Chapter 64 The murderer framed her, reporters blocked the door.
Two screams overlapped, and Chu Ci covered her ears, but the shock still made her vision go black.
Shen Xiuhe also covered his ears, and seeing her swaying, he quickly helped her up.
"Are you alright?" he asked with concern.
I was a little puzzled: the little girl's scream was loud, but it wasn't loud enough to knock someone unconscious...
Chu Ci steadied himself against the doorframe and shook his head.
"fine."
She shook her head, quietly waiting for her blackened eyes to slowly regain their vision, but she didn't go back into the ward.
The girl's mother sat by the bed, holding her daughter tightly, tears welling in her eyes, threatening to fall.
But she mustered her spirits and, choking back tears, apologized to Chu Ci, who was covering her ears:
"I'm sorry, my daughter isn't feeling well."
Her voice was soft, polite, and clear.
Chu Ci looked in the direction of the sound and was immediately captivated by the woman's beautiful features.
She had fair skin, well-defined features, big eyes, a small upturned nose, and tears welling up in her eyes, making her look like a pear blossom in the rain.
She has the most beautiful appearance of a delicate flower, and is the most beautiful person Chu Ci has ever seen before and after her transmigration.
She's even prettier than most Hong Kong celebrities.
"Miss Yuan?!"
Shen Xiu, who was beside her, exclaimed in shock.
Chu Ci snapped out of her daze, turned to look at him, and asked in a low voice, "You know him?"
Shen Xiu asked in surprise, "You don't know Miss Yuan?"
He stared wide-eyed, as if it were highly illogical that Chu Ci didn't recognize her.
"She's Yuan Yuling!"
Chu Ci blinked, feeling that the name was somewhat familiar, as if it had appeared in the original owner's memories.
But it probably wasn't that important, so she still didn't know who this person was.
"Who is Yuan Yuling? Is she a celebrity?" Chu Ci boldly guessed.
After all, this name is so uncommon that it sounds more like a nickname.
Shen Xiu's eyes widened even more. "Miss Chu, are you really from Hong Kong? You don't even recognize Yuan Yuling!"
In front of the person in question, he was too embarrassed to speak loudly, so he lowered his voice and reminded them:
"A few years ago, she starred in a thriller, playing the male lead's ideal woman, and became an instant hit."
"Back then, her songs were playing everywhere, and the TV was full of advertisements featuring her. When you went out, you saw her posters everywhere."
"You don't remember her?"
It's not that I don't remember, it's that I've never heard of it before.
But Chu Ci still feigned a look of sudden realization, "Oh, it's her. I remember now."
Yuan Yuling, who was holding her daughter, seemed to have overheard their conversation.
Her eyelids drooped, her long, thick eyelashes concealing the disappointment in her eyes, and she said gently:
“I’ve been out of the industry for several years now. The turnover rate in our industry is very fast, so it’s normal that this lady doesn’t remember me.”
She held her daughter in her arms, her beautiful face full of exhaustion, but her eyes looked at her with hope.
"Miss, I heard you can help children fall asleep quickly. Are you a childcare specialist?"
Before Chu Ci could answer, her gaze fell on her daughter's face again, her furrowed brows making her look incredibly charming.
"My daughter was born prematurely and has always been in poor health. I've been helping her recover over the years, and she was doing much better by now."
"But for some reason, she has had a persistent fever for the past month. We've tried injections and medicine, but nothing has worked."
“She used to be very well-behaved and rarely cried. But lately, she's been crying her heart out every day, and her voice has become hoarse…”
Chu Ci stood at the doorway, looking at the ghost infants scattered all over the ground, and sighed softly.
The child was already in poor health, and was surrounded by ghost babies every day. How could he not get sick?
She walked past the ghost baby on the ground and looked closely at the child in her arms.
The little girl looks a lot like Yuan Yuling.
With a small mouth, a small nose, and big, watery eyes, he looks just like her.
Seeing Chu Ci walk around the ghost infants on the ground, the little girl frowned slightly, her face showing obvious confusion.
“Little girl,” Chu Ci stepped forward and touched her forehead, whispering, “were those things very scary?”
The little girl's long-standing fear was finally understood, and her lips trembled as she looked up, about to cry again.
"Aunt……"
She nestled in her mother's arms, her voice soft and sweet, but tears streamed down her face as she held her mother's hands.
"Kang Kang is so scared..."
"They...are so terrifying..."
"Kang Kang hurts..."
The little girl was very clever; when she said "scary," she would point to the floor, and when she said "painful," she would hug her head.
