I can honestly admit to that point, I had seen it, and I even wanted to run away with this letter. But I didn't. That guy named Leng Yan had provoked me, and I had to find him, capture him, and point at his nose saying that killing me was the biggest mistake you'd ever make.
If I hadn't seen the letter, everything I said would hold true. I wouldn't have been drinking, someone had first stunned me with an electric shock, injected me with a small amount of anesthetic and alcohol, and then turned on the gas to try and kill me.
If I admitted to seeing the letter, no one would believe I hadn't been drinking. Some might even think I was talking nonsense to cover up for Lao Tie.
So I answered forcefully.
"No."
"That's a good answer."
Wang Zeyì had seen through everything long ago, and his reply was double-edged. I didn't care and continued the act, "Can I see the letter?"
"Sure, after you've recovered."
"Thank you, Group Leader Wang. We should have been eating Peking duck at Quanjude and drinking together. But you had to come all the way to the hospital in the middle of the night."
"We still need to eat duck."
"Group Leader Wang, I don't want to leave. I'll eat duck with you after I catch Leng Yan."
Hearing me say this, Wang Zeyì's eyes lit up, "Do you have confidence you'll find him?"
"It's not a matter of confidence, I *have* to find him."
"After you're discharged, the Criminal Investigation Bureau will cooperate with your work."
"No, absolutely not!"
How could I let the Criminal Investigation Bureau people work under me? I'm just an ordinary citizen. It would be putting the cart before the horse.
Wang Zeyì, cunning as he was, chuckled, "I'll leave for now. Recover soon."
...
After Wang Zeyì left, I hastily shoved the piece of pastry Lao Gui had left me into my mouth and closed my eyes, forcing myself to sleep. I don't know if I fell asleep or not, but a voice reached my ears: "When you get to the underworld, ask Liu Chenxi." I suddenly opened my eyes and grabbed the hand near me, only to have it slapped away. The person snapped at me angrily, "What are you trying to be a pervert for?"
Only then did I realize it was a nurse changing my dressing. Embarrassed, I could only grin, "Nurse, when can I be discharged?"
"It'll take a few days."
"I want to be discharged tomorrow morning."
"The doctor won't agree."
"He will. I have no money."
...
The next day, I, dragging my weakened body, checked out of the hotel and returned to the dormitory building Lao Tie had rented. I contacted the landlord and paid for another quarter's rent. The landlord didn't say much. The police had been here yesterday, and if I had truly moved out, it would have been difficult to rent the place. This was his loss.
After settling in, I rested for a while. When it was time for lunch, I began wandering around the dormitory building. Some families were cooking, and the aroma was enticing. I walked towards them, but felt a little disappointed when I saw who was cooking. Just then, I saw someone downstairs wearing the uniform of a Zha Jiang Mian restaurant. He was carrying a lunchbox and went up to the fourth floor of the opposite building. I focused on the room the delivery person went into and memorized its location.
The dormitory building was convenient. I went up to the fourth floor, walked along the circular corridor, and knocked on the door. As expected, Lao Gui opened it.
"Surprised? Shocked?"
Lao Gui had only left me a simple message: he told me to tell the police that a neighbor had saved me. So, I guessed Lao Gui must also live in this dormitory building. I was right and proudly showed off to Lao Gui.
"Come in. The noodles will get soggy if you don't eat them soon."
This single sentence hit me hard. It felt like all my cleverness was worthless in front of Lao Gui. I thought I had found him, but it turned out I was led here. He had even calculated the timing and prepared noodles for me.
The room was about the same size as Lao Tie's. The furniture was simpler: just a dining table and a single bed. The bed was covered with a blue and white striped sheet. Beside the bed were a pair of bright red slippers, a washbasin, and a toothbrush mug. Other than that, there were just dirty white walls. There was only one stool in front of the dining table. Lao Gui sat on the bed eating noodles, while I sat on the stool, dejectedly eating mine. I couldn't deny it, Lao Gui was a foodie. This Zha Jiang Mian was the best I'd ever had in Beijing.
Lao Gui ate quickly, slurping down a bowl of noodles. He patted his plump belly, "I'm not full!"
