Incendie mystérieux

Chapitre 3

(Announcement! An unexpected romantic encounter—will the astrologer's chastity be preserved? Stay tuned for the second part of the Christmas Eve Romantic Encounter! Hehe, bye~)

Related side story: A Romantic Encounter on Christmas Eve (Part 2)

He was hoping she would be too scared to continue.

However, the woman only gave a sly smile, her slender fingers lightly tracing his chest:

"How naughty!" she giggled, peeking at him through her narrowed eyes. "Are you going to eat me up?"

…A cold sweat broke out on the astrologer's back. "Eaten clean from head to toe"—this was a perfectly normal truth (to a ghoul), but to the woman, it was like a powerful aphrodisiac, making her eyes sparkle. And so, the woman, enveloped in the fragrance of shower gel and wrapped only in a snow-white towel, appeared before the astrologer.

The astrologer gasped.

“The ‘eating’ I’m talking about,” he, usually so calm and collected, had to force himself to explain, “is the real ‘eating,’ not what you’re thinking… And the transaction I’m talking about will only start charging after your wish is fulfilled—that is, the ‘eating’…”

"Of course I know." The woman sat down on the bed with a relaxed expression, crossing her two long, slender, white legs. "Anyway, as long as it's consensual and we satisfy each other's needs, isn't that enough?"

Why does it feel like... the more he tries to explain, the worse it gets...? The astrologer stared at the alluring and beautiful woman in front of him, his gaze drawn to her like a magnet—he couldn't help it, after all, she was his ideal food! Although it was just a simple expression of appetite, the woman seemed to take it as a manifestation of her own charm, so with a hint of spring in her eyes, she walked straight up to the astrologer.

She threw herself into his arms.

In his thin, bony arms.

"Hold me..." Her soft moan was delicate and boneless, yet it couldn't penetrate the astrologer's heart. His heavy black trench coat was like a sturdy shell, tightly enveloping his entire body. She hugged him even tighter, trying to pour all her passion and energy into his body, but all she felt was coldness.

A chilling cold that cuts to the bone.

"Am I beautiful?" She looked up and stared intently into the astrologer's icy green eyes.

The astrologer nodded solemnly. "It's beautiful," he replied.

"Do you like me? Do you love me?" Her delicate fingers eagerly reached for his lips, his thin lips as cold as ice blades.

The astrologer gently leaned down and whispered a reply in her ear. He understood that what she needed at that moment was not his praise; her eyes were fixed on another man's figure through him.

"But why did you treat me like that!" The woman suddenly erupted; like a dormant volcano, an incredible power burst forth from her slender body, allowing her to push the tall astrologer down onto the bed. She knelt on top of the astrologer, her petite hands gripping his palms tightly.

"If it weren't for you, if it weren't for you..." Her voice grew hoarse, "I wouldn't have ended up like this! For you, I abandoned my parents, my family, and my son, just to be with you forever! But now, even you don't want me anymore!"

Clear tears welled up in her exquisitely sculpted eyes, shimmering and sparkling in the air like stars in the night sky. The astrologer closed his eyes. He couldn't bear to see the woman with tears streaming down her face.

Just then, a warm object pressed against his lips. The fragrant breath of a young woman, coupled with a near-dreamy whisper, "I love you—I really can't live without you, Liang!", forced the astrologer to open his eyes. "I will never leave you in my life," he mechanically repeated the sweet words, yet in his icy green eyes, snowflakes that never melted drifted. It takes only a moment to utter a promise, but fulfilling it requires decades, even a lifetime. "I love you..." This was merely part of the job, giving a lonely woman a beautiful dream—but within that body, no longer human, a certain part was aching terribly. The woman kissed his sharply defined cheeks, his high nose, his neck exposed outside his trench coat, and then, kissed her way down his body.

"I'm afraid this will disappoint the customer if this is all you want..." the astrologer thought with a wry smile.

