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墨書 Inktalez
In the late night of Xishuangbanna, there was a scent of tropical plants in the air.
In a secluded courtyard at a street corner, shrubs were scattered, and water flowed gently. A cobblestone path led to the entrance of a Dai-style house with pointed white walls.
Luo Yi took off his shoes and stepped inside; the marble floor felt cool against his feet.
The interior was lavishly decorated, filled with jade and precious stones. A servant guided Luo Yi and Yan Lin to a tea room on the first floor, where Boss Gao was sitting on a rosewood chair smoking from a water pipe.
Boss Gao appeared to be around forty years old, wearing glasses, with a refined appearance and no signs of middle-aged weight gain.
He held a large bamboo water pipe in one hand, with an opening at the top and a protruding hollow bamboo joint at the bottom that resembled a tree branch; that was the smoking mouthpiece. The bottom of the bamboo pipe contained water, so when smoking, the smoke entered through the mouthpiece, filtered through the water, and was inhaled.
With his other hand, he pinched some tobacco leaves and placed them on the mouthpiece, then sealed his lips around the top of the bamboo pipe to take a puff. The tobacco ignited, and the sound of bubbling water filled the air.
He glanced up at his visitors as smoke wafted out from the bamboo pipe.
"President Yan."
"Boss Gao," Yan Lin replied with a smile. "Since you switched careers, you seem to be living more leisurely."
Luo Yi listened to Yan Lin's words without showing any reaction.
After some pleasantries between Yan Lin and Boss Gao, Yan Lin introduced Luo Yi: "This is Oya, the new head of the Procurement Department."
Boss Gao looked at Luo Yi and nodded.
Yan Lin smiled meaningfully, "If you need any help, just speak up. Boss Gao is the most loyal person."
Luo Yi briefly glanced at Yan Lin before turning to Boss Gao, not beating around the bush: "Boss Gao, I would like to ask for your help in introducing me to someone."
"Oh? Since you're a friend of Yan, I'll definitely help," Boss Gao replied honestly. "Who is it?"
"Yuan Wei."
Yan Lin remained expressionless.
Boss Gao took a puff from his water pipe and looked at Luo Yi with a puzzled expression, "Yuan Wei?"
Luo Yi smiled without humor, "Two years ago, he was the head of the Procurement Department at Oya. It was because of him that you established a partnership with Oya, and once he left, you lost your competitive edge. Boss Gao shouldn't have forgotten that, right?"
"Oh, Manager Yuan!" Boss Gao slapped his thigh as if he finally remembered. "Haha, back then, I wasn't really familiar with him. But to supply Oya, I had to grease his palms—" Boss Gao raised his hand and made a gesture of pinching fingers towards Luo Yi.
Luo Yi had anticipated this and calmly replied, "Why didn't you continue to maintain connections after the manager changed?"
"I switched industries. This line has high profits but also high risks."
Luo Yi asked again, "Boss Gao must have heard of the Jade Buddha Pagoda."
"Who in this business doesn't know about it?"
Luo Yi smiled lightly and said, "I am the appraiser. The Jade Buddha Tower has caused me a lot of trouble."
Boss Gao paused for a second and replied, "Oh, so you appraised it incorrectly."
"No," Luo Yi said. "The one I appraised was the True Buddha Pagoda. Moreover, I found out that Manager Yuan bought the Jade Buddha Tower when you were the one facilitating the deal."
"That's correct," Boss Gao acknowledged. "But we were conducting legitimate business at that time, compliant with regulations. My relationship with Manager Yuan was strictly professional. After he left his position, we lost contact. Besides, I no longer engage in the jade business, so I can't help you with this matter."
Luo Yi did not press further, knowing that Yan Lin had already briefed him and that further inquiries would be futile. Furthermore, he had caught a hint of inconsistency.
Luo Yi stood up to take his leave. Boss Gao remained polite and instructed a servant to call for a car. Yan Lin stayed in the tea room, saying he wanted to have a private chat with Boss Gao.
While waiting alone in the living room, Luo Yi unexpectedly noticed a photo wall in the stairwell. He walked over and quickly glanced at it—family photos, pictures with friends.
Suddenly, he spotted a pair of familiar eyes in one of the photos; they were sharp and gave off an unfriendly vibe.
The background of the photo featured a Dai Village, with pointed golden rooftops peeking out from mango trees. Boss Gao stood next to that person, appearing subordinate.
