Der Himmel ist das Ufer des sterblichen Staubs

Kapitel 56

However, this gratitude vanished after three months. This same Mr. Zheng once asked Liu Xin to deliver documents to his office, but instead put his hand under her skirt. Liu Xin, without any hesitation, knocked over a cup of scalding hot tea on the table… There was no one else in the office at the time, and Liu Xin didn't mention the incident afterward. Mr. Zheng acted as if nothing had happened. However, a month later, during an organizational restructuring, Liu Xin was transferred to a workshop in a subsidiary unit. The workshop work wasn't as easy as the office work; it was basically labor-intensive, with extremely harsh working conditions, almost like coal mining. So Liu Xin resigned. Since she was still in her probationary period, the resignation process wasn't too troublesome.

When Liu Xin first resigned, she was naive and innocent, with a youthful spirit that fueled her belief that she possessed boundless passion and the ambition to build a career on her own (though she didn't really know what abilities she had). However, this ambition was quickly eroded by harsh reality. From October until the following Spring Festival, Liu Xin remained unemployed, constantly searching for work at various job markets and recruitment fairs.

As time passed, the money in her savings account dwindled. If she couldn't find a job soon, Liu Xin wouldn't be able to survive. But she didn't want to tell her family; it wouldn't make a difference. Liu Xin lacked professional knowledge and work experience, making it difficult to find a good job. It wasn't that she couldn't find any work; many employers in the job market didn't even require interviews—you could just walk in and start working. But those kinds of jobs were best left unsaid. Liu Xin had tried a few, but not only could she not stay, she often ended up losing time and money.

After the Spring Festival, Liu Xin returned to Harbin from her home. Her situation at the time could only be described as dire; she only had a little over two hundred yuan left, and if she couldn't find a job with food and lodging, she feared she would be homeless. She continued to search for opportunities at job markets and employment agencies, and of course, she wasn't entirely without chance. Liu Xin had a lengthy conversation with the manager of a service company. The manager said that because she was young, people would assume she was a college student, and she could join their company. Her main job would be accompanying and receiving clients, and he repeatedly emphasized that her good looks were an advantage. Liu Xin understood what he meant, but she didn't accept the job because she had lost a much better job for similar reasons in the past.

As the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining. Just when Liu Xin was about to reach her breaking point, she finally found a job. The reason she found a job was simple: reality forced her to abandon her original ideals and confidence and honestly work as a factory worker in a foreign-owned company. Before this, Liu Xin happened to run into Sister Chen, who used to work at a company (and later became the madam of the Hanhao Bath Center). Seeing her predicament, Sister Chen took out the five hundred yuan or so from her wallet and gave it to Liu Xin, saying only, "I don't have much right now, take this first, quickly find a job with food and lodging, and buy a new set of clothes."

Perhaps in extreme hardship, a person's mindset can become distorted. While accepting help from others, one is also eroding their self-esteem. Even a man might find this unbearable, let alone a young woman not yet twenty. But Liu Xin persevered. It was Sister Chen's words and the five hundred yuan that sustained Liu Xin until she found a new job, while simultaneously shattering her original ideals and self-confidence. Liu Xin's new workplace is a Taiwanese-invested chemical company. She works on the production line, and most of the other workers are recruited from rural areas across the country, given only brief training before being put to their posts.

The work wasn't complicated. Liu Xin had previously worked in her old company's workshop for a month, but the conditions here were much worse. It was a dimly lit place with rows of unfamiliar machines, and the workers on the line were just like the machines, repeating simple yet arduous labor without a moment's rest. At this point, Liu Xin had no room for regret or choice. The monthly salary was 600 yuan, and lunch and dinner were provided. Most importantly, there was a dormitory, although it was eight people crammed into a bunk bed, at least it saved on monthly rent.

Liu Xin worked like this for more than half a year. Her life was extremely monotonous, with almost no leisure activities. Every day after work, she was so tired that all she wanted to do was lie in bed and rest. After six months, Liu Xin felt that something was wrong. She noticed that every morning when she woke up, there was a lot of hair on her pillow—Liu Xin had never had hair loss before, and her thick, black hair had always been her pride. But now her hair was becoming increasingly dry and yellow, and every time she combed it, more than a dozen strands would stick to the comb.

Although the work was tough, it at least ensured Liu Xin's livelihood. During this period, she sent 1,500 yuan home, and she still had 1,800 yuan in her savings account. Liu Xin was usually very frugal and hardly spent any money. However, later, a college student in the company told Liu Xin something unexpected.

The college student was a young man in his early twenties, also surnamed Liu, and an assistant engineer; everyone called him Engineer Liu. Engineer Liu clearly had a special feeling for Liu Xin, always wanting to sit with her at meals. He explained Liu Xin's hair loss to her during a conversation: their workshop's production process involved medium- and long-wave ionizing radiation. There were supposed to be protective isolation devices and safety distances between the machines and workers, but the factory didn't install them to save production costs.