He remained motionless, letting the woman unbutton his trench coat, one button at a time. Then, with trembling, excited fingers, she gently pulled down the zipper, tucking it all the way down—breathing heavily, with a morbidly excited expression, she carefully peeled back the layers of his coat. The astrologer's body, never before exposed to anyone, always carefully concealed, not even his fingers ever seen, would now be laid bare before this woman—

He closed his eyes again, and sighed deeply from extreme exhaustion.

"Aaaaah—" The woman let out a heart-wrenching scream, so horrific that even the astrologer wanted to cover his ears. It was a sound only made when a human is extremely frightened. The astrologer waited quietly for her to finish screaming.

Then, wait for her to roll her eyes back, foam at the mouth, and faint.

He calmly straightened his clothes, as if nothing had happened, and once again enveloped himself in layers of black. Unlike the sun-drenched human world, this was the color of night, a color suited to him who had long been banished from humanity. The only connection to his former self remained his handsome face; it was precisely because of that rather striking appearance that so many women, their hearts lured by darkness, were willing to make deals with the devil, willingly becoming his nourishment. He couldn't help but think of Yan Wuyue, the girl who had always grown up in the bright sunlight. Was her heart as pure and clear as crystal?

“We’re looking for the same thing.” He carried the woman to the bed, cleaned the smudges from the corner of her mouth, and tucked her in. “The pleasure of indulgence can never fill the emptiness in your heart. I’m sorry, but what you really need,” he held the woman’s hand and placed a cool kiss on the back of her hand, “I’m afraid I can never satisfy you, until the end of your life.”

The end of her life meant her eternal liberation, but for a ghoul with an eternal lifespan, the astrologer had to bear this cursed fate and continue his arduous journey—even if the road ahead was paved with the blood and flesh of countless unknown women. His existence was inherently meaningless, yet, in this long and empty sky of life, perhaps a fleeting shooting star will occasionally streak across the sky?

"I wish you sweet dreams tonight." Just like he would to his lover, he gently pecked the woman on the forehead and walked outside into the Christmas Eve.

Book One: The Seven Deadly Sins - Adultery: The Water of One Life (Part 1)

When I woke up, the woman was not beside me. The sheets still bore the scent of Issey Miyake: L'Eau d'Issey, mingled with the lingering smell of cigarette smoke in the room, elegant and with a lingering aftertaste. She leaned weakly against the window, the pale moonlight casting her delicate profile. Her long eyelashes were covered with the frost of the moonlight.

"Bao'er," I called out, and her slender shoulders trembled slightly. "Why aren't you asleep? Be careful, the window is cold," I asked.

She gave me a dismissive glance. "Nothing." Did she think she could brush me off like that? But she forgot that after three years of living and working together, I knew her every move. She wouldn't escape my notice.

"Are you still thinking about that strange prophecy?" As soon as I uttered the words, I knew I was right. She quickly hid herself in the moon's shadow, like a startled fawn, only her clear black and white eyes peeking out, staring at me intently, unmoving.

This morning, after Bao'er returned from grocery shopping as usual, her face remained as pale as dried toilet paper. Not only that, but this usually skillful girl, in a daze, burned a large hole in the soup pot. This is unusual; something unusual must have happened. I questioned her relentlessly, but she just bit her lip tightly and wouldn't utter a sound. The only clue was that she seemed to have received a bad prophecy from a fortune teller.

"Truly women," I scoffed. "A mere fabricated 'prophecy' has terrified them." Even so, seeing Bao'er so haggard broke my heart. So I gently patted her shoulder. "He's just a lousy fortune teller, isn't he? Tomorrow I'll have his shop ransacked, so he'll never dare to cheat again!"

“He’s not lying!” Bao’er suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with tears and sparkling. “He’s not some kind of fortune teller! He runs a real astrology shop with flesh and blood!”

An astrology shop with flesh and blood? What does that mean? I was completely baffled when Bao'er added quietly:

"The astrologer... saw my past, my life, and my future in the star chart..."

