Zwilling

Kapitel 28

Oil painting No. 51: 773 Horror Series 13

Section 68: Old Wu must have seen a ghost.

Tomson Golf Club, located in Pudong, is a place where the wealthy gather, and also a place where people who aspire to the lifestyle of the rich gather. Wu Laogan belongs to the latter group.

That day, Mr. Liao and Mr. Lu were playing ball with Wu Laogan. Mr. Liao was a leader in the Health Bureau, and Mr. Lu was the president of a Grade III Class A hospital in the city. Mr. Zhang was also there; he was an agent for an overseas medical equipment company, and he was the one who paid for the game.

To successfully penetrate the vast Shanghai market for a new type of medical device he was distributing, Mr. Zhang launched a series of public relations efforts. They first approached Wu Laogan, a figure known for his extensive connections within the industry, who then invited prominent figures like Leader Liao and Dean Lu. After lunch at a top-tier restaurant in the Grand Hyatt Hotel in the 88-story Jin Mao Tower in Pudong, they drove to a golf club, where they played golf and chatted. Despite the sweltering heat, with outdoor temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius, they remained relaxed and cheerful. Of the four, Leader Liao had the best score, followed by Wu Laogan, while Mr. Zhang and Dean Lu were novice golfers, only playing occasionally, resulting in mediocre scores. On the fifth hole, when the ball rolled just a foot from the hole, Dean Lu gently putted it, but it still didn't go in, eliciting laughter.

According to the caddie carrying the club bag, it was the ninth hole, and it was Mr. Zhang's turn to tee off. Just as Mr. Zhang was swinging hard, something completely unexpected happened: Wu Laogan suddenly lunged forward, crashing into the swing range. Mr. Zhang was using a six-iron club, and the metal head of the club struck Wu Laogan squarely on the head with a loud thud. Wu Laogan fell to the ground. The three men were stunned. Dean Lu went over to take a look and saw a dent on the right side of Wu Laogan's skull, just big enough to fit a golf ball.

They rushed Wu Laogan to the Pudong branch of Renji Hospital for emergency treatment. At that time, Wu Laogan had fallen into a deep coma, was paralyzed on one side of his body, and was incontinent. He died that night. The cause of death was brainstem failure caused by intracranial hematoma.

As a regular at the golf club, Wu Laogan should have known that when a golfer is swinging their club, others should maintain a certain distance from them—this is basic safety common sense. So how exactly did Wu Laogan enter the swing range? Did he slip and fall in, or was he confused and trying to peek out for something? At the time, Dean Lu and Leader Liao's attention was entirely focused on Mr. Zhang swinging his club, and they didn't notice what Wu Laogan was doing at all. It was the caddie nearby who provided a clue.

According to him, before the incident, the man in the beige polo shirt (that was Wu Laogan) seemed a bit off, constantly looking around anxiously, and even asked me, "Did you hear someone calling me?" I said, "No!" That was the first time. A minute later, he asked me again with a surprised look, "Did you hear that? It was a woman's voice!" That was the second time, and I was completely baffled by him.

As Mr. Zhang teed off, the man suddenly turned around, as if someone had tapped him on the shoulder. In reality, there was nothing behind him except the vast expanse of grass. Yet, he looked terrified, as if he had seen something horrible and was trying to avoid it, or rather, run away. He forgot that Mr. Zhang was swinging his club with all his might and rushed towards him, leading to the tragedy.

Old Wu must have seen a ghost.

Afterwards, Dean Lu, who tried his best to comfort Mr. Zhang, said the following.

For several days, Mr. Zhang was depressed and lost his appetite, only wanting to drink water and nothing else. He felt guilty, thinking that if he had looked behind him before swinging, Wu Laogan might not have been hit.

If they hadn't gone to play golf, they would have gone to bowling instead. Even if Wu Laogan was reckless, he wouldn't have rushed onto the fairway and been hit by a heavy bowling ball, right?

If... if...

Now that things have come to this, a thousand "what ifs" are useless. Mr. Zhang said that he will never play golf again in this lifetime.