From then on, Liu Xin learned that factory work was harmful to one's health, and that hair loss was due to this. However, at the time, Liu Xin didn't intend to quit, at least not immediately. Some might not understand, but for Liu Xin at that time, losing a few more strands of hair was better than being homeless. Liu Xin thought she was still young, and perhaps she could persevere for another year, at least until her younger sister finished high school before considering changing jobs.

Two months later, Liu Xin still resigned. The reason wasn't because of her hair, but because she witnessed a tragedy in the workshop: It was a cold afternoon in January. Liu Xin was working on the production line, oblivious to what was happening around her. A loud bang came from nearby, followed by a commotion in the workshop, and the production line stopped. Only then did Liu Xin notice that everyone around her was crowding around a certain spot, and she went over. In the middle of the semi-circle of people, in front of the machine, a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl lay curled up on the ground, the air filled with the smell of burning.

The girl came from a rural area in Henan Province and shared a dormitory with Liu Xin. It was an electrocution accident, reportedly caused by worker negligence. Liu Xin knew it was due to mental confusion caused by long-term overwork on machinery; she often felt disoriented while standing on the production line, facing millions of volts of high-voltage sparks. Several factory workers carried the girl's body to the guardhouse and covered it with a white woven cloth. Despite the incident, production in the workshop did not stop; the machines quickly resumed operation, and the factory required the workers to return to the production line.

Later, Liu Xin met the girl's parents in the dormitory as they packed her belongings. Their wrinkled faces and blank, sorrowful, and desperate eyes were heartbreaking to look at. The factory paid 35,000 yuan in compensation, and the matter was settled. However, the matter wasn't over. Soon, rumors of a ghost story spread through the workshop. First, a worker on the night shift said he saw the girl still standing in front of the machine she had worked on, crying. Others said that strange, seemingly human-like sounds emanated from the machine's electrical sparks. If only one person saw it, it might be considered a rumor, but later, almost every worker in the workshop claimed to have seen the girl. Then one day, when Liu Xin was on the night shift, she also saw her.

It was indeed the girl, standing quietly in front of the machine, still wearing the clothes she had worn before her death. She wasn't crying as the legends had said; instead, she was looking down, lost in thought. Seeing this scene, Liu Xin suddenly felt terrified. Later, reflecting on the situation, Liu Xin wondered what she had been afraid of. She felt she had no reason to be afraid of this unfortunate girl. Even if she had become a ghost, what could she possibly fear? After this night's ordeal, Liu Xin finally decided to resign.

Part 5: Goddess's Heart 03, Helpless by the Vast Sea

Liu Xin wasn't the only one who resigned from the factory; six workers in her workshop alone had quit. After settling their wages for the month and packing their belongings under the supervision of security guards, they all went to a small restaurant outside the factory gate. They hadn't made prior arrangements, but they all seemed to have decided to sit together for a drink. There, Liu Xin unexpectedly ran into Engineer Liu, who had also resigned that day. So, the group joined together at a table.

Shredded pork with garlic sauce, braised eggplant, and Kung Pao chicken were all common home-style dishes. Liu Xin even broke her usual routine and drank half a bottle of beer. During the meal, Mr. Liu asked her about her future plans and whether she wanted to go out and look for work with him. Liu Xin sensed the implication in his words; he had feelings for her, but she couldn't accept him. He was a recent college graduate, venturing out into the world alone in Harbin. Although his income was slightly higher than hers when he worked in the factory, his monthly salary was only a little over 1,200 yuan, and now he was also facing unemployment. They were each other's burden; why make things difficult?

It was almost dark when they finished eating. Liu asked Liu Xin where she was going, offering to give her a ride. Liu Xin declined, but still left her phone number. Liu Xin aimlessly boarded a bus. Perhaps by coincidence, the bus happened to pass by the gate of the state-owned enterprise where she had first worked. A year had passed, and her former colleagues were walking home in twos and threes, seemingly still chatting and laughing. Liu Xin felt an urge to cry, but ultimately held it back.

And so, Liu Xin resumed her job search, shuttling between talent markets and job fairs. With over a year of experience, her thinking had become much more realistic; she now simply wanted a regular job at a reputable large company, with modest expectations regarding salary. This time, she seemed luckier than before; Liu Xin quickly found a good opportunity, and she almost thought Lady Luck had smiled upon her once again.

Liu Xin saw a job posting in the newspaper from a well-known international cooperation company, recruiting overseas workers. She quickly passed the initial interview; a big company is a big company, everything was done professionally. The company representative told Liu Xin that as long as she passed the medical examination, she could receive company training, and after three months of training, she could be sent abroad. Unlike those fraudulent companies, this company's training was free.

