Cent ans de solitude

Chapitre 25

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Xu Feifei told Li Hong that Wang Xiaoxin lived in a two-bedroom apartment. Although she didn't know who owned it, Li Hong guessed it was Wang Xiaoxin's own property; otherwise, she would likely have moved after so many years. The moment Wang Xiaoxin opened the door, the two friends burst into laughter and hugged each other warmly. Li Hong smiled at them and carefully observed Wang Xiaoxin. She was a tall, well-built girl, not particularly beautiful, with a darker complexion, but her large mouth possessed a wild beauty. She also noticed Li Hong and said generously, "You're Feifei's friend, right? Welcome, welcome."

"Could they be treating me like that kind of friend?" Li Hong thought to herself. She nodded to Wang Xiaoxin, and then the three of them went inside together. Li Hong saw Wang Xiaoxin whisper something in Xu Feifei's ear, and then Xu Feifei shook her head.

The two then chatted intimately, with Li Hong walking slowly behind, observing the room's furnishings. Unlike ordinary homes, Wang Xiaoxin's house was decorated like an armory from the era of cold weapons, with various Western swords, axes, and armor hanging on the walls, giving the impression of entering a castle. It was unexpected that this girl with such a wild appearance actually lived in such an environment.

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The warm atmosphere abruptly ended when the two talked about their past friends, especially after Li Hong revealed her identity and the purpose of her trip; Wang Xiaoxin's smile vanished. She lit a cigarette, walked alone to the windowsill, and wisps of smoke rose slowly, enveloping her.

"You've come to tell me I'll encounter some inexplicable danger?" Wang Xiaoxin asked, her back to the two men, her tone clearly revealing disbelief.

“I think so,” Li Hong said. “Before we figure out Liu Yun’s motives and purpose, I hope you can pay more attention.”

"How should I be careful?" Wang Xiaoxin asked, her tone icy. "I've never encountered anything strange before. I've never seen anything weird in my life. Now that you mention it, I really don't know how to be careful."

“Oh dear,” Xu Feifei interjected, “just be careful when crossing the street, and be more alert when you’re home alone, especially at night.”

"When should we pay attention?" Wang Xiaoxin still sounded skeptical. "For a lifetime?"

“Of course it won’t take that long,” Li Hong said. “You can choose not to believe such a thing, and to be honest, I still feel like I’m dreaming. But whether you believe it or not, I hope you can pay more attention to your safety, even if nothing like this happens.”

“I will definitely be careful,” Wang Xiaoxin said. “I don’t want to die so soon.”

"That's fine then." Li Hong felt a heavy, awkward atmosphere in the living room and couldn't sit still any longer, so she stood up. "If there's nothing else, we'll be going."

Xu Feifei sat there, seemingly wanting to say something, but when she saw Li Hong and Wang Xiaoxin's expressions, she didn't know what to say.

"Feifei, are you leaving too? Stay here with me tonight," Wang Xiaoxin said, her voice much gentler.

"No, I have to go back to the hospital tonight," Xu Feifei said. "How about I come visit you in a few days, okay?"

Wang Xiaoxin remained silent.

Xu Feifei gave Li Hong a wink. Li Hong followed her toward the door.

After walking a few steps, Li Hong turned back and said sincerely to Wang Xiaoxin, "Perhaps we came too suddenly and brought too tragic news, but our intention is for your own good. We don't want anything to happen to you, so please take care. I've left my phone number on the coffee table. You can contact me anytime."

"Thank you for your kindness," Wang Xiaoxin said, still looking out the window without turning around. "I won't see you out."

2.20 Boyfriend

On the way back, neither Li Hong nor Xu Feifei spoke; they both walked silently with their heads down.

As they approached the station, Xu Feifei finally said, "She's not usually like this. She's probably having trouble accepting the news and that's why she's in a bad mood."

“Yes, I understand, and I don’t blame her,” Li Hong said, smiling at Xu Feifei. “No one would accept it right away; we need to give her time to process it.”

Xu Feifei breathed a sigh of relief and laughed, "I was afraid you'd be angry. She was really rude just now."

"Oh, do you think I'm that petty?" Li Hong said. "Don't worry about it. What do you want now? Should I take you back to the hospital?"

"I don't want to go back to the hospital..." Xu Feifei pouted.

"I can't not go back," Li Hong said. "I already promised to send it back to you tonight."

"Oh, I'm perfectly fine," Xu Feifei said. Then her eyes darted around the small shops on the street. "Sister Li, can I buy some food?"

"Huh? Didn't you eat lunch? Are you hungry again?" Li Hong looked at her strangely.

"No, I just wanted to buy some snacks," Xu Feifei said, her eyes shining.

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Xu Feifei excitedly emerged from the small shop, carrying large and small bags of snacks, and began enthusiastically recommending this and that to Li Hong. Li Hong waved her hand and said directly, "Write down the address of that Temptation Bar for me."

"Huh? You're going today?" Xu Feifei asked as she tore open the packaging.

"Yes, I think I'll go check it out tonight."

"Oh, okay then, I'll write down the address for you." Xu Feifei, with snacks tucked under her arm, took Li Hong's notebook and said as she wrote, "I'll write down how to get there, I won't write down the house number."

