51st oil painting

Chapter 24

After the previous episode finished airing, there was a bunch of commercials in between. Du Yaofeng stretched, tore open a bag of American almonds and started chewing. Then he saw scrolling text at the bottom of the TV screen: "Shanghai TV is broadcasting the 22-episode TV series 'Snow White Blood Red,' episode 15 will air at 9:53 PM. Welcome to watch."

Music was coming from her daughter's room upstairs; Nono was downloading S.H.E.'s new song. Like her mother, Nono knew to seize the time to relax, leave behind those strange and bizarre things, and fully enjoy life.

Yes, this is my daughter.

Chewing on an American almond, Du Yaofeng turned his gaze back to the television. The scrolling subtitles appeared at the bottom of the screen once again, but this time, the words seemed to be infected by a virus, becoming crooked and wriggling like tiny worms.

What's going on? Du Yaofeng sat up straight from the sofa. The TV commercials playing on the scrolling screen were clear and without distortion. If there was any interference nearby, they should be treated equally.

Several words rolled out: "Watch Channel 317...Watch Channel 317...Watch Channel 317...Watch Channel 317..."

Du Yaofeng was a little confused. Besides the dozen or so channels from Shanghai TV and the eight channels from CCTV, there were also satellite TV channels from other provinces broadcasting in Shanghai, totaling more than forty channels. Some families had satellite TV receivers that allowed them to watch Hong Kong's Chinese-language satellite channels, but Du Yaofeng's family didn't have one. Firstly, she was too busy with work to watch them, and secondly, she preferred watching domestic dramas and didn't like the programs with a strong Hong Kong and Taiwan flavor. The fact that many mainlanders living in Hong Kong and Taiwan would buy domestic drama VCDs every time they came back was the best proof of this. So, the most she ever pressed on her TV remote was 46.

What exactly is going on with Channel 317?

Is this scrolling text a message from the TV station to the general audience, or a personal notification to me?

The number 317 looks familiar...

Du Yaofeng felt his right eyelid twitch violently.

Isn't her husband's death anniversary March 17th?

She grabbed the remote, pressed the channel selection button, and then pressed the numbers 317. The screen immediately changed.

The scene was initially pitch black, with a faint light at first, and something vaguely moving, like ripples on the water. The light gradually increased, and finally it became clear that it was a swimming pool. A man was swimming alone, wearing a swimming cap and goggles. Du Yaofeng immediately recognized him as Qiao Ming, swimming the breaststroke, his head and shoulders rising and falling rhythmically in the water as he breathed. Chairs and tables were set up around the pool for guests to rest, a large bath towel draped over a chair, a pair of slippers on the floor, and an open bottle of Suntory oolong tea on the table, which had just been drunk from.

A man hurried to the poolside; it was Qiao Ming's assistant, Lu Yaodong. Qiao Ming swam over, one hand gripping the edge, the other pushing up his goggles to reveal his eyes. The two, one in the water and one on the shore, began to talk. The scene was black and white, without sound; one could only make out the general idea from their tone and posture. Lu Yaodong seemed to be asking a question, and Qiao Ming was answering. Lu Yaodong seemed to have gotten the answer he wanted, nodding. They chatted for a few more minutes, and Qiao Ming chuckled, pointing around as if to say, "Swimming alone is quite pleasant, why don't you come swim with me?" Lu Yaodong declined. He didn't leave immediately but walked to a chair and sat down. Qiao Ming put on his goggles and continued swimming.

Lu Yaodong picked up the bottle of oolong tea and looked at it, then glanced around, and then looked into the swimming pool, seemingly considering something. After about a minute, he looked around again, then took something out of his pocket...

It was a capsule. He carefully opened it, sprinkled the powder into the oolong tea, put the cap back on, and shook it. The dark brown oolong tea fully dissolved the powder of unknown composition, and then Lu Yaodong left.

About five minutes later, Qiao Ming got ashore, wrapped himself in a large bath towel, sat down in a chair to rest, and took a big gulp of oolong tea.

Watching her husband drink that bottle of oolong tea, Du Yaofeng's eyes filled with tears, her heart aching as if it were being torn apart. She knew that Qiao Ming would continue swimming after finishing the tea, and she didn't want to watch what happened next. She turned off the TV, buried her face in her hands, and sobbed.

