A blood-curdling scream echoed from the bathroom. Lin Xue had always been decisive and ruthless, but this time she went even further—nunchucks in hand and a plastic bag over her shoulder, she mercilessly kicked Yao Ye so hard it left him in agony.
As Lin Xue stepped out of the bathroom, the police had already arrived at the door.
She retrieved a hidden phone that had been secretly recording from beside the TV and handed it to the officers. The footage clearly showed Yao Ye entering the room with clear intentions of assault. The evidence was undeniable, leaving Yao Ye no room for denial.
Yao Ye was rushed to the hospital because Lin Xue had hit him so hard that he was bleeding uncontrollably.
As the ambulance and police cars drove away, Shui Miao and Chu Miaoyi stood there speechless.
Setting up Yao Ye and secretly recording him had been Shui Miao’s idea, but he never expected Lin Xue to use nunchucks and deliver such a brutal blow. Watching Yao Ye limp away, even Shui Miao couldn’t help but feel a little sore himself.
Chu Miaoyi was even more embarrassed to talk about it, but deep down, she felt a sense of relief. Finally, they had given Yao Ye a taste of his own medicine. Now, let’s see if he still dares to act so arrogantly.
Lin Xue turned around, patted Shui Miao on the shoulder, and gave him a thumbs-up. “Xiao Shui, your idea was brilliant! I’ve always hated this Yao Ye. Now that we’ve taken him down, he not only has no chance to retaliate, but he’s also facing legal trouble. This is just so satisfying!”
“Sis, remember, Yao Ye does have powerful connections.”
Chu Miaoyi couldn’t help but express concern. Yao Ye had been so arrogant precisely because his uncle, Yao Jun, a high-ranking official in the provincial bureau, had always protected him. With something this serious happening, Yao Jun wouldn’t just sit back and do nothing.
“Yes, Lin Jie, I think Yao Ye is the kind of person who, with his powerful backing, won’t just disappear quietly. Either we finish him off once and for all, or we should just stay away from him. As the saying goes, it’s hard to guard against a petty person like him.”
Shui Miao was also worried. Lin Xue might be fearless, but Chu Miaoyi was more delicate. If Yao Ye turned his anger toward her, things could get complicated.
“Finish him off, huh? That’s not a bad idea!” Lin Xue’s eyes lit up. “Xiao Shui, I think you’re really smart! How about becoming my strategist?”
“Sis, you can’t be serious! Killing someone means taking responsibility for it!” Chu Miaoyi was shocked, thinking Lin Xue was actually considering murder.
Lin Xue grinned. “You silly girl, do you really think I’m that stupid? Of course I wouldn’t do it myself. I was just thinking of giving a little heads-up to some friends inside prison to ‘take care’ of him. Anyway, let’s not talk about this anymore. Let’s go back to Shui Miao’s place and check those antiques. If everything checks out, we should head back. I have a feeling Wang Yong wouldn’t be so foolish as to bring the Wufang Plate to Zhonghai. That just doesn’t make sense.”
“I agree! I’ve thought the same thing too. But my father says Wang Yong may seem careless on the surface, he’s actually very calculating. We need to be cautious about the Wufang Plate. The problem is, Wang Yong is so careful that we haven’t found any clues. If we had, we wouldn’t have had to come all the way to Zhonghai to find you.”
Shui Miao looked curious. “What exactly is the Wufang Plate? Do you know what it looks like?”
“We don’t know exactly. We’ve only heard about it. Probably some kind of plate-shaped artifact,” Chu Miaoyi shook her head. “This case is strange. The information we received was minimal. All we know is that the Wufang Plate was left behind by Zuo Ci, a famous figure from the Three Kingdoms era.”
“Zuo Ci? Isn’t he the immortal of Eastern Wu?”
Shui Miao was surprised. If that was true, then the Wufang Plate would be priceless.
“Pfft, forget about immortals and nonsense. That’s just TV drama stuff. I bet it’s just a jade plate, nothing special,” Lin Xue waved her hand dismissively, glancing at the sky. “Alright, no more chit-chat. Let’s go check those antiques. If there’s nothing wrong with them, we can still make it back to Huanghai before dark to wrap this up.”
“Then let’s go…”
Shui Miao turned and walked toward the street to hail a taxi.
Yet deep down, he was now intensely curious about this Wufang Plate.
Back at the rental apartment, Shui Miao immediately brought out his suitcase and let Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi inspect it. The three of them crouched on the floor, carefully examining every piece, but found nothing unusual.
Lin Xue put down the porcelain with a sigh. “As expected, all of these are fakes. Just decorative pieces worth a few dozen yuan each. We’ve been tricked by Wang Yong. The real treasure must still be at his place.”
“But we’ve already searched his house thoroughly. There were no real antiques, only fakes,” Chu Miaoyi added. She wanted to say that surveillance had been set up around Wang Yong’s house for a while, and they had been monitoring his every move. But Wang Yong had been staying low for years, never going out, and had no close friends.
