Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Fierce Joy (29)

Ju Ning lived in a low-key neighborhood built by the Academy of Sciences, though the area itself had excellent conditions. Besides him, his wife, who also worked in research, lived there as well. Due to work reasons, the couple hadn’t had any children.

When Sui Xing arrived at the door, his wife gave him a cold glance before gathering up her notebook and heading to the Academy of Sciences.

“You still have more to say?” Ju Ning’s previous politeness was gone. Perhaps the presence of the police officer in front of his wife made him uncomfortable. “Didn’t I explain last time? If you think Liang Lanjun is suspicious, go investigate him!”

Sui Xing leaned against the doorframe. “What, are you two having a fight?”

Ju Ning impatiently replied, “She’s like that, nothing is more important than her project.”

The interior of the house was very simple, lacking the feeling of a home. Sui Xing said, “Sounds like things aren’t good between you two.”

Ju Ning replied, “That’s none of your business.”

“Then let’s talk about something that’s relevant.” Sui Xing continued, “How’s the project you’re working on?”

Ju Ning looked confused. “What does that have to do with you and your police department?”

“Why wouldn’t it? Not long ago, wasn’t Fengman Real Estate under investigation?” Sui Xing stared at Ju Ning. “They’ve funded your project quite a bit.”

Ju Ning’s expression shifted, and he quickly looked away. “That... that doesn’t affect the project.”

“Really? But with Fengman in such a situation, struggling to manage itself, how can they still have the resources to support you?” Sui Xing added, “What’s his name... Oh, right, Gong Zhao. Without him, who’s going to sign the documents?”

Upon hearing Gong Zhao’s name, Ju Ning became extremely uneasy. “The project doesn’t rely on sponsorship to run. I’m not doing it for the money.”

Sui Xing smiled. “Right, right, you’re all doing it for the ideals. Professor Ju, let me ask you something.”

“What?”

“Fengman sponsored the Academy of Sciences, and you were the one who facilitated it, right?”

Ju Ning was shocked. “What does that have to do with me?”

Sui Xing said, “As far as I know, all of Fengman’s sponsorships are for your projects. You and your team have done quite well, with results to show.”

Ju Ning anxiously defended himself. “I’m just a researcher, I don’t decide where the funding goes! Fengman decides which projects to sponsor, I don’t interfere!”

Sui Xing said, “We’re just chatting, why the rush?”

Ju Ning realized he had lost his composure and turned away, saying, “I don’t understand why you’re focusing on me! I haven’t committed any crimes!”

“You have a good relationship with Gong Zhao,” Sui Xing said, his eyes suddenly gleaming with sharpness.

Ju Ning froze, then instinctively denied it two seconds later. “I don’t even know him!”

“Don’t know him? That’s not right,” Sui Xing said. “You both studied at Huiyong University together, and you were alumni in F country. After you both returned to China, he fully supported your research, and now you’re telling me you don’t know him?”

Only then did Ju Ning change his story. “I know of him, but I never met him when we were at Huiyong University, and I only saw him in F country. After that, he sponsored the Academy of Sciences, and we only interacted at the dinner table.”

Sui Xing didn’t say anything, but the tension in the room grew thicker.

Suddenly, Ju Ning glared at Sui Xing as if he had just remembered something.

Sui Xing said, “It’s not too late to give me a clear explanation.”

Ju Ning’s throat bobbed several times. “You... you interrogated Gong Zhao?”

Sui Xing said, “Ah, it’s not easy to interrogate him now. I’ve gone through a lot of procedures.”

In truth, she hadn’t interrogated Gong Zhao yet, as she didn’t have the conditions to do so. But since Ju Ning thought so, it was better to put on a show for him.

Ju Ning clearly grew more anxious than before. “What did he say?”

Sui Xing said, “I’m not able to disclose that for now.”

Ju Ning’s inner turmoil was evident, sweat dripping down. After a long pause, it seemed he made up his mind. “I did know him, I met him in F country, and we hit it off right away.”