"Hmm," Li Hong said absentmindedly. Her mind was preoccupied with why Wang Xiaoxin had survived; was there some other hidden story?

"You two used to..." Li Hong looked at the cars on the street and slowly said, "Wang Xiaoxin and Liu Yun, were you close?"

"Why are you asking this?" Xu Feifei was still writing the address, without even looking up.

"I'm wondering why Liu Yun let Wang Xiaoxin go, or rather, why she hasn't caused Wang Xiaoxin any trouble until now. Why is that?"

“I don’t know.” Xu Feifei said, raising her head and eyebrows. “I think the two of them used to be like buddies, drinking, smoking, playing cards, and playing games together. They had a very good relationship.”

“That’s strange.” Li Hong frowned. “She also has finger bones. Wang Xiaoxin, she also has finger bones, doesn’t she?”

“Yes, she has it,” Xu Feifei replied, then continued writing down the address.

"We really need to think about the reasons behind this more carefully," Li Hong said to herself.

"So, what do you want to see at the bar tonight?" Xu Feifei asked. At this moment, she finished writing down the address and handed the notebook back to Li Hong.

Li Hong glanced down and almost burst out laughing: "What are you writing? What do you mean by taking Line 13 and getting off at Shaoyaoju Station, then crossing the street to take a bus? Oh my god, no wonder it took you so long to write this."

“That’s all I know how to write,” Xu Feifei said with wide eyes. “I don’t know where that is. I’ve always sat like this when I take the bus.”

"I give up." Li Hong continued looking at the address and noted down a place name: "Museum of Modern Chinese Literature." However, she didn't know where the museum was; she would have to find it when she got there.

“I have no sense of direction,” Xu Feifei said while eating potato chips. “This is the only way I can walk. I used to get from home to work there.”

"Okay, I understand." Li Hong nodded. "You've had a tough time too."

Xu Feifei laughed: "Now my boyfriend sometimes picks me up and drops me off, and he doesn't work there anymore, so it's much easier for me."

Xu Feifei's words were like a bolt of lightning, instantly illuminating Li Hong's thoughts. She suddenly grabbed Xu Feifei's hand and asked, "Does Wang Xiaoxin not have a boyfriend?!"

Xu Feifei was startled: "What are you doing?" She picked up the snack bag that had fallen on the ground and said, "Of course she doesn't have a boyfriend, she's still in the entertainment industry."

"And the rest..." Li Hong said, quickly flipping through her notebook, "Zhao Doudou and Tao Jing, do they have boyfriends?"

“Yes,” Xu Feifei said, looking at Li Hong with a puzzled expression. “What’s wrong?”

"So that means that, apart from Wang Xiaoxin, all five of you have left this circle and have boyfriends one after another, right?" Li Hong said excitedly.

“Yes, that’s right,” Xu Feifei said. “Tao Jing was the first to have a boyfriend, then Qingqing, and then Dou Dou and Wang Xiaoxin broke up because Dou Dou found a tour guide boyfriend.”

"And you? When did you get a boyfriend?" Li Hong asked quickly.

"It hasn't been long," Xu Feifei said, blushing. "We've only known each other for less than two weeks."

"So, counting from when you fell into the water yesterday, it's only been two weeks since we met?" Li Hong asked while taking notes.

“Yes.” Xu Feifei said, lowering her head. “Sigh, my phone got wet and broke. I haven’t contacted him yet. I guess he doesn’t know I’m in trouble.”

"So that's how it is." Li Hong nodded as she spoke. "So that's what it was all about!"

"What do you mean?" Xu Feifei raised her head in confusion. "Are you saying that no one came to visit me while I was in the hospital?"

"Huh?" Li Hong was taken aback, then realized, "No, I mean I finally understand why Liu Yun would harm the five of you but let Wang Xiaoxin go alone."

"Huh?" Xu Feifei immediately tensed up, as if the answer was about to be revealed. "What was Liu Yun's motivation?"

“It’s very simple,” Li Hong said. “She’s punishing you for not sticking with it and instead finding boyfriends.”

"Is that so?" Xu Feifei frowned. "If that's the case, then many people in the Temptation Bar might be killed by Liu Yun!"

“Hmm, you’re right.” Li Hong snapped her notebook shut. “So I’m definitely going to that bar today to see if my guess is correct.”

Revisited on February 21st

After settling Xu Feifei in, it was already 5 p.m. Li Hong left the hospital, intending to return to school to handle her own affairs. However, after checking the map, she discovered that the "Museum of Modern Chinese Literature" was located in the north of the city, quite a distance from the school. If she were to leave the school for the bar after dinner, she would definitely encounter traffic jams and it would be very late—making her feel overwhelmed.

Zheng Zhihao remained unresponsive, no matter how Li Hong called him, as if he had suddenly vanished. However, Li Hong wasn't worried, because she knew Zheng Zhihao could recover. Let him have some more time; perhaps he still had many things to consider.