To comfort the depressed Mr. Zhang, Dean Lu decided to place an order for one of those new medical devices. Leader Liao also indicated that he would give the green light for this device to enter the Shanghai market. After all, they had met through Wu Laogan's introduction, and Wu Laogan had put in a lot of effort, even risking his life, to make this happen. Their successful collaboration could be seen as a consolation to Wu Laogan's spirit in heaven.

The deaths of Wu Laogan and Tu Bonian, at least on the surface, were accidents. In contrast, Yao Zhizi's death was not an accident, because no "accident" would ever leave someone hanging from a tree.

Located in the southwest corner of Xuhui District, the Shanghai Botanical Garden covers an area of 82 hectares and is planted with a large number of tree species such as metasequoia, ginkgo, camphor, and cedar, as well as a large number of ornamental plants such as tulips, roses, and peonies. There is a dedicated ornamental garden.

The botanical garden closes at 6 PM. After closing, the administrator, as usual, conducted a routine patrol and found a woman hanging from a ginkgo tree in a small grove of trees. She was already dead. Her cheeks were bluish, her eyes were slightly open, and her mouth was agape. She was wearing a trench coat, and the rope used to hang herself was the belt of the coat. A gentle breeze blew through the grove, and the body hanging from the branch slowly rotated around its neck.

Yao Zhizi was not the first to choose to hang herself in the botanical garden, nor will she be the last. The trees here are towering, there are few tourists, and it is exceptionally quiet. Apart from the occasional wild bird fluttering by, there is almost no disturbance. Therefore, choosing to end one's life here may have a unique flavor.

The administrator exclaimed in surprise and quickly ran back.

The duty manager rushed over upon hearing the news, and the administrator brought a ladder. Everyone carefully lowered the body. They weren't afraid of breaking the neck, but rather of snapping a branch, because it was a 300-year-old ginkgo tree, listed in Shanghai's directory of ancient and famous trees. An identification tag with a number hung on the tree; if this tree died, the botanical garden director would lose his job.

The body was laid flat on the ground. The administrator rummaged through the pockets of his trench coat but found no suicide note.

Two weeks ago, a man in his fifties hanged himself from a camphor tree on the west side of the botanical garden. In his pocket, we found a computer printout from a securities company. He had bought 30,000 shares of Yinguangxia stock at a high of 46 yuan, and now it had fallen to less than 4 yuan per share. That's terrible.

Oil painting No. 51: 773 Horror Series 13

Section 69: A side room, the door tightly locked.

The duty manager called the police and waited for them to arrive. The administrator and a few others started discussing the matter.

"Wearing a trench coat in this heat, aren't you afraid of getting all sweaty?"

"What do you know? It's hot here, but it's freezing cold in the underworld. Wear more layers to keep warm."

"This woman isn't bad-looking, why would she choose such a desperate path? She must have been abandoned by a heartless man."

"Men die for money, women die for love; it has always been this way."

The duty manager became interested in the trench coat the deceased was wearing. After studying the plaid pattern on the cuffs, he smiled.

"You guys don't know its value! That trench coat of hers is from the world-famous brand Burberry, worth over ten thousand RMB!"

"Wow!" This word flew from everyone's mouth. It's understandable that these wage earners, who earn less than two thousand a month, don't know BURBERRY.

"No wonder she wore a trench coat on her journey and even used a belt to hang herself; it seems she couldn't bear to part with that designer piece even in her dying moments."

The duty manager meticulously put the belt back on the trench coat and tied it into a neat bow. He knew, though, that the forensic pathologist would remove the coat at the autopsy table. After all, the lady was a ticketed tourist, and being considerate was a good thing for her.

I later heard that the price of this BURBERRY trench coat had increased by 300 yuan.

The shockwaves from Zhu Chuan's car accident and Zoe's fall to her death were already immense for the clinic, and now so many other things have suddenly appeared, leaving them overwhelmed. Although Tu Bonian is already a member of "28 Dental Clinic," the deaths of Wu Laogan and Yao Zhizi, the resignation of President Li Yongnian, and the subsequent departures of An Ruohong and Ye Xiaohui have created a sense of unease within the clinic. People have lost their focus at work, and revenue has plummeted.

