Тhe pаst соuрlе of days, Вrоther Long hirеd a pаrt-timе сlеаnеr to thorоughly tidy up his house in Chеngdu. Оnly аfter thе рlасe wаs sроtlеss did hе put uр the couрlеts and windоw decorаtions. Tоday, his еldеrlу раrеnts frоm Ganzi werе tаking the bus tо Сhеngdu to sрend а briеf reunion with him.
Аftеr a busу morning, he had just sаt down when he nоtiсеd his phоne screеn suddеnlу light up. Вауunуе sаid that thе mаstermind bеhind the disturbаnce аt the оrрhаnagе sitе а fеw years аgo was Song Fan, alоng with someonе named "*Нaоzhаng."
"Song Fаn..." Brother Long stared blankly out the window, lost in thought. After who knows how long, he slammed a fist hard onto the coffee table in front of the sofa, making a loud noise. The Jade-transformed Star-Moon Bracelet lying flat on the table was jolted by the impact and slid to the floor with a dull thud.
He couldn't help but recall a phone call he received a few days ago on his way back to Chengdu from Lao Ding, the owner of a car rental agency in Lhasa—
"Ah Long, that license plate number you gave me last time... it wasn't rented out from my place. I helped you check with other agencies. Three men rented that car to go to Yunnan. I'll send you their phone numbers in a bit. They appear to be from Beijing based on the area code, but the ID provided by the renter wasn't from Beijing."
"Has the car been returned?"
"Not yet. They drove it to Lijiang. The rental agency owner said one of the three looked like an experienced driver, haha."
"Which one?"
"Not sure about the name. He'd have to see the person to know."
Brother Long flattered, "Impressive, like Sherlock Holmes, able to spot an experienced driver at a glance."
"Don't talk nonsense. Those of us who've been on the road for years can tell who's experienced just by looking."
"There's one more thing I need to trouble you with. Help me ask that rental agency for a surveillance video clip showing all three of them."
"No problem. I'll send it to you as soon as I get it."
"By the way, do you know which hotel in Lhasa they stayed at?"
"The one right across from the rental agency... Yasang Inn."
"Thanks, Lao Ding. After the holidays, I'll come to Lhasa, and we'll go out for a drink."
Yesterday, several colleagues running inns in Lhasa helped him get the names of those three guests—Shi Song, Liu Fengtian, Li Haozhang.
Thinking of this, Brother Long picked up the bracelet, slowly moving the beads with his left hand, and sent a message to Bayunye.
"*Haozhang, surname Li. One of the people following you, currently possibly in Lijiang."
The old site was located halfway up a small hill. Although the iron railings were heavily rusted, it wasn't as dilapidated and messy as imagined. With red bricks and white walls, it had three floors in total. A small semicircular window in the attic even gave it a somewhat Western flair, completely different from the Dai-style buildings along the way.
"...Built by a German in the 1920s. After the victory in the War of Resistance, he seemed to have returned to his home country. I'm not sure how Grandma Ba managed to acquire the house. Don't let its age fool you—it's considered a dangerous building, but it looks quite sturdy to me." From afar, seeing that small Western-style house, Bayunye's gaze softened, like a mother leopard returning to her den after a long campaign, even with a glimmer of moisture in her eyes.
Diao Zhuo seemed to sense the comfort of the surroundings, relaxing as he stretched his shoulders. "A paradise away from the world."
She smiled. "Stay here for two days, and you'll find twenty years have passed when you return."
As they approached, they noticed someone up ahead.Bayunye's smile froze, and she went back into battle mode. Running over to look, she saw that the few troublemakers who had spray-painted yesterday were now obediently following her instructions to "restore" the walls and iron gate to their original state. The troublemakers knew all too well that they didn't want to suffer later on.
The man she had interrogated all night, seeing her actually come to "inspect," eagerly approached. But noticing the tall, imposing man standing beside her who looked even more intimidating, he warily took two steps back and forced a smile, promising to finish everything by the end of the day.
