Tangdun Strange Tales Notes

Chapter 8

Yes! Lai Bao! Since they're looking for me, they'll definitely be looking for Lai Bao.

I stood up and said, "I'll call Lai Bao." Old Fu looked at me without saying anything. I took the phone out from under the coffee table and was about to dial when it rang. I answered and saw it was a landline number. It was Lai Bao's voice. Lai Bao said on the other end of the phone, "Come pick me up at the station. I'm back. It's urgent." I knew immediately that this was most likely related to Shi Ping'er looking for me, otherwise the kid wouldn't have come back in such a hurry.

Lao Fu and I went to the station to pick up Lai Bao. As soon as Lai Bao got on the train with his big bags and small packages, he asked me, "Has anyone come looking for you?"

I nodded at Lai Bao. Lai Bao lit a cigarette, coughed a few times, and said, "I think I caught a cold on the way back. Was the woman who was looking for you named Shi Ping'er?" I nodded again. It seemed that things were as I had guessed. That woman had indeed looked for Lai Bao, and she had looked for Lai Bao first and then me. It seemed that Lai Bao hadn't told her anything either.

The three of us discussed it and decided to call for reinforcements... Chen Zhong! But what if Chen Zhong asks? Should we tell him everything? Lai Bao said, "It's better not to tell him. After all, he's a policeman, and it's not good for a policeman to know too much." Lao Fu nodded in agreement. Lai Bao then said, "Why don't we discuss what to do now? Let's go through the whole story about Fu from beginning to end and see if we've missed anything. Maybe we can find some clues."

I patted the dashboard and said to Lao Fu, "Are you going to die in this car? Hurry up and go home, we'll talk about it when we get home. This old car is suffocating us." Lai Bao was even more anxious than Lao Fu. As we walked, he told us about Shi Ping'er coming to see him, and said that the woman's behavior was very strange. He couldn't quite put his finger on what was strange, but it just felt weird. He even suggested a few points for us to analyze. As I listened, I thought about it and kept telling Lao Fu not to say anything and to focus on driving. After all, these things had turned his hair a lot whiter. If he didn't pay attention while driving, we would all be finished if we had a car accident.

After finally getting around the worst traffic, we arrived home. Lai Bao tossed his things onto the sofa, sat down, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes to smoke. Lao Fu was on his phone, texting someone. I went into the kitchen to boil water. Just as I put the kettle on, I decided to text Chen Chong, telling him to come over quickly and check on Shi Ping'er. Chen Chong replied that he had some leads on the case but might be busy. I was furious when I received his reply and texted him again, telling him to come in right away! Immediately! Otherwise, something terrible will happen!

I went back to the living room and asked Lai Bao, "Coffee or tea? You look tired." Lai Bao said coffee, but I said coffee isn't good for you; it can cause dehydration. I suggested tea instead. Lai Bao nodded. I made a cup of tea for both Lai Bao and Lao Fu. Lao Fu remained silent. Lai Bao nudged Lao Fu and said, "You should at least say something. What are we going to do now?"

Old Fu glanced at Lai Bao and said, "How should I know what to do? I'm still thinking about whether to..." I interrupted Old Fu and said, "If all else fails, just take out your talisman."

Old Fu said, "What's the point of taking it out? It's still the same. The pattern and everything are unchanged. Do you think there's any difference between this one and the one in the photo you saw? Can you tell the difference?"

I don't know what Lao Fu is waiting for, but I know very well that I'm waiting for Chen Zhong to appear...

Notes on Disguise, Chapter 5: The Fake Lai Bao

Chen Zhong did not appear within the expected time. I originally wanted to ask Lao Fu to call Mi Dou, actually hoping that Lao Fu could go find Mi Dou to change his mood, but Mi Dou's phone was switched off. Moreover, Lao Fu did not seem anxious at all, unlike usually when Mi Dou's phone was switched off, Lao Fu would be so anxious that it was as if Mi Dou had disappeared, calling every number of people who knew Mi Dou, and almost calling the police every time.

Just as we were about to go out for a late-night snack, Chen Chong appeared at my door, covered in sweat. I almost jumped up and hugged him when I saw him. Chen Chong glanced at us and asked, "What's up? Why the rush?"

