Второй тип смерти

Глава 8

"Hey, big pig, if we find an antique, we'll be rich! This is valuable!" I was obviously very excited.

"I hope so, but an ancient seal isn't something to be taken lightly, unless it's the seal of a famous person." Zhu Qingyuan was much more composed. He picked a few large leaves, wrapped them up, and dared not put them in the mushroom bag for fear of losing them, so he simply put them in his trouser pocket.

When we got home, we gave the old man a bag of fresh mushrooms, and kept the other bag for ourselves. We just needed to use the kitchen for a bit.

I eagerly followed Zhu Qingyuan into the room, asking him to clean the seal and see what characters it contained. There wasn't much dirt, and it was clean with a quick rinse. Zhu Qingyuan even washed it a few times with soap, and, worried I might be hesitant to touch it, wrapped it in a tissue for me to see—after all, I was better at reading than her!

The seal seemed to have only two characters. I wrapped it in paper and stared at it for a long time, but I couldn't make out what they were. It wasn't a common script; it looked like seal script or oracle bone script, the kind artists often use for carving seals. Seeing that I hadn't figured it out, Zhu Qingyuan snatched it away and looked at it himself, throwing away the paper. He examined it carefully for a while, but still couldn't recognize it. So he turned it upside down and left and right, and suddenly he exclaimed, "There are characters!"

I thought he recognized the characters and urged him to speak quickly. Zhu Qingyuan held the seal up to my face: "Look, there are characters on the side, hidden under the narcissus carving. I didn't look closely before, but it says '1999.3'. Does that mean March 1999?"

I was a little annoyed: "Ah, this is modern? It doesn't seem worth much. I thought it was an antique." Zhu Qingyuan had been holding it in his hand for so long that I didn't care that it was something from a dead man anymore. I snatched it and examined it closely. It seemed that the big pig was right. I looked at the two large characters engraved on it, and an idea flashed through my mind. I took the soap, dried the water, pressed the stamp down, and released it. Two complex seal script characters appeared before my eyes. It was too unexpected; these two characters were actually…

34. Seal script

To my surprise, when I told Zhu Qingyuan those two words, he was also stunned.

I recognized the two complex traditional seal characters, and I was absolutely right: it was "Yang Kai"!

This was completely unexpected. How did Yang Kai's seal end up in the graveyard on the mountain? Did someone steal Yang Kai's seal and just happen to drop it there? Or is there some other possibility? We just can't figure it out no matter how hard we try.

I glanced around and saw that no one was outside, so I quickly bolted the door and quietly discussed with Zhu Qingyuan, "Should we tell Teacher Yang and return the seal to him?" I usually don't have much of an opinion when it comes to these kinds of things.

“I think there’s something fishy about this. After all, it was found in a graveyard, and there were dead people in the graveyard. This is important physical evidence. Until we figure things out, we should keep it safe and keep it a secret. Understand?”

"I understand, but shouldn't we report it to the police first?" I was a little flustered; I was already thinking about reporting it to the police even before anything happened.

"We don't know what's going on yet, let's wait and see. It wouldn't be good if reporting it to the police bothered us and Teacher Yang. Besides, we need to have some suspicions. Otherwise, what's the point of them investigating if we just report it?"

"Yes, yes, do you feel there's anything unusual or suspicious?"

"I'm fine. But there's been something lately that you've noticed. In the month since we arrived, Teacher Yang has rarely gone out and has mostly stayed home. But recently he's been going out more often and even getting drunk, which is a problem. Didn't Teacher Yang tell you the story of Gai Tianli last time, about the female painter who accidentally killed her husband, and then tell you the ending?"

"No, you told me not to ask, so I didn't press you further, and Teacher Yang didn't tell me anything more about the story either."

"Then, have you noticed anything unusual lately that you haven't told me? As long as it's not about your personal privacy, you can tell me."

"Hmph, what personal privacy do I have?!"

“That’s not what I meant. Everyone needs their own space. We should respect and trust each other. We’ve been together for six years, so who doesn’t know who we are? I’m asking if you’ve discovered anything else about the mansion? For example, do you know anything about Mr. Yang’s wife?”

"I knew it, we know each other's secrets. Hmm, let me think, there's something I haven't told you yet."