Sui Xing thought, "What a coincidence."

Ju Ning said that he and Gong Zhao came from completely different social circles, and he never imagined becoming friends with someone like Gong Zhao. But even though Gong Zhao wasn't a science or engineering student, he took a keen interest in their research and often attended lectures, so the two of them got to know each other over time.

He shared the hardships and difficulties of scientific research with Gong Zhao, who responded by saying that money could solve half of those problems. Gong Zhao, though not knowledgeable in the field, said he could provide the funding.

Ju Ning had thought this was just a joke, but when he returned to China, Gong Zhao actually sponsored his project. Thanks to the funds from Fengman Real Estate, his project ran smoothly, and his reputation in the Academy of Sciences grew.

"I swear I had no idea about what Gong Zhao did! We rarely interacted, we only met at the Academy’s appreciation events!" Ju Ning raised his right hand. "The money he sponsored was nothing to him—just a little to satisfy his interest in research. He’s very busy, and I’m busy too. I only found out about his issues when I saw it in the news!"

Sui Xing listened carefully to every word Ju Ning said, and though his reaction didn’t seem like he was pretending, something about his fear when he first heard Gong Zhao's name struck her as strange. It reminded her of how he reacted when Liang Lanjun’s name was mentioned.

"I’ve never mixed with Gong Zhao, we don’t even exist in the same world!" Ju Ning grew more confident as he spoke. "My wife can vouch for me!"

Sui Xing said, "Then why were you worried just now? Do you think Gong Zhao might say something that would hurt you?"

Ju Ning was stunned for a moment, then raised his voice. "I’m worried that you’ll slander me! I’m a scholar! I don’t want my reputation to be tainted!"

He seemed to be getting back into his rhythm, but Sui Xing was sure he hadn’t finished his sentence. It seemed like he wasn’t afraid of Gong Zhao’s involvement in an incident of killing someone, but that there were deeper secrets between them.

"Professor Ju, thank you for cooperating today," Sui Xing said. "I’ll continue to interrogate Gong Zhao, and I’ll definitely be back to verify things with you. If you have anything on your mind, feel free to tell me before Gong Zhao does."

Ju Ning’s face turned pale. After Sui Xing went downstairs, she turned back and looked up at the building. Ju Ning was looking at her too, but when he saw her turn around, he quickly retreated behind the curtains.

The next day was New Year's Eve. Only a few houses in Zhou Ping Town had failed to put up Spring Festival couplets. Among them were Liang Lanjun and Zhao Yue’s house. When Hai Shu arrived at their door again, the curtains, which had been left slightly open last time, were now completely closed.

Children playing games ran past her, almost tripping, and Hai Shu caught one of them. The neighbor, a woman, hurried over. "Oh, Officer Hai, you’re here again!"

Hai Shu knocked on the door, and after a while, there was movement inside. Zhao Yue opened the door a crack, her expression a bit cautious. "Officer Hai."

"Sorry to bother you again," Hai Shu said. "I haven’t brought anything today."

Zhao Yue smiled. "Don’t worry about it, Officer. Why would a police officer bring something every time? The pea shoots you brought last time were delicious. But Officer Hai, we really don’t have anything else to say."

Hai Shu shook her head. "This time it’s not about the Zhou Ping Town case. It’s another case that needs your assistance."

Zhao Yue looked confused. "What other case could there be?"

Hai Shu showed her a photo on her phone and handed it to Zhao Yue. The photo was of Liu Xiang, and Zhao Yue softly gasped. Hai Shu saw her eyebrows tremble uncontrollably.

"You know her, don’t you? I’m in the city investigating another case, and some clues point to Liu Xiang, who committed suicide last March," Hai Shu said. "You and your husband once sponsored her."

Zhao Yue looked up, her lips parted as if unsure how to respond. "We... Liu Xiang, she..."

