Lao Qian was in the tourism service industry and had encountered all kinds of customers—some he forgot immediately after the meeting, and some who left a lasting impression.
Nie Jiuluo belonged to the latter category, but to be honest, he was one of those people he would probably only meet once in a lifetime. After three to five days, he would gradually forget and move on.
However, he didn’t expect this matter to have a follow-up.
About two weeks after Nie Jiuluo’s trip ended, Lao Qian had just finished his shift and was about to head home for dinner. Unexpectedly, his wife called him to say that her friend had booked a facial appointment for her and that she wouldn’t be able to cook dinner. She asked him to find a place to eat out.
Lao Qian went to a roadside eatery for dumplings. Eating alone was inevitably lonely, but fortunately, he had his phone for company. Due to work, he had joined several local groups, such as “Eating, Drinking, and Fun in Shihe” and “Tour Bus Family.” During busy times, he had notifications turned off, but during his free time, he actively engaged in discussions and looked for some fun.
While enjoying his meal, he noticed that one of the group chats had a sudden surge in messages. He clicked in to find group members excitedly typing the same phrase: “Let me earn those two thousand.”
What was going on? Lao Qian scrolled up through several pages before finding the source: someone had posted a photo, claiming that the person in the photo was missing in the Shihe area. Relatives and friends were offering a reward of two thousand for anyone who had seen him or could provide basic identifying information. Those who could offer useful clues would be rewarded extra.
Lao Qian was eager to earn that two thousand.
He opened the photo and, upon seeing it, was so excited that he dropped his dumpling into the vinegar dish, splattering vinegar on his face.
The man in the photo was none other than the person involved in illegal services—the “duck.”
It was surprising that he was missing, but it wasn’t entirely unexpected given the high risks associated with such work.
The photo included a contact number, and Lao Qian’s heart raced: although he didn’t know how Yan Tuo had gone missing and couldn’t provide useful clues, the two thousand was definitely within reach!
Having never received money like this before, Lao Qian was a bit nervous. He didn’t even finish the last half of his dumplings and quickly paid the bill. Once in the car, he rolled up the windows to create a relatively quiet environment, took a deep breath, and dialed the number.
It was as tense as a job interview.
Soon, someone answered on the other end. It was a man, sounding indifferent: “Who’s this?”
Lao Qian spoke clearly: “I saw your missing person notice…”
Before he could finish, the other side laughed dismissively. “You’ve seen him, huh? I get two hundred calls a day, all claiming to have seen him. So, since you’ve seen him, let me ask you: what brand of car did he drive?”
Lao Qian was taken aback, suddenly unsure: “Car? Didn’t he drive an SUV? The big car shell.”
There was a brief pause on the other end, and when the man spoke again, his tone was less flippant: “Buddy, considering your answer, the base reward is yours. I was just testing you. Don’t blame me; there are too many scammers.”
Lao Qian quickly replied, “I understand, I understand.”
“The SUV—what color was it?”
“White.”
The man responded with an “Mm”: “Did the car have any special features or decorations? Can you describe any of them?”
Lao Qian thought there weren’t any special features—just a valuable car. As for decorations…
He suddenly remembered: “There was a toy duck in the car.”
He almost added that it was a professional characteristic, but decided against it, thinking it might not be very reputable.
The man responded with another “Mm” and then asked, sounding a bit excited: “What day did you see him?”
Lao Qian calculated the days: “The 18th, yes, last month’s 18th.”
The man agreed readily: “Okay, come and collect your money.”
Two thousand for just talking? Lao Qian became cautious, worried the man might be a scammer. However, upon hearing the meeting address—a café on the first floor of a department store in the city center, right across from the police station—he felt reassured. It was too safe a place for any tricks.
In a booth in the corner of the café, Lao Qian met the person who had been waiting for him.
She was a young woman of medium height, slender, and had an ordinary appearance. Her health didn’t seem very good; she looked pale, and her hair was slightly yellowish. The only commendable feature on her was her hands—delicate and fair, like scallions.
She must have known how attractive her hands were, as she had invested heavily in them: her nails were polished smooth and glossy, with a silver-colored nail art featuring flecks of gold. On her wrist was a gold chain with irregular, tiny gold particles, cut into multiple facets, causing the chain to shimmer and sparkle like a ring of stars on her wrist.
