Aufbau einer harmonischen Lieddynastie

Kapitel 14

Unexpectedly, Li Sixia suddenly smiled, immediately grasped her hand, and said, "Thank you, Zhuo Jiasi. I had originally planned to study in the United States, but I gave up halfway through because of you. Since you're unwilling to give me a chance now, I can leave in peace. Goodbye, and I wish you happiness."

Zhuo Jiasi was stunned. She hadn't expected Li Sixia to choose to escape through space, and she was disappointed by his easy abandonment. But she didn't chase after him. She just stood there quietly, watching his figure gradually disappear into the distance, until tears blurred her vision.

Mu Xiang walked over, took her hand, and looked up at the sky, saying, "Jia Si, just forget about him!"

The two lost interest in going for a walk and returned to their respective classrooms. Since it was still early, only Zhuo Jiasi was in the classroom, and she cried even more freely. Unexpectedly, her former dormitory classmate, Sun Ying, witnessed her distress and mocked her maliciously: "Zhuo Jiasi, you're not crying because of Yao Xiaomo's death, are you? I think you should be happy."

Upon hearing the name "Yao Xiaomo," Zhuo Jiasi felt even more distressed, but she still raised her head and said, "Sun Ying, I truly never intended to harm Yao Xiaomo, and I feel very guilty and heartbroken about her death."

"You never intended to harm Yao Xiaomo?" Sun Ying raised her voice. "But you've already harmed a girl named Xiao Chuhan, haven't you?"

Zhuo Jiasi was stunned, knowing that the blood-written words "Xiao Chuhan" left by Yao Xiaomo must have stirred up a lot of rumors at school. The original facts were completely distorted by the rumors. It turned out that Sun Ying believed that Yao Xiaomo killed Xiao Chuhan to cover it up because she found out that she had killed her.

That's an absurd idea. Zhuo Jiasi was too lazy to explain to her and said irritably, "Say what you want, but I have a clear conscience towards Yao Xiaomo."

"A clear conscience?" Sun Ying retorted. "Ever since that day she went to your dorm, she's been constantly mentioning 'Xiao Chuhan.' You must have done something shady that she accidentally discovered. And now I want to know what scheme you used when you visited Yao Xiaomo that caused her condition to suddenly worsen. Do you even know anything about her? Do you know how many part-time jobs she's done? Now she only has a blind mother and a mentally challenged brother left at home, yet you've never asked about any of this!"

Zhuo Jiasi was completely shocked. She had never known that Yao Xiaomo's family was in such dire straits. She had always thought that Yao Xiaomo didn't want to come to the dormitory to play with her because of the rumors in dormitory 514, but she only realized now that Yao Xiaomo had to spend even more time earning money to support her impoverished family.

Faced with Sun Ying's aggressive questioning, Zhuo Jiasi couldn't find a reason to defend herself. Fortunately, class was about to start, and many classmates arrived at the classroom one after another. Everyone looked at her with disdain, so she could only bury her head low, tears streaming down her face onto her thighs.

56

Because of Yao Xiaomo's situation, Zhuo Jiasi absentmindedly attended classes all day. It wasn't until evening, when all her classmates had left the classroom, that she walked back to her dormitory, clutching her empty stomach and feeling lost.

Mu Xiang and Tao Hua hadn't returned yet, making the dormitory feel a bit lonely. Zhuo Jiasi made herself some instant noodles and listlessly started playing on the computer. Strangely, a certain page kept popping up—not an advertisement, not a pornographic page, so it couldn't be a virus, right? It was a vast grassland with a beautiful lake in the distance, bathed in a golden veil of moonlight. But there seemed to be a figure floating on the lake's surface. She rubbed her eyes, peered closer at the computer screen, and was surprised to find that the figure looked remarkably like Xiao Chuhan!

Section 83: Chapter Nine - The Ugly Monster's Secret (5)

Zhuo Jiasi was terrified and hurriedly closed the page, but more identical pages quickly popped up. In a panic, she hastily shut down the computer and sat blankly on the edge of the bed with a bowl of instant noodles in her hand.