Bayunye couldn't be bothered with him. She snorted to acknowledge she'd heard him and led Diao Zhuo inside. Every corner of this old site held memories of her childhood. Here, she wasn't the top figure of the Eagle Club or the off-road team leader Master Ba. She was just an unfortunate child who had been cared for by kind-hearted people. Beneath her tough armor, her vulnerabilities all lay within this small Western-style house.
She sighed with emotion. "I once took a group of very wealthy guests and stayed with them at the most luxurious hotel in Lhasa. Another time, while leading a trip along the Xinjiang-Tibet route, I stayed at an inn where stepping outside meant facing towering mountains and rivers. But no matter where I stayed, it never felt as comfortable as when I lived here. I love this place so much... While others go home for the New Year, I come here. Even just a glance makes me feel like the old year has ended well and the new one has a good start."
Diao Zhuo looked around. The tables and chairs were old, covered in dust, with large water stains on the ceiling, moss growing in the corners, and grass sprouting in some places. After quietly listening to her speech, he nodded. "I like it here too."
"Flattery."
Diao Zhuo pulled her in front of him. "I'm not lying."
"Really like it?"
"Mhm."
Bayunye's laughter was swallowed by a kiss.
Noisy sounds came from outside, as if a fight had broken out. Bayunye and Diao Zhuo exchanged a glance and hurried out, only to see the troublemakers wrestling with someone.
"Mu Ye! Let go!" Recognizing the person, Bayunye rushed forward to break up the fight.
Mu Ye looked unusually angry. With his slight lip defect and naturally quiet demeanor, his face was now flushed red as he pointed at the troublemakers. "You caused trouble yesterday... and now you're back again today!!"
Bayunye glanced at what Mu Ye had brought—some paint and wall paint. So he had also come to "restore" the place. Every child who grew up here had a special affection for this place. Even if they had gone their separate ways, they still regarded it as an inviolable former home.
Not far away, Yuan Ye had also arrived. She didn't join the fight, just silently shed tears.
Looking at her younger brother and sister, Bayunye was moved. Emotions surged within her, and she pressed her lips together to hold them back, though her eyes turned slightly red. "Don't get worked up. They're not here to cause damage. Look—I told them to fix what they spray-painted yesterday."
Yuan Ye and Mu Ye relaxed, and the three of them hugged each other, just like when they played together as children, though their feelings were vastly different now.
The group went to the yard together. The rusty swing shed flakes of rust at the slightest touch, and waist-high wild grass had half-buried the seesaw. Several stone benches were covered in a thick layer of fallen leaves. Mu Ye silently took a knife and began cutting the wild grass, working diligently and earnestly. Even though he knew this place would likely never be used again, he was the only one among the children who came back every year to clean up the yard.Yuan Ye nudged Bayunye with her elbow, grinning as she gestured with her chin toward Diao Zhuo, who had taken off his jacket and was helping cut the grass. "Is this your brother-in-law? He's so handsome and manly, way better than those boys at our school who just show off playing basketball!"
Bayunye smiled innocently at that moment. "I thought you liked pretty boys and fresh-faced idols?"
"Ah, those... Their attractive looks can't hide their hollow souls."
"Very cultured," Bayunye praised.
"How are Brother Long and Hippo? It's been so long since I've had Brother Long's cooking," Yuan Ye said, looking eager as she tugged at Bayunye's arm.
"Hippo... let's not talk about him," Bayunye replied, lowering her voice to ask, "By the way, do you remember if Big Sister... had a computer?"
Yuan Ye looked confused and shook her head.
Bayunye sighed. Yuan Ye had been too young back then—how could she remember so much? Glancing at Mu Ye, she held even less hope. Mu Ye was younger than Yuan Ye, and whether he even had any memories of Big Sister was questionable.
Even so, she called out to Mu Ye and asked him. Mu Ye looked up at her, shook his head as well, then bent down to continue working.
