Five years later, on the subway.
A chubby little boy was staring at the sister sitting across from him, drooling a bit. She was licking a Grey Wolf lollipop with one hand while typing on her phone with the other. Every time she sent a message, the uncle next to her would get a text, reply, and then her phone would ping again.
“Mama, that sister and the uncle over there are acting strange…” He tugged on the woman beside him, finally pulling her attention away from the handsome uncle across from them.
“Shh, be quiet. Kids shouldn’t talk too much. Haven’t you seen Mom and Dad arguing before? Sometimes they still have to bathe you and cook for you.”
“Oh, so they’re fighting? Mama, I want a lollipop too.”
“Alright, alright, I’ll get you one later.”
The subway stopped, and the uncle and sister got off. The chubby boy looked up at the sister, her big eyes and long hair, and thought she was so pretty. When he grew up, he wanted to marry a bride just as beautiful.
Suddenly, he found something in his pocket.
“Mama, the sister gave me a Pleasant Goat!”
“Don’t be silly. That sister walked away from you. She didn’t even get close.”
“But it’s real…”
The chubby boy turned around, pressing his face against the glass, watching as the sister followed the uncle up the stairs. She suddenly turned her head and made a funny face at him, making him laugh happily.
“Professor Shen, Xiaosi, you’re here.” Xiao Tang greeted them warmly. In the past few years, he had been promoted to captain, while Lin Qiang, who had been promoted to the central bureau, refused the position because he felt it didn’t suit him. He preferred staying in the field solving cases.
“This is already the third accident this month along this road. In every case, the car was stolen, and the owner’s internal organs were removed and dumped in a nearby ditch. The first two incidents involved taxis, and this one was a private Buick. The owner lived in the suburbs, was working late, and passed through here. Based on the evidence around the scene, the method matches the previous attacks—placing obstacles in the middle of the road. The owner had to get out to move them and was then attacked, and the car stolen. We called you in because the victims’ organs don’t seem to have been removed surgically but rather gnawed on, and the wounds weren’t cut by knives but torn apart by claws. We suspect it’s non-human related. What’s strange is that recently, there have been numerous vehicle thefts in Taoyuan City, some from garages, parking lots, or roadside, and some by direct carjacking.”
Shen Mo glanced at the body. The markings indeed looked like they were made by non-humans, and ones with low intelligence who didn’t even attempt to destroy the evidence.
He stood up, taking off his gloves. “If these non-humans are simply after food, they could attack people in isolated areas. There’s no need to go through the trouble of setting obstacles on the road. So, their main target must be the vehicles, and injuring people is just… a side dish.”
Jiang Xiaosi nodded. “I’ll make a call to check.”
After a while, she hung up, her face showing a look of realization.
“Turns out there’s an underground street racing competition going on recently. The prizes are pretty big. Those with money probably buy their cars, but those without might steal, and the more desperate ones resort to robbery or sell the stolen cars.”
Xiao Tang couldn’t help but chuckle, repeating Jiang Xiaosi’s words for Shen Mo, making the newer officers around him scratch their heads in confusion.
Lin Qiang frowned. “This is tricky to handle.”
After all, if there’s a source, even if you deal with these guys, others will come along to commit more crimes.
“Normally, non-humans wouldn’t need to harm anyone just to steal cars. They’ve probably developed a taste for human flesh and can’t stop. We need to catch them, or there will be more victims.” Shen Mo turned to Xiao Tang. “Prepare a car. Xiaosi and I will lure them out tonight.”
After leaving the accident scene, Shen Mo’s phone pinged with a text.
——Shen Mo, Dad wants us to go back to Tuogu Xiang for dinner this afternoon.
——Okay.
Shen Mo replied casually.
Even though Jiang Xiaosi could see him nodding, when they were outside, it felt strange to talk to the air or gesture without knowing if she saw it. He preferred texting—it was faster and more convenient than writing. Over the years, he had gotten used to it, evolving from phone anxiety to typing quickly with his eyes closed.
If Jiang Xiaosi called him, the call would go through, but he couldn’t hear anything. In the beginning, he couldn’t even hear her text notification sounds, but recently, he could. This gave them a sliver of hope amidst their despair. Perhaps one day, he would be able to see her again too.
