,” Diana cleared her throat. “The Bai family and the union are in cahoots. They share information and have the same interests. But if the mayor has already denied it to his face, then there’s nothing we can do.”
“We need to ask someone from the union about this, but…” Cheng Xiangwu thought of the two people who were practically in a vegetative state, “The police caught two of them, but those two are not likely to answer any questions right now.”
"What's going on?" Diana frowned.
"He won't wake up," Cheng Xiangwu said. "The hospital diagnosed him as being in a vegetative state, but a professional examined him and said he was in a coma."
“Who is the diagnostician?” Diana asked.
"The signature is illegible." Cheng Xiangwu shook his head.
“…There are plenty of people in the union, so there’s no need to target those two.” Diana took a sip of her drink. “These people usually hide in the crowd, which is why they’re hard to find. I’ll try to fish out a few after these few days.”
"When?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.
"Hmm... the day after tomorrow?" Diana pondered. "How about tomorrow?"
“I’ll go with you,” Cheng Xiangwu said, feeling that Diana would have a hard time dealing with a suicide attack on her own.
"Thank you in advance for your help, my colleague!" Diana raised her wine glass and clinked it against Cheng Xiangwu's Coke. "Now, the last one: why did Bai Langtao's attitude towards the mayor change after Bai Yuntian died half a year ago?"
This change in attitude clearly caused Gu Wanqiu a lot of trouble.
“The most obvious impact of this incident is the way the mayor handled the Senhu No. 2 Middle School case.” Diana sighed. “Those in charge of handling the scene were her cronies from the fire department, and most of them suffered serious psychological trauma and blows at the scene. Only a few of them are still here, and Yan Xizhao is one of them.”
It was that silent bodyguard with the navy cap.
"This question," Cheng Xiangwu thought for a moment, "maybe you could try telling her your guess directly, and maybe she'll remember something."
“That’s what I’m planning to do,” Diana nodded. “I prefer to talk face-to-face, but the mayor is very busy, so a phone call wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
“…Keep it up,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
"And you?" Diana asked. "Although I wasn't there for the latter part of the day, I'm sure you had other tasks to complete. If you'd like to talk to me, I can offer some advice."
“…Yes, there is.” Cheng Xiangwu thought for a moment and said, “She said that the incident at Senhu No. 2 Middle School will happen again, and she hopes that we can find a way to control the murderer.”
Diana choked and coughed several times before recovering. "Why are our requests so different?"
"Really?" Cheng Xiangwu didn't think there was a big difference.
"Okay." Diana picked up a French fry. "Speaking of which, why did what happened at No. 2 Middle School?"
“…It’s said to be a natural phenomenon,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
"Hmph!" Diana made a big X with her fries. "Putting aside the fact that I've never seen a natural disaster like that, even if it were, nature is irrational, and so is the selection of victims. There must be some reason behind this. Go find out the reason, my colleague."
“That’s true.” Cheng Xiangwu nodded. “Our current thinking is that it all stemmed from an earthquake in the mining area thirty years ago, and we need to find a way to go there and take a look.”
"...That's quite difficult. Aside from the distance, the area around the mine is entirely Bai family territory." Diana munched on a fries like she was smoking a cigarette. "When are you planning to go?"
"It's not decided yet." Cheng Xiangwu paused. "Do you want to come with us?"
“Of course, reporter Anna won’t miss a single scene!” Diana winked. “And if the routes haven’t changed too much, I can even show you the way.”
"Wow," Cheng Xiangwu responded.
“Also, I recommend that you go as early as possible, and preferably before Bai Langtao’s birthday party,” Diana said.
"...Why?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.
“Because I have information that the old man has been going back and forth to the mine more and more frequently these past few days, and coupled with what we’ve been discussing,” Diana said, frowning. “Everything indicates that she’s going to do something big on her birthday. There will be an answer in the mine, and there will be some kind of outcome, but I have a feeling that the outcome won’t be good.”
As she spoke, she raised her glass and took a sip, refreshing the pessimistic mood in her mouth.
There was no new topic of conversation between the two for a while. Diana was thinking about something, and so was Cheng Xiangwu.
She looked at her phone and suddenly realized something—
—Diana was absolutely brilliant at writing critical reports.
