Elsa had already grasped the key question: "Where did you go yesterday?"
The group hesitated, probably because they were afraid that She Jiaxin would think they were meddling and offend her.
Chi Cheng pulled out yesterday's picture and looked at it again before speaking up in the crowd.
"Audrey Hepburn".
Just as Elsa was wondering what was going on, Chi Cheng had already said that Li Qiuling had no more reservations, "nightclubs."
After a brief discussion, the usually carefree group realized the seriousness of the situation. Those who went to the nightclub yesterday went to Hepburn together and agreed to share the situation in the group chat.
Before setting off, Li Qiuling asked Elsa if She Jiaxin's family would be going to look for her together.
Elsa said that She Jiaxin's family reported the case to the police immediately. The police said that they could only file a missing person case after 48 hours, so her family said they would wait 48 hours before making a decision.
Although they often played and joked around with She Jiaxin, they knew nothing about her family situation and fell silent for a while after listening.
Fang Ze didn't go yesterday either. He and Chi Cheng didn't know who She Jiaxin had contact with yesterday. With so many people going to the nightclub together, it would have been useless for them to go.
I'm thinking of trying my luck at the nearest bar.
The two had just hailed a taxi when Chi Cheng stopped it, turned around, and returned to the hotel entrance.
"Brother Chi, what are you doing?"
"Shi Ling said she found She Jiaxin."
Fang Ze's eyes widened. "Really?"
Chi Cheng got out of the car. "She wouldn't lie."
Fang Ze took out his phone. "Should we say something in the group chat?"
Chi Cheng pressed him down, "Wait."
When they took the elevator to the 31st floor and saw Shi Ling coming down from the fire escape, Fang Ze finally understood why he hadn't mentioned it in the group chat yet.
Go up this fire escape and you'll find the rooftop terrace, where She Jiaxin is sitting.
Fang Ze cursed under his breath, "Damn it."
Shi Ling said calmly, "I've already called the police, but I'm afraid of alarming her. It would be best if you could persuade her to come down."
It's as bland as saying there's no wind or moon today.
Chi Cheng told Fang Ze to go downstairs and communicate with the security guards, and to call Elsa privately. He instructed her to explain the situation to the police if they arrived, and to be careful not to alert them.
As Fang Ze walked towards the elevator, Chi Cheng looked at her. Her long, smooth hair was draped down, and she wore a pure white nightgown under a gray shawl, revealing a section of her smooth calves. Although she was wearing a coat, it was clear that the rooftop was cold, and she had been keeping watch there for a while, her face already turning somewhat pale.
As the two walked up the stairs, Chi Cheng asked, "How did you know she was here?"
"I think I saw her in the fire escape this afternoon, but I'm not sure. I originally planned to take the elevator to the top floor and look for her floor by floor. When I got to the top floor, I went to the rooftop for a quick look."
Shi Ling did not continue speaking.
The fire escape on the top floor seemed to echo even more. Chi Cheng knew perfectly well what she was doing in the fire escape, and he smirked mockingly.
Chi Cheng quickly suppressed his cold smile. "Do you think I can persuade her to change her mind?"
In fact, Shi Ling gave him time because she knew about his brief affair with She Jiaxin. If She Jiaxin came down, she could simply pretend she went to the rooftop for a view and not make a big fuss. If she couldn't, she called the police; she didn't waste any time and did everything she could.
Shi Ling didn't mention his relationship with She Jiaxin. She said calmly, "She doesn't seem like she wants to commit suicide. She's just sitting in the middle."
After saying that, Shi Ling pushed open the door to the rooftop. In an instant, the howling wind on the top floor made her skirt flutter and her long hair dance lightly, making her look like an ethereal fairy.
Chi Cheng gave her a deep look.
The rooftop was much brighter than the fire escape, and the hotel's signboard emitted a not-too-bright light in the darkness, echoing the city's sleepless lights.
She Jiaxin sat cross-legged on a raised platform in the middle of the rooftop, surrounded by a pile of empty bottles and cigarette butts.
As Chi Cheng approached, he smelled a pungent odor of alcohol. He frowned and took the nearly burnt-out cigarette butt from her hand. At that moment, She Jiaxin almost collapsed onto his arm like a limp bone.
Chi Cheng helped her up.
She reeked of alcohol, her hair was disheveled and loose, and a tuft of her originally dyed pinkish-purple hair was sticky and obstructing her view.
Her eyes were unfocused, and she looked at Chi Cheng with a blank and confused expression, unable to tell who he was.
Chi Cheng was silent for a moment before speaking, "Go down."
She Jiaxin giggled, "Are you afraid I'll jump off a building? Don't worry, I'm still waiting to divide my dad's assets. I can't let the mistress get away with it."
After she finished speaking, she sat up straighter and picked up the wine bottle to take a sip.
She asked Chi Cheng, "Why is he so different? I really don't understand. I deserve to be unworthy of him."
Chi Cheng followed up, "Who?"
“Dylan.”
Chi Cheng sent Shi Ling a WeChat message, saying she should be alright.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Shi Ling standing aloofly at the entrance to the rooftop. The city lights below shone brightly, and the colorful lights of the flashing signs next to her shone on her face, but they did not give her any trace of human warmth.
Shi Ling nodded, leaning against the doorway, feeling somewhat relaxed.
The 31st floor is hardly considered a high-rise in Guangzhou. Looking out, one sees towering buildings all around, with a glimpse of the Pearl River visible, where people take night cruises. Living under the same sky in the same city, people experience completely different joys and sorrows, partings and reunions.
Shi Ling took another cigarette, lit it herself, and soon the wisps of smoke from her fingertips were blown away by the night wind. She no longer coughed because of the smell of smoke.