Compared to the previous troublemakers, this well-behaved and intelligent child is especially likable.
Chu Ci could tell that she was too young and had somehow been entangled with these ghost infants, which was why she was frightened.
She patted the little girl's head and asked Yuan Yuling, "Does your family not believe in ghosts and gods?"
Yuan Yuling was initially delighted to see her daughter speak.
But when Chu Ci mentioned ghosts and gods, the smile on his face froze instantly.
"You...aren't a childcare professional?"
“I’m not a childcare professional.” Chu Ci shook her head decisively, then asked, “Does your family not believe in ghosts or spirits?”
Yuan Yuling looked at her with a hint of doubt. "I believed it when we were filming, but my husband didn't. So..."
Hearing that she had believed it before, Chu Ci nodded.
"If you believed that, then you must have also heard the saying that young children's third eye is not closed, right?"
“You mean,” Yuan Yuling frowned as she looked at her daughter, “Kang Kang saw something dirty and got scared?”
Chu Ci nodded.
Yuan Yuling stared at her quietly for two seconds, seemingly pondering whether she was a fraud.
The head nurse next to her was also surprised by how things unfolded and gently tugged at Chu Ci's clothes.
"Miss, our hospital doesn't allow business to be conducted, you..."
Before she could finish speaking, Yuan Yuling's gentle voice came from beside the bed:
"Kang Kang, you can see things that Mommy can't see, right?"
Kang Kang pinched his little finger.
She looked at her mother, then at the floor, and finally at the aunt who believed in her and kept encouraging her. She pouted and nodded.
"Yes, Kang Kang can see..."
Yuan Yuling tightened her grip on her daughter's arm, her voice trembling slightly.
Is Kang Kang afraid of those things?
Kang Kang nodded, "Kang Kang is scared..."
Yuan Yuling's voice trembled more and more: "Kang Kang is scared, why didn't you tell Mom?"
Kang Kang kept his head down, fidgeting with his little fingers, and quickly raised his eyelids to glance at his mother.
"Daddy doesn't like it, he'll get angry, so Kang Kang doesn't dare to say anything..."
Upon hearing her daughter's answer, Yuan Yuling was momentarily stunned, as if struck by a sudden thought.
Chu Ci didn't feel comfortable inquiring about gossip about female celebrities.
He simply advised her, "Your daughter has a strong intuition; it would be best to find a master to close her third eye."
"If conditions permit, I'll also get a talisman to wear."
After saying that, she walked around the ghost baby on the ground and was about to leave when Yuan Yuling suddenly called out to her.
"Miss, no, Master."
She frowned and looked at Chu Ci, asking hopefully, "Can you turn off your third eye?"
"Me?" Chu Ci was taken aback for a moment, then shook her head honestly, "I haven't learned it yet."
"..." Yuan Yuling pressed on: "Master, then your master..."
Thinking about how he had just received it and hadn't even had a chance to warm it up yet, Chu Ci shook his head.
"My master... probably isn't in a very convenient position either."
After being rejected one after another, Yuan Yuling was a little disappointed, but she still took the initiative to pay the fee.
As Chu Ci and Shen Xiu were about to leave, she quickly stood up and said, "Master, let me see you off."
She walked quickly to the door, and when she stepped on the ghost baby on the ground, Kang Kang curled up on the bed, covered his head, and screamed.
"Mom, don't step on them! Don't step on them!"
"Mommy, don't step on it! It'll hurt Kang Kang!"
"Kang Kang!"
Yuan Yuling was startled and quickly turned around to hug her daughter.
Following her daughter's gaze to the empty floor, a chill ran down her spine.
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid." She tightened her grip on her daughter's arms. "Mom will take you to see a master in the next few days. Once the master has examined you, the pain will subside."
Kang Kang buried his face in her arms, sobbing, his shoulders shaking, his tears soaking her clothes.
Holding her daughter who was crying incessantly, she pursed her lips and first apologized softly to the head nurse.
Then, looking apologetically at Chu Ci, he said, "I'm sorry, Master, I won't see you off."
"It's alright, no need to see me off."
As Chu Ci answered her, her eyes were fixed on Kang Kang, who was nestled in her arms, and she felt that something was not quite right.
But I can't quite put my finger on what's wrong.
She took one last look at the black and red ghost infants on the floor, and then went back with Shen Xiuhe.
Shen Xiuhe dropped her off downstairs and left. Chu Ci took a couple of steps into the building, then suddenly remembered something and slapped her forehead.