The work location was Japan, and the job would still be that of a female factory worker on an assembly line. The company was reputable; according to those who had already returned, the work was a bit tiring and often involved overtime. The work period was two to three years. The first year's income, including overtime pay, was 60,000 yen per month, and the second year's was 80,000 yen. Liu Xin didn't know the exact exchange rate between yen and yuan, but she figured it would be at least several thousand yen per month. She wasn't afraid of the hard work. Just as Liu Xin was looking forward to the bright future of her overseas work, another huge blow struck—the company informed her that she had failed her medical examination!

The middle-aged woman in charge of recruitment told Liu Xin, "Your health is not ideal. Your blood routine, urine routine, liver and kidney function are all abnormal, which does not meet our requirements. You are still young, so you need to take care of your health. You must go to the hospital for a detailed examination." The staff member didn't need to say so much; there was a clear tone of sympathy in her voice on the phone.

Liu Xin stood by the public phone, her mind blank. She stared blankly at the passersby on the street, a feeling of despair filling her heart. She had lost her job, and now she was sick! The woman watching the phone, seeing that she hadn't put it down for a long time, gently nudged her awake and asked with the same sympathetic tone, "Girl, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Liu Xin shook her head expressionlessly, unsure what to say.

Unwilling to accept it! Liu Xin withdrew all the money in her savings account, a total of 2,325 yuan, and went to a hospital. The physical examination and tests cost a total of 400 yuan, which was a relatively simple examination. The young doctor told Liu Xin that she didn't have a terminal illness and that with proper care and medication, her body could recover. Hospitalization wasn't necessary; she could just come to the outpatient clinic every week for prescriptions. The doctor repeatedly advised her to rest at home and not work for a while, otherwise her condition would worsen.

Not a terminal illness? This was a joke to Liu Xin, because the disease had driven her to the brink of despair. Looking at the doctor's prescription, she learned the medication wasn't expensive, just a week's supply, costing less than three hundred yuan in total. But Liu Xin understood her situation; she couldn't afford to stop working while seeking treatment, and finding the same job as before was impossible.

When people are in dire straits, their thoughts are prone to extremes, and they are especially prone to getting stuck in a rut. The more Liu Xin thought about it, the more desperate she became, and she even contemplated suicide. But the thought of death actually calmed her down, and she began to calmly deal with what remained. She didn't have much money in her savings account, so she sent 1,500 yuan to her younger sister who was still in school—this was the last bit of help she could give her in this world. Thinking of her mother and sister, Liu Xin wept in the dark room, asking them to forgive this useless daughter and sister. She had a few hundred yuan left, which she planned to use for travel expenses. Before she died, she had two wishes: to be a woman again and to see the sea one last time.

"Since I'm going to die anyway, what's the use of being a woman? God gave me life as a woman, but I've never been a woman." Liu Xin dialed the number Liu Gong had left, saying she wanted to see him and spend the night at his place. Liu Xin didn't ask him to pick her up; she asked for the address and took a taxi herself. That night was her first time, but Liu Xin thought it would also be her last. When Liu Gong opened the door, she hugged him, and everything that followed happened in a very short time. He had her, but didn't sense anything unusual about her. After the passion subsided, he simply asked a few questions about her recent situation, and then asked to have sex again. Later, he fell into a deep sleep.

Liu Xin left before dawn. In his room, they found photos of him and another girl, along with other items, that he had hidden. It seemed Liu had a new girlfriend recently, yet he still accepted this woman who offered herself to him. At this point, Liu Xin felt disillusioned with men, but this disillusionment was irrelevant, because she was about to die. Liu Xin's destination was Binhai; she had always wanted to see the sea and chose to spend her final days there.

...

The train whistle sounded, and as Liu Xin watched Harbin disappear beyond the window, the train carried her towards an unknown world. The hard-seat carriage was crowded, people jostled together, yet there was a sense of distance between them. It was the second day after arriving in Binhai City. At the train station, Liu Xin unexpectedly ran into Sister Chen, who had come to pick her up. Sister Chen recognized the seemingly sleepwalking Liu Xin in the crowd and pulled her aside, asking her a lot of questions. Liu Xin couldn't remember how she subconsciously answered. Later, Sister Chen gave her a business card, telling her that she had long since left her previous job and was now the lobby manager at the Binhai Hanhao Entertainment Center, adding that Liu Xin could come to her if she really couldn't make it. After Sister Chen left, Liu Xin glanced at her business card, finally understanding what she meant, but it seemed irrelevant to her now. Unconsciously, Liu Xin put Sister Chen's business card into her pocket.

