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墨書 Inktalez
Back in the laboratory, Guan Zengbin was examining the tobacco found in the car, wrapped in rolling paper.
Wearing his characteristic glasses, Guan Zengbin turned to me and said, "I found something out."
I perked up immediately and hurriedly asked for the results.
Guan Zengbin took off his glasses and replied calmly, "This tobacco is not produced in our country, but I don't quite understand these things, so let's have Mary compare it. Also, from the appearance of this rolling paper, it doesn't look like ordinary cigarette rolling paper."
After a pause, Guan Zengbin explained, "The whiteness of regular cigarette rolling paper ranges from eighty-two to eighty-seven percent. It is tightly woven and delicate, with high opacity and good tensile strength. Usually, a small amount of calcium carbonate is added to maintain hardness, along with a little combustion aid to sustain burning."
"But," Guan Zengbin looked at me and continued, "this rolling paper has a lower whiteness and lacks combustion aids. It appears to be specially made, which means this cigarette will burn more slowly, likely intended for savoring the flavor of the tobacco. However, I did detect wine and a bit of sugar in this tobacco; as a smoker, you should understand more about it than I do."
Although I was a smoker, I wasn't that knowledgeable about such details. But there was someone who was an expert in this area.
"I'm going to find someone," I told Guan Zengbin.
Guan Zengbin glanced outside and said, "It's already so late; it's past one in the early morning. Who are you going to find?"
"Just wait; this person can tell us about the origin of the tobacco." I smiled at Guan Zengbin. "I'll need to borrow this tobacco for a moment."
Though it was late at night, she surely hadn't gone to sleep yet.
I hurriedly sought out someone—Sister Mao. In a previous case, Sister Mao had helped me identify the deceased. This time, inevitably, I found myself reaching out to her again.
At this moment, it was already four o'clock in the early morning.
The chill of early autumn had already set in, and the cool evening breeze swept through the air. Yet, Sister Mao still donned a short skirt and stockings, making it feel as though summer had not yet passed.
"What do you want from me this time?" Sister Mao tossed me a cigarette and lit one for herself. "Let me guess, you either need my help because someone is dead or about to die, right?"
I caught the cigarette with both hands but didn’t light it. Instead, I kept turning it in my fingers while my eyes remained fixed on it. Sister Mao was smoking a brand of cigarettes I didn’t recognize, and after a moment, she asked knowingly, "Is this about the cigarettes?"
I tucked the cigarette behind my ear. "Yes, it’s about cigarettes. This is from someone who enjoys making their own rolling tobacco. I know you’re somewhat of an expert in this area, Sister Mao. From the smell of this tobacco, can you tell where it's from?"
I handed her the evidence bag, and Sister Mao delicately pinched out some of the tobacco with her nails. Bringing it to her nose, she inhaled deeply with her eyes closed and brows furrowed. After a moment, her lips parted slightly. "This is definitely not from China. The flavor is rich and strong. But if you savor it closely, there’s a subtle fragrance—pleasant but not overwhelming—likely enhanced with wine."
Before I could stop her, Sister Mao popped the tobacco into her mouth. I figured Guan Zengbin must have a backup anyway, so I didn’t worry too much. Sister Mao's mouth moved as if she were savoring the tobacco with her tongue.
"Da Vidffeng1ishiure, Davidoff; it’s from the Netherlands but blended in England. It’s an English-style pipe tobacco; wine and sugar are added later. Compared to other tobaccos, this one has a stronger kick and is quite enjoyable to smoke. Its most distinctive feature is that once lit, it releases a unique aroma that comes and goes."
Sister Mao spat the tobacco onto the ground and beckoned me with a finger. "Follow me."
I quickly followed her. Sister Mao had learned to smoke when she was still a kid; although she was only in her thirties now, she had been smoking for over twenty years. Especially after earning a good amount of money, she enjoyed this aspect of life differently than others. It was clear I had made the right choice in seeking her help; within moments, she had identified the origin of the tobacco.
We got into Sister Mao's car and arrived at an apartment building.
Once upstairs, Sister Mao unlocked the door with a key. It appeared to be her private residence; upon entering, my eyes were immediately drawn to a cabinet that occupied an entire wall. Behind transparent glass were various types of alcohol—red wine, white wine, beer, and yellow rice wine. Sister Mao gestured for me to sit on the sofa while she opened the cabinet and poured me a glass of red wine.
"Drink some wine while I look for this Davidoff English blend," she said as she crouched down.
As I sipped my red wine and surveyed my surroundings, Sister Mao suddenly shifted from a crouch to kneeling right in front of me. Her backside swayed before my eyes, accentuated by her short skirt, revealing glimpses of certain areas that were best left unmentioned.
