Куры и собаки летают в хаосе и возрождении

Глава 10

After putting down the report, Ye Cheng walked around the morgue. In an inconspicuous corner, he saw a mark that was exactly the same as the one on the windowsill of the ward.

Ye Cheng walked out of the morgue, and with Xia Chen and the others comforting him, Master Liao regained some of his senses. Xia Chen was asking him, "Did you see anyone come in?"

"No one will come. The morgue is where the dead are kept, and there have been rumors of it being haunted lately. Who would come here? Besides, I'm right at the door. I'll see anyone come in."

Luo Shimin smelled the strong smell of alcohol on Master Liao and said, "You've been drinking, maybe your eyes are playing tricks on you."

"I have a high alcohol tolerance, I can't be wrong."

Xia Chen then asked, "Did you hear any strange sounds, like hissing?"

Master Liao seemed to recall something terrifying, “At first there was a clicking sound, and after I was grabbed by the ghost hand I seemed to hear a hissing sound. I can’t be sure, because I passed out very quickly afterward.”

"Let me show you this." Ye Cheng showed Xia Chen a photo he had taken with his phone of the marks on the corner of the wall. 'That thing' had been to the morgue. After saying goodbye to Master Liao, the group returned to the ward. After this incident, Master Liao became as timid as a mouse. The hospital director offered him a high salary and repeatedly tried to persuade him to stay, but Master Liao still left the morgue. Even if he earned money, he needed to be alive to spend it. For a long time, the hospital morgue was unattended.

The case has become shrouded in mystery. Ye Cheng and Xia Chen racked their brains but couldn't figure out why 'that thing' treated Hu Rongrong kindly but was so hostile to Dr. Zuo, even after he became a corpse. Another question remains: both corpses were missing sections of their intestines, and no one knows where they went. The slightly better thing is that Ye Cheng doesn't accept the existence of ghosts, but he believes that some unknown force is involved in this case.

Time flew by and it was afternoon. Hu Rongrong's attending physician announced that Hu Rongrong was in good health and no longer needed to be hospitalized. As for her lost memories, whether she could regain them depended on luck; the hospital couldn't offer any good solutions, and it was possible she would remember them once she returned to school. Ye Cheng consulted his superiors, who also agreed that Hu Rongrong didn't need to stay in the hospital any longer and approved her immediate discharge.

Hu Rongrong didn't have much to wear and was able to be discharged after changing her clothes. As she walked out of the ward, Luo Shimin saw her flower basket. "Take my flower basket with you. After all, it's a gift from me, representing my heartfelt wishes."

"They're almost withered, what's the point of keeping them? I don't like flowers, buy me some food next time." Despite saying this, Hu Rongrong still took the flower basket.

Thud, something fell out of the flower basket and landed on the ground.

Ye Cheng picked it up; it was a pen. "Who put the pen in the flower basket?"

"Give it to me!" Hu Rongrong snatched the pen from Ye Cheng's hand and gripped it tightly with both hands.

Ye Cheng muttered, "It's just a pen, why are you treating it like a treasure?"

Hu Rongrong remained silent, staring blankly at the pen in her hand, tears slowly welling in her eyes. Luo Shimin looked at the pen in Hu Rongrong's hand and felt it looked familiar; she seemed to have seen it somewhere before, but couldn't quite place it.

Xia Chen nudged Luo Shimin, "What's the deal with that pen?"

"I don't know either, it just looks familiar."

Hu Rongrong's tears finally flowed uncontrollably. She said sadly, "It's Xiao Ke's pen." Luo Shimin suddenly remembered that Hu Rongrong had given Qi Xiao Ke this pen as a birthday present.

A perplexing question arises: how did Qi Xiaoke's pen end up in Hu Rongrong's hospital room?

Xia Chen thought of a possibility, "Shi Min, did you take it from the classroom and just put it in the flower basket?"

“Impossible.” Luo Shimin shook her head and said, “Qi Xiaoke treats this pen like a treasure. No one else is allowed to touch it. It’s usually locked in her cabinet. How could I possibly get it?”

Ye Cheng guessed, "Could it be someone else's pen? We found a lot of pens when we were investigating the haunting this morning. It might be Sang Long's or someone else's pen."