Part 5: Goddess's Heart 04, A Moment in the Mortal World

As evening fell, Liu Xin arrived at the beach in the seaside park and finally saw the sea for the first time. "If the sea can take everything away, then take me away too!" As Liu Xin walked towards the sea, the icy water splashed on her legs, and she suddenly felt a chill. Perhaps this chill stimulated her hazy consciousness, making her slightly clearer; she suddenly felt extremely hungry, having not eaten for almost two days. Liu Xin didn't know if people went to the underworld after death. If there really was a road to the Yellow Springs, she didn't want to become a hungry ghost. She suddenly wanted to eat something before ending her life—with this thought in mind, Liu Xin walked out of the seaside park gate.

A crowd had gathered outside the gate, seemingly watching something commotion. Several people ran away, and the crowd dispersed considerably, but many remained watching from a distance. Liu Xin, no longer paying attention to her turns, walked directly into the crowd. In the crowd, a man lay on the ground, his face covered in blood, his clothes torn to shreds and filthy with the mud. His features were obscured by the blood, and he struggled to his feet, but none of the onlookers offered to help him.

Seeing this, Liu Xin felt a pang of sorrow. She thought that this ragged man might be a beggar, or perhaps he had been robbed, or maybe he, like her, had been driven to desperation by life. The people around him weren't helping him, afraid of causing trouble, but Liu Xin didn't care about trouble anymore; she was going to die soon anyway. Liu Xin went over and helped him up. Seeing his blood-covered face, she handed him her handkerchief. The man took the handkerchief and pressed it to his right forehead; his wound seemed to be in that spot.

Before the man could speak, Liu Xin suddenly felt an impulse and pulled out all the remaining 193.5 yuan from her pocket, handing it to him and saying, "This money is useless to me now. Take it and buy yourself a meal and some clean clothes." Without waiting for a reply, Liu Xin turned to leave. She didn't want to eat anymore; another meal would be a waste anyway. Unexpectedly, the man chased after her, stopping her to hand the money back, saying, "Miss, I don't need so much money. I just need one yuan for the bus fare home."

Too lazy to talk to him anymore, Liu Xin took back 192.5 yuan and turned to leave. Unexpectedly, the man stopped her again: "Miss, I don't know what's bothering you, but you really don't need to take your own life. If you want to die, then you shouldn't be afraid of other painful experiences in the world. And if you try again, you might find that it's not such a big deal after all."

This inexplicable person, with these inexplicable words, left Liu Xin standing there dumbfounded. Did her face have "I want to commit suicide" written all over it? He saw right through her in just one glance! Liu Xin turned to look at this strange man, who had already walked away, saying as he went, "The fact that you got your money back means you still have a glimmer of hope. I hope you can seize it."

A bus arrived at the stop, and a man, pressing a handkerchief to a wound on his forehead, boarded. The driver, seeing the blood-soaked, ragged man, frowned, seemingly wanting to shoo him off. But the man ignored the driver's gesture, paid his fare, and strode confidently into the bus, oblivious to the stares of the other passengers. Liu Xin's eyes suddenly lit up: although the man's clothes were tattered and his face was covered in blood, obscuring his features, his demeanor was composed, even elegant. His gait didn't resemble that of a destitute street urchin, but rather that of an aristocrat attending a party—that was the impression his background gave at that moment! This discovery shocked Liu Xin: "Such a wretched person! Someone I even feel pity for! Yet he can be so composed, so carefree… What about me? Can I be like him?"

Liu Xin's thoughts suddenly changed in that instant, as if an invisible plug had been pulled; she suddenly didn't want to die anymore. The human mind is so wondrous; that person may not have known that they had inexplicably altered the trajectory of Liu Xin's life. Liu Xin found a public phone and called Sister Chen, telling her she had nowhere to go in Binhai and wanted to work for her. Sister Chen immediately agreed.

What followed was simple: Sister Chen paid her 500 yuan deposit and 300 yuan for uniforms, and Liu Xin officially became a "lady" at the Hanhao Bath Center. Liu Xin didn't go back to the hospital, but she kept the prescription from the young doctor with her. Soon after, when she had money, she went to the pharmacy to buy the medicine and took it on time and in the correct dosage. Six months later, Sister Chen took Liu Xin for a medical checkup, and her illness had miraculously disappeared! It was Sister Chen who led Liu Xin into the "lady" profession; in most people's eyes, she was dragging a respectable woman into it, but the person Liu Xin was most grateful to in this world was probably Sister Chen. The day Liu Xin met the "strange man" at the seaside park was April 28th, four years ago; she remembered that date clearly.

"Girls, perk up! We've got a customer, get ready to start your shift! ... Number 16, trim your nails before you start your shift. I've told you so many times, you'll be fined if you do this again!" Sister Chen's words interrupted Liu Xin's thoughts. A new night had begun, and she had to prepare for work again.