She remembered that she had gone to see Shen Xiuhe this time to fulfill her promise and help them find the murderer in the case of the five-faced female corpse.
But then I thought, this case has dragged on for so long, why didn't Shen Xiu bring it up just now?
That very evening, she learned the answer.
During dinner, Chu Ci continued to look through the two "Speedrun Manuals" that the system had rewarded her with in her bedroom when she suddenly heard her grandmother calling her.
"Aci?"
Grandma came over and knocked on her door, her voice filled with excitement.
"Come out quickly, Mr. Ji, who came to our store last time, is on TV!"
"Ji Sir? Ji Jingtong is on TV?"
She came out of the bedroom, and the television in the living room was playing an interview with Ji Jingtong and Wu Jiangxue.
Countless microphones were shoved in front of Ji Jingtong and Wu Jiangxue.
Wu Jiangxue held the cat in her arms, her expression indifferent, and remained silent.
Ji Jingtong also maintained a calm expression, but as the main spokesperson, he was responsible for answering reporters' questions throughout the entire process.
When Chu Ci saw it, the interview was almost over.
She asked her grandmother, "Grandma, what's wrong?"
Grandma couldn't suppress her smile. "Do you still remember the five-faced female corpse case that caused such a stir a while ago?"
"Remember."
Chu Ci thought of Shen Xiuhe from earlier that day, and what he had said: "If I had known, I would have gone on this business trip with Ji Jingtong..."
"Has that case been solved?"
"Yes, it's finally broken!" Grandma nodded happily. "Oh, it's finally broken! Now I won't worry about you when you go out at night."
As she spoke, she looked at the television, gazing at Wu Jiangxue holding a cat on the screen, her eyes filled with admiration.
"The TV said that thanks to Inspector Wu, the case was solved so quickly."
"It seems that Officer Wu is not only kind-hearted, but also very capable!"
She thought back to when the Bai family came to their door and Wu Jiangxue took the initiative to help, and asked Chu Ci with some hesitation.
"Ah Ci, the TV said this is Inspector Wu's first meritorious service since his promotion. Should we go and give him a gift, and thank him for his help last time?"
"sure."
Chu Ci's attention was focused on the television, and he nodded absentmindedly in agreement.
The television was showing footage of the murderer's arrest.
The murderer was a timid and honest-looking young man, handcuffed, who looked terrified.
When he was brought out of the residential building, he didn't even walk out on his own; he was carried out by two policemen, one on each side.
His legs were so weak they dangled on the ground like noodles, his face was as pale as paper, and there were suspicious water stains on his pants.
Grandma looked at the cowardly murderer, her features scrunched up, her expression one of disdain.
"Now you know you're scared? Where were you before?"
"He's killed so many young girls, he'll be scared too!"
As she was speaking, she suddenly thought of something and slapped her thigh.
"Aci, do you remember the family in this building whose daughter died at his hands?"
Chu Ci's train of thought was interrupted, and she turned her head. "I remember, what's wrong?"
Grandma: "Now that the murderer has been caught, the daughter's body no longer needs to stay in the police station and should be buried."
"We're all neighbors, don't you think we should go and help them out?"
In the apartment building I used to live in, everyone had been my neighbors for over ten years, and we would always help each other out when something like this happened.
Just like with the previous incident involving Granny Guo, the neighbors all had to lend a hand.
Chu Ci thought for a moment and shook her head, "This place is different from the neighborhood we were in before. We may be willing to help, but they may not be willing to let us get involved."
I used to live in a small, low-rise building where there were fewer people. I lived there for a long time, so I had a good relationship with my neighbors.
But the neighborly relations in this building are not so good. Even though they are neighbors, they don't talk to each other when they ride the elevator together.
If they rush over to help, the other person might feel offended.
Chu Ci: "Ask Sister Ahua. She's lived here for a long time and should know what to do."
"Okay, I'll go ask."
Grandma glanced at the time, guessing that He Lihua hadn't said anything yet, and went to knock on He Lihua's door.
Chu Ci didn't hear what the two people were saying in the hallway; her attention was back on the television.
The reporter on TV was giving a detailed account of the suspicious points in the case, especially how the "five faces" came about.
It turns out the murderer was a craftsman, and even quite skilled at it, able to make lifelike masks that resembled human skin.
The other "faces" on the faces of those deceased were all sculpted by him using tools.
As for the motive for the murder, according to the reporter, it was due to emotional distress and mental instability.
Chu Ci cracked sunflower seeds and snorted coldly.
What an unstable mind! With such an unstable mind, how can you still stick several faces on? Your hands must be incredibly steady.