“No, we used ballpoint pens all morning, this is a fountain pen. Look here.” Hu Rongrong pointed to the pen and said, “See? There are the words ‘Happy Birthday Qi Xiaoke’ here. I specially asked someone to engrave it for her birthday. This is Xiaoke’s pen, there’s no mistake.”

How did Qi Xiaoke's pen end up in the hospital room? Pens don't have legs, and they can't move into the flower basket by themselves; there must be a reason for its appearance.

The sudden appearance of the pen rekindled Hu Rongrong's memories, and the wonderful moments she spent with Qi Xiaoke appeared before her eyes like scenes from a movie, making her burst into tears.

Qi Xiaoke was a pitiful girl, the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy man. Lacking a father's love from a young age, she was raised by her mother amidst discrimination. Last year, her mother, overworked, succumbed to illness and passed away. Her father, whom she had never met, took her home after learning of her mother's death. Her family treated her poorly, and her half-brothers often bullied her. She transferred to Yishi Academy last year. Hu Rongrong clearly remembered their first meeting; Qi Xiaoke shyly introduced herself, her head bowed. Her pitiful appearance evoked a strong protective instinct in Hu Rongrong. From then on, no one dared to bully Qi Xiaoke anymore, not because Hu Rongrong was powerful, but because people feared the person behind Hu Rongrong—Luo Shimin, a legendary ruthless killer. Initially, Qi Xiaoke was also afraid of Luo Shimin, but after several encounters, she realized Luo Shimin wasn't as terrifying as the rumors suggested. The three gradually interacted more, with Qi Xiaoke and Hu Rongrong getting along better.

From then on, Qi Xiaoke gradually started to smile and became more cheerful.

"Does this pen have some special meaning?" Ye Cheng wanted to ask Hu Rongrong, but seeing her crying with snot and tears streaming down her face, he could only ask Luo Shimin, who was standing to the side.

"I don't know. You should ask Rongrong after she stops crying." It would be strange if she knew.

Ye Cheng then asked Xia Chen, "What do you think of this matter?"

Xia Chen pondered, "If this pen was brought by someone other than the four of us, or by something else, its purpose is obvious. It's giving us a hint, helping us solve the case, provided we can understand what that hint means."

Ye Cheng turned to Hu Rongrong again and said, "Can you stop crying? If you really want to avenge your friend, you should think carefully about what this pen represents."

Hu Rongrong cried until her mind went blank; she couldn't remember anything.

Xia Chen said, "Don't pressure her. The more you pressure her, the less she'll remember. Let's discharge her first. When we get back to Yishi Academy and see familiar things, she might remember."

Luo Shimin helped Hu Rongrong, and the four of them walked out of the hospital.

018 Diary

Hu Rongrong returned to Yishi Academy. Although she had only been gone for a few days, everything had changed.

The seat next to her was empty, and so was her heart. A group of new doctors and nurses had arrived at the infirmary, celebrating their new, easy, and well-paid jobs. Laughter and cheerful voices emanated from inside, but as she listened, she felt like crying. It was here that Qi Xiaoke had lost her life.

Seeing that Hu Rongrong was about to cry again, Ye Cheng couldn't help but say, "Can you please stop crying? Instead of crying, could you think about your lost memories or what that pen refers to?"

Hu Rongrong stared at Ye Cheng expressionlessly, tears streaming down her face. Ye Cheng panicked a little under her gaze, "Don't cry, I won't rush you anymore."

Hu Rongrong wiped away her tears and agreed with Ye Cheng's words for the first time, "You're right. I won't cry anymore until the murderer is found."

The three accompanied Hu Rongrong on a walk around the campus, visiting every place where she and Qi Xiaoke had shared laughter and joy, but to no avail. Finally, the four arrived at Hu Rongrong's dormitory, right next to Luo Shimin's, sharing a room with Qi Xiaoke. Hu Rongrong sat on Qi Xiaoke's bed with her head down, seemingly lost in thought.

Xia Chen tried to guide her to remember something, "A pen is used to write, right?"

Luo Shimin looked at Xia Chen with an expression of utter disbelief. "Isn't what you're saying obvious? Pens aren't just for writing, they're also for eating. What we use for eating are chopsticks."

Where do you write with a pen?

Luo Shimin added, "Why do you keep asking such idiotic questions? Of course, a pen is for writing on paper."