"How amazing..." She suddenly chuckled sinisterly, a chilling laugh escaping from her slightly parted lips. "In the end, I will die from unprecedented debauchery..."

I sat alone at the large cherry wood table, my lips still damp with the salty taste of Bao'er's tears. Last night, she held me and cried for a long, long time. The prophecy of "dying from promiscuity" struck me like a thunderbolt, leaving me speechless with shock. I could hardly believe my ears. Could this curse-like, vicious, and terrifying word really have been told to Bao'er so directly by that so-called astrologer man?

That's too cruel!

Anger burned within me, and I was acutely aware that I had a responsibility to stop this from escalating. So I reached for the receiver and dialed my secretary.

Two days later, I arrived at Bao'er's apartment building, holding a bouquet of roses. Looking at myself in the spacious mirror in the elevator, I carefully examined my body. I had just turned forty-three, a prime age for me. I was doing a great job as a department manager, and the chairman praised me highly. My hair, though thinner than in my youth, was still quite black and strong. My face, like my body, showed signs of weight gain, but my slightly protruding belly was tightly concealed by a tailored coat, making it difficult for most people to notice. In short, in terms of appearance, demeanor, and style, I was still a charming man.

Bao'er was waiting for me. Today, she still had her long hair flowing over her shoulders, and wore a light white silk dress, with a few small orchids adorning her waist, making her appear even more elegant and refined. When she saw me, she didn't show much joy; she simply lowered her eyelids slightly to indicate her welcome.

But I couldn't wait. "Bao'er, I have some good news for you!" I paused intentionally, waiting for her curiosity to be piqued, and then continued, "That so-called 'flesh and blood astrology hall' is nothing but a sham!"

I had my secretary check, and indeed, a strange astrology shop has appeared near Bao'er Apartment in the past few days. However, apart from the four large, scarlet characters "Flesh and Blood" at the entrance, no one knows what kind of astrology shop it is. People passing by can only see a locked door; the astrology shop has never been seen operating, and no one knows who lives inside. I checked with the shop owners in the area, but they couldn't provide any clues either. An ordinary man with a local accent paid three years' rent upfront. However, judging from the desolate state of the shop, it's likely that all that rent will be wasted.

I sat down next to Bao'er and pulled her into my arms. "Don't worry," I said, stroking her smooth hair and inhaling her intoxicating fragrance. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

To be honest, at first, I thought it was my wife's fault. My wife and I have been married for over ten years, and since our honeymoon, we've entered a long period of aesthetic fatigue. No, it's more accurate to say that I've never been faithful to her. She must have sensed it; I could see it in her resentful eyes every time she saw me. However, considering our ample living expenses, she wisely chose to remain silent—a truly rare and good wife! With her tacit approval, I became even more reckless. I fluttered among women like a butterfly among flowers, but every woman's shelf life was no more than a month. Finally, until I met Bao'er. She simply stood indifferently in front of my car window, extending a slender finger, neither smiling nor moving, yet instantly capturing all my attention.

One hundred yuan a night. That was her price back then. Because she never smiled at her customers.

“I can’t smile, I’ve never been able to.” She lay in my arms, her soft black hair flowing like water over my shoulders, her delicate fragrance tickling my nose. “Because of me, and my mother, we are the first victims of the ‘Law of Smiling’.”

The Smiling Rule, that infamous regulation. Due to the explosive growth of the population, the entire planet is facing an unprecedented energy crisis, and "family planning" alone can no longer suppress the human reproductive instinct. To prevent the snowball of population growth from growing ever larger, eighteen years ago, the United Nations introduced the "Supplementary Programme for Diversified Population Control," the most prominent of which is Rule Thirteen, "Smile." Therefore, it is privately known as the Smiling Rule.