“…It’s like this.” Cheng Xiangwu said thoughtfully, “Someone suddenly asked me to write a critical report for her.”
"Hmm?" Diana found the topic intriguing. "Where did this new boss come from?"
Cheng Xiangwu sighed, "Anyway, can you give me some advice?"
“Of course, my forte is questioning.” Diana grinned, tilting her head to look at Cheng Xiangwu’s face. “But it also depends on how much you’re willing to share with me.”
This can be found by searching online. Cheng Xiangwu briefly recounted the fire at Wuxianglou.
“Then someone told me that the fire started on the second or third floor of the building, that’s it.” After Cheng Xiangwu finished speaking, she noticed that Diana was looking at her with an indescribable expression, and couldn’t help but turn her face to ask, “What’s wrong?”
“…It’s nothing, and I’m not qualified to ask.” Diana said softly, then perked up after a moment’s thought. “Are you ready? I’m going to start asking questions.”
Cheng Xiangwu picked up her phone to type.
“Clearly, you don’t care much about the cause and effect of this matter and just want to investigate the truth. So let’s discard all personal feelings and doubts, directly use this clue as empirical evidence, incorporate it into the original question, and then rethink it.” Diana raised her hand to touch her lips. “If the first floor is the only place for dining, then why did the fire start in the living room? How did the fire start, and who started it? Why could it burn so much in an unconventional fire area? And why is it necessary for an outsider to take the blame instead of letting it be judged as an accidental fire?”
Cheng Xiangwu didn't know the answers to any of these three questions.
“…Don’t be so discouraged. Critical reports aren’t for finding answers; they’re for raising questions and expressing your own opinions,” Diana waved her hand to comfort her. “What are your thoughts on these issues?”
In reality, the idea didn't exist. Cheng Xiangwu didn't care about these questions; she just wanted answers. Just like when she wanted to kill Qin Zixi as the answer to the whole matter, instead of considering the real issues involved. But dealing only with the immediate problems seemed to be ineffective; reality had proven this many times. Reality pushed her to look into the abyss called "problems," and even after looking, she still found the gaze from that abyss incredibly troublesome.
But we still need to maintain a proper attitude. Cheng Xiangwu thought for a moment and said, "Apart from the third question, it's very difficult to find any evidence to deduce the answers to the other two questions now."
She paused. There was evidence. The answer to the second question was now supported by evidence that could be deduced. She had even witnessed it herself. That evening by the river, she pulled the knife she had stuck into the head of the UFO and saw the face that confirmed the cause of Du Ke's death.
There is only one way for someone to die from being hunted by UFOs, so the arsonist could not possibly be Du Ke. Besides him, the only other person on the second floor is Cheng Song, the owner of Wuxianglou who can light a different kind of fire, the person who developed the candles that are still used in various corners of Senhu, the cook who is very familiar with Bai Langtao, and Cheng Xiangwu's mother.
“…It seems you’ve remembered something,” Diana prompted. “Did this give you any ideas?”
“…I don’t understand,” Cheng Xiangwu said in a low voice.
“This kind of situation is not uncommon; it's just that some intermediate parts of the investigation are missing.” Diana pushed the fry box away. “Don’t think too much about it now. Keep a critical mind and don’t get yourself into a trap.”
Cheng Xiangwu chewed on the fries, which were already a bit soft; they tasted like paper in his mouth.
“Let’s start writing the report from the third question first,” Diana nodded. “Think about it this way: Qin Zixi is undoubtedly an outsider, and if the fire really started inside the building, it would be easy for him to be exposed if he took the blame. Compared to that, it’s obviously easier to simply treat the incident as an accidental fire, and it won’t cause any further trouble. Moreover, now that Qin Zixi has been murdered, although we can no longer get anything out of the parties involved, more attention will be focused on the person who killed him and the person who instructed him. I wonder if this result is related to the initial purpose of the actions.”
She deliberately slowed down her tone, pausing briefly between each sentence to wait for Cheng Xiangwu to type.
“Actually, I’m quite curious about who told you this. What exactly does she want to hear from you?” Diana said, taking a sip of her wine. “Does she want to know your opinion? Or does she want you to pay attention to this matter, or simply wants to guide you to investigate something?”