Hai Shu said, "You must have had a deep connection with Liu Xiang, right? Last time I came, I saw a group photo of the three of you. Was that Liu Xiang in it?"

Zhao Yue covered her mouth and waved her hand. "When you suddenly mentioned her, I... I couldn’t quite react."

Hai Shu waited quietly. Zhao Yue’s sadness was clear; she was mourning the girl who had given up her life.

After a moment, Zhao Yue took a deep breath. "Officer Hai, come inside and let’s talk."

Hai Shu entered the house and noticed that neither of the two rooms was lit, only the living room light was on. The TV was off, and there was meat filling and freshly made dough on the table. Zhao Yue had been making dumplings, and it seemed that Liang Lanjun wasn’t home.

The atmosphere in the Liang household was completely out of place for the New Year.

Hai Shu glanced at the tea-colored glass cabinet.

Zhao Yue crouched down, opened the cabinet door, and took out a photo frame. "Is this the photo you’re talking about?"

Hai Shu took it. It was indeed a photo of Liang, Zhao, and Liu Xiang, with a familiar background—it was the outside of Liu Xiang’s yard.

Zhao Yue said, "How did you find out about Liu Xiang? She’s been gone for a long time now."

Hai Shu said, "Honestly, when I was looking into Liu Xiang’s background, I was surprised to see your names."

"Surprised?" Zhao Yue laughed bitterly. "You probably think that people like me and Liang Lanjun, who don’t have much, shouldn’t be helping others, right?"

Hai Shu didn’t deny it, but the questions swirling in her mind weren’t limited to this. The way Liang and Zhao presented themselves in Zhou Ping Town gave the impression that they were disconnected from everything around them, living in an isolated world of just the two of them.

It wasn’t that people in their situation couldn’t help others, but given their background and personalities, it was indeed rare for them to do so.

"You saw it too. I can’t have children. I went through some difficult times when I was young, and even though I’m married, it’s clear that having children isn’t in the cards for me," Zhao Yue sighed. "But what woman doesn’t want to be a mother? I do too. Liang and I thought about adopting a child. But now, adopting a child isn’t so easy. With our background, the child would be starting at a disadvantage, so we gave up on that idea."

Hai Shu said, "So you decided to sponsor a child instead?"

Zhao Yue laughed. "Does that sound ridiculous to you?"

Hai Shu said, "Good intentions are not laughable."

Zhao Yue seemed surprised by her response and paused for a moment. "That's just how it is. After considering everything, Liang and I thought sponsoring a child was the most appropriate thing for us. Both of our families aren’t well off, and helping another child in a similar situation is kind of like making up for what we’ve been through in life."

Hai Shu asked, "How did you choose Liu Xiang?"

"Randomly. Welfare agencies recommended some children to us, with their family information, gender, age, grades, and the amount of money they needed. I told Liang that I really wanted to help a girl because life for girls in this society is much harder than for boys," Zhao Yue said. "Liang agreed. We both shared the idea of finding a smart, academic child. We… we were once those kids who studied hard. Liu Xiang matched that perfectly."

Hai Shu saw this as a good opportunity to ask about Zhao Yue's school dropout history. "Why did you leave Guiyong University?"

Zhao Yue suddenly looked at Hai Shu, her pupils deep. After a moment, she shook her head. "I don’t want to talk about that. It was so long ago. Officer Hai, my dropping out has nothing to do with your case, right?"

Hai Shu was silent for a moment. "I suspect that Liu Xiang, the missing female university student, might have gone through something similar to what you experienced."

Zhao Yue's eyes immediately widened, as if she couldn't understand what Hai Shu had just said. "What did you say?"

Hai Shu said, "Of course, this is just a guess. I still don’t know what you went through back then."

Zhao Yue's gaze was full of scrutiny. "Then do you know what Liu Xiang went through?"

Hai Shu had to say, "I’m still collecting clues, so I hope you can provide me with more information."

Zhao Yue’s anger gradually faded, and with a tone close to self-destruction, she said, "I was pregnant. The academy thought it was disgraceful and said I couldn’t continue my studies."