I went down the stairs and blocked the entrance, then turned to Lai Bao and said, "Tell Chen Zhong what happened."

Lai Bao looked at me with a puzzled expression and said, "What? What's going on?"

I couldn't hold back any longer. After several hours, my patience had reached its limit. I grabbed Lai Bao's shoulders and said, "Who exactly are you?"

My action startled Chen Zhong and Lao Fu. Lai Bao shook off my hand and said, "What's wrong with you?" At this moment, I saw Lai Bao moving slowly and calmly upstairs. He was indeed making a running motion.

I grabbed Lai Bao and yelled at Chen Zhong and Lao Fu, "What are you standing there for! Help me grab him!" Just as I grabbed Lai Bao, he elbowed me in the face, making me dizzy. The blow was so hard; any other blow would have been fatal. I covered my face and leaned to the side. Lao Fu roared, "Grab him! Damn it!"

Then, I squinted and saw Chen Zhong and Lao Fu chase after him upstairs. I quickly followed. After reaching the sixth-floor rooftop, I saw "Lai Bao" standing on the rooftop ventilation shaft, laughing and saying, "Tang Dun, you've got guts, I didn't misjudge you." Then he turned and jumped down. We chased after him and saw "Lai Bao" jump onto the security window of a house below, then climb down and jump into the house across the street. We heard screams from inside. Chen Zhong threw off his hat and was about to jump down when Lao Fu and I quickly stopped him, saying, "It's too late to go down now, let's get downstairs quickly."

Chen Chong glared at me fiercely and said, "If you don't tell me what's going on, I'll beat you to death!" After saying that, he ran downstairs, and Lao Fu and I chased after him. When we got downstairs, we saw "Lai Bao" jump into a speeding van. I vaguely saw a woman sitting in the van, who seemed to be Shi Ping'er, but I couldn't be sure. We wanted to keep chasing, but Chen Chong stopped us and said, "We can't catch up. Don't chase anymore. The license plate is probably fake."

When we got home, Chen Chong sat down on the sofa and immediately asked me what had happened and what was wrong with Lai Bao. I covered my face with ice and said, "You saw it too, that person was definitely not Lai Bao, it was an imposter." Chen Chong slammed his hand on the table and said, "Bullshit! Who else could it be but him? Don't I know Lai Bao? Even if they look alike, they wouldn't look that much alike."

I threw the ice cubes into the glass and said, "It really isn't. I wasn't sure before, but... I'm sure now that you're here. Do you think Lai Bao would hit me like that? Would he run away? Why would he run away?"

At this moment, Lao Fu, who had been silent until now, said from the side, "I also noticed that something's not right."

I glanced at Lao Fu and said, "When did you find out?"

Old Fu said, “You noticed when you asked him if he wanted tea or coffee. How long have we known each other? I’ve known Lai Bao for over ten years. Although I haven’t known you for as long, you’ve lived together for quite a while. Lai Bao never drinks coffee and even hates it. He sees coffee and poison as the same thing.”

I nodded and said, "Lai Bao is different from me. He's organized and doesn't litter. He certainly wouldn't just throw his bag on the sofa as soon as he walks in. I have that habit, and he's scolded me about it countless times." Speaking of bags, I remembered what the fake Lai Bao might put in his bag, so I took out all the bags on the sofa and found they were filled with scrap paper and old clothes. I gave the old clothes to Chen Zhong and asked him to analyze them for anything suspicious. Chen Zhong rolled his eyes at me and said, "You watch too many American movies, don't you? This is so haphazard, what can you possibly find out?"

Chen Zhong then said, "Is it this strange thing that makes you so sure that the person isn't Lai Bao?"

I nodded and then shook my head, saying, "It's mostly intuition. After all, if you live with someone for several years, the person around you will definitely notice if something is amiss. If it were someone else, like Mi Dou, or someone else in the company, they probably wouldn't notice. Even if they did notice something, they wouldn't carry that thought forward, since there's no one who's that similar."

