Supernatural Academy 3

Kapitel 20

I continued rambling, "Sigh, what's the use of just talking? I only have two hands. The customers I tricked into coming in still have to wait, don't they? If only I had eight arms like an octopus, I could do facials for four people at the same time, and my sales would quadruple." This made the two beauticians in the room laugh, and a female customer lying on the bed next to us also laughed. She sounded very young.

I greeted her, saying, "I'm sorry to have woken you up, miss. My name is Xia Ye."

The young lady said, "No, I was just listening to your conversation. Miss Xia is very interesting and has a great sense of humor."

I apologized profusely and said, "I often come here for haircuts and facials. I've gotten to know them well, so I was just talking nonsense. Are you a regular here, Miss?"

The young lady said, "No, this is my first time at this store. Miss Xia, are you familiar with this store? Do you have any recommendations?"

I said, "No. With them here, I won't presume to teach them anything. But if you want my opinion on this place, I have a whole bunch. I'm just afraid they'll kick me out and never let me in again."

The beautician laughed and said, "Miss Xia is about to tell a joke. We all love to hear them. Miss Xia, please tell us!" The other woman also said, "It seems that Miss Xia is really popular. I'd like to hear it too."

I said, "The creams at beauty salons are the Queen Mother of the West's medicine, the medicine in the gourd, the medicine of Laozi! Use it once and you're guaranteed to be white, the effect is immediate. Use it twice and you're guaranteed to be tender, use it three times and you're guaranteed to be beautiful. Use it three to five times and you'll be as beautiful as Diao Chan, as beautiful as Xi Shi, you'll be white, tender, smooth, beautiful, and radiant. Why don't you try it? You'll be missing out big time, your wallet will be empty, you'll be fooled, you won't have dinner, and you won't come next time."

They laughed as I spoke, and I said, "Miss, please don't laugh, it'll give you wrinkles."

She smiled and said, "It's okay, I'm all better now. My name is Leng Qingqing, and it's nice to meet Miss Xia."

The summer night is clear and bright

So her name was Leng Qingqing. Judging from her name and her features, it certainly suited her, yet there was a hint of warmth in her expression. The combination of coldness and warmth on her face was rather strange. She sat up and extended her hand to shake mine; her hand was cold. She was incredibly beautiful, strikingly aloof, with large, dark eyes and long, black bangs that made her eyes appear even larger and darker. Her dark eyes were deep and unfathomable, as if they held countless secrets, as if they could see through everything. I felt she was someone with a story, and I was filled with curiosity about her.

She sat up, saw my body, her eyes widened, and asked, "How many months?"

When women get together, they can always find common ground by asking about women's matters. I answered, "Six months along." She said, "Doesn't look like it." I said, "Yes, I'm short and thin. I was in the hospital for a while, only kept alive by IV fluids. The fetus isn't very big, but it's healthy, everything's fine." She asked, "What happened?" I said, "Nothing happened, I just fell asleep. I slept for a long time, and when I woke up, my hair had grown really long, so I came to get it cut." She looked at me very seriously and said, "Ms. Xia, you're a miracle."

I laughed and said, "Medicine is the real miracle, I'm just a lucky one." Then we started chatting. By the time I finished washing my face and applying moisturizer, we were as close as sisters, and I was already calling her Sister Qingqing. We went downstairs together. I went to see my mom; her hair curlers were still drying, but she had closed her eyes and was dozing off. I didn't wake her. Leng Qingqing and I went to the cafe next door and sat down. She ordered coffee, and I ordered hibiscus tea. We talked about beauty, movies, clothes, shoes, books, and gossip. We had a great time. We got a little hungry, so we ordered a cheesecake. We chatted until it got dark, and neither of us realized it.

Leng Qingqing answered a phone call and said, "A friend of mine is coming over. Would you like to meet her, Miss Xia?" I said yes, and she called back. I also asked the waiter to tell the lady at the beauty salon next door that I was meeting a friend here. She told me to take my time, do my hair and face, and not to rush me. I wouldn't be leaving.

