Seltsame Geschichten aus Tangdun

Kapitel 9

Illuminated by the fireworks, her eyes were filled with an empty, blank stare, and her haggard face bore the marks of weariness and bitterness. The passersby around her seemed to belong to two different worlds: one vibrant and colorful, the other black and white.

Perhaps after prosperity comes loneliness, after deep affection comes indifference, pain always follows joy, and after the tears have all been shed, only numbness remains.

Perhaps, this overwhelming resentment that devoured several lives began from that moment.

The most painful things in the world are a husband betraying his wife and a father killing his son. A woman who bears both of these pains and lives on must have something in her heart that supports her.

Could it be the belief in revenge?

As Afang finished telling her story, my professional instincts kicked in again. Gazing at the pedestrians outside the glass window, my mind wandered, and I almost didn't hear Afang calling me.

When I described the scene I had imagined to Afang, I saw her pupils dilate little by little, and her voice was filled with terror: "You...you...you tell me, what does Hanako look like?"

I looked up, finished the last sip of my cola, squinted, and tried to make the image in my mind clearer: "...a pointed chin, skin so white it was almost transparent, a small crescent-shaped scar on her forehead, which was just covered by a wisp of light yellow short hair, the rest of her black hair tied back. She was wearing long jeans, the hems dragging on the ground, with a bright red flower embroidered on the buttocks... Fang, what happened to you?"

Seeing the horrified look on Afang's face across from me, I knew I was right.

Could a blind cat stumble upon a dead mouse? I suddenly realized and looked across the street at the mango tree.

The lush green mango leaves swayed gently in the breeze, and I could almost hear them rustling. There wasn't a soul in sight. A chilling atmosphere seemed to permeate the air even in broad daylight, sending shivers down my spine.

"Ring ring!" My old Nokia 8210 rang at just the right moment, breaking the awkward situation between Ah Fang and me.

The call was from Yan Xin. She and Zhang Lei had accidentally discovered a two-year-old cold case while looking through files at the police station.

This case involved a wide range of people at the time. It started in May 2002 when the Gulou District Police Bureau conducted a surprise raid on the Golden Idol Disco, which was under the jurisdiction of another entertainment group, Asia Ark. They found that the staff of the disco were openly selling ecstasy. When the police tried to shut down the disco on the spot, they were attacked by a crowd that had been secretly incited. In the ensuing chaos, one active-duty police officer was killed and two others were seriously injured. The situation was only calmed down when riot police arrived quickly.

Because of the injuries and fatalities, the case was transformed from a civil matter into a criminal one. At the time, the head of the criminal investigation team was not Zhang Xiaojun, but a robust police officer named Bai Bing, in his early thirties, full of vigor and vitality, shrewd and efficient in his work, and more action than thought—a complete opposite of Zhang Xiaojun.

He immediately launched an investigation after taking on the case. As time passed, the truth behind the case was gradually revealed. Bai Bing and his colleagues suddenly realized that they seemed to have fallen into a black hole, a bottomless black hole!

On the surface, this case appears to be nothing more than a minor criminal matter, which could be resolved simply by catching the perpetrator. However, during Bai Bing's investigation, she discovers that all the clues subtly point to Liu Huatian, the CEO of the Heaven and Earth Entertainment Group, and even further, to a provincial-level leader behind Liu Huatian!

The outcome was predictable. Bai Bing was transferred to a small mountain town in northern Fujian to serve as the captain of the criminal police, and the case ended with the handling of only a few perpetrators who had been arrested at the time.

An interesting discovery was made in the case file: five people had close ties to each other throughout the case: Haozi, Ajian, Liu Huatian, Sangbao, and that provincial-level leader, whom we will refer to as Director Gu for now.

Even more surprisingly, on May 28, 2002, these five people had a mysterious gathering at the Tianwaitian Hotel, the predecessor of the current Ivy League. The location was a VIP room at Tianwaitian, and the content of the gathering remains unknown.

On that day, there was another person who shouldn't have been there, and that person was Gu Datou!

Turning off my phone, my once clear thoughts turned into a jumbled mess again.

Putting aside Gu Datou who appeared at the end, the clues that Yan Xin and the others found matched A Fang's story one by one, and the general outline of the whole story became clear.

A recurring theme in film and television: a beautiful young woman who loves vanity, a young and wealthy playboy, and a rich man who indulges in gluttony, all intertwined to create an ordinary story that happens around us all the time.

In the end, the young doctor performs a labor on his lover, and the premature baby suffocates and dies. The baby is then made into a delicacy for five greedy people to eat. The young mother is filled with grief and anger and uses a mysterious method to raise the spirit of the infant. After it grows up, it takes revenge on the five people one by one, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth!

If it were really that simple, then the story could end with "Xingyun uses his divine power to subdue the vengeful spirit, and the criminal police captain solves another bizarre case of cannibalism."