In Beijing, the board reacted swiftly, dispatching the general manager of the Shenzhen clinic to Shanghai and transferring doctors and nurses from both Beijing and Shenzhen to support the clinic. The sole objective was to ensure the Huaihai Road clinic remained open and held on at all costs. Simultaneously, recruitment information was posted online and in newspapers. However, an awkward situation arose: it was nearly impossible to find staff in Shanghai.

The dental community isn't large. Yu Linyin and Tu Bonian both came from the Ninth People's Hospital. White Dental Clinic was outstanding in the industry in terms of both facilities and performance; everyone was watching it. So many incidents quickly spread throughout the community. As a result, all sorts of strange rumors began to circulate. One particularly popular rumor was that White Dental Clinic's string of misfortunes was due to its bad feng shui location. Before liberation, Huaihai Road in old Shanghai was called Avenue Joffre, belonging to the French Concession. The current Le Méridien Plaza was once a French cemetery. The bustling crowds on Huaihai Road and the thriving business of the clinic angered the ghosts in the underworld.

Anyone with a brain would realize that this argument is full of holes. Avenue Joffre in old Shanghai was a bustling commercial street. How could there be a cemetery on a commercial street?

White's Shenzhen general manager had an old classmate, the head of the dental department at a Nanjing hospital, surnamed Ma. After agreeing on the terms, Director Ma submitted his resignation to the hospital on Monday and arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday to assume the role of general manager for the Shanghai branch. He didn't come alone; he brought with him a specialist in endodontics and a surgeon. The clinic quickly stabilized, and recruitment was successful, given White Dental's prestigious reputation. Within a month, a new general manager, administrative supervisor, medical supervisor, and financial supervisor were all in place. Mao Lifang resumed her position as head nurse, and under her encouragement, two more experienced nurses left their previous hospitals to join White. At the same time, three junior nurses were recruited from nursing school. As the saying goes, unity is strength. With everyone's concerted efforts, the clinic quickly recovered, revenue soared, and the new staff brought a fresh perspective. General Manager Ma secretly issued an order: no one was allowed to discuss the past openly in the clinic; if I overheard, he would be fired.

This tactic proved effective. Outside of work, everyone chatted and laughed, never mentioning the past. Only in private would the clinic's "veterans" tell those strange stories to the newcomers. The storytellers spoke vividly, while the listeners listened with skepticism, treating it merely as anecdotes.

One day, Mr. Ma invited a friend from a "decoration company" to take a look around the clinic. In fact, the friend was a feng shui master invited by Mr. Ma, who didn't want to be too conspicuous. The feng shui master conducted an on-site inspection. In Zoe's consultation room, the feng shui master closed the door and stayed inside for about twenty minutes.

At the suggestion of the feng shui master, Mr. Ma made some minor adjustments to the layout of the clinic. He removed all the original paintings and placed some talismans to ward off evil spirits in some inconspicuous corners. He also hung a portrait of Zhong Kui in his office and placed a mahogany sculpture of Guan Yu holding a knife in the waiting area, and so on.

The feng shui master advised that Zoe's clinic should be kept closed for at least a year, with nothing inside disturbed. The windows should be open during the day and the lights on at night. It could only be reopened on the anniversary of the deceased's death next year, when the resentment would have dissipated.

Because the windows were completely sealed and could not be opened, the door was left unlocked during the day. Therefore, the door was only opened when Nono and Ahu first stepped into the clinic.

The investigation progressed smoothly, and Director Chen, working alone, also made progress. At the Artists Association, he found a painter named Zeng Men who did exist. Using the contact number in the member's file, Director Chen called, and the call was answered by a recorded message:

"Hello, this is Zeng Men. I'm not home; I've gone to Lijiang to sketch. I don't have a cell phone; it's useless in modern times. If you have an emergency, you can speak into the phone or slip a letter under the door of my studio. If I make it back from Lijiang alive, I'll contact you. Thanks."

