Превратись в лебедя и прилети к тебе

Глава 14

Feng Junzi: "Can't someone who is devoted to love be affectionate? Have you ever heard of Jia Baoyu? If not Jia Baoyu, you must have heard of Duan Yu, right?"

Supervisor Chen: "Brother Feng, please sit down. I'll call the waiter to bring you drinks, and then I'll call Lulu over to have a drink with you before you go back."

After a while, Lulu pushed open the door and walked in. As the saying goes, half of a man is a woman. Usually, successful men are surrounded by beautiful women to add color to their lives. And half of a woman is her clothes and makeup. Lulu looks pure and beautiful in her student clothes in class, but in the nightclub, she wore a tight-fitting halter dress, and in the dim light, she immediately gained a seven-point alluring temperament.

Lulu seemed surprised to see Feng Junzi, her expression a mixture of joy and sadness. She said to Feng Junzi, "So it's Teacher Feng. You haven't forgotten me..." Then she seemed to hesitate.

Feng Junzi noticed Lulu's expression and felt it was a bit strange. Since she called him Teacher Feng, it meant she had recognized him in class that day. This didn't seem like the style of a nightclub hostess. Nightclub hostesses usually wouldn't address guests like that in this kind of setting unless the guests mentioned their jobs.

Since the other party had already addressed him that way, Feng Junzi had no choice but to reply, "I'm here to apologize. I said a few unintentional things in class that day, and you seemed very unhappy."

Lulu suddenly laughed: "Brother Feng, you're overthinking it. Do we in this line of work have to worry about what others say? Actually, I should thank you properly. Last time you stayed to keep me company, and I later found out that you were protecting me from people. I've been looking for an opportunity to thank you, but I didn't even know who you were. Now that's alright, I'll definitely keep you company tonight."

Lulu had a drink with Feng Junzi. Not wanting to make things too difficult for her, Feng Junzi said, "Alright, I know you're still working at the bar. Don't keep the customers waiting. Go on over there."

Lulu: "Brother Feng, please sit down first. I'll come and keep you company as soon as I get off the stage. Or should I find a lady to sit with you first?"

Feng Junzi: "No need, I feel quite comfortable drinking alone."

The waiting time was much shorter than Feng Junzi had expected. Less than an hour later, Lulu rushed over again. She said to Feng Junzi, "Brother Feng, I'm off the stage now. Let's have a few drinks together."

Lulu drank with Feng Junzi, but Feng Junzi didn't seem to be very willing to make any advances. Lulu also didn't seem to want to provoke Feng Junzi. Although the two were sitting on the same sofa, they felt a little awkward, not like a nightclub customer and hostess, so they didn't talk much.

To lighten the mood, Feng Junzi asked Lulu, "You used to be a student at the Light Industry College, so why did you lie to me last time and say you were from the University of Science and Technology? I really thought you were my junior."

Lulu: "The madam here taught me to say that. The Polytechnic University is a national key university and the best school in the coastal area, so the guests are more interested in it."

Feng Junzi was both amused and exasperated, and cursed, "The rankings between universities are actually affecting nightclubs, that's really something."

Feng Junzi hadn't forgotten the purpose of his trip, so he tentatively asked Lulu, "I guess there's more than one college student here; from what I've observed, there are several others."

Lulu asked curiously, "Brother Feng, can you read fortunes? Do you come here often?"

Feng Junzi: "This is my second time here, but I'm sure there were college students among the ladies I met last time."

Lulu: "There were four girls working at the bar last time, but these three are not them. You've mistaken them."

Feng Junzi: "I'm not talking about those three. Have you forgotten who stepped in for you in the end? Shuangshuang looks like a college student, but she doesn't seem to be in school. She looks like she graduated and has been working in society for two years."

Lulu: "Brother Feng has a good eye. Shuangshuang is my senior, also from the Light Industry College. She graduated exactly two years ago."

Upon hearing that there was an opportunity, Feng Junzi continued to subtly trap him: "So you two went to the same school. Let me guess, you're two years apart, so you might have known each other back in school. So, you came to work at this nightclub, most likely through a mutual introduction, right?"

Lulu was surprised: "Brother Feng is indeed an expert. You guessed exactly right. Shuangshuang did introduce me to work as a prostitute at Midnight. We have a very good relationship here. Otherwise, why would she have agreed to help me that day? We even live together."

Feng Junzi sighed inwardly, "Luckily! I guessed right. It seems that although Lulu is a prostitute, she has no guile at all and is too easy to get information out of her." Then, feigning surprise, he asked Lulu, "You live together? Why don't you live on campus?"

Lulu glared at Feng Junzi and replied, "It's so late every night, how am I supposed to get back to school? I have no choice but to rent a place off-campus. Besides, my roommates don't want me to go back."