Book One: The Seven Deadly Sins - Adultery: The Water of One Life (Part 2)

Only legally married couples can obtain birth quotas (of course, this requires a lengthy process of certification, examination, queuing, and obtaining a number). As for those children conceived through "accidents," those seedlings growing healthily in the womb without government quotas, the government is not against their birth. However, once the baby is born, it becomes a true test of life and death.

As long as the baby smiles, it gains the right to continue living. From that moment on, it is officially recognized by society as "he" or "she" and becomes a person in the true sense. However, if it fails to pass the scrutiny of the "inspector," then, in the name of the long-term happiness of humankind, it will be brazenly and openly killed on the spot by the midwife.

Despite the absurdity of this rule—after all, babies breathe by crying, and a baby who is born smiling is physiologically abnormal—the smiling rule has been thoroughly implemented due to the strong stance of governments around the world, even though it has also created enough tears to engulf the earth.

“I’m a black baby,” Bao’er told me, “so I have no surname, no ID card, and I can’t find any job.”

I know that she has nothing but her nickname "Bao'er" and her beauty. Without an ID card, she isn't even a government-run prostitute. She just stands at the traffic lights at the crossroads, waiting for the first car to stop at a red light, and then holds up a finger to the car window to make her business for 100 yuan a night.

Was she promiscuous? I could almost hear Bao'er opening her lips, questioning herself again and again. Her fair body had been covered with the horrifying claw marks of many men, yet her lips remained as soft and fragrant as a virgin's. When she first fell into my arms, trembling like a frightened rabbit amidst the thunder and lightning outside the window, clinging tightly to my arm and calling out "Mommy" incoherently, I knew clearly that this woman was mine.

Three years have passed in the blink of an eye. She is still as stunningly beautiful as ever, like a flower that blooms in solitude.

She greeted me with homemade cake and champagne. We drank together amidst the strong scent of roses, a married man and his mistress, a former prostitute, gazing into each other's eyes with the deep affection of first lovers, the air thick with the sweet aroma of love.

“Brother Wei, I think,” a glimmer of light flickered in her dark eyes, “I want a child.”

The champagne caught in my throat, and I swallowed it with difficulty. "Bao'er, you know," I hurriedly explained to her, "my birth permit hasn't been approved yet..."

That's true. However, the reason I haven't received a birth quota for so long, given my age and status, is because my wife gave birth to a son more than ten years ago. Unfortunately, my son died at the age of eight, and according to regulations, I can only obtain a second quota ten years after his death.

I naturally couldn't tell her these things. So I gently wrapped my arms around her slender waist, "Besides, I can't bear to ruin your figure."

Her hand pressed against mine, so warm, an unusual heat flowing from her thin, bony palm, relentlessly reaching me. It represented her determination. "What if I insist on giving birth? To have a child for you, a child that belongs entirely to you and me."

“Our child…” My mind went blank for a moment, and the air around me felt so heavy that I couldn’t breathe, because she was leading my hand, sliding it up and down her flat belly, a movement full of maternal tenderness.

"Besides, he's already inside now."

No way?! I couldn't believe my ears. You know, I'm naturally cautious, and I always take precautions. When was this...? At this moment, she leaned against me and began to tell me about her past.

Bao'er was born without a father. Her mother was a remarkable woman who, after giving birth, somehow managed to save Bao'er's life right under the noses of the "smile law" and the state apparatus, and then supported herself through prostitution. However, Bao'er was, after all, an unborn child, and soon attracted the attention of the National Population and Family Planning Bureau. As those death knells in white coats approached Bao'er step by step with syringes in hand, her mother raised her scissors high:

“She’s the only keepsake I have between me and the man I love,” she roared, her sallow face glistening with sweat. “It’s just a matter of one less person, so take my life!”

She swung the scissors down forcefully...

