The air was thick with the smell of alcohol and tobacco, adding a layer of indulgent decadence to the already lavish and hedonistic environment. The two of them bypassed the crowd and walked to the quietest sofa. Zhuang Ningyu asked, “Where did you see Tian Luxin?”
Yi Ke gestured towards the door. “Right here, two minutes ago. She was just brought in by the supervisor.”
Zhuang Ningyu, skeptical, followed his gaze and was surprised to actually see Tian Luxin. She was standing alone at the entrance, her face filled with pure bewilderment. Even more surprising was her attire—a gray-and-khaki skirt suit, milky-white gloves, and brown Mary Jane shoes. If he remembered correctly, this should be the uniform for the bar’s cleaning staff.
Yi Ke deliberately loosened his grip, and the whiskey glass shattered on the floor with a “crash.” Because the bar was still relatively quiet, it drew the attention of many people, including Tian Luxin. The moment her eyes met Zhuang Ningyu’s and Yi Ke’s, a light instantly shone in her eyes. Without needing a reminder, she remembered her identity as a “cleaner” and quickly grabbed a rag and mop and trotted over.
“Captain Zhuang!” Her voice was very soft, trying her best to hold back tears. “You’re finally here. I was scared to death.”
As the former face of the Order Maintenance Department, Zhuang Ningyu was pulled out to film videos for every holiday, wishing the general public a happy Spring Festival, Lantern Festival, Qixi Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and New Year’s Day. So Tian Luxin recognized this officially designated mascot at a glance.
Half of her tears were from fear, and the other half from excitement. Before he could speak, she tearfully confessed her mistakes, “I’m sorry, Captain Zhuang. I shouldn’t have done an exploratory livestream just for attention, I shouldn’t have been blinded by temporary internet fame, and I especially shouldn’t have disregarded the rules, disrespected life, and brought a negative influence to society. I’ll never do this kind of thing again, I promise to be a law-abiding, good citizen.”
His lines stolen, Zhuang Ningyu, unable to deliver his intended criticism, could only hand the highly aware girl a tissue and comfort her, “Don’t cry yet.”
Tian Luxin wiped her face and recounted her experience in broken sentences. The night before last, after she and her companions squeezed through the metal fence, she immediately felt a damp, bone-chilling, thick coldness. Looking at the charred ruins deformed under the flashlight’s beam, smelling the heavy, deathly air that seemed to have been sealed away for many years, it would be a lie to say she didn’t regret it. She had wanted to leave as soon as possible, but the phone camera was live, her companions were excited, and the viewers in the comments were constantly egging them on. For the sake of face, she could only bite the bullet and continue walking in, psyching herself up along the way—it’s fine, this kind of illegal livestream definitely won’t last more than a few minutes.
“But as we were walking, it suddenly became completely silent around me. The world felt like it was in a vacuum.” Drowsiness washed over her, and a thick white mist enveloped her. When she opened her eyes again, Tian Luxin said, “I found myself in a noisy, bustling, large photography studio, surrounded by many makeup artists.”
Zhuang Ningyu asked, “A photography studio?”
“Mmm,” Tian Luxin nodded. “I worked as a part-time online model during university, so I’m quite familiar with this industry. I knew I was already trapped in the rule zone, and it was best to cooperate with everything before the action team arrived. So I obediently sat there and let them do my makeup. They gave me a… how should I put it, a very strange makeup look.”
“Like a doll?”
“Yes, yes, yes!” Tian Luxin was originally struggling with how to further describe this “strangeness.” Prompted by Zhuang Ningyu, she instantly had a moment of clarity and agreed repeatedly, “Exactly, like a doll. Very heavy and vibrant. Although it was indeed beautiful, I even felt I had never looked so good, but it was just strange. A strange that I can’t put my finger on, not like a living person.”
“The theme of this bar’s anniversary is ‘Doll Night.’ It’s not strange that they would want guests to dress up as dolls.” Zhuang Ningyu looked at her face carefully. Pretty and pure, indeed like a fairy-tale maiden. Like Yi Ke, she was quite suitable to appear in this bar. He continued to ask, “After the makeup, did they take poster photos of you?”
“No,” Tian Luxin said. “After the makeup and hair were done, they had me change into a poofy dress and just sit there for over an hour. It was quite cold at the time, so I took the initiative to ask them, since the photographer was already there, why weren’t we starting the shoot? But they said there was no need to shoot anymore, that someone would come to take me back to the dormitory later, and told me to remove my makeup and change my clothes first.”
Later, a person claiming to be the cleaning supervisor of Yin Bar took Tian Luxin to the staff dormitory, issued her a work uniform and a cleaning cart, and congratulated her on a successful job application.
Yi Ke asked, “With such thorough preparations—a photography studio, makeup, hairstyling, change of clothes—you ended up as a cleaner?”
Tian Luxin wasn’t surprised by this. She said, “It just means I didn’t pass the interview. If this were real life, they would have just told me to get my travel expenses and leave. But this is a rule zone. They probably couldn’t let me go easily, so they just had to arrange another job for me.”