"Shh!" Zhu Qingyuan put his index finger to his lips and whispered, "It's not convenient to talk here. I'll find you a piece of paper, write it down." I agreed with this approach. Actually, I wasn't too willing to tell him. The main reason I hadn't told Zhu Qingyuan before was that I didn't want him to feel burdened by knowing too much. So, I wrote down what I had seen in the silkworm rearing room for Zhu Qingyuan: there were many eyeless Mona Lisa portraits in the silkworm rearing room, as well as eyeless portraits of myself and a woman, and I told him my guess that the woman in the portrait was Teacher Yang's wife.

Zhu Qingyuan also wrote something down, but didn't comment on it. He asked me if there was anything different about my recent work as a model for portraits.

I answered no, but rather that I've become more and more used to it and it's normal. My paintings have also become more normal and no longer exceed my expectations.

Besides that, we really couldn't think of anything else. We only had one question: what was the connection between this seal and Yang Kai, and how was it found in a graveyard? It was all very mysterious to us. After that, we didn't talk about it anymore. To keep it a secret for now, I hid the seal in my dressing table and locked it up.

35. Petite Bourgeoisie Shopping vs. Pig-Snout Shopping

After working for over a month, I finally got paid. My salary was 2000 yuan, which is rather pitiful in this big city. As a woman who loves beauty, this money is only enough to buy clothes. I haven't shopped in ages, so this time I'm going to go on a shopping spree!

Buying clothes and cosmetics is a favorite pastime for most women. When I buy clothes, I rarely consider the price; if I like them, I'll indulge myself even if they're expensive. I always feel that a woman's youth is fleeting, and I always think I shouldn't mistreat myself. Before, I was basically living paycheck to paycheck. Luckily, I have a good figure. I'm 166cm tall, neither too thin nor too fat. With a little dressing up, I look like a stunning beauty, whether I'm fashionable or casual. My husband rarely takes me out to meet people, afraid they'll be jealous. I look great in designer brands, and even in casual clothes, I'm relaxed, elegant, and stylish. When I coordinate my outfits well, my figure and beauty shine through, so I always get a lot of attention.

I'm quite picky about cosmetics; I value brand names and quality. I really like using Shiseido and Lancôme products because they're considered high-quality. Of course, I don't need to buy cosmetics every month. Makeup, on the other hand, is more flexible. Maybelline, L'Oréal—I just like pretty packaging. I buy what I feel like, and it's not expensive. Dressing well not only pleases myself but also brings beauty to those around me. It's a lifestyle choice, an orientation towards an optimistic attitude towards life.

I love buying bags. If I see one I like and it has a trendy design, I buy it. So far, I have over a dozen bags of various sizes, none of them cheap—some cost seven or eight hundred, others a couple hundred, which is fine for the occasion and my mood. For shoes, I only buy good brand names. The most important thing is that they fit my feet well and are comfortable. A few pairs are enough, matching the changing seasons and my outfits. Zhu Qingyuan also gives me various accessories and small gifts, which I enjoy very much.

After I got paid this time, it happened to be the weekend, so I dragged Zhu Qingyuan to work as a porter. As for what to buy, I didn't have a goal or plan. I just browsed around and bought whatever caught my eye. It was only 2,000 yuan, so I had a budget in mind and just spent it as I went.

When shopping, I only want to spend my own money; that feels more mature. Walking into the mall, I was surrounded by discounts, so tempting! I was overjoyed. I spotted a retro-patterned dress, and it was gone in a flash for 350 yuan; a very fashionable pair of Mangolife women's trousers was reduced to 180 yuan; realizing I didn't have any decent business attire for spring and autumn, I bought a Valentino fur winter coat at a clearance sale for 380 yuan; a pair of Li brand jeans for only 120 yuan—a steal! I also picked up two sexy Jeanswest T-shirts. Seeing that half my money was gone, I went to the bag counter, and a very beautiful Marino handbag caught my eye. It was only 150 yuan—a real bargain! I hadn't planned on buying any more clothes, but I gritted my teeth and bought it anyway.