“My mother committed suicide in front of me,” Bao’er said, “to save my life. Every time I think about that scene, I can’t help but complain about her. Why did my mother risk her life to save me? The earth won’t stop spinning just because I’m gone. Why didn’t she just let me die, so I wouldn’t have to suffer so much in this world? Did she simply want me to live? Just so I could discover how dirty and ugly the essence of this world is, and that in the end my life is just a walking corpse, that I’m just participating in an utterly boring game?!”

“But those were all thoughts before I met you.” She cupped my face in her hands, her eyes sparkling like stars in a winter night. “Now, I finally understand the meaning of my existence.”

"I was born to meet you," she solemnly declared. "And through this child in my womb, I will exist forever, generation after generation. Even if I truly die..."

"Don't talk nonsense, Bao'er!" I hurriedly stopped her. "What do you mean by 'dead'!"

“The astrologer has already made it very clear: I won’t live past this year. Since I’ve come into this world carrying my mother’s hopes and life, I can’t die without leaving behind any evidence that I ever lived!” She was as calm and clear as ever. “I won’t let my child die. He will definitely live on with dignity!”

"In the name of the Smile Rule?" I asked.

“In the name of the Smile Law!” she replied.

She opened the necklace she always carried, where the only photograph of her mother was hidden. "For the sake of our child, let's pray together to our mother in heaven!" she said, pulling me to kneel before the necklace…

Book One: The Seven Deadly Sins - Adultery: The Water of One Life (Part Two)

"Bao'er?"

I called her name softly, but there was no reply. She lay there, her porcelain-white skin glowing with a rosy hue, her shapely breasts rising and falling rhythmically. She was undoubtedly sleeping soundly.

I smiled smugly. She had drunk enough barbiturates for five people (barbiturates are the main ingredient in sleeping pills) and was already in a deep sleep, impervious to even the most devastating earthquakes. The POLO sped along the flat coastal road, the night outside the window as murky and indistinct as spilled ink. There were no stars, only a deathly silence, the heavy darkness pressing down on you as if you could hardly breathe.

I've always been attracted to the same type of woman… Nineteen years ago, I kept a pale, thin woman as a mistress. She rarely smiled and always had a cold expression. Come to think of it, her face and figure really did resemble Bao'er's… Later, I grew tired of her rigid personality and found someone else. When I kicked her out, she was on the balcony collecting laundry. The woman didn't complain; she just kept folding clothes. My Montblanc shirt was repeatedly folded and unfolded… The oppressive atmosphere drove me crazy, so I left her. When I returned, she had taken all her belongings. The most conspicuous thing in the center of the room was that neatly folded shirt.

The shirt was completely soaked.

The woman's wet tears ruined the "Montagut" dress.

It wasn't until that moment that I seemed to understand her—the woman with misty, dreamlike eyes, whose frail frame concealed a silent, burning flame of love. The tears I wrung from my shirt stung my hands, and for a moment, I even considered bringing her back. But I never expected…

Nineteen years later, she actually came back!

That neurotic, pale face reappeared before me, in the necklace on Bao'er's chest!

Bao'er is my child!

I felt a bitter taste in my throat, and my stomach burned like fire. My daughter! The illegitimate child! The prostitute! The mistress! And the child in her womb…! These words kept swirling in my mind, and I felt a suffocating pain. No, I can't take it anymore!

She must be killed!

She must be killed!

I lifted her into the driver's seat and carefully guided her hands onto the steering wheel. I had erased all traces of myself from the car; now, all I had to do was step on the gas instead of Bao'er…

Directly ahead lay the churning, howling sea. On this dim, moonless night, the sea, like a woman's long, black hair, rose and fell erratically. Beneath its silent, surging surface, how many turbulent waves were churning and rolling? I instinctively gasped; the sound of the waves was so much like a woman's soft sobbing, chilling to the bone.

I gazed at Bao'er one last time, my voice trembling with emotion. "Farewell!" I thought, almost choking back tears at the thought of my beloved leaving. Just as I was about to step out of the car, a flash of silver light suddenly appeared in my field of vision.

It's a human face! Someone's pressed against the car window, staring at me!