A peculiar phenomenon unfolded. As Chen Xuanqiu watched, the blood from her fingertip seemed like raindrops falling upon parched earth, rapidly soaking into her skin, vanishing without a trace in the blink of an eye.
At the same moment, a strange sequence of images flashed through Chen Xuanqiu’s mind. It was as if time had rewound, transporting her back to the previous night, where she experienced everything from Fu Yao’s perspective.
Fu Yao first entered the house, then revelled with his dissolute friends. In the throes of their merriment, the keys at his waist seemed bothersome, so he took them off and tossed them towards the sofa.
Likely somewhat inebriated at the time, Fu Yao lost his aim, and the keys landed squarely in the crevice behind the sofa.
“Qiu, what’s wrong?”
Just then, Chen Xuanqiu heard her mother’s voice, snapping her back to reality. The ‘vision’ in her mind naturally dissipated, and the warmth at her fingertip had long since vanished without a trace.
“N-nothing…”
Chen Xuanqiu had never encountered anything so bizarre, and her voice trembled slightly.
Melissa’s brows furrowed once more, as she gazed uneasily at her “son.”
‘Was what I just saw truly real?’
Chen Xuanqiu pondered the question. To verify its authenticity, she walked over to the sofa, leaned forward, and peered behind it, immediately spotting the keys wedged in the crevice.
“This…”
Chen Xuanqiu was utterly dumbfounded. The strange occurrences of late had become so commonplace that she was practically developing a resistance to them.
“Are these your keys?”
Chen Xuanqiu retrieved the keys from the crevice and asked.
“Yes, yes, those are my keys!”
Upon seeing them, Fu Yao excitedly rushed over to retrieve them.
“What? Not even a thank you?”
Chen Xuanzhu, standing nearby, narrowed her eyes and questioned him.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I was just too excited!”
Sensing danger, Fu Yao apologised profusely. Then, turning to Chen Xuanqiu, he said, “Thank you, little brother-in-law. I owe you one. If you ever need help with anything, just come find me.”
“Who are you calling little brother-in-law?”
Before Chen Xuanqiu could even respond, her “cheap” younger sister bristled instantly, striding over with her long legs, closing the distance.
“Nothing! Nothing at all!”
Fu Yao pleaded for mercy, his feet carrying him uncontrollably towards the door.
“Join us for lunch, Mr. Fu!”
Melissa hurriedly tried to persuade him.
“No, perhaps another day.”
Fu Yao called out without looking back.
“Good thing you’re fast.”
Chen Xuanzhu smugly curled her rosy lips.
The family could finally enjoy their lunch in peace, but Chen Xuanqiu’s heart remained unsettled. The events that had just transpired were simply too bizarre, and even recalling them now filled her with apprehension.
“Qiu, what’s wrong?”
Melissa noticed her “son’s” unusual behaviour, and couldn’t help but ask.
“N-nothing…”
Chen Xuanqiu quickly shook her head, and symbolically picked up some food with her chopsticks.
“Did you see something strange again?”
Melissa asked, her tone perceptive. The other family members, hearing this, also turned their gazes towards her.
“No, absolutely not. Mom, don’t overthink it.”
Chen Xuanqiu denied it instantly, without a moment’s hesitation. She certainly didn’t want to be labelled as mentally ill again.
Melissa sighed deeply, clearly not believing her “son’s” words.
****
The Huawu Group, officially known as Huawu Real Estate Group Co., Ltd., ranked among the top five large enterprises in Donghui City. Its primary business was real estate development.
Real estate development naturally required construction materials, and their main partner had always been Lihui Building Materials Co., Ltd. The reason was simple: the boss of Huawu Group was Fu Fawu, while the boss of Lihui Building Materials was Chen Degao.
On this particular day, Fu Fawu convened a regular meeting. He discussed his intention to sign a supplementary agreement with Lihui Building Materials, the terms of which involved extending their cooperation for another two years.
“CEO Fu, with all due respect, your decision is far too hasty.”
Zheng Shaohua, the Group’s Vice President, immediately raised his objection. He stated, “Lihui Building Materials’ prices are certainly not the best in Donghui City. Your repeated insistence on partnering with them will only lead to unnecessary losses for us.”
“Indeed, CEO Zheng is right. I’ve heard that Summit Building Materials offers more competitive prices. If we collaborate with Summit, we could save a significant amount annually.”
Another senior executive chimed in, agreeing.
“I have heard all your suggestions, everyone. However, I have my own considerations, so you need only proceed with the execution.”
Fu Fawu replied stubbornly.
The executives below all sighed inwardly. They naturally understood what the General Manager’s “considerations” were: wasn’t it simply for his son’s future? To damage the entire Group’s interests for personal gain was an utterly selfish act. Alas, the Fu family held over sixty percent of Huawu Group’s shares, leaving them powerless to change anything.
Feeling coerced, Zheng Shaohua returned home and began complaining to his wife and son.
“That Fu fellow, for his own selfish desires, actually disregards everyone’s interests. What right does he have to be the General Manager?”
Zheng Shaohua denounced him vehemently, as the Zheng family also held about ten percent of the shares in Huawu Group.
“Forget it. What can we do when our arms can’t twist a thigh?”
His wife advised from the side.
“But I just can’t swallow this insult.”
Zheng Shaohua gritted his teeth, pondering for a moment. A sinister glint appeared in his eyes, as he declared, “Since he acts without benevolence, don’t blame me for acting without righteousness.”
Having spoken, Zheng Shaohua rose and went upstairs. A moment later, he descended with a yellow paper in hand.
“What is that?”
His wife asked, puzzled, and their son, Zheng Chao, also cast a curious gaze.