The phone beeped, a text message had arrived. Du Yaofeng wiped away her tears, picked up the phone, and saw a short message:

"Tell him to go to the club."

The other party's number is 13901673693.

Du Yaofeng was a little incredulous. Could that footage just now have been provided by Zoe?

What does Qiao Ming's matter have to do with her?

Without hesitation, Du Yaofeng stood up, opened the door to the storage room, and peeked inside. The painting was in its usual spot, wrapped in a protective sleeve.

There's no need to look at the painting anymore. Zoe is so close to me; those unfathomable eyes must be able to see everything. While the mother and daughter are busy running around for her, Zoe must also want to do something for them.

Oil painting No. 51: 773 Horror Series 13

Chapter 56: Qiao Ming's Assistant Lu Yaodong

"Uncle Lu? My mom wants you to come to our house. She says she has something to discuss with you."

Nono tried her best to make her voice sound sweet.

"Oh, what's wrong?" On the other end of the phone, Lu Yaodong's voice was both tense and alert.

"I don't know either, you'll find out when you get here. That's all for tonight at nine, bye."

Lu Yaodong, a computer science graduate, was so nervous during his job interview that he stammered. The HR manager was about to reject him, but Qiao Ming said, "We need software engineers, not TV hosts."

Lu Yaodong had worked at the company for over three years, gradually rising to prominence and becoming Qiao Ming's capable assistant. Outwardly, he was refined and polite, wearing glasses reminiscent of Simon Yam's style. Every time he visited Qiao Ming's home, he would address him respectfully as "Teacher Qiao" and "Teacher's Wife," making Du Yaofeng feel embarrassed. Every Christmas, he would give Nuonuo a gift; last year he gave her a cute Winnie the Pooh toy, and Nuonuo reciprocated with a Starbucks mermaid-themed phone charm. Frankly speaking, if Nuonuo hadn't been blinded by Sanwen's charm, and if Lu Yaodong had boldly pursued her, she might have considered it. Of course, that was impossible now. To Nuonuo, Lu Yaodong was her father's killer. Although the footage didn't reveal what he had put in the oolong tea, it was certain that the drug had caused Qiao Ming, who already had a heart condition, to suddenly become unwell, leading to his drowning.

At Qiao Ming's funeral, Lu Yaodong was the man who wept the most bitterly. Perhaps it was from the bottom of his heart, wanting to wash away his sins with tears, or perhaps it was to appease the company's leaders and lay the groundwork for the future. For the company, Qiao Ming's death was like losing a commander in the midst of battle, and the board of directors unanimously decided to shelve the "Mountain Monster" project. At this time, Lu Yaodong took the initiative to talk to the general manager, volunteering himself, and even approached members of the board of directors. His sincerity was evident, and many people discovered his eloquence for the first time. Thus, Lu Yaodong replaced Qiao Ming and bravely took on this responsibility. "Mountain Monster" lived up to expectations and achieved remarkable sales results. Lu Yaodong and Du Yaofeng went to Qiao Ming's tombstone and burned the wrapping paper of the "Mountain Monster" game software box to comfort their teacher's spirit in heaven.

Six months later, Lu Yaodong switched jobs to a more established software company to develop online games similar to "Legend of Mir," reportedly earning a six-figure annual salary.

Lu Yaodong parked his car in the driveway in front of the villa. Through the car window, he looked at the small, exquisite detached house, the kind of house he had always dreamed of. But Qiao Ming was too capable; under his command, he would never have a chance to rise to prominence. Killing his mentor, just to gain a chance to stand out—that's how cruel life is. If you don't harm others, they will harm you sooner or later. You must strike first; that was his life motto.

In college, he experienced the cruelty of competition firsthand. Boys who were originally good friends would fight each other to the point of bloodshed and even draw knives to win over a girl. Girls would take turns sleeping with teachers to get a good grade. Pure and innocent girls on campus would transform into bar hostesses at night. Even the person in charge of purchasing for the cafeteria would embezzle hundreds of thousands of yuan by skimping on the pork, beef, and vegetables every day and end up in prison. There were just too many things that he couldn't understand.

