On a summer night, the pitch-black sky was occasionally lit up by flashes of lightning, and rain seemed imminent. The thick clouds hung heavily like black plastic bags filled with water, pressing down on everyone’s hearts, making it hard to breathe.
He curled up on the bed, desperately trying to suppress the deep-seated cravings within him, almost wanting to pull the blanket over his head. In his cramped room, barely ten square meters in size, the heat was suffocating, yet he had sealed the doors and windows tightly, allowing the air inside to ferment with every bacteria. No matter how much his family knocked on the door outside, he ignored them.
His body trembled uncontrollably as he forced himself not to look outside the window, not to think about the tempting void below from the height of the nineteenth floor. Yet the wind howled, battering the window, calling to him, as if trying to seep through every crack, cold enough to reach his bones. Covered in sweat, he bit his lip and lunged toward the drawer, pulling out a large roll of transparent tape. He frantically sealed every gap in the window as if his life depended on it.
At that moment, his computer screen suddenly lit up with a loud “pop,” followed by the familiar sound of QQ notifications. His face turned as white as paper as he slowly, stiffly turned his head inch by inch, like a rusty iron robot. The computer was unplugged, with its power cord still lying on the floor, yet the QQ chat window had popped up on its own. The screen displayed a few lines of text in bright red font.
His body froze as if struck by lightning, then he let out a sinister, eerie laugh. Moving with the grace of a dancer, he retrieved an MP3 player from his bag, put on his headphones, and cranked the volume to the maximum. Then, he pulled out a sturdy black plastic bag from the drawer, put it over his head, and tied it tightly. Tearing off the tape, he opened the window, climbed onto the windowsill, and spread his arms wide, singing along loudly to the music blaring in his ears. The plastic bag puffed in and out with his breathing, like a dying fish gasping for air.
Another gust of wind blew in, and he leaped gracefully from the window, soaring like a bird. At the moment he hit the ground, it felt as if he could hear the distant sound of his bones shattering.
Rain poured down in torrents.
Lin Qiang crouched under the eaves, frowning as he smoked while staring at the corpse not far away. Despite the rain, a crowd had gathered around, and reporters’ flashlights kept flickering nonstop.
Xiao Tang approached with an umbrella, a hint of disgust on his face.
“Captain Lin… your cigarette…”
Lin Qiang looked down and realized he had forgotten to remove his gloves after inspecting the body. Blood had smeared onto his cigarette, further souring his mood. He angrily threw the cigarette to the ground, stomping it out before ripping off his gloves and tossing them at Xiao Tang’s face.
Xiao Tang, helpless, bent over and forced a smile. “Captain Lin, maybe we should call Professor Shen?”
In just one month, seven people had already died, all of them committing suicide by jumping from buildings with plastic bags tied around their heads. Their bones were shattered, and their bodies looked horrifying, filled with blood and brain matter. This case seemed far beyond their usual scope of investigation. Yet, Captain Lin was stubbornly holding out, refusing to let Xiao Tang seek out Professor Shen.
After thinking it over for a while, Lin Qiang finally said, “Fine, give him a call and have him come to the scene.” He and Shen Mo had never gotten along—each found the other insufferable.
Xiao Tang looked around nervously. “Maybe I should drive to the university and pick him up?”
Lin Qiang raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t the department just give him a phone?”
“Well…” Xiao Tang scrunched up his face in an expression of extreme innocence.
Lin Qiang waved his hand in exasperation. “Just go and come back quickly.”
With that, Xiao Tang dashed off with his umbrella, heading straight for T University.
At Taoyuan City’s northern prison, the morning was usually silent, but suddenly, a piercing scream erupted, echoing through the prison like the wailing of ghosts. The sound was so intense that it surpassed the limits of what any human could produce, sending chills down the spines of those who heard it.
The prison guards, puzzled, thought someone might be causing trouble. They searched cell by cell, but no one seemed injured, and no one had escaped.
Amid the chaos, a man in uniform slipped out of the prison, walking toward a red sports car parked nearby.
“Open the door, Little Cat.” Surprisingly, a woman’s voice came from his mouth.
The car door opened as if responding to the command. The person climbed into the back seat and began pulling various objects from their pockets—compasses, daggers, a peach wood sword, a handgun, a water gun, and several silver bullets and bottles. It was like Doraemon’s magic pouch—who knew how she managed to carry all that?
Finally, she pulled out an apple and stuffed it into her mouth.
“Koudan, was the mission successful, meow?” A slightly mechanical yet still adorable voice came from the car speakers.
As Shen Koudan devoured the apple ravenously, she began stripping off her uniform.
“I hate cleaning prisons and hospitals. They’re so filthy. There were so many to deal with this time. I spent all night last night and this morning cleaning them up. And in the end, I almost let a big one escape. Now I’m hungry, tired, and sleepy. Little Cat, drive me home so I can sleep.”
Even though there was no one in the driver’s seat, the car started up automatically. The windshield blurred to obscure the view from outside—otherwise, it would definitely scare someone.
“Prisons are the most hostile places in all of Taoyuan City, so naturally, the ghosts are stronger. It’s good that you didn’t get hurt like last time, meow.”
“Don’t worry, I came fully prepared this time.”
“I’m just afraid you’ll overexert yourself, meow. Did you go back to settle a score this time?”
Shen Koudan smiled smugly, her eyes narrowing into slits. She quickly finished the apple and removed the disguise from her face and head, changing from a prison guard’s uniform into pajamas. Hugging a bone-shaped pillow, she dozed off in the car.
“Koudan, your uncle is calling, meow.”