I continued, "Also, Lai Bao kept asking us to help analyze the stone bottle in the car. My feeling was that he wanted to shift our attention to the stone bottle as soon as he arrived, as if he was trying to cover something up. That's when I became suspicious. Also, that person started smoking in the car. The way he held the cigarette, or rather, the way he held it, is something Lai Bao would never do. Besides, Lai Bao would never smoke even if he had a minor cold or illness. And he kept asking what to do, what to do about the talisman. Normally, we would just think he was anxious, but in that situation, Lai Bao would definitely mention the book, but that person didn't mention the book at all, only the talisman. Isn't that obviously suspicious?"

Old Fu listened and nodded, while Chen Zhong's eyes lit up: "What book or talisman did you say?"

I realized I couldn't hide it any longer, so I looked to Lao Fu for his opinion. Lao Fu nodded and said that I had asked Chen Zhong to keep it a secret and temporarily put aside his identity as a policeman to listen to what I had to say. Chen Zhong said he would definitely live up to our friendship, so I told Chen Zhong everything about the book, including the previous talisman incident.

I talked for almost two hours, and it was already past midnight. The ashtray in front of Chen Zhong was full of cigarette butts. After I finished talking, I helped Chen Zhong empty the ashtray and sat there without saying anything. Chen Zhong shook his head and said, "This is unbelievable."

Old Fu has always been rather dense, and if he hadn't been facing Lai Bao today, he probably wouldn't have noticed anything. At this moment, Old Fu once again made a startling remark: "Hey Old Tang, could this person today be Zhong Sheng?"

I was taken aback and asked him in return, "Why do you say that?"

Notes on Disguise, Part 5: The Search for the Stone Bottle

Old Fu said that he overheard Zhong Sheng talking about disguise at Zhong Sheng's house last time. What if Zhong Sheng found the method of disguise in that book he had found before? And what if there were other secrets in that book that he didn't tell me all of? He still wanted to get them through other means, so he pretended to be Lai Bao. Besides, he also knew that Lai Bao had gone back to his hometown. All signs pointed to Zhong Sheng as the most suspicious.

Chapter 24 of "Tangdun Strange Tales Notes"

Chapter 24 of "Tangdun Strange Tales Notes"

Author: Tang Xiaohao

Before Lao Fu could finish speaking, Chen Zhong interrupted him: "Stop! What nonsense! You've even gone so far as to use disguise? Are you making a movie?"

Old Fu quickly said, "I'm just analyzing, why are you in such a hurry!"

I shook my head and said, "I don't think it's Zhong Sheng. After all, he's so old. Why would he climb between buildings like a monkey? He'd probably die from the fall. And even if he were disguised, his height would be different, which would easily give him away. We can't expect Lai Bao to say that he was hit by a precast concrete slab on his way home when he passed a construction site, because it's ridiculous!"

"Who could it be?" Old Fu shook his head, looking completely bewildered. I asked Chen Chong again, "Have you investigated Shi Ping'er's background? Have you found anything?" Chen Chong shook his head. Tonight, I've seen others shake their heads so many times that it's almost as many as the Earth's rotation and revolution. Chen Chong said, "We can't find anything. There's no information about the name you gave us, no data at all. I tried searching online, but it's all blank, nothing at all. When I searched for Shi Ping'er, all I found were art pieces like bottles made of stone."

Chen Chong let out a soft "Huh?" at this point, then scratched his head, frowned, and stared at the coffee table, saying, "Wait a minute, let me think for a bit. I need to sort out my thoughts; my head is full of too many things. I need to categorize them. Just a little while, I'll go stand on the balcony for a bit." After saying that, Chen Chong grabbed a cigarette and went to the balcony. Lao Fu and I exchanged a glance but didn't say anything, each of us drinking our tea and yawning. Lao Fu said that Lai Bao's phone was off, which was strange; the kid didn't have the habit of turning it off. It was also too late. We'd call their house tomorrow morning.

Chen Zhong walked over from the balcony again a moment later and said, "That case... the one I told you about, the crematorium case, do you remember?" I nodded, while Lao Fu looked blank.

"Do you remember that corpse?" Chen Zhong looked at me, his expression grave. I suddenly realized, "I know, it's similar to what happened today, isn't it?"