That person—Luo Yi had encountered him at the entrance of a hospital in Yading.
Just as Luo Yi was about to take out his phone to snap a picture, he heard Yan Lin's footsteps approaching the tea room door. There was no time; he quickly left the photo wall and returned to the hall.
A servant approached and informed him that the car had arrived outside the bushes.
Luo Yi and Yan Lin walked along the cobblestone path toward the exit. Luo Yi pondered over the geographical location of the photo but found too little information to draw any conclusions.
Jinghong The golden rooftops and mango trees here are too common.
Yan Lin Noticing his serious expression, with her delicate brows raised slightly, she said softly, "So you entered Oya to investigate the Jade Buddha Pagoda. Just ask me directly, why go around in circles and make it so difficult?"
Only Luo Yi could detect the schadenfreude in her words.
Luo Yi glanced at her and said, "You helped a lot by bringing me to see Boss Gao today."
Yan Lin looked at him, momentarily unsure, but after thinking for a moment, she didn't feel anything was off. She assumed he was just trying to show off and countered, "Well, as long as I can help you find Yuan Wei, that's good enough."
She walked to the front of the car and opened the door, saying, "However, I'm quite surprised and happy that you chose to come with me."
Her words carried a hint of a victor's pride, which Luo Yi sensed immediately.
He stopped in his tracks, a chill running through him: "Do you know there's someone in my room?"
As Yan Lin was getting into the car, she paused mid-motion. Her expression stiffened as she realized she had misspoken and was annoyed at how perceptive he was. She quickly glanced at her watch; there wasn't enough time, she needed to stall.
She turned back with a smile: "No, I meant—"
Before she could finish her sentence, Luo Yi grabbed her by the neck and violently slammed her against the car interior, causing a loud crash.
Yan Lin's face turned bright red as Luo Yi's veins bulged on the back of his hand, his fingers digging harshly into her neck.
His eyes were filled with bloodlust as he spoke each word clearly: "If you dare to touch her, I'll feed your remains to the dogs!"
Yan Lin suddenly revealed a fierce look.
Luo Yi grabbed her and threw her aside, causing Yan Lin to fall into the low bushes. She turned back in anger, only to see Luo Yi striding up to the stunned driver, snatching the keys from his hand, getting into the car, and slamming the door. With a sharp turn of the steering wheel, the tires screeched against the ground as the car sped away.
……
The weather was a bit hot. Zhou Yao had a towel draped over her stomach and was sleeping soundly.
In her drowsy state, she heard someone arguing in the hallway.
“Bitch, going after men again? Just wait until I beat you to death!”
A woman was crying.
“How dare you still cry? Damn it! Tell me! Who is that man? — Are you going to tell me or not?! Do you believe I’ll kill you?”
Zhou Yao sat up, rubbed her eyes, and pouted for a moment, feeling heavy-headed.
There were sounds of punches and kicks, along with the woman's desperate cries for mercy right outside her door.
Zhou Yao frowned, squinting her eyes without turning on the light. She groped her way out of bed, put on her slippers, and walked toward the door to see what was happening.
As she touched the cool anti-theft bolt and was about to unlock it, memories of that rainy night in Yading suddenly flashed through her mind.
She was sitting on a Bar Stool, twisting her body as she drank milk at the Bar.
Luo Yi tapped the edge of the ashtray and said, "Next time you encounter a similar situation, don't rush out the door."
"Why?" she pouted.
He scolded, "Do you have any basic awareness of self-defense? What if it were a criminal?"
On the other side of the door, the sounds of shouting and scolding were close at hand. Zhou Yao felt a chill run down her spine, and she suddenly woke up, her fingers instantly moving away from the chain. She ran back to the bed, looked around to assess the situation, picked up the towel from the bed and threw it onto a chair, then crouched down and tried to crawl under the bed. Halfway through, she felt something was off and quickly crawled back out, running to hide behind the thick curtains.
The fabric behind the curtains had a pungent smell.
Zhou Yao was panting, her chest rising and falling as she perked up her ears to listen to the sounds outside.
A few streets away, Luo Yi gritted his teeth and slammed his fist on the steering wheel, driving fast down the empty street in the dead of night.
Zhou Yao tilted her ear to listen; suddenly, the noise in the corridor ceased without warning, leaving no indication of an ending. The night fell silent.