...

Boss You is here again. He's a regular, often visiting on weekends. Liu Xin isn't sure if Boss You's surname is actually You; anyway, few customers here use their real names. According to the unspoken rules of this kind of place, older customers are all called "Boss," and younger customers are called "Big Brother" or "Handsome Guy." Only teenagers with special preferences (Liu Xin always thought these kids who came here must be rich, and probably had some kind of Oedipus complex, as described in books) like the girls to call them "Little Brother." Liu Xin also knows a boy who frequently comes to the Hanhao Bath Center and always calls the girls "Auntie" when he enters a private room (does he think this is a kindergarten? Ridiculous!). Of course, regular customers who are more familiar with the place can usually be called "Husband." Boss You, number eighteen, is one of Zhao Xue's "husbands," and similarly, Yangyang (Zhao Xue's "stage name" here) is one of Boss You's many "wives" here.

This time, Boss You called number 18 and went straight for a couples' bath (euphemistically known as a salt and milk bath). Boss You used to look very robust, but now he's clearly gained weight, with a large belly like a swimming ring. As the saying goes, a fat man has a short penis, and it's said that Boss You's penis isn't large, but he's quite versatile, especially enjoying salt and milk baths, and particularly the "ice and fire" treatment in the bathtub. The "ice and fire" concept is just a term borrowed from Hong Kong movies; it's simply a more elaborate form of oral sex.

Part 5: Goddess Heart 05, Black and White Stranger

Not long after Boss You and Zhao Xue left, Washboard arrived. Washboard wasn't actually called Washboard; the girls called him Brother Cui to his face, and he was a regular, often coming on weekends. Behind his back, the girls called him Washboard because he was thin, and he was indeed quite thin—you could count two ribs on his back when he took off his shirt. But appearances can be deceiving; although Washboard was thin, he was surprisingly strong. As the saying goes, "a thin horse has a long mane," and Washboard's thing was also large; once in bed, he was quite energetic, usually needing an extra hour if one wasn't enough (at Hanhao, an hour is forty-five minutes, equivalent to a school class).

Unlike Boss You, who preferred to lie there and enjoy himself rather than exert himself, Washboard's hobby was working up a sweat. The girls secretly called this kind of customer a "model worker." Today, Washboard had ordered Liu Xin, and she was a little apprehensive when she entered the private room. To be honest, she wasn't the kind of person with particularly high energy. Although she had become numb to that kind of thing after staying here for so long, she was still relatively "cold" at heart. What she feared most was a customer who would keep bothering her endlessly from beginning to end.

Although she was apprehensive, she still had to giggle and call him "husband," putting on an act of passionate desire. The washboard seemed even thinner now. There wasn't much foreplay; Liu Xin merely teased his upper body a few times with the tip of her tongue before he impatiently got up, pushed her down, and roughly entered her. His movements were forceful, his hands pressing on Liu Xin's shoulders, causing her pain. Liu Xin could only cooperate by moaning sounds of enjoyment, hoping he would finish quickly, mechanically humming, "Husband, you're so amazing!" The washboard's movements became even more intense. Liu Xin couldn't believe that such a frail body could have such a strong desire. His gold chain dangled, striking her breasts with each movement.

He added an extra hour to the washboard and had sex twice. Customers like him are rare; otherwise, these girls wouldn't be able to make a living. After her shift, Liu Xin felt some pain in her lower body and was even a little weak when walking. Returning to the break room, she finally breathed a sigh of relief and took out a small notebook from the wardrobe to write it down: March 19th, 300 x 2, two hours. Although the front desk's statistics rarely made mistakes, it was still better to keep a record so she would know exactly how much she would earn each month.

When Liu Xin finished her shift, Zhao Xue also finished hers, and the two of them were talking about today's guests in the break room. Just then, someone outside called out, "Number 18, Number 29, a guest is calling, hurry over."

Regular customers would be happy to order directly, but Liu Xin was a little reluctant today. After all, the two hours on the washboard had taken a toll on her body. However, she couldn't refuse, so she went to the lounge with Zhao Xue. Once in the lounge, they asked a waiter which two guests were there. Waiter number sixteen pointed to two people on the sofa in the middle of the lounge and said, "Those two, both handsome. They arrived a while ago and have been lying there drinking but not asking for girls. When they saw you and number eighteen come out, they immediately asked the waiter what your numbers were and ordered you two right away. Looks like they took a liking to you at first sight."

Number Eight chimed in, "I think that pretty boy is alright. These two are probably a rich kid and his bodyguard. The one next to the pretty boy is definitely the bodyguard. Look at those muscles!"

