Minuit Maléfique

Chapitre 8

Zhang Xiaojun and I stood outside the Landmark Plaza building across the street, helplessly watching this scene unfold.

A confrontation between a woman and a man.

The crisp uniforms of the criminal investigators and the flashing lights of their police cars attracted the attention of many pedestrians from a distance. Zhang Xiaojun was visibly agitated; he threw his half-smoked cigarette butt on the ground and stomped on it twice.

My heart skipped a beat, and I sensed he was about to take the simplest and most direct approach—rushing in. He picked up the walkie-talkie, and I rushed to him, grabbed his hand, and whispered, "No, this won't do."

The force emanating from my arm was like a dragonfly trying to shake a tree, and my will was similar; it couldn't stop the police captain from carrying out his decision in the slightest.

"Charge..." Zhang Xiaojun was about to give the order, but he stopped abruptly after uttering only one word. His gaze went past my shoulder and into the street.

I suddenly felt weak, my hands fell limply to my sides, and I silently retreated to his side, panting, trying to calm my racing heart. To me, a frail, ordinary citizen, the police captain possessed overwhelming power. And this power wasn't just physical.

The reason he was prevented from giving the order was a criminal police officer who, holding a small, exquisite cell phone tightly in his hand, sprinted across the street at top speed and handed the phone to Zhang Xiaojun.

He was panting, his eyes filled with tension and helplessness: "Captain Zhang, it's Director Chen on the phone! She's calling!" This "she" naturally refers to Afang.

Zhang Xiaojun looked at the phone but didn't answer immediately. His reaction was exactly what I expected. Deputy Director Chen's call was definitely to plead for Chang Chun Teng, and once he answered, as a member of the disciplined forces, he would have to act according to his superior's orders. But for this stubborn and self-righteous criminal police captain, he might just hang up the phone, finish his own decision first, and then report to his superiors.

I stepped forward and pointed towards the Bank of China Tower: "Captain Zhang, there are reporters over there."

The police captain's wrinkled, old face remained expressionless, but upon hearing my words, his thick eyebrows shot up sharply. I'd messed things up; I must have unknowingly crossed a line. This only hastened his decision.

The tall, dark-skinned detective chimed in at the opportune moment: "Captain Zhang... ever since the Straits Metropolitan Daily exposed us, the brothers haven't... haven't received their bonuses for several months... Also, everyone wants to ask... wants to ask, which case is that... that child doll you asked us to search for evidence in..."

The raised eyebrows slowly relaxed.

Zhang Xiaojun silently took the phone, stood at attention, and said, "Yes, Director Chen, this is Zhang Xiaojun..."

"It still doesn't work, she completely ignores me." Zhang Xiaojun retreated for the third time, saying helplessly.

Just like when they arrived, the large group of criminal police officers and police cars retreated in a chaotic rush. Ivy League resumed normal business. No one knew what method Ah Fang had come up with, but the arrival of the criminal police did not cause a decline in customers at Ivy League. On the contrary, the flow of customers was constant, and business was several times better than usual.

Zhang Xiaojun could only use the pretext of investigating the case to question people alone, hoping to obtain some clues, but he always returned empty-handed several times. I really didn't want to appear at Changchun Ivy with the police. After all, I'm just an ordinary person, and after this matter is over, I hope to return to my normal life.

"I'll go instead. I'm more familiar with them, and maybe I can find out something from them."

"That's the only way. I'll go back to the station and see if there's any other way. Call me if you find anything." The old policeman's back looked a little hunched. Perhaps because of the phone call from Director Chen that afternoon, the higher-ranking officer had the final say. The decisive criminal investigation captain stood at attention for more than ten minutes under the scorching sun, and could only nod and agree.

In the face of power, the individual is so insignificant.

A new poster had been put up at the entrance of Ivy League. It showed two lovers passionately kissing, with the caption in artistic lettering: "Last night, a couple fell unconscious from a passionate kiss at our store, prompting the police to investigate the truth." I couldn't help but chuckle at it.

Afang stood by the cashier checking the accounts. The familiar maids bustled about like butterflies, serving the store's full of customers, and they all smiled and greeted me when they saw me. I looked around, but didn't see Hanako.