A message from Brother Long diverted Bayunye's attention. She silently repeated the name "Li Haozhang," but she had no recollection of such a person at all. She snorted coldly, curling the fingers of her left hand while cracking the knuckles of her right hand with a series of pops. "If I'd known it was this guy following me back then, puncturing his tire would've been the least of his worries!" she muttered to herself.
Once the hooligans had cleaned off all the insulting words they had spray-painted, Bayunye didn't give them any more trouble. After threatening them fiercely a few times, she let them go. The group went into the city to grab a casual meal together. As they were about to say goodbye, Mu Ye suddenly tugged at Bayunye's sleeve. Understanding his meaning, she excused herself to go to the restroom and followed him to a secluded corner. Unexpectedly, Mu Ye told her that he knew the whereabouts of Ba Xiye's old computer. Grandma Ba had even instructed him when she was seriously ill that unless there was proof Ba Xiye wasn't the other woman, he must never bring it out.
"Is it with you?" Bayunye asked excitedly, grabbing Mu Ye's arm. "That's too dangerous for you!"
"Don't worry, it's not in my possession," Mu Ye said, then leaned in and whispered a few words in her ear.
She was shocked, biting her lower lip as if wrestling with a thousand conflicting thoughts.
Tomorrow was New Year's Eve. Hippo drove to the airport to pick up He Zhengren's son and brought him home. He Zhengren seemed very happy, and the father and son talked for quite a while. After Xiao He went to take a shower, Hippo came in and told He Zhengren that Li Haozhang had been exposed—not only had Bayunye found out he hired thugs to cause trouble at the orphanage, but Brother Long had also obtained surveillance footage of him picking up the car from the rental agency.
He Zhengren remained calm, as if he had long been mentally prepared, and nodded composedly. "Xiao Li is a rough man, straightforward in both mind and personality. He's not as sharp as Lao Zhang, Lao Song, or you."
"Aren't you afraid Brother Long will trace Li Haozhang back to you? Wouldn't Diao Zhuo recognize your driver?"
"Over the years, Xiao Li has only driven for me. I rarely had him do anything else, so not many people know him or have seen him, including Diao Zhuo. However, his exposure coincidentally shows that Bayunye has already developed a sense of resistance. Why does she suddenly feel she can stand tall now?—When you're in the right, you're bold. She must have some evidence in her hands that can prove Diao Jun didn't cheat with Xi Ye.""That car accident..." Hippo said doubtfully.
"The car accident was just an accident. There's no point talking about it now." He Zhengren shook his head gently. "Did Xiao Li find out who Bayunye met when she returned to Pu'er?"
"Besides those thugs who vandalized the orphanage, there were Diao Zhuo, Bayunye, and Bamuye. The latter two grew up with her in the same orphanage. I've heard her mention them a few times before—they're not important people and don't usually keep in touch with her. When her eldest sister passed away, those two were just a few years old. You don't need to worry about them."
He Zhengren sneered, "Diao Zhuo went too? He really can't stand being apart from her for even a moment now."
Hippo chuckled, as if recalling something, and said, "Counting the days, Diao Zhuo is the man I know who has stayed by her side the longest. I think they might really be each other's type."
"It's just temporary. They come from different backgrounds and have different levels of education. Their attraction is purely hormonal. Over time, their differing views, reactions, and ways of handling things will inevitably become irreconcilable conflicts between them. Just wait and see." He Zhengren showed little interest in their relationship and asked, "...Did she meet anyone else?"
"Mostly she was with Diao Zhuo." Hippo shrugged. "It's easy to guess—they don't get to see each other often. Diao Zhuo hasn't even returned to Xi'an. It's said he'll spend his entire vacation with her. Their relationship really is good. Maybe Master Ba, who always says she'll never marry, will make an exception for Diao Zhuo."
He Zhengren responded with a cold laugh. "In my opinion, you and Master Ba also had a pretty good relationship."
Hippo felt a bit awkward and forced a smile. "Although she's too impulsive, she's a real beauty... Sometimes I really miss her."
"Miss her? Then go back to her side."
The smile that often lingered on Hippo's face turned somewhat bitter.
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