I thought that once the murderer was found, the matter would be over.
But the next day, Grandma and He Lihua went to find the daughter of the family that had lost her, only to discover that things were far more complicated than they thought.
Grandma sighed and slumped onto the sofa. "Oh, this is really complicated."
Chu Ci had just seen off a guest and was eating a pineapple bun when he asked, his words slightly slurred:
"What's complicated?"
"It's that case of the five-faced female corpse!"
Chu Ci: "?"
She paused in her chewing, frowned, and looked at her grandmother: "What do you mean? Wasn't the case already solved?"
"The case had already been solved, so the family in our building was planning to retrieve their daughter's body."
Grandma sighed and explained.
"But the police said they've discovered new suspicious points and we'll have to wait a while longer until they've investigated everything before we can collect the body."
Chu Ci: "What's suspicious?"
Grandma: "The victim had four masks on his face, but one of the masks on his daughter's face in our building was made of real skin."
"The police initially believed that the human skin mask was also part of the murderer's crime, so they pressed him to tell them where he had hidden the body."
"It would have been better if we hadn't asked. When we did, the murderer said that the victim in our building wasn't killed by him at all!"
Chu Ci suddenly realized, "Using someone else to do the dirty work."
"That's right." Grandma said with lingering fear, "If the police hadn't been so thorough and responsible, the real culprit would have gotten away with it."
Chu Ci sat down at the spirit table and continued reading.
She only realized today that reading at this table makes her learn faster and her mind clearer, as if she has some kind of buff.
Just as she was about to enter a state of flow, her grandmother suddenly asked her:
"Ah Ci, do you think the real killer might be in our building?"
Grandma thought so, and so did the other residents in the building.
That afternoon, several nuns with daughters came to the door together.
Among them was one of her old customers, Master He.
Master He's husband has been discharged from the hospital and is now recuperating at home.
This time, she still brought her daughter, Li Meiyun, with her.
Li Meiyun was still in a very bad state, probably because she hadn't recovered from the shock of her fiancé being a psychopathic murderer.
He would occasionally exchange a few words with Master He, but his tone was always tinged with an indescribable irritation.
With other people present, Master He couldn't easily lose her temper with her daughter, so she could only apologize to Chu Ci with a helpless expression.
"I'm sorry, Master, my daughter hasn't been in a good mood lately."
Before Chu Ci could say anything, the other nuns began to offer their own comforting words.
"He's a young guy, and he's so busy with work, it's normal for him to have some emotional outbursts!"
"Xiaoyun has been pretty since she was little, and she's become even more beautiful as she's grown up. What a gorgeous girl! She's beautiful even when she's angry!"
"Girls should have a bit of a temper, so they won't be easily manipulated in the future."
With the comforting words of the others, Master He's complexion gradually improved.
Seeing her daughter's impatient expression, she pulled the person in front of Chu Ci and asked:
“Master, we all know about the new developments in the case of the five-faced female corpse. We are all very worried because we have a daughter at home.”
She pushed her daughter's back and asked Chu Ci, "Master, do you think my Meiyun will be in any bloodshed or disaster recently?"
Upon hearing her ask this question, the other nuns suddenly realized what she meant.
"That's the safest way to ask! I'll go get my daughter."
“My daughter is home, I’ll go and call her too.”
A group of nuns turned to leave, but were stopped by Chu Ci's words.
"No need, your daughter is safe."
She looked at Li Meiyun, who guiltily looked away.
But seemingly feeling that he hadn't done anything wrong and had nothing to feel guilty about, he turned his attention back to the present.
But her hesitant question betrayed her unease: "Master, is there something wrong with me?"
Chu Ci carefully examined her face and compared it with what he had learned in the "Speedy Guide".
"Li Meiyun, are you in a relationship?"
Upon hearing this, Master He was shocked and her eyes widened.
Li Meiyun's expression was equally striking; she first blushed, but quickly turned pale.
She opened her mouth, then hurriedly explained, "We haven't talked about it, we're just still in contact! And..."
She gently bit her lip. "My new colleague just started working here and doesn't live in this building, so she couldn't possibly be the murderer..."
But Master He was terrified by her previous prospective son-in-law.
She asked Chu Ci in a panic, "Master, is my daughter's new colleague the murderer?"
"Oh, Mom!" Li Meiyun exclaimed unhappily, "I already told you, he's not the murderer!"
She stood up in dissatisfaction, "When I didn't want to be in a relationship before, you forced me to find someone else."
"I've met the right person now, why are you asking me this kind of question?!"
