Scenic Tour
At that time, it was your parents who provided the funds to buy the house, right? Did they pay the full amount? No—” The woman was sitting in front of the computer, answering a phone call. With one hand, she was typing on the keyboard to take notes. The sound of knocking on the door echoed, and she walked towards the entrance while holding the phone. She glanced through the peephole, immediately switched the hand holding the phone, and at the same time, she turned to open the door for the other person.
“I’m sorry, I have an urgent matter here at the moment. I’ll contact you later.”
After hanging up the call, Song Yuhang also entered. She changed into guest slippers and looked up with a wry smile. “I’m the one who should apologize. It’s quite late, and I’m troubling you again.”
Seeing that she was completely soaked and her face was a mix of blue and purple, Ji Jingxing fetched a clean towel from the bathroom and handed it to her. “What happened to you? No wonder you didn’t dare to go home.”
If Mother Song were to see this, she would probably nag quite a bit. After all, the lessons from her father and brother were there as cautionary tales. She was afraid that Song Yuhang might encounter some trouble again.
“It’s nothing… just got into a fight with someone,” Song Yuhang said, using the towel to dry her damp hair. She glanced through the slightly open door towards the bedroom.
“Is Xiaowei asleep?”
“Yes, otherwise, if she knew you were coming, she’d make a fuss,” Ji Jingxing said, pouring a cup of hot coffee from the kitchen to warm her up.
Song Yuhang sat on the sofa with a towel on her head, lost in thought. Since she entered the door, Ji Jingxing had sensed that something was off. She rarely spaced out like this, especially not in such a dazed manner.
Over the years, Song Yuhang’s visits to her had been few and far between. The last time was when her brother passed away.
“Are you really okay?” Ji Jingxing was still concerned. She took out the medical kit from the cabinet and opened it, searching inside for iodine and cotton swabs.
“Do you need to go to the hospital? Who was it that attacked you so harshly?”
The corner of her eye had been scratched by Lin Yan’s nail, causing a bloody gash that tore through the skin. The bloodstain was almost reaching her eye. If it went a little further, she might lose that eye.
Song Yuhang touched it, and only now did a dull pain set in. At this moment, she couldn’t help but think about the numerous blows she had dealt to Lin Yan, leaving her unable to stand. Would she be in pain now?
Likely so, especially since she had cried.
Thinking of those eyes soaked in tears, that sour and bitter sensation welled up in her heart again.
She suddenly regretted her impulsiveness.
Ji Jingxing paused in her actions, feeling that there was something indescribably subtle about her today.
“Going through a breakup?” she teased deliberately.
That person, however, shot a look at her all of a sudden, her tone stiff: “No.”
“Your denial is quite swift,” Ji Jingxing chuckled, handing her the gauze in her hand. “Alright, I know you haven’t been in love. It’s about time you found someone to have a proper romance with. I’m heading to bed now. I need to wake up early tomorrow to take Xiaowei to school. The guest toiletries are on the shelf in the bathroom. Don’t sleep on the couch tonight; you can sleep in your brother’s room.”
Xiaowei was a child born out of wedlock. Seven years ago, when her brother sacrificed himself, the whole family had advised Ji Jingxing to terminate the pregnancy, but she insisted on keeping the child. She raised her on her own, and being a single mother was indeed tough.
Song Yuhang held a mixture of respect and affection for her sister-in-law. Despite the small age gap, their relationship was more akin to that of close friends who understood and cherished each other.
She stood up and watched Ji Jingxing enter the bedroom, moving her lips slightly: “Sis… thank you.”
Ji Jingxing waved her hand, holding a coffee cup. She was wearing loose home attire and simple gray slippers.
The cartoon pattern embroidered on them had faded over time. Those slippers were bought seven years ago, shortly after their marriage. Song Yuhang had been present that day as well.
Ji Jingxing pursed her lips and mouthed, “Good night.”
Song Yuhang replied, “Good night.”
*****
“General.”
“Move the pawn.” The chessboard was already in a fierce and intricate state of battle. A black piece was shifted to a new position.
The opponent fondled his red piece, hesitating.
“Sir, it’s time for your medicine.” The woman held a bowl of soup, blowing on the pitch-black concoction to cool it before bringing the spoon to his lips.
The man wasn’t young anymore, with white hair gracing his temples. Wrinkles adorned his face in layers, and a few faint age spots were visible. However, his beard was neatly trimmed. There was a resemblance between his face and Lin Yan’s, hinting at the handsomeness of his youth. Despite being in a wheelchair, he still possessed broad shoulders and long limbs.
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He turned his head and swallowed the medicine in one gulp, his face scrunching up from the bitterness. The woman slipped a piece of honey candy into his mouth, and he chewed it before spitting the pit into her palm. Then, he turned his attention back to the chessboard.
“Cannon.”
The opponent showed no impatience, smoothly withdrawing a piece, and incidentally capturing his general in the process.