Then I looked at cosmetics. I could only admire Chanel from afar, too afraid to hold it in my hands. The sales assistant kept urging me, "Miss, you're so beautiful and elegant, this No. 5 perfume would suit you perfectly, whether you're wearing light or heavy makeup." Seeing the exorbitant prices, I said I was just looking and practically ran away. At the Lancôme counter, I bought the HYDRA ZEN Moisturizing Cream for 220 yuan and a mascara for 110 yuan, leaving reluctantly. Then I went to Shiseido and bought a double-whitening toner for 120 yuan, followed by a box of Opera foundation and a box of Avon blush. I was almost broke. Thinking about the phone and transportation costs, I decided against buying perfume. I'd have to treat my husband to some hard work when I got back. The money I'd just received was gone—what can I do when I don't earn enough?

I was exhausted after shopping all day. I carried all the bags back home and chose a slightly upscale restaurant to treat Zhu Qingyuan. We ate for a long time, combining two meals into one. Without Zhu Qingyuan's support since I lost my job, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to make a living. I'll have to rely on him in the future, but I might earn more once I get a permanent position, so I won't have to rely on him to treat me to meals every day.

Back home, I excitedly tried on all my spoils, mainly clothes. This patterned dress looked so alluring and stylish in the store, but my husband commented that it made me look darker and more mature—which, to me, meant old-fashioned—and I definitely didn't want to look old in it. The Mangolife women's trousers were very fashionable, with several dazzling chains, but they were too tight; I could barely squat down. The Valentino fur winter coat was out of season and would have to wait in the closet. The Li brand jeans were casual and unsuitable for work. One T-shirt was a low-cut V-neck, extremely revealing, and I dared not bend over while wearing it; another one exposed most of my back, so I wouldn't dare wear it in public. It seemed only this handbag was somewhat useful, but with so many bags in my harem, who knows when it would be used again.

To be honest, I'm a rather traditional person when it comes to looking good. I don't dare to be too flamboyant or revealing; I have to maintain a ladylike image so that people won't point fingers and call me "slutty" behind my back. Ugh, I'm almost in tears. I spent more than half my fortune on clothes that I can't even wear. I'm so angry! It hurts to spend over 1000 yuan on clothes that are practically useless. I'm both angry and amused, and my mood has plummeted. I don't even want to try on any cosmetics anymore.

Seeing my unhappiness, Zhu Qingyuan knew I was upset about the money, so he comforted me, "Baby, what's wrong? With me here, I'll take all these clothes. This patterned top, the black one looks sexy and slim, it'll look great on you, I'll buy it for you." He pulled out 350 yuan and gave it to me. He added, "I'll take the Mangolifei women's pants for my cousin, she's very slim, she'll definitely like them; I also bought the Valentino winter clothes, I'll keep them in the closet for winter, but you can borrow them." He paid me another 560 yuan. "Wear these Li brand jeans this weekend and I'll take you to see 'Spider-Man III,' and the T-shirts, I'll pay for them, just wear them for me, it'll satisfy my lecherous taste." He chuckled as he slipped 100 yuan for the two T-shirts, and I quickly pinched his ear, "You're so vain, I don't even wear them at home." My mood instantly improved.

Then, Zhu Qingyuan put on another show, picking up my handbag and saying, "This bag is very sturdy. I bought it for 150 yuan. It's perfect for holding money. When I earn a full bag of money, I know I'm not good at managing money, so you can keep it for me." Then he picked up my cosmetics, "This moisturizer and mascara, consider it payment for the meal you treated me to earlier. Here, 330 yuan. And the toner, consider it compensation for the sun exposure you had today, to help you get your whitening back." He gave me another 120 yuan. Just like that, seeing most of my hard-earned money from the month back in my hands, and having acquired so many treasures, my worries turned to joy, and I beamed with happiness, all my unhappiness vanishing to the winds.

"I'm so happy to have found such a big, silly pig! To celebrate this joyous moment, I'm awarding this pig three kisses. Use them within three seconds, or they're forfeited!" The pig, of course, wasn't about to waste such a wonderful reward; its snout was already practically pointing to the sky…

36. Absolutely not a match

It was another Saturday, and Yang Kai asked me to be his model for a painting. Lately, Yang Kai hasn't been behaving strangely; he's been much quieter. He spends most of his time painting indoors and rarely goes out drinking. Every night when we come home, he's still in his room, back to how he was when we first arrived. Perhaps everyone has their own troubles, intermittent ones, and once the trouble passes, they return to normal. This is most evident in women, characterized by venting, seeking someone to confide in, being argumentative and prone to hysteria; I didn't expect men to be like that too, except they can be more composed, preferring silence and solitude, mostly swallowing their pain and tears, their only outlet being a few drinks.