Feng Junzi: "Is it a shared apartment between the two of you? What kind of place is it?"

Lulu: "It's about 70 square meters, with two bedrooms and a living room. It's simply decorated and has a water heater and a TV. Shuangshuang and I each have our own room."

Feng Junzi: "How much is the rent per month?"

Lulu: "Seven hundred."

Feng Junzi continued to probe, "A house like this is very cheap in Binhai. There definitely aren't any in the city center. It must be in the suburbs. I'm guessing it's near your school?"

Lulu: "Yes, it's very close to our school, right in Huashan Community, which makes it convenient for us to go to class."

Feng Junzi chuckled inwardly. Lulu was almost revealing her hideout. He continued, "Why don't you invite me to your house sometime when you have some free time?"

Lulu blushed a little because the phrase "visiting someone's home" had a different meaning in this context, but she thought that Feng Junzi might not have meant it, and replied, "Of course I welcome Teacher Feng if he wants to come."

When Feng Junzi suddenly heard Lulu address him as Teacher Feng again, he realized that his words had been clearly flirtatious. He also remembered that Lulu had stated she would not perform outside of her workplace. So he explained, "Don't misunderstand, I just went to take a look. I didn't have any other intentions."

Nothing was said that night. When Feng Junzi finished paying the bill and offered a tip, Lulu resolutely refused to accept it, saying to Feng Junzi, "I haven't had a chance to thank you for what happened last time, so how can I accept your tip tonight?"

Feng Junzi didn't want things to go this way. Although he didn't dislike Lulu, he didn't want to get involved in this kind of situation. He said to Lulu, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Since you've been drinking with me tonight, you should give me a tip. You can thank me for what happened last time, but you don't need to thank me here."

Lulu seemed a little disappointed. After accepting the money, she said to Feng Junzi, "Teacher Feng, if you insist on being so clear about the distinction, then I'll accept it. I'll treat you to a meal another day. Even if it's a student treating a teacher, you must agree."

Feng Junzi replied perfunctorily, "Definitely, definitely." Then, thinking that Han Shuang lived with her and might discover something from her, she changed her mind and said, "I'll make an appointment with you in a couple of days. Give me your phone number."

Part Two: Ghost Alley, Episode 11: Cause of Death

Two days later, Chang Wu returned to Binhai, and Feng Junzi found an opportunity to invite him out. The two of them ate skewers, drank, and chatted at a barbecue restaurant.

Feng Junzi asked Chang Wu, "Chang Wu, I asked you out today because I want to ask you something. Two years ago, you handled a case where a girl from the Light Industry College was murdered. Her name was Qiao Fangsi. Do you remember her?"

Chang Wu was surprised: "How did you know? This case is still unsolved. It's such a pity that the girl died. She was about to graduate from university."

Feng Junzi: "I was giving a lecture at the Light Industry College a few days ago, and I heard it from their teachers and students." He paused and then said, "There are still rumors at the school that the dormitory where this student lived before his death is haunted."

Chang Wu sighed: "I don't know if it's haunted or not, but this case is really bizarre. I still get chills when I think about it. I can't believe there are such terrifying things in the world!"

Even Feng Junzi was taken aback and asked Chang Wu curiously, "You've been a policeman for so many years, how can you be so timid? Is this case really that scary? Can you tell me about it?"

Chang Wu said slowly, "If you hadn't asked, I really wouldn't have wanted to bring it up again..."

That day I was on duty. At nine o'clock in the morning, I received a report from a hotel that a teenage girl had been found dead in the bathtub of a guest room. The scene was very strange; a girl of about seventeen or eighteen years old was lying naked in the bathtub, with some partially melted ice beneath her body. Later, it was determined that the time of death was around one o'clock in the morning. Judging from the scene, the bathtub was filled with ice… It wasn't rape; the girl showed no signs of sexual assault before her death.”

Feng Junzi interjected, "Then how exactly did she die?"

Chang Wu seemed not to hear Feng Junzi's words, still immersed in his memories, and continued:

"The girl's body had no wounds on the front, but there were two thin, long cuts on her back. Because she had been lying on ice, her skin had turned deathly pale, while the cuts were a strange dark red. The girl was beautiful, with long, flowing hair, but at the time she looked very... The forensic examination revealed that both of her kidneys had been removed... There was a note next to the bathtub that read, 'Call the police immediately, or you will die!' But the girl never called the police; she may have died before she saw the note."

Hearing this, Feng Junzi felt a chill run down his spine, his scalp tingling, and the beer in his mouth tasted sticky and bitter. He couldn't believe Piaopiao had died like this, but he knew she hadn't even seen the note. He composed himself and asked Chang Wu, "Has the killer been caught? Who did it?"