A moment later, a slender and graceful woman entered the café with delicate steps, wearing a long, narrow-waisted, stiff-collared cheongsam in a smoky gray color. The moment she stepped inside, I was captivated. Her beauty differed from Leng Qingqing's; it was a pure, classical beauty, gentle and understated, yet strikingly beautiful. Leng Qingqing's beauty was like a diamond, dazzling and radiant; this woman's beauty was like a pearl, subtly revealed. As soon as she entered, everyone in the café turned to look at her. She smiled at us and walked towards us. Leng Qingqing rose to pull out a chair for her, helping her sit down with the utmost respect, as if addressing an empress dowager.

After the beautiful woman sat down, she kept staring at me. I found it strange, so I touched my face and hair and asked, "Is there something on my face?" She seemed a little agitated and said, "No. I just think you look like someone I knew, which is why I'm staring at you." The beautiful woman spoke in a very literary way, which made me want to laugh.

Leng Qingqing said, "This is Sister Ming, and this is Little Sister Xia." Sister Ming looked at my body and said, "Let me see." So I stood up to let her see me. I was wearing a new maternity dress that my mother had bought for me, lake green, with pleats and lace trim on the chest. It looked very pretty and elegant. I had also just gotten a haircut and a makeover, so I didn't look too rude. Although I was facing two beauties, I felt okay about myself and not particularly inferior.

Ming nodded and asked softly, "How many months pregnant?" Of course, the first question a woman asks when she sees a pregnant woman is this. I smiled and said, "Six months, a little small, but very healthy." I answered the last three questions in one go, saving her the trouble of asking. Ming smiled gently and said, "Sit down and talk, don't tire yourself out." Ming's voice was low and her tone was gentle. Judging from her age, she seemed to be in her thirties, but upon closer inspection, I felt she was older. She gave me a mysterious feeling of unspoken words, which was breathtaking. After I sat down, I couldn't help but say, "Ming, you're like a classical beauty who stepped out of an ancient painting. If you were to make a movie, you would definitely captivate a lot of people. Qingqing, don't you think Ming is just like Consort Mei? This age, this personality, this appearance. If Ming were half a year younger, she would be Lin Daiyu, Du Liniang, Cui Yingying, or Xi Shi."

They both laughed, as if I had told some terrible joke. Realizing I had been impetuous, I shrank back and gave an embarrassed laugh to make amends. Just then, a man chimed in, "Miss Rose thinks so too? I've been trying to persuade Mrs. Ming to act in the movie for the past two days, but she just won't agree. If Miss Rose would be willing to help me talk to Mrs. Ming, I'll give you 20% of the commission." He then pulled out a chair and sat down without ceremony, adding, "Excuse me, I went to park. It took me ages to find an empty spot. Young man, a latte, please. What would Mrs. Ming like to drink? Oh, I forgot, she never drinks anything from outside."

I looked at this man—a designer suit, slicked-back hair, and a rather good-looking face. However, his eyes darted around restlessly. As soon as he sat down, he scanned the entire coffee shop, greeting a few acquaintances and making eye contact with several beautiful women, constantly fidgeting. I definitely didn't know him, so why did he seem so familiar with me? He spoke to me like we were old friends, and even knew my English name—it was really strange. Perhaps he had heard of me? Perhaps we had met before? Or maybe I'd been sick for so long that I'd forgotten the brief nods I'd exchanged in the past? But judging from his behavior, if he really had seen me before, it wouldn't be surprising to hear him speak to me so casually.

Leng Qingqing had always been gentle and kind to me, but she was as cold as ice to this person. When he finally sat down and picked up his coffee to drink, she said coldly, "Chen Brown, you can leave after you drop Ming-jie off. I'll take her back in a bit. The three of us sisters are talking here, so don't interrupt if you're not involved."

Ignoring the cold, dismissive gesture, Chen Brown continued to flirt with Ming Jie, leaning closer and gazing at her face. In an extremely protective tone, he said, "How about we postpone the movie and shoot a commercial first? Commercials are lucrative and quick—three days, give me three days, and I guarantee it'll be done. I've already arranged to meet Zhang the Bearded Man here; he'll be here soon. Listen to what he has to say before you decide, okay?"

