Astrology Hall with Flesh and Blood

Chapter 40

She practically shoved Baihu out the door, almost telling him to come back as late as possible. Baihu reluctantly swayed and followed Mi Hua downstairs. Dolly breathed a long sigh of relief, put on her apron, and began cleaning up the mess.

Not long after, there was a knock on the door. Surprisingly, Baihu's face was flushed, and he looked somewhat disheveled. Dolly noticed that the collar of his T-shirt was disheveled, as if it had been crumpled.

What happened? To this blunt question, Baihu simply shook his head silently. His breathing was somewhat erratic. Dolly couldn't help but let her imagination run wild; could it be that Mi Hua… had forced herself on him?

It's really funny when you think about it! Dolly shook her head repeatedly. If a strong man like White Tiger were really raped by Mi Hua, that would be the biggest joke in the world! "Did she take advantage of you?" she asked suddenly.

Baihu was so shocked he almost jumped up. "I..." His face turned bright red as he stammered, "She... suddenly hugged me... and I didn't dodge..."

He covered his face in frustration.

"Alas, poor White Tiger, you certainly won't be the last victim to die at the hands of that lecherous woman, Mi Hua." Dolly was both amused and annoyed, and could only try her best to comfort him. The final result was that White Tiger solemnly announced:

"I never want to run into Mi Hua again! If she comes, I'm outta here!"

Through some kind of divine intervention, his wish was miraculously granted. Early the next morning, several police cars were parked in the grove of trees not far from the apartment building.

At exactly six o'clock in the morning, an elderly man doing his morning exercise discovered a cold body lying in the woods—the body of a girl named Mi Hua.

Volume Three: The Sheep's Song (Part Nine)

How could this be? Her friend, who was all smiles last night, is now lying in the morgue, a specimen embodying the grief and sorrow of her family and friends. After being questioned by the police, Dolly felt as if the overwhelming grief was about to explode within her.

"If only... you should have seen her off on the train..." she muttered to herself, "With you there, those bandits wouldn't have dared to kill her..."

Her tears flowed uncontrollably.

“The only person I protect is you,” the white tiger gently stroked her back, “and…do you really think they were just ordinary bandits?”

She abruptly raised her dazed eyes:

"That's what the police said."

“Indeed, Mi Hua’s handbag and jewelry were all stolen, but I don’t think…” He frowned and stared straight ahead, “No, ‘they’ were just pretending to commit robbery and murder. Their real purpose is probably still related to you.”

"I?"

“You once said that Mi Hua’s jewelry and bags were all counterfeit, plus the cash and bankbooks in his wallet… Do you know roughly how much that is?” he asked.

Dolly shook her head. "I don't know the exact amount, but Mi Hua usually doesn't have any savings in his bank account. He always withdraws all his money on the first day of payday. As for cash, she only has fifty dollars on hand, which she borrowed from me yesterday afternoon!"

"It doesn't even add up to two hundred yuan. I highly doubt that someone would rob and kill for such a meager sum—unless there were signs of sexual assault, but the police said it was just a clean, slit throat." Baihu fell into deep thought. "Clearly, the other party came prepared and was determined to kill."

"A professional assassin?" she thought, her heart pounding with fear.

Baihu nodded heavily. "So my intuition tells me that this person is after you. There's a high probability that he's responsible for the deaths of Chen Aili and the other girls."

A gust of cold wind swept across Dolly's skin, causing every pore on her body to tighten instantly. "So, Mi Hua died in my place? Because she walked out of my apartment and was mistaken for me by the 'assassin'?" A series of questions flashed through Dolly's mind. "Then today, he will definitely find out that he killed the wrong person! He will come to kill me again! We have to run!" She was extremely flustered and grabbed Bai Hu's arm, shouting.

Baihu embraced her, making her look directly into his eyes, waiting for her to calm down in his arms. "You're right, we're leaving here, right now." He whispered calmly in her ear, soothing her agitated mind and body. "Don't worry, I'm here with you, I'll protect you to the very end."