She lost all appetite for instant noodles and crawled into bed, trying to forget all her pain through sleep. Later, in her drowsy state, she heard Mu Xiang and Tao Hua return to the dormitory, but she didn't wake up to greet them, remaining in a state of half-sleep. When she woke up again in the middle of the night, she found Tao Hua's computer still faintly lit, a strange webpage flickering on the screen, and she could almost see Xiao Chuhan's smile.

Zhuo Jiasi didn't want to pay attention anymore, curling up deeper into the covers, even slowing her breathing. But the light from the computer screen seemed even stronger, almost burning, constantly piercing her heart. Finally, she couldn't bear it any longer and got out of bed, wanting to turn off the computer. But simply shutting it down didn't seem to work, so she had to crawl on the floor and search for the power switch.

After searching everywhere for a long time, Zhuo Jiasi still couldn't find the button, so she simply stuck her head under the table to look for the power switch. But as she saw the power switch, she also noticed a photograph quietly placed beside it. The photograph showed Zuo Feifei's childlike smile, which looked especially adorable under the green light of the power indicator. She carefully took it out, wiped off the dust, and put it back in Zuo Feifei's drawer.

Just as Zhuo Jiasi put down the photo and was about to leave, she suddenly remembered something and ran back to open the drawer again. Moving Zuo Feifei's photo aside, she realized her earlier glimpse wasn't an illusion! Zuo Feifei's drawer had the three large red characters "Xiao Chuhan" written on it, and the photo had just been placed right on top of those characters. She was startled and quickly put the photo on the table, but a gust of wind blew it onto Xiao Chuhan's name again.

Zhuo Jiasi cautiously approached the drawer again, only to find that the Zuo Feifei in the photo no longer seemed to be smiling, but rather pleading for help with tears in her eyes. She tried to pick up the photo to see clearly, but for some reason, it seemed glued to the surface and she couldn't lift it. In desperation, she pulled hard, tearing the photo. A blank space appeared in Zuo Feifei's eyes, and the smile on her lips seemed to vanish. That state was strikingly similar to Xiao Chuhan, who had a blue birthmark on her right eye. Looking at the three bright red characters, Zhuo Jiasi's hands trembled uncontrollably, her vision blurring, as if the person in the photo was slowly walking out. She couldn't distinguish between Zuo Feifei and Xiao Chuhan. Finally, she threw down the photo, clutching her head and crying out, "Who are you? Who are you? Who are you?...!"

"Jia Si, Jia Si..." It sounded like someone was calling her. Zhuo Jia Si looked up and saw Mu Xiang and Tao Hua. She was still in bed. Had everything just been a dream again? It was already early morning outside, and a hazy floral fragrance lingered, a faint aftertaste still drifting in the air. Clearly, Mu Xiang and Tao Hua hadn't slept well either, as they had large dark circles under their eyes.

Zhuo Jiasi disregarded everything else and ran straight out of bed to Zuo Feifei's desk. Opening her drawer, she saw the three large red characters "Xiao Chuhan" written inside. Startled, she backed away; reality and dream had unexpectedly merged! Xiao Chuhan's face reappeared in her memory, her hazy smile seemingly possessing a deadly power.

Mu Xiang and Tao Hua grabbed Zhuo Jiasi's hands almost simultaneously, asking anxiously, "Jiasi, did you also dream about this drawer?"

Section 84: Chapter Nine - The Ugly Monster's Secret (6)

The three of them checked their dreams and realized they had all had the same one. They all had a bad feeling. Mu Xiang frowned and said, "Do you think something might happen to Fei Fei?"

Tao Hua quickly pulled out her phone, intending to call Zuo Feifei. But before she could dial, the phone rang; it was Zuo Feifei calling. Hearing Zuo Feifei's voice calmed the three of them, but unexpected news followed. Zuo Feifei cried out on the other end of the line, "Tao Hua, Lu Shiliu… he… he was hit by a rock on the mountain, and he's in emergency care…"

It turned out the dream wasn't fabricated; rather, the disaster had been transferred to Lu Shiliu. The three comforted Zuo Feifei, telling her not to worry and that they would come to see her immediately. So, without even having time to wash up, the three rushed to Zuo Feifei's side.

Fortunately, Tao Hua was the vice principal's daughter, so there was no problem with her vacation. However, the three of them sat in the car in a fearful silence, feeling that the unknown fear had never left them, and their hearts were adrift all the way.