Thinking of Bai Yunxian, Cheng Xiangwu was confused about her attitude and didn't understand what she wanted to do. What if it turned out that her family really had problems? Would she stay to solve them? Or would she take these questions with her, board the train leaving Senhu, and fly back into the sky?
Cheng Xiangwu couldn't confirm it; too much time had passed, and Bai Yunxian had changed a lot.
But, “It doesn’t matter,” she smiled and said, “It doesn’t matter what she wants to do.”
“…Is that so?” Diana said, then laughed. “That’s right. Accepting how things develop and responding proactively is also a required course for journalists. Keep it up, colleagues, one day you’ll be able to write a critical report on your own!”
"...Let's skip this one." Cheng Xiangwu really didn't want to write any more long reports.
After the two finished eating a large basket of fries together, they clapped their hands. Diana got up to leave, and Cheng Xiangwu got up to return to work; they both still had their own tasks to do.
With the temporary worker absent, the boss had relaxed the requirements for customers. Cheng Xiangwu walked to the table with the tray and realized that the person who ordered was Lin Che'an. She had probably just finished work and came to the bar without changing out of her work clothes. At this moment, she was leaning against the cushions, staring intently at the stage. There were five empty glasses and her glasses on the low table in front of her, but she was the only one sitting at the table.
A new glass of neat whiskey was placed on the table. She turned around to thank the person, but upon seeing them, she greeted them instead.
“Ms. Cheng, I didn’t expect to see you here, or rather, you like this.” Lin Che’an’s smile was as gentle as ever, and his voice and expression were quite clear, not at all like someone who had consumed at least two hundred milliliters of alcohol.
"I didn't expect that either." Cheng Xiangwu nodded and held out her hand, saying, "Please show me your identification."
"Hey, the wine is already on the table. Isn't it too late to talk about this?" Lin Che'an asked, feigning surprise.
Judging from this, the person seemed to be of sound mind. Cheng Xiangwu then asked, "Are you alone?"
"Is this a way of flirting?" Lin Che'an asked with a smile.
"They're asking how you're going to get back later," Cheng Xiangwu said.
"As a civil servant, I certainly wouldn't intentionally cause trouble for other civil servants, so don't worry." Lin Che'an swirled the glass, letting the ice ball spin in the light and the liquid, and then quietly lowered his voice as if telling a secret, "Besides, I won't get drunk. I'm mainly here to enjoy the atmosphere."
She spoke as if it were trivia, but her tone suggested she was bragging.
“…Then please continue, thank you for your patronage.” Cheng Xiangwu nodded and placed the empty cups on the tray. The clinking of the glass cups and the accompaniment of the singer on stage created a rhythm that was quite pleasant to the ear.
"Is it because you're a worker that you can't enjoy the atmosphere created by the crowd?" Lin Che'an said regretfully. "That's a real shame. The boss has put in a lot of effort to make it work."
"She'll understand me." Cheng Xiangwu nodded and walked away with the tray.
Lin Che'an's gaze lingered on her back for a moment before returning to the stage, as if she wanted to enjoy the atmosphere.
The bar closed promptly at midnight. Cheng Xiangwu went back and forth with a garbage bag. This time, there were far fewer people on the way there and back. Only a few white taxis were parked on the side of the road like ghosts, with their roof lights on, waiting for customers. Most of their drivers were standing or leaning against the door, or sitting in the driver's seat with their heads out of the open window, chatting in groups.
"Boss, I'll be back tomorrow!" a slightly drunk customer muttered as he walked out.
"Please don't, we won't be open tomorrow." Zhou Yan said with a helpless smile, "I've been working too hard these past two days. Thank you for your support, but I really need to rest."
After changing her clothes back in the warehouse, Zhou Yan sat on a small red velvet stool before going out. She hadn't changed her clothes yet, or rather, this was her personal clothing.
"Thank you for your hard work, Xiao Wu." She stood up. "Let's go, I'll take you home."
Zhou Yan's car contained many items that were clearly added by Zhou Mi, such as an acrylic pendant dangling below the rearview mirror, a strangely shaped neck pillow under the headrest, and a portrait blanket spread out on the back seat. These overly prominent additions made the gray-blue Cadillac unconsciously become a backdrop, but the owner obviously didn't care. She zipped up the small bag full of things on the passenger seat and put it in the back seat so that Cheng Xiangwu could sit down.