“We’ll keep digging. If we have to, we’ll tear his house down brick by brick. I don’t believe Wang Yong would leave the Wufang Plate unguarded,” Lin Xue said casually.
Chu Miaoyi pouted. That idea was clearly unrealistic. Without any evidence, how could they just go and demolish someone’s house?
“Digging up the ground…”
A sudden thought struck Shui Miao. He began to think deeply, “Right! Why has Wang Yong been staying in that house all the time? He used to be a tomb raider. Tomb raiders are experts at digging. He probably buried the treasure underground. If that’s the case, where would he hide it?”
Shui Miao was lost in thought…
Seeing Shui Miao deep in contemplation, Lin Xue quickly exchanged a knowing glance with Chu Miaoyi.
After a pause, Chu Miaoyi asked, “Xiao Shui, did you think of something?”
“Not really. I was just wondering where he might have hidden it,” Shui Miao replied. In his heart, he was certain—Wang Yong must have buried the Wufang Plate somewhere underground. He planned to investigate later, checking whether there was a basement or an elaborate sewer system at Wang Yong’s house. Once he figured that out, he’d find the plate.
But when it came to friends, Shui Miao kept this thought to himself.
Seeing him say that, Chu Miaoyi sighed and stood up. “Looks like we won’t find any clues for now. Sis, let’s go back first. Xiao Shui, if you think of anything, contact us immediately.” She looked at Shui Miao and prepared to leave.
Shui Miao stood up and nodded.
Lin Xue, somewhat reluctantly, turned and walked away.
Shui Miao saw them off on the street, waved as they got into the car. Although he felt a pang of sadness at parting with Chu Miaoyi, reality was harsh. He had no reason to ask her to stay. What was the use of thinking too much? He could only try not to dwell on it and distract himself with other thoughts, hoping to gradually fade the affection he had for her.
It was a bit strange—this was lunchtime, yet Liu Hongmei wasn’t home. Where could she have gone?
Shui Miao thought of Liu Hongmei, not because he had feelings for her, but because she had always seemed so eager and clingy. Her sudden disappearance felt odd.
※※※
Inside the taxi
“Lin Jie, it seems like we won’t find any clues from Shui Miao. What should we do next? Should we just go back to Huanghai?” Chu Miaoyi asked Lin Xue, who had been deep in thought since getting into the car.
Lin Xue, sharp and perceptive, was an expert at reading people.
She shook her head slightly. “I don’t think so. I have a feeling that to solve this case, we must focus on Shui Miao. Didn’t you notice? He wasn’t telling the whole truth. I saw his eyes light up—he must have figured something out, but he just didn’t want to share it with us.”
“I didn’t really notice that,” Chu Miaoyi frowned.
Lin Xue paused, then said, “Let’s stay a little longer and observe for a few more days. Even if we leave, we need to leave a contact person near Shui Miao.”
A heart-wrenching scream erupted from the bathroom. Lin Xue had always been bold and decisive in her actions, but this time she took it to another level. Armed with nunchucks and a plastic bag, she directly assaulted Yao Ye in the most brutal way.
As Lin Xue stepped out of the bathroom, the police had already arrived at the door.
Lin Xue retrieved a hidden phone that had been recording near the television and handed it over to the officers. The phone contained undeniable evidence of Yao Ye’s attempt to assault and rape her, leaving him no room for denial.
Yao Ye was taken to the hospital because Lin Xue’s attack had been so severe that he was bleeding profusely.
Watching the ambulance and police car drive away, Shui Miao and Chu Miaoyi were left speechless.
Exposing Yao Ye and secretly recording him had been Shui Miao’s idea, but she never expected Lin Xue to use nunchucks to assault him so brutally. Seeing Yao Ye struggle to walk, Shui Miao couldn’t help but feel a phantom pain herself.
Chu Miaoyi was too embarrassed to speak about it, but inwardly, she felt a sense of vindication. Finally, they had taught Yao Ye a lesson. Hopefully, he wouldn’t dare to act so arrogantly again.
Lin Xue turned around, patted Shui Miao on the shoulder, and gave her a thumbs-up. “Xiao Shui, your idea was absolutely satisfying! I’ve always disliked Yao Ye. This time, we not only taught him a lesson but also left him tied up in legal troubles. It’s just too satisfying.”
“Sis, Yao Ye has connections,” Chu Miaoyi couldn’t help but worry. Yao Ye’s arrogance stemmed entirely from his powerful backing—his uncle, Yao Jun, a high-ranking official in the provincial department. With such a major incident, Yao Jun would undoubtedly intervene.