I chuckled and said, "Mr. Chen, someone like Sister Ming clearly doesn't like getting involved in worldly affairs. You want her to make movies and commercials? It's a waste of your time. Sister Ming has a great presence, but think about it: how could someone with such a refined air be willing to show her face in public? If Sister Ming were only seventeen or eighteen, you might be able to persuade her, but at this age, she's already seen through the world and wouldn't associate with your gossip circles. Besides, look at Sister Ming's demeanor—does she look like someone who's short of money and waiting for her paycheck?"

Surprisingly, Chen Bulang wasn't angry at my words. He just said, "Didn't you just say that if Sister Ming made a movie, she'd definitely be famous? Then we're on the same page. Movies are art, and dedicating oneself to art has nothing to do with money. Oh, Zhang the Bearded Man is here." With that, he left us to greet a middle-aged man with a full beard. The two of them tugged at each other and talked for a while, then waved, shook hands, patted chests and shoulders at several well-dressed people in the room, their gestures quite flamboyant.

Leng Qingqing sat there looking sullen, as if she were thoroughly annoyed. Mingjie smiled kindly at me, looking at me like I was her own sister. I was so happy to have met two such kind sisters today. Afraid they'd find the man annoying and want to leave, I said, "Let's sit a little longer and hear what that bearded Zhang has to say. Mingjie, Qingqing, I'll leave you my phone number. Can you call me out sometime? I'm home all day, I'm free anytime."

Leng Qingqing was cold to everyone else, but she was very kind to me. She immediately said, "Okay. What's your sister's number?" She took out her phone, and I read the number aloud, which she wrote down.

Chen Bulang, having made the necessary arrangements, brought over a bearded man. He dragged a chair from a nearby table, invited the bearded man to sit down, and said, "Director Zhang, this is Madam Ming, whom I've mentioned to you before. You were looking for Chen Yuanyuan as the female lead for your new film 'Jiashen,' and I've found one for you. What do you think?"

Zhang Dahuzi is actually that famous director. He collaborated with the big star Luo Yi on several films. He's a very influential figure in that industry. Whether it's a first-rate or second-rate actor, everyone wants to work with him. It's like Alice in Wonderland for me to be sitting here having coffee with someone like him today.

Like many artists, Zhang the Bearded Man sported a long beard and a small braid, his appearance teetering between grooming and unkemptness—a deliberate nonchalance that, upon closer inspection, was quite comical. Zhang the Bearded Man glanced at Ming Jie, his eyes widening. Even more exaggeratedly than Chen Bulang, he exclaimed, “A beauty has fallen from the sky! I’ve searched high and low without finding her, and now she’s right here! Brother Chen, where did you find this lady? Not only is she remarkably similar in appearance, but her expression is exquisite. Look at her—her expression is like a delicate flower reflected in water, her movements like a willow swaying in the breeze. Wonderful, utterly wonderful! You won’t find another beauty like her anywhere else in the world. Brother Chen, who is this lady?”

I suppressed a laugh as I listened to his praise. He certainly saved himself the trouble, directly copying without any deviation. It turns out Chen Yuanyuan and Lin Daiyu were cut from the same mold. If Lin Daiyu heard someone compare her to the courtesans of Qinhuai, I wonder what kind of coquettish complaints she would have made.

Chen Brown put his mouth close to Zhang Dahuzi's ear and said in a very low voice, "She is Luo Yi's wife."

His voice was low, but he clearly intended to hide it from those around him, making no attempt to conceal it from me. Therefore, I heard him perfectly clearly, and I was utterly shocked: The superstar Luo Yi, who died a year ago, had a wife? How come the outside world knew nothing about it? That pretentious, hot-tempered, good-for-nothing Luo Yi actually had such a beautiful and charming wife? My opinion of him immediately changed drastically. A man who could marry such a wife must have something more to offer. Perhaps what we see is only one side of him, his celebrity side, while his other side remains well-hidden and unknown. But through his widow, we can glimpse a glimpse.

