Fang Jingxue untied the bandage and covered herself with both hands. It was then that Chu Hao realized she was indeed very beautiful, with a unique charm and quite a figure.
I take back what I said earlier; this policewoman’s got quite the figure.
Chu Hao hastily said, "Let go."
Fang Jingxue gritted her teeth. "Alright, that’s enough."
"If you want to get into the Seventh District, let go."
"Don’t take it too far."
"If you don’t let go, I’ll do it myself."
What a scene. It was outright coercion and enticement. So shameless, wasn’t it?
Outside Sanqing Pavilion, a couple of luxury cars were parked. Two beauties emerged—Tang Mo and Yi Qinglian.
They had been worried about Chu Hao the night before. Guessing that school was out by now, they came to Sanqing Pavilion to see him.
Although Tang Mo was reluctant to face him, Chu Hao had indeed saved her the night before. By the next day, she had reluctantly accepted this fact and was prepared to come over and thank him.
Yi Qinglian smiled and asked, "Hello, is Chu Hao here?"
Ankang Mo, an honest and simple fellow, stared at Yi Qinglian, who looked like a fairy. He stammered, "L-looking for Fourth Brother? He’s in a room with a woman."
Wang Meng quickly covered Ankang Mo’s mouth and said with an awkward smile, "Chu Hao is busy. Why don’t you two wait for a moment?"
Tang Mo’s and Yi Qinglian’s expressions changed upon hearing this.
This can’t be happening! That guy is actually in a room with another woman?
Tang Mo was furious. Chu Hao had left her in such a state yesterday, and now he was with another woman today! She couldn’t tolerate it and stormed straight upstairs.
Yu Sicheng quickly stopped her. "Who are you?"
Tang Mo retorted angrily, "We’re his girlfriends."
Her words stumped Yu Sicheng, who awkwardly stepped aside to let them pass.
Wang Meng and Ankang Mo’s jaws nearly hit the floor. Chu Hao has two girlfriends?
The two women went upstairs. When they reached the door, they didn’t go in immediately. Through the door, they could hear Chu Hao’s voice and that of another woman.
"If you want to get into the Seventh District, let go."
"You can’t touch it."
"If you don’t let go, I’m going to do it myself."
Tang Mo’s face darkened. Glancing at the dejected Yi Qinglian, she became absolutely livid. That guy! Threatening and seducing someone in broad daylight—it’s practically criminal!
Moreover, Yi Qinglian had been considering trying to date him, and here Chu Hao was, acting like a complete scoundrel. Tang Mo felt indignant on Yi Qinglian’s behalf and seethed with anger.
Tang Mo kicked the door open, pointed at Chu Hao, and shouted, "You beast! Let go of that girl!"
The two people inside the room were startled.
However, the scene was not what Tang Mo had imagined. She saw Chu Hao and Fang Jingxue struggling over a handgun.
Chu Hao was somewhat dumbfounded. "What are you two doing?"
Tang Mo, her face flushed with embarrassment, stammered, "Wh-what are you two doing? No, I mean, I just overheard you from outside..."
Chu Hao’s mouth fell open. "You were eavesdropping? Tang Mo! Qinglian! I can’t believe you’re those kinds of people!"
Yi Qinglian and Tang Mo were instantly mortified.
Yi Qinglian quickly explained, "N-no... I didn’t hear anything."
Blushing, she ran out.
Tang Mo, also embarrassed, said, "We... we’ll wait for you downstairs."
After the two left, Chu Hao and Fang Jingxue breathed a sigh of relief.
DAMN IT! That was way too close!
When the two women had started up the stairs, Chu Hao had already heard them and quickly told Fang Jingxue to get dressed.
Fang Jingxue had only managed to put on an outer coat; she was still bare underneath, and the points of her breasts were visible through the fabric. She fumbled with her clothes, her face so flushed it looked like it might bleed.
Chu Hao sighed in relief. "Good thing we weren’t exposed. Otherwise, how could I ever face anyone again?"