“Lin Jie, I think dealing with someone like Yao Ye, who has powerful connections, is tricky. Either we crush him completely to eliminate any future threats, or we stay far away from him. As the saying goes, ‘Beware of petty people’—that’s exactly what he is,” Shui Miao also expressed concern. While Lin Jie was bold and decisive, Chu Miaoyi was gentle and vulnerable. If Yao Ye were to take his anger out on her, things could get complicated.
“Crushing him completely—now that’s a good suggestion!” Lin Xue’s eyes lit up. “Xiao Shui, I’m starting to think you’re quite clever! How about becoming my strategist from now on?”
“Sis, you can’t act recklessly. Killing someone would cost you your life,” Chu Miaoyi was startled, thinking Lin Xue was seriously considering murder.
Lin Xue grinned. “Silly girl, do you really think I’m that stupid? How could I possibly kill someone? At most, I’d just notify some friends in prison to ‘take care’ of Yao Ye. Anyway, let’s not talk about this anymore. Let’s go check out those antiques at Shui Miao’s place. If there’s nothing wrong with them, we should head back. I have a feeling Wang Yong isn’t foolish enough to bring the Five Directions Plate to Zhonghai City for Shui Miao. It just doesn’t add up.”
“I think so too. But my dad said that although Wang Yong seems careless on the surface, he’s actually very shrewd. We have to be cautious about the Five Directions Plate,” Chu Miaoyi had also considered this, but the frustrating part was that Wang Yong covered his tracks so well that there were no clues to follow. If there had been any clues, they wouldn’t have needed to come to Zhonghai City to find Shui Miao.
Shui Miao was curious. “What exactly is the Five Directions Plate? Do you know what it looks like?”
“No, we’ve only heard about it. I assume it’s some kind of plate-shaped artifact,” Chu Miaoyi shook her head. “This case is very strange. The information we received from above is minimal. It only says that the Five Directions Plate is a treasure left behind by a famous figure named Zuo Ci from the Three Kingdoms period.”
“Zuo Ci? Wasn’t he a mystic from Eastern Wu?” Shui Miao was surprised. If this was true, the Five Directions Plate would be priceless.
“Hey, let’s not talk about mystics and all that. It’s all just stuff from TV dramas. I think it’s probably just a jade plate, nothing particularly special,” Lin Xue waved her hand dismissively and glanced at the sky. “Alright, let’s stop chatting nonsense here. After checking the antiques, if there are no issues, we can still make it back to Huanghai City before dark to report.”
“Let’s go then…” Shui Miao turned around and went to hail a taxi by the roadside.
But the words “Five Directions Plate” had sparked an intense curiosity in Shui Miao’s mind.
When they arrived at the rented room, Shui Miao directly brought out the suitcase for Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi to inspect. The three of them squatted on the floor and carefully examined the items but found nothing amiss.
Lin Xue put down a porcelain piece and sighed. “As expected, all of these are fakes—just decorative items worth a few dozen yuan each. They’d be good for holding flowers. We’ve been tricked by Wang Yong. The real treasure must still be at his place.”
“But we’ve already searched his house and found no genuine antiques. Everything was fake,” Chu Miaoyi wanted to say that they had already set up surveillance around Wang Yong’s house and were monitoring his movements. However, Wang Yong had been lying low these years, rarely leaving his home, and they hadn’t found any particularly close friends of his.
“Let’s investigate slowly. If necessary, we’ll dig three feet into the ground or even tear his house apart. I refuse to believe Wang Yong wouldn’t keep the Five Directions Plate close,” Lin Xue said casually, though her words were bold.
Chu Miaoyi pouted. This idea was clearly unrealistic. Without any evidence, how could they possibly tear down someone’s house?
Dig three feet into the ground…
Shui Miao’s heart stirred, and he began to ponder. “That’s right! Why does Wang Yong always stay in that house? Wang Yong used to be a tomb raider, and tomb raiders are experts at digging and tunneling. He might have hidden the item underground. If that’s the case, where would he have hidden it?”
Shui Miao was lost in thought…
Seeing Shui Miao deep in contemplation, Lin Xue quickly signaled Chu Miaoyi with her eyes.
After a moment, Chu Miaoyi asked Shui Miao, “Xiao Shui, have you thought of something?”
“No, not really. I was just wondering where he might have hidden it,” Shui Miao replied. In his mind, he was certain that Wang Yong had hidden the Five Directions Plate underground somewhere. He decided that in a few days, he would return to investigate whether Wang Yong had dug a basement or built some special underground passage. Once he figured that out, he would surely find the Five Directions Plate.
Although they were friends, Shui Miao decided to keep this thought to himself for now.
Hearing Shui Miao’s response, Chu Miaoyi sighed and stood up. “It seems we won’t find any clues for now. Sis, let’s head back first. Xiao Shui, if you think of anything, contact us anytime.” Chu Miaoyi glanced at Shui Miao and prepared to leave.
Shui Miao also stood up and nodded.