Ignoring their chatter, Liu Xin and Zhao Xue walked over. Reaching the guests, Liu Xin paused, initially thinking they were regulars, but upon closer inspection, realized she didn't recognize them. She glanced at Zhao Xue, whose expression told her she didn't know either of them. The two lying there were quite interesting, a stark contrast of black and white. The "pretty boy" on the left was indeed very fair-skinned, lounging lazily with his bathrobe open, exposing his breasts. His skin was even fairer than Zhao Xue's, delicate and smooth. He had a good physique, well-maintained and proportionate, but not particularly muscular, suggesting he wasn't the type to exercise much. No wonder Number Eight had guessed he was a playboy. The "pretty boy" held a cigarette holder (it looked like ivory, which seemed odd, as few people smoke with a cigarette holder) in his left hand and a beer in his right, his small eyes, peering lecherously at the two women through his glasses. This gaze made Liu Xin uncomfortable, even though most of the customers here had that kind of look. Liu Xin disliked this person immediately, perhaps because his glasses reminded her of Engineer Liu.

The guest on the right, however, had a completely different air about him. His skin was slightly dark, Liu Xin judged it to be a healthy bronze, but in the dim lighting of the lounge, especially next to his fair-skinned companion, he appeared particularly dark. This man had well-defined features, thick eyebrows, and large eyes. His arms and legs were muscular and well-defined, exhibiting a beautiful, streamlined physique—no wonder Number Eight had initially mistook him for a bodyguard. His posture while lying there was also very upright; even the sash of his yukata was tied in a neat square knot, giving an impression of meticulousness. When he looked over, his gaze was very peaceful, as if he were looking at a painting or a book, without any other impurities. Liu Xin felt an immediate liking for this man.

Actually, observing these two people only took a moment. She'd seen more men here than she ate meals a day, and many of the women had very direct first impressions of men, though they couldn't explain why. While Liu Xin was observing, Zhao Xue had already gone straight for the pretty boy, turning around and sitting on his lap. The pretty boy, without any hesitation, hooked his arm around her waist. Zhao Xue was clever enough to directly target the "young master" that Number Eight had mentioned, leaving the "bodyguard" next to her to Liu Xin, which suited Liu Xin perfectly.

As Liu Xin sat down next to the "bodyguard," he politely pulled his legs back, leaving her room to sit. Just then, Zhao Xue said sweetly to the young man, "Handsome brother, you look so familiar? Have you been here before?"

pretty boy: "Of course you look familiar. We've known each other for years. Your name is Yangyang, right?"

Hearing the young man's words, Zhao Xue was a little surprised. They usually only called people by number and rarely by name. She had never seen this customer before, so why was he calling her by her name here, Yangyang, right away? Zhao Xue then said coquettishly, "You're so naughty! Did you ask the waiter for my name?"

pretty boy: "No, I didn't ask. I guessed it myself, and it looks like I guessed right."

It seems this kid really enjoys bragging. While the two were talking, the person next to Liu Xin suddenly asked, "What's your name?"

"I'm number 29, it's a pleasure to serve you." Liu Xin answered almost subconsciously, using the standard phrases taught to her by Sister Chen.

The "bodyguard" didn't speak, but the young man interrupted, "Number 29? Are you with China Southern Airlines or Shenzhen Real Estate? We don't like codes, we only like names. What's your name?"

Liu Xin didn't understand what he was saying at the time, but she did understand that he asked her what her name was. "My name is Xingyu," Liu Xin's name here was Xingyu, so it didn't matter to tell him.

"Brother, is this your first time here? May I ask your surname?" Liu Xin ignored the young man and asked the customer next to her. Here, the hostesses generally didn't ask customers' names, but Liu Xin thought that since they asked, she would too.

“My surname is Feng, the Feng of 'windy and romantic,' and his surname is Chang, the Chang of 'frequent.' So you can call them Brother Feng and Brother Chang.” The pretty boy answered eagerly again. Liu Xin didn't believe him at all; who had the surname Feng? She'd never heard of it. However, few of the guests here were telling the truth. When the pretty boy spoke, his companion seemed to wave his hand, which Liu Xin interpreted as a signal to him not to lie (what an honest man). Since they had given their names, whether true or false, Liu Xin and Zhao Xue called them Brother Feng and Brother Chang.

After chatting for a while, Feng asked Chang in a questioning tone, "Chang, shall we go in?"

Brother Chang seemed a little hesitant: "Xiao Feng, why don't you go in?"

This one sentence gave Liu Xin away. She knew these two people were definitely not the rich kid and bodyguard that Number Eight had described. A rich kid wouldn't talk to a bodyguard like that. Seeing Chang Ge hesitate, Feng Ge was a little unhappy: "Old Chang, what's this? Don't you know to follow local customs? We were classmates back then, and now we're here together to solicit prostitutes. You should give us this much face, right?" This guy spoke without restraint, talking about soliciting prostitutes in front of prostitutes.