Chang Wu: "The case has remained unsolved. The people who booked the rooms used fake IDs, and the hotel staff couldn't remember what the guests looked like. None of the suspects have been found."

Feng Junzi was startled. It turned out that the police didn't know that Han Shuang had been with Piao Piao that night. He originally wanted to tell Chang Wu that he could investigate Han Shuang, but then he thought that there was no way to explain this to Chang Wu. If he just told Chang Wu that Han Shuang was also at the scene, he might become a suspect himself. He decided to find an opportunity to tell him anonymously.

Although Feng Junzi was shocked, he remained clear-headed. He reminded Chang Wu, "It is too cruel for these criminals to steal organs from living people. However, the stolen organs must be for transplantation. Have you checked which hospital later performed the kidney transplant surgery?"

Chang Wu: "These criminals usually operate across regions, and may even be transnational, making it extremely difficult to investigate them."

Feng Junzi: "What you said is all possible, but don't forget one thing: organs can't be preserved for long, and there's a high chance they'll be resold in the local area. This kind of surgery can't be done in a small hospital. Large hospitals should have organ sources for this kind of surgery. Check the records of the hospital in Binhai City at that time; you might find some clues."

Chang Wu: "You're right. I wasn't in charge of this case at the time, so I don't know if they investigated it. If there are any records of this, I'd really like to take a look."

Feng Junzi: "I suggest you check the hospital records. If you find them, could you show them to me as well?"

Chang Wu: "Old Feng, you're always so curious, but it's a good deed. I haven't forgotten this case in the past two years, and I always think about the girl lying in the bathtub. Since you brought it up, I'll go check the records again and let you know if I find any clues."

Seeing that Chang Wu was already very interested in Piaopiao's case, Feng Junzi decided to wait and see the results of Chang Wu's investigation and didn't say much about Han Shuang's matter for the time being. At this moment, he wondered if he should ask Lulu to meet him.

Part Two: Ghost Alley 12, A Perverted Love Story

The next afternoon, Feng Junzi timed his get out of class break perfectly and called Lulu, inviting her out for a meal. Lulu seemed delighted and insisted on paying. They discussed what to eat, with Feng Junzi choosing a Western restaurant for the sake of conversation.

Lulu was dressed as a student today. When she arrived at the restaurant, Feng Junzi had already been waiting for a while. The two quickly ordered their food and sat down to chat.

Feng Junzi said, "I think we should be fair to each other. Now you know my name and what I do, but I don't know your name yet."

Lulu: "My surname is Hu, and my name is Hu Shiwei." As if afraid that Feng Junzi wouldn't believe her, she even handed over her student ID.

Feng Junzi was slightly surprised by Lulu's straightforwardness. He took the student ID, glanced at it, and said with a smile, "So you're from Harbin. I finally believe the saying that beauties come from the cold. You have very fair skin and a great figure."

Lulu: "Where is Teacher Feng from?"

Feng Junzi smiled and recited: "Jiangcheng is like a painting, the mountains are clear at dusk. Two rivers embrace a bright mirror, twin bridges fall like rainbows. Smoke rises from the cold orange and pomelo trees, autumn colors age the paulownia trees. Who remembers Xie Lingyun on the north tower, braving the wind? Can you guess?"

Lulu: "Teacher Feng is so interesting. You're from Wucheng, right?"

Feng Junzi was surprised once again: "You really surprise me. There are not many college students nowadays who have read Li Bai's poem, and even fewer who know its source. I guess your parents must be very learned people."

Lulu lowered her head and said softly, "My grandfather was indeed very learned, and my father was also very well-read, but he passed away when I was young."

Feng Junzi said, "No one can live to be a hundred years old. Who gave you your name?"

Lulu: "It was my father who named it."

Feng Junzi sighed and recited again, "The dynasty is declining, the dynasty is declining, why not return? If it weren't for you, why would I be exposed to the dew? Why does the name your father gave you carry such heavy resentment?"

Lulu: "He was a college student, but his family background was very bad, so he volunteered to go to the countryside after graduation. Later, thinking that there was no hope of returning to the city, he married a rural girl who was much younger than him, who is my mother. Later, although the policy was implemented, he had no relatives in the city, so he stayed in the local area and became a middle school teacher... I also have a younger brother who is three years younger than me. He died of illness not long after my brother was born."

Not wanting to upset her too much, Feng Junzi changed the subject, saying, "Then your family isn't exceeding the one-child policy?"

Lulu: "This kind of situation is common in rural areas. If the first child is a girl, they usually want to have a boy. I don't know the specifics of the situation at the time."

Feng Junzi: "No wonder your name is Lulu at midnight; it's related to your original name."

Lulu: "When the madam asked me what name I wanted, I said Lulu without thinking. Actually, my parents call me Xiaowei at home."

