Death Timeline

Chapter 13

She fell down the stairs, so he came to her side, made her attached to him, and then naturally they had a physical relationship.

What was he thinking when he vented his frustrations on her? He must have been looking down on her, admiring the foolish look on his prey as she was subdued, right? And she was like a willing slave, letting him do as he pleased!

Li Hui suddenly felt nauseous, as if she wanted to vomit everything up.

She thought about everything Da Dun'er had done since they met, and even now, she still found it hard to believe he was the maternal uncle of the stillborn baby. His excessive enthusiasm for her in such a short time, his taking advantage of her vulnerability—now, it all seemed so insidious and terrifying! How innocent and content she had been at the time!

She recalled Da Dun'er's innocent expression when he recounted Wang Yang's various misdeeds at school after drinking. Now it seemed that he was consciously trying to damage Wang Yang's image in her mind and undermine their marital relationship.

However, the way Da Dun carried her, exhausted, to the bed and skillfully undressed her, along with the gentle look in his eyes as he watched her eat and drink coffee, still stubbornly kept her in a dreamlike state, unwilling to wake up.

Now Li Hui is beginning to believe the old people's words: "If you don't want people to know, then don't do it in the first place." As long as you do something taboo in this world, whether intentional or unintentional, you can never escape the misfortune that is about to befall you.

Perhaps Da Dun'er was not at fault at all; he simply wanted to seek justice for his poor sister. However, he encountered Li Hui, a beautiful and charming rival, and he was torn between two conflicting emotions. On one hand, he wanted her to suffer, but on the other hand, he couldn't bear to see her suffer. He even spent so much money to take her out for a walk, install security bars for her, and in doing so, he lost his own valuables and cash.

Da Dun'er hasn't called since he left yesterday, which means he doesn't want to see her anymore. He understands her current situation and realizes that his plan to torment her, both mentally and physically, has worked. Now she is not only physically bruised, but also on the verge of a mental breakdown.

Now, all he has to do is send an email every day, and he can easily wait for good news.

Li Hui, guided by a woman's intuition, sensed that Da Dun'er would ultimately not have the heart to harm her and kill her. She carefully recalled his every action towards her, including in bed; she felt that he liked her, almost to the point of being inseparable from her.

He tried to hide his feelings, but it was all in vain in front of a sensitive woman like Li Hui. It was precisely because she could see his true feelings for her that she couldn't control herself and couldn't help but respond to him.

She was confident that he wouldn't go so far as to destroy her!

Li Hui jumped out of bed and frantically turned on the computer. She watched Windows appear and disappear, listened to the music play and stop, feeling the time drag on unbearably.

The dial tone for internet access was so drawn-out and never-ending!

She wondered what the email might contain, whether Da Dun would announce the end of the war and that everyone should forget about it, and that he himself would disappear without a trace.

By the time she opened the mailbox, she was already sweating profusely.

"Today is the eleventh day. Within ten days, you will face an even greater disaster!"

The second line reads: "Guess what disaster is about to befall us today?"

Li Hui felt a chill run down her spine. Her eyes involuntarily drifted to her hand holding the mouse. The fine hairs on the back of her hand stood on end, and tiny goosebumps suddenly appeared at the base of each hair.

This guy! He started attacking her even more fiercely!

The situation was completely unexpected. She never imagined that Da Dun'er could be so ruthless towards her. She doubted that this was something Da Dun'er was capable of. Unless, in the past, he had undergone a fierce internal struggle, with reason prevailing over emotion, and he had completely become a different person…

Li Hui desperately wanted to rule out the possibility of Da Dun'er! But all she could do was rely on her intuition; she couldn't come up with anything reasonable, convincing, or evidence-based to convince herself.

She decided to go to Dadun'er herself to verify her judgment in person.

After dark, Li Hui went to the seafood restaurant in Dadun'er.

She didn't know where his company was located and wanted to find his business card, only to discover that he had never given her one. Fortunately, she had been to his restaurant twice before, so she went straight there.

It was past 10 p.m., and Dadun still hadn't appeared. Li Hui couldn't stay in the corner waiting foolishly any longer. She called over the duty manager to inquire about Dadun's situation.

"Is Manager Dadun not coming tonight?"