Lin Xue turned away helplessly…
Shui Miao escorted the two to the road and saw them off into a taxi. Although he felt reluctant to part with Chu Miaoyi, reality was harsh. He had no reason to ask her to stay, so what was the point of dwelling on it? He tried his best to push the thought away or focus on other things to dilute his feelings for her.
Strangely, it was noon, but Liu Hongmei wasn’t home. Where had she gone?
Thinking of Liu Hongmei, it wasn’t that Shui Miao liked her, but she had always been so forward. Her sudden absence felt unusual.
※※※
Inside the Taxi
“Lin Jie, it seems we won’t find any clues from Shui Miao. What should we do next? Should we return directly to Huanghai City?” Chu Miaoyi looked at Lin Xue, who had been lost in thought since getting into the taxi.
Lin Xue was bold yet meticulous, and she was particularly skilled at reading people.
Lin Xue gently shook her head. “I don’t think so. I have a feeling that to crack this case, we need to focus on Shui Miao. Did you notice earlier that he wasn’t telling the whole truth? I saw his eyes light up. He must have thought of something, but he didn’t want to share it with us.”
“I didn’t notice that,” Chu Miaoyi frowned.
After a pause, Lin Xue said, “Let’s stay for a few more days and observe. Even if we leave, we should plant an informant near Shui Miao.”
“I understand. Driver, please make a U-turn and take us back to where we got on,” Chu Miaoyi said. Having grown up with Lin Xue, she knew her well and understood what she intended to do.
“Actually, there’s no need to rush. I secretly planted a listening device in his room,” Lin Xue said, putting on an earpiece. As long as she was within 500 meters, she could clearly hear everything happening in Shui Miao’s room.
※※※
Shui Miao returned to Liu Hongmei’s place and made his way up to the third-floor corridor. There, he encountered a girl in her late teens who worked at a nightclub. Shui Miao had seen her before and had heard from his sister, Chenxiang, that her name was Xiao Rong. She had previously chatted with his sister. When she saw Shui Miao, she proactively stopped and, with a hint of shyness, said, “Hello, the landlady asked me to tell you that the food is ready, and the door is unlocked.”
“Oh… thank you!” Shui Miao was slightly surprised. He hadn’t expected Liu Hongmei to be so thoughtful.
Not sure what else to say to Xiao Rong, he paused for a moment before heading toward his rented room.
Seeing that Shui Miao didn’t ask about Liu Hongmei’s whereabouts, Xiao Rong quickly added, “She’s not feeling well and went to the hospital. Aren’t you going to check on her?”
“Why would I? I’m not her man,” Shui Miao said, though he was curious. Why had Liu Hongmei gone to the hospital? Could it be related to the five-element spiritual energy he had injected into her?
Hearing this, Xiao Rong smiled. “I knew what they said wasn’t true. Chenxiang is such a good person—how could her brother like an older woman?”
It seemed like Xiao Rong wanted to chat with him.
As the saying goes, when fellow townsmates meet, tears well up in their eyes!
Shui Miao suddenly felt like talking to Xiao Rong too, so he smiled and said, “Since we’re both from the same hometown, why don’t you come in and sit for a while?”
“Sure!” Xiao Rong agreed readily, as if she had been hoping for this opportunity.
Shui Miao opened the door, entered the room, and took out the coffee he had bought earlier, brewing it on the stove.
Xiao Rong was very innocent. She saw Chenxiang as a sister and Shui Miao as an older brother. After sitting on the sofa for a while, she came to the kitchen and started chatting with Shui Miao in their Huanghai City dialect. “Brother Shui Miao, where’s Chenxiang? I haven’t seen her these past couple of days.”
“She went to help at my friend’s dog kennel. I’ll have her come back and chat with you when she has time,” Shui Miao said casually, though inwardly, he was somewhat reluctant to let his sister interact with Xiao Rong. He felt that most women who worked at nightclubs had fallen into unfortunate circumstances.
But then again, Shui Miao sighed inwardly—wasn’t he himself a fallen man too?
“This job sounds great! If I hadn’t borrowed a lot of money for my father’s treatment, I wouldn’t be working at the nightclub either. I could’ve found a job I liked. Brother Shui Miao, you don’t look down on me, do you?” Xiao Rong was not only innocent but also very straightforward.
Shui Miao felt a bit awkward. “Why would you say that? We’re both from humble backgrounds. You’re working there out of necessity. Besides, there are different types of jobs at nightclubs…”
“Yes, yes!” Before Shui Miao could finish, Xiao Rong quickly waved her hand. “I’m not the kind who sells my body. I just serve tea and water.” Her implication was that she was still pure and hadn’t crossed that line.
Xiao Rong was eager to clarify this because she was afraid of being looked down upon.
“Serving tea and water—that doesn’t seem to pay well, does it?” Shui Miao’s opinion of her instantly improved. “Why don’t you try working as a waitress at a hotel? Although it’s also a job for the young, it’s very different from working at a nightclub. It’s less likely you’ll encounter bad people there. I think you know what I mean.”