57

When the three arrived at the hospital, Zuo Feifei was already sobbing uncontrollably. She sat blankly on a chair outside the emergency room, her face pale and cold, her eyes devoid of the smiles she once had.

Tao Hua rushed forward to inquire about Lu Shiliu's condition, but Zuo Feifei didn't answer, only staring at the sky like a puppet. Zhuo Jiasi and Mu Xiang looked towards the emergency room and saw that the emergency lights were already off, with only the sound of repeated knocking on the door remaining. The two immediately guessed that Lu Shiliu had already left.

For an entire day, the three of them quietly stayed with Zuo Feifei. They wanted to know what had happened, even if it was just a very ordinary accident. But no one wanted to break the sorrowful silence, fearing that all the desolation might erupt at any moment.

It wasn't until evening that Lu Shiliu's parents rushed to the hospital. Having a son late in life, their hair had turned completely white, and they wept uncontrollably before Lu Shiliu's body. Lu's mother even ran over and tore Zuo Feifei's clothes, scratching her skin, crying loudly, "It's all your fault! Why did you take Shiliu hiking? You killed him, you damned wicked devil!"

Zuo Feifei didn't fight back. Instead, she knelt before Lu's mother and said painfully, "I killed Sixteen. Aunt, hit me. Beat me to death..."

In the end, Tao Hua couldn't bear to watch any longer and forcefully pulled Zuo Feifei and Lu's mother apart, fearing that it would cause even more serious consequences. In the darkness of night, the three of them could no longer fathom Zuo Feifei's grief and dragged her onto the last long-distance bus back to school.

It was already past nine o'clock at night, and the bus was nearly empty. Four people sat side-by-side in the last row, with Zuo Feifei in the middle, her sobs continuing unabated. Finally, Mu Xiang couldn't hold back any longer and yelled, "Feifei, what's the point of crying like this! You should wake up and tell us what happened!?"

The harsh tone displeased Tao Hua, who glared at Mu Xiang and said, "Didn't you always hate Lu Shiliu? Now that he's gone, it's just as you wished!"

Mu Xiang opened her mouth, but couldn't find the right words to respond. Helpless, Zhuo Jiasi could only plead, "Stop arguing, Feifei's already had enough. Feifei, don't cry anymore, just rest. Everything will be alright."

Zuo Feifei finally stopped crying, nodded blankly, and then lay down on Tao Hua's lap to sleep. But just as the three of them were about to fall asleep, Zuo Feifei suddenly pointed to the aisle of the carriage and shouted, "Xiao Chuhan, don't come any closer! Don't... don't kill Lu Shiliu, don't..."

Section 85: Chapter Nine - The Ugly Monster's Secret (7)

Upon hearing the name "Xiao Chuhan," the three women froze. Could Lu Shiliu's death be related to her? The last bus was nearly empty, the aisle noticeably cold and desolate. They spent considerable effort comforting Zuo Feifei, but Zhuo Jiasi had to ask seriously, "Feifei, you must overcome your grief as soon as possible. You should tell us, what exactly happened between you and Lu Shiliu on the mountain?"

Zuo Feifei was still shaken, but seemed to have a desire to confide in someone. Clinging to Tao Hua's arm, she cried as she spoke, "I don't know, I don't know either. We were climbing the mountain when Lu Shiliu suddenly pushed me away, and a rock hit him. I didn't know what to do, but I saw it clearly—it was Xiao Chuhan who pushed the rock! It was definitely her! I still remember her voice! She was laughing loudly on the mountain, saying she would kill everyone who tried to harm her. She…she didn't die, she didn't die…she's back!"

The three of them stared at Zuo Feifei in disbelief, yet were also overcome with fear. Zhuo Jiasi took a deep breath, her brows furrowed, and said, "Feifei, are you sure you're not mistaken? How could this be? Xiao Chuhan clearly already..."

Before she could finish speaking, Zuo Feifei grabbed Zhuo Jiasi's hand and said nervously, "Jiasi, you have to believe me. Xiao Chuhan really isn't dead. Don't you remember last time in the art studio? It was her then. I remember her scent and her voice. She whispered in my ear that she would definitely take revenge..."

"Feifei!" Muxiang interrupted her angrily, "Please stop being so neurotic, okay? This is your inner demon. Lu Shiliu's death was just an accident while climbing the mountain!"