Zhou Yao felt an overwhelming sense of unease; fearing that even behind the curtains was not safe, she anxiously paced back and forth. Turning her head, she saw dense tropical trees outside the window.
Zhou Yao lifted the curtain to climb out but remembered they might have tools specifically for cutting chains. It was better to create an illusion that no one was inside. She turned and ran to the door to unlock the security chain. As someone approached outside, she was so scared that goosebumps covered her body. In a panic, she rushed to the window, pulled it open, climbed onto the windowsill, and quickly scanned for nearby sturdy branches; the closest one was nearly a meter away.
Zhou Yao shifted her feet on the windowsill, lowering her center of gravity like a little cat cautiously testing how far she could go when suddenly she heard a beeping sound from behind as someone swiped a card at the door.
Startled, Zhou Yao took a leap of faith and lunged for the tree.
The branches scratched against her arms, causing Zhou Yao to hiss in pain. Without time to cry out, she clung tightly to the trunk. The branches shook violently as Zhou Yao hurriedly steadied herself and whispered urgently, "Don't shake!"
In the dark of night, a faint sound of a door opening echoed in the room, creaking softly.
The professional scissors made a sharp sound, cutting through emptiness.
The trees had calmed down, and Zhou Yao was drenched in sweat, hearing someone inside rummaging through things, the flashlight beam slicing through the dark space.
She leaned against the tree trunk, quietly standing up, moving slowly and silently between the branches, carefully shifting to another tree.
The person inside was searching everywhere but couldn't find anyone. Finally, they tugged at the curtains, opened the window, and shone the flashlight into the thicket.
At night, the scent of leaves was thick and pungent, with mosquitoes buzzing around. Zhou Yao raised her hands high above her head, grasping the branches above her.
A bird flew over and landed on a branch in front of Zhou Yao. She remained motionless, staring into its small black eyes. The bird also stayed still, looking at her for a moment before turning its head to preen its feathers.
The beam of light swept across a few times, landing on the bird. It flapped its wings but did not fly away.
"Where is she?"
"There's no one here, right? It's impossible for her to react so quickly."
"But I saw her go inside."
"The anti-theft chain on the door wasn't even locked. With all that noise earlier, she didn't come out. She’s probably not in there."
"I was watching closely; I didn't see her leave."
"At a glance, they're not here. Don't waste time; hurry to another room to look."
"Still not right. How about checking the tree?"
Zhou Yao was startled.
Intense screeching of brakes echoed from downstairs. The speakers exchanged glances and immediately retreated.
Zhou Yao didn't understand why they suddenly left, but she didn't dare to move until she heard the door close and there was no more sound. She gasped for air, her raised arms aching, slowly letting them drop.
In just a few minutes, Zhou Yao was exhausted. After adjusting her breathing for a while, she thought about going back. Looking down at the height, she was startled and let out a low yelp, immediately sitting down and hugging the tree tightly, refusing to let go.
Luo Yi rushed into the lobby before the car had even come to a stop, like the wind sweeping upstairs. He dashed down the corridor, swiped his card to open the door, turned on the lights, and found the room empty.
Luo Yi's heart tightened. He raked his hands through his hair and was about to rush out to search when he heard a car start downstairs.
He immediately dashed to the window to look down and saw the car moving. Fearing that Zhou Yao might be up there, he jumped onto the windowsill, ready to leap down the tree trunk.
Suddenly, he heard a pitiful voice: "Boss Luo—"
Luo Yi froze and turned toward the sound. Zhou Yao was clinging tightly to the tree like a little koala, peeking her head out from behind the trunk with a pout: "My legs are weak; I can't climb back."
Luo Yi's heart dropped back into his chest, unsure whether to laugh or feel pain.
Zhou Yao cried out, "You need to come get me quickly."