There was a smell of alcohol mixed with lemon and mint coming from the driver's seat. Anyone who smelled it would suspect that the driver's pre-driving drink was harmful to driving.
"Speaking of which, I heard Xiaobai came back this morning," Zhou Yan asked, turning the steering wheel. "Xiao Wu, have you seen her?"
"I saw her." Cheng Xiang nodded. "She even came to see me."
The streets outside the window were darkened by nightfall, and the interior of the car was also dimly lit, but perhaps because the temperature was comfortable, the people inside did not feel like they had been thrown into darkness.
"Thinking about it, it's been more than ten years since you last met. Xiaobai used to come back and occasionally come to see me, asking, 'Where did Cheng Xiangwu go? Is she coming back?'" Zhou Yan said in a nostalgic tone, her voice low and slow. "She hasn't asked in recent years, but it's good that you two met again."
Reuniting with an old friend is indeed a good thing, but now Cheng Xiangwu can't help but think of Bai Yunxian's family matters whenever she thinks of her. She never needed to think about these things before. She thought to herself, then realized that it was because those problems hadn't surfaced before, and she couldn't see them.
Previously, Bai Yunxian was Xiaobai, not Bai Langtao's youngest child, not Bai Yuntian's sister, not—
“Yes,” Cheng Xiangwu replied softly, “I’m quite happy to see her.”
“…That’s great.” Zhou Yan sighed and smiled. “You’re all so grown up now. It’s not easy to make friends when you’re older. You should cherish the friends you have who you can stay connected with, Xiao Wu.”
"Mm," Cheng Xiangwu replied. It would be even better if this friend didn't make her write reports.
The car stopped downstairs at the apartment building. Cheng Xiangwu unbuckled her seatbelt and saw a hand reaching out from the driver's seat. The calloused fingernails were carefully trimmed, and a red envelope was gently held between the thumb and forefinger.
Cheng Xiangwu opened her mouth and looked up at Zhou Yan.
"Why that expression?" Zhou Yan couldn't help but laugh, then forced a frown and said, "Does Xiao Wu think Sister Yanzi is a terrible adult who makes the younger generation do their work for nothing?"
“…Thank you.” Cheng Xiangwu said softly, carefully accepting the paper bundle, which was still warm and quite heavy.
"That's right." Zhou Yan finally relaxed her brow, smiled, patted Cheng Xiangwu's shoulder, and said softly, "Thank you for helping out tonight. Everyone says that Xiao Wu is a responsible and reliable person. Go and get some rest, thank you for your hard work!"
“…Mm!” Cheng Xiang nodded in response, accepting the high-level work evaluation while clutching the red envelope.
After watching the gray-blue car disappear around the corner, she turned and went upstairs.
A faint light shone from under the apartment door. Cheng Xiang opened the door five times and found that the fill light under the kitchen cabinet was still on, but no one was around. She went into the bedroom. Gorson was already asleep, and Xiao Fu was lying on the sofa chair by the window. She had changed into her pullover pajamas and was holding the camera to her chest, as if she couldn't bear to part with her new toy so she had to sleep with it.
She then opened her eyes, and her pupils, which had been questioned about having a visual impairment not long ago, emitted a faint light in the darkness. Cheng Xiangwu had never thought about this before, but now it seemed that normal eyeballs shouldn't be fluorescent.
"..." Xiao Fu raised one eyebrow, said nothing, stood up and gestured to Cheng Xiangwu, and the two left the bedroom.
In a corner of the kitchen, Xiao Fu placed his camera on the island counter.
"How is it?" she asked bluntly.
“Diana believed that the person who died in the White Terrace six months ago was Bai Yuntian,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
"Congratulations on completing the mission ahead of schedule," Xiao Fu said, but his tone didn't really offer any congratulations.
"This is unacceptable," Cheng Xiangwu shook his head.
In this situation, the best approach is to communicate with the person who made the request. However, most assassination clients choose to remain anonymous or use intermediaries to deliver the message, and this client was no exception. Furthermore, tracing the employer's information would disrupt the transaction rules.