Despite this, all three of them harbored an unresolved knot, and even the usually fearless Tao Hua felt fear creeping closer in the face of all the facts. However, Zhuo Jiasi remained unusually calm, waiting until Zuo Feifei fell asleep before earnestly saying, "When I was attacked in the art studio last time, I touched the murderer's clothes, and later I found Wu Qiuyang wearing clothes of the same quality in the dormitory. Do you think this was an unexpected coincidence, or was it Wu Qiuyang's arrangement?"

"It must be that ugly hag!" Tao Hua said immediately and definitively. "We really don't know what her purpose is; she's always trying to frame us behind our backs. Let's call the police and have her arrested!"

Mu Xiang shook her head, helplessly objecting, "But we have no evidence at all. Jia Si is just guessing based on her feelings, and Zuo Feifei could hardly see the people on the mountain clearly! Without any proof, the police won't believe us."

It seems that the only way to find a breakthrough is to start with Wu Qiuyang again.

Just as they were thinking this, the car reached its destination. The dormitory must have already closed, so the four of them had no choice but to return to Tao Hua's house. As they passed Wu Qiuyang's room, all four of them stopped almost simultaneously, staring at the tightly closed door. But no one went to push the door open; they were all too tired.

58

When Zuo Feifei woke up the next morning, her face was still extremely haggard, like a withered flower blooming by the window. Since midnight the previous night, it had been raining incessantly, obscuring all the scenery outside the window in a hazy mist. She suddenly couldn't tell whether it was the rain that was too blurry, or the tears that were too torrential. Only Lu Shiliu's face remained forever shimmering in the most crystalline raindrops.

Zhuo Jiasi placed a glass of milk in front of her, forcing a smile as she said, "Feifei, have some milk first. Muxiang is busy in the kitchen; there will be delicious bread ready soon."

Zuo Feifei was still completely listless and didn't touch the glass of milk for a long time. Tao Hua became angrier and angrier, slamming her fist on the table and saying angrily, "That damn ugly hag, she actually ran away and hid! Fine, watch how I raid her den!" So, she searched for a long time in Tao's father's room and finally found the key to Wu Qiuyang's bedroom, and triumphantly opened the door.

Section 86: Chapter Nine - The Ugly Monster's Secret (8)

Wu Qiuyang had only been gone for less than three days, but her bedroom looked like it had been unoccupied for a long time. The three of them stood at the door of her room and were choked by the musty smell of dust, even coughing slightly. The room was sparsely furnished, containing only a bed, a wardrobe, and a desk, all in a black and white color scheme.

Mu Xiang seemed to be looking for something, peering around the bedroom.

Tao Hua deliberately jumped around on Wu Qiuyang's bed with her shoes on, muttering insults under her breath. Zhuo Jiasi, wanting to find more evidence to support her theory, opened the wardrobe and searched everywhere. The wardrobe was empty, except for a white dress, so familiar it stung Zhuo Jiasi's eyes. She recognized the dress immediately, and after repeatedly touching it, confirmed that the fabric she had felt in the studio was the same as the fabric of this dress—it was definitely the same!

While Zhuo Jiasi was filled with doubt through her sense of touch, Mu Xiang pulled out a large stack of photos from the desk and began trembling as she looked at them. Zhuo Jiasi and Tao Hua, hearing the commotion, leaned closer to take a look. The photos were all of two girls together, and one of the girls was clearly Xiao Chuhan! The blue birthmark on that girl's eye was practically Xiao Chuhan's perfect mark.

It turns out that Wu Qiuyang and Xiao Chuhan actually knew each other, and judging from the photos, they seemed to be very close. This made Wu Qiuyang's motive for the crime quite plausible: she wanted revenge for Xiao Chuhan! But what shocked Tao Hua even more was that she immediately recognized the other girl as her best friend from elementary school. A little deduction revealed that it was Wu Qiuyang from childhood. The uncanny coincidence made her feel that a conspiracy had been lurking in her childhood world!

Faced with the truth, all three fell silent. Tao Hua suddenly burst into tears, clutching her stomach and leaning against the desk in discomfort. Zhuo Jiasi also recognized the other girl in the photo as Wu Qiuyang. She understood how significant "best friend from elementary school" must be to Tao Hua; otherwise, Tao Hua, who was always indifferent to everything, wouldn't still have kept their photo to this day.