Zeng Men's studio was located in an old-style alleyway residence in Huangpu District. It was a side room on the second floor. The door was tightly locked, with a gap between the door and the floor—enough to let a mouse slip through, let alone a letter. Director Chen had pasted a piece of paper on the door...

"Mr. Zeng: This is Chen Ziqi, former director of the S Art Museum. I have urgent business to discuss with you. Please call my mobile number 133******* when you return to Shanghai from Lijiang."

Oil painting No. 51: 773 Horror Series 13

Section 70: They're not going to ask me to go streaking, are they?

"Do you think Zoe would commit suicide over such a trivial matter?"

It was a trivial matter, that was Nono's assessment, and her reasoning sounded quite convincing.

Back in the 1930s in Shanghai, Ruan Lingyu's suicide caused a sensation. The reason she swallowed an entire bottle of sleeping pills was nothing more than rumors from a few tabloids. If female celebrities today were as fragile as Ruan Lingyu, they would all be dead by now.

What era are we living in? Who's afraid of scandals now? On the contrary, it's quite uncomfortable to be without any scandals, as it suggests that the woman lacks public appeal and is either old or ugly.

Zoe, a sophisticated urban woman—a dentist and high-level white-collar worker—was worldly-wise. What she encountered was merely a few rumors. Afterwards, she chatted and laughed, seemingly unaffected, even joking, "I wish I had such an alluring figure." These reactions clearly demonstrated her relaxed attitude and lack of concern. An Ruohong's assessment that Zoe was merely forcing a smile and burying her sorrow was a misjudgment. It was only a few days after receiving the pornographic images that Zoe became emotionally distressed and suddenly fell to her death. This suggests that she encountered another unpleasant event, which was the true cause of her death.

What exactly is this thing?

Looking back at that text message today:

"You have finally seen my naked body. From this moment on, you must publicly display your naked body for the next twelve hours, or you will face misfortune."

Please note the first sentence: "You have finally seen my naked body..."

This "finally" contains so many meanings.

Deep down, everyone harbors a desire for nudity. This desire exists in both men and women; it is an indescribable impulse.

This desire has transcended simple carnal lust and become chaotic and complex.

You might stand in front of a mirror admiring your naked body, or lie in a bathtub gently caressing your naked body; if you like someone of the opposite sex, you might long to see them naked; if you really dislike someone, you might wish they would be naked in public and make a fool of themselves.

The popularity of pornographic magazines and the astonishing click rates of pornographic websites demonstrate that while men used to read them, women now read them too; everyone loves to watch them, even though it's just a few organs and positions all the time. This shows that nudity will always be mysterious, and humanity's desire for it is boundless, its exploration eternal, even surpassing its interest in the universe.

This "you" refers not only to people like Wu Laogan, but also to the general public. Zoe's indiscriminate revenge against the public means everyone could become her next target. What appears to be a simple prank is actually a deadly game with pre-set traps. Its rules are simple: nudity. Do you want your life or your pride? If you want your pride, you'll die; if you don't, then take it all off. Don't take any chances. Zoe is a woman of her word, swift and decisive.

Some people use text messages to spread rumors, and Zoe uses the same method to spread terror.

The incident originated from a painting, and now the public is also being treated with a painting, a case of using the same methods against each other.

Her ruthlessness, her methods, and her mockery of the public had all reached their peak. How can we get her to stop?

If the lady's cup hadn't appeared in the painting, Nono and Ah Hu wouldn't have been able to find White Dental Clinic. It seems Zoe wanted them to find it, but could this "hope" also contain another layer of meaning—that she wanted them to do something for her, something that is very likely related to Zoe's fall?

Near the end of the "Nude Seminar," Du Yaofeng mentioned General Manager Li, namely Li Yongnian. Although he was not a painter, he was the one who initiated this painting. How did he come up with the idea of painting a picture for Zoe?

Mr. Li has already returned to Taiwan and is reportedly in Singapore, making it difficult to meet. Xiao Yu provided a business card from White Dental Clinic, which includes his mobile phone number (a company-provided phone, which he must have returned before leaving), and his email address: David@. David is Mr. Li's English name.