I had a huge crush on her, and when I saw her pleading look at me, I immediately decided to go to great lengths for her. These guys, they see a pretty girl and they want to force her into becoming a top courtesan, how shameless!

Hearing Chen Brown's introduction, even Zhang the Bearded Man's eyes widened. He looked Ming Jie up and down and said, "Really?" Chen Brown said, "That's right. I'm Luo Yi's agent. How could I not know about his affairs?" As he said this, his face turned a little pale. I guessed he was a little guilty. But this guilty conscience wasn't from lying; it was more like he'd been frightened by something. I found it quite amusing and thought this guy wasn't all that bad.

Zhang Dahuzi composed himself and said, "That explains it. Madam Ming, I was unaware of your identity earlier, so please forgive any inappropriate remarks I made."

Ming smiled without saying a word, pointed at me, and said, "My sister, she will talk to you."

I was overjoyed. She knew how to find a stand-in, pushing me forward all at once. I, too, said without any hesitation, "Director Zhang, I've never met you before, but I've heard so much about you. Could you please sign your name? I don't have a pen or paper with me. How about you sign it on this coaster? I'll go back and frame it, hang it on the wall, and it'll instantly make the place shine." I moved the cup aside, picked up the cardboard coaster with the café's logo printed on it, and handed it to Zhang the Bearded Man. The coaster still had a half-circle of red hibiscus juice stains, dripping and unsightly.

Zhang Dahuzi glanced at me briefly before asking Chen Bulang, "And who is this young lady?"

Chen Brown leaned closer and whispered, "Luo Yi's sister, Luo Si."

Very silly and naive

Of course, Luo Yi's sister should be called Luo Si, and I am Luo Si, not just Rose, but also Rou Si (meaning "fleshy meat"). Ming Jie calls me her sister; she's Luo Yi's wife, so of course I'm Luo Yi's sister. Look how fast my little brain works! In the blink of an eye, I've figured out all the relationships perfectly.

Zhang, the bearded man, glanced at me dismissively and casually remarked, "They don't look alike." He meant that Luo Yi was so handsome, and this girl had such plain features. Tsk tsk tsk, wasn't that a bit hurtful?

I immediately chimed in, "Zhong Kui also has a beautiful younger sister. Does Luo Yi and Luo Si really have to look like her? The idea is enough. Director Zhang, you can't be so disrespectful. Saying that to people's faces is just too much. As for what that means, I won't say it."

I was initially taken aback by Chen Brown's introduction, but when he mentioned Luo Yi and Luo Si, I thought he was really interesting. I myself love to talk nonsense, and I don't really care about other people's nonsense. Anyone who talks nonsense, I consider a close friend. Chen Brown, suddenly he became my close friend. I turned to Chen Brown and said, "Brother Chen, my sisters and I were chatting. You brought people over without even telling us first. You know you need an appointment to see people? Someone of Ming Jie's status isn't someone who easily sees outsiders. I'm Ming Jie's manager; if there's anything, you should have told me first."

Leng Qingqing, who had maintained a cold expression, smiled through her teeth after hearing my words. Her smile was like a jewel's shimmer. Mingjie also winked to show I'd answered well; her eyes immediately sparkled. Wow, the two beauties shone together, and I instantly felt as smug as Wei Xiaobao, surrounded by seven beauties.

Zhang Dahuzi seemed unsure of my background, and since my words were rather cryptic, he said, "It seems that Madam Ming and Miss Ross don't approve of this idea?"

I said, "Ming-jie has only been widowed for a year, a time of great sorrow. How can you push such a heartbroken person into such a place, completely disregarding her feelings? You have no respect for Luo Yi. He was so good to you all when he was alive; how can you treat his widow like this?" Who knows if Luo Yi was good to them when he was alive? But for Ming-jie's sake, I'll stand up for Luo Yi and consider him a good person. I said, "Even if Ming-jie is as beautiful as a fairy, with a refined and elegant air, and looks exactly like your Chen Yuanyuan, you can't expect her to suppress her tears and follow Wu Sangui, then Emperor Chongzhen, then Liu Zongmin, then Li Zicheng. What would that make her? Ming-jie and Yi-ge were deeply in love; she'll grieve for him for another three to five years. We can talk about it later. We sisters need to talk for a while. Director Zhang, is this the signature?"