Mu Xiang didn't know what had happened, but she heard Tao Hua repeatedly saying, "How could this be? We were so close back then, we would even share a bite of a five-cent ice cream. I used to think of her as my guardian angel, but why is she Wu Qiuyang?" She cried as she spoke, her whole face seemingly buried in the prison of memories.

Before they could even comfort Tao Hua, a scream erupted from the living room, followed by the sound of a drawing board falling. The three of them rushed out to see what was happening, and just like last time, the family portrait lay sprawled on the sofa. Tao Hua wiped away her tears and ran over to hang the painting back up, but her gaze froze on it. It wasn't a family portrait at all; it was Su Mu's drawing of a girl committing suicide in a bathtub!

The four of them stared blankly at the eerie painting, feeling it haunt them like a demon, as if misfortune was about to occur every time it appeared. Especially Zhuo Jiasi, seeing the familiar handwriting in the corner of the painting, felt the wound in her heart begin to swell infinitely.

Tao Hua even considered destroying the painting, but Mu Xiang insisted on stopping her, saying she wanted to preserve it. Zhuo Jiasi knew that Mu Xiang was preserving her memories of Su Mu, but those memories were forever stuck in Mu Xiang's high school days. No one could persuade Mu Xiang otherwise, so they had no choice but to hand the painting over to her.

But what should they do next to deal with Wu Qiuyang? Tao Hua bit her lip and said, "I want Dad to kick her out of this house and never take her back again!" With that, she pulled the three of them to the school to find Tao's father. They had no better ideas, so they had no choice but to go to the school office.

Section 87: Chapter Nine - The Ugly Monster's Secret (9)

59

Just then, Tao's father was in his office, engrossed in his work. Tao Hua didn't even knock before barging in, eagerly asking, "Dad, do you know where the Ugly Monster is?"

Mr. Tao was startled by the sudden voice; the blue ink trailed long across the white paper. He frowned in displeasure, slammed his hand on the table, and shouted, "What ugly hag? She's your sister! You ill-mannered brat! You have the nerve to ask where she is? It was all your doing that drove her away!"

Tao Hua, always the most arrogant at home, never expected her father to treat her this way. Already disgusted with Wu Qiuyang, she became even more enraged, yelling back at her father, "What kind of bullshit sister is that?! She's just a bastard, lying to Mom that she came to our house because her mother died. Actually, you've always had a relationship with that woman, and you deliberately arranged for her to come to my side to harm me!"

"You...you..." Tao's father was somewhat agitated, clutching his chest angrily, "You bastard, get out of here, get out now!"

Zhuo Jia tried to pull Tao Hua out, but Tao Hua stubbornly stood in the center of the office, pointing her finger at her father and saying, "Do you still want to deny it? So she's my best friend from elementary school, but why didn't you tell me? You must have done this on purpose, expecting me to really treat her like a sister. You're dreaming!"

These words pierced Tao's father's heart, and he finally lost his balance, collapsing to the ground in excruciating pain.

Seeing that things were not going well, Zhuo Jiasi, Mu Xiang, and Zuo Feifei quickly surrounded and helped Tao's father up, rushing him to the hospital. Tao Hua, however, remained stubbornly in the office, her head held high, tears still falling uncontrollably.

After more than two hours of emergency treatment, Tao's father was finally out of danger; he had suffered a sudden heart attack. The middle-aged man, who had been so energetic just moments before, seemed to age rapidly in an instant, his eyes filled with vacantness and despair. Unable to find Tao Hua or Wu Qiuyang, he suddenly felt the bleakness of life, realizing that none of his loved ones wanted to stay by his side.

Zhuo Jiasi felt a pang of heartache. While gesturing for Zuo Feifei to inform Tao Hua, she gently comforted him, saying, "Uncle, Tao Hua went to buy you something. She'll be back soon."

Mu Xiang echoed, "Yes, Uncle. Tao Hua is heartbroken to see you like this. She's been running around the hospital, completely exhausted."

Mr. Tao shook his head absently, a bitter smile on his face. "Don't lie to me anymore. I know Tao Hua's personality better than anyone. It seems I'll be spending the rest of my life in solitude."

