Famine

Chapitre 22

"Grandma, is the person living inside surnamed Hong? Is his name Hong Bentao?" Du Yaofeng asked tentatively.

The old woman shook her head: "I don't know his name, but he was a young man, maybe in his thirties."

It's certain that the phone number doesn't belong to Zoe, but why she would use someone else's number to send text messages remains unknown.

Du Yaofeng had a vague feeling that this man named Hong Bentao not only knew Zoe, but their relationship was also unusual. If he could find this Hong Bentao, he could get information about Zoe.

"Grandma, I urgently need to find this person for some business matters. Do you know where Mr. Hong works?"

The old woman looked Du Yaofeng up and down with her cloudy eyes, and asked hesitantly, "You sell milk tea too?"

Milk tea? Does that mean Hong Bentao sells milk tea?

"All I know is that he opened a milk tea shop at the subway station, that's all I know." After saying that, the old lady seemed to be going back to do housework and closed the security gate.

As of 2003, Shanghai had three metro lines: Metro Line 1, Line 2, and the Pearl Line, now collectively known as "Rail Transit Lines 1, 2, and 3." Several more lines were under construction at the same time. With ample construction funds, the municipal government was determined to develop rail transit into the city's primary mode of transportation within a few years, with a total of eight lines.

Du Yaofeng, Ahu, and Nuonuo spent the entire day splitting up and visiting every station on all three lines. On Line 1, the longest line in operation, there was indeed a milk tea shop called "Lai Lai Wang Wang," a chain with five locations: Xinzha Road Station, Hengshan Road Station, Shanghai Stadium Station, and Xinzhuang Station. They had recently closed one of their shops at Huangpi South Road Station. Each shop was only about two square meters in size, with a counter in the front, a freezer and an oven in the back, and two employees, a man and a woman, wearing identical uniforms. Both were migrant workers earning meager wages.

"Excuse me, do you have someone named Hong Bentao working in your shop?"

At the shop near Xinzha Road Station, Ah Hu asked the male shop assistant a question. The shop assistant thought for a long time and then shook his head.

"Are you asking about Boss Hong?" the female shop assistant next to her interjected.

"Yes!" Nono nodded quickly.

It's impossible for two people with the surname Hong to be in a small shop like this.

"Boss Hong has left. He sold his shares to his former partner, Lao Chou, who is now the sole owner."

Dark soy sauce? That sounds like the name of a type of soy sauce.

Where is this dark soy sauce now?

"He went back to his hometown. His parents are in poor health, so he went back to visit them."

Do you have his phone number?

Both men shook their heads. The male clerk said, "He probably turned off his phone to save money, but he calls every store the next day to ask about their business."

Nono wrote her phone number on a notepad, handed it to the shop assistant, and instructed her, "Give this number to your boss as soon as he gets back, and ask him to contact us immediately; it's very important."

Oil painting No. 51: 773 Horror Series 13

Section 50: Starbucks' Special Coffee Cup

The female clerk carefully folded the note, while the male clerk stared blankly at them, utterly bewildered as to what "important matter" these two could possibly have. Were they here to look for jobs? To get the boss to fire them...?

Finding the artist of the painting and tracing the owner of the phone number had reached a bottleneck and were difficult to overcome. Undeterred, the investigation team immediately embarked on a third task—finding the dental clinic depicted in the painting.

If Zoe was a real person, and if she was a real dentist, then the clinic depicted in the painting must have existed; it was where Zoe worked.

Dental clinics in Shanghai are divided into two main categories: state-owned and private.

The former, distributed across various state-run comprehensive hospitals, is collectively known as the Department of Stomatology, including dental clinics in various districts. For example, the Department of Stomatology at the Ninth People's Hospital is among the best in the country in terms of scale and academic achievements, far exceeding the scope of tooth extraction, filling, and denture fitting. Its scope extends to oral and maxillofacial treatment, such as oral cancers.

In the past two or three years, private dental clinics have sprung up like mushrooms after rain. Their clients are mainly expatriates, Hong Kong and Taiwanese working in Shanghai, as well as local white-collar workers. They don't want to sit in a cramped waiting room for two or three hours with noisy patients for a half-hour treatment. They have money, or rather, they are willing to spend money—several times more than in state-run hospitals—to enjoy friendly, comfortable, and personalized service.

Honghu, DDS, Xidian Dental Clinic, "Kaihong" on Zhaojiabang Road, "Zhongmei Shenkang" in Dapuqiao, "Ruier Dental Clinic" on Huaihai Middle Road, "Gurui" in Hongqiao Development Zone, "Shisizhen" on Damuqiao Road, "Yazheng" in Xujiahui...

These are all relatively well-known private dental clinics in Shanghai. Their doctors are mostly former employees of large state-run hospitals, possessing excellent medical skills and a stable patient base. Nono found the names of these clinics in a free magazine provided by Starbucks; it contained medical advertisements, mostly for dentistry.