Hearing this, I suddenly realized, "You've got a big appetite. You ordered two bowls of noodles for yourself. You found me on purpose to dampen my spirit, didn't you?"
"Guess?"
I couldn't guess. Who knew what Lao Gui's hidden intentions were? Or if he was just pretending to be a master strategist. Perhaps that was his brilliance, making him unfathomable. My noodles were almost gone, so I decided to get straight to the point, "You said you wanted me to help you catch Leng Yan. How do we do it?"
"Find him, not catch."
"Okay, how do we find him?"
"Have you ever been in an online relationship?"
Hearing the words "online relationship," I was slightly taken aback. It was unfamiliar, but I understood.
"No."
I answered truthfully, only to be met with Lao Gui's merciless laughter. He said, "You, a young kid with a childish face, are even more outdated than an old man like me in this era."
"What does finding Leng Yan have to do with online relationships?"
"If you don't even understand online relationships, how can you be a schemer?"
This made me even angrier, "Some schemers make money, some seek revenge, I've even met murderers, but I've never heard that a schemer needs to know how to have an online relationship."
"Don't define schemers like they do on forums. Based on your experience, a schemer is equivalent to a swindler or a killer. You have too one-sided an understanding of the word 'schemer.' Schemers must be at the forefront of the times. And online romance is something the younger generation must experience as they grow up; it's a symbol of the times. The romance of the past was filling elegant stationery in an old envelope with poetry. The romance of the past was beautiful words read out by a radio host. But times have changed, and the spiritual nourishment young people pursue has evolved."
"What is the spiritual nourishment that young people pursue now?"
"I dance lightly, in the midst of the crowd. Your gaze, whether surprised or admiring, never disrupts my dance steps. Because what elevates me isn't your gaze, but my young heart."
This sentence had a certain artistic flair, but it gave me goosebumps. Coming from a bearded uncle, and seeing his contented expression, it was truly impactful.
"What is this?"
"It's from an online novel, and it pioneered online romance for young people."
I was stunned. I said seriously, "Lao Gui, if you can't find a wife, I'll find someone to introduce you. There's no need to lose yourself in the internet. Do you want me to find a mirror so you can see what you look like?"
Lao Gui didn't care at all and chuckled, "What if Leng Yan is among those lost people?"
"Leng Yan is into online romance?"
"Yes. In 1998, a youth idol drama was aired on television. The male and female leads met online. Ever since that drama aired, many people have believed that love exists online, and many believe that the person on the other end of the virtual network is their dream lover."
I roughly understood. Leng Yan was someone's dream lover online.
"What is Leng Yan's purpose in being someone's online lover?"
"Find out yourself?"
"What?"
Lao Gui took out two stacks of documents from under his pillow and said seriously, "I've laid the groundwork for two months. The other party wants to meet soon. If I meet them in person like this, it will greatly diminish the impact. You go, but you must memorize these documents. Through these two people, you can find Leng Yan.
These two stacks of documents are about two women. The first few pages are personal information. The first is a native Beijinger, married at thirty, with a four-year-old child. This woman, named Zhang Xue, often argued with her husband about their child. So, under the pretext of work, she moved into a separate apartment near her workplace, leaving the child with her mother-in-law. Her husband didn't seem to care about this obvious act of defiance. Zhang Xue, who was waiting for her husband to persuade her to come home, became disheartened and felt her marriage was over. Thus, Lao Gui seized the opportunity, became friends with her on QQ, and started intimate chats for two months.
The other woman's English name is Carrie, and her Chinese name is Li Xiaonan. She's a returnee, very avant-garde, lives alone, and is compassionate. After obtaining her contact information on QQ, Lao Gui directly talked about his girlfriend eloping with someone else, playing the role of the jilted party to gain Carrie's sympathy. Then, over two months, he constantly studied Carrie's hobbies and preferred ways of chatting. This woman who requested a video call is Carrie.
After reading the information about these two women, I felt completely lost. I was very puzzled. Lao Gui, who had vowed to find the long-tongued ghost, spent so much time just to deceive two women emotionally.
Is a schemer, rumored and talked about in the underworld, an emotional cheat?