Before going to the lobby to model, I remembered the seal hidden in my dressing table. I wanted to find it and compare it with the seals on the paintings in the lobby to see if I could make any new discoveries. When I opened the dressing table drawer with the key and reached in for the seal, it wasn't there. I opened the drawer again, but still nothing. I started to panic. I searched everywhere, but couldn't find the seal. What happened? Did it grow wings and fly away? I was frantic and tense. Could I have put it in the wrong place? No, Zhu Qingyuan saw me put it there. Then, was it stolen? Impossible, the drawer was locked, I had the key, and there were no signs of forced entry. None of the possibilities applied. So where was the seal? I searched carefully again, but still nothing. Did it really grow wings?

Zhu Qingyuan wasn't there; he went to have breakfast. It was almost time for my volunteer work. What should I do? Had I lost the stamp, or left it somewhere else in the house? I immediately called Zhu Qingyuan.

"Big Pig, no... something bad has happened! I have a question for you..." I was a little nervous.

"Zi'er, don't panic. I can read your mind and know why you're so alarmed." I was frantic, but Zhu Zhu was still joking around so slowly, so I asked, "What do you know?"

"First of all, I apologize to you for touching your items without your permission."

"Speak up, what are you apologizing for? Stop beating around the bush."

"You're looking for a seal, aren't you? You don't need to say it, just answer yes or no."

"Yes, you big roundworm!"

"Here's the thing, this morning when you went to the restroom while you were putting on your makeup, I picked up this stamp and looked at it. I was going to put it back right away, but you turned around and came out. So I've been holding it in my hand and I'm too embarrassed to put it back, so I want to apologize to you! I put it under my pillow and went to have breakfast. Can you look for it now?"

I quickly started searching, and sure enough, the stone seal was lying under the pillow. "You big idiot, daring to touch my things and making me anxious! What should I do?"

"Didn't I apologize? Punish me or whatever you want, honey. I saw someone selling fresh honey, I bought you two bottles to nourish your skin and keep you beautiful forever!"

This guy, when did I agree to be his wife? He's suddenly become so sharp-tongued, trying to use sweet talk to ambush me. "Alright, the stone has been found, I'll settle the score with you later... If that honey is good, buy a couple more bottles, and make sure you get extra nutrition while you're running lately."

After hanging up the phone, I noticed a red stain around the receiver; it turned out I'd wiped my lipstick off. A clever idea struck me: I smeared some lipstick on the stamp, pressed it firmly onto a piece of white paper, and peeled it off. A very pretty red stamp, quite artistic, indeed beautiful. I examined the writing closely; this lipstick-stamped writing was quite a rare find, I had to keep it.

After hiding the seal and the paper, I went downstairs, where Yang Kai was waiting for me. I was wearing a black dress with a totem design today, and I flashed it in front of Yang Kai. He looked at me for a while and then stopped: "Zi'er, you seem to be in a good mood today. Did Zhu Qingyuan buy you some new clothes?"

"No, I got paid, so I dressed up to please myself and others, which made me very happy."

"Yes, I see happiness in your eyes, a simple elegance." Then he praised my poise today, saying he hadn't seen such dynamic black in a long time. "This black gives me inspiration and flow, dignified and mysterious, connecting me to many things..." I don't understand the deeper meaning of black; as long as I'm sexy and pretty, and people say I have style, I feel great. Yang Kai sighed for a while, then found a bunch of lilies for me to hold, and started painting. I realized they were fake, so I took them out of the vase; even this prop became art.

After finishing the painting, I glanced at it. This time it was a traditional Chinese ink painting, depicting my seated posture, entirely in black. I noticed the lines were rough, and the technique wasn't very refined; the face only vaguely resembled mine. There were also words written on it: "Through the blackness, your hair passes through my hand, your gaze shines through my back." The most striking feature was the eyes. I didn't see the joyful expression I had today; it was still the melancholy, dreamy look of before. Looking slightly downwards, combined with the black clothing and flowing black hair, it seemed the person in the painting harbored a deep longing and yearning, summoning something, yet concealing something.