"Then I'll bring you some good news." Xiao Fu took out his phone and showed a photo, which was a black and white printout of a check. "It's not just Qin Zixi's check; I compared it with all the publicly available documents that Baiyuntian has signed in the past."
She swiped the screen, and the photo switched to the deposit check from this morning. "The workers' compensation check was signed by Ms. Bai Yuntian herself, and the handwriting was no different from her previous ones, while this fresh goods from this morning are obviously a copy."
The date on Qin Zixi's workers' compensation check was around the time of his release from prison.
“Miss Han Lingfeng used some means to send the original workers’ compensation check for testing, and the ink is fresh,” Xiao Fu added. “In other words, based on the handwriting record, Miss Bai Yuntian personally signed a check about a week ago.”
“…It was someone else who died half a year ago.” Cheng Xiangwu paused, “But who else could it be?”
"Let's be optimistic. What if Miss Bai Yuntian has come back to life?" Xiao Fu smiled and put away his phone.
No one but her could express optimism about this possibility. Cheng Xiangwu sighed and brought up another matter, "That truck driver probably won't wake up either. Diana said she's going to try to fish one out tomorrow. I'll go help. Are you coming?"
“You’re no less capable than her in terms of bait quality,” Little F nodded. “Of course I’ll go.”
After Cheng Xiangwu was twice murdered, she naturally knew that she was highly sought after, but she had reasons not to expose herself in public. In Diana's case of sacrificing herself to seduce someone, she could only help from the shadows.
“…That’s really annoying about you,” Little F said with dissatisfaction.
She paused, then looked up again. "However, you'd better be mindful of the situation. The conflict between the local police station and the investigation team has intensified, and this conflict has affected the work attitude of other departments. If they still don't know how to restrain themselves in this situation, then in my opinion, the best-case scenario is that Senhu City might see a strike and demonstration, the first of its kind in the area."
"...Conflict? What conflict?" Cheng Xiangwu didn't remember those people ever having a conflict, and with Xie Wuchang's help in mediating, it shouldn't have escalated to the point of needing a strike.
“The contradiction is, why haven’t the outsiders left yet?” Little F laughed. “It’s quite interesting, isn’t it? Occasionally seeing this kind of inexplicable conflict can help clear the neural pathways in the brain.”
"Didn't these people think about what would happen if they really left?" Cheng Xiangwu frowned, finding it uninteresting.
“Then Senhu City will return to its former peace.” Little Fu said in an animated narration tone that he had picked up from somewhere. “At least a third of the city’s police genuinely think so, but Miss Jiang Ling has to consider three-thirds. Statisticians are particularly inflexible in this regard.”
Cheng Xiangwu had nothing to say.
“Strikes and marches aren’t exactly fun events, but chaos always gives restless people new ideas, and in any case, you, as the starting point, won’t be let off easily, no matter which side.” Little F crossed his arms, the “serious” print on his clothes standing out. “But that’s all in the future. I’ll also help keep an eye on the flames.”
Cheng Xiangwu didn't really want to say thank you.
"You're welcome." Little F raised his chin.
“There’s something else.” Cheng Xiangwu showed Xiao Fu a picture of Ye Luan’s business card. “This person is Ye Shu’s twin sister. She’s been severely affected and has even lost a lot of her memories. She runs a flower shop, and some people from the underworld have been approaching her to buy hallucinogenic drugs, but she herself is unaware of it. Let’s take a look when we have some free time.”
“Hallucinogenic drugs…” Xiao Fu looked at the business card thoughtfully, then held up a finger. “Speaking of which, although I can’t reproduce your family’s formula due to material acquisition issues, I tried to simulate the effect using materials with similar molecules, and the result was very strange.”
She pondered, then put her hand away and stroked her chin. "Putting aside the errors in the combustion process caused by the properties of the wax base and herbal materials, what puzzles me is the principle. Your mother is truly an extraordinary person; I can't figure out why anyone would research and create such a recipe."
“It’s quite popular,” Cheng Xiangwu explained.
“…I’m not denying that.” Little Fran emphasized, spreading one hand. “The point is, why is this recipe a ‘recipe’? It could be a candle recipe, a medicinal oil recipe, or an aromatherapy recipe, but it’s a recipe, which is arguably its most inappropriate use.”
She said this with a hint of disappointment and regret.