“When I was young, I once saved an old Taoist priest. To repay me, he gave me a talisman paper. He said that if this talisman was burned to ashes and tricked an enemy into consuming it, that person would surely die a sudden, violent death within three days, with the police unable to find the cause.”
Zheng Shaohua unfolded the aged talisman paper and explained. The eerie symbols inscribed upon it had already faded somewhat.
“You actually believe in such things?”
His wife retorted, exasperated.
“It’s fine. We’ll just try it. If it works, it’ll be a pleasant surprise.”
Zheng Shaohua said, without lifting his head.
“So, you want to use this talisman to kill Fu Fawu?”
His wife asked, uncertain.
“Why would I kill Fu Fawu?”
Zheng Shaohua looked up at his wife and said, “If I kill him, his son will still be there. That’s treating the symptoms, not the root cause.”
“Then what do you mean?”
His wife seemed to have realised something.
“Precisely. I’m going to kill his son, Fu Yao. Once that eyesore is gone, our company will no longer need to cooperate with Lihui Building Materials.”
Zheng Shaohua chuckled triumphantly.
“That may be so, but I still feel this thing isn’t reliable.”
His wife shook her head.
“Didn’t I just say? We’ll try it. If it works, it’s a pleasant surprise. If not, there’s no loss.”
Zheng Shaohua reiterated with a hint of impatience. He then turned his gaze to his son, Zheng Chao, beside him. “Xiao Chao, aren’t you usually quite close with Fu Yao? I’m giving you this talisman paper; find a way to make him consume it.”
“This… this isn’t right, is it? He’s my good buddy, after all.”
Zheng Chao looked troubled. At only nineteen, he truly couldn’t bring himself to commit such a heinous act.
“Xiao Chao, don’t think I don’t know that you’re interested in that Chen family girl. If Fu Yao doesn’t disappear, do you think you’ll have a chance?”
Zheng Shaohua exposed his son’s little secret without hesitation.
“What are you talking about? Who’s interested in that brat?”
Zheng Chao immediately retorted, agitated.
“Oh really? Then whose picture is your computer wallpaper? Don’t tell me it’s some internet celebrity; I’ve seen that Chen family girl before.”
Zheng Shaohua ruthlessly exposed his son’s little secret.
Zheng Chao was instantly speechless, his face flushing crimson.
“Think carefully. I’ve given you the opportunity; don’t regret it later.”
Zheng Shaohua declared.
“Give it to me.”
Zheng Chao clenched his fists, struggling for a long moment. His mind was filled with Chen Xuanzhu’s graceful and pretty figure, and ultimately, he couldn’t suppress his inner desires.
“Very good. Now that’s a true man. We’re signing the agreement with Lihui Building Materials next Friday, so you must act quickly.”
Zheng Shaohua instructed.
****
Two days later, Chen Xuanqiu’s grandparents returned home, as the elderly couple missed their cats and dogs.
During this period, Chen Xuanqiu maintained constant vigilance, and thus, didn’t reveal any obvious slip-ups.
Due to the suspicion of mental illness, Chen Xuanqiu was “confined” to the villa by her family every day. However, she had no objections, as it provided the perfect opportunity to practice her makeup skills.
Chen Xuanqiu’s efforts finally bore fruit. She had now practiced her makeup skills to a respectable degree, able to disguise her face to its usual appearance even without her mother’s help.
Chen Xuanqiu finally relaxed a little. After all, she couldn’t keep feigning a hand injury, or she would surely be sent for another hospital check-up. Just the mention of a hospital now filled her with unease.
That afternoon, Chen Degao called home early, stating that the Fu family was hosting a dinner that evening.
“The Fu family inviting us probably means they intend to apologise and make amends,” Chen Degao explained over the phone.
The family, though somewhat disgusted by such opportunistic people, understood the importance of maintaining appearances for the greater good, and thus prepared to attend.
Having been cooped up at home for too long, Chen Xuanqiu’s parents feared she might become depressed, so they insisted she join them.
After work, Chen Degao drove his wife and children to the Fu family residence. The Fu family lived in the southern suburbs of the city, a drive of about twenty to thirty minutes.
Upon arriving at the Fu family home, Chen Xuanqiu truly witnessed what it meant to be wealthy. The family resided in a detached villa, complete with a spacious garden in the front and a large swimming pool and various exercise equipment in the back.
‘An ordinary woman would probably dream of marrying into this family,’ Chen Xuanqiu suddenly thought. Even in this place of extreme gender imbalance, not everyone could afford such a grand villa, as the wealthy were still far fewer than women.
Inside the villa, Fu Fawu and his wife warmly greeted the family of four, appearing utterly without pretension.
Chen Xuanqiu glanced around, puzzled. She noticed that Fu Yao, that pretty boy, was unusually absent, which she found quite peculiar. ‘Could that pretty boy have suddenly changed his mind and decided not to come out to see his ‘sister’?’ she wondered.
“I’m sorry, my son isn’t feeling well today, so he’s resting upstairs,” Jiang Yunmei explained apologetically.
“Why don’t you go wake him up?” Fu Fawu suggested.
“No, his health is most important. Let him rest properly,” Chen Degao quickly interjected. However, no sooner had he spoken than Fu Yao’s voice drifted down from the stairs.
“My apologies, Uncle Chen! I don’t know what’s wrong with me today; I’ve been feeling unwell ever since I came back from playing basketball at the stadium this morning.”
Fu Yao, clad in sportswear, walked into the living room, his handsome face looking noticeably haggard.
“This…”
Chen Xuanqiu’s bright, watery eyes widened instantly. What was she seeing? She actually saw a faint layer of black aura surrounding Fu Yao, clinging to him like a parasitic shadow, following him wherever he went.