Chapter Twenty-Eight: Still Under Hypnosis

Bai Yulou seized the dinner knife and plunged it toward his own throat, prompting a shrill scream from Liu Rushuang.

In that critical moment, Lu Hehuan, seated opposite Bai Yulou, flung the bowl in his hand, knocking the knife away. "What are you doing? Let me die, let me die!" Bai Yulou cried out, out of control, grabbing a handful of fish bones and stuffing them into his mouth. Alarmed, Lu Hehuan shouted to the others, "Stop him, quickly—he’s trying to choke himself!"

Ying Xi, sitting beside Bai Yulou, reacted swiftly, slapping Bai Yulou across the face and forcing the fish bones from his mouth. "Bai Yulou, what madness is this?" Ying Xi looked at the deranged man with helplessness. "Bai Bai, what’s wrong with you?" Liu Rushuang asked, deeply worried.

Ignoring everyone, Bai Yulou dashed toward the window and nimbly scrambled up. "I’m the real murderer! I killed Sister Hao and Cheng Zesheng—I must pay for their lives!" Bai Yulou shouted, voice hoarse, before leaping out.

Bao Kang, who was nearby, caught Bai Yulou’s foot just in time, but momentum dragged him halfway out the window, leaving his own body suspended dangerously in mid-air. Bao Kang gripped Bai Yulou’s leg with both hands as Bai Yulou hung upside down outside, both men in peril.

Straining, Bao Kang yelled for help, "Someone help! What’s wrong with this guy?" "Damn it, I forgot to have Cheng Zesheng lift the hypnosis from Bai Yulou!" Lu Hehuan realized with a start, his face darkening.

Staring anxiously at Bai Yulou outside the window, Liu Rushuang called out, "Brother Xi, Lu Hehuan, hurry, save them!" Lu Hehuan and Ying Xi rushed to pull Bao Kang and Bai Yulou back in, but just as they were about to succeed, Ying Xi suddenly doubled over, clutching his stomach in pain. "My stomach... hurts..." he groaned.

"What’s wrong? Can you hold on?" Lu Hehuan asked with concern, surprised that the usually energetic Ying Xi was suddenly taken ill. Under the bright restaurant lights, Ying Xi’s thin face gleamed with sweat. Squinting, biting his lip, he muttered, "I don’t think I can..." and promptly fainted.

Lu Hehuan, panicked, supported Ying Xi and instinctively let go of Bao Kang. Bao Kang and Bai Yulou, almost back inside, were left dangling out the window again, and Bao Kang couldn’t help but cry out. Seeing this, Liu Rushuang rushed over to cradle Ying Xi’s head, her face full of worry. "Brother Xi, is it your stomach again? Brother Xi..."

Outside the window, Bai Yulou, obsessed with death, struggled and shouted, "Let me die, I must atone for my sins!" He thrashed like a wild horse, dragging Bao Kang further out. Exhausted, Bao Kang turned his head and roared at the others, "If you don’t pull me in now, I’ll let go!"

The scene was utter chaos.

Liu Rushuang and Lu Hehuan laid Ying Xi aside, then hurried back to help pull Bao Kang and Bai Yulou in. With everyone’s effort, they finally managed to haul the pair back inside. Bao Kang, fearing another outburst, seized Bai Yulou’s arm and pinned him down. "Let me go! Let me die! I need to atone—I’m the murderer!" Bai Yulou howled and struggled.

Liu Rushuang ignored Bai Yulou, anxiously kneeling beside Ying Xi and lifting his head. "Brother Xi, are you alright?"

Lu Hehuan approached and checked Ying Xi’s eyes carefully. "He’ll be okay, right?" Liu Rushuang burst into tears, worried sick. Lu Hehuan frowned slightly, then recalled something and looked at her. "You said he has a stomach condition?"

She nodded.

"It’s probably a temporary fainting spell from the pain; he should be fine," Lu Hehuan soothed gently. He pinched a pressure point under Ying Xi’s nose, and after a moment, Ying Xi slowly came to. Seeing Lu Hehuan, he managed a weak smile.

