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墨書 Inktalez
Shen Tong and Ruan Xiaoshuang stood in front of a slightly dilapidated courtyard that still retained some of its former grandeur. The gray bricks and tiles were weathered, and the wooden carvings on the doorframe had faded over time.
This was the sixth household they had visited. The previous one belonged to Old Zhang, an old friend of Shen Tong's grandmother who ran a flower business. Although she had heard of Yulan Embroidery Studio, she was not familiar with its past. Fortunately, she provided a lead that made Shen Tong and Xiaoshuang's visit worthwhile—there was an Old Li in the southern old street who had been a renowned hairdresser thirty years ago. She had once been close friends with the owner of Yulan Embroidery Studio.
This reminded Shen Tong that she knew Old Li as well. Ten years ago, Old Li's daughter-in-law had been eight months pregnant and had rested for a while under an old banyan tree outside the alley. Somehow, she encountered an evil spirit and suffered unbearable abdominal pain, fearing for her child's life. It was Shen Tong's grandmother who intervened, performing an exorcism overnight to ensure the safety of both mother and child.
Shen Tong knocked on the door, and after a while, footsteps approached slowly. The door opened a crack, revealing a wrinkled face. The elderly woman's murky eyes scrutinized the two young girls outside. Soon, her eyes brightened with recognition. "Oh! Isn't this Tong girl? Come in! Come in!"
Old Li opened the door, leaning on her cane as she ushered them inside. It was clear that she was quite pleased by Shen Tong's unexpected visit. She cheerfully chattered as they entered, "My dear Tong girl, it’s been so many years since you last visited me! Ever since your grandmother passed away, you haven’t come! What brings you here to see this old woman today?"
Shen Tong and Xiaoshuang followed Old Li into the main room, which was simply furnished but clean and tidy. After settling them down, the elderly woman busied herself happily around the house—first bringing out some fine tea and then rushing to boil water.
Shen Tong and Xiaoshuang exchanged helpless smiles before quickly dividing tasks to help Old Li prepare. Eventually, all three of them managed to sit down together.
After some brief pleasantries, Shen Tong quickly got to the point: "Grandma, to be honest, we came today to inquire about the history of Yulan Embroidery Studio."
Upon hearing "Yulan Embroidery Studio," Old Li was so startled that she spilled some tea. "Tong girl, that’s something from thirty years ago! Why are you asking about that?"
Shen Tong hurriedly explained, "Well, Grandma, I’ve been helping the Police Station lately. Things have been quite unstable in the city; there have been several murders that might be related to Yulan Embroidery Studio. We want to learn about the studio’s past; perhaps we can find clues to solve these cases."
Old Li tightly grasped her teacup, hesitating in silence as her gaze drifted toward an old embroidery hanging on the wall—a depiction of blooming magnolias with delicate stitches that seemed almost lifelike.
After a long silence, she finally spoke: "The owner of that embroidery studio was named Chen Yuehua; she was my sister when we were young and one of the best embroiderers in town."
Her eyes glistened with tears as she gently shook her head. "She had a daughter named Xiang Lan, who was very beautiful and learned her mother’s craft well. The styles of shoes she embroidered were fresh and unique; many young ladies from wealthy families sought her out for embroidered shoes."
"Later on, when Xiang Lan was sixteen, she became engaged to a young man from the Zhou family who ran a ticket office in town. The Zhou family provided a dowry, and both families were quite pleased. Yuehua even asked me to style Xiang Lan's hair on her wedding day."
As Old Li spoke, he became lost in memories, his voice choked with emotion. "But later, that young master Zhou fell for another girl outside and wanted to break off the engagement."
"Is that why the mother and daughter..." Xiaoshuang pressed on.
"No..." Old Li wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes. "It wasn't like that. The two of them were driven to death. The Zhou family was powerful and insisted on breaking the engagement but refused to return the dowry they had already sent. Yuehua was unwilling, so the Zhou family colluded with other wealthy and influential families in the city to bully them. The embroidery shop lost all its business, and these people spread rumors, claiming that Yuehua and Xiang Lan were shameless women, saying that the items from Yulan Embroidery Studio were problematic and would bring misfortune."
A mist of tears filled Old Li's eyes. "Eventually, Yuehua and her mother were pushed into a corner; even going out meant being pointed at and insulted. In the end... Xiang Lan couldn't take it anymore. She put on the bridal shoes her mother had prepared for her and hanged herself..."
"What about Chen Yuehua?" Shen Tong's heart tightened.
"After her daughter died, Yuehua was deeply affected. In front of her daughter's coffin, she took poison... and died." Old Li's voice trembled as she struggled to continue. "Two lives... just like that... wasted..."
Shen Tong grasped Old Li's hand gently and asked softly, "Grandma, were there others in the embroidery shop when they passed away?"
"There were..." Old Li took the handkerchief Xiaoshuang offered and wiped her tears. "At that time, Yuehua had a younger sister, a few years younger than her; I can't remember her name... Her skills were also exceptional. After her sister and niece died, she went mad, crying and laughing all day in the embroidery shop. Later, no one knew where she went..."
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