"They're quite popular." Cheng Xiangwu had no idea what she was lamenting.
Xiao Fu completely ignored that statement. "Especially those herbal mixtures, they could have been more effective if they hadn't been used that way. The wax base is simply not suitable as a medium for mixing with whole plants, even if you replaced the lard with adipocere. So something is missing. I want to recreate this formula, but it's still missing something."
"...So what does this have to do with hallucinogens?" Cheng Xiangwu ignored the man and continued to change the ingredients in the formula to something even more illegal.
“Miss Gu Wanqiu’s brainwave silence symptoms,” Xiao Fu said with certainty. “Even people who can manipulate the subconscious cannot completely stop having any thoughts. I dare say that is something that no human can do on their own.”
As she spoke, she straightened up. "I really hope she lives to see me find evidence to refute this argument, but I'll find a way to let her know if she dies."
"...Her." Cheng Xiangwu thought for a moment, then asked, "Is there any way to get her—"
"Stop her from using dangerous substances?" Little F spoke for the questioner, who naturally had nothing to say.
But Cheng Xiangwu knew that since she had asked the question, she didn't intend to answer it.
“That was her own decision,” Little F said indifferently. “And as an outsider, I don’t intend to interfere too much with the original environment here; it’s pointless. My goal is to take what I need, without taking responsibility for or being interested in this place. I also hope you can think clearly about what your purpose really is, Five Spices.”
After stating her position, she turned around, picked up her camera, and said as if to end the conversation, "Let's call it a night. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Cheng Xiangwu said. "Are you sleeping with your camera in your body?"
“I hope it will inspire me,” Little F said matter-of-factly.
After saying that, she took her camera and went back to the guest room.
The next morning, Cheng Xiangwu saw Xiao Fu, dressed neatly, on the living room sofa.
"Disappointed?" Little F raised his eyes. "I was hoping for freshly baked French pastry for breakfast today. Go line up now."
"Bake it yourself." Cheng Xiangwu walked towards the entrance to change her shoes without looking back.
"Then at least bring me fresh berries," Little Fran relayed the order from the living room.
"Grow it yourself." Cheng Xiangwu closed the door without looking back.
In the early hours of this morning, Bai Yunxian reviewed and evaluated the report submitted yesterday, and now it is Cheng Xiangwu's turn to respond to her evaluation.
"Did you write all of this by yourself?" she was the first to suspect cheating.
"Someone gave me some advice," Cheng Xiangwu replied honestly, since Bai Yunxian hadn't specifically asked her to complete the task alone.
“What I want is your attitude and opinion,” Bai Yunxian replied immediately.
"That's it," Cheng Xiangwu replied, adding that there was really nothing more.
"Alright then," Bai Yunxian conceded, then added, "Are you free?"
Cheng Xiangwu thought for a moment, and really didn't have time. "I'm busy, what's wrong?"
"I don't have time to plan ahead," Bai Yunxian said. "My sister didn't come home last night. I asked my family, and they said she started living in the company office a few months ago."
But there was nowhere to live in that office yesterday, Cheng Xiangwu replied thoughtfully, "Have you talked to your mother about it?"
The bubble rose and fell, finally uttering the words, "I need to find an opportunity."
That means it hasn't happened yet. Cheng Xiangwu can't rush things like this. Then his phone vibrated, and Bai Yunxian called him directly.
"Although your report is heavily embellished, I will still keep my word and fulfill my promise." Bai Yunxian's voice on the other end of the phone was surrounded by the white noise provided by nature.
"Mmm," Cheng Xiangwu responded.
“…I told you yesterday that Aunt Cheng’s formula is only for her to use, right?” Bai Yunxian said, seemingly taking a few steps, the leaves rustling. “My mother also knows this. Logically speaking, after Aunt Cheng left, the formula should no longer have any effect.”
“That’s true.” Cheng Xiangwu said, but then he remembered the smell of candles in Gu Wanqiu’s office and the Du family’s corridor.
“But I know that my mother has been trying to collect those materials, some of which come from the mining area, which means she has never given up on making that kind of wax.” Bai Yunxian’s voice deepened. “And sometimes, I can smell a scent similar to that of the candle, but not quite the same, at home and in my sister’s office.”