Chang Ge seemed a little reluctant, but he still went into the private room with Liu Xin, while Feng Ge and Zhao Xue went into the next private room. It seemed Chang Ge didn't come to places like this often; he looked noticeably nervous when Liu Xin took off his shirt and laid him on the bed. Liu Xin told him to get two glasses of water (one hot and one cold), then told the front desk to clock in. When she returned, she found him still in the same position, not even moving his hands.

Liu Xin preferred customers like this; they let her do whatever she wanted, instead of being the one doing her thing. She first took a sip of hot water and licked it against his chest, clearly feeling his muscles tense. Liu Xin spat out the water and gently stroked his chest: "Relax, your muscles are too tight. There's no need to be so tense. I'm not really going to eat you." Chang Ge smiled, a slightly shy smile.

Next, Liu Xin tried to be very slow and gentle, partly to help Chang Ge relax, and partly to stall for time. After all, he had just been through two hours on the washboard, and his lower body was still a bit uncomfortable. Later, when Liu Xin took off his shorts, Chang Ge's expression was clearly very uncomfortable; he seemed to want to stop her but felt it wasn't appropriate. He was already erect, and after Liu Xin alternated between cold and hot water in his mouth a few times, she could feel his intense arousal, which she could feel from his throbbing blood. The time was right, so she started putting a helmet on him.

Chang Ge was incredibly strong, a kind of robust physique completely different from the weak, scrawny kind; it gave off a sense of fullness and vitality. Looking at his strong body, Liu Xin couldn't help but whisper, "Be gentle, okay?"

Chang Ge heard this, didn't move, and said, "Are you feeling unwell?"

What a thoughtful man. Liu Xin wondered whether she should nod. Unexpectedly, Brother Chang added, "Then forget it, let's chat."

How could this be? The arrow is already on the bowstring, how can we not release it? Besides, if he complains that the hostess didn't do her job after he leaves, Liu Xin will not only lose her tip, but may also be fined. Just as she was changing her mind, Brother Chang said again, "Don't worry, I'll still sign the bill for you as usual."

Part 5 Goddess's Heart 06: Siblings Separated by a Door

The bell rang to signal the end of the transaction. After signing the forms, Liu Xin told Chang Ge to rest for a while and went to the front desk to hand in the forms. As she was leaving, she saw Zhao Xue coming out from next door to hand in hers. Liu Xin asked Zhao Xue, "How was that Feng Ge? I didn't hear a thing from next door."

Zhao Xue couldn't help but laugh: "Do you know what service Brother Feng ordered? He actually ordered 'Ants Can't Climb a Tree' and then said, 'The bright moon shines on the broken bridge, the beautiful woman embraces the broken flute, let it not play.' It's so funny, it's hilarious!"

Liu Xin also thought this Brother Feng was too eccentric. Hanhao had a service called "Ants Climbing a Tree," which wasn't the stir-fried vermicelli with minced meat from a restaurant, but rather a full-body oral sex session with lips and tongue, followed by blowjob. If that didn't work, they could have sex. So "Ants Not Climbing a Tree" meant the full-body oral sex was fine, but blowjobs were not. The two of them laughed and walked out together. To get from the private room to the service counter, they had to cross the lounge. However, just as they reached the side door of the lounge, Zhao Xue suddenly shrank back as if stepping on a snake, hiding behind the door with a drastically changed expression.

Liu Xin was startled by Zhao Xue's unusual behavior: "Yangyang, what's wrong with you? Did you see a ghost?"

Zhao Xue seemed oblivious to the surprise in Liu Xin's tone, and instead said even more nervously, "Xingyu, could you take this form to the front desk for me? I can't go out right now... He's right next to the door, he'll see me if I go out..."

Hearing Zhao Xue's words, Liu Xin understood. It turned out there was someone outside the door whom Zhao Xue didn't want him to see. But on the other hand, Liu Xin was even more confused: she had been sharing a house with Zhao Xue for the past two years and had never heard of Zhao Xue having any outside relationships. Besides, Zhao Xue didn't have any connections in the area... Could it be him? As Liu Xin thought about it, she suddenly realized something and looked towards the recliner directly opposite the door.

The layout of the Hanhao Bath Center's lounge area was not complicated. The entrance from the changing rooms was behind the main lounge, and on the right front side of the lounge was a door leading to a winding corridor that branched off to various private rooms. A young man in his early twenties was reclining on the chair closest to the door. He looked rather refined, his eyes wide with curiosity as he looked around. When Liu Xin saw him, he also saw her. Their eyes met, and there was a hint of nervousness in their gazes; the boy averted his eyes, seemingly a little embarrassed.