Lao Qian thought her hands seemed a bit out of place compared to the rest of her appearance, making her overall look seem duller.
She showed her ID and business card, introducing herself as Lin Ling, an office assistant at a Chinese medicine distribution company, and Yan Tuo was the company’s principal.
In other words, the boss was missing, and in addition to reporting to the police, some employees had stopped their work to help look for clues. According to her, the person who answered the phone was also a company colleague, responsible for filtering out false information and forwarding genuine and valuable leads to her.
As she spoke, she adjusted her phone to video mode with a supporting stand, positioning it to ensure that Lao Qian’s upper body was fully in the frame.
Lao Qian found it hard to believe: “This Yan Tuo… is the company boss? Is he wealthy?”
Lin Ling replied, “Of course, he was born into money and has never experienced poverty.”
Lao Qian understood: He was a wealthy second-generation individual, not the kind to squander his wealth.
“So, what does he do?”
Lin Ling glanced at him: “What do you mean by ‘what does he do’?”
Lao Qian hesitated for a moment, wanting to shield the company boss’s reputation. But then he thought, since the person was already missing, there was no need for modesty. He decided to be honest.
He phrased it as delicately as possible: “He was involved in… the adult services industry.”
Lin Ling maintained a business-like demeanor: “That’s the boss’s private matter, we don’t interfere. Just give a detailed account of what you saw, and besides the two thousand, we’ll offer additional compensation based on the value.”
Seeing the potential for extra earnings, Lao Qian was excited. Knowing he was being recorded, he straightened his posture, tried to present himself well, and recounted his experience.
As a driver, he was good with words and described the situation clearly. Lin Ling listened attentively, hardly interrupting, only asking at the end: “Does this Miss Nie have contact details or basic information?”
Lao Qian replied, “You already know her name. You can search for her online. She’s quite well-known, has organized exhibitions, and has been featured in magazines.”
After gathering enough information, Lin Ling was prompt in her response, asking him to display his Alipay payment code and transferring five thousand to him on the spot.
As Lao Qian left the café, he felt it was unreal. He checked his phone multiple times to ensure the money had been transferred.
He had to keep this money safe. He couldn’t let his wife know, or she’d use it for her facial treatments. He also couldn’t let his friends know, or they’d pressure him to treat them. Nowadays, treating someone to a meal could easily cost three to four hundred.
Lin Ling sent Lao Qian off and then, after putting on her earphones, quickly reviewed the video. She tidied up her things and went straight to the fifth floor of the building.
The fifth floor was the dining area, featuring a bustling food court with affordable and popular restaurants, as well as some upscale restaurants with a more exclusive atmosphere.
Lin Ling walked into the most impressive restaurant.
Due to its high prices, the restaurant had only a few scattered diners, and the lighting was warm and dim. Lin Ling approached a table towards the back and called out, “Aunt Lin.”
The woman, who was perusing the menu, responded with a “Mm”: “Sit down.”
Lin Ling sat opposite her. From a distance, she saw a few young waiters in white shirts and bow ties glancing towards her. They quickly turned away when their eyes met.
Lin Ling smiled, well aware that they weren’t looking at her but at Aunt Lin—Lin Xirou.
Though she called her “Aunt,” they were actually about the same age. Lin Xirou’s striking beauty and captivating charm, with a blend of retro Hong Kong and French elegance, made Lin Ling envious. Lin Xirou wore an avocado-green, floral V-neck dress with a ruffled hem—a dress that would look out of place on Lin Ling but suited Lin Xirou perfectly.
In her presence, Lin Ling always felt self-conscious, thinking that while the heavens had poured their heart and soul into creating Lin Xirou, they had barely put in any effort for her.
Lin Ling pulled out her phone, which was connected to earphones, and pushed it towards Lin Xirou.
Lin Xirou said, “There’s no rush. You can speak first, and I’ll watch the video slowly tonight.”
Lin Ling organized her thoughts: “The driver we met today was quite valuable. We lost contact with Yan Tuo on the 19th, and this person saw him on the 18th. He said that when they parted, Yan Tuo had a beautiful woman named Nie in his car.”
