Escape from the Thriller World – Chapter 20

Volume One: The Old Corpse in the Mountain Village

Sakura Sakura

Akita Kyoko swayed the dead infant in her arms.

Akita Kyoko’s first year in China, Wei Jinbao took great care of her.

Wei Jinbao saw she was still wearing coarse linen clothes, and felt a bit sorry for her. He held her hand and took her to the mall to let her choose some pretty clothes for herself.

On her first day in China, she was stunned. She was deeply attracted by China’s traditional culture, ethnic clothing, and food.

Akita Kyoko had lived in rural Tokyo and hadn’t seen much of the world. Looking at the prosperity of the big city, she couldn’t help but sigh to herself: “China is so great, I want to stay in China.”

Wei Jinbao covered her mouth and whispered: “Kyoko, don’t speak, don’t let people recognize that you’re a Japanese woman.”

Akita Kyoko immediately fell silent and didn’t dare to speak. She nodded woodenly.

Wei Jinbao took her to the second floor of the mall. A few lonely salespeople stood in front of the stores, looking at the sparsely populated mall.

Now was a time of war, and there weren’t many people shopping in the mall.

Wei Jinbao wore a leather jacket, with a tacky gold chain around his neck, and coffee-colored big-headed leather shoes polished to a shine (big-headed shoes: a style of men’s dress shoes popular in China in the 1980s-90s, characterized by a wide, round toe).

He put his arm around Akita Kyoko and swaggered over, saying: “Help my little sister choose some clothes, pick the expensive ones!”

Wei Jinbao was typical of someone who loved to show off. The salesperson bowed and scraped (meaning: acted in an excessively humble and respectful way) to him, saying: “Young Master Wei, please take a look at these clothes, they’re all new styles!”

Wei Jinbao pushed Akita Kyoko into the fitting room to choose clothes. Akita Kyoko walked in with a shy look on her face.

She tried on several outfits and came out to look at herself in the mirror, turning this way and that.

The mall salesperson noticed that she looked sweet but didn’t speak, and jokingly said: “Big brother, is your little sister maybe a mute? She’s tried on several outfits without making a sound.”

Wei Jinbao awkwardly replied: “My little sister suffered a throat injury when she was young, so we all tell her to talk as little as possible.”

The salesperson didn’t ask any more questions and continued recommending new styles for Akita Kyoko to try on. After trying several outfits, Akita Kyoko finally chose a Chinese-style cape coat.

The salesperson’s lips curved up in a flattering smile as they said: “Miss, this outfit really suits you!”

Akita Kyoko couldn’t speak Chinese, so she politely nodded.

Wei Jinbao was generous, throwing a few bills at the salesperson and saying: “Keep the change.”

Akita Kyoko’s daily life, food, and living arrangements were all carefully taken care of by Wei Jinbao.

He secretly rented a house behind his father’s back for Akita Kyoko to live in.

“Kyoko, you stay here for now. I’ll find a way to bring you home after some time,” Wei Jinbao said after arranging everything.

Akita Kyoko was new to the place and unfamiliar with her surroundings, so she could only put all her hopes on Wei Jinbao.

She was obedient, well-behaved, and never disobeyed his orders. He hugged her shoulders and said, “Kyoko, if only you weren’t a Japanese woman.”

Akita Kyoko, with tears in her eyes, said: “Mr. Jinbao, why do you suddenly say this?”

Wei Jinbao shook his head and said: “It’s nothing, you should rest early.”

If she wasn’t a Japanese woman, he might be able to openly bring her home, but she was.

His father was on good terms with the minister of the Communist army, and their whole family was anti-Japanese. How could they allow a Japanese woman into their home?

Wei Jinbao kept this matter in his heart, not mentioning a word to Akita Kyoko about bringing her home.

Wei Jinbao gave her some books, and Akita Kyoko would learn a bit of Chinese in her free time. She suddenly felt the profound depth of Chinese culture.

Akita Kyoko dipped her finger in ink and spent a lot of time writing her name in a shaky manner.

Wei Jinbao didn’t go home and often went to Akita Kyoko’s place. After a while, his stepmother noticed something was off.

One day, his stepmother sent the family’s butler Zhang to follow Wei Jinbao when he went out. He followed him through several streets in Hong Kong and saw him turn into an alley.

Butler Zhang followed closely behind, and Wei Jinbao didn’t notice anything unusual.

Wei Jinbao went up to an old residential building and entered an apartment on the 18th floor.

Butler Zhang stopped in the hallway, his eyes fixed on the inside, his ear pressed against the door crack to eavesdrop.

Wei Jinbao was carrying sugar-roasted chestnuts he bought on the street. He knew Akita Kyoko liked sweet things, so he bought a few extra pounds when passing by.

When Akita Kyoko saw him return, she spoke respectfully (using “keigo”, a form of honorific speech in Japanese) and came forward to take off his shoes and put them in the shoe cabinet.

Wei Jinbao nodded with satisfaction and said, “Kyoko is still as considerate as always.”

Akita Kyoko came forward to take off his coat and hang it on the coat rack. She took his hand and wrote a few Chinese characters on his palm.

Wei Jinbao, that was his name.

The little woman in front of him had already learned quite a bit of Chinese.

Akita Kyoko tried to interact with Chinese people outside, and she could now speak a little simple Chinese.

“Mr. Jinbao, how is my Chinese learning?” Akita Kyoko said with her mouth corners pressed down. (This expression indicates a modest or slightly nervous demeanor)

She looked just like a little girl wanting approval from her teacher.