"What's your opinion after you've seen it?" Yang Kai asked me. "I'm not very good at this kind of traditional Chinese painting, and my technique is not mature. It's just an experiment."

"Oh, I don't really know how to appreciate it. I don't really understand the meaning of these words either. I just feel that there is a kind of dark beauty, trying to express a kind of desire, but I can't see what kind of desire it is."

"Your understanding is basically spot on, and your appreciation level has improved!"

"Thank you for the compliment, Teacher Yang. I've been influenced by you all along. Could you tell me about the paintings in this hall?"

Seeing my interest, Yang Kai stopped what he was doing and began explaining the significance of the paintings "Mona Lisa" and "Sunflowers." I then took the opportunity to ask him some questions about the paintings, their inscriptions, and seals. As he explained, I examined the seals on the paintings. Most of the seals on the "Mona Lisa" were consistent with the seals we had collected, especially those on larger paintings. The seals on smaller paintings were different, mainly because they were small seals, also in seal script.

"Besides the paintings in this hall, do you have any other paintings?" I asked as we approached the silkworm room after looking around.

"Also, it's not very convenient for you to see them because they are some unfinished paintings, and I'm afraid you might be too scared."

"Oh, it's alright, I'm not afraid with you here. Is the first painting you drew for me finished?"

“No. It’s inside,” he pointed to the door of the silkworm room. “I’ll treat it as an exercise; the eyes aren’t finished yet. The paintings inside don’t even have finished eyes. Do you dare look?”

"Let me take a look."

Yang Kai unveiled the painting and slammed open the door to the silkworm room. He went in first. I cautiously followed, and the painting behind me drooped down with a "whoosh" as soon as I let go. I gaped, hands raised, feigning surprise. I glanced around, then looked closely at the two eyeless paintings beside me. Upon closer inspection of the seals, I noticed they were distinctly different from the seals on the other paintings.

37. A net stretching from heaven to earth

The difference in the seals is that the "Yang Kai" seal on the eyeless painting here is smaller, and it's in clerical script, thicker, and very clear. I looked at the two paintings next to it, and they were the same. I didn't go near the woman's portrait anymore; I said I felt a little uncomfortable and then left.

Later, I told Zhu Qingyuan about the similarities and differences between the seals and asked him for an explanation. He couldn't say much either, only that artists usually have more than one seal, perhaps many, and they use different seals for different paintings. We don't understand art well enough to speculate. He also whispered to me, "Usually, only complete paintings and calligraphy works are inscribed and stamped; unfinished works are not stamped. So, these paintings without eyes have been inscribed and stamped, which means they are finished and no longer need further work. This is just common knowledge I've heard!" I didn't understand either, so I just put it aside.

One day, Zhu Qingyuan came home beaming, wanting to show me a hilarious Yahoo ad—"Aristocracy, are you aristocrat now?" I didn't understand what he meant, but since it was a joke, I figured I should just laugh it off. I opened my laptop and found Fan Wei's humor quite amusing; I almost burst out laughing. Turns out, this is what a "kneeling tribe" is all about! I watched it twice; the scene with Fan Wei and the aristocratic beauty at the horse farm was the funniest:

Beautiful woman: Don't touch... Don't touch!

Fan Wei: Hey, you're ridiculous! What? You can ride it, but I can't even touch it?

Beautiful lady: People are different from one another, and horses are different from one another... Daniel is a Thoroughbred, the grandson of Northern Dancer, with a pure bloodline.

Secretary: This Mr. Ma is a dancer from the North, and his name is quite valuable!

Fan Wei: Oh, it's quite a spray of droplets, huh? Okay, name your price, I'll buy it.

Beautiful woman: That depends on how noble your ancestors were.

Fan Wei: Who are you?

The beautiful woman's ancestors were from the Zhou family of Runan, and her bloodline is as pure as this horse's.

Fan Wei: What kind of business do you run?

Beautiful woman: Doing nothing, you're an aristocrat! Baby, let's go!

…………

Yahoo's final search result showed that President Qin's ancestor was Qin Hui, the "kneeling clan" (a notorious historical figure), and the advertising slogan was "Life is made happier by finding it—Yahoo!" This ad made me think of the vast power of the internet and gave me a great idea. I also thought that after I got to work, I should be able to search for Yang Kai online. If he's famous, I should be able to find information about him and his wife.