“General, you’ve lost.”
Both of them burst into laughter. Lin Youyuan scattered the remaining pieces onto the chessboard. “Enough, enough, you’re still as cunning as ever.”
“Mr. Lin.” A person dressed in black knocked and quickly entered the room.
Lin Youyuan seemed to sense something, casually lifted the teacup and took a sip. “What has Miss been up to lately?”
The person in black bent down and whispered softly in his ear, making a throat-slitting gesture: “Should we…?”
He glanced at the person across from him and raised his hand to halt the suggestion. “There’s no need for that. Lin Yan hasn’t suffered any losses. It’s not something bad.”
“Understood.” The person in black respectfully bowed and then withdrew.
The woman squatting beside him rolled her eyes, coquettishly leaning against his knee. “Sir, it’s getting late. You said you’d accompany me to buy a handbag tomorrow…”
Lin Youyuan caressed her chin, and a smiling expression similar to Lin Yan’s emerged in his affectionate gaze. “When has Sir ever deceived you? Escort our guest out.”
******
Droplets of water slid down her arm, forming faint red streaks on the ground before seeping into the drain.
The shower was turned on vigorously, enveloping her in mist. Her wet hair hung behind her like silk.
She raised the handleless knife in her hand, facing the mirror, and slashed at herself, one cut at a time.
Blood droplets splashed into the washbasin, akin to vividly colored mandarin duck flowers blossoming in a pure white snowy landscape.
She tilted her head back, breathing heavily, swallowing the suppressed pain into her throat. Trembling lips, sweat the size of beans forming on her forehead, one hand clutching the sink as her whole body shook. Until the fresh blood added a gruesome touch to the tattoo on her chest.
With a clang, the knife slipped from Lin Yan’s hand into the washbasin. She slumped down, leaning against the bathtub, head hung low. She remained silent, seeming as if she had fallen asleep.
Yet, two warm tears escaped from her tightly shut eyes, rolling down her cheeks and quickly joining the water droplets on the ground, vanishing into nothingness.
******
“Auntie! Can you pick me up early from school today and take me to the amusement park? Mom hasn’t taken me out to play for a long time…” Jiyi sat in the child’s seat, but her hand stretched out, asking to be picked up.
Ji Jingxing glanced back while driving. “Hey hey hey, sit properly. Mom told you, Auntie is very busy. Don’t disturb her.”
“It’s okay, sis. The case is closed anyway. I’ll pick up Xiaowei after school today,” Song Yuhang stretched out her left hand awkwardly to pat Xiaowei’s head, her smile showing a rare touch of gentleness.
“Is your arm still not working well?” Ji Jingxing noticed from the corner of her eye. “I think you should go to the hospital for a check-up.”
Yesterday it was just a painful sensation, but this morning it had swollen quite a bit. She couldn’t even lift it up.
Song Yuhang moved her shoulder and sighed. “Alright, I’ll go to the hospital later.”
******
“Luckily, luckily. Your arm narrowly escaped a fracture.” The doctor studied the X-ray for a moment, then walked over to her side and gently pressed on her swollen shoulder. Lifting her arm slightly, Song Yuhang clenched her lips and turned pale.
“I’ll write you a prescription. Take it to the treatment room and get a bandage. Change the bandage and apply ointment once a day, and remember to take the oral medication on time.”
Song Yuhang stood up, put on her coat, and nodded slightly. “Thank you, doctor.”
As she was halfway through bandaging, her phone rang. With some effort, Song Yuhang retrieved it from her pocket. “Hello?”
Before the person on the other end could finish speaking, her expression changed. She pulled up her clothes and hurried outside, the young nurse following behind, exclaiming, “Hey, why are you running? You haven’t finished bandaging yet!”
Walking through the bustling corridor, Song Yuhang casually wrapped a corner of the bandage around her arm. She used her teeth to tie a hasty knot, saying as she walked, “Talk about the case, give me the specifics. What’s the situation?”
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******
“Ding-ling-ling—” The alarm clock rang, and Lin Yan poked her head out of the blanket. One hand groped on the bedside table, and once she located the source of the noise, she slapped it away.
The world finally returned to silence. She covered her face with the blanket again. In less than a minute, the sharp ringing sound resumed. Miss Lin angrily turned over, using the pillow to cover her ears.
When she was almost out of breath from suffocation, the maddening sound in her ears finally disappeared. Lin Yan let out a sigh of relief, lying back down. She felt even opening her eyes was uncomfortable, her whole body sore, and her throat felt like it was on fire.
She cleared her throat, preparing to reach for the glass on the bedside table to drink water, when the relentless call started again.
Unable to bear it any longer, Miss Lin abruptly sat up, about to throw the phone away, but ended up falling off the bed with a sudden dizziness.
“Ouch… it hurts.” She rubbed her head and sat up. She felt like her brain was mush today, her limbs heavy and unresponsive. But when she saw the string of numbers flashing on the screen, she still pressed the answer button.