**
She Jiaxin is actually only nineteen years old this year.
She always dressed maturely, and everyone assumed she was the same age as her, but in fact she had just graduated from high school.
Her parents' marriage was a business arrangement, and they each had lovers before, so they naturally divorced when she turned eighteen.
The mistress swaggered into the house, accompanied by her son who was already in elementary school.
On the day of her college entrance exam, she was locked at home by her so-called stepmother in an attempt to force her to go abroad.
She Jiaxin suffered from her parents' discord from a young age, which didn't teach her to hate others, but it exposed her to the world at an early age. She was far more mature than her peers, dressed fashionably and beautifully, and no one cared if she came home late at night. There were plenty of men who were head over heels for her.
She thought Dylan would be one of them too.
Foreigners are generally more open-minded and fun-loving, at least that's what she often sees in nightclubs, and most foreigners are also more skilled in that area.
Dylan was the most captivating foreign man she had ever met, especially when he talked about his ex-girlfriend from China, saying "Her darling." His blue eyes were both melancholic and sexy.
Her English is indeed terrible, but that doesn't matter. Who needs English? Body language is enough. When she goes out, those handsome foreign guys can spend the night with just a glance.
She Jiaxin began to approach him frequently, asking him questions in class and even going to his office after class. Her usual methods with men were simple and direct. Physical contact was always the most direct hint. Sometimes when Dylan was hot, he would roll up his sleeves to his elbows, revealing his light golden curly hair. When She Jiaxin asked him questions, she would occasionally affectionately cling to his arm, and she thought he understood what she meant.
Dylan was really patient and gentle with her. One morning, Li Qiuling took the day off, and She Jiaxin was left alone while she practiced her spoken English. Dylan came over to keep her company. When talking about family, he said that his parents loved him very much and supported him coming to China to find love, but unfortunately, his ex-girlfriend's family did not agree.
After asking her question that day, she invited Dylan to her room to watch an English movie and help her answer it. Dylan agreed, only saying that he had to teach children English later.
As soon as she entered the room, She Jiaxin pressed him against the wall, kissing him while unbuttoning a few buttons on her blouse.
Dylan held her wrist, looking at her with a puzzled expression.
"I thought it was just a movie."
"sorry."
His blue eyes were filled with sincerity as he explained to She Jiaxin. He even felt it was his fault and apologized to her in a gentlemanly manner.
He said he wasn't actually a full-time IELTS tutor; he was on a Disney-affiliated children's English education visa. He applied to come to China to teach English for two years after meeting his Chinese girlfriend. Now that his teaching period is almost over, his visa still allows them about a month to travel and rest in China. After he finishes teaching this term of spoken English, he will return to China.
She Jiaxin's English is halting, and Dylan sometimes has to explain a sentence multiple times before she understands it.
He said he didn't have enough time to fall in love with her.
She Jiaxin asked him, "Can't it be for one night?" Dylan shook his head sincerely, saying that she was such a good girl and deserved to be deeply loved; she shouldn't treat herself like this.
This was the first time she had ever heard someone say that to her, the first time she felt precious, and the first time she felt rotten, worthless, and utterly filthy.
This filth made her feel extremely uncomfortable, and that night she indulged herself even more recklessly at the nightclub.
The next day, she received a call from Dylan, asking if she wanted to listen to his class for children.
She Jiaxin sneered, "You still want to talk to me?"
Dylan sensed her anger, and his tone, though uneasy, was sincere as he said it had nothing to do with that. He had promised her he would take her to watch the children's class, and he would do whatever it took to keep his promise.
After she struggled to get off the bed next to the two men, she felt even more hopeless about life.
**
She Jiaxin said a few words intermittently, mostly about why he was so innocent and naive, and how he looked down on her.
Chi Cheng guessed roughly from her words that she had been frustrated with Dylan and had met someone who was truly sincere.
She Jiaxin hiccuped, lost her grip, and the bottle fell to the ground and shattered.
She seemed startled by the sound. After standing up, she rubbed her hair and squinted at her surroundings.
Seeing that she was swaying as she stood up, Chi Cheng also stood up, afraid that she might fall at any moment.
She seemed to only just recognize Chi Cheng, staring at him intently for a few seconds.
Suddenly, his eyes turned bloodshot as he rushed forward and grabbed Chi Cheng by the collar.
"Fuck your mother, I knew it was you, wasn't it?"
Chi Cheng was completely bewildered.
She Jiaxin laughed bitterly, "We slept together that day, have you forgotten?"
Chi Cheng glanced at Shi Ling standing over there.
He whispered, "What exactly are you trying to say?"
She Jiaxin let go of his collar and moved down to pull at his pants. "I fucking have gonorrhea, are you dirty?"
Chi Cheng gritted his teeth, "We used a condom. Don't you even think about who else you've slept with?"
Still emotionally distraught, She Jiaxin insisted on seeing what was going on, desperately tugging at his pants, "Who else could it be but you?"
Shi Ling looked at them coldly.
Seeing her watching this farce as if it were a farce, Chi Cheng's temper flared up. He let go, allowing She Jiaxin to do as she pleased. His muscles were already taut, and with her forceful tugging, the edge of his underwear and his V-line were clearly visible under the light, the muscle lines subtly shifting with his voice and exertion.
"Fine, take it off if you dare. If you don't, you can jump off this building. And if I hadn't been wearing a condom, you'd have an abortion right now, not get gonorrhea."
She Jiaxin was stunned by his tone and stopped what she was doing. She usually played around as she pleased, and after learning about the incubation period of gonorrhea from those two foreigners last night, her brain had gone completely blank. She knew they had taken precautions last time, and blaming Chi Cheng was just a baseless accusation born out of desperation.