"Thank you, I'd like to speak with your manager for a few minutes..." I smiled and shook my head at the approaching maid. She stepped back a few paces, folded her hands in front of her skirt, and lowered her eyes, avoiding my gaze, yet I could still sense her slight wariness.

“Three people have already died… Fang, I think maybe you're Hanako's good friend, her best friend, and I respect that sincere friendship. But do you think this is the right thing to do?” I deliberately lowered my voice, not wanting to disturb others. Fang kept her head down, seemingly oblivious, continuing to tap away on the calculator.

"Whether it's Haozi or Sangbao, whatever bad things they've done, they should be punished by law. Hanako has already done wrong. If you continue to protect her, you're not helping her, you're harming her, causing her to fall deeper and deeper into the abyss!" I continued.

Afang kept her head down, but when I said "...it's hurting her," her hand trembled and she fell silent.

She looked up at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of mockery and helplessness.

"The law... Do you still believe in the law? Do you know how many wrongful convictions there are in China, and how many poor people have to swallow their anger because they can't afford to fight the law?"

What she said is true. But I have no other choice.

"I believe the law is just... Even if I don't believe in the law, does that mean I can take revenge in this way?"

As if she had expected my answer, the corner of her mouth twitched slightly, and her voice was barely audible.

"The method used is not important; what matters is... those who die deserve to die."

I thought she was a woman with a somewhat extreme personality. But thankfully, her words revealed a change in her mindset; perhaps she didn't entirely agree with Hanako's extreme actions.

"Perhaps they deserve to die, perhaps... but they shouldn't be judged by us, but by a judge in court. The guilty should be punished, of course. If you trust me, I'm willing to help you find a lawyer..."

She sneered.

"Judge? This guy surnamed Liu is a big shot in Fuzhou. He once said, 'In today's society, what can't be bought with money?' Do you think we haven't tried it? Four years ago, Hua Zi and I went to report the case together. This guy surnamed Liu just made a phone call, and those policemen obediently stopped and didn't care, just like they did just now."

I had a vague feeling that the man from Chen Hall who had just moved in must have made some demands of her—maybe money, maybe her… This thought made me feel a little ashamed. At the same time, it also emboldened me. This woman looked several years younger than me; if she could do so much for her friend, why couldn't I?

"Four years have passed? Fang, believe me, I will work with you to find a way to send those bad guys to prison and make them suffer the punishment they deserve!"

I saw the disdain in Afang's eyes and interrupted her.

"Listen to me first. The police already know about Hanako's situation. The detective captain who came earlier is my friend. He, like me, doesn't want to cause trouble for Hanako, but rather wants to settle scores with those who did those things back then."

"Listen to me first. The police already know about Hanako's case. The detective captain who came earlier is my friend. He and I are not looking to cause trouble for Hanako, but rather to bring those people who committed heinous crimes back then to justice."

"That vengeful spirit may be very powerful and capable of easily seeking revenge. But don't you want to expose those people's evil deeds to the public and let them be publicly punished? Besides, whatever that vengeful spirit is, it's an uncontrollable force. Perhaps Hanako can control it now, but if one day it becomes powerful enough and breaks free from Hanako's control, not only Hanako, but also you, the people of Ivy Lane, and countless other innocent people will be harmed!"

"Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you. I'm sure you've heard that saying. I've seen Dr. Tan who performed the induced labor for Hanako..." Just as she finished speaking, Afang gasped softly and took a step back. Although we all kept our voices down, we still attracted countless stares.

“Let’s find somewhere to talk properly, not here, okay?” I stared into her eyes. Her eyes held a mix of emotions: panic, surprise, and even a flicker of memory, like a brief moment of intoxication. Why was this happening?

"Okay. Let's go to Dicos and have lunch together." Ah Fang snapped out of her reverie, a professional smile appearing on her face as she spoke casually.

At that moment, I finally felt incredibly relieved. Because I knew that I had finally succeeded in opening the door to the treasure trove in Afang's heart.

What lies behind the treasure vault?

Section 19

"So similar, so very similar..." Just as I ran to get two cups of Da Ke, I overheard A Fang sitting by the window muttering these two sentences to herself.

Like all fast food restaurants, this Dicos at the Wusi Road intersection has an entire wall of transparent glass. I love sitting in this corner, staring blankly at the hurried pedestrians and vehicles on the other side of the glass. I can only see the movements, but hear no sound, like a silent movie, or like two completely different worlds.