Clear water has no fish, so he plunged headfirst into the muddy water.

As a student and colleague, he knew Qiao Ming too well. He knew everything about Qiao Ming, from his temperament and hobbies to his daily life, including that he had a mild heart condition, that he liked swimming, and even what medications he took and the dosage.

He spent over half a year studying pharmacology books and, with the help of a fellow villager who worked in a pharmacy, managed to concoct this unknown drug. It dissolves in water and has a strong stimulating effect on the heart. If Qiao Ming were walking on the street after taking it, he might still be saved, but if he were in the water, his chances of survival would be slim.

After Qiao Ming's death, Lu Yaodong was constantly on edge, fearing that Qiao's wife would become suspicious and demand an autopsy. He knew the power of modern science; if it were discovered that Qiao Ming had taken some kind of drug a few minutes before his death, she would definitely suspect him, since he was the last person Qiao Ming had contact with before his death.

Fortunately, the grieving Du Yaofeng and her daughter did not request an autopsy, and the police had no suspicions. Qiao Ming's heart disease, the glass of red wine he drank, and the fact that the accident occurred in a swimming pool—these three coincidences combined to mislead everyone.

When Lu Yaodong received Nuonuo's call in the afternoon, he was having coffee and chatting with his department head. Nuonuo said on the phone that her mother, Du Yaofeng, wanted to discuss something with him. It didn't sound unusual, but he still hesitated for a moment because he didn't want to set foot in that neighborhood or that house again. Although he wasn't particularly superstitious, he still felt a little guilty.

After parking the car, I rang the doorbell. Nuonuo opened the door with a beaming smile.

"Good evening, Uncle Lu!"

"I've told you so many times, don't call me uncle. I'm only seven years older than you," Lu Yaodong said with a smile.

Nono playfully stuck out her tongue.

Lu Yaodong sat on the living room sofa, looking around. Everything was the same as before; nothing had changed. Wait a minute…

There was an oil painting hanging on the wall. It looked like a dental clinic, with a female doctor sitting on the windowsill wearing a mask.

Nono had disappeared. Lu Yaodong shouted, "There's an extra painting! How much did you buy it for?"

"Four thousand yuan!" Nono's voice seemed to come from the kitchen.

"Oh, it's not expensive."

Lu Yaodong walked up to the painting and admired it carefully. He inadvertently made eye contact with the person in the painting. The female doctor's eyes were visible outside her mask, staring at him sinisterly, exuding a chilling aura that made him feel uncomfortable.

Lu Yaodong turned his gaze away and returned to the sofa.

*Click!* The sound of a Coke can being opened came from the kitchen. Soon, Nono came out with an open can of Coca-Cola and handed it to Lu Yaodong. Lu Yaodong glanced at it, placed it on the coffee table, and didn't drink a drop.

He had developed a habit that he would only drink beverages offered by others if he opened them himself; otherwise, he would not touch a drop, no matter how thirsty he was.

One should not be without the intention to harm others, but one should be even more wary of others.

Where is your mother?

Oil painting No. 51: 773 Horror Series 13

Section 57: There are just too many things I don't understand.

Lu Yaodong frowned. What was going on? He had an appointment with a guest at nine o'clock, and he had actually gone out.

"Hehe, it's your own fault for arriving early. We agreed on ten o'clock..."

Lu Yaodong stared at Nuonuo, "You clearly said nine o'clock."

"No way? I clearly said 10 o'clock!"

There was no point in arguing like this. Lu Yaodong explained to her that he had things to do that evening and asked her to go to the club and call his mother over. He said he would leave after they finished talking.

"Okay," Nono nodded, walked towards the door, then turned back to look at him.

"Why don't you come with me? Wouldn't it be the same to say everything there?"

Clubs? No, no, no! You absolutely mustn't go to places like that...

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but Lu Yaodong didn't say them. He wanted to find a more suitable reason, one that would flow smoothly and wouldn't arouse suspicion...

"Let's go," Nono urged him, winking as she said, "If you leave me alone in our house and something goes missing, we won't be able to explain ourselves!"