She walked alone down the street, undecided whether to go back to school or to the bar. If Zheng Zhihao were here, she thought, she could have him investigate at the bar while she did some desk work, like investigating the accident involving Tao Jing and Zhao Doudou. She always felt that her personality wasn't very good at communicating with people, let alone investigating cases. Her long-term work as a forensic pathologist had made her consider the laboratory her home; there, only silent corpses and human tissue existed. Only there did Li Hong feel that her work was organized and methodical.

Sigh! It's a pity Zheng Zhihao will never stand by her side again! Li Hong thought to herself, casually pushing open a KFC door on the street, buying a Coke, and sitting by the window. Physical exhaustion combined with mental burden made her feel incredibly tired. She pushed away the Coke and slumped onto the table.

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Li Hong was awakened by the noise and looked at the chaotic crowd in the store with some surprise, momentarily disoriented. It took her a while to realize she had actually taken a nap. Looking at her watch, she saw it was already 7:30. Startled, she quickly gathered her things and headed out the door.

The bustling streets were already lit up with streetlights, and the daytime heat had subsided, though the exhaust fumes from cars still stung people's faces. Li Hong emerged from KFC and hurriedly flagged down a taxi. Although the Second Ring Road was still congested, she was confident she could reach the bar before 9 pm.

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Under the streetlight, Li Hong glanced again at the address Xu Feifei had written down, then craned her neck to look into the deserted alley. Yes, it was here. She could already see the slightly dilapidated neon lights of the "Temptation" bar deep within the alley. She put away her notebook and walked inside, the sound of her high heels echoing through the walls, a truly breathtaking sound.

This was a rather old-fashioned alleyway. On one side was a tall wall with several cars parked at its base. The red bricks of the wall were dotted with dark green moss due to the dampness. On the other side of the alley was a row of very similar-looking storefronts, all closed and shut, leaving only dark doors and windows. Li Hong walked slowly, watching the streetlights stretch her shadow longer and longer. She really couldn't understand why the bar had moved here; no wonder the old customers didn't want to come anymore.

The bar's entrance was a simple pair of double glass doors, now wide open, bathed in red neon lights. Looking inside, instead of a familiar entryway or reception desk, there was a steep, spiraling staircase leading downwards, with arrows and signs on the wall reading "Temptation Bar, Basement Level 2." The staircase was unlit, and the darkness of the entrance created an unsettling atmosphere.

"My God, what kind of bar is this!" Li Hong thought with disgust, frowning. How could this be? Compared to the bar street in Houhai that she had just visited a few days ago, this place was practically a slum. How could it attract customers? Suddenly, images from movies and television flashed through her mind, as if she could see through the ground into the dimly lit bar below the stairs, filled with men and women using drugs, their faces pale and their eyes empty.

Li Hong's heart began to pound, unsure whether she should go downstairs. She looked around again, but there was still no one there, only the long shadows of the telephone poles cast by the streetlights. She wondered how far the nearest police were, then listened intently to the sounds coming from downstairs. But she couldn't hear anything.

"Could there be a mistake?" Li Hong muttered to herself, steeling herself as she began to walk downstairs. She reached into her right pocket and, thankfully, the pepper spray was still there, which calmed her down a little. Because she was wearing high heels and the stairs were quite steep, she slowly and carefully made her way down one step at a time.

Her unease vanished the moment she pushed open the heavy, soundproof door downstairs. Before her lay a luxuriously decorated, brightly lit hall, filled with elegant blues piano music. Small groups of men and women sat around delicate tables, chatting and laughing softly, occasionally glancing up at her arrival. No one had expected that beneath the bar's unassuming exterior lay such a hidden world. Li Hong stood there, a utterly bewildered expression on her face, as if she had entered the wrong place.

A waitress approached with a smile: "Hello, are you alone?"

Li Hong nodded.

"Is this your first time here?" the waitress asked again, leading Li Hong to her seat as she spoke.

“A friend of mine used to come here often, so I came to check it out too,” Li Hong said, following behind the waiter. As she passed other tables, she felt someone was scrutinizing her.

"May I ask your friend's name?" the waiter asked with a smile, his demeanor graceful and poised. "Would you mind sitting here?"

It was a separate table, very quiet, and unlikely to be disturbed. Li Hong nodded and sat down: "My friend's name is Liu Yun."

"Ah!" The waiter looked surprised. "So you're Sister Liu's friend."

“Yes,” Li Hong said, then feigned a troubled expression, “I haven’t heard from her in a long time, so I came here to find her.”

"Oh yes, she hasn't been here in a long time," the waiter said with a smile. "How about I introduce you to a few more of her friends?"

"Huh?" Li Hong was taken aback, thinking, "They're here already?"

"Of course you can do whatever you want, I'm just suggesting something. What would you like to drink?" the waiter said, taking out a small notebook.

"Oh, whatever, a drink is fine," Li Hong said.

"How about a Coke? Or something else, like a beer?"

"No, thank you. Coke is fine with me," Li Hong said. "Thank you."

Watching the waiter leave, she felt a little guilty, and even broke out in a sweat. This waiter knew about Liu Yun, and would definitely know that Liu Yun was dead, since Xu Feifei used to be a waitress here; such news spreads very quickly. But… how could she find out if anyone else had suffered an accident here?