“You’re not going to work?” Lu Hui was slumped on the sofa, looking at Ji Fanyang with heavy-lidded eyes after he walked out of the washroom.
“What, you have something going on today?” Ji Fanyang straightened his collar, lowering his head to fasten his tie earnestly.
Lu Hui shrugged: “I have an engagement[1]约会, can be used as a generic appointment or a date.”
“With who?” Ji Fanyang asked.
Lu Hui lied smoothly: “Yu Xinyu.”
“Huh???” Ji Fanyang tilted his head, his face somewhat disbelieving, “Did she invite you? Or did you?”
Lu Hui rolled his eyes: “She did. She bought me flowers and dinner, even got the room using her own identity card. Happy now?”
“…” Ji Fanyang spritzed some cologne on his wrist and put on his jacket. He nagged like a father sending his child off to be married, “Remember to turn the TV off when you leave, be sure to lock the door. It’s windy outside, wear more layers. Don’t leave the city.”
“Fine, fine, fine.” Lu Hui waved a hand impatiently, “Run along or you’ll be late, Mama Ji.”
Ji Fanyang shook his head, sending an exasperated look at Lu Hui. He slammed the door shut behind him.
Lu Hui pressed the mute button on the remote control, listening to Ji Fanyang’s footsteps until they disappeared. Then, he stood up, put on a set of casualwear and his watch, and wet his hands and carded through his hair. He slipped the key into his pocket, turned the TV off, and walked out the door, locking it behind him.
Wuer Street was located in an old area of Linhua City. The municipal government’s plans to renovate the area had fallen through a few times. Both the good and the bad lived there, with many small shops and vendors lining the street. Owing to the crampedness of the area, most of the streets were one-way, or perhaps one-lane two-way streets. The urban management inspectors did not like going there because of the chaotic mess.
Lu Hui rode about seven or so turns to Wuer Street, paid the high taxi fare, and got out. He followed the street, looking for No. 83.
No. 81 was a barbecue place, No. 82 was a noodle shop, No. 84 was a convenience store…No. 83?
Lu Hui took a few steps backwards and checked a few times to be sure. There actually was no No. 83?
He frowned. He stood between the noodle shop and the convenience store and snagged one of the store owners to ask: “Excuse me, where is No. 83?”
The store owner’s facial expression turned odd: “You’re looking for No. 83?”
“Someone told me to go there…” Lu Hui said.
The store owner pushed him: “Inside, inside.” The both of them walked into the noodle shop and walked out the backdoor. No. 83 was the convenience store’s and noodle shop’s shared storehouse.
“Have a seat.” The store owner moved a greasy bench next to the greasy table, “Sit and wait a while.”
“He said to come at 1 PM.” Lu Hui said.
The store owner nodded: “Then wait ‘til ten past.”
The store owner then left.
Lu Hui sat down on the bench. The surroundings were lamentable, lacking even a glass of water.
The weather in early spring was not actually very nice, with cloudy skies and a bit of a chill in the air. Quite similar to that room.
Lu Hui picked up a willow branch dotted with green offshoots. Some naughty kid had probably broken it off the willow tree.
…
“I have every reason to kill you.”
“You’re a policeman.” Wang Yinyin wasn’t young, her wrinkles and age spots obvious, “I know that the events back then give you a reason…I didn’t think that Yangyang could do something like that to hurt you.”
“Yu Feiyang took it too far? What about what you did?” Lu Hui raised his voice, like his wounds had just been ripped open, “You don’t regret anything, even till now?”
“What use is my regret?” The woman’s turbid eyes, filled with both deathly fear and a cold light, looked at Lu Hui, “Will my regret bring him back?”
“He can’t come back. He hates you.” Lu Hui held the dagger, the sharp blade flashing coldly, “Every year, my leg will ache. And so, every year, I think of Yu Feiyang. Our friendship wasn’t deep, but because of you.” He paused, raising the dagger, “I’m a policeman. I can’t kill you.” He slashed his wrist, blood gushing out. Both the dagger and Lu Hui fell to the floor.
…
Lu Hui waved the willow branch, the slender offshoots leaving wispy white marks on the stone bricks. The slashes on his wrists should have been cut vertically, but at that time he had not wanted to die and had cut his wrists horizontally. The tendons in his wrists had blocked the artery. He’d been saved.
…
After receiving a blood transfusion, Lu Hui was sent back to that room, his wrist covered in bandages.
The second time Wang Yinyin saw him, Lu Hui looked extremely weak. The dagger was placed on the table between them.
This was an evil survival game, but Lu Hui had no intention of being their fighting dog.
Wang Yinyin quickly snatched the dagger.
The display screen on the wall suddenly turned on, the sound attracting their attention.
The image shook for a moment before stabilizing. It was the interior of an airplane.
Lu Hui saw a familiar figure: Lu An.
The footage was from the economy class. Lu An was just pulling the curtain aside to ask an attendant for a blanket.
The telephone on the table rang. Lu Hui rushed over to grab the receiver.
“Kill Wang Yinyin or we’ll kill your sister.”
The call was cut off. Lu Hui looked at Wang Yinyin, who trembled and took a few steps back involuntarily.
Lu Hui was a cornered wolf.
…
At 1 PM, Lu Hui tossed the willow branch aside and looked at the backdoor.
The silhouette of a relatively short person appeared. Lu Hui narrowed his eyes, feeling that the sight was familiar.
It was a woman. Lu Hui tried to remember. He’d seen this woman before, at….Du Chengxian’s house.
“Chief Lu, we meet again.” The woman sat down at the table. She’d considerately brought two bottles of water, her warm actions entirely similar to Ji Fanyang.
“Wang Jing.” Lu Hui recognized the woman. She was Du Chengxian’s wife.
Wang Jing blinked. She’d changed too much, from her hair style to her clothing. She’d swapped her long hair and dress for a short crop and leather, her gentle homebodyness to capability and efficiency. She said: “Du Chengxian’s dead.”
“He was in the Witness Protection Program. How could he die?” Lu Hui frowned.
“He’s dead because he took this.” Wang Jing pulled out a hard disc, “I’ve burned several copies. It’s the entirety of the video footage from when you and a woman were locked up together.”
“What was he doing getting this?” Lu Hui asked. He truly did not understand it.
Wang Jing brushed her hair back, saying: “For Xiao Yue and me, as well as you. He felt that only you could kill the ones behind this, so he gave his life to get you out.”
“This recording can help me escape punishment.” Lu Hui said, “But I’m still too conspicuous.”
“Yes. So you must die.” Wang Jing said, slipping the disc back into her bag, “Once you die, I’ll have someone upload this to the internet.”
“This is your condition? You want me to die?” Lu Hui opened the water bottle, “Fine, it’s a deal.”
“I hope you can make a splash.” Wang Jing said.
Lu Hui smiled: “Rest assured.”
Wang Jing stood up: “I’m going now.”
“Wait.” Lu Hui stood up, lowering his voice, “Thank Du Chengxian for me when you go to pay respects.”
“His name’s Du Chengwu.” Wang Jing said.
“Thank Du Chengwu for me.” Lu Hui said.
Footnotes
| ↑1 | 约会, can be used as a generic appointment or a date |
|---|
thank you for the translation!!
where to find the r18 scene? i have checked many raw sites, none of them have it. i tried weibo, but it say to register, and when i register the sms doesnt get sent to my number, so im unable to use it T_T
Its a continuation of one of the extras, I believe it was only posted on weibo, not on jj cause it would just be locked anyway. I don’t have a weibo (I don’t really do social media), so I’m afraid I can’t really help with finding it. Hopefully the sms will work for you soon!