Chapter 55: Chengnan Bookstore 2
A total of about fifty members participated in this book club event. Even on the second floor of the new wing, it seemed a bit crowded at first glance. It was rare for Jincheng to have such a warm, sunny day in winter. Yi Ke dragged a beanbag chair to the floor-to-ceiling window so that Zhuang Ningyu could comfortably sun his legs. A volunteer came over with a tray and greeted them with a smile, “Teacher Zhuang, Brother Yi, what would you like to drink?”
Yi Ke ordered a glass of iced water for himself. As for Zhuang Ningyu, because he had been coughing recently and was diagnosed by an old Chinese medicine doctor with having caught a chill after running without keeping warm, he had temporarily lost the privilege of drinking beverages. Yi Ke’s large backpack was filled with five rattling thermos flasks, containing some kind of magical concoctions. He unscrewed one, and a strong smell of ginger wafted out. He unscrewed another, and it was terribly bitter. Zhuang Ningyu pressed his lips tightly together. “I’m not thirsty, really.”
Yi Ke took a sip from the cup and held it to his lips again. “How is it bitter? You haven’t had any water for two hours. Be good.”
Zhuang Ningyu was holding the excerpt he was going to read aloud later. Before he could protest, he was force-fed half a cup of something that tasted like seasoned water. The bitterness of Dostoevsky immediately extended from the spiritual realm to reality. A layer of fine sweat broke out on the back of his neck, and he held his breath for a long time, unable to speak.
Yi Ke reached into the back of his collar to feel, then stood up, lifted him and the chair together, and moved them to a place less directly under the sun to prevent him from getting too hot and catching a chill from sweating later. The other book club members were still busy collecting their reading cards, crowding noisily around the event table. Not many people noticed what was happening over here, except for Fu Han. He was sitting on a sofa in the opposite corner, a few excerpt cards clipped between his slender fingers. It was a dialogue from The Brothers Karamazov—”…In short, I’m doing it for a reward. I demand my reward at once, that is, praise and love for love. Otherwise, I’m incapable of loving anyone.”
“Love for humanity, but not for a specific person.” Fu Han’s gaze swept over the excerpt card. After reciting it silently, he shook his head to himself. If one only looked at the superficial meaning without exploring its deeper implications, his current situation seemed to be the exact opposite of this statement. He loathed almost all of humanity, but loved only one specific person.
Before the event began, people would occasionally come up to Zhuang Ningyu for a photo. As the former sole designated mascot of the Order Maintenance Department, he had indeed achieved the status of being “deeply loved by the masses.” As soon as he was transferred to the 15th District Dispute Resolution Department, the previously ignored social media account of the sub-district office instantly gained tens of thousands of followers. Before clocking out, the colleague in charge of new media timidly came to ask, “Director Zhuang, netizens are saying tomorrow is International Seal Day. Since it’s a holiday, could you record a blessing video for everyone?”
Zhuang Ningyu vehemently refused.
However, he wasn’t too averse to this kind of offline photo opportunity, mainly because he was already there. Yi Ke also showed extremely rare tolerance in this regard, even proactively helping to press the camera button. It was just that love and non-love were very obvious. In every photo, Zhuang Ningyu was captured by him like a neoclassical oil painting—serene, pure, with a soft halo of light. The well-being of the person in the photo with him, however, was not considered at all. Eyes were closed, hair was being fixed; the error rate was as high as eighty percent. As a result, he quickly lost his photography business and could only drag his sofa to the other side, grumbling and whining.
Of course, this grumbling and whining was only perceptible to Zhuang Ningyu. In the eyes of others, he still maintained his aloof and unapproachable persona, leaning back lazily, flipping through the book in his hand intermittently. At this moment, another group of female readers came up the stairs. One of them, dressed in a well-fitting Dior suit with long hair draped over her shoulders, was very beautiful. She pursed her bright red lips and walked over to greet, “President Fu.”
Fu Han glanced up at her, his brow slightly furrowed, as if he didn’t recognize her. The woman smiled and introduced herself, “Ni Ruiling. I used to work at the Baihuagu International Golf Club and have received you before.”
Fu Han withdrew his gaze. “I’m not interested in golf.”