"Brother Xi, you’re finally awake—you scared me to death," Liu Rushuang said, hugging him and still wiping her tears. Ying Xi scowled at the sight of her and struggled to sit up. "It’s just stomach pain, not a terminal illness... What’s with the wailing, are you mourning me?" he snapped irritably.

Liu Rushuang quickly dried her tears. "I thought—"

"You’re cursing me, aren’t you? Ill intentions!" Ying Xi interrupted her gruffly.

Everyone’s attention was on Ying Xi, so they didn’t notice Bai Yulou, who suddenly broke free of Bao Kang and overturned the table with a loud crash. Startled, Liu Rushuang leapt onto Ying Xi in fright, hugging him tightly. Ying Xi was so shocked by the noise that he nearly fainted again, and Lu Hehuan had to steady him.

Bai Yulou grabbed a bowl, smashed it, and, brandishing a shard, made as if to slit his wrist—only for Bao Kang to seize his hand, locking them in a stalemate.

Regaining his composure, Ying Xi saw Liu Rushuang still clinging to his neck, and he snapped furiously, "Get off me! Are you trying to strangle me unconscious?"

Liu Rushuang, regaining her composure, reluctantly slid off Ying Xi and hurried to the two men. Bao Kang and Bai Yulou were still deadlocked. Bao Kang glared at Lu Hehuan and Ying Xi and snarled, "Are you two just going to stand there? Get over here and help!"

Lu Hehuan and Ying Xi rushed over, pinning Bai Yulou down. Bao Kang let out a heavy sigh of relief. Watching Bai Yulou’s relentless self-destructive behavior, Liu Rushuang furrowed her brow and muttered helplessly, "Bai Bai wants to die so badly—what are we going to do?"

A sudden idea flashed in Bao Kang’s eyes, and he said with delight, "I have a solution!"

Nightfall cast a bewitching charm over the Western restaurant. Elegant lighting lent the room a quiet grace, while the gentle notes of a saxophone floated romantically through the air. Polite waiters moved from table to table; a few diners conversed in soft laughter—the whole environment was peaceful and refined. Yet in a corner, Zhu Wolong and Bao Rong seemed out of place.

They sat across from each other at a long table set with two steaks and several pastries. Zhu Wolong, impeccably dressed, lounged with one leg crossed over the other, speaking loudly, while Bao Rong’s face showed her lack of enthusiasm.

Noticing Bao Rong’s low spirits, Zhu Wolong animatedly suggested, "I told you, we should’ve booked the whole place—how wonderful to have the world to ourselves!" He cast a disdainful glance at the other diners and grumbled, "Having to eat among these ordinary people spoils the mood... Miss Bao, why don’t I ask the owner to send them away so it can be just us?"

"No need. I only agreed to have dinner with you for my brother’s sake, not to have a private rendezvous," Bao Rong replied coolly.

As they spoke, a waiter approached with a large bouquet. "Mr. Zhu, your flowers." Zhu Wolong glanced at the ninety-nine red roses he’d specially ordered and told the waiter, "Find a vase and place the flowers in front of Miss Bao so she can enjoy their fragrance while dining."

"That’s really not necessary..." Bao Rong protested, slightly embarrassed by the ostentation.

The waiter hesitated, but Zhu Wolong insisted, "Go on." The waiter nodded and left.

Soon, he returned carrying a vase overflowing with roses. Placing the vase before Bao Rong, the bouquet took up half the table, completely blocking their view of each other. Zhu Wolong was momentarily dumbfounded, awkwardly muttering, "Why is it so huge..."

Peering around the flowers, he suggested, "Miss Bao, perhaps we should move them aside."

But Bao Rong was secretly pleased; just seeing Zhu Wolong irritated her, so she replied quickly, "This is perfect—didn’t you want me to dine surrounded by fragrance? Let’s leave them."

Helpless, Zhu Wolong had to acquiesce. The two continued their meal, separated by the massive bouquet, conversing across the blooms. Zhu Wolong, a little embarrassed, craned his head to catch a glimpse of Bao Rong.

She looked at the food and said, "Mr. Zhu, please eat. I’d like to leave once we’re finished."