——It’s almost dinner time. Should we take a cab or the subway?
——Cab.
Shen Mo adjusted his phone to have both sound and vibration and always carried three spare batteries. He couldn’t miss any communication from Jiang Xiaosi since he couldn’t see her anymore.
Jiang Xiaosi stuck her tongue out at his expressionless face, then hailed a taxi and sat in the front passenger seat.
“Driver, take us to Bar Street.”
Shen Mo sat in the back, listening to the driver chat away, talking about everything under the sun. Yet the voice he really wanted to hear was completely silent. Turning his head, he watched the greenery rush by outside the window, like traveling through time. He rolled down the window, letting the cool breeze ruffle his hair, carrying away some of his weariness.
“Dad, we’re back!” Jiang Xiaosi rushed into Tuogu Xiang excitedly. No matter how busy Shen Mo was, he always made sure to visit with her at least once a week.
Jiang Liu poked his head out. He hadn’t changed at all, but Jiang Xiaosi had grown into an adult. When she first met Shen Mo, she was fourteen, and he was twenty-nine. She was sixteen when she drank the Tuogu Xiang, and now she was twenty-one. She had grown taller, her hair longer, but she was still a head shorter than Shen Mo. Shen Mo was now thirty-six, more mature and composed, less serious and distant than before.
Shen Mo habitually went to the storeroom to check the latest antiques and jade pieces, while Jiang Xiaosi went into the kitchen to help Jiang Liu.
“Dad, how’s business been lately? And where’s Koudan Jie today?” Since Jiang Xiaosi couldn’t stay at Tuogu Xiang anymore, afraid her dad would be lonely, she constantly pestered Shen Koudan to visit him. With Shen Koudan visiting regularly, things were less awkward between them.
“Business is okay. Koudan took on a job overseas and won’t be back until next week. Weren’t you in Europe with Shen Mo a few days ago for that auction? Did you have fun?”
Jiang Xiaosi nodded enthusiastically. “Shen Mo went for work, but he made time to take me to the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. We also went to Venice. It was amazing! I sent you all the photos in your email. We took so many together, but he couldn’t see me…” The people who helped them take pictures were always puzzled about why this couple stood so far apart. If they stood too close, their bodies would overlap, and that would definitely freak people out.
Jiang Liu patted her head. “Five years have passed in the blink of an eye. Even if he doesn’t say it, Shen Mo must be suffering. But this is the consequence of his stubbornness and arrogance, just as your recklessness and desperation brought you here. Both of you made mistakes, and both of you need to bear the consequences. Since you’ve chosen this path, no matter how hard it gets, you have to walk it together. Whether he can see you or not, being together is still a kind of happiness.”
Jiang Xiaosi nodded. She realized that it was fortunate Shen Mo couldn’t see her. If she couldn’t see him, living with an untouchable lover every day would have driven her insane. She couldn’t help but think about how he felt, couldn’t help but feel guilty. She often wondered if she was holding him back. Were they even still lovers at this point? They were just living together day after day. Shen Mo treated her well, but he was always distant. In all these years, she had rarely seen any expression on his face.
“Dad, sometimes, I’m really scared…”
“Don’t be. We’ll find a way.” Jiang Liu smiled, playfully tapping her on the head. “What’s Shen Mo been feeding you? You’ve grown so tall in no time. I’ve been feeding you for a thousand years, and you were still just a bean sprout.”
Jiang Xiaosi playfully compared her height with his. Suddenly, she asked, “Dad, do I look like my mother?”
Jiang Liu hesitated. “Your eyes are a bit like hers. The rest of you looks more like your father.”
“What did my father look like?” She often saw Liu Zhi’s portrait, but never one of Zhao Bing.
“Uh, very handsome. The second most handsome man in the world.”
“More handsome than you, Dad?”
“No way. I’m the most handsome man in the world.”
Jiang Xiaosi burst out laughing. “Then why did Mom choose Dad over you?”
“Because your dad loved her more than I did.”