Although the logic made sense, Zhuang Ningyu still felt that something was off. Since Tian Luxin could be actively chosen by the rules, it meant she must have met the requirements. And at the beginning, a large group of staff did her makeup and hair, clearly for a poster shoot. So why, after she changed her clothes, did they suddenly decide not to shoot?
After she changed her clothes, they decided not to shoot.
Zhuang Ningyu asked, “What kind of dress was it?”
Tian Luxin recalled it was a dress, a very long poofy dress, with a main color scheme of dusty pink and black. The hem dragged on the floor, a bit like a wedding dress. The top was a boned, corset-style slip. It was quite pretty.
Zhuang Ningyu had read Tian Luxin’s file. She did indeed often wear clothes in a similar style, so logically there shouldn’t have been a problem. So he probed further, “Can you describe how you felt after putting on the dress?”
This time, Tian Luxin was indeed stumped. It was obvious she had a little secret she couldn’t speak of. She hesitated, then finally, silently bent her arm and gestured with her eyes for Zhuang Ningyu to feel her biceps.
Yi Ke beat him to it, pressing her strong muscles with two fingers and nodding in praise, “Good work.”
Tian Luxin lowered her arm and confessed, a little embarrassed, “I started working out in my freshman year. After graduating from university, I originally wanted to be a fitness blogger, but my boss said my muscle definition was average, and the company wasn’t lacking in cute-faced fitness bloggers at the moment. He insisted I switch to a cute persona. I do look a bit like a ‘King Kong Barbie’ in a slip dress, it’s not good-looking. Those photos online with slender arms and legs are purely thanks to Photoshop.”
Zhuang Ningyu nodded. “If that’s the case, then the logic makes sense. Your persona not only deceived netizens but also deceived the rules. But it’s okay. You being unqualified means they’ll have to find a new, qualified female lead.”
In other words, the rule zone would open again.
Outside the white mist.
“Report! There’s another new hiring notice!”
The action leader of District Three, named Qiu Meng, looked at the third hiring notice, letting despair flood the world like a surging tide. How should he put it? As he had wished, this damn place was finally no longer hiring male promoters. But was a female poster model any easier to find? Of course, District Three had female team members, but none who were “highly attractive, with long curly hair, a sweet smile, and fair skin.” And on top of that, “a slender figure, long limbs, a strong sense of camera presence, and a good foundation in dance.” The dance foundation was just too much to ask. Could they substitute it with a martial arts foundation instead?
As the famously entertainment-challenged detachment in the city, Qiu Meng knew full well his subordinates couldn’t even do a proper Yangge dance. With no other options, he could only turn to his superiors for help again. The Order Maintenance Department issued an emergency notice: all female team members, as long as they met one of the hiring conditions and were free, should come and try out. The result, unsurprisingly, was that they were all rejected.
The rules may have learned from the failure with Tian Luxin. This time, they placed a smart scale directly at the entrance, and someone who trained regularly and was full of muscle couldn’t possibly be “light and delicate.” The deputy captain of District Two, named Zhou Meng, had just had gastrointestinal surgery a while ago. In the hospital, she had been eating erratically and was now pale and slender, feeling like she could faint and ascend to heaven at any moment. So, against her family’s wishes, she insisted on coming to try. The result—
“Beep, weight unqualified.”
“…”
Such harsh beauty standards!
The only other option left was to recruit volunteers from the entire city.
After the message was sent out, countless application forms were quickly received. Among them was an applicant named Wen Yue. Just from her appearance, she indeed met the recruitment requirements 100%. She sat in the interview office and said, word for word, “My sister was also a victim of the bar poisoning case five years ago.”
Wen Yue’s sister was named Wen Ling. It was actually her first time ever going to a bar with new friends, but she never made it home, leaving only a smoke-and-dust-covered photo in the police database. The fire had burned her dress, and the poison had taken her life. At the time, the person from the Wen family responsible for identifying the body was Wen Yue. She had remained calm throughout the whole process, but it was only an “act” of being calm. Her sister’s face, etched with pain, had, in countless nights, poked thousands of holes in the younger sister’s world as well.
“I have quick reflexes and I’m brave. If I can enter the rule zone, I definitely won’t drag anyone down,” Wen Yue raised her hand and promised.
“Alright,” the staff member closed the folder. “After you finish the tests, if everything is qualified, we will send you into the rule zone.”
In the bar, the red lights and green wine were the same as last night. Back in his comfort zone, Yi Ke was like a fish in water. Zhuang Ningyu felt he wasn’t really needed here, so he picked up his thermos and was about to leave, but was hooked by the collar from behind. Zhuang Ningyu turned his head, looked at the familiar, triumphant expression of someone who had successfully stirred up trouble on Yi Ke’s face, and calmly reminded him, “Let go.”
Yi Ke pushed his luck, rubbing a small patch of warm skin on his neck with the back of his fingers. “I won’t.”
You’re the one who wouldn’t let go. Zhuang Ningyu’s gaze drifted, casually locking onto a wealthy-looking female customer. He opened his mouth and said, “Sister, save me.”
Yi Ke’s eyes widened. He covered his mouth, dragged him away from the booth, found the most secluded sofa, and pushed him down, sour with jealousy. “Who are you calling? You sit here obediently!”