"No hurry; I’d like to talk a bit more..." Zhu Wolong smiled, testing the waters. "You know, feelings can be cultivated. Why don’t we try to nurture them?"

Seeing through his intentions, Bao Rong sighed, "The Bodhi has no tree, the bright mirror no stand. Since there is nothing from the beginning, where could dust alight? Have you heard this poem, Mr. Zhu?"

"Oh, yes..." Zhu Wolong hesitated, feigning understanding rather than lose face.

"So, you understand what I mean?"

"Ah? Well..." Zhu Wolong stammered, lost.

Bao Rong realized his confusion and smiled kindly. "It means the Bodhi is not a tree; the bright mirror is not a stand. Since there’s nothing in the first place, how could dust settle? All things are illusory; there’s no need to cling to what isn’t yours. Just follow your heart and be happy. For instance, Mr. Zhu, you enjoy the pleasures of life—so do as you please. Don’t force yourself to be with a bookworm like me, who doesn’t understand romance."

Zhu Wolong nodded, pretending to understand. "Miss Bao, perhaps you don’t really know me. I quite enjoy reading, actually! During my recent days in jail, I read several books. In fact, I specifically read that poetry collection you like—by Tang Yan."

"Tang Yan?" Bao Rong was puzzled; she had never heard of a Tang Yan’s poetry collection.

Zhu Wolong scratched his head. "Yes, or maybe he’s called Bai Hu..."

"Do you mean Tang Yin, Tang Bohu?" Bao Rong couldn’t help but laugh.

"Yes, yes, I knew that. I was just testing you." Zhu Wolong tried to cover up his embarrassment.

"You’re quite the joker, Mr. Zhu. Is dinner always an exam with you?"

"Don’t misunderstand, Miss Bao. I was just teasing... By the way, there’s a poem of his that I really like. What were the lines? I memorized them for ages... Let me think... Ah, ‘Others laugh at me for being mad, I laugh at others for not seeing through things. Not seeing, not seeing whose tomb, with neither flowers nor wine, nor tilling the fields.’"

Noting Zhu Wolong’s muddled literary references, Bao Rong shook her head and quietly continued eating her steak.

Night deepened, but the restaurant was still bustling. Following Bao Kang’s plan, Bai Yulou was tied up and, to keep him from shouting, a rag was stuffed in his mouth.

Watching Bai Yulou, bound hand and foot in the corner, Liu Rushuang’s heart ached, and she complained to Bao Kang, "Director Bao, what kind of solution is this?"

"Better than him trying to kill himself, isn’t it?" Bao Kang replied glumly.

She sighed. "I suppose so."

"We need to find Cheng Zesheng immediately and ask how to lift Bai Yulou’s hypnosis," Lu Hehuan insisted—binding was no long-term fix; the root of the problem had to be solved.

Liu Rushuang nodded and turned to him. "Lu Hehuan, watch Bai Bai for me. I’ll go to police headquarters with Brother Xi to look for Cheng Zesheng."

"What’s it got to do with me? Why should I go?" Ying Xi protested, trying to shirk responsibility.

"I’m not with the police. If I just barge into headquarters, will anyone pay attention to me?" Liu Rushuang complained.

"Then have Lu Hehuan take you. I’ll stay here with Bai Yulou," Ying Xi said impatiently, finding a way to escape her company.

She glanced at Lu Hehuan for help. "I’m not familiar with the people at headquarters; they might not cooperate," he said, catching her cue.

Ying Xi still looked unwilling.

"Director Bao, my father did mention sponsoring the Old Zha precinct recently..." Liu Rushuang looked to Bao Kang for support, resorting to bribery.

"Ying Xi, accompany Miss Liu to headquarters," Bao Kang said, swayed by the mention of money.

Ying Xi, though reluctant, nodded out of respect for Bao Kang, "Alright."

Overjoyed, Liu Rushuang grabbed Ying Xi’s arm and skipped away.

At the restaurant, Zhu Wolong and Bao Rong continued their meal, unable to see each other across the flowers—a most unusual date to any onlooker.