Wei Jinbao took out warm chestnuts from the paper bag and put them in her palm, saying: “Kyoko, clever girl.”

Akita Kyoko giggled “gizi gizi” in Wei Jinbao’s arms, as Wei Jinbao said he would take her home after some time.

Akita Kyoko’s lips moved, her facial features were as delicate as a porcelain doll, Wei Jinbao held her in his palm, afraid she might break.

“Mr. Jinbao, after some time, shall we go pick some gifts for your father to visit him?” Akita Kyoko stuffed a peeled chestnut into Wei Jinbao’s mouth.

Wei Jinbao licked the chestnut, swallowed it, and said: “My father doesn’t need any gifts, you coming back with me is enough.”

Akita Kyoko was grateful to Wei Jinbao, his appearance brought her to China, she saw a world she had never seen before.

What Akita Kyoko didn’t know was that Wei Jinbao would never take her home.

Akita Kyoko was still dreaming, dreaming of moving into a luxurious mansion, with a group of servants respectfully calling her: “Madam.”

She would become the most noble woman.

These were the glory and riches she couldn’t enjoy in Japan.

She had love and wealth, her life was satisfied.

Wei Jinbao peeled a few chestnuts and drank a few glasses of wine with Akita Kyoko, he drunkenly pressed his head and said: “Kyoko, why have you turned into two, three, four?”

Akita Kyoko took off her coat, moved her lips and said: “Mr. Jinbao, please cherish……”

Afterwards.

Akita Kyoko used all her charms to lure Wei Jinbao to bed…….

The sounds of male and female “communication” came from the room on the 18th floor.

The two people’s secret affair, Butler Zhang heard it clearly from outside. He went back and truthfully reported this matter to Wei Jinbao’s stepmother.

When Wei Jinbao’s stepmother, Aunt Qin, heard this news, the mahjong tiles she was shuffling with her girlfriends became fragrant, and she even got a “gangshanghua”. (This is a special winning hand in mahjong, implying she was extremely pleased with the news)

Aunt Qin laughed heartily and said: “He still wants to inherit the Wei family’s business. If his dad knew he was keeping a Japanese woman outside, he’d beat him to death.”

Butler Zhang offered a plan to Aunt Qin. They would lure Wei Ming to personally catch them in the act, to “catch the adulterers in bed”.

Aunt Qin nodded and smiled, saying: “Butler Zhang, you keep an eye on things in secret. I’ll find a way to handle the master’s side.”

Butler Zhang and Aunt Qin joined forces to lead Wei Ming to that old residential building. Wei Ming angrily saw his son embracing a Japanese woman.

He pointed at him and said: “The Wei family really produced such a filial son in you. Do you know you’re harboring a Japanese person!”

Wei Ming decided on the spot to cut off all relations with Wei Jinbao. He wanted to drive Wei Jinbao out of the family.

Wei Jinbao didn’t want to live like a stray dog begging for a living. He’d rather kill him!

Wei Jinbao knelt in front of his father and begged: “Dad, please forgive me! I, I didn’t want this either, it was her, she insisted I bring her back from Japan.”

Wei Jinbao pushed all the blame onto Akita Kyoko, saying at every turn that this woman seduced him.

Akita Kyoko clutched her clothes to cover her body, biting her lip and shaking her head desperately: “Mr. Jinbao, this isn’t what you told me before…”

Wei Jinbao, going back on his word, showed his true face, pointing at her and saying: “I was just messing around with you for fun, you didn’t really think I’d marry a Japanese woman like you, did you!”

Akita Kyoko’s hands trembled, tears constantly flowing from the corners of her eyes.

She finally realized that she had been deceived by Wei Jinbao, this hypocritical beast.

All that talk of love and wealth was just his way of tricking her.

Wei Jinbao tugged at Wei Ming’s clothes, saying: “Dad, you have to believe me, I was really just playing around with her!”

Wei Ming shook his head and said: “If you were just playing around, I can forgive you. If you settle down and help me manage the family business, I’ll believe you.”

Wei Jinbao nodded and said: “Dad, I won’t associate with this woman anymore. I’ll go, I’ll go manage the family business right away.”

Wei Jinbao left like that and never came back, leaving Akita Kyoko alone in the corner of the room.

Wei Jinbao was very successful in business, and he quickly married the daughter of a rich cloth merchant at that time.

There was still oppression from the stepmother at home, but Wei Jinbao used his expanded power to plot and kill his most hated younger brother.

The younger brother went out for a drive, and Wei Jinbao secretly sent people to tamper with his brake pads, causing a seemingly perfect accidental car crash.

“How you bullied me before, today I’ll send this wicked woman’s son to heaven,” Wei Jinbao said with a smirk on his lips.

Aunt Qin tearfully watched her son die in a car accident and became devastated.

Wei Jinbao thus thrived in Hong Kong, taking on many big business deals one after another, becoming one of Hong Kong’s top ten richest people.

He completely forgot about that poor woman….

At that time, Akita Kyoko was already pregnant, but unfortunately, the child died just a few days after birth.

Akita Kyoko went crazy, she spent all day looking for her child around the building, trying to snatch babies from people she saw carrying them.

People in the building spit out a glob of yellow phlegm at her in disgust and said: “Flower caller, get lost.” (“叫花子” literally means “flower caller” but is a derogatory term for a beggar)

She wrapped the dead child in straw, not minding the stench of the shriveled corpse, and lifted her clothes, imitating other women as if breastfeeding the child.

Akita Kyoko swayed with the dead infant in her arms, singing crazily in the building: “Sakura, oh sakura, as dawn breaks in late spring……”

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