“Hello, Lin Jie, it’s me.”
“I know it’s you… What do you want?” Lin Yan licked her dry lips, got up from the floor, and felt her steps were unsteady. She had to steady herself against the wardrobe.
“We’re currently near the Green Building in the West City district. We’ve discovered a highly damaged corpse…”
Duan Cheng was cut off mercilessly in the middle of his sentence.
“What do you mean by highly damaged? Describe the specific characteristics of the body!”
Duan Cheng looked towards the nearby ground with lingering fear, where a mess of flesh, human bones, and brain matter mixed together—red, white, and yellow, just like a plate of freshly cooked tomato and scrambled eggs.
He couldn’t help but retch again. “Gross… You’d better come and see it in person.”
******
Song Yuhang had just arrived, and right after her, Lin Yan also showed up. The usually high-heeled Miss Lin was uncharacteristically not wearing heels today. She had on soft and comfortable flat shoes, and her walking posture seemed quite unnatural. On top of that, she had a pair of oversized sunglasses perched on her nose and immediately put on a face mask as soon as she got out of the car.
Duan Cheng approached, “Sis, what’s with your…”
Her attire looked quite odd for a gloomy day like this.
Lin Yan rolled her eyes irritably, “What’s wrong with a gloomy day? You need sun protection on gloomy days, don’t you get it?”
Limping, she carried the investigation kit and walked toward the crime scene, while Song Yuhang leaned against the car door, one hand in her pocket, talking on the phone.
“Be a good girl, I won’t be able to pick you up from school today. Listen to Mommy and we’ll make plans for another day, okay?”
From a distance, Lin Yan noticed a hint of a smile in her lowered eyes and a much more animated and gentle expression on her face.
The wind carried her words vaguely into her ears.
“Be a good girl… We’ll make plans for another day, okay?”
Hmm, Lin Yan shivered suddenly. Who was she flirting with? Her goosebumps were all over the place.
They said it was the Green Building, but in reality, it was an unfinished construction site. The area was about half the size of a soccer field, surrounded by wire mesh, with rocks and construction debris piled underneath.
The police cordon was set up outside the wire mesh. Lin Yan lifted the cordon with one hand. The pile of rocks wasn’t very high, and under normal circumstances, she could easily step over it. However, today she felt weak all over. The investigation kit was heavy, and she could hardly lift her arm. She had no choice but to take small, hesitant steps as she climbed up.
The rain-soaked rocks were slippery, and without warning, her foot slipped, and she stumbled backward.
“Be careful!” a familiar voice came, and at the same time, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, stabilizing her.
Lin Yan took a few steps back and ended up completely falling into her embrace. She wasn’t sure if she was still shaken or what, but her heart was racing.
Song Yuhang helped her regain her balance, her grip still firm. There was a hint of concern in her eyes. “Are you… okay?”
On the surface, it seemed like she was caring for her, but in reality, she was also asking about what had happened last night.
Lin Yan snapped back to reality and shrugged her off like tossing away a piece of candy wrapper. “I’m fine. I think you should care more about yourself.”
Her retort was more than enough to keep her quiet.
As they talked about this, Song Yuhang suddenly felt a dull ache in the bandaged shoulder. She forced a bitter smile, took the investigation kit from her hand, and turned to leave without saying a word.
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Lin Yan’s expression suddenly became subtle, seemingly irritated by her abrupt departure. Though her own emotions were quite inexplicable, she hadn’t expected the other person to climb up the pile of rocks and extend a hand toward her.
“Come up.”
She hesitated, her gaze drifting elsewhere, avoiding direct eye contact as if searching for an alternative path to cross.
Song Yuhang patiently repeated, “Come up.”
The corner of her lips beneath the mask curved slightly. Reluctantly, Lin Yan reached out to take her hand. In that brief touch, their fingertips connected, and she found her hand engulfed in the other’s palm. The warmth and thickness of that hand carried the calluses earned from wielding guns and sticks.
Her thoughts involuntarily wandered to last night, to how the rough pad of her finger had brushed gently over her wound, causing tremors to ripple through her.
The darkness concealed the turmoil in her eyes, just as it masked the fleeting tenderness that flickered across Song Yuhang’s gaze.
Lin Yan suddenly felt ill at ease, releasing her grip and walking ahead. Song Yuhang followed closely behind, holding her investigation kit and mirroring her every step.
When she had pulled her up, her hand had been cool, with a light layer of sweat. Lin Yan had worried slightly. The guilt that had clouded her since last night’s encounter tightened its grip around her heart once more.
“Lin…”
She wanted to call out her name, but Lin Yan turned around and extended her hand as if nothing had happened.
“Investigation kit.”
Song Yuhang handed it to her, and Lin Yan swiftly retrieved a pair of gloves from it. With a deft movement, she put them on and stepped onto the prepared investigation platform, walking toward the body.