Judging from the clinic in the painting, it is definitely not the dental department of a state-run hospital, but a high-end private clinic.

First, the examination room is quite spacious, with a desk next to the examination chair. Judging from the proportions of the objects in the painting, this examination room is at least ten square meters. Second, doctors in state-run hospitals, regardless of their specialty, all wear white coats, while Zoe wears a light blue uniform. Also, the windowsill is low, and the window cannot be opened, suggesting that the room uses central air conditioning; large-scale central air conditioning systems are mostly found in commercial buildings.

Zoe, sitting on the windowsill, is framed by a lush, leafy plane tree outside the window, which provides at least two pieces of information:

The clinic is located on the street, with the sidewalk right outside the window.

A large plane tree, at least five to fifteen meters tall, suggests that the consultation room is not on the ground floor, but on the second, third, or even fourth floor.

The investigation team split into several groups and visited every clinic that had advertised. Some clinics were friendly at their front desks, with receptionists politely informing you that they didn't have anyone named Zoe, not a doctor, not a nurse, and not any other staff. Others looked at you suspiciously. Competition among private clinics was fierce, and investors interested in operating dental clinics often came as patients to these established clinics, trying to gather information. Because the investigation team members had to conceal their true motives, the more hesitant they were, the more suspicious they became. So, the team members also pretended to be patients.

These clinics provide each patient with a private space. When you lie in the treatment chair with your mouth open, only a dentist and his nurse are present; outsiders cannot enter. Therefore, unless you are a patient, it is difficult to enter the treatment room; you can only inquire in the reception area.

And so they went from one clinic to another. The only treatment they could accept, and the simplest and cheapest, was teeth cleaning. They had their teeth cleaned again and again. Ah Hu was surprised that almost every time, new tartar was scraped off. This tartar was not the stone they had imagined, but small black particles.

If this continues, I'm going to lose my teeth...

Nuonuo covered her cheek and said painfully.

Getting her teeth cleaned three times a week is a bit too much for Nono, who is usually very careful about oral hygiene.

The investigation team returned empty-handed, unable to find a clinic identical to the one depicted in the painting. Some were on the ground floor, which did not meet the criteria, while others were on upper floors. Some had windows that could be opened, which was definitely not the case, and some had closed windows, but these were clearly different from the protruding, low-sill design of the windows in the painting.

Another crucial point is that clinics located on the ground floor or above do not have any sycamore trees visible from their windows.

The investigation team met again, took the painting out of the storage room once more, removed the protective cover, and examined it carefully.

Zoe wore a plastic badge around her neck that read "Attending Physician Zoe." Normally, the badge should clearly state the name of the clinic.

Ah Hu took out a magnifying glass and found that there was indeed a line of English letters before "Attending Physician Zoe," but it was difficult to see clearly. He could only make out the first letter, which was W, and the rest was not visible.

Look!

Nono pointed to the desk in the painting. Right next to the LCD monitor was a cup. Nono immediately recognized it as a Starbucks coffee cup, which gave customers a 2 yuan discount when they bought coffee. This type of cup is called a "lady's cup" because it has a concave shape in the middle, making it easy to hold, like a woman's slender waist, hence the name. The only pattern on the white cup was the "STARBUCKS" green circular mermaid logo, very clean and eye-catching. This 16-ounce cup sold out last year and is no longer available.

The appearance of the Lady's Cup means that there is a Starbucks coffee shop nearby, which is undoubtedly good news for Nono.

"I don't think we've had this cup before," Du Yaofeng said, looking at Director Chen, hoping for approval.

Director Chen's memory was a bit hazy. Before, his attention was focused on Zoe, and he hadn't really paid attention to what was on the desk. He took the copy to compare, and the desk in the copy, apart from the LCD monitor and mouse pad, didn't have a lady's cup.

It seems that Zoe was giving them a hint in this special way.

Oil painting No. 51: 773 Horror Series 13

Section 51: No doctor, no nurse

Yes, there's a dental clinic upstairs from us called White, which means pure white.

The three members of the investigation team stepped into the dental clinic located on the second floor of the Amy Plaza building on Huaihai Road. It was Du Yaofeng's turn to have her teeth cleaned, while Nuonuo and Ahu sat on the sofa in the reception area, pretending to flip through magazines.

The clinic is on the second floor. The consultation room facing Huaihai Road has protruding windows and low windowsills. Outside the window, the lush sycamore leaves sway in the wind. Although this consultation room is not the one in the painting, the overall style feels the same.

During a break from cleaning her teeth, Du Yaofeng asked the doctor, "There's a Starbucks downstairs. Why don't you put up ads in the magazines they provide for free in the coffee shop?"

It made us search so hard...

Du Yaofeng didn't say the last sentence.

Before the doctor could answer, the nurse laughed: "Our clinic has a great location and a good reputation. You can see our sign just by looking up at the bustling Huaihai Road. Why waste your money?"