Zhang the Bearded Man probably hasn't encountered someone as unyielding as me since he became famous. The beautiful women he usually meets are probably all crying and begging to become stars; it's rare to meet a quiet, unassuming Ming Jie, who amazed him so much that he tolerated my attitude. He snorted, stood up, and left.

Chen Bulang stamped his foot and said, "What a great opportunity! Don't reject it so easily. I'll be right back. I'll take Madam Ming home in a bit." Ming Jie said, "No need, Miss Leng is here." Chen Bulang had no choice but to sigh and follow Zhang Da Hu Zi. From beginning to end, his eyes were fixed on Ming Jie's face, looking at her as if he wanted to hold her in his hands like the apple of his eye. It was clear he was already smitten; even when he was talking to me and Zhang Da Hu Zi, his eyes never left Ming Jie.

Mingjie, however, seemed oblivious to everyone staring at her. She sat there gracefully, a smile on her face, her eyes lowered, like a figure in a classical painting. This was the true elegance of a beauty; having seen such a woman, all others seemed like ordinary, commonplace beauties.

I saw that Mingjie was engrossed in what she was watching. She finally noticed and looked up at me with a smile. My face turned red, and I blurted out, "What a pity, three hundred yuan is gone."

Mingjie didn't understand and looked at me with slightly wide eyes. I grinned and explained, "I took this coaster to an online auction, maybe I can get it for a good price."

Leng Qingqing laughed again. I said, "It's so nice to meet you all, and such a fascinating character as Zhang Dahuzi and Chen Bulang. I've never met anyone like this before. Mingjie, are you really his wife?" There were many people here, and many ears, so I didn't mention Luo Yi's name. The two of them smiled at each other, as if they had many secrets. I didn't want to pry into such private matters, so I started talking about Zhang Dahuzi's play again. I told them, and they laughed; they seemed to like me quite a bit.

Just as we were chatting happily, Wei Yiqing arrived. He looked for me as soon as he entered, and seeing me sitting there chatting and laughing, he seemed relieved. I waved to him and said to them, "My boyfriend has come to pick me up." They were slightly surprised. I smiled sheepishly and said, "We're not married yet." Getting pregnant before marriage—it was really inappropriate of me. Seeing my embarrassment, they didn't ask any more questions and instead curiously looked at Wei Yiqing.

Kui Yiqing came over, nodded to them as a greeting, and then said to me, "Mom said you were meeting friends here, so she sent me over first. She'll be better soon. Are you two ladies Xiaoye's friends? What's your name?" He called my parents "Mom and Dad" so naturally, which wasn't surprising at all. We'd known each other since childhood, and our families often visited each other. He initially called my parents "Uncle" and "Aunt," but after his parents immigrated to Australia, he stayed and almost treated our house like his own. He came to our house every day, and my parents fed him, drank him, and cared about his thoughts. He then started calling Xiaoye "Dad" and "Mom." As for shortening those four characters to just one and calling them "Mom and Dad," that happened after I fell into a coma.

Just looking at him fills me with joy. I pulled him down to sit and introduced him, saying, "This is Sister Ming, and this is Sister Qingqing. This is Wei Yiqing, my boyfriend."

Mingjie stared at him for a while, then suddenly recited, "A gentle breeze on a pillow, I've heard of you?" My face and Wei Yiqing's immediately turned red. It seemed the story of Wei Yiqing releasing the river lantern had spread far and wide, even to someone as gentle and reserved as Mingjie, who disliked gossip. Wouldn't we be teased relentlessly when we met acquaintances in the future? Mingjie was a good person; she didn't tease us. She simply nodded approvingly and said, "It's rare to find such devoted people, who will never part. You two must take good care of yourselves, and your children will too."