Feng Junzi smiled and said, "Then I'll call you Xiaowei from now on."

Lulu: "If you like, then call me that. I'm afraid Teacher Feng's name isn't his original name either. I think it has the same origin as mine."

Feng Junzi: "It's definitely not my original name. My surname is Xu. Tell me the story behind it."

Lulu: "The first book of the Book of Songs is the 'Airs of the States,' and the first poem in the 'Airs of the States' is 'A fair maiden, a gentleman's good match.' Is Teacher Feng's name related to this?"

Feng Junzi sighed, "Although it's not perfect, it's not far off. You're already very clever."

Feng Junzi hadn't initially paid much attention to Lulu, the female college student who worked as a prostitute; he had only invited her out to find an opportunity to get closer to Han Shuang. However, after their conversation, he became increasingly interested in her. Their conversation didn't resemble that of friends meeting in a nightclub, but rather a pen pal meeting popular in the 1980s. When they said goodbye after dinner, Feng Junzi gave Lulu his phone number, telling her she could contact him if she needed anything.

Feng Junzi and Hu Shiwei's relationship began with this meal. Two days later, Hu Shiwei indeed called Feng Junzi, saying she needed to speak with him. When Feng Junzi answered the phone, he felt a little regretful, regretting that he shouldn't have so easily given his phone number to a nightclub hostess; who knew what kind of trouble such a person might get into? Unexpectedly, Hu Shiwei's call for Feng Junzi wasn't about anything trivial, but rather about her graduation thesis.

Hu Shiwei majored in financial investment. As mentioned earlier, this major at the Light Industry College was relatively new, and they were the first batch of graduates. Neither the teachers nor the students had any experience, so when writing their graduation theses, students were required to conduct on-site investigations at specific companies in society and obtain signatures from the investigated companies. As for how students found internships, the school did not care.

Upon hearing about this matter, Feng Junzi agreed without hesitation. Hu Shiwei said on the phone, "Thank you so much! Several classmates in our class are also struggling to find signatures from the investigating unit. Could you help them with this as well?"

Feng Junzi: "You really know how to take advantage of a situation. Signing a few more words is no problem. How's your graduation thesis coming along?"

Hu Shiwei: "I'm really worried about this. I haven't even started writing yet. The school requires 20,000 words, and I still don't know how to write it."

Feng Junzi knew what she did for a living and probably didn't have time to write it. For some reason, he suddenly felt inspired and said, "If you're going to help someone out, why don't you just send me the paper along with it? Then you won't have to write it."

Hu Shiwei: "I can't possibly accept that. It would be too much trouble for you."

Feng Junzi: "It's just a small favor for me. There are plenty of ready-made reports. I can just pick 20,000 words and give it to you. It's just a favor I'm doing. But I won't bother with the other students in your class."

Hu Shiwei: "I really don't know how to thank you. Last time I wanted to treat you, but you ended up treating me. This time I must treat you."

Feng Junzi had a sudden thought. He was just thinking of going to see where Han Shuang lived, so he said, "If you really want to invite me, don't go out. How about this, when I finish your thesis, you can cook a few dishes at home to show your sincerity, and I can send the thesis to you at the same time."

Sometimes, interactions between men and women aren't about one person deliberately pursuing the other, but rather about a specific event that sustains their connection. During this process, feelings may change. Boys who want to woo girls, or girls who want to pursue boys, should remember this: always create a shared event to begin a relationship. The thesis project was a shared event between Feng Junzi and Hu Shiwei, but it wasn't something Feng Junzi intentionally planned.

Because of this incident, the two of them had significantly more contact. Feng Junzi clearly had feelings for Hu Shiwei, but he didn't pay her much attention, after all, she was a girl in that kind of profession, and he even deliberately maintained an invisible distance. As for Hu Shiwei, she had very strong feelings for Feng Junzi, but she also sensed his unease and carefully avoided mentioning it.

A little over a week later, Feng Junzi had finished his thesis and arranged to visit Hu Shiwei's home that day. Before leaving, Feng Junzi went to the mall to buy a small gift. He was still quite hesitant when buying the gift. Hu Shiwei's beauty was indeed attractive to him, but Lulu's past as a prostitute didn't warrant a real relationship. But in the end, he still chose a bottle of perfume.

Hu Shiwei was delighted to receive the gift and was naturally very grateful for the paper Feng Junzi had sent. Hu Shiwei lived in a rented apartment in Huashan Residential Area, on the top floor. It was a two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment, with her and Han Shuang each sharing a room. The apartment was very clean. What was unusual about Hu Shiwei's room was the presence of a bookshelf filled with books, while Han Shuang's door remained closed.

Feng Junzi asked, "Where's Shuangshuang, the one you live with? Isn't she home?"