Chen Chong patted my shoulder and said, "Brother, it's not just close. I just analyzed it, and it should be the work of one person. The suspect is one person."

I asked, "Who is it?"

Chen Zhong shook his head: "I don't know, but my intuition tells me that these two things happened so close together and the methods were so similar. Kendi was done by one person. Although the suspect was identified as Li Qiang in the crematorium case, he has not been found yet. I'm not sure if it was him. And even if it was him, why would he target this book?"

This whole thing about the book is getting out of hand, and I'm getting a headache. Are the secrets hidden in this book, the secrets Zhong Sheng mentioned, even more than what's mentioned? Or are the rumors really that powerful, with everyone believing the book holds the secret to immortality? It seems the danger isn't just what happened today; there might be more, perhaps even greater danger. Thinking about it now, if we hadn't noticed today, or hadn't called Chen Chonglai, and that fake Lai Bao had tried to kill me and Lao Fu, we would be dead and no one would know, and Lai Bao would have been framed for murder.

Where is Shi Ping'er? The person I saw in that car just now was definitely Shi Ping'er. If I'm not mistaken, the driver must have been Shi Ping'er, not anyone else. The only thing we can do now is to find Shi Ping'er and Li Qiang. Finding either of them will be the key to solving this mystery.

I shared my thoughts with Chen Zhong, who nodded and said, "I'll continue to follow up on Li Qiang's case, and we need to solve it too, so I'll get on it quickly. I'll also keep an eye on Shi Ping'er; after all, she hasn't committed any crimes, so we can't just plaster her portrait all over the streets as a wanted poster. You and Lao Fu should keep an eye on things too." Lao Fu and I nodded, and Lao Fu yawned countless times. Suddenly, I patted Chen Zhong, startling them both. They asked me almost simultaneously, "What's wrong?"

I said, "Why can't we issue a warrant? We can! Let's change the method! It's not a warrant! It's a search for someone!"

I suggested finding a portrait artist within the police force to draw a picture based on our description of Shi Ping'er. Then, Lao Fu and I would go around posting missing person notices, leaving our phone numbers and offering a hefty reward. Shi Ping'er is a beautiful woman, so she'll be easily recognized, and quite a few people will provide clues.

As soon as I finished speaking, Chen Zhong and Lao Fu kept praising me for being so quick-witted. I thought to myself that if Lai Bao were here, he would have come up with this idea long ago.

The three of us slept at my house for a few hours. At nine o'clock in the morning, we went out together. Chen Zhong took us to find an expert who drew a portrait of Shi Ping'er based on my description. Then we made many copies. After that, we asked Lao Fu to look after some kids and post them everywhere, mainly in crowded places such as train stations, squares, and shopping malls. We also specifically told them not to post them on the bulletin board, or they would be fined.

Old Fu said my missing person notice was pretty nasty...

This is what I wrote in my missing person notice:

Missing Person Notice

We are looking for a woman named Shi Ping'er, 26 years old, 1.65 meters tall. She went missing two days ago from the C City Veterans Hospital, and her family is extremely worried. She suffers from schizophrenia and often makes incoherent statements such as "I had schizophrenia, but we have all been cured." She also exhibits intermittent aggressive tendencies, spitting at strangers and even urinating and defecating indiscriminately. Anyone who has seen her is requested to contact her husband, Tang Dun, at 13XXXXXXXXX. A reward of 3,000 yuan will be given for information leading to her whereabouts.

I originally wrote that the female brother, Tang Dun, was the one to write it, but Lao Fu and Chen Zhong suggested that the husband would better reflect that anxious mentality. Also, the reward was originally five thousand, since the old man would definitely pay that money. Lao Fu changed it to three thousand, and after changing it, he muttered to himself, "I'll just give him yen! I'll just give him a five thousand note and not give him change!"

Notes on Disguise, Part 5, Chapter 7: Delivered to Your Door

Lao Fuben said he would wait for the call at home with me, but he was anxious because he couldn't reach Midou, so he went to find Midou, leaving me alone at home. My leave at the company was requested by Chen Zhong, who made up a huge lie, saying that I was a good citizen who needed to assist the police in solving a case and hoped that the company would provide strong support. He even got a letter of introduction with a big red seal. As a result, I got five days of paid leave. The boss even said that he would give me a commendation when I got back.