Koudan yawned, not even bothering to open her eyes as she curled up in the back seat like a little cat.
“Put him through.”
A deep, magnetic voice came through, so captivating that it could cling to anyone’s ears, but the tone was too serious and cold, with each sentence frustratingly short.
“Where are you?”
“In the car, just got out of prison.”
“Was it successful?”
“Of course. Uncle, who called you?”
“Xiao Tang.”
“Are you heading to the scene or just coming back?”
“Back.”
“Is it the case with the suicides?”
“Yes.”
“Is it really ghosts at work?”
“Yes, and very powerful ones.” Finally, a few more words than usual. Koudan sighed. She never understood why Shen Mo could talk normally in person but turned so curt on the phone.
“Do you need help?”
“No. You handle the Aiya Hospital case.” After a moment, he added, “Tonight.”
“Can I go tomorrow night? I need to go home and sleep. I’m so tired!” Koudan began rolling around with her pillow, whining and acting spoiled.
“No.”
Before Koudan could protest further, the line went dead.
Ugh, are you kidding me? This is labor abuse! Koudan pounded the seat in frustration but finally decided not to complain and focused on getting some sleep.
After school that afternoon, Jiang Xiaosi was dragged out of the classroom by her desk mate, Li Yueyi.
“Xiaosi, come with me to the supermarket.”
“For what?”
“What else? Shopping, of course!”
“I can’t. I have to go home and watch the store.”
“Come on, I’ll buy you some tomato juice.”
With that, Xiaosi happily followed along, wandering around the supermarket.
“Yueyi, why is your face so red?”
“What? No, it’s not…” Li Yueyi looked around nervously, her behavior fidgety and anxious.
“You said you were treating me, right? So it’s fine if I grab a few more, right?” Jiang Xiaosi gleefully picked up two bottles, then three, and eventually grabbed six or seven bottles, stopping only when she couldn’t carry any more. She regretted not getting a shopping cart.
Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice Li Yueyi quietly slipping something into her bag.
“Is that all you’re buying?” Jiang Xiaosi looked at the small bag of QQ candy in Li Yueyi’s hand, feeling a bit guilty.
“Yeah.” Li Yueyi kept her head down, feeling guilty as she nervously scanned the long lines. Luckily, there were no familiar faces around.
Just as they were about to finish paying and leave, someone grabbed Jiang Xiaosi’s collar and pulled her back.
“Looks like there are some things you haven’t paid for, huh?”
The voice was absolutely captivating, as smooth as velvet, but the tone was cold and stern.
At the same time, Xiaosi caught a whiff of a tantalizing RH blood type mixed with a faint tea fragrance from behind her. It was so wonderful that it made her want to live and die at the same time. She spun around, ready to transform into a wolf and pounce. But under the oppressive chill radiating from the person in front of her, she couldn’t help but shiver.
The man in front of her wore a simple black Tang suit, made from top-quality fabric, exuding a low-key, noble elegance. His collar was high, buttoned up to his chin, giving off a conservative and restrained aura.
His hair was slightly longer than most, its color a pure, deep black, like a void that absorbed all light.
His long, slender eyes, as dark as ink, seemed like they were painted with a single brushstroke, but not on rice paper—instead, they were drawn against the night sky. There was no hint of soft diffusion, just a sharp contrast between black and white, gleaming like stars. However, the light in his eyes was so cold and fierce that anyone who met his gaze would feel as if they’d been completely seen through.
Jiang Xiaosi had never seen anyone with such sharp, icy eyes, or with such a perfect nose and attractive thin lips. Most importantly, he had RH blood!
Xiaosi’s blood was boiling. She felt like every cell in her body was on fire. Dear heavens, she had finally found her long-dreamed-of Prince Charming!
“Pay up!” The man’s enchanting lips spat out two impatient words.
Jiang Xiaosi, still dazed, gestured politely, “You first.”
“I said, take out what’s in your bag and pay for it.” The man was beginning to show signs of irritation.
“What stuff?” Jiang Xiaosi was completely lost. Li Yueyi, sensing danger, quietly slipped away.
“Do I have to drag you to the police station before you’ll hand it over?”
“Huh?”
Jiang Xiaosi continued to stand there, dumbfounded, drooling over this man who had the night in his contours, the moon in his soul, stars in his eyes, and RH blood in his veins. She couldn’t help but marvel at his presence.
Out of patience, the man opened Jiang Xiaosi’s bag and pulled out the items Li Yueyi had secretly stuffed inside earlier.
Jiang Xiaosi was stunned.
It was a pregnancy test and a box of durian-flavored condoms.
Li Yueyi, you have a really twisted sense of humor!
Fuming with anger, Jiang Xiaosi spun around, only to find that the culprit had already fled. Had she forgotten that her family ran an adult products store? Why would she buy these things at a supermarket instead of from her? Unbelievable!
No, that wasn’t the point. The point was, how could she let herself be framed in front of such a handsome man! Her thousand-year-old dignity had been utterly destroyed.
She nervously and frantically tried to explain to him, but he merely let out a cold chuckle, scanning her from head to toe.
“These days, high school students… really…”
He grabbed the bags he had already paid for and turned away with long strides. Jiang Xiaosi, however, noticed that among his groceries was an incongruous head of cabbage.
“No, it’s not like that! Let me explain!” Jiang Xiaosi was almost ready to throw herself at his legs, but the store clerk stopped her.
“Miss, you haven’t paid yet.”
Jiang Xiaosi looked up at the sky and let out a long, helpless sigh. To be misunderstood like this—how could she live with herself?
Li Yueyi, you’re dead meat tomorrow!
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