A bodyguard stepped forward and politely asked her to leave. Bringing bodyguards to such an event made it difficult not to attract attention, so many people noticed the commotion. Superficially, it could be roughly understood as a beautiful woman’s failed attempt to hit on a rich second-generation heir. For a moment, everyone’s inner thoughts were quite colorful. But the female protagonist of the incident didn’t seem to feel awkward at all. She sat on a high stool with her apple juice, one hand supporting her head, biting a straw. The water in her cup quickly went down by more than half.
Seeing that Zhuang Ningyu’s attention had also been drawn over, Yi Ke provided a running commentary, “She’s just pretending to be unfazed.”
“Who, that lady?” Zhuang Ningyu turned to look at him. “Why?”
“It’s a concocted apple juice, sickeningly sweet.” Yi Ke had been sipping the colored water for a while, and his tongue still hadn’t recovered. “The straw is stuck all the way to the bottom. That sip she took was all undissolved syrup. To be able to drink that without a change in expression, either she has no sense of taste, or she has something on her mind and is feigning composure.”
While they were talking, Ni Ruiling had already finished the water in her cup in one go. The man next to her probably wanted to take advantage of the beautiful woman’s rejection by the wealthy man and her inner disappointment to make a move. But before he could even strike up a conversation, she glared him away, leaving him to feel snubbed.
The event started nearly forty minutes later than planned. There was no helping it; everyone was unfamiliar with the place. A large number of people couldn’t find the parking lot, took the wrong subway, or couldn’t find the main entrance. Fortunately, the rest weren’t in a hurry. They could read books and take photos while waiting. Yi Ke would occasionally stick his hand into the back of Zhuang Ningyu’s collar to feel, and only when he was sure his sweat had dried and his back was warm again, no longer damp and cold like yesterday, did he say with satisfaction, “See, I told you to drink water properly. Here, drink this too.”
Zhuang Ningyu was in misery, his whole stomach was “clanging.”
The book club’s founder, Liu Qijing, lowered the music, and the event officially began. The theme of this book club was Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov. There were only five sofas, and the high stools were uncomfortable, so the vast majority of readers sat on the carpet. Yi Ke stood beside Zhuang Ningyu. After Sister Jing introduced the main content of the two books, it was time for the reading session. Although Fu Han held an excerpt card, he did not participate. His attention was not on Russian literature; his gaze, intentionally or unintentionally, was always on Yi Ke’s hand resting on Zhuang Ningyu’s neck.
Ni Ruiling stood in the center of the crowd and finished reading the last sentence, “…When the great bell tolls, everyone will reveal their true form.”
“Dong—” In the church not far away, a bell really did ring.
“Whoa, are you ready to reveal your true form?” someone joked.
Laughter spread, and everyone made a few jokes. The next reader was about to read their part when they suddenly felt their vision blur.
Zhuang Ningyu was the first to react, wanting to lead everyone away, but a boundless fog had already risen and spread from all directions.
“Everyone sit still and don’t move!”
…
Half an hour later, the Order Maintenance Department dispatched a large number of vehicles, heading all the way to Qinghu Art Park.
“Director Huo, a total of fifty-six people are trapped in this rule zone. Among them are two members of the Order Maintenance Department, Yi Ke and Dong Xiang from the 4th District’s 5th Squad. Captain Zhuang is also inside. In addition, there is Fu Han, the Vice President of the Fu Corporation, and his two bodyguards.”
…
Outside the window, a storm raged. The bright sunshine from before seemed like a dream, or perhaps, this was the dream. The wind howled and poured through the windows. Thanks to the rules education they had received since childhood, everyone did not appear overly panicked, just nervously holding the hands of those next to them.
“Bang, bang,” the windows slammed against the wall again and again. The glass soon shattered. The originally artistic decor became dilapidated and mottled after the white fog dissipated. An older book club member said with a trembling voice, “Is this… is this the Zeus Grand Hotel?”
The Zeus Grand Hotel was a famous unfinished building in Jincheng and the origin of various urban legends. It was later demolished by the government to make way for the current Qinghu Art Park. Zhuang Ningyu called the colleague in charge of this operation. “Can you get in?”
“We’ve already arrived at the Chengnan Bookstore,” the colleague from the Order Maintenance Department said, looking at the empty second floor and the scattered excerpt cards on the ground, feeling a headache coming on. “It seems… we can’t get in for now.”