The nurse's words made sense, and Du Yaofeng nodded in agreement. The doctor, wearing a light blue uniform, then explained, "White Dental Clinic is one of the medical institutions recommended to their citizens by several consulates in Shanghai, including those of the United States, Japan, Germany, and Australia."

The implication is that we've even placed our ads in the consulate; pretty cool, right?

Lying on the examination chair, Du Yaofeng opened his mouth, faced the dazzling light, closed his eyes, and a sense of relief welled up in his heart. Ah, he finally found it. What should he do next?

At this very moment, Nono and Ahu are already taking the "next step".

"Ugh, my hands are all sweaty! They're sticky and uncomfortable!"

Nono deliberately made a fuss, and the receptionist smiled and pointed behind her.

"The restroom is over there, but you can only wash your hands there; the toilet is outside."

"Thank you, I'll just wash my hands and touch up my makeup!"

Nono stood up from the sofa, and Ahu followed suit, muttering, "I'll wash my hands too."

"Ugh, she has to follow me everywhere, like a little shadow!"

What's wrong with being a tagalong?

The two deliberately flirted and teased each other, thus legitimately leaving the reception area and heading towards the heart of the clinic.

The surroundings were quiet, with soft background music playing—Richard Clayderman's piano music. Being a high-end private clinic, it was almost deserted; doctors, nurses, and patients were all in their respective consultation rooms, seemingly hidden away like celestial beings.

The bathroom is only one square meter in size, with a wash mirror, a sink, and a trash can underneath.

To the left of the restroom is the X-ray room, and opposite it is a disinfection room where nurses are busy.

Walking down the winding corridor, you see one treatment room after another, all with their doors closed. A few lights shine through the frosted glass on the doors, indicating that someone is inside.

I didn't expect this clinic to be so big. When I first entered, I didn't realize how big it was. The reception area was like the neck of a wine bottle. You had to pass through the narrow neck of the bottle to see its capacity.

There was only one consultation room. No light shone through the frosted glass on the door, and the door wasn't closed properly. Ah-hu tried pushing it, and the door opened...

Standing at the entrance, it felt as if I were standing in front of a painting. The scenery in the painting and what was displayed in front of me were strikingly similar, both in terms of perspective and size.

Stepping through this door is like stepping into a picture frame.

The windowsill was positioned exactly as in the painting; you could almost feel Zoe sitting there, in her light blue uniform, white flats, her legs slightly crossed, her eyes behind her mask coldly watching them…

Nono clearly felt a chill permeate the room, as if someone had turned on the air conditioner and was pointing the vent at her. Nono shivered, goosebumps rose on her skin, and she involuntarily grabbed Ahu's hand.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here." Ah Hu took the opportunity to squeeze her hand tightly, wishing she would lean her whole body against him.

Let's take a look at this---

Ah Hu took out the "Ghostly Aura Index Meter" modified from an Omron blood pressure monitor from his bag, pointed it at the surrounding air and the dust floating in the air, and pressed the operation button. The index quickly jumped from 0 to 29, and finally stabilized at 30, which was much weaker than the 70 or more measured in front of the painting.

"Look, it's alright. The index is around 30, which is a relatively safe level."

Ah Hu comforted her, glancing around. There was a computer monitor and mouse pad on the desk, but the lady's mug was nowhere to be seen. A thin layer of dust covered the examination chair, and the wastewater trough used to collect patients' vomit was perfectly dry, without a single water stain, indicating it hadn't been used for a long time. It was a real shame that such a well-equipped examination room was left empty in the prime real estate of Huaihai Road.

Ah Hu walked to the windowsill and sat down, right where Zoe had been sitting. His action startled Nuonuo, who was worried that he would plop down on Zoe.

Outside the window is the bustling Huaihai Road, which is clearly visible from this elevated vantage point. Huaihai Road is Shanghai's second largest commercial street after Nanjing Road, teeming with people and filled with beautiful young women. Unlike Nanjing Road, which is a pedestrian street, Huaihai Road has two-way lanes. A robust double-decker bus, route 911, drives past below, its side adorned with large advertisements for Canon digital products. Route 911 runs from Laoximen to the Western Suburbs Zoo, covering the entire length of Huaihai East Road, Huaihai Middle Road, and Huaihai West Road, making it practically a dedicated bus line for Huaihai Road.

The sidewalk is separated from the driveway by a row of plane trees, whose lush branches extend all the way to the windows, within easy reach if you open the window.

"Come on over here." Ah Hu patted the windowsill; there was enough room for two people. "Since you're here, make the best of it and sit down!"

Judging from his expression, he seemed to think, "Why not sit here if it's a free ride?"

Nuonuo walked over and carefully sat down next to Zoe... thankfully, she was sitting next to Ahu.

"Aren't you cold?" Nuonuo asked Ahu, unconsciously tightening her clothes. "I feel a chill in here, like in a morgue."

Oil painting No. 51: 773 Horror Series 13

Section 52: Let's take a look at this---

After Ah Hu said that, Nuonuo felt a little more at ease.