After only a fraction of a second of hesitation, Lu Yaodong stood up from the sofa.

Bang! The door slammed shut. "Zoe on the Windowsill" hung silently on the wall, surveying the empty living room.

It started raining outside sometime earlier. The rain wasn't heavy, just a light drizzle on the nylon umbrella. Nuonuo and Lu Yaodong shared an umbrella and stepped over the puddles on the ground. The three-story building, with half glass curtain wall and half cream-colored structure, looked like a fresh cream cake and stood quietly in the southeast corner of the community.

Because of the rain, not many people came to the club. The badminton hall and table tennis room were empty. There were a few people in the gym, but Du Yaofeng was not there.

"Huh, where is she?" Nono looked around and muttered to herself, "She must be upstairs in the swimming pool!"

After saying that, she started to go upstairs. Lu Yaodong, who was behind her, stopped. Nuonuo walked up a few steps, looked back at him, and said, "Come on, why did you stop?"

Before Lu Yaodong could come up with a reason, Nuonuo continued, "Uncle Lu, it seems you need to exercise too. Just a few steps and you're already too tired to climb."

Lu Yaodong smiled awkwardly and involuntarily stepped onto the stairs leading to the third floor.

The third-floor corridor was quiet. This was the first time Lu Yaodong had walked here since the night of March 17th last year. That night, Lu Yaodong had come to the swimming pool to find Qiao Ming, and he had also passed through this quiet corridor, when a strange feeling suddenly welled up in his heart: tonight was the perfect opportunity to make his move. And he did, and he succeeded.

Tonight, as he passed through this corridor again, a strange feeling stirred within him—an ominous premonition. If it weren't for Nuonuo urging him on like a shepherd, he would have stopped and turned back.

The swimming pool was quiet; not a single person was swimming. The water was calm, and the bottom was clearly visible.

"Huh? What's going on!" Nono shouted seriously, "Mommy! Mommy! Where are you?" Her voice echoed in the spacious room. The rain outside seemed to be getting heavier, and the raindrops hit the glass ceiling of the swimming pool, making a pattering sound. Because the pool water was kept at a constant temperature, the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors caused a thin layer of water vapor to condense on the glass ceiling.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Nono was still calling.

"Stop shouting, she's not here at all." Lu Yaodong looked at Nuonuo with some anger.

"Excuse me, she might be showering after swimming. I'll go check on her in the changing room. Stay here, I'll be right back." With that, Nono walked into the door leading to the women's changing room and disappeared.

And so, this place he would never dare to come to normally, the place he would avoid at all costs, was now standing here alone. Recalling the whole process, his mind was still a little confused. What was this place? It was the place where he had committed the crime, the place where he had put his mentor to death, a murder scene.

The air was filled with the smell of bleach, which is used to disinfect swimming pools. But Lu Yaodong also smelled a strange odor. He took a step back and told himself: Get out of here as soon as possible!

Chirp... Chirp... Chirp... What's that sound coming from above?

Lu Yaodong looked up and saw that the glass ceiling, covered with a layer of condensation, looked as if it were covered by a thin film. Now, something had punctured this film, revealing a peculiar pattern: five separate fingers...

It was a hand that wiped away the moisture, making a sizzling sound on the smooth glass. Then a face pressed close to the ceiling. It was a pale face, bloodless, with blue lips. He wore a SPEEDO rubber swimming cap and black swimming goggles that were firmly clamped to the back of his head. He was lying on the outside of the glass ceiling, looking down at Lu Yaodong with a fixed gaze.

Pass!

Lu Yaodong's heart nearly burst out of his chest. Although more than a year had passed and there was a distance between them, he would never, ever forget that face.

That was Qiao Ming who had drowned.

Lu Yaodong stood there blankly, his mind blank for a full half minute. Their faces were separated by a glass ceiling; one looked down, the other looked up, staring at each other.

Am I dreaming?

This must be my imagination...

Lu Yaodong held his head up until his neck muscles ached before he finally lowered it. He was somewhat lost and at a loss.

Whether it's an illusion or not, let's get out of this troublesome place first.

In the instant he turned around, he clearly felt someone push him hard from behind, causing him to lose his balance and fall into the water.