But… a small question arose in his mind: had the assassin killed the wrong person? No, he didn't think it was that simple. The assassin who had murdered several young girls wasn't the type to make such a basic mistake…

So, what exactly was his reason for wanting to kill Mi Hua?

The two quickly packed their bags and boarded a train, leaving the city. Dolly had originally planned to call the store manager to resign, but considering safety concerns, she only sent a hasty text message. Their destination was City B, where Chen Aili had met with misfortune.

They temporarily settled in a two-star hotel. This type of hotel meant that the staff wouldn't remember their faces because there were few guests, and it offered a certain level of security. Baihu wouldn't allow her to go out, insisting she stay alone in the room. The door was kept locked most of the time, only opening when a pre-arranged knock signal was given. As for miscellaneous tasks like reconnaissance, Baihu took care of them all.

“The best defense is offense,” he told her. “We have to expose him and the real killer before the killer finds you, so that we can be absolutely sure of success.”

That makes sense, Dolly nodded involuntarily. Not only must they find the killer, but they must also eradicate the real culprit behind him and avenge Mi Hua! She understood her situation; wandering around carelessly might bring back the disaster from the last karaoke riot, so she tried her best to keep her face hidden from everyone.

Baihu brought back dinner and a lot of fresh intelligence. The two ate and chatted.

"Chen Aili is sixteen years old and grew up in a children's welfare home in City B. Public information says she lived alone in order to apply for film school." Baihu's chopsticks lightly drew circles on the table. "So I went to the apartment she rented."

"Didn't the newspaper say it was destroyed by fire?" Dolly looked at him hopefully. "Did you find anything?"

"It's so much better than your run-down place!" Baihu's lips curled into a suggestive smile. "It's located in an eco-friendly area near the Third Ring Road, a three-bedroom, two-living room apartment with a duplex. According to the manager, excluding utilities and internet, the rent is 3,000 yuan a month!"

His envious tone sounded like he was deliberately trying to get her attention.

Even among orphans, the differences between people are truly vast. A monthly rent of 3000 yuan is almost three times Dolly's salary. Chen Aili is just a sixteen-year-old girl still in school; does she really have that much income? A question flashed through her mind.

"You've probably noticed it too, haven't you? The first suspicious point." Baihu placed a chopstick between the two of them. "I think even if the client sends you living expenses, they wouldn't be rich enough to afford renting a place like this, would they?"

Indeed, from childhood to adulthood, her aunt and uncle had consistently sent her 500 yuan every month as a living allowance. However, since she left the orphanage to become self-reliant, she has informed her aunt and uncle that this was no longer necessary. Logically speaking, it's impossible for Chen Aili, as an adopted daughter, to receive several thousand yuan in living expenses from her aunt and uncle.

“There’s one more thing,” White Tiger continued, relaying his information to Dolly, “According to the administrator, Chen Aili only rented the house for a month, and she hardly ever went out from the day she moved in.”

"No way?" Dolly's mind raced. "Isn't she going to take the entrance exam for film school? Or is she just staying home studying?"

Baihu shook his head. "You misunderstood me. Would a girl preparing for an exam only plan to study at home and never consider attending tutoring classes? According to societal norms, places like acting classes are where she should be—but she isn't. That's the second suspicious point."

He put down another chopstick.

“The most crucial point is,” he deliberately drew out, “that Chen Aili rarely went out, yet a man would come to see her every few days. The administrator recalled that the man was generous and always arrived in a sports car.”

Dolly felt the shadows before her eyes gradually dissipate, and the truth seemed within reach.

"Chen Aili was being kept by a sugar daddy!" His conclusion was like a bombshell. "The man who kept her is very likely the murderer!"

Volume Three: The Sheep's Song (Part Ten)

Dolly was plunged into darkness.

"She's only sixteen, isn't she?" she asked incredulously. "She's not even an adult yet..."

