Das Geheimnis des alten Hauses

Kapitel 13

“This young lady came by yesterday,” the young shopkeeper replied. “I remember her very well. She was walking unsteadily, and seemed quite weak. When she left, she even banged her head hard against the door…” Jian Xiang suppressed his surging joy. “What medicine did she buy?”

"Punaton".

"Did she only come once?" His voice trembled slightly.

"Hmm..." The boss looked at the photo again for a while: "It only happened once, yesterday morning, I think."

"Boss, did you notice which direction that girl left in?"

"I think it should be heading towards Qixian Road!"

Following the direction pointed out by the pharmacy owner, the two of them simultaneously turned their gazes toward the distance to the right front of the entrance.

“It’s her,” the boss said. “What a coincidence.”

—Zhang Zhimei has appeared!

It really is her... it really is her...

Jian Xiang stared blankly at Zhang Zhimei as she approached, his mind a complete blank... Zhang Zhimei seemed to have stepped directly through the LCD screen and come alive right in front of him. She was no longer a cold, distant flat image.

This was not a dream—the pharmacy owner standing beside him and the sparse sounds of engines rising and falling on the road clearly reminded Jian Xiang that he was indeed in the familiar real world.

Zhi Mei wore a light blue mesh vest and a pink chiffon knee-length skirt, looking very pretty and charming; however, her furrowed brows and tired expression gave her a pitiful look.

As she walked in, she noticed that Jian Xiang was staring intently at her.

“You…” Zhi Mei’s voice was very weak, and she then fell silent.

Jian Xiang lowered his head, gazing intently at Zhi Mei's upturned face, his eyes revealing endless confusion and inquiry. There was a small, dark bruise on her right forehead, from where she had bumped herself yesterday. Suddenly, Jian Xiang embraced her bare shoulders, pressing his chin tightly against hers. Zhi Mei was startled by this unexpected action, but she did not pull away.

"I've been looking for you... looking for you for so long... so long... so long..." After such a long search, Jianxiang felt all the strength drain from his body, and he could only stand by gripping Zhimei's shoulders. Even though his long-accumulated feelings of love could be expressed in a thousand words, he couldn't utter a single polite greeting. He could only repeat these words, which sounded like a moan and a dream, in Zhimei's ear, as if his consciousness was gradually fading. Their cheeks touched lightly, and Jianxiang clearly felt the other's burning body temperature from her helplessness.

Jian Xiang's lips moved slightly, his voice gradually lowering and deepening, leaving only chaotic breaths blowing on Zhi Mei's nape.

“I know, I know,” Zhi Mei said softly, “I’ve waited for you for so long too…” Two tears silently slid down Jian Xiang’s cheeks and landed quietly on his collar, but he knew he wasn’t crying. It was Zhi Mei who was shedding tears… In that instant, Jian Xiang finally understood the fragility and helplessness in Zhi Mei’s heart. In fact, she had been waiting—waiting for a man capable of protecting her to appear.

Zhong Sizao was killed, Xia Yongyu was killed... Neither of them could protect Zhimei, so she had no choice but to keep running away, constantly searching for the next refuge. Zhimei was too timid and too afraid, so she could only exchange her cherished love for the security provided by the other party.

Jianxiang knew he had already fallen in love with Zhimei, and that she, naturally, would also fall in love with him. Love was her only bargaining chip, and in this gamble fraught with deadly danger, she could only bet blindly. If the man who appeared next was not Jianxiang, Zhimei would surely still fall in love with that man, whether fortunately or unfortunately, remained a mystery.

---hqszs

Reply [72]: However, unlike the two victims, Jian Xiang will not be the third victim. He has gradually been able to clarify the outline of the truth behind the terrifying case of the vengeful ghost killing people. In addition, Zhi Mei, whom he has been searching for, has finally appeared. As long as Xia Yongyu's powerful hypnosis technique is effective, it will definitely be able to end the curse of this demon.