“Yes, I know!” Xiao Rong nodded. “But I desperately need money to help my family pay off our debts. By the way, Brother Shui Miao, do you have a girlfriend?”
Xiao Rong suddenly changed the subject, catching Shui Miao off guard.
“No…” Shui Miao shook his head, wondering what Xiao Rong was trying to say.
Xiao Rong suddenly blushed and lowered her head. “Brother Shui Miao, let me be your girlfriend.”
“What?” Shui Miao was stunned. Had he heard correctly? How could Xiao Rong say such a thing?
“Brother Shui Miao, please don’t misunderstand. Actually… it’s like this…” Xiao Rong’s face flushed red. “A gangster came to the nightclub and指名道姓 demanded that I… accompany him tonight. I don’t like him; I detest him. So, I wanted to find a boyfriend and give him my first time…”
“Stop, don’t say anymore. Don’t go to the nightclub anymore. I’ll arrange for you to work at my friend’s small restaurant. How much money does your family owe? I’ll try to help you borrow it first, and you can pay me back slowly when you have the money later,” Shui Miao stood up and went to his room to get his phone, intending to call Chen Bing and arrange for Xiao Rong to work at the restaurant.
But when Shui Miao returned with his phone, Xiao Rong had already removed her top, exposing her snow-white skin. With a flushed face, she gazed at Shui Miao and said, “Brother Shui Miao, I don’t want to be a burden to you. I want to rely on my own strength to settle the debts. My body is pure…”
As she said this, she lowered her head shyly again, her voice as soft as a mosquito’s hum.
Chu Miaoyi had grown up with Lin Xue and knew her personality well—she already knew what Lin Xue was planning.
“Actually, there’s no need to rush. I already planted a bug in his room.”
Lin Xue put an earpiece in her ear. As long as she stayed within 500 meters, she could clearly hear everything happening in Shui Miao’s room.
※※※
Back at Liu Hongmei’s house, Shui Miao reached the third-floor corridor and met a girl in her late teens who worked at a nightclub. He recognized her—her name was Xiao Rong, a friend of his younger sister Chenxiang. She had once chatted with Chenxiang. Seeing Shui Miao, she stopped and said shyly, “Hi, the landlady asked me to tell you that the food is ready, and the door isn’t locked.”
“Oh… thanks!”
Shui Miao was a bit surprised. He hadn’t expected Liu Hongmei to care about him.
Not knowing what else to say, he gave a slight nod and walked toward his rented room.
Xiao Rong, seeing that Shui Miao didn’t ask about Liu Hongmei’s whereabouts, quickly added, “She wasn’t feeling well and went to the hospital. Aren’t you going to check on her?”
A heart-wrenching scream echoed from the bathroom. Lin Xue had always been bold and decisive, but this time she took it to another level. Armed with nunchucks and a plastic bag, she delivered a brutal assault on Yao Ye that left him bleeding and broken.
As Lin Xue stepped out of the bathroom, the police had already arrived at the door. She retrieved a hidden phone that had been recording near the television and handed it over to the officers. The footage captured Yao Ye’s entire attempt to assault and rape Lin Xue—ironclad evidence that left no room for denial.
Yao Ye was rushed to the hospital. Lin Xue had struck with such force that he couldn’t stop bleeding.
Watching the ambulance and police cars drive away, Shui Miao and Chu Miaoyi were left speechless.
Exposing Yao Ye with covert recording had been Shui Miao’s idea, but he never expected Lin Xue to take it this far. Seeing Yao Ye struggle to walk, Shui Miao couldn’t help but wince in sympathy.
Chu Miaoyi felt too embarrassed to put it into words, but inwardly, she was exhilarated. Finally, they had taught Yao Ye a lesson he wouldn’t forget. Maybe now he’d think twice before acting so arrogantly.
Lin Xue turned around, patted Shui Miao on the shoulder, and gave him a thumbs-up. “Xiao Shui, your idea was brilliant! I’ve had it with that Yao Ye for a long time. This time, we got him good—he won’t have a chance to retaliate, and he’ll be tied up in lawsuits. How satisfying!”
“But, sis, Yao Ye has connections,” Chu Miaoyi couldn’t help but worry. Yao Ye’s arrogance stemmed entirely from his powerful backing—his uncle, Yao Jun, a high-ranking official in the provincial department. With something this big, Yao Jun was sure to get involved.
“Yeah, Sister Lin,” Shui Miao added, equally concerned. “People like Yao Ye, with their connections, are trouble. Unless we take him down for good, he’ll always be a threat. Or we could just stay away from him. You know what they say—it’s hard to guard against petty people, and he’s exactly that kind.” He knew Lin Xue was fearless, but Chu Miaoyi was more vulnerable. If Yao Ye took his anger out on her, things could get complicated.