I frowned as Sister Mao let out a soft gasp, "I twisted my ankle. Can you come over for a moment?"
Although I preferred women older than me, I understood why Sister Mao was acting this way.
I could only reply calmly, "Sister Mao, even though I'm younger, I've been around the block a few times. I've heard many things from those Criminals in prison. I know why you're doing this; it's undoubtedly to help Huang Erge get a lighter sentence. Don't worry, Huang Erge has been behaving well in prison, and if you assist us, we will remember it."
Upon hearing my words, Sister Mao indeed stopped fidgeting. She didn't say much but pulled out a round tin from the cabinet.
"This is the tobacco you were looking for," Sister Mao said lightly.
Everything that had just happened felt like a dream; nothing had transpired. I naturally acted as if nothing had happened and opened the tin. At that moment, Sister Mao brought over some Wine and Sugar.
She took out some tobacco and said, "This is the type of tobacco, but as for the Wine, it's hard to determine the brand since there's so little. Here's the plan: curing the tobacco takes time. I'll select different types of Wine to mix with the tobacco, and by this afternoon, we might have some results."
I waved my hand dismissively and replied, "Actually, that's not the main point. The key is whether we can identify potential owners of this type of tobacco based on its characteristics. Ordinary people wouldn't have such professional methods; this must be someone experienced with smoking. For instance, Sister Mao, how did you acquire this tobacco?"
Sister Mao understood my intent and responded, "This afternoon, I'll give you an answer. There aren't many people in Dongxing City who can get this kind of tobacco. And those who buy it are probably not even in the dozens. Once I have the list, I'll pass it on to you!"
"Okay." I nodded. "My case is still under investigation; I need to head back."
Sister Mao nodded and then said, "How about I drive you? Taking the train to Dongxing City could take a while."
I wanted to refuse, but seeing Sister Mao's expression made me hesitate. After drinking too much, Huang Erge had once revealed their love story.
If one were unaware of Sister Mao's past and only looked at her present self, many would assume she was the daughter of a wealthy family because she appeared affluent now. However, those who knew her history understood that before she turned twenty-five, Sister Mao had been a prostitute—more elegantly put, she was a courtesan. And Huang Erge, he was involved in pimping—more delicately stated, he was part of an organized prostitution ring.
Huang Erge opened a bathhouse in Qingcheng, employing dozens of young women.
To others, Huang Erge was nothing short of despicable, hiring girls under twenty for such work. They believed he was ruining their lives, and that he deserved every bit of scorn for it.
Yet, in the eyes of these women, Huang Erge was a good person.
When they found themselves with no other options but to sell their bodies, none of the customers stepped up to help them; it was Huang Erge who took them in. He provided them with shelter and food. Whenever they were mistreated, he was the first to stand up for them.
In the arms of clients, they never felt like individuals. But when they were with Huang Erge, they felt somewhat human again. He was attentive and kind; on their birthdays, he would give them a long break, buy them cakes, and surprise them.
If they lived in a quagmire, then the bathhouse was their only ivory tower.
When did Sister Mao fall in love with Huang Erge?
It was one early morning when Sister Mao returned from a client. She had been gone for over two hours, walking back from the man's home. She didn't take a taxi; she wanted to walk alone in silence. Abandoned at a young age, she had been running around ever since, struggling merely to survive.
Having been a prostitute for several years now, she saw no future ahead of her.
That early morning, she had contemplated suicide.
But by some twist of fate, she walked back to the bathhouse instead. She decided that after saying goodbye to her sisters, she would jump into the river to end her life.
However, she did not succeed in her attempt.
Just as she arrived at the bathhouse, Huang Erge happened to be there, and they crossed paths. Seeing Sister Mao's weary appearance, Huang Erge spoke to her.
It was this very sentence that made Sister Mao completely fall in love with Huang Erge.
"Look at you, so tired after such a long journey. Let me give you a foot bath."
Huang Erge said this.
From then on, Huang Erge washed Sister Mao's feet.
After that, Sister Mao never let anyone else touch her feet again. She was a prostitute, and her chastity was no longer the most precious thing. The feet that had been touched by Huang Erge became her most treasured possession, her last shred of dignity.
Later, Huang Erge's bathing center was finally exposed and shut down by the authorities, and Huang Erge was sent to prison.
The other women either left or ran away, but only Sister Mao stayed behind.
Sister Mao said, "I'll wait for you to come out. When you do, your assets will be greater than when you went in."
Who knows what Sister Mao had gone through? The fact was, while Huang Erge remained in prison, Sister Mao had already earned enough to open several bathing centers, all larger than the previous one.
Every week without fail, Sister Mao went to visit Huang Erge.
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