Mr. Li has passed away, but his email address has not been cancelled. This is a trivial matter. Nono suggests that you send Mr. Li an email. Perhaps when Mr. Li is feeling lonely in Singapore, he will think of White Dental Clinic and Zoe, and inadvertently click the mouse to open this email address.

The man standing before me, Zeng Men, was in his forties, not very tall, about 1.65 meters, slightly balding on top, with stubble on his face, and wearing dirty jeans. He didn't look like a painter at all; he looked more like a construction worker.

The news of Director Chen's madness spread like wildfire in the art world. Zeng Men also heard about it, but he wasn't surprised. Instead, he shrugged and expressed his understanding of Director Chen's behavior, saying, "Van Gogh cut off his own ear with a razor. Compared to that, what is streaking?"

There have been streaks at Wimbledon, streaks on the South Lawn of the White House, and streaking in an art museum—it's like treating yourself as a work of art; it should be considered a charitable act.

Sometimes, walking down the street, surrounded by crowds, is so damn annoying. I really want to strip naked, run freely, and scream all the way, but I just don't have the courage. That he, a museum director, had that kind of courage is truly admirable, I admire him to the core. I offer him my highest respect.

Now, Director Chen, a complete stranger, suddenly appeared to receive his "highest respect." Surprised, Zeng's first thought was—

Are you suggesting I go streaking with you?

Zeng Men was lost in thought.

If that's the case, what reason should I give to refuse? I could say I have a cold and shouldn't get chilled; I could say I have Parkinson's disease and can't go out; or I could just say I'm infected with HIV—anything to scare him away...

None of the excuses Zeng Men came up with worked out. The reason Director Chen came to see him was related to "Zoe on the Windowsill".

Oil painting No. 51: 773 Horror Series 13

Section 71: The Art Museum Nude Incident

All my works are represented by F Gallery. That Taiwanese guy was a regular at F Gallery; he bought two of my works, and that's how we met through the gallery's agent.

Later, he brought me a digital photograph and asked me to draw it, giving me 5,000 yuan as payment. For me, it was just a small business, earning some pocket money. Recently, I've been drawing a portrait of the chairman of a private company in Zhejiang, intending to hang it in his office. He agreed to pay me 200,000 yuan, with only one requirement: to draw it as lifelike as possible.

I'm quite satisfied with that painting. She's sitting on the windowsill, with sunlight streaming in from behind her. You know, painting is all about the use of light, which gave me a lot of room to maneuver. The woman is also quite pretty; while she wouldn't call herself a beauty, she has a certain charm, the kind of beauty I admire.

I have never met Zoe in person.

After a brief conversation, Zeng Men tried to steer the conversation toward the nude incident at the art museum, but Director Chen avoided the topic and looked very serious. He asked Zeng Men to get into a taxi, which drove to Du Yaofeng's house. He nodded to the hostess, Du Yaofeng drew the curtains, and A Hu and Nuonuo carried a painting that was wrapped up tightly downstairs from the storage room. It seemed that everything was prepared.

In front of him, Director Chen removed the painting's packaging.

"Mr. Zeng, please take a closer look. Is this the painting you drew?"

Zeng Men glanced at it and immediately exclaimed in surprise, "What's going on? There's an extra mask!"

In the photo provided by Mr. Li, Zoe is not wearing a mask, and naturally, there are no masks in his paintings either. Who would put a mask on the person in a painting? Neither Mr. Li nor Zeng Men are that avant-garde.

Marcel Duchamp, a leading figure of the American Dadaist movement, added a mustache to the Mona Lisa, creating a masterpiece that subverted the classic. Some have imitated this, putting a gas mask on the Mona Lisa. Could putting a mask on Zoe be considered a form of surrealist art? Zeng Men is unsure.

Zeng Men carefully examined the painting and, besides the mask, noticed two other differences:

The painting originally had a signature and a date of creation, located in the lower left corner below the title "Zoe on the Windowsill," but now both the signature and the date have disappeared.

Secondly, the photo provided by Mr. Li did not show a clock, but now, there is a blue round clock hanging on the wall above the desk, the kind of plastic clock bought from IKEA, with the hour and minute hands aligned to show noon.