“Take him down for good—now that’s a good idea!” Lin Xue’s eyes lit up. “Xiao Shui, you’re sharp! How about being my strategist from now on?”
“Sis, you can’t be reckless! Murder is a capital offense!” Chu Miaoyi was startled, thinking Lin Xue was actually considering killing him.
Lin Xue grinned. “Silly girl, do you really think I’m that stupid? I’d never resort to murder. At most, I’d just ask some friends in prison to ‘look after’ Yao Ye. Anyway, enough about that. Let’s go check out those antiques at Shui Miao’s place. If there’s nothing there, we should head back. I have a feeling Wang Yong isn’t foolish enough to bring the Five Directions Plate to Zhonghai City. It just doesn’t add up.”
“I think so too,” Chu Miaoyi agreed. “But my dad says Wang Yong might seem careless on the surface, but he’s actually very shrewd. We have to be cautious about the Five Directions Plate.” She had considered this before, but the frustrating thing was that Wang Yong covered his tracks perfectly. There were no clues to follow—if there had been, they wouldn’t have needed to come to Zhonghai to find Shui Miao.
Shui Miao was curious. “What exactly is the Five Directions Plate? Do you know what it looks like?”
“No,” Chu Miaoyi shook her head. “We’ve only heard about it. I assume it’s some kind of plate-shaped artifact. This case is strange—the higher-ups gave us very little information. They only said it’s a treasure left by a famous figure named Zuo Ci from the Three Kingdoms period.”
“Zuo Ci? Wasn’t he considered an immortal from Eastern Wu?” Shui Miao was shocked. If this was true, the Five Directions Plate would be priceless.
“Oh, who cares about immortals? That’s all just TV nonsense,” Lin Xue waved her hand dismissively. “I bet it’s just a jade plate—nothing special.” She glanced at the sky. “Alright, let’s stop chatting. If the antiques check out, we can still make it back to Huanghai City before dark to report.”
“Let’s go then…” Shui Miao turned and headed to the roadside to hail a taxi.
But inwardly, he was growing intensely curious about the Five Directions Plate.
At the rental room, Shui Miao directly brought out the suitcase for Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi to inspect. The three of them knelt on the floor, examining each piece carefully, but found nothing amiss.
Lin Xue put down a porcelain piece and sighed. “As expected, these are all fakes—just decorative items worth a few dozen bucks each. They’d be good for holding flowers. We’ve been tricked by Wang Yong. The real treasure must still be at his place.”
“But we’ve already searched his house. We didn’t find any genuine antiques—everything was fake.” Chu Miaoyi wanted to say that they had even set up surveillance around Wang Yong’s home, monitoring his movements closely. But Wang Yong had been lying low all these years, rarely leaving his house and showing no signs of having close friends.
“We’ll just have to investigate slowly. If necessary, we’ll dig three feet into the ground or even tear his house apart. I refuse to believe Wang Yong isn’t guarding the Five Directions Plate.” Lin Xue spoke casually, almost flippantly.
Chu Miaoyi pouted. This idea was clearly unrealistic. Without any evidence, how could they possibly tear down someone’s house?
Dig three feet into the ground…
Shui Miao’s mind, however, began to race. “That’s right! Why does Wang Yong always stay in that house? He used to be a tomb raider—tomb raiders are experts at digging and tunneling. He might have hidden it underground. If that’s the case, where would he hide it?”
Shui Miao was lost in thought…
Noticing his deep concentration, Lin Xue quickly signaled Chu Miaoyi with her eyes.
After a moment, Chu Miaoyi asked Shui Miao, “Xiao Shui, did you think of something?”
“No, not really. I was just wondering where he might have hidden it.” Shui Miao was convinced that Wang Yong had hidden the Five Directions Plate underground somewhere. He decided that when he returned in a few days, he would check if Wang Yong had dug a basement or built some elaborate sewer system. Once he figured that out, he would surely find the plate.
Friendship was one thing, but in matters like this, Shui Miao knew he had to keep some cards close to his chest.
Seeing that Shui Miao wasn’t revealing more, Chu Miaoyi sighed and stood up. “It seems we won’t find any clues for now. Sis, let’s head back first. Xiao Shui, if you think of anything, contact us anytime.” She glanced at Shui Miao and prepared to leave.
Shui Miao also stood up and nodded.
Lin Xue turned away helplessly…
Shui Miao walked them to the road and saw them off into a taxi. Though he felt reluctant to part with Chu Miaoyi, reality was harsh. He had no reason to ask her to stay, so what was the point of dwelling on it? He tried his best to push the thought away or focus on other things, hoping to dilute his feelings for her.
Strangely, it was noon, but Liu Hongmei wasn’t home. Where had she gone?
Thinking of Liu Hongmei, it wasn’t that he liked her—it was just that she had always been so forward. Her sudden absence felt odd.