However, Gu Datou's sudden appearance was like a cow's tear falling into my eye, making my eyes sore and painful. After the pain subsided, I suddenly realized that I had seen something new!

Perhaps as the deputy manager of the security department of the Heaven on Earth Group, Gu Datou had ample reason to be there. The police investigating at the time simply assumed he was Liu Huatian's bodyguard and overlooked him. However, considering his special relationship with Hua Zi and Tan Hui, my intuition told me that this matter was far from simple.

There is another matter that is even more perplexing. That is, is Tan Hui alive or dead? He appeared to me in a dream, and I asked if the mysterious man under the mango tree was him. If he is dead, how did he die, and when did he die?

Perhaps this time, I should try copying with a pen.

Section 21

Afang gave me a very familiar feeling, like... someone of the same kind.

This Dicos at the intersection of Wusi Road doesn't have many customers. Only during lunch break do white-collar workers from the surrounding office buildings flock here like locusts, eat their fill, and then leave, leaving behind only a deserted scene.

In this city, I know very few people, and I know very few people. Perhaps Fang feels the same way, which is why we can continue our conversation in such a crowded public place, oblivious to everyone around us, without caring about people's stares.

I cautiously probed, "Do you know that vengeful spirit? Could it be the child Hanako was eaten?"

"A vengeful spirit?" Afang looked at me strangely. "Why do you keep saying it's a vengeful spirit? Brother Gu clearly said he was raising a ghost. Isn't that what they call raising a ghost child on Hong Kong TV? Actually, I know that humans and ghosts are different, but Guai Guai has always listened to his mother, and he's so young, it's impossible for him to be the one harming people."

"Gu Datou?" The name appeared again, seemingly connecting some fragmented clues: "Afang, listen to me, all the evidence now proves that it is the vengeful spirit of that child who is causing trouble... Okay, I won't say vengeful spirit, his name is Guaiguai, right? Who exactly brought him out, was it Gu Datou?"

If Hanako's story ended with that nightmare, it would just be a small variation on ordinary urban life, and perhaps similar stories are happening all around us every moment. But in the vast ocean of urban population, who would care about the story of a country girl?

Hanako is a girl who loves to fantasize. The only reason she would accept that bad man's request is that he promised her that the child was an obstacle in their love. He said that as long as the child was removed, he would take her back, and the two of them could forget all the unpleasant things from the past and live happily as before.

However, after taking Hanako back to her rented apartment after her induced abortion, that wicked man vanished like a bubble, never to be seen again. Her phone was disconnected, and his private clinic was deserted overnight. Hanako only knew that his parents were high-ranking officials in the province, but she didn't even know their names.

Her body was so weak after the induced abortion. She had barely recovered when she went crazy searching for that awful man. Hanako was exhausted. She lay alone in the empty room, drifting in and out of sleep. It felt as if she were the only person left in the world.

Having gone two days without a single grain of rice or a drop of water, I finally woke up to a phone call from my landlord demanding rent. I was six months behind on rent, and if I didn't pay, the landlord threatened to bring his "brothers" to evict me the next day. I hung up the phone in a daze, then coughed uncontrollably. The phlegm I managed to cough up was streaked with a shocking amount of blood.

If it weren't for Gu Datou, who had been worried about her, not receiving any calls from her for several days, she might have died silently in that desolate rented room, her body rotting without anyone even knowing.

It'll stink and nobody'll even know!

I turned my face away and, under the guise of cleaning my glasses, secretly wiped away a drop of unknown liquid.

Do we, those of us wandering in foreign lands, fear such an ending deep in our hearts when the night is quiet and no one is around?

Gu Datou borrowed money from all sides to pay six months' rent for Hua Zi and took her to the small house she used to share with A Fang. Fortunately, Hua Zi's illness was not very serious; she was just weak after childbirth and had contracted acute pneumonia. She spent half a month in the hospital on IV drips before finally recovering.

She's physically better, but her soul seems to have left her. She's in a daze every day, constantly hugging and coaxing a rag doll, and calling any man she sees "husband," wanting him to take her and their son home.

Unable to bear it any longer, Gu Datou secretly returned to his hometown in southern Fujian and painstakingly sought a method from a feng shui master to raise a ghost. He instructed Hua Zi to follow the method, and surprisingly, he actually summoned the ghost of the infant.

The concept of ghosts and gods is inherently ethereal, and Afang initially did not believe in any ghost-raising techniques. However, considering Gu Datou's deep affection for Hua Zi and the hard work he had put in, she decided to give it a try and did not stop them from doing it.

"...I never expected it, I really never expected it. One day I went to see Hanako and found that she was actually holding a baby in her arms. The baby looked at me and smiled coldly, and then disappeared." Afang shuddered: "Hanako said that this was the child that Brother Gu taught her to find. She no longer wanted to think about that bad man. She held that ghost baby all day long, loving it and even named it Guai Guai."