Hai Shu said, "Pregnancy is not your responsibility alone."

Zhao Yue laughed. "Officer Hai, you’re too young. You think too naively. Pregnancy isn’t one person’s responsibility, and it certainly shouldn’t be a woman’s responsibility! Even at my age back then, pregnancy shouldn’t be something to be blamed for. But the reality is that someone always has to take the blame, and a lot of the time, it’s women who bear all of it."

Hai Shu realized that Zhao Yue’s words were affecting her emotions. The struggles women faced decades ago were still playing out today.

"Enough about me," Zhao Yue shook her head. "When Liu Xiang committed suicide, Liang and I were both shocked. We felt like we’d been betrayed."

Hai Shu asked, "Have you thought about why Liu Xiang reached this point?"

Zhao Yue said, "Studying? Pressure to survive? I don’t know. Liu Xiang and we didn’t stay in touch much. Liang and I aren’t the type to constantly check up on someone. University students are busy, and we didn’t want to bother her. We just occasionally chatted with her sister."

Hai Shu’s gaze fell on the meat filling. "Are you making dumplings by yourself? Where’s Liang?"

Zhao Yue looked away slightly. "He went out to buy something. Isn’t it almost New Year’s Eve?"

Hai Shu noticed the pushcart in the corner. She had seen it the day she arrived in Zhou Ping Town. Zhao Yue and Liang Lanjun had pushed it into the forest to smoke bacon. It seemed more convenient and flexible than regular carts.

Hai Shu walked over and examined it carefully. "This cart looks really sturdy."

Zhao Yue froze for a moment, then said, "Liang made it himself."

"Made it himself?"

"Well, not entirely. I bought one that was cheap and wouldn’t last. After a few uses, it broke down. He reinforced and improved it."

Hai Shu said, "He’s quite skilled."

A few minutes later, Liang Lanjun came back, his hands not carrying any bags. He paused when he saw Hai Shu. Zhao Yue loudly said, "Come help me make dumplings. Officer Hai is asking about Liu Xiang, and she says she’s going to investigate again."

Liang Lanjun washed his hands and silently began making dumplings. But it was clear that he had no idea how to make them. He didn’t even wet the edges of the dumpling wrappers when pinching them. After Zhao Yue helped him wet the wrappers once, he managed to make some, but they were all misshapen.

"Men just don’t know how to do things," Zhao Yue said to Hai Shu. "I’m sorry, Officer Hai."

Liang Lanjun turned on the TV and raised the volume. When Hai Shu asked about Xue Ninglin, Zhao Yue shook her head and said she hadn’t heard of her. Hai Shu asked a few more questions, but they dodged them, showing little concern for Liu Xiang’s death.

When Hai Shu left, Zhao Yue was asking Liang Lanjun how many dumplings he wanted to eat, with the intimacy of an old married couple.

Hai Shu wrapped her scarf tighter against the cold wind, reflecting on the several subtle things that felt off.

Liang and Zhao didn’t seem too concerned about Liu Xiang’s death, but they still kept the photo. The way they moved the photo frame reflected some gradual changes in their mindset.

Zhao Yue seemed unaware of where Liang Lanjun had gone and didn’t care, even though it was about to be the New Year. Liang Lanjun couldn’t make dumplings, and Zhao Yue asking him to help was her way of pretending their marriage was happy. But even Zhao Yue didn’t know her husband couldn’t make dumplings. After all these years of living together, had they never made dumplings together?

Behind her, the door to the Liang household was tightly shut. The loud TV noise was turned down, and Zhao Yue tossed the remote aside. Liang Lanjun picked up a cabbage from the floor and silently started cooking, while Zhao Yue boiled a plate of dumplings.

They each ate their cabbage and dumplings like neighbors sharing a kitchen in an old house.

Liang Lanjun looked up. "They’re investigating Liu Xiang?"