My eyes welled up with tears, and I reached out to hold her hand, saying, "Thank you, sister. We'll definitely be alright." Her hand was cold, so cold it made me shiver. Ming-jie noticed and withdrew her hand, saying, "Let's get together again next time."

I said okay, said goodbye to them, and went to pick up my mother. After this makeover, my mother looked beautiful again. She invited my father out for dinner, and we strolled along the river, chatting and laughing. We didn't get home until after ten o'clock. After washing up and going to bed, Wei Yiqing suddenly said, "Xiao Ye, I just took the powder you put in your piggy bank to the hospital for testing. Guess what it is?"

Seeing his serious expression, I knew something was wrong and said, "What is it? Isn't it 'date break'? Is it flour, MSG, talcum powder? Poisonous milk powder? Did I spend four hundred yuan to buy a tael of chalk dust?" I knew it wouldn't be that simple. If it were, he would tell it as a joke and laugh at me for doing something stupid again.

His eyes gleamed strangely. He pressed his mouth close to my ear and whispered, "None of those. It's high-concentration cocaine."

I sat up abruptly, startled, staring at him, my heart sinking. I quickly pressed my hand to my chest, feeling like I couldn't breathe. Wei Yiqing quickly helped me sit up, placed a pillow behind my back, and held my wrist to check my pulse. I slowed my breathing, gradually calming down, and said, "It's okay." He brought me a cup, and I took a sip of water. The first thing that came out of my mouth was, "It wasn't me."

Then I cried and said, "I'm sorry, I almost hurt you. I didn't mean to."

He kissed my cheek and said, "That's not what I meant, I'm not trying to scare you, and I'm not blaming you. There must be something wrong here. Think about it carefully, what happened? There's more than four hundred yuan left in there. Either something went wrong, or it went bad in your pig's belly."

He wasn't angry with me, so I felt relieved. Then I looked at him suspiciously and said, "When did you learn to tell jokes? What do you mean by 'my little pig's belly'? Have I become a pig?" He patted me, letting me continue. "Thank goodness you knocked it over. Is your potted plant still alive? Should we get some soil tested? If that's also problematic, then it's not just my little pig's belly that's become a chemical plant." I avoided the main point, thinking about other things. "How did you come up with the idea of getting it tested?" Suddenly startled, I asked, "Did anyone see you getting it tested?"

He waited until I finished rambling before saying, "As a doctor, I naturally want to find out about things of unknown origin. I wouldn't let anyone else see things of unknown origin. That potted plant is probably dead; it hasn't been watered in so long. I'll go back tomorrow and get some soil to test it again. Don't worry, so much time has passed, you don't need to feel guilty or scared anymore. Just be good and listen to me from now on, don't try anything weird or strange. We're all honest people, we can't stand your ever-changing and bizarre ideas. Everyone else is studying, how come you're the only one who's become like this?"

I muttered indignantly, "Everyone studies, so how come some people become PhDs while others are nothing?"

He gave me a resentful look, and I had no choice but to surrender, saying, "Let me think. You know I slept for a long time, so things might have fallen apart, and I might not remember some things." Then I bit my lip and tried to recall, but after thinking for a long time, I couldn't come up with anything. He said, "Okay, let me ask you. When did you buy this? A few days before we first got together? Around the Spring Festival?"

My face flushed, and I said, "No. It was even earlier." I thought back carefully, counting on my fingers, going through each finger once, and even twice on two of them. He watched me count on my fingers and almost broke down. He said, "It's been that long?" I nodded and said, "It's been that long. I remember now, I bought it on the eve of Valentine's Day."

"Valentine's Day? A year and a half ago? You've been planning this for that long?" he asked me, amused. I said, "Aren't you very proud of yourself? Let me tell you the truth. I've been planning this sex scandal for several years. I've drafted a detailed plan on how to take the first step, how to move into the second stage, and how to delve into the substantive stage. Do you want to see it? It's like a pornographic movie script."

He looked at me with a half-smile, and I looked back at him smugly, thinking it was truly... truly... warm and romantic. Then we kissed gently, and he said, "Xiao Ye, my girl."