"Who?" The manager didn't understand her. She then realized that the people in the hotel probably didn't know his real name, "Da Dun'er." It was just a nickname among his relatives and friends. In public, he should have a proper "official name."

She was stunned. It seemed that this was also something that Da Dun'er had deliberately used to deal with her!

"Then...who is your manager?"

The duty manager said a name that was unfamiliar to Li Hui; she had never heard of it before.

How many managers do you have?

"Three."

"What's the general manager's name?"

Lou Yiming.

"What? No name?"

"Lou as in surname, yi as in righteousness, and ming as in understanding." The manager was getting a little impatient. After he finished speaking, he looked around to see if there was anything he needed to do, as if he was ready to leave at any moment.

"Please call Manager Lou and tell him that a friend is waiting for him here and ask him to come over."

"It's too late today, let's do it tomorrow. Under normal circumstances, we don't dare to disturb him at times like this."

“I’m his friend, so just say…” Li Hui couldn’t think of a good reason, so she suddenly stopped, stood up, and walked out the door under the watchful gaze of the duty manager.

Suddenly, she stopped. No, she had to find his new phone number.

When the manager saw Li Hui stop, he slowly walked out the door. "Is there anything else, Miss?"

"What is your Manager Lou's phone number, I mean his mobile number?"

"We don't know either. He's the one who usually comes to the hotel; we don't usually look for him," the manager said knowingly.

"Fine, I'll make him fire you!" Li Hui's hatred surged up all at once, and she said this offhand, feeling that it relieved her anger a little.

When she walked onto the street, she felt that she had lost again.

The next day, Li Hui went to work.

She felt she couldn't stay home any longer and just endure the days; she had to work and solve her problems at the same time. That way, at least she would still have the care and protection of her workplace and Zhang Lili.

Otherwise, if she stays home alone, she'll go crazy even if no one comes to abuse her.

This morning's emails were different again:

"As long as you open your eyes, terror will not ignore you. Be careful..."

What does that mean? It means that as long as she's alive, he'll keep bothering her endlessly?

What does the ellipsis after "be careful" mean? Right, he already gave her a hint yesterday, telling her to guess! So, if she can't guess it within a day, she'll suffer every second. Who could endure someone constantly pondering such a cruel question? He's trying to drive her crazy...

Li Hui felt that Da Dun'er's personality had become twisted and his psychology had become severely abnormal. He was avoiding her, using this method to ultimately achieve his goal, and he could avoid seeing her collapse in pain, thus avoiding inner torment and achieving mental liberation.

Dream on! She was determined to make him look her straight in the eye and answer, "Is my death your only goal? Will your little nephew come back to life if I die?"

She could picture him stunned and speechless, struck by the question.

She should call the police if necessary.

But she knew that she would not take this path unless absolutely necessary. She did not want the police to provide the court with several pages filled with detailed descriptions of how Dadun and the victim, Li Hui, had engaged in sexual relations.

"Damn it! Why did you come here so quickly again? Are you alright?" Zhang Lili had sharp ears and somehow got the information. As soon as Li Hui sat down in the office, she walked in.

She looked especially beautiful today, her lipstick applied exquisitely, and her eyebrows and eyes were perfectly drawn, making her appear vibrant and radiant. The power of love is truly amazing! Her relationship with Mr. Yang must have progressed, Li Hui thought to herself.

The memory of meeting Mr. Yang at the supermarket that day resurfaced in her mind. If it weren't for the little boy Mr. Yang was with arousing her curiosity, the "cardboard box falling incident" wouldn't have happened. What kind of person was Mr. Yang, and what secrets were hidden in this whole affair? Li Hui still had these questions lingering in her mind.

Zhang Lili is already so old; if she suffers another emotional blow this time, it could be fatal for her. Li Hui felt that she had been so immersed in her own misfortune that she hadn't paid enough attention to Zhang Lili's situation.

But the incident at the supermarket is still undetermined. The relationship between the little boy and Mr. Yang, and the identity of the woman the child called "Mom," remain mysteries. Originally, she planned to wait until she could get through this herself before telling Lili about it, but judging from the current situation, it seems too late.

Li Hui was tormented by a sense of guilt and shame for not helping someone in distress.

"Why didn't you rest for a few more days? Didn't Director Chen already give you leave?" Zhang Lili was still complaining to her.