“Hanako had to feed Guai Guai every day, not with milk, but with blood. Brother Gu said that raising a ghost child must be done with the blood essence of a close relative, so Hanako would cut her finger every day to feed him. At first, I could only catch a glimpse of Guai Guai occasionally, like a half-real, half-illusory shadow. Gradually, his face and his body became clearer and clearer. Hanako grew thinner and thinner every day, and Brother Gu bought her a lot of tonics, but it was no use.”

Afang's face remained calm, but a hint of unconcealed fear flickered in her eyes.

“I knew that if things continued like this, Hanako would definitely die. So I secretly tried to persuade her to stop, but... I thought that with Brother Gu helping her like this, she should have come to her senses. But she actually told me that I was lying to her and wanted to take away her baby and Brother Gu. I argued with her for a few words, and she pounced on me like a madwoman, grabbing and biting me. I don’t know if she’s gone crazy.”

“I went to see Brother Gu again, and he sighed and said to me, ‘Afang, I’m afraid Hua Zi will never wake up again. I would rather stay with her and watch her be happy in her dreams than wake up and grow thinner and thinner every day. I can’t bear to see Hua Zi in such pain. You know, every time I see her heartbroken over that bad man, my heart aches so much that I don’t even feel the pain when I stub out my cigarette.’”

It's clear that Afang has a strong liking for "Brother Gu." But perhaps I have a preconceived notion; no matter what she says, I always feel that there's something wrong with this "Brother Gu," but I can't quite put my finger on what it is.

Afang continued, "Brother Gu rolled up his sleeve to show me. His left forearm was covered with cigarette burn scars. He was determined to take care of Hanako for the rest of his life. I was very touched, so I moved out and left the house to the three of them. There wasn't much I could do to help them, so I used my job to arrange a maid job for Hanako at Ivy League. You know, it's just to appease the boss. She only needs to come once or twice a month when she's sober to get paid."

I closed the notebook and let out a long breath.

Two seemingly unrelated stories finally connect in Ivy League.

Although some minor details remain unanswered, the basic outline of the whole affair has been revealed.

Now that the problem is clear, it's time to find a solution.

Hanako, the bad man—this must be the complex love-hate relationship between Dr. Tan and Gu Datou in my dream. No one but themselves can help them resolve it. Moreover, if I'm not mistaken, Dr. Tan is already dead, and most likely died shortly after performing the induced abortion on Hanako.

As for the murderer who killed Dr. Tan, the police will naturally investigate and bring him to justice, and he will be dealt with according to the law. As for those few "villains" who ate the infants, they have already died in their revenge, so I don't need to worry about them. As for the rest, Zhang Xiaojun will probably not let them go either; deep prison awaits them.

The only troublesome thing is that vengeful spirit—the "good boy" that Afang talks about.

Perhaps Xiaohui would have a way, but the world is vast, where can we find her? I also don't know if Xingyun, that "fake Taoist priest," has any way to help him pass on.

A question suddenly occurred to me.

"Afang, why do you trust me so much and tell me all these things?"

Afang turned her eyes away and looked at the green mango tree outside: "Because...because you look a lot like that...bad man. I know that although he is ungrateful and heartless, but...the only man that Huazi truly loves is him. Maybe she will never forget him for the rest of her life."

Section 22

“Director, I really have something very important to do… No, no, it has nothing to do with the investigation, it’s a personal matter. I’d like to ask for another day of annual leave, and I’ll definitely be back at work tomorrow… Is that alright?” I tried to make my voice sound more humble so as not to anger the director who was looking for me everywhere.

The director's voice, clearly tinged with anger, came through the Nokia 8210: "...I don't care what you did, listen up, this investigation is a major annual event that the entire company, no, including the head office, takes very seriously. At a time like this, as a department manager, you're constantly taking annual leave. How can you set a good example? Alright, I won't say any more. You'd better figure it out yourself!"

"Director, I..." I wanted to explain a few more words, but the director didn't give me the chance at all. The phone beeped twice and then disconnected.

I was in a complete mess. After all, I didn't live in a fictional world untouched by worldly affairs. My supervisor's opinion of me directly affected my end-of-month salary; calling him my bread and butter wouldn't be an exaggeration. Even though Yan Xin was the company's finance manager, I couldn't exactly take half a month off and ask her to secretly add a zero to my payslip, could I?

Afang gave me a knowing look, and I could only respond with a helpless, bitter smile. I arranged to meet Hanako with her in the evening, so I hurriedly crossed two streets and rushed to Yifa Building to continue my part-time job.

