Chapter 24: A Gun

In her heart, Sui Yi was pondering—so the assassin’s target was merely the bag itself, not the fragments inside. That was a relief… but also not, because the bag had fallen into the hands of Tang Lao’s “mistress.” With the recent crackdown, it shouldn’t have reached Tang Lao yet…

By the usual patterns, then, the assassin would come after her for the treasure, as expected; whoever possessed it was doomed. “Tang Lao must be regretting bitterly now. He thought that Black Hide was the mastermind, but there’s another layer he never saw.” Sui Yi found the situation both amusing and exasperating, though she didn’t actually wish harm upon Tang Lao. After all, they’d known each other for some time; the old man wasn’t exactly a paragon of virtue, but at least he’d treated her fairly.

Still, that assassin was a looming threat. He must believe Sui Yi had taken the goods—or, at the very least, that she was involved. The danger was considerable…

Lin Quan had finished speaking and now waited for Sui Yi’s response.

After a moment, Sui Yi’s fingers curled slightly as she tapped the pillar. “Could you give me some paper and a pen?”

“Hm?” Lin Quan was taken aback, but he led her into the office all the same.

A blank sheet of paper, a single writing implement—a pencil.

Lin Quan glared at Zhang Xiao. “No other pens? Only this 2B?”

Um, Captain, why are you cursing too? Zhang Xiao looked aggrieved, but before he could say more, Sui Yi spoke gently, “It’s fine, a pencil will do.”

Where once Zhang Xiao had thought Sui Yi the most dangerous flower in China—a carnivorous pitcher plant—after spending some time with her, he found her rather agreeable…

With brisk, steady strokes, the pencil’s tip sketched slender, graceful lines across the white paper. Calm and unhurried, she drew straight lines that were strikingly true. From the side, her work mirrored her character—neat, lucid, precise. As the lines multiplied and converged—

—a gun emerged.

Almost the deadliest modern weapon—a gun.

The outline grew ever clearer. The tip of the pencil paused. Sui Yi set both pencil and paper aside, then turned to face the two men, whose faces betrayed their astonishment.

“How did you do that? It was so dark that night—could you really see so clearly?” Lin Quan asked, incredulous, still deeply suspicious.

“I did only what I could. As for how, I have no obligation to explain. As I said before—believe it or not, that’s your choice.” She glanced at the night outside, then turned to Zhang Xiao. “Is it convenient for you to take me somewhere now?”

“Of course!” Zhang Xiao answered, unable to hide his eagerness.

Lin Quan shot him a look but found no reason to detain Sui Yi. It was late, after all, and keeping a young woman at the police station was hardly appropriate.

“Take her, Xiao. Be careful.”

“Yes, sir.”

—

On the way, Sui Yi borrowed Zhang Xiao’s phone to contact Tang Lao, mentioning the relocation of the apartment building. Tang Lao immediately suggested she move into the shop—he owned the whole building, after all, with the storefront below and living quarters above, and there was a spare room available.

After the call, Zhang Xiao learned of her housing troubles and couldn’t help but feel a surge of sympathy. His previous impressions of her faded; his tone softened, his words warmer.

“Sui Yi, do you really want to move into Wild Goose Hall? If you’d like, the police can arrange accommodations for you…”

Sui Yi was a little surprised but refused politely. “That’s not necessary. This is fine.” She returned the phone to him.

Zhang Xiao seemed to have much on his mind, but seeing Sui Yi’s weary expression—and recalling all she’d been through—he held his tongue.

It was ten o’clock by the time they reached Wild Goose Hall. Tang Lao, waiting inside, was startled to see a police officer escorting Sui Yi. He nearly called a lawyer to cause trouble at the station, only relenting when Sui Yi quietly soothed him with a few words. Still, he shot Zhang Xiao a vicious glare, showing no courtesy at all.

Sui Yi, however, bid Zhang Xiao farewell with gentle sincerity. “Thank you for bringing me.”

“It’s nothing, really. I’ll be off, then… But if anything happens, call us. Wait—let me give you my number!” Flustered, Zhang Xiao dashed to his car for pen and paper, scribbled down his number, and cast several wary glances at Tang Lao. In his eyes, this sly old man was dangerous—while Sui Yi was young, beautiful, and alone. Who knew what might happen?

Once Sui Yi and Tang Lao had gone inside, Zhang Xiao finally drove away. Shortly after, Lin Quan called.

“That girl wasn’t just making things up. There aren’t many types of guns that fit her description. I’ve basically identified the model, and tomorrow I’ll have people investigate further. For now, keep following the original plan.”

Zhang Xiao’s assignment was to monitor Sui Yi, both for her safety and for surveillance. Previously, he’d been reluctant, but now his attitude had changed.

He agreed readily, but then, as if possessed by some strange impulse, he asked, “Captain, didn’t they say Sui Yi was an orphan? How come there’s suddenly a grandmother in the picture?”

“Hm?” Lin Quan, back at the station, hesitated. The detail about Sui Yi’s grandmother was something their people had found when looking into her hospital visits to buy medicine, but the specifics…

Frowning, Lin Quan said, “I’ll make time tomorrow to look into her background again. There’s something odd about that girl.”

Odd? After hanging up, Zhang Xiao muttered to himself.

Perhaps… she was simply extraordinary.

—

Inside Wild Goose Hall, Sui Yi sat on the sofa and succinctly explained the assassin’s situation, watching as Tang Lao’s expression shifted rapidly before settling into a dark scowl.

“Damn it! Black Hide is dead, and now there’s an even nastier killer after me?”

Tang Lao felt cursed—would this never end?

He tapped his snuff bottle against the ashtray, exhaled a plume of smoke, and said in a low voice, “I’ll have those goods dealt with as soon as possible. Thank you for the warning—otherwise, who knows what special value those things might have… Stay out of this, and don’t talk to the police, either.”

He paused, then looked at Sui Yi. “You can stay here as long as you like. I only have you and Zhou Ran working for me now, anyway…”

“All right. Deduct the rent from my wages. I’m heading upstairs,” Sui Yi replied, deliberately ignoring the underlying meaning in his words. But after a few steps, she caught sight of the Early Spring painting on the wall, and her gaze flickered.

She turned to Tang Lao. “Tang Lao, I think it’s time you and I made a deal.”

Tang Lao, cigarette in hand, was taken aback.

—