Zhao Yue sneered, "Are you still hoping they’ll give you the truth?"

Liang Lanjun said nothing more, cleaned his bowl, and turned to watch TV.

"How’s it going? Have you found anything?" Sui Xing asked over the phone.

Hai Shu shared the doubts that had been bothering her, and after thinking for a moment, Sui Xing responded, "I think we’re down to the last layer of paper."

Hai Shu nodded. "But this last layer is hard to break through."

Sui Xing was energized. "Gu Ning’s marriage is also problematic. He’s afraid of Gong Zhao saying something. I think…"

Hai Shu suddenly interrupted. "Xingxing, tomorrow is New Year’s Eve."

"Huh?" Sui Xing replied.

"Tomorrow and the first day of the new year are holidays. Go home and spend time with your family."

Sui Xing was momentarily stunned. "It’s fine, my parents are used to it."

"No rush for these two days." Hai Shu looked out the car window. People were carrying big gift boxes and bags of vegetables. As soon as New Year’s Eve came, it felt as if society had hit the pause button. The criminal police could continue working, but investigations required cooperation from people. Without that, efficiency would drop. It was better to let the team rest for a bit.

Sui Xing had just received a call from her family urging her to celebrate the new year. It had been a long time since she saw her parents, and she couldn’t deny missing them. "Alright, I’ll keep my phone on 24/7. Feel free to reach out if you need anything."

Hai Shu smiled. "Don’t worry."

After briefing Sui Xing, Hai Shu went to the Zhou Ping Town Police Station. Some of the Criminal Investigation Team stayed behind in Zhou Ping Town. As soon as Hai Shu mentioned the holiday, everyone sighed in relief. Wen Xu immediately said he would ride with Hai Shu back to the city, but Cheng Wei insisted on staying, not even wanting to spend the Spring Festival. Hai Shu didn’t persuade him further and drove Wen Xu back to the city.

The two chatted casually in the car, not discussing the case. Hai Shu asked Wen Xu what his plans were for the next few days. Wen Xu smiled and said he was going back to his hometown, Han Yuan City, to spend time with his wife and visit both of their parents. His tone was filled with happiness, but his eyes drifted to the right side of the car window.

Hai Shu had been living alone for years and had long forgotten the feeling of visiting relatives and elders during the New Year. Maybe it was the high temperature in the car, but hearing Wen Xu talk about his family made her feel warm.

Wen Xu got off at an intersection, and Hai Shu said, "Say hi to your family for me."

Wen Xu smiled gently. "I will."

By now, the streets were nearly empty, with people gathered in the glow of thousands of lights. Hai Shu drove around for a while, then remembered the tea party Wen Xu had organized at the police station. She decided to stop by a snack shop and buy some nuts, dried meat, and drinks—although it was the holiday, a few team members would still be on duty. She bought the snacks for them.

"Captain Hai, you're not resting?" a team member asked.

Hai Shu opened her laptop. "I’ll look over the case a bit more. I ordered hotpot delivery. We’ll all eat together later."

"Oh—"

Hai Shu focused on the computer, organizing the clues she and Sui Xing had discovered over the past few days into a mind map. The Criminal Investigation Team was currently handling both the Wan Zeyu case and the missing person case, but both cases had a thread pointing to Liang Lanjun and Zhao Yue. These threads weren’t direct, though. The first one pointed through the old workshop, and the second one took a more complicated turn, passing through Huang Yiya and then Liu Xiang.

It was as if they were buried deep in a maze underground.

And these odd couple were connected to Guiyong University, Gu Ning from the Academy, and Gong Zhao, the son of Fengman Di Shang who had been arrested. The crimes Gong Zhao had committed might be related to the missing university student.

Sui Xing had also added someone to the clue map: Sheng Kui Ran, Gu Ning’s classmate from Guiyong University and Liang Lanjun’s. This person was a genius, receiving scholarships and easily securing a spot to go to F Country. After returning to China, he started Kui Ran Technologies in his hometown, Han Yuan City, focusing on medicine and artificial intelligence.