As mentioned earlier, our company is located on the fifth floor of Yifa Building. This building is quite "famous" in Fuzhou for two reasons: First, the building is located on Wusi Road, the most bustling commercial street in Fuzhou, but the main entrance does not face the main road. Instead, it faces a small road called Yuquan Road on the left, directly opposite the infamous Jin'an River, a stinking ditch. The other reason is that the rent in the building is half the price of the Global Plaza across the street, but the occupancy rate of the units is less than half that of the opposite plaza.

Our head office is a financially strong US-listed company. Our Fuzhou branch operates an online media outlet, which is undoubtedly a powerful media outlet in a rapidly developing niche industry. And I happen to be the head of the reporters for this powerful media outlet.

Most professional workers like us have a special skill: it's like we have a multi-phase switch installed in our minds. When we're working, it snaps to one side and we're immediately in work mode; as soon as we leave the company, it snaps to the other side and we stop thinking about work altogether.

Time flies when you're busy. I had a meeting with my colleagues to discuss the next year's survey, drafted the plan, and then took it to the director's office. By the time the director finalized all the details, it was already past 7 p.m.

"Let's go have some fun!" In the elevator, Feng Zei and Peng Peng's group invited me to eat with them. Normally, we friends would always get together for dinner after get off work, splitting the bill, chatting and laughing together, having a great time.

This time, however, Yan Xin, A Lei, and I will definitely not be able to be with them for a while.

"No, I've made plans to have dinner and chat with a beautiful girl. Let's do it another time. Have fun!" I laughed and reached above my head, making a toggle gesture and mimicking a snapping sound.

As Pengpeng laughed and scolded me, trying to pinch my arm, I quickly slipped towards the stairwell.

Let's keep our distance from them for now!

My dear friends, I don't want to drag you into this mess. Enjoy your laughter in the bright sunshine, and leave the rest to me!

Afang had already changed her clothes and was waiting for me. She was wearing a stylish light yellow suit, and she looked completely different, bright and beautiful, so much so that I could hardly believe my eyes.

Jinquan Residential Area is not far from Changchun Teng. It is an old-style residential area on Wenquan Road. The area is full of block-style buildings in the style of the 1980s. They are old and lack maintenance, so the whole area looks dilapidated.

As dusk settled outside, the neighborhood was shrouded in darkness, without a single streetlamp, which sent a chill down my spine. Afang seemed to sense this too, and moved closer and closer to me.

Hanako lives in building 174, and my heart skipped a beat when I heard that number. Chinese people pay a lot of attention to auspicious numbers, especially in Guangdong and Hong Kong. 168 means "all the way to prosperity," and 998 means "long-lasting prosperity." I worked in Guangdong for a few years, so I'm also very sensitive to these things. To me, 174 sounds no different from "die together."

Of course, as a highly educated young person of the new century, I wouldn't take these things to heart. To put it bluntly, it's just a psychological suggestion; once you accept this suggestion, you'll naturally attribute the origins of many things to this.

Building 174 is located at the very innermost part of the community. Beyond that is a wall, and beyond that wall... I couldn't see the other side in the darkness. I roughly estimated the location in my mind and found that, if I hadn't miscalculated, it should be directly connected to the ivy!

I chatted casually with Afang over tea. She was clearly a little nervous and kept walking forward, seemingly ignoring Building 174. Luckily, I stopped her.

I was a little worried about her, so I tried to talk about topics that girls would be interested in, like clothes, cell phones, and food. But after chatting for a while, I discovered that her hobby was actually military. Her eyes lit up and she talked non-stop when talking about the Su-27, T-90, and the situation in the Taiwan Strait.

Although I also like military affairs, I just couldn't muster the energy to argue with her at that moment.

This building is indeed very strange. As soon as I entered the building, I felt very uncomfortable. The lights in the hallway were dim, and the old-fashioned incandescent light bulb was obviously a product of the last century. The light was barely stronger than a candle, making the hallway appear shadowy, as if countless monsters were waiting to devour people.

I felt very depressed. The stairwell was clearly filled with clutter, and I could vaguely hear the sound of a television coming from behind the closed iron gate, but it made me feel like I was walking in a deserted graveyard in the middle of the night, with many unseen things watching us.

"Ah!" Fang, who was walking in front of me, suddenly shivered, turned around abruptly, and threw herself into my arms, grabbing my arm tightly.

Holding her soft, fragrant body in my arms, I felt a blissful intimacy I hadn't experienced in a long time. I was momentarily stunned, but then I snapped out of it, took her arm, patted it gently a few times, and softly comforted her.

Afang buried her head in my arms and said haltingly, "...I heard someone coughing...it seemed to be right behind us...it sounded like an old woman's voice...look, look quickly!"

I didn't hear anything at all, and I couldn't help but chuckle. Girls are just so sensitive; they get scared by the slightest noise.

I was just about to crack a joke and tease her when I suddenly heard a soft cough behind me. It was very light, but I heard it clearly; it couldn't possibly be a hallucination.