Yi Ke reminded him in a low voice, “Someone’s here.”
Zhuang Ningyu hung up the phone.
Sure enough, heavy footsteps came from outside the door, from far to near.
The place where everyone was currently located was an empty circular hall, surrounded by tall Roman columns. The window glass was shattered, truly living up to its name as an unfinished building. Dong Xiang from the 5th Squad was also an experienced old team member. He quickly organized all the readers together, drew a laser gun from his waist, and stood guard at the door with Yi Ke, one on the left and one on the right.
“Thump!” A huge foot stepped in, splashing dust.
“Thump!” Another big foot.
A monster in a tuxedo appeared before everyone. The moment they saw him, Zhuang Ningyu and Yi Ke both felt a sense of déjà vu, as if they had seen him somewhere before. Fu Han’s brow also furrowed. The monster’s gaze swept over everyone and finally rested on Ni Ruiling. Her red dress was too eye-catching, and paired with her striking features, she could be considered the “leading lady” of the scene. Without a word, the monster reached out to grab her. Ni Ruiling was no longer pestering Fu Han now. She clearly knew who the real powerhouse was in a rule zone. With a scream, she hid behind Zhuang Ningyu.
The monster followed, its target very clear.
Zhuang Ningyu tilted his head. “You know him?”
Ni Ruiling gritted her teeth. “Of course not.”
“But he’s coming for you,” Zhuang Ningyu said. “If you’re willing to go with him, I will stay by your side and ensure your safety.”
Ni Ruiling refused flatly, “I’m not willing.”
Zhuang Ningyu didn’t speak, but when the monster’s hand reached out to grab again, he agilely dodged far away. Ni Ruiling was unexpectedly exposed. It was too late to run again. She was clamped by the monster and struggled in the air, cursing, “Believe it or not, I’ll file a complaint against you!”
Zhuang Ningyu spread his hands. “I’m no longer in the Order Maintenance Department.”
Ni Ruiling: “…”
“Relax. You have to cooperate with him for us to get out,” Zhuang Ningyu took another laser gun from Yi Ke’s hand. “If I were you, I would stop struggling and save my strength.”
The monster carried Ni Ruiling out the door.
Yi Ke stopped Zhuang Ningyu. “I’ll go.”
“…Be safe,” Zhuang Ningyu urged.
Every rule zone is a story. Only by letting the plot advance and triggering the rules as soon as possible can one find the “mystery’s solution.” This was a fundamental principle written in elementary school textbooks. Ni Ruiling had the face of a top student and logically shouldn’t have been unaware of this, but she was extremely uncooperative. Yi Ke had just stepped out the door and hadn’t even gotten a clear look when a dagger was plunged deep into the top of the monster’s head!
“Aargh!” Blood plasma gushed out, and the monster let out a heaven-shattering roar. Ni Ruiling took the opportunity to slide out of its arms, kicked off her high heels, and ran back to the front hall. Her face and hands were stained with blood. As she brushed past Zhuang Ningyu, she gave him a fierce glare. The sound of “thumps” came from the hallway. The monster was rampaging aimlessly. It staggered towards the other end of the fog-shrouded corridor. Yi Ke followed closely, but was stopped short when the other creature suddenly turned around, grabbed his arms tightly with both hands, and with a lift and a throw—
Zhuang Ningyu caught Yi Ke as he tumbled to the ground.
In the next second, the monster had disappeared into the depths of the white fog.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Yi Ke shook his head. “I’m fine.”
When the two returned to the front hall, everyone’s mood was clearly much more tense than before, partly because of the monster’s appearance, and partly because of the blood-drenched Ni Ruiling. Everyone wanted to say that she should have cooperated with the monster, but they were all angry and dared not speak, except for Fu Han. He said, “If you don’t cooperate, none of us can get out.”
“I am not responsible for everyone,” Ni Ruiling said, wiping her hands. “I am only responsible for myself.”
“But if you do this, you won’t be able to get out either,” a small complaint came from the crowd.
Ni Ruiling turned and gave her a cold glance. It was a college student with a ponytail who clearly hadn’t experienced much in life. She quickly shrank back.