Perhaps because she lacked a father's love growing up, Mu Xiang was particularly agitated, tightly grasping Tao's father's hand and saying, "No, Uncle, Tao Hua is just temporarily confused. Once she understands, she will naturally take good care of you..."

Before she could finish speaking, Zuo Feifei returned to the ward dejectedly. Clearly, Tao Hua still refused to visit him in the hospital. However, seeing Tao's father's weakness, Zuo Feifei forced a smile and said, "Uncle, please focus on getting better. Tao Hua said there's traffic on the way, so she'll be here later."

"A bunch of silly children." Mr. Tao's smile was deathly pale. "But I'm relieved that Tao Hua has friends like you. I originally wanted Qiu Yang to take care of her, but I didn't expect the rift between the two to be so deep. It seems I'll never see them as sisters united again."

At this point in the conversation, Zhuo Jiasi subtly suggested, "But Uncle really put in a lot of effort. He arranged for the two of them to meet in elementary school; if they hadn't been separated so suddenly later, they might have truly become good friends."

Section 88: Chapter Nine - The Ugly Monster's Secret (10)

Mr. Tao sighed and said helplessly, "They go to the same elementary school, it really has nothing to do with me. Ever since Tao Hua's mother found out, I've lost contact with Qiu Yang's mother. It wasn't until I went to pick Tao Hua up from school one day that I learned about Qiu Yang's existence. I originally wanted to give Qiu Yang's mother some material compensation, but the two of them suddenly left the school."

Given his physical condition, it was impossible for Tao's father to lie; his sincere eyes shone with regret. He continued, "Thinking back to those days, Tao Hua often brought Qiu Yang to our house to play. They were truly close sisters. Even the scar on Qiu Yang's face was because of Tao Hua. But I don't know why, now they treat each other like enemies?"

It turned out that Wu Qiuyang's scar was left because of Tao Hua. Just as the three of them were about to ask about the reason, Tao's father's condition seemed to have relapsed. He clutched his chest tightly, his expression showing extreme pain, and his eyes almost bulged out. Zhuo Jiasi quickly ran over to call the doctor, and after half a day of treatment, Tao's father finally calmed down and fell asleep with a heavy heart.

The three quietly left the ward, discussing how to persuade Tao Hua. During their conversation, Zhuo Jia thought for a moment and said, "It seems that what Uncle wants to see isn't just Tao Hua, but also Wu Qiuyang, who is also his daughter. Perhaps only their reconciliation can help Uncle recover more quickly."

"Is that possible?" Zuo Feifei asked worriedly. "Both of them are stubborn. Besides, we don't even know where Wu Qiuyang is now."

Zhuo Jiasi smiled and said, "We need to use a memory to restore their friendship. For example, Wu Qiuyang's scar might be the only reason to move Tao Hua. As for where Wu Qiuyang is, we'll find out tonight."

Mu Xiang seemed somewhat opposed, saying unhappily, "Wu Qiuyang is no simple character. Aren't the murderers in the art studio and on the mountain both connected to her? Isn't it too risky to assign her to Tao Hua and Uncle's side like this?"

Zhuo Jiasi pondered for a moment, then said seriously, "Muxiang, didn't you say that everything was just suspicion? The key now is to help Uncle recover his health, otherwise we'll feel guilty. Of course, we also need to keep a close eye on Wu Qiuyang, and this is also a brilliant way to find out her weaknesses."

That made sense. So the three of them agreed with the idea and decided to try to persuade Tao Hua and Wu Qiuyang to reconcile.

Section 89: Chapter Ten Zuo Feifei's Diary (1)

Chapter Ten: Zuo Feifei's Diary

60

It was past 7 p.m. when the three of them returned to their dorm. Tao Hua had clearly been alone in the dorm for a long time, filling the room with the smell of smoke. She seemed to have forgotten everything, engrossed in playing on her computer and completely ignoring them.

As soon as Zuo Feifei opened the door, she scolded, "Tao Hua, why didn't you answer the phone? Your uncle's condition is so serious; he needs your care!"

Tao Hua didn't even look up, saying nonchalantly, "Doesn't he have a precious daughter? How could he possibly need my care? I'd better be sensible and stay in the dorm."