※※※
Inside the Taxi
“Sister Lin, it seems we won’t find any clues from Shui Miao. What should we do next? Head straight back to Huanghai City?” Chu Miaoyi looked at Lin Xue, who had been lost in thought since getting into the car.
Lin Xue was sharp despite her rough exterior. She was especially good at reading people.
She shook her head gently. “I don’t think so. I have a feeling that cracking this case depends on Shui Miao. Did you notice he wasn’t being entirely truthful earlier? I saw his eyes light up—he definitely thought of something, but he didn’t want to share it with us.”
“I didn’t notice that,” Chu Miaoyi frowned.
After a pause, Lin Xue said, “Let’s stay for a few more days. Even if we leave, we should plant an informant near Shui Miao.”
“I understand. Driver, make a U-turn up ahead and take us back to where we started.”
Having grown up with Lin Xue, Chu Miaoyi knew her well and understood what she intended to do.
“Actually, no need to rush. I already planted a listening device in his room.” Lin Xue took out an earpiece and put it in. As long as she was within 500 meters, she could clearly hear everything happening in Shui Miao’s room.
※※※
Shui Miao returned to Liu Hongmei’s place. As he arrived at the third-floor corridor, he encountered a girl in her late teens who worked at a nightclub. He had seen her before—his sister Chenxiang had mentioned her name was Xiao Rong. She had previously chatted with Chenxiang. When she saw Shui Miao, she stopped and said somewhat shyly, “Hello, the landlady asked me to tell you that the food is ready, and the door isn’t locked.”
“Oh… thank you!” Shui Miao was slightly surprised. He hadn’t expected Liu Hongmei to be so thoughtful.
Not sure what else to say to Xiao Rong, he paused for a moment before heading toward his rental room.
Seeing that Shui Miao didn’t ask about Liu Hongmei’s whereabouts, Xiao Rong quickly added, “She wasn’t feeling well and went to the hospital. Aren’t you going to check on her?”
“Why would I? I’m not her man.” Though he said this, Shui Miao was curious. Why had Liu Hongmei gone to the hospital? Could it be related to the five-element spiritual energy he had injected into her?
Hearing this, Xiao Rong smiled. “I knew what they were saying wasn’t true. Chenxiang is so sweet—there’s no way her brother would like an older woman!”
From her expression, it seemed Xiao Rong wanted to chat.
As the saying goes, when fellow townsfolk meet, emotions run high.
Shui Miao suddenly felt like talking to Xiao Rong too, so he smiled and said, “We’re both from the same hometown. Why don’t you come in and sit for a while?”
“Sure!” Xiao Rong agreed readily, as if she had been hoping for this.
Shui Miao opened the door and entered, taking out the coffee he had bought last time and brewing it on the stove.
Xiao Rong was very innocent. She saw Chenxiang as a sister and Shui Miao as an older brother. After sitting on the sofa for a bit, she came to the kitchen and started chatting with Shui Miao in their Huanghai dialect. “Brother Shui Miao, where’s Chenxiang? I haven’t seen her these past couple of days.”
“She’s helping out at my friend’s dog kennel. I’ll have her come back and chat with you when she has time.” Shui Miao said this casually, but inwardly, he was somewhat reluctant to let his sister spend time with Xiao Rong. He felt that most women who worked at nightclubs had fallen into unfortunate circumstances.
But then he sighed inwardly—wasn’t he himself a fallen man too?
“That sounds like a great job! If I hadn’t borrowed so much money for my dad’s treatment, I wouldn’t be working at the nightclub either. I could’ve found a job I liked. Brother Shui Miao, you don’t look down on me, do you?” Xiao Rong was not only innocent but also very straightforward.
Shui Miao felt a bit awkward. “Why would you say that? We’re both from poor backgrounds. You’re working there out of necessity! Besides, there are all kinds of jobs at nightclubs…”
“Yes, yes!” Before Shui Miao could finish, Xiao Rong quickly waved her hands. “I’m not that kind—I don’t sell my body. I just serve tea and water.” She implied that she was still pure and hadn’t crossed that line.
Xiao Rong was eager to clarify this because she was afraid of being looked down upon.
“Serving tea and water—that doesn’t pay well, does it?” Shui Miao’s opinion of her instantly improved. “Why not try being a waitress at a hotel? It’s still a job for young people, but it’s very different from working at a nightclub. You’re less likely to run into bad people there. I think you know what I mean.”
“Mm! I know!” Xiao Rong nodded. “But I really need money. I have to earn enough to help my family pay off our debts. By the way, Brother Shui Miao, do you have a girlfriend?”
Xiao Rong’s sudden change of topic caught Shui Miao off guard.
“No…” Shui Miao shook his head, wondering what Xiao Rong was trying to say.
Xiao Rong suddenly blushed and lowered her head. “Brother Shui Miao, let me be your girlfriend, okay?”