Zhuang Ningyu reminded him, “There are no sales to be made sitting here.”
Yi Ke pressed down on his shoulders, stubbornly refusing to let go. “What sales do you need? All my sales are yours!”
Zhuang Ningyu was very principled. He didn’t need it. They could just split it fifty-fifty.
Only then did Yi Ke let go. He looked like he had a million things to say, but in the end, he didn’t say a single one. Instead, he got himself all red in the face, his ears burning hot. His retreating figure was practically a panicked escape.
Zhuang Ningyu had never expected this person to be so innocent. He was so shocked that he couldn’t come to his senses for a long time.
He had originally wanted to use this time to call Huo Ting, but he just couldn’t recover. To make matters worse, A’Lin came to add to the chaos, specifically coming up to the second floor to ask, “Why are you sitting here spacing out all by yourself? It took me forever to find you, let alone a customer. Don’t you want your sales?”
Zhuang Ningyu was already annoyed, and his nagging made him even more so. So he gave a perfunctory reply, “Because I want to enrich my persona, from a pure little white flower to a little white flower burdened with the heavy pressures of life and full of worries. Do you have anything else to say?”
A’Lin sincerely gave a thumbs-up. Alright, I told you no one could outsell you. I have nothing else to say, I’m leaving now.
In the very center of the crowd, Yi Ke held a wine glass, chatting with a customer. The chaotic scene from just now was gone without a trace. He now looked like a passionate fire, like a dark red flower. His deep eyes were always affectionate, his smile charming and handsome. When talking, because of his height, he would often take the initiative to lean down.
What a textbook-standard playboy.
Zhuang Ningyu retracted his gaze and sat on the sofa thinking for a long time about what was so lethal about the word “sister” to a social butterfly in such a decadent world. Or was “sister” actually very normal, and what was abnormal was the train of thought Yi Ke had gone on? At this thought, Zhuang Ningyu immediately felt it was better not to analyze it, or the one who would want to die would probably be him.
That night, Yi Ke moved freely among the red lights and green wine, selling over three hundred thousand worth of alcohol. He split half of the commission with Zhuang Ningyu as agreed, which made A’Lin envious again. He remarked that his tragic little white flower route was indeed effective. Even if it couldn’t fool the customers, it could fool his colleagues. Either way, he wouldn’t lose out.
Zhuang Ningyu: “Want me to split the persona with you?”
A’Lin: “But I don’t have your natural ‘green tea’ skills.”
Zhuang Ningyu: “…”
I’ll just take that as a compliment.
Back at the dormitory, he saw that Yi Ke was already waiting at his door, holding a first-aid kit.
Zhuang Ningyu said, “I’ve brought enough medicine this time.”
“An upgraded version that Dean Pei found for you, just sent back from abroad.” Yi Ke stepped aside. “Open the door first.”
People were coming and going in the corridor, so it wasn’t convenient to talk there. Zhuang Ningyu swiped his card to open the door. “Have you received the latest work file?”
“This time’s volunteer is the younger sister of one of the bar’s victims. Her appearance is the same type as Tian Luxin’s. All her test results are fully qualified. She’ll be coming to the rule zone tomorrow.” Yi Ke took out the ointment. He had already read the instructions beforehand and had even carefully circled the usage and dosage. “Try it first. If it’s uncomfortable, we can switch back.”
The new medicine had a strong, bitter mint smell. Zhuang Ningyu sat on the sofa. “Why the sudden change in medicine?”
Yi Ke knelt on one knee and rolled up his pant leg. “The new medicine has reduced skin irritation, you’ll feel better.” He skillfully removed the old bandage, applied the new medicine, and massaged it in, his fingers inadvertently brushing over the suture scar. The newly grown flesh was still a bit itchy, and even if it wasn’t, the posture was just too intimate.
A small sense of discomfort crept up Zhuang Ningyu’s back. He wanted to pull his leg back and send the person away to sleep, but Yi Ke refused to let go. He didn’t speak, just kept his head down, caressing the scar with his thumb over and over.
The room was so quiet you couldn’t hear a thing.
This state was clearly abnormal, but Zhuang Ningyu couldn’t quite put his finger on what was abnormal. After observing for a long time, he finally, cautiously and in disbelief, probed, “You… uh, you’re not crying, are you?”
The moment his voice fell, a teardrop unexpectedly splashed onto the surface of the scar, carrying an unprecedentedly strange warmth. Zhuang Ningyu sucked in a cold breath, almost falling to his knees in front of this ancestor on the spot.
But Yi Ke had already pressed forward, his arms wrapped tightly around his waist, his whole face buried in his chest. With a nasal voice tinged with a hint of heartache, grievance, frustration, and anger, he blurted out, “Don’t you ever casually call anyone else ‘sister’ again.”
Zhuang Ningyu leaned his upper body back tactically, completely at a loss as to how to deal with this colossal mess he had personally stirred up. In the end, he could only raise his hand for a slap. “Get up!”
Yi Ke shook his head vigorously, his voice muffled. “I won’t.”