"Sigh, I've never taken sick leave before, and it's not quite used to not being at work all of a sudden." Li Hui said perfunctorily, glancing at Zhang Lili's well-tailored cheongsam with feigned concern: "Where did you buy this dress? It fits you so well."

"Changle Road." Zhang Lili straightened her sleeves smugly, turned around on the spot, and showed off: "Is it alright?"

"Very good."

"That day I passed by Changle Road, and wow! That little street was full of cheongsam shops, and they were packed with foreigners. I asked and they said they could make them to order, so I got one made!"

"Your figure is perfect for wearing a cheongsam."

"You look good in it too. Why don't you get one made next time? I'll take you. You're a repeat customer, so the owner will take good care of you."

"How are things going with Mr. Yang lately?"

"It's alright. Oh, by the way, he also asked about you, saying he'd like to invite you out sometime when you're free. Do you like bowling or swimming? We had a lot of fun at the Celebrity Garden last night, I'll take you with me next time!"

"Stop making me a third wheel. You two need some peace and quiet when you're dating, so I won't interfere."

"What's the point of dating? I've realized that women really need to fall in love early, otherwise, once they get old, it's all over." Zhang Lili suddenly felt a little sentimental. "At this age, there's no passion left! If we get to know each other well and the person is alright, we might as well settle down and start a family..."

Li Hui sensed the weariness in Zhang Lili's tone. It was as if she were talking about someone else's affairs, without a trace of enthusiasm. Li Hui suddenly felt that Zhang Lili was much more pitiful than herself. She hadn't met a suitable man during the best years of her life, and now that she was this age, even if she wanted to love passionately, she was too weak to do so.

She thought of Wang Yang; back in college, their romance was the envy of so many classmates. They watched foreign romantic movies and read classic novels about love while simultaneously experiencing love firsthand—how romantic! It's a pity Zhang Lili missed out on that beautiful time.

A little lost in thought, Li Hui suddenly asked:

"You must have had quite a few admirers in college, right? Why didn't you just grab one and marry her back then?"

Zhang Lili's expression changed suddenly, becoming very complicated. Her eyes looked out the window, her expression filled with distant memories, a faint regret, and a deep sense of helplessness.

Li Hui didn't quite understand the meaning on Zhang Lili's face, but she felt that Zhang Lili must be hiding a wound deep in her heart that has not yet healed.

When Li Hui was leaving get off work, she received a call from Mr. Yang downstairs. He was as quick-witted and humorous as ever, saying that his car was waiting for her and Zhang Lili at the hospital entrance, and that "ladies, please get ready and come downstairs quickly."

Li Hui remembered what happened at the supermarket, and she suddenly felt an urge to find out more about this Mr. Yang and see what kind of person he was so that she could help Lili make the right choice.

She quickly tidied herself up, then deliberately lingered for a few minutes, wanting Zhang Lili to arrive first, before slowly going downstairs.

Mr. Yang's car was waiting downstairs, but when Li Hui went over, she only saw him.

"Where's Lili?" She hesitated, standing outside the car door, not wanting to go in first.

"She arrived a while ago, but when she saw you weren't there, she went to buy something at the shop next door. Come on, please get in the car!"

Li Hui reluctantly got into the car, sat in the back seat, and took out the book from her bag.

"Miss Li likes essays about daily life? That kind of book is quite fashionable these days!"

"Ah, just browsing around."

"Let me borrow it after you're done reading it. Actually, I quite enjoy this kind of pastime."

Li Hui pretended not to hear. While flipping through her book, she asked, "What did Lili take so long to buy?"

"She didn't say, and I felt too embarrassed to ask." Mr. Yang leisurely sorted through the phone numbers stored on his phone, seemingly in no hurry at all.

"He's such a gentleman," Li Hui thought.

Li Hui felt extremely uncomfortable being alone with her girlfriend's boyfriend, especially since she didn't have a very good impression of him. She suddenly remembered what happened at the supermarket that day and closed her book.

"Does Mr. Yang like shopping?" Li Hui asked slyly.

"It's alright. I've heard that to please a woman, you have to pretend you like shopping. If I'm shopping with a woman, I don't think it'll be too boring, right?"

"What about supermarkets? In Shanghai, many large supermarkets run by foreigners have a lot of things that men also like."

"Yes, but I usually don't go unless I really need to buy something."