I was so happy I cried, and said, "Ah Yi, am I being silly?" He nodded and said, "Silly girl." I laughed and said, "It wasn't a year and a half, it was a year ago. It wasn't Valentine's Day on February 14th, it was before Valentine's Day on July 7th. Exactly a year."

He found it a bit unbelievable and asked me, "You made plans for Chinese Valentine's Day a year ago, but you're going to wait until six months later for a foreign Valentine's Day to implement them?"

I nudged him. "What do you want me to do? If the mountain doesn't move, the water will. If you don't move, I'll have to."

He was still looking at me in disbelief, asking, "You're telling me to take expired medicine? Do you even consider me a doctor?" It turned out I had challenged his authority in his private sphere.

I feigned surprise and said, "This thing has an expiration date?"

He scratched his head and said, "This is insane. I'm not going to waste my breath on you. Tell me what happened."

then?

Crimes under the Sun

It was summer, almost July 7th. I was already twenty-one, which, even by the old Western way of counting, meant I was an adult. I'd been in love with someone for almost ten years, and I was getting impatient. For Valentine's Day, I wanted to be romantic. I did a lot of research online and ordered GHB, a supposedly "date-party" aphrodisiac. They said it wouldn't cause any problems in tests and wouldn't have any negative effects on the body. But that guy, Wei, was very shrewd; I couldn't afford to be reckless.

I placed an order online; these days, even selling medicine uses high technology. Then the seller told me to pick it up in a private room at Fisherman's Wharf. If they had said it was some dark alley, I wouldn't have dared go, but since they said Fisherman's Wharf, I felt reassured. I remember a news report on TV about someone hiding drugs in a Fisherman's Wharf bar and being questioned by the police. They later claimed it was brought by a customer and had nothing to do with Fisherman's Wharf. But I sensed something was amiss. There must be something shady going on at Fisherman's Wharf; if they can get away with something like this, the shady dealings must be as shady as selling coal. The darker the shady dealings, the more authentic the medicine. If it's half-black and half-white, it might just be baby formula disguised as medicine.

So I went. It was summer anyway, so I wore huge sunglasses, which made my already small face look almost completely hidden. Then I wore a big straw hat, and half my head was gone. My face was painted brown, like I'd just come back from the beach. I wore my mother's thin silk dress, with big flowers, longer than my skirt and wider than a nightgown. When I walked fast, the dress would billow, looking quite pretty. It was long-sleeved, only revealing my hands, which were also painted brown. Have you seen *Evil Under the Sun*? That's how that wicked woman dressed, and that's what I dressed.

At this point, Wei Xiaozi was about to explode again. I glanced at him and said, "Can you guess who that actress is? It's Jane Beckin. You haven't heard of her? It's...it's the famous Jane Beckin."

Kui Xiaozi roared, "Xiao Ye, I'm about to lose my temper!"

I said, "Why are you throwing a tantrum? I've hit the nail on the head. The clothes I wore today are the key. Why don't you read detective novels? Grandma Agatha Christie already said in her books that if someone dresses like that, there's definitely something wrong with them. If I have something wrong with me, then anyone else dressed like that has something wrong with them too."

Now he got excited and asked, "Is there another woman with you?"

I hummed in agreement and continued.

That day was truly strange. I went. Fisherman's Wharf was an upscale seafood restaurant, two stories high with many private rooms. It was afternoon, a lull between lunch and night service, so most of the lights were off, and the corridors were pitch black. I was wearing sunglasses, so I was practically blind. Just as I was about to take my sunglasses off, a figure flashed out from a room ahead. I was startled and quickly put them back on. Judging from her figure and posture, it was a woman. Her large coat billowed behind her, making her look even thinner. She came out, and I stepped aside to let her pass. Then I found the room number—the one she had come out of—and pushed the door open to go in.

"Aren't you worried about me? Aren't you going to ask me if I'm scared?" I stopped and asked him. He said, "I'm not worried, I'm worried about that woman. Anything you get involved in is bound to cause problems. Go on."