Luo Yi took a big step up the tree branch, and there were rustling in the bushes. He stepped on the branches and walked over, and finally took her little hand. Zhou Yao immediately hugged him back, very tightly and forcefully, as if her whole body weight was trustfully given to him. Luo Yi held her hand and walked back slowly. He went up to the window sill first and stretched out his hand toward her. The window sill is high and the branches are low. There is a distance of about one meter. Zhou Yao tried it but did not dare: "It's too far. I'm afraid I won't be able to get up." Luo Yi said: "Give me your hand first. ." Zhou Yao stretched out his hand, and Luo Yi held her tightly and said, "Come here." The branches swayed, and Zhou Yao raised his feet, unable to reach them, and said anxiously, "No - ah! ” Zhou YaoThe body suddenly hung in the air. Luo Yi grabbed her arms and lifted her up. The next second, Zhou Yao landed safely on the windowsill. Zhou Yao hurriedly turned around and crawled, quickly falling into the house. It was only when the soles of her feet touched the ground that she felt safe. She looked back at Luo Yi: "It's a good thing you're back, otherwise my feet would be numb——" The rest of the words were buried in his chest It was blocked tightly. Luo Yi pulled her into his arms and hugged her, holding the back of her head tightly with his big hands. Zhou Yao blinked his eyes blankly and heard his heart beating extremely violently in his chest. She hugged him slowly. Luo Yi hugged her silently for a long time before loosening his arms and saying, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have gone." Zhou Yao patted his back: "It's okay, I'm fine." She said, " And I’m still pretty good.”
Luo Yi lowered her head, pressing her face close and curling the corner of her lips.
Zhou Yao looked up and asked, "Is there any effect from going this time?"
"Yes," Luo Yi replied, "but it's still unclear right now."
"Oh. As long as it’s useful," Zhou Yao said, scratching her bottom, making a rustling sound.
"..." Luo Yi released her and looked down, "What’s wrong?"
"I got bitten by a mosquito on my bottom."
...
Luo Yi called the police, and after reviewing the surveillance footage, they went back to analyze and locate the suspect. The hotel manager was also taken away to assist with the investigation.
She found some medicine to treat her wound and was busy for over an hour before things settled down.
Luo Yi took a quick shower and went to the window to call Lu Xu.
Lu Xu was sleeping, his voice muffled: "Hello?"
"You need to come to Jinghong," Luo Yi said.
"What happened?" The person on the other end became a bit more alert.
"We all thought that Yan Lin was just coming by for the conference, but it seems she had other plans in mind."
Lu Xu pondered for a moment. "Alright. I'll come by tomorrow."
"Can you catch her?"
"What?" Lu Xu was taken aback.
"Luo Yi," he recalled the fierce look he saw in Yan Lin's eyes tonight and lowered his voice, "Yan Lin is Dan Shan, I'm sure of it."
"Do you have evidence? Luo Yi, you need evidence to make an arrest! Otherwise, you'll have to let them go."
Luo Yi ran his hand through his damp hair, gripping it tightly. After a moment, he said calmly, "I'll find a way. You need to get here as early as possible tomorrow."
"Okay."
"What about Lin Jinyan?"
"We've caught him. But he isn't revealing anything. We can't hold him for too long; eventually, we'll have to release him and just keep someone watching him."
"Mm."
Luo Yi hung up the phone and stood by the window for a while, reflecting on what happened at Boss Gao's house tonight. He unconsciously picked up a cigarette and put it in his mouth, but just as he was about to light it, he thought better of it and put it back down.
The sound of water splashing came from the bathroom. Luo Yi glanced over, his emotions subtly shifting.
The room was dark, illuminated only by the light from the bathroom, resembling a glass lantern. Zhou Yao stood on the other side of the glass, showering, her body covered in shower gel, her hands gliding down from her neck... to her entire body.
Luo Yi bit his lip, standing by the dark window watching her, not moving an inch until she finished rinsing off and wrapped herself in a towel, preparing to come out. Only then did he turn on the light and sit down on the sofa.
The night was deep, but Zhou Yao, having missed her bedtime, was unexpectedly excited and chatty: "Boss Luo, I heard someone say that in Yunnan's Eighteen Oddities, three mosquitoes can be stir-fried into a dish."
She sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing her hair with a towel, swinging her wet little legs, delicate and fair.
"Eighteen Oddities?" Luo Yi asked casually, his gaze fixed on her feet.
"Yes, there are many. I can list them one by one. In Yunnan's Eighteen Oddities, a bamboo tube can be used as a water pipe."
Luo Yi's eyes traveled up to where the towel hung loosely around her. He said, "Bring me the hairdryer."
Zhou Yao handed him the hairdryer while continuing to recite: "It rains here while it’s sunny there; trains are slower than cars."
Luo Yi patted his thigh, signaling for her to come over. Zhou Yao turned around and sat on him. Luo Yi twisted her to face him.
