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墨書 Inktalez
She didn't have much time left. Taking advantage of Song Daoquan not being back, she went upstairs, picked up the key from under the doormat, and rushed into the house. She charged her phone, which had already run out of battery, changed her clothes, and ran into the hallway, searching the wall for advertisements from locksmith companies. After finding one, she tore it down, walked into the entrance hall, closed the security door, and locked it. Her phone was now able to power on; she looked at the date on the screen and realized she had been trapped in the basement for a full six days. Calming herself down, she first called the locksmith company and then called her neighbor who rented the storage room next door. The locksmith would arrive within half an hour. The landlord of storage room 2131 would probably be home around 6:30 PM after finishing work, and they would meet directly on the first floor.
Next, Song Zheng flipped through her family's bank cards and both Song Daoquan's and her own ID cards. She took her pajamas, a small business card, a notice, two ID cards, and a phone before quickly leaving and putting the key back in its original place to create the illusion that she hadn't escaped.
It seemed like heaven was helping her; everything went surprisingly smoothly. The lock for 2132 was replaced with a new one, and the rental contract for 2131 was signed. She got hold of the keys for both storage rooms. Song Zheng unplugged the freezer and dragged it step by step into 2131. After plugging it back in to restore power, she said softly, "Mom, just wait for me a bit longer." She settled her mother in, lowered both rolling doors down and locked them, hiding the keys in a secret corner. Dusting off her hands, she felt an immense sense of relief.
"I bought a complete set of cosmetics from the store. I've never worn makeup before and know nothing about it. All the product names and usage steps were organized by the staff and sent to me. I'm ready for a long battle, but first I must stay alive. Only by dressing up flamboyantly enough to attract attention can I make everyone see my existence and give him a deterrent so he won't dare to act against me easily."
At eight in the evening, it was time to prepare dinner—unchanging through spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
Song Zheng put down her phone and knocked on the security door. The moment she saw Song Daoquan's distorted face through the small peephole, she knew that her secret could no longer be hidden unless Song Zheng died!
With her makeup done, Song Zheng looked particularly striking. With thick foundation that resembled a mask on her face, her personality seemed to change as well. She leaned against the wall to take off her shoes carelessly and tossed them aside at the entrance—something she would never have dared to do before. "Sister Xiaoxiao asked me to go shopping tomorrow; you can make your own breakfast and lunch," she said before slamming the door shut and locking it from inside. Song Zheng leaned against the door to calm her racing heart. "It's fine; he wouldn't dare."
She heard the sound of the security door opening and guessed that he was rushing downstairs to check on the body. However, she had already changed the lock on the rolling door; he couldn't get in. When he returned, he would surely be furious. She prepared herself mentally while distractedly browsing various accessories and high-heeled shoes on Taobao until there was a knock on the guest room door. Outside stood Song Daoquan, looking extremely grim. "Come out."
Taking a deep breath, Song Zheng opened the door with her arms crossed against the door frame. "What do you want?"
Song Daoquan reached out his hand toward her. "The key."
"What key? I don't understand."
"Don't make me take action."
"Go ahead! If you dare to touch me, I'll call the police! Anyway, my mom and grandparents are not here anymore; my uncle and aunt have moved away too—who else can you threaten me with?"
"Are you looking for death?"
"Who are you trying to scare? Let me be clear: I have all the evidence saved at my friend's place. If I don't confirm my safety with her within a day, she'll immediately take that evidence to report it to the police! Go ahead; try me."
That gaze—almost forgotten—was one she had seen on that day when her mother "disappeared." Standing in front of the coffee table staring blankly at that blood-stained kitchen knife as shadows loomed over her; when she turned around and looked up, that was what she saw! A condescending gaze filled with contempt that seemed capable of crushing her life with just a flick—a coldness that had haunted her nightmares.
Now—"Bang!"—she slammed the door in front of him again.
"Return my mother to me; otherwise I'll make you accompany her in death!"
"You'll never be an emperor even if you were born a thousand years earlier; at most you'll be a bandit leader! Accompanying someone in death? Pfft!" She attacked his pride recklessly with defiance.
Outside was silent; for now, things had stabilized.
She began searching for that beast who had committed evil that night.
At first, she waited at the entrance of the dairy factory without fail through wind or rain for an entire month without seeing any sign of that beast. Growing impatient, she decided to directly ask them when they got off work.
"You mean Xiao Shan, right?" The female workers teased their colleague. "The handsome guy is quite popular; even female college students are eager to get close."
Suppressing her disgust, she replied, "I haven't seen him around lately."
"Someone is busy, I advise you to give up early." The workers bypassed her and headed towards the snack street across the road. She turned and chased after them, "At least tell me his name."
They looked at her with a teasing smile, "It doesn't matter if we tell you, his name is Tang Wenshan. He has a betrothal back home and a girlfriend at the factory. You've been waiting at our factory gate for a while now; a girl should have some dignity. You're scaring him so much that he doesn't dare to come out."
He was clearly too scared to show himself. When Song Zheng was about to enter the factory to look for him, the workers said again, "Don't bother looking; you've scared him away. He's a college student, how can he be so clueless?"
"What do you mean?"
"Don't you get it? He quit and left; you'll never see him again!"
Her heart sank with disbelief, and she chased after them asking, "Then he must have friends in the factory, right?"
"What do you want to do?"
"I just want to know where he went."
The workers scanned her up and down, admiring her appearance, "You've got quite the appeal. What kind of boyfriend can't you find? Why are you so fixated on him? Why not take a look at me? I've been single for two years, armed and ready every night. If you're really feeling lonely, why not help me out first?"
She wanted to slap him, her fists clenched in anger but then she released her frustration, "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. Since you have no sincerity, why make a joke out of me?"
Hey, this guy was actually interested! "What do you mean?"
"Help me find out where he is working now. Don't reveal my existence; otherwise, he'll be scared off again."
"Beautiful lady, chasing a man isn't done like this. Clinging desperately will only make him think you're cheap. He might sleep with you but will never see you as someone important."
"Just help me ask; as long as the information is accurate, I won't let you do it for free." She tugged at the thread of his cheap shirt hem.
"Did she find out?" Ji Qinchou asked.
"She did."
"What was the cost?"
"She gave him two hundred yuan."
Ji Qinchou inexplicably sighed in relief, "Why wait more than a year to act?"
"She's about to enter her senior year; the school requires an internship certificate and she needs to preliminarily determine her thesis topic. All she can do is occasionally check if Tang Wenshan is still working there. Determination aside, she wants to live like a normal person and follow the rules; it's a basic instinct for survival, you understand?"
I understand perfectly, Ji Qinchou nodded, "Got it."
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