"What's so strange about that?" Baihu said dismissively. "These days, which rich tycoon doesn't like to keep women around? Don't even mention sixteen-year-olds, there are probably even younger girls!"

Dolly was speechless for a moment, recalling a report she had read before the New Year about the deputy mayor of City C who had kept a sixteen-year-old mistress and spent a fortune buying her houses and shops. "So," she continued, following Baihu's train of thought, "that all the stuff about applying to film school was just a pretext, and the real reason Chen Aili left the orphanage was because she was being kept by that man?"

“Yes.” Baihu praised approvingly. “Right now, our main focus is on the man who is keeping her. The key is how much information we have about him.”

"Didn't you say he always drives a sports car?" Dolly asked. "With such a flashy display, surely someone will remember him, right?"

Baihu gave a wry smile. "I had already thought of that, but the administrator's answer was that the man always wore a pair of very large sunglasses and a hat, making it impossible to see his face clearly. He was unexpectedly cautious."

"Strange, if you want to avoid attention, wouldn't it be better to take a taxi? Driving a sports car makes it seem like you're deliberately trying to be remembered..." she muttered to herself.

"Perhaps that man insists on his own taste and can't stand an ordinary taxi?" Baihu replied casually. "Although there aren't many clues, let's still try to speculate on his identity."

"First of all, he's very rich, plus he has sports cars—what kind of person do you think he is?"

Dolly frowned and thought for a moment, "A rich person, I guess..."

"Nonsense!" Baihu gave her a sharp rap on the head. "Get serious!"

Hmm… Dolly racked her brains. In China, there are only two types of people who can afford to keep a woman: wealthy businessmen and corrupt officials. It shouldn't be an official… Officials wouldn't drive around the city in a sports car; if their colleagues found out, they'd be in big trouble.

"He must be a businessman..." she answered hesitantly.

“Or some young master or something,” Baihu added. “I forgot to tell you, that man isn’t very old, no more than thirty at most.”

So young, he must be a wealthy young master or a rising star in the business world. "Identity confirmed, the next step is the motive," Baihu said. "Tell me, why do you think Chen Aili was killed?"

According to societal norms, most cases involving mistresses end tragically because one party wants to break up with the other, the other refuses, or the mistress finds a new lover. "I guess..." Dolly boldly voiced her thought, "maybe the man couldn't get rid of her, so he killed her to end it all?"

"But why set fire after killing someone?" A strange light flashed in Baihu's blue eyes.

"Is it to destroy evidence?" Dolly said. "Maybe there are too many fingerprints or other evidence left in the house that can't be wiped away all at once, so they just burn it all?"

"So, what is your so-called evidence?" He stared intently into her eyes, his gaze so intense that she almost couldn't breathe.

“A gift? Or a photo or something? Maybe his face is in it,” Dolly said.

Baihu, however, felt that the key to arson lay elsewhere. "You probably didn't read the newspaper carefully," he said somberly. "It wasn't an ordinary fire."

“Chen Aili’s entire body was burned to a crisp. This is not the result of ordinary fire,” he said. “She was doused with gasoline and then burned after she died.”

"The murderer deliberately burned her to a crisp—my thoughts are exactly the opposite of yours," Baihu raised his head, "The house fire was just a side effect. No, the evidence the murderer really wanted to destroy with the fire is on Chen Aili!"

Dolly felt a sudden dizziness. She tried to calm herself, but her whole body was trembling uncontrollably.

"It's too cruel!" she murmured to herself. "I don't understand..."

"My reasoning can only go this far." Baihu shrugged with slight regret. "I was wondering if Chen Aili might be pregnant with the murderer's child..."

Dolly's eyes lit up. Ah, how come she hadn't thought of that? Mistresses using their unborn children to blackmail men into marriage. Unable to escape, some men simply kill the mistress and the child—such things are not uncommon.

“But…” Baihu said helplessly, “I’m not a police officer, so I can’t get Chen Aili’s autopsy report and therefore can’t make any further speculations.”

Dolly silently raised her head.