Liu Xin had seen many men, but this man was just a young boy, seemingly new to this kind of place. Judging from his demeanor, he resembled a naive student, probably a university student. A university student? Liu Xin immediately remembered that Zhao Xue had a younger brother four years her junior, a sophomore at Binhai University of Finance and Economics (Note: This sibling relationship is quite unusual, as will be explained later). It seemed highly likely that this boy was Zhao Xue's brother!

With that thought in mind, Liu Xin subconsciously asked, "Yangyang, could that be your younger brother?"

Liu Xin regretted her words as soon as they left her mouth. She scolded herself for being so talkative; even if she had thought of it, she shouldn't have said it aloud—Zhao Xue, in this awkward situation, definitely didn't want too many people to know. Zhao Xue nodded awkwardly, "Yes, it's him. Why isn't he studying properly at school? What's he doing here? He doesn't know what I'm doing… He'll see me as soon as I go out, what should I do?"

Just as Zhao Xue was at a loss, someone suddenly tapped her on the shoulder from behind. She almost screamed in fright, and when she turned around, she saw it was that pretty boy, Brother Feng. Judging from Brother Feng's expression, it was hard to tell if he had heard their conversation. Seeing Zhao Xue turn around, he chuckled and said, "Yangyang, you don't need to go out. Go back to the private room and wait for me. I'm booking the whole night, and I'm picking you." Then he turned to Liu Xin and said, "Is my friend in that private room on the 29th still there?... I need to talk to him about something. Go help Yangyang deliver the order." Before the two of them could react, he turned and walked towards Brother Chang's private room.

...

Chang Ge was already dressed and was reclining on the bed in the private room, lost in thought. Feng Ge pushed the door open and said, "Chang Wu, I have something to tell you. We're staying here tonight, and you'll be staying next door!"

Chang Ge was taken aback by these words. Seeing Feng Ge close the door, he whispered, "Feng Junzi, haven't you had enough fun yet? Why did you decide to spend the night here? Could it be... that you have a lead on drugs?"

Brother Feng shook his head: "I don't have any leads on the drug deal yet. That's none of my business; it's your problem. I'm just here with you. But I heard strange crying here!"

Chang asked curiously, "Crying? Who's crying? I didn't hear anything?"

Feng: "It's not just anyone crying. This place is unclean; there's the sound of ghosts crying! I want to stay and listen carefully, but I'm scared, so you have to stay too..."

Chang Ge couldn't help but feel both amused and annoyed: "You're such a strange person, actually interested in these weird and supernatural things, yet you're such a coward... Afraid? Wouldn't you be less afraid if you cuddled with a prostitute at night?"

Feng shook his head again, his expression serious: "What good is that kind of bitch! I only feel at ease with a cop like you, who combines righteousness and ruthlessness, next door! ...Besides, if you leave, who am I going to pay the bill tomorrow morning?"

...

The two men speaking were named Chang Wu and Feng Junzi (Note by Xu Gongzi: the protagonist of the "Ghost Stock" series of novels, finally making his appearance here!). Chang Wu was a policeman, currently the deputy captain of the Criminal Investigation Brigade of the Ganquan Branch of the Binhai Public Security Bureau. His presence here was for a reason. Not long ago, Deputy Director Yang of the bureau specifically called Chang Wu to his office and gave him a lead: an informant had reported that someone was conducting drug transactions at the Hanhao Bath Center, but the lead and evidence were insufficient, and the bureau was short-staffed, so there was no way to assign dedicated personnel to investigate. Director Yang hoped that Chang Wu would privately investigate and see if there were any signs of this, and if so, arrange for the anti-drug team to specifically track them.

Chang Wu found the task assigned by Director Yang strange. It was supposed to be the work of the narcotics investigation team, but the division of labor within the bureau was often vague, so assigning it to the criminal investigation team would have been understandable. Director Yang specifically explained to him that the reason it wasn't assigned to a dedicated narcotics investigation team was to prevent leaks. Chang Wu had only recently been transferred and was still a newcomer, making it easier to investigate privately. He also told him that related expenses could be reimbursed with receipts, and the bureau would provide special funding. Finally, he promised that the criminal investigation team currently only had a deputy captain and was short a captain; if Chang Wu's investigation yielded good results, he would fully support Chang Wu's promotion.

Since Director Yang had put it this way, Chang Wu had to come and check it out, both for official and personal reasons. However, most of his trusted colleagues in the team were familiar faces in the area, and Director Yang didn't want any word to leak out. Chang Wu had never been to Hanhao, although he had been to entertainment venues before, and he wasn't very experienced with the specifics of these places. He wanted to find someone familiar with the area and trustworthy to accompany him, and after thinking it over, he thought of his old friend Feng Junzi.