Zhu Wolong craned his neck, chatting away, "I think ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’ by Cao Xueqin is quite interesting. Being in real estate, I’m drawn to books about building houses. But honestly, I don’t like red buildings—I prefer gold, it’s much more grand. I especially like palatial mansions, like my own home; that’s what befits my status. And I don’t like the word ‘dream’—it implies the red mansion never got built, which isn’t lucky for us developers. I suspect the author chose this title to reflect his own hardships. Cao Xueqin must’ve failed in business before turning to literature, don’t you think?"

Bao Rong could hardly bear it and sighed, "Mr. Zhu, perhaps it’s best not to discuss poetry and literature over dinner."

Zhu Wolong, oblivious, pressed on, "Then what do you like to talk about, Miss Bao?"

Spying the dinner knife on the table, Bao Rong had a sudden idea and picked it up as if by chance. "This knife is quite similar to a scalpel used in autopsies..." She began slicing her steak with surgical precision, murmuring, "Back straight, eyes forward, toes pointing ahead; arms at the sides, palms forward..."

Unconsciously, Zhu Wolong sat upright as she described, feet together, arms at his sides, palms forward, peering around the vase at her. "Is this how you want me to sit?"

She tilted her head, smiling. "No, I’m describing the posture of a cadaver before dissection."

"A cadaver?" Zhu Wolong blanched and quickly returned to a normal position.

"Actually, there’s a lot of science to autopsies. You can’t just cut anywhere; it’s not like slicing steak," Bao Rong continued.

Zhu Wolong eyed her steak-cutting, swallowing hard.

"Cutting into a steak, it’s uniform inside and out. With a body, one incision reveals all the organs, and there’s blood everywhere..."

Zhu Wolong finally couldn’t hold back and retched.

"Are you alright, Mr. Zhu?" Bao Rong asked, tilting her head.

Pale-faced, Zhu Wolong forced a smile. "Miss Bao, I suddenly feel unwell. Let’s reschedule."

"Then please rest. I need to return to the station anyway—there’s a half-dissected body with organs still exposed that I need to deal with," Bao Rong replied, feigning concern, and twisting the knife further.

Zhu Wolong, nauseated, covered his mouth in apology and fled in haste.

Watching his retreat, Bao Rong breathed a long sigh of relief.

The night was hazy, the goose-necked streetlamps shedding pools of yellow light. Not far ahead stood police headquarters. Liu Rushuang walked quickly beside Ying Xi.

The road was quiet. Summoning her courage, Liu Rushuang tried to link arms with him, but he brushed her off coldly. Undaunted, she tried again, only to be shaken off once more. When she made a third attempt, Ying Xi finally lost his temper and pointed at her. "Touch me again and I’ll charge you with assaulting an officer!"

Seeing his steadfastness, Liu Rushuang pouted in grievance. "Why are you so fierce? I’m nervous about going to the station."

"You come and go at Old Zha precinct like it’s your own home—I’ve never seen you nervous before," Ying Xi retorted.

"This is headquarters—it’s not the same!"

He scowled. "You always have an excuse. I’m warning you—no more touching, or I’ll lock you up. Harassing a detective could get you a few days in jail."

Liu Rushuang pursed her lips and fell in line, not daring to provoke him further.

Ying Xi glared at her and ascended the steps to headquarters. The officers on duty at the door stopped them. "Halt. What business do you have?" one barked.

Ying Xi showed his credentials. "I’m Detective Ying Xi from Old Zha precinct. I urgently request to see the murder suspects Cheng Zesheng and Hao Qin brought in today."

"Go below," another officer replied.

"Below? The basement?" Ying Xi asked, confused.

"They’ve been sentenced to death and executed already," the first officer said impatiently.

Ying Xi and Liu Rushuang were stunned—alive that very morning, gone by nightfall.

Ying Xi nodded, resigned. "Thank you."

They turned and descended the steps.

"Didn’t expect headquarters and the court to move so fast—we struggled so long to catch them, and they’re shot in a day. No wonder the local precincts are under so much pressure," Ying Xi said, crestfallen.

Liu Rushuang could only sigh. "Let’s hope Bai Bai has better fortune in the days to come."