I can sense that Afang and I are the same kind of people. We don't belong to this city either, but we work hard here, striving for various goals.

Who do you think I resemble?

Afang shook her head, blankly shifting her gaze to the window. After a long while, she turned back and asked, "Would you like to hear my story with Hanako?"

I readily agreed, ready to be the best listener.

As a storyteller, I believe that everyone around me—you, me, and everyone else—has their own unique and colorful story. However, few people are willing to share their stories with others. Moreover, Afang's story, without a doubt, will be the key to unlocking all the mysteries.

May 16, 2004, Sunday, overcast turning partly cloudy. Me, Afang, a story.

I will always remember this day.

Nestled in the mountains of western Fujian, there is a small village called Hongxi. This village is located in an inconspicuous valley within the rolling Wuyi Mountains and is administratively under the jurisdiction of Yong'an City. It is an extremely barren place, where the Hakka people have lived for generations, relying on the few scattered fields they painstakingly cultivated on the mountainside for their livelihood.

In 2000, two close friends from Hongxi Village set off together to work in Fuzhou. One was named Li Ting, whom everyone called Hua Zi, and the other was named Zheng Fang, whom her family called Fang Fang.

The towering buildings and dazzling lights of the provincial capital, the strangely dressed young men and women on the streets, and the beautiful and charming clothes in the shops dazzled the two girls.

However, jobs are not so easy to find.

Hanako barely managed to finish vocational school with the money her mother earned from her shamanistic rituals. Fangfang failed her college entrance exam, and her family could no longer afford to support her retaking it. What did such an education mean in a provincial capital where university graduates were as rare as carp crossing a river?

The classmates who had promised to provide them with food and lodging upon graduation coldly turned them away, leaving them to spend a week crammed under a pedestrian overpass. Still unable to find work, the city management officers threw their meager belongings far away from the overpass and threatened to take them to a detention center.

That night, they wandered the dark streets, not knowing where to spend the night. The two girls encouraged each other, determined that they could never go back like this, never go back to that hopeless mountain valley, never go back to that hopeless home.

Perhaps it was finally heaven's blessing upon these two unfortunate souls. The next day, they miraculously passed their job interviews. Hanako was hired as a clerk at the Heaven and Earth Group, and Afang finally became a waitress at a disco. That day, they embraced and wept, believing that their days of hardship were finally over.

They rented a tiny room in a corner of the city, just big enough for the two of them. Those were wonderful days. Every day, they would go to work early, trying their best to do everything well. After get off work, they would eat cheap boxed lunches in their little room, then go for a walk hand in hand, greedily taking in everything that this city had embraced them with open arms.

Not long after, the pretty and charming Hanako had her first suitor, a very ordinary security guard at the Heaven and Earth Group. He was dark-skinned, tall, and had a very honest and simple appearance. The two girls hid in the small room together, reading his clumsy love letters and laughing out loud.

Later, the security guard, whom everyone called Big-Headed Gu, started inviting Hanako to go out, see movies, and go to the amusement park. Every time, Hanako would invite Fangfang to come along, and the three of them would laugh and joke around, having a great time.

Gradually, Fangfang noticed that Huazi was paying more and more attention to her appearance and dress. She started to enjoy buying inexpensive but pretty clothes, one or two pieces at a time, and cosmetics and skincare products that she had never used before also began to appear in the small house. At first, Fangfang didn't pay much attention. Girls always love to look beautiful, and she actually liked these things too, she just couldn't bear to buy them.

One day, Hanako dressed up in a particularly fashionable and beautiful way, and even got a hairstyle like that of a female celebrity on TV. She looked like she was looking forward to something, and her face was flushed with excitement.

Evening. A BMW pulled up in front of the cottage, and a handsome, dashing young man carrying a large bouquet of flowers took Hanako away. As she left, Hanako held Fangfang's hand and said, "Sister, I'm going to live a happy life. Don't ask, he treats me very well. Don't worry, I will be very happy."

Hanako's hands were cold and trembling slightly.