Well, I've become a troublemaker.

I went inside. The room wasn't big; there was a desk and a filing cabinet. There was a computer on the desk, and a young man was sitting behind it. A bright light was on. The room looked like any other office. When the man saw me come in, he asked, "What's your number?" I said, "Number 11." He said, "Four hundred yuan." I took out four hundred yuan and gave it to him. He tossed me a key and said, "Turn left and go to the lounge." I didn't dare ask any more questions, took the key, and left.

Turning left after exiting the building and passing through a corridor, I was immediately blinded by the glaring sunlight streaming through the glass windows. Even with sunglasses on, the light was still blindingly bright. It turned out the windows faced the Wuli River, with cruise ships passing by. The blue sky and white clouds outside were like a beautiful painting. This was a women's lounge; several ladies were reclining on brocade-covered chairs, each wearing large sunglasses, while waitresses served them drinks. I was a little confused; this didn't seem like a drug dealing place at all. And what was that key for?

A waitress invited me to sit down and asked what I'd like to drink. I casually said lemon tea, and she brought it over, charging me two hundred yuan. Two hundred yuan for a glass of lemonade? What a rip-off! I started to regret my decision. After finishing my water, I asked where the restroom was. The waitress pointed it out to me, and when I went in, I was shocked. The restroom was another small lounge area with bright red velvet sofas arranged in a circle, a vanity mirror, and a round stool covered in bright red velvet in front of the mirror. Inside, a woman in her fifties was arranging scented towels. I looked at the stalls; they weren't numbered. I just randomly picked one and went in. Afterward, I went to wash my hands. The older woman handed me a fragrant towel, which I took and dried my hands. Then I heard her ask, "What number?"

I stopped, looked at Wei Yiqing, and said, "Wasn't that exciting?" He nodded, "You're really good at making up stories." I said, "You wouldn't have guessed that honest-looking cleaning lady was a drug dealer, would you?" He said, "Maybe not. Maybe she was just a cleaning lady who was only responsible for delivering things and didn't even know what she was delivering. Now, what about that woman?"

I was taken aback for a moment, then took out the key and gave it to her. She took a beautifully wrapped little box from the towel basket and gave it to me; it even had ribbon flowers attached to it, and it looked like a small jewelry box. I took it, and she said, "Two hundred yuan." I took out another two hundred yuan. Wow, two hundred yuan for a scented towel? This shop is really ripping me off.

Just then, another cubicle opened, and a woman emerged, dressed much like me, only taller. She looked vaguely familiar, and out of curiosity, I glanced at her a couple more times. She seemed afraid of being stared at, and hurried out to ask for a handkerchief to wipe her hands. I pretended to touch up my makeup, taking a lipstick and applying it in front of the mirror, but I was actually observing her in the reflection. The more I looked at her, the more familiar she seemed; I was certain I knew her, but I couldn't place her.

She seemed flustered; her hands trembled as she took the gift box from the cleaning lady, and it fell onto the sink. She reached for it, her hands shaking even more violently. Suddenly, I remembered who she was, and I was startled, staring at her. She pulled her hat down even lower, grabbed the box, and hurried away. I was still in shock, staring at her retreating figure for a long time, unsure if I was sure. I quickly grabbed the box and chased after her. But as soon as I went outside, she was gone.

Later, I put that thing in my underwear drawer and never used it. My boyfriend worked both day and night shifts on Valentine's Day and didn't come home at all, so all my efforts were for nothing. Gradually, I forgot about it. Then, after the Spring Festival, which was Valentine's Day, I got lustful again and took out that little box. Inside was a resealable bag containing some white powder. I thought, "I spent 800 yuan on this powder and never used it once—what a waste!" So I put a little in a small medicine bottle and took it to my boyfriend's place. He opened the door and let me in, holding a cup of coffee. He asked me what I wanted to drink, knowing I never drink coffee. He said it was cold and I needed something hot, so he went to heat up some milk for me. Ridiculous, isn't it? I'm a grown woman, meeting my boyfriend, and he's offering me milk? Does he think I'm some little kid?