Zhou Yao playfully straddled his lap: "Take off your straw hat and use it as a lid. Eggs are sold strung together with grass."
Zhou Yao tilted her head, her long hair falling in front of him. Luo Yi dried her hair, his fingers brushing against her roots. Zhou Yao felt extremely comfortable, tucking her neck in and smiling blissfully.
He gently held onto her hair as she leaned in to nuzzle his hand, unconsciously drawing closer to him. He loosened the bathrobe, and suddenly Zhou Yao felt something graze beneath her; an electric shock coursed through her body, leaving her stiff and staring at him in surprise.
Zhou Yao lowered her gaze, stealing a glance while feeling her face heat up.
Luo Yi turned off the hairdryer, and her flowing long hair fell back onto her shoulders, the towel slipping away.
Luo Yi pulled her closer and kissed her lips. She straddled him, wrapping her arms around his neck, playfully biting him, gradually becoming more heated.
Just as they were about to cross a line,
she whispered, "It's so late, do you still have the energy?"
Luo Yi's eyes darkened as he tightened his grip on her.
"It hurts!" Zhou Yao protested, trying to get up but found herself held down by him.
Luo Yi sat up to kiss her, making Zhou Yao feel overwhelmed.
"Ah—" Zhou Yao pouted, scrunching her nose and mouth together. "Boss Luo, it's too deep—ugh—"
She curled up in his embrace, her heart racing. Luo Yi gently kissed her, lifting her chin with his lips and murmured, "Do it yourself."
Zhou Yao breathed lightly, slowly moving up and down. At first, she felt a bit awkward but gradually found her rhythm.
Luo Yi watched every expression that flickered across her face—confusion, innocence, joy, pleasure.
He caressed her, his rough fingertips brushing against a small bump from a mosquito bite—warm and raised—then moved down to where they met, gently kneading and teasing.
"Ugh—" Zhou Yao couldn't take it anymore and lunged forward to wrap her arms around his neck. "I can't hold on anymore—"
"Continue," he said, sounding both commanding and tempting.
She leaned against his shoulder, unwilling to move. "I really can't anymore—"
Luo Yi tilted his head and kissed her lips, rolling over to press her into the sofa.
...
Zhou Yao sneaked back to her room early in the morning, slept for an hour, and then got up to join General Xia and others for the Jade Raw Material Exhibition and Sales Conference.
The event staff came specifically to greet them and suggested having breakfast outside at a place known for Crossing Bridge Rice Noodles.
They went to a well-known local shop in Jinghong, which was bustling with people at breakfast time.
The staff went to queue for tickets, and Zhou Yao eagerly followed, focusing on the various versions of "The Legend of Cross-Bridge Rice Noodles" posted on the wall. The general idea was that a wife would send rice noodles to her husband who was studying hard, as a show of care.
Luo Yi couldn't follow but kept an eye on Zhou Yao, ensuring she remained in sight.
Soon, Zhou Yao returned to the table, excitedly recounting the legend of the rice noodles. Then she said, "One of the Yunnan Eighteen Oddities is called 'Crossing Bridge Rice Noodles,' which everyone loves."
Luo Yi sipped his tea, glancing at her without revealing his thoughts. She had mentioned these eighteen oddities before going to bed last night and was still talking about them now.
Now he found these oddities quite suggestive; just thinking about them brought to mind the enticing image of her sitting on his lap drying her hair.
Jiang Han was also interested and asked Zhou Yao for more details, leading them into an enthusiastic exchange.
Luo Yi glanced at the two of them without any expression.
Mr. Xia looked displeased and pressed his forehead, saying, "This hotel has no rules; someone was fighting at night, disturbing others' sleep."
Assistant Ruan replied, "Yeah, I heard it too. They have no manners at all."
"Did you call the police last night?" Mr. Xia turned to look at Luo Yi.
"Someone barged into my room with a card."
Mr. Xia showed little interest and after a while asked, "I heard someone say there was a girl in your room."
Zhou Yao stopped mid-conversation with Jiang Han, his hair standing on end.
Luo Yi replied, "Yes."
Mr. Xia's expression darkened as he subtly remarked, "Even if you don't care about the company's image, you should still be cautious; there are many sick people around here."
He thought Luo Yi had hired a prostitute.
Zhou Yao: "……"
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