After Lao Fu left, the phone started ringing nonstop. People kept saying they'd seen Shi Ping'er somewhere, but almost all of it was unreliable. Some said they'd seen him by the river, but didn't know if he'd jumped in; others said they'd seen him at the train station, just loitering around; still others told me they'd seen a masseuse at a bathhouse who looked a bit like him. It was all a bunch of nonsense. Afterwards, they all asked the same question: "Can I get paid?" I said no. They said, "Didn't you say you'd get paid for providing information?" I asked, "Is your information reliable?" They said it was reliable. I said, "If you're reliable, bring me here right now. If it's really him, I'll give you double!"

For almost two days, I received these inexplicable phone calls demanding payment. During that time, I went to see Zhong Sheng alone once, told him what had happened, and asked him to help analyze it. After listening, Zhong Sheng kept shaking his head, saying that such a thing was unlikely. I didn't understand what he meant by shaking his head. Did he not believe what I said? Or, based on his extensive research into ancient documents, did he think what I said was impossible? Seeing that I couldn't get any help from Zhong Sheng, I left his house. The next evening, I had just finished making instant noodles and was staring at the computer when the phone rang. I answered, and a woman's voice sounded very familiar. The voice got straight to the point: "I'm here to collect my payment."

I said, "Give me a message, stop talking nonsense."

The man said, "I'll come to your door myself." Then he hung up. Only then did I realize that the woman's voice must be Shi Ping'er. How strange, she actually came to my door herself? I thought something was wrong. What if she brought a group of thugs or assassins? I was doomed. I quickly called Lao Fu. When I told Lao Fu, he said that bringing too many people was useless. He said he would bring his weapons over, and the two of us would be enough. He also said that Lai Bao was on his way back, and he was furious. He said that when he got back, he would find the person impersonating him and beat him to death.

Fortunately, Shi Ping'er hadn't arrived at my house before Lao Fu came. When Lao Fu knocked on the door, I looked through the peephole again and again, asking some things that only Lao Fu and I knew, such as what he does when he's drunk. Lao Fu replied that he calls people's names. I asked which names he calls, and Lao Fu said that he even taught him to imitate them... Afterwards, Lao Fu was still worried about me and asked me some random questions, such as what he did with me after my last breakup.

After Lao Fu came in, we both breathed a sigh of relief. Then we each found a chair and put it by the door, and each picked up a watermelon knife... The fake Lai Bao thing was really scary. If either Lao Fu or I were impersonated, we would be dead. Lao Fu asked me where Chen Zhong was. I had called Chen Zhong earlier, and he said there was new progress in the case, and he couldn't come over now. He told us to be careful and suggested that we call the police directly.

I also want to call the police, but is it possible to do so now? This matter is getting out of hand, and it will become really difficult to resolve.

At ten o'clock sharp, there was a knock on the door. The moment the door opened, my hair stood on end. I slowly walked to the door and peered through the peephole. It was Lai Bao!

I pointed to the peephole, gesturing for Lao Fu to look. After glancing at it, Lao Fu shook his head and whispered, "I don't know if it's real or fake."

I said, "Ask questions!" That's the only direct and stupid way we have right now...

Old Fu asked, "Old deadbeat! Is that you?"

Lai Bao replied from outside the door, "It's not my mom! It could be my dad! It's me! Open the door quickly! I didn't bring my keys with me, they're at home."

I slapped Lao Fu: "No, this kid wouldn't forget his keys. If there's a problem, ask him questions! Ask if it's him. Even an idiot would answer yes! Are you out of your mind? Ask something... ask something more private."

Old Fu coughed and continued asking through the door, "Old Lai! In what year did you lose your virginity?"

Just then, I heard footsteps outside the door. I rushed over to look and saw an older woman coming down from upstairs. Old Fu then pressed on, "Answer me! I'm asking you, when did you lose your virginity?"

Lai Bao, who was outside, was probably getting anxious: "Damn it, I'm still a virgin!"

Old Fu and I nodded at the same time: "Probably, only this kid is shameless."