“What?” Shui Miao was stunned. Had he heard correctly? Why would Xiao Rong say something like this?
“Brother Shui Miao, don’t misunderstand. Actually… it’s like this…” Xiao Rong’s face turned red. “There’s a gangster at the nightclub who insisted that I… keep him company tonight… I don’t like him; I hate him. So I thought if I had a boyfriend, I could give him my first time…”
“Stop, don’t say anymore. Don’t go back to the nightclub. I’ll get you a job at my friend’s small restaurant. How much does your family owe? I’ll try to help you borrow the money, and you can pay me back slowly when you have the means.” Shui Miao stood up and went to his room to get his phone, planning to call Chen Bing and arrange for Xiao Rong to work at the restaurant.
But when Shui Miao returned with his phone, Xiao Rong had already taken off her top, revealing her snow-white body. She looked at Shui Miao, her face flushed. “Brother Shui Miao, I don’t want to burden you. I want to rely on myself to pay off the debts. My body is clean…”
As she said this last part, she shyly lowered her head again, her voice as soft as a mosquito’s hum.
Hearing this, Xiao Rong smiled slightly. “I knew what others said must be false. Chenxiang is such a good girl. How could her brother possibly like an older woman?”
Judging by her expression, she clearly wanted to chat with him.
As the saying goes—meeting a fellow townsman feels like meeting a long-lost brother.
Shui Miao suddenly felt like chatting with Xiao Rong too. He smiled and said, “We’re both from the same hometown. Why don’t you come in and sit for a while?”
“Okay!”
Xiao Rong readily agreed, clearly eager to talk with him.
Shui Miao opened the door, took out the coffee he had bought earlier, and started brewing it.
Xiao Rong was simple and sincere. She regarded Chenxiang as a younger sister and Shui Miao as an older brother. After sitting on the sofa for a while, she came into the kitchen and started chatting with Shui Miao in their hometown dialect. “Shui Miao Ge Ge, where’s Chenxiang? I haven’t seen her these past couple of days.”
“She went to help out at a friend’s dog farm. I’ll bring her back to chat with you when she has time,” Shui Miao said casually. But in his heart, he was reluctant to let his sister interact with Xiao Rong. In his mind, most women who worked at nightclubs were fallen women.
But then he immediately felt ashamed. Wasn’t he himself a fallen man?
“This job really isn’t what I wanted. If it weren’t for needing to repay my father’s medical debts, I wouldn’t have gone to the nightclub. I could’ve found a job I liked,” Xiao Rong said, her voice tinged with sadness. “Shui Miao Ge Ge, do you look down on me?”
“Why would you say that? We’re both from humble backgrounds. You’re only working there out of necessity,” Shui Miao replied, a little awkwardly. “Besides, there are many kinds of jobs at nightclubs…”
“Yes, yes!” Before Shui Miao could finish, Xiao Rong quickly waved her hand. “I’m not one of those who sell their bodies. I just serve tea and water.” Her meaning was clear—she was still pure, not yet fallen.
The reason she was so eager to clarify this was because she feared being judged.
“If you’re just serving tea and water, the salary must be pretty low, right?” Shui Miao suddenly looked at her with newfound respect. “Then why not try working as a waitress at a hotel? It’s still a youth-dependent job, but the nature of the work is completely different. Hotels are less likely to have dangerous people. I think you know what I mean.”
“Yes, I know!”
Xiao Rong nodded. “But I really need the money to help my family repay our debts. By the way, Shui Miao Ge Ge, do you have a girlfriend?”
Suddenly shifting the topic caught Shui Miao off guard.
“No…”
He shook his head, wondering what Xiao Rong was trying to say.
Xiao Rong suddenly blushed and lowered her head. “Shui Miao Ge Ge, will you be my boyfriend?”
“What?”
Shui Miao was stunned. Had his ears malfunctioned? How could Xiao Rong say something like that?
“Shui Miao Ge Ge, please don’t misunderstand. It’s just that…” Xiao Rong’s face turned red. “A gangster boss came to the club and specifically asked for me to… spend the night with him… I don’t like him, I really hate him. So I want to find a boyfriend to… protect my first time…”
“Alright, you don’t need to say more. You shouldn’t work at the nightclub anymore. I have a friend who runs a small restaurant. I’ll call her and get you a job there. How much does your family owe? I’ll help you borrow the money first. You can pay me back when you earn enough.”
Shui Miao stood up and hurried into the room to grab his phone to call Chen Bing and arrange a job for Xiao Rong.
But when he came back with the phone, Xiao Rong had already taken off her top, revealing her pure, snow-white body. Blushing, she looked at Shui Miao and whispered shyly, “Shui Miao Ge Ge, I don’t want to be a burden to you. I just want to repay my debts with my own strength. My body is still clean…”
As she said the last sentence, she lowered her head again, her voice barely above a whisper.
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