Lin Xirou smiled faintly: “Not surprising. Xiao Tuo is an adult now. He mentioned meeting a friend and needing a few extra days, so I guessed it was likely a woman.”
“But on the night of the 19th, that woman was left at a remote mountain pass, and the driver had to go a long way to pick her up.”
Lin Xirou shook her head: “Xiao Tuo’s temper, I believe he’d throw a woman out, but leaving someone in such a place doesn’t seem like his style.”
Lin Ling smiled: “I think so too. He’d likely leave someone in a busy area, like a downtown, bus station, or subway entrance, to make it easier for them to get home.”
Lin Xirou pondered for a moment: “This Miss Nie needs to be followed up on… Besides this, are there any other reliable leads?”
“There are two other people worth meeting. One is an elderly hotel owner who claims that Yan Tuo stayed at his hotel on the night of the 18th; the other is someone called ‘Big Head,’ who said he saw Yan Tuo…”
Lin Ling lowered her voice: “…put a very ugly man into a suitcase.”
Lin Xirou frowned: “How could Xiao Tuo be so careless? How could someone see that? It’s troublesome…”
The word “troublesome” wasn’t just a figure of speech; Lin Xirou, looking genuinely exhausted, rubbed her temples. Lin Ling, observing her, said carefully: “Aunt Lin, if you’re feeling unwell, you should go back and rest. I can handle things here.”
Lin Xirou replied: “Xiao Tuo has been out of touch for so long. How can I rest? After all, he’s someone I raised.”
Lin Ling remained still, feeling a chill run down her spine, extending to the top of her head.
As a child, she idolized Lin Xirou, who had adopted her and was so beautiful that even the actresses on TV couldn’t compare. But later, she grew fearful; when she was five, Lin Xirou looked to be in her twenties, and when she was twenty, Lin Xirou still looked twenty.
October 18, 1992 / Sunday / Cloudy
I’m over four months pregnant now, and when I look in the mirror, I feel like my belly has gotten a bit bigger. My body also feels heavier. No wonder people say that pregnant women are “running with a ball.” Carrying such a big ball around all the time is really tiring.
Da Shan has finally decided on our son’s name. He said that “Kai” sounds too light and lacks strength, while “Tuo” is different; it sounds strong and capable, suggesting that he can dig coal and bless our mining business.
Son, if you can bless our business, that will be enough. Don’t worry about the coal digging.
Speaking of Da Shan…
Lately, Da Shan has been acting a bit strange. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it just feels off. I discussed this with Min Juan and Xiao Xiu, but they have different opinions. Min Juan thinks that pregnant women are too sensitive and tend to overthink, while Xiao Xiu made a shocking suggestion—she asked if Da Shan might be seeing someone outside.
This scared me. I told her I trusted Da Shan completely and that he would never do something like that. Xiao Xiu just sneered and said that men are like that, and it’s most likely during this stage that they might have affairs.
I shouldn’t have listened to her. Once the thought got into my head, it felt like it took root. After my check-up today, I decided to sneak into the mining office while Da Shan wasn’t around. Like a thief, I searched his office, looking inside and outside his desk.
I found a few books on pinyin and literacy, probably for our son (although it seems a bit early to buy them), and a small mirror.
Why would a man need a mirror? What’s he looking at?
I got a little suspicious and loosened a button on Da Shan’s favorite shirt. I didn’t take it off completely; it’s just undone, hanging there.
If the button falls off, that’s one thing, but if it’s sewn back on, it would mean something’s not right.
I even gave Chang Xi ten yuan, asking him to keep an eye on Da Shan. He refused at first, saying that since I take care of him so well, it’s only right to help with this small task. Honestly, I haven’t done much for him; I just occasionally gave him an apple or pear since he’s new and young.
If Da Shan has another woman, Lin Xiru, I’ll tell you this: don’t be weak. Don’t let anyone think you’re easy to bully. Be bold, take a knife, deal with those two unfaithful people, and then take sleeping pills to end it all—take Xiao Tuo with you too. It’s better than living in this world without parents.
Am I overthinking this? It’s just a small mirror. Min Juan is right; pregnant women do tend to overthink.
Time to sleep.
— Excerpts from Lin Xiru’s Diary
T/N: Hi everyone this is the end of Volume 1. Stay tuned for more updates!
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