“...Your sister’s office,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
“Yes, you need a key card, but I have a spare. The one you used yesterday was probably the one I left there,” Bai Yunxian said.
"The chairman's secretary's office, isn't it the one on the top floor, at the very end of the elevator, on the right?" Cheng Xiangwu asked doubtfully. "Where is that office—"
“No,” Bai Yunxian interrupted. “That’s the chairman’s office. My sister’s office is the one on the left after you exit the elevator.”
Upon hearing this, Cheng Xiangwu froze. Holding her phone, she stood motionless for a moment, her mind replaying the impractical space in her hand. A gap unconsciously appeared in front of her. The person in line behind her raised their hand to pat her shoulder, but was startled by her sudden turn of her face. She nodded to the person and joined the line ahead, ignoring what the people behind her were saying.
“…I see.” Bai Yunxian understood something too. She was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled. “It seems I really have missed a lot.”
Over the phone, Cheng Xiangwu could imagine her frowning, trying to smile, but ultimately just putting on an ugly expression that looked like she was mocking something. It was obvious that it didn't match her name or face at all.
“Xiao Bai,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
"...Could you please stop calling me that?" Bai Yunxian corrected. "If you're not going to change it, at least show some more respect in your tone."
“…Xiaobai.” Cheng Xiangwu didn’t know why she added those inexplicable things to her tone, “If, I mean if, if your sister were gone, what would your mother do?”
"If this kind of disclaimer appears three times, it's no different from a critical illness notice. What do you mean by 'gone'?" Bai Yunxian's voice tightened. "Didn't you see her yesterday? What, she flew away right in front of you after seeing you?"
Cheng Xiangwu remained silent.
“…If my sister were gone.” Bai Yunxian murmured to herself, but when she spoke again, she had regained her composure. “The possibility is extremely low. She couldn’t have died suddenly, and even if she did, my mother wouldn’t have reacted that way.”
Cheng Xiangwu didn't say anything.
"But what if, what if such an extremely low probability event really happens?" Bai Yunxian paused for a long time, and for a moment, only the rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds could be heard on the other end of the phone.
When it was Cheng Xiangwu's turn to order, she looked at the guokui (a type of flatbread) menu in front of her, turned on her phone and mute it, saying, "Two of each of the three flavors."
"Alright." The owner quickly used tongs to pick out a crispy wheat flour baked staple with a rich, airy center.
A long sigh came from the other end of the phone.
“…I don’t know, Cheng Xiangwu.” Bai Yunxian’s voice was very soft. “I have no idea what will happen or what I should do.”
"Mm," Cheng Xiangwu replied, then went to the fruit shop next door and weighed out strawberries and blueberries.
“…Sorry, I said you were useless yesterday, but in the end I’m useless myself.” Bai Yunxian muttered to herself.
The apology was beyond Cheng Xiangwu's expectations. She looked at her phone and realized she hadn't unmuted it. She tapped the button. "Then why did you come back?"
"...Why do you still speak so harshly?" Bai Yunxian said through gritted teeth. "Have you thought about any solutions to this matter?"
“There really is,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
"Hurry up and tell me!" Bai Yunxian urged.
"Just go to your mother and say something like that." Cheng Xiangwu cleared her throat. "I heard you're hiring that tongue-tied Cheng Xiangwu as your chef for your birthday. I'm so disappointed. I'm not eating this meal. Happy birthday in advance! I'm leaving tomorrow. Then I'll take the train, then a plane, and then—"
"Cheng Xiangwu!" Bai Yunxian interrupted the suggestion sharply, "Are you saying I'm useless?"
Radio waves couldn't mask the skepticism of the doubters, but Cheng Xiangwu wasn't very sensitive to temperature changes, and simply continued, "I'm giving you advice."
"Who are you to give me advice?" Bai Yunxian scoffed. "Isn't what you're saying basically telling me to get lost? What's the difference between that and what my mother said?"
“Then listen to your mother’s opinion,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
“…If I had listened, I wouldn’t have come back,” Bai Yunxian said softly, then suddenly raised her voice and asked, “Why do you all want me to leave?”
Cheng Xiang didn't reply for a moment, and the plastic bag next to her swayed and hit her leg.