Jian Xiang secretly vowed to himself that he would never forget to sweep away the shadow that had been haunting Zhi Mei for so long!

Their initial encounter was brief, but their mutual desires resonated so deeply that they understood each other without words. The pharmacy owner, observing their intimate moment, assumed they had known each other for a long time, perhaps even beyond the typical detective-witness relationship. He shrugged, deciding not to disturb them further, and picked up the remote to turn up the television volume. He didn't even ask, "Miss, what medicine would you like to buy?"

As the sword touched Zhi Mei's warm cheek, his thoughts gradually calmed. He heard her breathing even and rhythmic, no longer sobbing, as if she too had calmly prepared to face the unknown challenges with the strange man beside her.

"Let's go."

So, Jianxiang took Zhimei's wrist and walked out of the pharmacy with her. They walked along the arcade towards the intersection of the main road and Qixian Road. The Qixian Police Station was just over twenty meters away on the other side of the road, and the red light made them stop at the end of the pedestrian crossing.

"Where do you live?"

"It's nearby."

"Can you take me there?"

“Okay.” Zhi Mei nodded, but then suddenly stopped, “I’m sorry… my head hurts so much…” Jian Xiang quickly caught her before she stumbled, noticing that Zhi Mei’s face was pale and blank. Zhi Mei gave him a bitter smile, then buried her head deeply in his chest.

Jian Xiang was stunned. "Are you alright?"

"I'm so tired..."

"I almost forgot, you didn't buy any medicine—"

"Hold me tight," Zhi Mei whispered, "it will be over soon."

Jian Xiang was stunned by Zhi Mei's sudden request, and a burning heat ignited in his chest. But then, he felt a slight shiver and immediately understood—this was a "test"!

Yes, whether intentional or not, it's an innate instinct; Zhi Mei wants to prove that the other person will fall in love with her. Regardless of the method, she must have done similar things to Zhong Sizao and Xia Yongyu. Only if the other person gives the "correct" response will she continue to her residence with him.

Zhi Mei didn't feign a headache, but she must have used it as an opportunity to determine if Jian Xiang had fallen for her at first sight. This was her way of protecting herself. Jian Xiang possessed an unerring sixth sense in his investigative work, and he knew Zhi Mei's intuition was equally accurate. While her appearance could certainly attract various types of men, the two men she ultimately chose—Zhong Sizao and Xia Yongyu—even though neither was particularly handsome, were willing to sacrifice their lives for her without complaint.

She must have rejected many insincere and lustful men, because such men would flee in the face of impending doom. Jianxiang was certainly not that kind of man, but he had to respond to her in the way Zhimei had anticipated, otherwise she would vanish and disappear in the next second.

He must demonstrate through his actions that Zhimei has secured her love.

However, even though Jian Xiang's intuition told him that their relationship clearly contained such treachery, he still couldn't suppress his mad love for Zhi Mei. Even Eve, who had been tempted by the serpent to make Adam swallow the forbidden fruit, did not diminish her unwavering loyalty to Adam.

---hqszs

Reply [73]: He did not hesitate at all, and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist without saying a word, so that she could enjoy a sense of security in the crowded, noisy, and indifferent city.

Immediately afterwards, Jian Xiang closed his eyes, resolutely took a deep breath, and silently placed the Smith & Wesson M6904 semi-automatic pistol he carried on his body into Zhi Mei's delicate little hand.

Zhi Mei's living quarters were a small, elegant room, less than three square meters in size. There was no bed, no desk, only two large wardrobes and a dressing table. The dressing table was piled high with all sorts of bottles and jars: sunscreen, moisturizer, cleansing masks, toners, and exfoliating gels, as well as brightly colored lipsticks, eyeshadows, blush powders, nail polish, eyeliners, mascaras, and perfumes. A vanity mirror stood behind it, doubling the table's size and effectively doubling the contents of the room.

