Upon arriving in Guangzhou, I contacted Da Huang immediately. Da Huang had just gotten a lead: after arriving in Guangzhou, Lin Han had gone to a shop on Jade Street on Changshou Road.
Since I was here, we would act together.
This Jade Street on Changshou Road was said to have transaction records dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. But after I arrived here, it felt very crowded. The aisles between some shops were so narrow that two or three people meeting head-on had to turn sideways to get past.
...
We only knew that Lin Han had come to this market, but we didn't know specifically where she went. Da Huang and I could only hold up her photo and ask from shop to shop. Everyone shook their heads, saying they hadn't seen Lin Han.
Seeing that it was fruitless, Da Huang looked around, found a shopkeeper, and crisply stuffed 1000 yuan into his hand. Upon seeing the money, the shopkeeper told the truth. In fact, when we showed them the photo, they knew who we were looking for, but they chose not to say anything because they didn't want to get into trouble.
"Why would it cause trouble?" Da Huang asked unhappily.
"This girl has a very high standard. After arriving at the market, she pointed out that the jade in several shops was overpriced. The shopkeepers argued with her but couldn't win the argument. After that, no one was willing to show her anything. They felt she wasn't here to buy jade, but to stir up trouble."
"My sister can't afford your broken jade. Who are you looking down on? What, does having the words 'rich in history' mean you can't even speak? What are you showing off for? I'm from Beijing. When it comes to jade and antiques, how is my Ghost Street any worse?"
Da Huang had a bad temper and couldn't stand hearing Lin Han spoken of poorly. I quickly stopped him and asked the shopkeeper, "Even if she was here to stir up trouble, you didn't have to not tell us."
"If she were just here to stir up trouble, it would be fine. Later, the police came and asked if we recognized this woman. They said she was killed over a jade bracelet, she..."
Before the shopkeeper could finish, Da Huang grabbed him by the collar and pulled him close: "What did you say? My sister is dead!"
The shopkeeper was terrified: "I, I didn't know! What are you doing?"
...
Regarding this, I scoffed and stood up, saying, "I'll go buy some black tea. Are you still appeased?"
Then, I bought black tea and an ice cream and quietly returned. I heard Lin Han still praying: Almighty Turkish gods, bless me. Next time my husband angers me, I'll be able to replace his toothbrush water with toilet water without him noticing.
I held the ice cream and listened from behind, dumbfounded. Good heavens, this is my wife! She replaced my toothbrush water with toilet water. There was nothing I could do but eat an ice cream to calm my nerves.
"Mmm!"
After finishing, I coughed gently from behind. Lin Han turned around, her face unchanged, and said, "Almighty Turkish gods, my husband heard something he shouldn't have. Please make him forget."
"Lin Han, you've been discovered. There should be a price to pay."
"Okay, punish me. Let me go shopping with you."
Who was being punished? It was also on that day that I knew Lin Han wouldn't wear antiques. I saw a bracelet I liked, a traditional European-style silver bracelet. Lin Han didn't want it. She said antiques had an invisible energy and weren't suitable for young people to wear.
...
And this shopkeeper in front of me said Lin Han was killed over a jade bracelet. This was absolutely impossible. Suddenly lost in thought, I snapped back to reality. I slapped my forehead. Damn it, I'd forgotten this entirely. I'd even planned to give Lin Han a Qing Dynasty jade pendant I got at auction as a gift.
When I said this, Da Huang also came to his senses: "My sister's hands have always been bare. The only jewelry she wears is her wedding ring. Where would she have a jade bracelet?"
"Maybe I was mistaken."
The shopkeeper explained, not at all flustered.
Da Huang was very unhappy, but I remembered Da Huang's small movements when he repeatedly failed to get information. Those movements were very telling, as if he wanted to speak but didn't, his expression perfectly controlled, coy.
"Boss, what's your name?"
"Wang!"
"Full name?"
"Wang Fugui."
I nodded, took out my phone, and pressed the speakerphone, letting this Wang Fugui listen: "Ke Yingying, do you know someone named Wang Fugui?"
"No."
"Then good. Ke Yingying, listen carefully. This person is called Wang Fugui. He's a jade inlay craftsman in a small alley on Changshou Street, Guangzhou. He's not hard to find."
Ke Yingying chuckled: "Are you asking me to help you buy jade?"
"Kill this person."
"Why?"
"He's not telling the truth. My diamond membership has this service, right?"
"Yes, yes, yes. Don't worry, he won't live to see tomorrow."
After hanging up, I looked at the jade shop owner, whose face had turned pale, and asked with a smile, "Do you want to explain yourself, or are you indifferent to my threat?"
"I... I..."
Seeing his slight stammer: "So, you know of Ke Yingying."
"Yes."
"Who told you to mislead us?"
"Tang Nan, you're the sect leader of the Schemers, aren't you? When did the Schemers start exposing others' schemes by holding a knife to their throats?"
I snorted and sneered, "I've never been proud of being a successor of the Schemers. In my life, there are only two types of people: friends and enemies. I treat the former with sincerity, and the latter with any means necessary. My wife has been missing for several days. Don't think I can remain rational."
This Wang Fugui was probably scared by my words, or perhaps he knew Ke Yingying's methods.
"Speak, why did you lie to me?"
"I received a secret order to help Fast-Mouth Duck set up a scheme."
"So you're a tool of Fast-Mouth Duck. Which of the twelve tools are you?"
"Plum Blossom 5, Old Wang Next Door."
Plum Blossom. No wonder he could understand Da Huang's thoughts. Just by looking at his expressions and body language, he could lure Da Huang to this shop.
"Where is Fast-Mouth Duck?"
"I'll write the address down for you."
...
Before coming to Guangzhou, Ke Yingying had told me that although Fast-Mouth Duck didn't belong to any organization, forming an alliance with him wouldn't be easy. In fact, my appearance might even provoke Fast-Mouth Duck's killing intent.
This was because Fast-Mouth Duck adored his teacher, Mr. Li Jiu, and Fast-Mouth Duck had always believed that I was responsible for Li Jiu's death.