“Do you know, Cheng Xiangwu, my mother has been looking for you for a long time.” Bai Yunxian’s voice was even a little cold. “She thought I didn’t know, but how could she hide it from me? When I asked her, she wouldn’t tell me. When she couldn’t find you, I asked her for help, but she told me to stop worrying about it and focus on my studies.”
It's normal that I can't find it. Cheng Xiangwu cursed the company's information department again in his mind.
The sound of the shoes crushing fallen leaves was clear. "It was my neglect of potential risks that led to this situation. How can I continue to ignore it now?"
Putting aside the fact that Cheng Xiangwu doesn't believe these things were caused by her absence, even if she hadn't been absent, she probably wouldn't have been able to prevent anything.
But now that she's said this, she'll definitely be even angrier, Cheng Xiangwu thought, and sighed, "So, what do you want to do now?"
"After hearing what I said, what are your thoughts now?" Bai Yunxian threw the question back at him.
"I have no idea," Cheng Xiangwu said honestly. "Okay, I just think you're a bit of a nuisance."
“What’s this? I think my character is top-notch, and I follow moral standards,” Bai Yunxian said confidently. “Besides, I at least make my demands clear.”
"So what are your demands of me this time?" Cheng Xiang asked.
“…It’s not a request, it’s a plea,” Bai Yunxian said. “If, I mean if, I find out that something strange is actually happening in our family, and my mother is going to do something strange, and I have to stop her, would you be willing to help me?”
After the request was made, she didn't speak again, just waited for a reply along with the white noise beside her. On the other end of the phone, she seemed to be dragging something in one direction, with intermittent sounds of metal rubbing against tree roots and stones on the ground.
"A critical condition notice?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.
"To help or not to help?" Bai Yunxian asked.
"Do you know what it means to ask me for help?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.
"...If you're going to deal with my mother, of course I, as a dutiful daughter, was mentally prepared before telling you this." Bai Yunxian snorted. "You guys, your agent, and those police officers are investigating, and sooner or later they'll find out about our family. To be honest, I didn't want to get involved in this anyway; the lab and the hospital are already giving me enough headaches..."
Cheng Xiangwu waited for a long time but didn't hear a "but," so she took over the conversation, "I can help you, Xiaobai. I promise to help you in my personal capacity, but you need to be mentally prepared."
Get ready to attend your mother's funeral.
"You'd better be prepared too." Bai Yunxian laughed, and the dragging sound stopped. "You'll never guess where I am right now."
Cheng Xiangwu looked back but didn't see anyone.
"If I weren't behind you, what would you be thinking?" Bai Yunxian sneered. "I'm at our family's ancestral graveyard."
"...What are you trying to do?" Cheng Xiangwu was genuinely puzzled. "Your sister hasn't even been confirmed dead yet, why are you in such a hurry?"
"I'm speechless!" Bai Yunxian cursed helplessly. "What are you thinking? Why would I need to come to our family ancestral graveyard to confirm whether my sister is dead or alive? What, do I need to confirm that her corpse hasn't come back to life? My sister is Jesus Christ, my aunt's only son?"
Cheng Xiangwu had nothing to say.
“I had someone investigate the case at Senhu No. 2 Middle School. Well, I mean, I contacted Mayor Gu Wanqiu. She didn’t hide it from me.” The sound of dressing came from Bai Yunxian’s end. “Since you’ve agreed to help me, I’ll tell you something else.”
The zipper slammed shut with a whoosh, revealing a long zipper. "Rumor has it that something similar happened in my house more than thirty years ago—I'm referring to the physical address. Because it was so bizarre and few people discussed it, I treated it as a ghost story when I was a kid. But things are different now."
She seemed to be wearing some kind of head brace, and her voice became somewhat muffled. "Suicide by decapitation, does that sound familiar? Rumor has it that more than 30 years ago, such corpses began to appear one after another in our yard, including servants and relatives, until the earthquake stopped. Doesn't that sound interesting? No, isn't it suspicious? But whether this connection is reliable or not still needs to be verified. Isn't it a coincidence that our family all use traditional burial methods?"
Indeed, Cheng Xiangwu looked at the call interface in his hand, hesitant to speak.
"I have to get back to work. I'll let you know when I have the results," Bai Yunxian said, and then hung up the phone.
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