A dark blue mattress was rolled up next to the light green floor, a pink comforter printed with Snoopy was neatly folded and placed to the side, and a large beanbag pillow was leaning against the corner.

"Excuse me, I only have one pair of slippers..."

"It doesn't matter."

Zhi Mei gently kicked off her white stiletto sandals and used her big toe to hook the Kitty plush slippers lying by the door. Jian Xiang crouched slightly behind her and took off his leather shoes, the icy coolness seeping into his feet through his athletic socks.

Zhi Mei placed the cushion against her back and sat down in front of the dressing table. She looked up at Jian Xiang and sat down opposite him.

"..." Jian shrugged uncomfortably on his shoulder. There were only him and Zhimei in the room now, and Zhimei had never left his reach.

“I haven’t introduced myself yet,” Jianxiang said, his lips dry. “My name is Wu Jianxiang, and I’m a criminal investigator from the Sanmin Branch.”

"My name is Zhang Zhimei." Zhimei smiled and nodded at him politely.

After their embrace on the street, Jianxiang was still adjusting to their complicated relationship. "Hey, Miss Zhang..." "What's wrong! The way you talk is so boring, hee." Zhimei deliberately provoked him: "Can you call me Meimei? Don't call me Miss Zhang, sir."

"this……"

I thought you liked me!

“I do like you…” Jian Xiang finally blurted out his inner desires, “That’s why I don’t know how to explain your connection to the case to you.”

"A case?" Zhi Mei's expression showed a hint of confusion.

Clearly, Zhi Mei had no idea why a detective had gone to such lengths to find her. She was completely unaware that the locked-room murder case that had recently made headlines had nothing to do with her.

Jian Xiang pulled two photos out of his pocket. "Meimei, have you seen these two people?"

Zhi Mei's gaze lingered between the half-body photos of Zhong Sizao and Xia Yongyu: "...Never seen them before---hqszs replied [74]: --I guess I've forgotten everything. "Do you know? These two men were killed," Jian Xiang said, taking out the third photo, "and the girl in the photo is the one most seriously suspected."

Zhi Mei stared wide-eyed at her photo. "What? This is me? But I've never taken a photo like this..." "Do you know? This photo of you is in the home of this man with glasses—his name is Xia Yongyu."

"Xia... Ugh!" Zhi Mei suddenly convulsed, covering her head with her hands to prevent Jian Xiang from seeing her face.

Jian reached out to help her up. "Your head hurts, doesn't it?"

"I don't know... I don't know why this is happening..." Zhi Mei groaned sadly, "I'm so scared..." "Tell me, what are you scared of?"

"I don't know...I don't know..."

"Meimei, is someone following you?"

"no……"

"Or do you often dream about scary things?"

"no……"

"That……"

“No…no…none of that…I really don’t know! No one is following me, and I wasn’t dreaming,” Zhi Mei’s voice began to choke. “I don’t even know what I’m afraid of. I’m just completely terrified, terrified of something I don’t know…Please don’t ask me anymore…” The answer he received was exactly the same as the one Xia Yongyu had asked. Jian Xiang hugged Zhi Mei’s back, and she nestled sadly into his arms, sobbing.

—Could it be that performing that dangerous and powerful hypnosis is the only remaining solution? Seeing Zhi Mei's pitiful state, Jian Xiang couldn't bear to add to her suffering any further.

"I thought...you came to see me...to tell me..." "Tell you what?"

"My past."

Jian Xiang finally understood—yes, Zhi Mei was indeed waiting for a protector. However, the reason she needed protection was because she hoped to find her lost past, and she intuitively felt that unpredictable dangers might occur in this process.

"Who am I? Yes, I know my name, my birthday, my height, and my weight. But I don't know if I have any family? Do I have any friends? How many relationships have I had? Have I done anything crazy? Or anything stupid? I want to know! I want to know! I feel like my life is walking through a dark tunnel. There are no lights ahead, no path I've walked. I only know where I am, but I don't know why I'm in the tunnel... Please tell me... Please tell me..." "...Okay, I'll tell you about your past."