The monster did not reappear.
The rules did not appear either.
The wind was still howling. Zhuang Ningyu said, “It’s too cold here. Everyone find a place to shelter from the wind for now.”
Yi Ke took off his own coat and wrapped it around him. The investigation team had already sent over the detailed information and engineering drawings of the Zeus Grand Hotel. The building had a total of four floors. The location where everyone was currently was the reception hall on the first floor. According to the advertising slogans at the time, this place was to be the most luxurious wedding venue in Jincheng in the future.
It was just a pity that halfway through construction, the developer’s capital chain broke, and they ran away. The person is currently still in prison.
“Have there been any murders?” Zhuang Ningyu asked.
The investigator replied, “Yes, and more than one. The construction of the Zeus Grand Hotel began fifteen years ago. During the foundation work, a collapse caused the death of three workers. Halfway through construction, the developer went bankrupt and fled with the money. A victim of the fraud kidnapped his illegitimate son and created a sensational kidnapping and arson case in the warehouse area. Later, a young adventurer who accidentally fell from a height, a homeless person, and two suicide victims also died there. It wasn’t until the government saw that it couldn’t be saved that they demolished it and built the Qinghu Art Park.”
It really was a “treasure land.” Zhuang Ningyu rubbed his temples. “Organize the information and send it to me as soon as possible. Also, check if this person in the photo has any connection to the Zeus Grand Hotel. The monster appeared briefly just now, and its target seemed extremely clear. I suspect they know each other.”
Yi Ke uploaded Ni Ruiling’s photo to the system. This time, it was captured quite clearly—a great beauty with fiery red lips, with all the necessary details. Liu Qijing had a list of all the participants on her phone. She pointed out the name to Yi Ke and said in a low voice, “She just signed up yesterday. We’re not familiar with her.”
The crowd huddled together in groups of two and three. Only Ni Ruiling was left alone. She had already cleaned her hands, and with a hairpin in her mouth, she had her hair up in a bun in a few swift movements. Someone whispered, “My god, is this sister a secret agent?”
Zhuang Ningyu warned in advance, “Don’t cause trouble.”
Yi Ke snorted from his nose. “…Go on, go on.”
Fu Han had been protected behind his two bodyguards the whole time. Seeing Zhuang Ningyu approach, the bodyguards consciously made way and moved to the side.
“I don’t know her,” Fu Han knew his purpose and spoke directly. “Just now in the bookstore, she said her name was Ni Ruiling, she worked at the Baihuagu International Golf Club, and had received me before. That’s all.”
Zhuang Ningyu nodded. “Okay, thank you.”
Fu Han looked at the oversized coat on him. “I thought you were the same with everyone.”
Zhuang Ningyu had his hands in his pockets, holding a warm little egg yolk cookie. He answered without thinking, “He’s different. He’s made of jewels and rose petals.”
Fu Han found it hard to believe that the usually rational and self-possessed Zhuang Ningyu would evaluate someone so ridiculously. For a moment, he even suspected he was deaf. Zhuang Ningyu had already returned to Yi Ke’s side. Although the timing wasn’t quite right, he had indeed expressed some tender affection from the bottom of his heart. So he took out the only small cookie in his pocket. “You eat it.”
Yi Ke put it back for him. “I’m not hungry.”
Zhuang Ningyu sat down snugly next to him. Yi Ke, temporarily unaware that he had been upgraded to the Rose Jewel Prince, was still focused on his work. He held his phone up to him. “New from the investigation team, Ni Ruiling’s information.”
A native of Jincheng, thirty-two years old, had worked at several high-end golf clubs. She resigned five years ago and co-founded a beauty salon with a few friends. No criminal record. No direct connection to the Zeus Grand Hotel has been found so far.
Dong Xiang scrolled down the page. “Why are there only these two lines of text?”
Yi Ke said, “Either her experience is really that simple, or she has hidden it too well.”
Looking at everyone present, the only one who could possibly shake Ms. Ni’s secret agent heart was probably Fu Han. After all, for his sake, she had just downed a large cup of syrup-colored water without a change in expression. But this President Fu had always been famous for his self-discipline and disinterest in women. To ask him to use his charms to get information might be a little difficult.
Yi Ke: “Tsk.” Useless!