Hu Rongrong jumped off the bed. "I remembered something. Qi Xiaoke has a habit of writing a diary. She often uses the pen I gave her to write in her diary. A few times I wanted to read it, but she wouldn't let me."

"A diary! This is a major breakthrough!" Ye Cheng exclaimed. "Where is her diary?"

Hu Rongrong searched Qi Xiaoke's desk but couldn't find it. Only a locked drawer remained unsearched. "Xiaoke's diary should be in there. He usually locks his notebook and pen together."

Ye Cheng pointed at the pen in Hu Rongrong's hand, "Since everything is locked together, what's the deal with the pen you're holding?"

Hu Rongrong couldn't answer; there were too many aspects of this case that couldn't be explained clearly.

“A quick check will make it clear.” Xia Chen quickly made a discovery, finding a round hole the size of an egg behind the drawer. The pen had been taken out through this hole. Xia Chen clapped his hands and said, “This hole at least proves one thing: we’re not dealing with a formless ghost. It can’t take things from a distance; it needs a hole to get what it wants. I think everyone will feel better after hearing this.”

Luo Shimin asked, "If it's not Qi Xiaoke's ghost, how does it know about the pen and diary?"

Xia Chen was speechless when asked the question.

"If you can't figure it out, don't think about it anymore. Let's find the diary first." Ye Cheng found something handy and prepared to break the lock.

"Can't you be a little gentler?" Xia Chen poked the lock twice with a small iron needle, and it opened. Hu Rongrong immediately found the diary in the drawer. She took the diary out and placed it on the table.

"Want to see it?" Hu Rongrong asked. A diary is a very sensitive thing; it's not something you can just read casually.

"I think we got the owner's permission, otherwise how could we have found the diary? Maybe the clues to solving the case are in there." Ye Cheng couldn't wait to read the diary.

"Let me do it." Hu Rongrong carefully opened the diary.

The weather was sunny on [Date] [Month] [Year].

Today is my birthday. This is the first time in my life that someone has celebrated my birthday. When I lived with my mother before, we were poor and couldn't afford to celebrate my birthday.

After arriving at my dad's house, no one remembered my birthday. I'd never told anyone how envious I was of others celebrating their birthdays; I also longed to laugh and play with my friends, eating birthday cake together. I never imagined I'd suddenly have all of this. Rongrong and Shimin actually celebrated my birthday! Rongrong even gave me a pen as a birthday present. I was so happy; I received my first birthday gift ever. From then on, I used that pen to write in my diary. Shimin didn't give me anything, but I don't blame her. She must have genuinely forgotten. I'm happy as long as she's with me on my birthday. I never thought I'd have friends, and now I do—two of them.

The weather was cloudy on [Date] [Month] [Year].

Shimin talked about me again today. I know she meant well, but I still feel a little sad. She said I lack confidence and don't dare to hold my head high. She's right. I am that kind of person. I don't have the same family background as her and Rongrong. I'm an illegitimate child, an unacknowledged illegitimate child. If I could, I would want to be like them, but I can't. Perhaps one day in the future, I will no longer feel inferior.

The weather was sunny on [Date] [Month] [Year].

Shimin always says she wants to find a handsome boyfriend, but no boy dares to approach her. But I know Shimin is a kind and good girl, and one day she'll find a handsome boyfriend who loves her. Perhaps one day, I'll also have a boyfriend who loves me. I don't need him to be too handsome or rich; I just want him to love me and care about me. This wish shouldn't be too hard to fulfill, right?

I want to thank Shimin here; it's because of her that no one bullies me anymore. I really want to tell her in person, but when I face her, I can't open my mouth. She's different from Rongrong, but they're both my good friends.

The weather was sunny on [Date] [Month] [Year].

I met him today. I don't want to write his name yet; to keep it a little mysterious, I'll just use his given name. He's witty, humorous, and very knowledgeable. His jokes made me very happy. Time flew by when I was with him. I love being with him; seeing him makes me happy. It would be even better if he were a little younger.

Weather: Light rain on [Date]

A sudden drizzle disrupted all my plans. I had promised to go shopping with him, but the rain made it impossible. So he took my hand and we strolled in the rain. The moment he grasped my hand, my heart started racing. I think I've fallen for him.

The weather on [Date] was cloudy.