Jian Xiang took a deep breath, his nostrils filled with the rich scent of Zhi Mei perfume.

"On the 25th of last month, the body of a young man was found in an old building on Nantai Road. After investigation, it was discovered that the man had a girlfriend before his death, and that girl—was you." Jian Xiang ignored Zhi Mei's astonished wide eyes, simply pushing Zhong Sizao's photo in front of her, and continued, "Two days later, another man wearing glasses came to me, telling me that he could provide some clues about the murder case, but later he was also murdered..." Jian Xiang skipped over the description of the summoning spell that night, "After his death, I found his address from the registered address on his ID card. Then, I found your photo in his house, as well as a diary recording his relationship with you... In other words, he was your boyfriend—you've had at least two relationships."

“I… these two people look so unfamiliar…” --- hqszs replied [75]: “That’s because you’ve lost your past memories. I don’t know if it’s related to your frequent headaches. I went through all sorts of trouble to find you, hoping to restore your memories and find out the truth behind the two murders.”

"..." Zhi Mei's expression suddenly turned terrified.

“Meimei, don’t be afraid. You didn’t kill those two people,” Jian said gently. “But there’s a crucial key to the murder case buried in your memory, and I have to try to dig it out.”

"But I don't remember anything."

"It's alright. As long as you trust me, I will try my best to help you regain your memory."

Their eyes met, as if each was searching for confirmation in their hearts.

“If… if I didn’t trust you, I wouldn’t have brought you here. I really want to know about my past—tell me, what should I do?”

Jian Xiang remained silent for a few seconds before resolutely saying, "Let me hypnotize you."

"I don't want to!" To everyone's surprise, Zhi Mei's reaction was so intense. "I don't want to be hypnotized!"

"Why?" Jian Xiang panicked. "This is the only way I can restore your memories..." "Because...because...I don't want to fall asleep, and I don't want to close my eyes!" Zhi Mei's emotions became hysterical again: "I haven't had any nightmares after I fell asleep, but I told you, I hate the feeling of entering a tunnel, that pitch black feeling, not knowing where I am...because sleeping gives me that hateful feeling, so I don't want to!"

Jian Xiang gently stroked Zhi Mei's cheek, looking at her face at such close range for the first time. "Haven't you had a good night's sleep in a long time?" It turned out that beneath the bright makeup, Zhi Mei's face was haggard from suffering from insomnia.

"I...I'm so scared..."

"Trust me, okay?"

Zhi Mei gripped his disheveled collar tightly with both hands, her eyes reddening. After a long pause, she nodded tremblingly.

"Then, let's get started right away." It's still Jianxiang's duty time, and he should have been back at the police station long ago. He even just hung up on Liwei's call to find Zhimei as soon as possible. He needs to act quickly.

As he recalled the hypnotic techniques Xia Yongyu's spirit had mentioned in the videotape, he helped Zhi Mei unfold the mattress and lay it on the floor. After Zhi Mei lay down, he asked her to close her eyes and relax her body.

"Meimei, don't think about anything right now. I'll stay by your side." Jian whispered in Zhi Mei's ear, "Just close your eyes and listen carefully to everything I'm about to say. Now, I'm really going to begin."

Zhi Mei tightly wrapped her delicate right hand around Jian Xiang's wrist, conveying her extreme tension.

Then, following Xia Yongyu's instructions, Jian Xiang began reciting the "key" to unlocking Zhi Mei's subconscious using monosyllables with a fixed tone. As Zhi Mei listened, she let out muffled groans, and beads of sweat quickly appeared on her snow-white neck.

When Jian Xiang read the tenth word, Zhi Mei suddenly screamed and immediately stood up. "It hurts so much..." "Mei Mei, I'm sorry... but you have to endure it." Jian Xiang's tone was firm.