"She was so pitiful." She sighed weakly. "Like me, she was an orphan, growing up in an orphanage. She finally turned sixteen, only to become someone's mistress, and in the end, she was murdered by that man, her death so gruesome..."

She suddenly slumped onto the table, as if all her strength had been drained away.

"Won't it be my turn next?" she sobbed from her tightly clenched hands.

"Stop talking nonsense!" Baihu gently stroked her hair. "Please don't forget, as long as I'm here as your bodyguard, no one can touch you!"

She felt her body moving slightly beneath her palm—she looked up, her eyes filled with tears, yet the corners of her lips curled up mischievously, the lines indescribably alluring.

“You big idiot!” she said.

Suddenly, he felt a jolt in his heart, his heart pounding wildly. He stared at her as if in a daze, gripping her hands tightly, his knuckles white with tension. And her? Startled and restrained, her eyes were wider than ever before, her tear-streaked cheeks glistening in the lamplight, shimmering with a captivating glow. Baihu abruptly pulled her forward, their breaths quickening, their hearts drawing closer than ever before. For some reason, his eyes also welled up with tears.

“Are you lonely, Dolly?” he asked gently.

Dolly nodded instinctively.

He stroked her face tenderly, "From now on, you will never do it again."

Dolly involuntarily closed her eyes, waiting for that moment to arrive. Orphans…orphanage…a flash of light streaked across her mind, like lightning splitting the dark night sky—she jumped up abruptly.

“The orphanage!” she exclaimed. “Chen Aili has always stayed in the orphanage. How could she have had the opportunity to meet the man who was keeping her?”

"The answer might just be in the orphanage!"

Volume 3: The Sheep's Song from Hell's Record (Part 11)

She stretched out her graceful arms, basking in the intense light of the flashing cameras. It was a scene she had dreamed of for years: faces waving glow sticks below the stage, excited, thrilled, and ecstatic, their faces still wet with hot tears. She had waited far too long for this moment. Born without knowing her parents, she was raised in an orphanage. Her instructors expected her to be a teacher, nurturing future generations, but beyond her serene beauty, she possessed an unwavering spirit. She went north alone, working and studying relentlessly, eventually gaining admission to film school. She was willing to do anything for fame and acting opportunities, enduring hardship and criticism without complaint, relentlessly pursuing her dream—finally, that year, she was chosen by an art-house film director to play the lead role. She possessed both luck and talent; her performance in this art-house film was recognized, and she even won the "Best Newcomer Award" at a small international film festival. Film critics described her as possessing "the vibrant beauty of a rose and the serene elegance of a lily, a captivating duality that is utterly irresistible." Returning with accolades, she is poised to become a star.

Yes, tonight belongs to her.

Despite Baihu's objections, Dolly insisted on going to the orphanage to find out what was going on, but at least she remembered to put on makeup. Sunglasses and a hat were just the basics; Baihu also bought her a whole set of makeup products, including blush, lipstick, lip gloss, powder, and eyebrow pencil.

Her lips were painted a vibrant, luscious red, her eyebrows were drawn in thick, long shapes, and then she applied a powder darker than her skin tone—Dolly could hardly recognize herself in the mirror; her makeup was so flamboyant it bordered on bizarre. The White Tiger was quite pleased with her new look, scrutinizing her from all angles.

“Let’s change into something to match this outfit.” White Tiger was prepared; a black silk halter-neck mini-dress magically appeared, along with black rhinestone-studded strappy high-heeled sandals and imported sheer stockings. After changing, Dolly suddenly felt much more mature, and was incredibly sexy like never before.

"This outfit must be very expensive, right?" she asked awkwardly. Just from the silky texture against her skin, it was clear that it cost no less than five hundred yuan.

"Relax, relax." White Tiger waved his wrist nonchalantly. "Don't worry, all expenses will be covered by the client."

This explained why he never asked Dolly for money, yet could still spend lavishly; it turned out his aunt and uncle had willingly become his suckers. Dolly gently covered her mouth and laughed.