Fang Jingxue was quite irritated. Shouldn’t it be about how *I’m* going to face anyone?
"Don’t forget what you promised me."
"No problem. Call Old Man Yuan and tell him I referred you."
The "transaction" between them was completed so secretly that it seemed neither gods nor ghosts were aware.
When Chu Hao went downstairs, Yi Qinglian kept her head down, not daring to look at him. Tang Mo, however, curiously asked, "What were you two doing up there?"
Chu Hao, his expression unchanged and his heart not skipping a beat, said, "She’s a police officer. She was asking for my help with a strange case."
This little pervert, he’s such a smooth liar. It doesn’t match his age at all, Fang Jingxue thought scornfully.
Tang Mo, embarrassed, blushed and said, "About yesterday... thank you."
After all, who wouldn’t blush in that kind of situation?
Yi Qinglian had told her everything that happened the day before. Tang Mo could hardly believe she had experienced such a humiliating situation—Chu Hao kissing and holding her—and yet, paradoxically, he had been saving her.
Especially the fact that the car had been filled with... fluid... all carrying her scent. She felt utterly mortified.
Chu Hao waved his hand dismissively. "It’s no big deal. If you really want to thank me, just treat me to dinner."
Unconsciously, Tang Mo’s opinion of Chu Hao began to change, just slightly.
She now truly hoped Yi Qinglian’s illness could be cured soon. If what Chu Hao said was true—that his method was the only way to save Qinglian—then she wanted to give it a try.
She thought, Of course, it’s not that *I* want to try. It’s to vet Chu Hao on Yi Qinglian’s behalf and test if he’s reliable.
Zhang Dehua was in a terrible bind. After Chu Hao left, he couldn’t contact him at all.
According to Director Zhang, if they didn’t get Chu Hao back, the contract with Shanshui Group would likely fall through.
He was summoned by the principal and given a harsh scolding.
The principal said, "I’ll go talk to Director Zhang myself. We can’t completely trust these kinds of claims. The deaths of those six people were all accidental. Your job now is to handle this matter properly. The construction on the back mountain must start as soon as possible."
When Zhang Dehua got home, his wife had dinner ready. He had pushed Chu Hao’s words to the back of his mind.
That night, while sleeping, Zhang Dehua heard noises coming from the kitchen.
Did a thief break into the house? was his first thought.
"Honey, I think there’s a burglar in the house!"
Zhang Dehua’s wife woke with a start. The couple grabbed a baseball bat and cautiously made their way to the kitchen.
In the pitch-dark kitchen, the refrigerator door was open. What’s this little thief doing, opening the fridge? Zhang Dehua wondered.
They approached carefully. In the light from the open refrigerator, they saw a small, long-haired girl, about eight or nine years old. If that isn’t our daughter, who else could it be?
Their daughter was squatting on the floor in a bizarre pose—on the balls of her feet, gnawing on half a raw chicken. Her hands were bloody. She turned her head to look at them, her mouth dripping with blood, and gave them an eerie smile.
That eerie smile... Zhang Dehua was certain it wasn’t his daughter’s.
It was as if another face was superimposed on his daughter’s, sending chills down both their spines.
"AH!" Zhang Dehua’s wife screamed, nearly fainting from terror.
The next day, Zhang Dehua took his daughter to the hospital for an examination. The doctor suggested it might be sleepwalking.
Zhang Dehua couldn’t bring himself to believe it was just sleepwalking.
There has to be more to it, he thought, recalling Chu Hao’s words.
"Within seven days, someone will surely die."
Zhang Dehua shivered. Is this just the beginning?
The phone rang, and he hurried to answer it.
It was Zhang Qun. He sounded panicked. "Did something happen at your house?"
"Director Zhang, how... how did you know?"
Zhang Dehua was dumbfounded. So little time had passed since the incident at his home, and only he and his wife knew about it. How on earth did Zhang Qun find out?