Chapter 25 of "Tangdun Strange Tales Notes"

Chapter 25 of "Tangdun Strange Tales Notes"

Author: Tang Xiaohao

Then I heard the old lady's footsteps quicken as she came downstairs; she was probably startled by Lai Bao...

Old Fu asked again, "Old Lai, when we were in high school, back in our first year, why did you argue with the school gatekeeper when you received your royalties remittance slip?"

Lai Bao called out from outside, and Lao Fu repeated it. Lai Bao then started cursing, "Go to hell! The gatekeeper wasn't an old man, it was an uncle! Open the door now!"

Old Fu nodded and said, "He is indeed an older man. I deliberately set a trap."

I quickly asked again, "Hey Lao Lai, um, did you pick up your last girlfriend at the entrance of a public restroom?"

"Get out!" Lai Bao was completely enraged. "Open the door now, or I'll smash it! If you break the door, you'll have to fix it yourselves. Stop asking these stupid questions! Are you having a blast?"

Lao Fu and I quickly opened the door, and as soon as we opened it, we pulled Lai Bao in. We glanced outside and quickly closed the door. After Lai Bao came in, Lao Fu and I hugged him tightly, almost bursting into tears, and kept saying how much we missed our brother. Lai Bao pushed us away, pointed at the coffee table and said to me, "You call this missing me? Damn! It looks like it's been bombed, there's no room to even step. You want me to come back and clean it up for you, huh? Get lost! Got some tea? Have a sip."

Lai Bao then opened the shoe cabinet, pointed inside, and said, "I left my key here. Look carefully, it's me, not someone else. Damn it, how can things be so messy? I've only been back for a few days, and such a big thing has happened?"

Just as Lai Bao was getting angry, the door rang again. Lao Fu and I grabbed our watermelon knives, exchanged a glance, and Lao Fu handed Lai Bao a hammer. The three of us went closer to the door to listen. At that moment, the door rang again, this time louder than before. We were all startled. I looked through the peephole and saw Shi Ping'er standing outside, pale-faced, clutching her hands, constantly turning her head to look at something.

I looked towards Shi Ping'er's side, but because it was through the peephole, I could only see part of the side, and I couldn't see anything further away. I didn't know if anyone was there. Shi Ping'er looked like she was injured. I don't know why, but I wanted to open the door, but Lao Fu stopped me. Lao Fu said, "Are you stupid?" Lai Bao glanced at the door and shouted, "You step back! Step back three steps and stick to the door of the family across the street."

Just then, there were footsteps upstairs, and an older voice said, "What's wrong with this girl? Did she get into a fight with a man? These young people these days, shouldn't we take her to the hospital?" I quickly went to look through the peephole and saw Shi Ping'er awkwardly waving her hand. Then the old man went downstairs, muttering to himself. I turned to Lao Fu and Lai Bao and said, "Judging from that old man coming downstairs, this woman must be alone. Should we open the door? Three grown men like us can't handle a woman, can we?"

Old Fu objected: "Can the three of us beat those female athletes? Those wrestlers? Did you see Kill Bill? One knife, one kill, that was ruthless..." I quickly interrupted Lai Bao, otherwise it would turn into a movie discussion. Lai Bao said: "I don't watch any movies by cultural hooligans. Now is not the time to talk about this. Listen to Old Tang and open the door, it should be fine."

As soon as we opened the door, Shi Ping'er rushed in—no, I should say she stumbled in—and landed right on top of me. I quickly helped her onto the sofa, and when I looked at her arm, I saw that she was really injured!

Notes on Disguise, Chapter 8: Clues

Shi Ping'er lay on the sofa, muttering repeatedly, "Call the police." The three of us nodded and shook our heads at first, but seeing Shi Ping'er's condition, we had to go to the hospital. We'd deal with what happened later; let's go to the hospital first.

Lao Fu and Lai Bao didn't want to carry her, saying that if the woman stabbed me in the back, I would be done for. I saw that there was no other way, so I had to ask them to help me carry her. I carried Shi Ping'er downstairs, got into a taxi, and then went to the hospital. On the way, I called Chen Zhong and told him about the situation. Chen Zhong asked for the name of the hospital and said that he would come over later if there were any new developments.