She stomped her feet in anger, shouting, "What exactly do you want?!"
"Meiyun!" Master He exclaimed helplessly, "Your mother is worried about you!"
Seeing that the mother and daughter were about to start arguing, the nun next to them quickly stopped them, saying, "Don't argue, listen to what the master has to say."
The two seemed to only then remember Chu Ci, and smiled sheepishly.
Chu Ci looked at Li Meiyun, who did not avoid her gaze, but her eyes were somewhat uneasy.
"Master, is it really that bad?"
Chu Ci looked at her for a few seconds, then slowly nodded.
Li Meiyun's face turned deathly pale at a visible speed. "Could it be that my new colleague... really is..."
"No, that's not it," Chu Ci interrupted her wild thoughts.
Li Meiyun breathed a sigh of relief, but before she could catch her breath, Chu Ci's words made her heart race again.
"Not quite, but pretty much."
She looked at Li Meiyun's face, which had turned pale again, and said, "Your new colleague and the murderer are good friends; they share the same interests."
As for what aspects they share the same ideals, it doesn't need to be said directly; those present already understand.
"What?" Master He's eyes widened.
She held her daughter's hand and found it was icy cold, so she squeezed it tighter.
Master He: "Master, shouldn't we call the police?"
Chu Ci nodded and walked to the phone.
She originally wanted to dial 110, but was worried that people would think she was crazy, so she called Ji Jingtong instead.
Ji Jingtong hadn't noticed the phone number and was taken aback when he heard Chu Ci's voice.
"Miss Chu?" he asked, puzzled. "Is there something you need?"
Chu Ci briefly recounted what had happened that day, and finally suggested, "I suggest you go to Li Meiyun's company and find that new colleague."
Ji Jingtong quickly agreed to her suggestion with a "okay" and hurriedly hung up the phone.
With the answer in hand, the nuns were relieved and turned to go home.
Only Li Meiyun and Master He were somewhat uneasy and stayed in the shop a little longer before leaving.
Chu Ci thought it was just a simple little incident, but that evening she received a call from Ji Jingtong.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Chu. A colleague of ours leaked the information to a publishing house, and reporters may be coming to our door soon..."
His voice sounded distressed, and there seemed to be arguing going on over there.
Soon, Shen Xiuhe answered the phone.
"Miss Chu."
He was panting, his voice cold and hard at the end, as if he had just had an argument with someone.
"I'm sorry, Ji Jingtong and I will take full responsibility for this."
"We didn't expect it would implicate you..."
After his explanation, Chu Ci realized that they had gone to arrest someone today, but Li Meiyun's new colleague was well-prepared.
They said the two police officers relied on fortune-telling to solve the case, which was a dereliction of duty, and they would sue them.
Of course, he didn't file a lawsuit in the end, but compared to legal weapons, he was clearly better at playing the media war.
He summoned many reporters and clamored in front of them that Shen Xiu and the other two had neglected their duties.
They exaggerated the facts, claiming that the two of them fabricated a case and wronged innocent people.
Even though Hong Kong has a strong culture of superstition and many police officers believe in it, not everything can be brought into the open.
Especially after being heard by reporters, no one knows how things will eventually develop.
"I'm sorry, Miss Chu," Shen Xiu apologized guiltily. "We will definitely stop those reporters, don't worry."
"It's nothing," Chu Ci said nonchalantly. "I don't care about these things. If you feel sorry, you can treat me to a meal another day."
The two people on the other end of the phone breathed a sigh of relief and repeatedly assured each other that they would stop the reporters.
For the next few days nothing happened, and Chu Ci thought the matter was over.
Unexpectedly, when the two found evidence to arrest Li Meiyun's new colleague, the reporters launched a counterattack.
Early in the morning, before the sky outside was fully bright, Chu Ci was woken up by a knock on the door.
The knocking was urgent. She thought it was a neighbor in trouble, so she rushed to open the door without washing her face or combing her hair.
But as soon as the door opened, she was greeted by a barrage of flashing lights and cameras with long lenses.
Seeing her disheveled appearance, the photographer seized the opportunity and frantically pressed the shutter button.
The reporters stretched out their arms, desperately pushing microphones forward, asking questions all at once.
"Hello, I've heard that you're the most famous psychic in the area, and you even help the police with cases. Ms. Chu, is that true?"
"Many people now suspect that you colluded with the police and framed innocent people. Ms. Chu, do you have anything to say about this?"
"Miss Chu, could you tell me how many cases you've helped the police solve?"
"Miss Chu..."
"Miss Chu..."
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