“Nonsense. There’s no one in this world who loved Mom more than you.”
Jiang Liu kissed her forehead. “Xiaosi, you need to understand that everyone loves differently. I could die for your mother, but your dad would give up an entire kingdom for her. You can’t compare the two. I could die for you, or for the people of Liming, but your father’s heart had only your mother in it.”
Jiang Liu realized that he could now talk about the past with such ease, as if he had finally let go of it all.
“So don’t think that Shen Mo loves you any less than I do. He just doesn’t know how to show it. Like your dad, he’s proud, domineering, and stubborn. He wants to protect someone, and no matter how hard it is, he won’t say it. No matter how much his words and actions make you worry, misunderstand, or feel sad, don’t just look at the surface. Trust him and trust your own heart. Don’t make the same mistake as last time by rashly drinking the Tuogu Xiang. I don’t want to see you follow in your mother’s footsteps, understand?”
“Understood.” Jiang Xiaosi nodded firmly, regaining her energy.
“Dad, tonight Shen Mo and I are going to catch the criminals who’ve been stealing cars and killing people.”
“Do you need my help?”
“No need. Don’t worry, just a few low-level thugs. We can handle it.”
After dinner, Xiao Tang came to pick them up.
“I borrowed this car from the department as bait. It’s really expensive, so don’t lose it or scratch it during the fight.” Xiao Tang said, reminding them repeatedly before handing the keys to Jiang Xiaosi.
“Relax. I’ve had my license for years.” Jiang Xiaosi had her own car parked at T University, which she occasionally drove. However, Shen Mo wasn’t used to riding in cars and preferred the subway when there wasn’t an urgent matter, as it was more stable. Since she couldn’t be away from Shen Mo, she didn’t drive often, making Xiao Tang a bit nervous.
At 1 AM, Jiang Xiaosi was driving on an empty road with Shen Mo in the passenger seat. Neither of them spoke or sent messages, making the atmosphere unusually quiet.
Because the criminals had a pattern of committing crimes at regular intervals, they purposely drove a high-end convertible perfect for street racing to lure them out.
As they neared the scene of the previous incident, they saw more stones scattered on the road.
“They’re here. Be careful.” Shen Mo murmured. Jiang Xiaosi was no longer a zombie but a regular person, and her ability to protect herself had diminished. But over the years, she had learned many ghost-hunting techniques from Shen Koudan.
“Don’t worry.” Even though Shen Mo couldn’t hear her, Jiang Xiaosi naturally nodded in response.
Shen Mo pretended to get out to move the stones when he suddenly felt something drop behind him. A green-furred hand tightened around his neck. Shen Mo flipped the two-meter-tall creature over his shoulder, slamming it to the ground. It had a grotesque face and long fangs, half-human, half-beast. This type of genetically mutated monster was usually agile and strong, resistant to both spells and physical attacks, but very afraid of fire.
He heard the sound of shattering glass behind him. Two more creatures had jumped onto the car, smashing the windows, and seemed to be grappling with whoever was inside.
“Jiang Xiaosi, use fire.”
As soon as he finished speaking, two flaming talismans flew out of the car, sticking to the monsters and engulfing them in flames.
“Shen Mo, watch out!” Jiang Xiaosi shouted as she saw the creature behind him get back up.
Shen Mo hadn’t heard her but quickly sensed the danger. He turned around and raised his hand. A stream of fire shot from his fingertips, engulfing the creature in a blaze.
After a moment, Shen Mo extinguished the fire and bound the three half-dead monsters together, waiting for Xiao Tang and his team to handle them. In the past, he would have eradicated them completely, but now, he acted with more compassion, leaving a bit of room for mercy. The other creatures hiding in the woods, terrified by what they had seen, scattered and fled. It would be a long time before they dared to cause trouble again. Dealing with these low-intelligence creatures was actually the easiest.
“Are you okay?” Shen Mo opened the car door, looking down at the dented seat where Jiang Xiaosi should have been.
His phone buzzed with a message.
——I’m fine.
Shen Mo noticed a small spot of fresh blood on the broken glass at his feet. He nodded, saying nothing, and called Xiao Tang.
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