Fangfang knew that Huazi had fallen in love with that handsome young man who drove a luxury car, and that she had left—leaving her, leaving Gu Datou, and leaving behind her life at the bottom of the city. She was both happy and sad for her, unsure how to face that honest man, Gu Datou.

Gu Datou was surprisingly strong; he just squatted in the corner of the hut, head in his hands, lost in thought for a long, long time before leaving. His steps were so sluggish that he didn't seem like a man from a special forces background at all. Fangfang suddenly felt a pang of sadness and heartache.

Hanako didn't come back, and neither did Gu Datou. Fangfang watched the sunrise and sunset alone, not knowing why she was alive.

Half a year later, Hanako suddenly returned in a BMW, wearing sunglasses and a white off-the-shoulder dress, looking completely like a city woman. The BMW driver, a burly man she didn't recognize, stood at a distance in the car, watching Hanako and Fangfang hug each other and cry their eyes out.

No matter how beautiful the clothes were, they couldn't hide her haggard appearance. With tears in her eyes, Hanako shamelessly pulled up her skirt to show Fangfang the marks that the bad man had left on her body when he was drunk.

The handsome, wealthy young man who came to pick her up was actually a bisexual with a psychological disorder. He loved her, and he also loved another "him." He often had affairs outside and frequently spent the night out with a group of bad friends.

The couple's conflicts deepened, and they argued frequently. One time, the scoundrel even brought a prostitute home, who shamelessly mocked Hanako. Enraged, she ran away from home and drowned her sorrows at a bar. There, she unexpectedly encountered Gu Datou and his subordinates celebrating his promotion.

After Hanako ran away, Gu Datou was depressed for a month, but finally he worked hard and persevered. He worked two jobs during the day and studied for the self-study exam at night. Due to his outstanding work performance, he was eventually appreciated by his superiors and promoted to deputy manager of the security department, with a promising future ahead of him.

Remembering how good Gu Datou had been to her in the past, Hua Zi couldn't help but pour out all her bitterness to him. Her colleagues from the security department wisely left early, and the two of them finally had sex while completely drunk.

The next morning, Hanako returned to the house the bad man had bought for her. The night of passion had lessened her hatred for him considerably. After all, they had been together for so long, and she still hoped to continue the relationship, marry him, and have children. That night, the two lay in bed together again.

Not long after, she discovered she was pregnant. She calculated the dates and realized it had happened during her passionate night with Gu Datou!

The bad man hit her, cursed her, and even kicked her, but she endured it all, insisting that the child was his. The bad man finally believed her and became gentle with her again, taking meticulous care of her and the child in her arms.

One day, the bad man returned home and said that his parents had found out about their affair. They were adamant about not wanting the child, nor would they want a pregnant daughter-in-law. The bad man broke down in tears, explaining that everything he did was for their future.

She believed him and agreed to go to the hospital to have an abortion.

The surgery was performed by a bad man. He was a doctor at that private hospital.

After the abortion, the bad man never came to see her again. She lay alone in the cold and deserted hospital, with only indifferent nurses silently taking care of her.

The next day, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her heart and fainted. She saw five people sitting in a small private room of a restaurant, laughing and talking, sharing a steamed, mushy baby in front of them. The baby's hands and feet had been torn off and were being chewed noisily by several menacing-looking people.

With each bite, her heart ached. She knew that this baby was the poor child she had been forced to have aborted!

Hearing this, I couldn't help but shudder.

Fangfang didn't look at me, talking to herself with her eyes fixed on a certain spot outside the glass window, her voice as cold as if it came from outer space.

I followed her gaze.

Across the street, under a mango tree, stood a young man with a cold expression, staring at us coldly. His eyes were filled with white, as white as the eternal snow on a high mountain.

A chill suddenly ran through me. This man's appearance was somewhat similar to mine!

Section 20

Every year during the fireworks festival, Zhongzhou Island is always packed with joyful crowds.

Fireworks swayed and rose into the night sky, bursting into a dazzling display of light and color under the watchful eyes of the crowd, a dreamlike and enchanting sight. Children excitedly weaved through the crowd, couples cuddled together under the blazing fireworks, and drunken rabids threw empty beer cans into the air.

A cold wind swept through the screams that rose and fell, and a dazzling light pierced the vast darkness, but it could not dispel the endless gloom in the hearts of the girls on the iron bridge.