He confessed his feelings to me today, and my heart is in turmoil. I don't know if I should say yes. I don't dare ask Rongrong and Shimin either. If Shimin finds out about us, she'll definitely scold me, and he might get into trouble too. Seeing his disappointed expression makes my heart ache.

The weather was sunny on [Date] [Month] [Year].

I hadn't seen him for several days, and I missed him terribly. This afternoon, I finally couldn't resist going to see him. He seemed to have aged a lot in just a few days. Seeing his distraught state saddened me; I was the one who had made him this way. I know he truly loves me, and I truly love him too. After his persistent pleading, I said yes. He was as happy as a child, and I believe he will treat me well.

Weather: Light rain on [Date]

He asked me to meet him at 10 p.m. tonight. I don't know what he wants to do, but I know he won't hurt me, so I agreed.

We met at the entrance of the infirmary at ten o'clock. He was on duty tonight, and he had sent someone else away. He said he had a big secret to tell me.

I followed him to a hidden room in the sewers. I saw many amazing things, things I could never have imagined. He told me he was participating in a secret project codenamed 'Nuwa,' and if it succeeded, he would have lots and lots of money. He could buy a huge house and then marry me. I laughed, a very happy laugh. He didn't know that even without a house, as long as he proposed, I would marry him. Money wasn't that important to me. My father had a lot of money, but I could tell he wasn't happy. When I told Rongrong and Shimin about the marriage, they would both be shocked.

The weather was cloudy on [Date] [Month] [Year].

This morning he introduced me to his colleagues, and their reactions were lukewarm, unlike what I had imagined. Among them was a nurse surnamed Song, and I could see jealousy in her eyes.

After a while, my head started to hurt terribly. It felt like I had caught a cold, but it didn't feel like it either. He secretly took a pretty little glass bottle from the dark room. Inside were two pills that looked like pearls.

He told me that the pain would subside after taking it. I hesitated for a moment, knowing that medicine shouldn't be taken haphazardly. But he childishly took one first, and I took one after him. The medicine really worked; my headache subsided after a while.

That evening, my stomach started hurting again, as if my period had started.

I received a call from him before going to bed. He said we had been set up, and the most suspicious person was Nurse Song. She had switched my medication and told me not to go anywhere for the next couple of days, to wait for him to come and rescue me, and that he would definitely figure out a way. I felt a little confused; he was probably just teasing me to make me jealous.

That's all for now. Rongrong's going to sleep, so I'll turn off the lights and stop writing. I want Rongrong to have sweet dreams, and I hope Shimin can dream of handsome guys too. As for me? I'll just dream of him.

The diary ended there; this was Qi Xiaoke's last entry. Hu Rongrong bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears, which welled up in her eyes. Luo Shimin felt a pang of sadness; she regretted not being kinder to Qi Xiaoke. She stood up and rushed out of the house, but Xia Chen grabbed her, asking, "Where are you going?"

Luo Shimin roared, "I can't take it anymore! I'm going to kill that bastard surnamed Song! Why did she have to hurt Xiao Ke?"

Xia Chen said calmly, "Nurse Song is dead. She's dead."

Luo Shimin remembered that she was present when Nurse Song died, so she said "oh" and sat down without saying anything.

With this diary, it was finally revealed that the reason these elites gathered at the Yishi Academy's infirmary was because they were participating in a secret project called 'Nuwa.' All the deaths were intricately linked to this project, but the specifics of its details and the identities of its participants remained unknown. With Xia Chen and Ye Cheng's abilities, they quickly deduced who the person in the diary was: one of the deceased at the scene—Dr. Zuo. Dr. Zuo's body had been disturbed in the morgue the previous night, in the same manner as Qi Xiaoke's. Could this be related to the pills they had taken? If it was due to the pills, why were special enzymes found on Qi Xiaoke's body but not on Dr. Zuo's? The diary also revealed a new problem: the hidden room Qi Xiaoke mentioned was filled with strange objects, while the hidden room they saw was completely unremarkable. Where had all those wondrous and unbelievable things gone?

019 New autopsy report

Xia Chen was deep in thought about the doctor's corpse. The outline of the entire case was gradually taking shape in his mind, with only a few doubts remaining unexplained. Once he figured them out, the truth would be revealed. Meanwhile, Ye Cheng and the two women were discussing the strange things mentioned in the diary.

"You two know Qi Xiaoke quite well, what do you think would be something that Qi Xiaoke finds amazing?"