I used my preferred search engine, changing a few keywords. Finally, I found information about the painter Yang Kai and his wife Chen Danyan attending an artist's memorial service in November 1998. Another finding was that Yang Kai was a famous painter, a representative of the European Medieval Revival school of painting. His forgeries of the Mona Lisa were so realistic they were indistinguishable from the originals, and foreign collectors specifically sought his works. However, Yang Kai lived a secluded life, rarely going out, especially after breaking his leg and subsequently retiring from public life. Beyond that, there was some information about Yang Kai's paintings, but no more valuable news.

I remembered the signature "Chen—" on the painting "Sunflower." It turned out to be "Chen Danyan" in artistic cursive script, with the last two characters having two curled strokes—no wonder we didn't recognize it. A separate search for Chen Danyan only yielded information about her painting "Sunflower," nothing about Yang Kai. Now it's confirmed that Yang Kai and Chen Danyan are husband and wife. But strangely, Yang Kai broke his leg, yet the Yang Kai we see now is healthy, can drive, and shows no signs of surgery. However, it's true he lives a very secluded life; aside from beggars, no other friends visit, and he's never seen answering friends' calls. Only when we met "White Ghost" did he mention attending a friend's event, suggesting he has very few friends. So, where is Yang Kai's wife now? Have they really divorced? We don't know.

One day after get off work, I waited for Zhu Qingyuan to have dinner together. After dinner, we walked hand in hand back to the mansion. It wasn't convenient for us to talk about the online research on Yang Kai at the restaurant, but now that we were walking together, it was the perfect opportunity to discuss this topic. I told Zhu Qingyuan about the results of my online research and asked for his opinion.

"I don't have any insights. I think the most unfortunate thing for a woman is marriage, and it's the same for men. But what's even more tragic for a man is losing his career. Without support, there's no motivation in life. I think he's probably having problems in his marriage right now, which is why he occasionally has emotional troubles, like when he was drunk last time. But at least he still has art as his career, and he loves it, so he's not lost in life."

"That's not what I wanted you to say. I wanted to ask you where his wife might have gone?"

"I really can't guess that. This city is big enough to accommodate anyone, and artists are generally good at enduring loneliness. Another possibility is that they went abroad."

"I have a question that has always puzzled me. I wonder if his wife is blind or has no eyes? Why was the painting inside stamped and the story ended without depicting eyes?"

"Yes, your guess makes a lot of sense. You mentioned that there are several paintings without eyes, including one of a woman. I think there's a high chance that his wife is blind, and possibly blind after an accident. Because she's a painter who painted sunflowers, it's impossible for a blind person to create these colored paintings. If she is blind, she must have gone blind after painting these sunflowers."

“You’re right. I remember now. You said it’s possible that his wife had some accident and went blind or died, so he painted these paintings of blind people to commemorate her.”

"Yes, that's quite likely. You remember when he first came, he said he would only draw your face. The first time he didn't draw the eyes, but the second time he only drew the eyes, which means they are both related to the eyes. So he wanted to express his longing for your eyes in the painting, which makes sense."

“I’ve thought of another question,” my mind suddenly became active, and I would seize any idea that came to mind. “Big Pig, I want to ask you a question that’s a bit off-topic. What would it feel like if two people no longer loved each other but still lived together?”

"That's a difficult question for me to answer. It seems like this scenario is more common in Qiong Yao's novels. I think people in ancient times were constrained by etiquette and family, and were forced into marriages without love, sometimes even living as widows without husbands. Although these constraints are less pronounced today, obstacles still exist, such as power, status, and face, which bind two people who don't love each other together, making them like strangers, without feelings, communication, or care. Such unions are also unfortunate..."

"But what if you love someone too much and end up hurting them?"

“I haven’t encountered this situation before, so I can’t give an answer. I think there’s a principle that needs to be clear: mutual respect is the premise. If you don’t respect the other person, no matter how much you love them, it’s a mistake. Mutual understanding is the foundation. It’s the tacit understanding that two people reach over a long period of life together. Mutual support is the driving force. Giving each other help and encouragement, and sharing joys and sorrows, is the best expression of love.”