Han Yuan City? Sheng Kui Ran and Wen Xu were both from there.

This person had quite a legendary background, but he didn’t seem to be related to the case. Hai Shu rested her finger on her chin, moving the mouse to Liu Xiang’s name. This girl who committed suicide might hold the key to unlocking both directions of the case. But before that, they had to figure out what happened during that summer after her freshman year.

Hai Shu opened the investigation records from the police station again. During the inquiry, a student mentioned that Liu Xiang said she was planning to work the entire summer to earn money for the next semester’s tuition. A classmate who also didn’t go home said Liu Xiang mostly worked at a chain bookstore café, though the café didn’t pay much. Later, Liu Xiang also worked at an amusement park dancing, but she didn’t go there every day.

The records didn’t specify which bookstore café or amusement park. Hai Shu pulled up a map near the Science and Technology University. There were over a dozen bookstore cafés, but almost all of them were closed due to the Spring Festival. Hai Shu also searched for amusement parks in Guiyong City. There were three in total, and the largest one was called Xingchen. Although it was on the outskirts, it had a direct subway line to the Science and Technology University, making it the most convenient for Liu Xiang.

Hai Shu also noticed that Xingchen Amusement Park was just over a mountain from Bai Lin Village, where Wan Zeyu and Guang Jun had killed Xu Qiao.

Online advertisements showed that Xingchen Amusement Park would not only be open on New Year’s Eve, but there would also be a grand float parade. Hai Shu decided to go check it out.

The next morning, Hai Shu changed into a dress and a light pink coat, curled her hair with a curling iron, and wore a decorative hat. But just before leaving, she stared at herself in the mirror and felt something was off.

Maybe it looked too extravagant?

Though she was supposed to dress up a bit for the amusement park, was this outfit too inconvenient if something unexpected happened?

Hai Shu decisively changed, switching to work pants and a leather jacket, and put on a baseball cap. The sweet girl look turned into a cool sister in an instant.

The subway to the amusement park felt like a dedicated line, especially in the last few stations, where the entire carriage was filled with young people heading to the park. Hai Shu was pushed to the door and had to protect a little kid who tried to squeeze past her. Many passengers were dressed in eccentric outfits, and Hai Shu overheard them talking about how there would be a comic convention at the amusement park today, with many popular guests.

Finally, they arrived. When Hai Shu stepped off the train, it felt like she had been ejected. The first wave of activities at the amusement park had already started. Actors dressed as princes, princesses, and anime characters were dancing among the crowd. "Animals" on the floats blew bubbles and scattered red envelopes symbolizing celebration.

Hai Shu followed the crowd and walked forward, seeing a group of Sailor Moon actresses, who seemed to have just changed into their costumes, running out of a building to join the performers. Their dance moves didn’t seem very practiced, and their expressions were a little awkward, like they were new to the job.

After a round of the parade, the tourists cheered and scattered, each going off to enjoy the attractions. The performers waved dutifully to see them off, and the Sailor Moon actresses wiped their sweat, looking too tired to control their expressions.

Hai Shu walked over and started a conversation with one of them. "You danced really well just now."

"Really? I just came yesterday." The Sailor Moon actress said, "It’s tough work, and the money’s hard to earn!"

Hai Shu asked, "How can I join you guys? It looks really fun, and you can make money."

"Looks fun! Ha, it's all hard-earned money. I’m just a temp. I'm a college student, and they didn’t have enough performers for the winter break, so I signed up. They still need a lot more people. After the third day of the new year, they need even more!"

"Where can I sign up?"

The Sailor Moon actress pointed to the small building they came out of. "That’s the management office. You’re so pretty, you won’t have to work as hard as us. Just change into a costume and stand on the float!"

Hai Shu went to the management office, where a group of girls under 20 were crowding, eager to sign up. A glasses-wearing woman who seemed to be in charge waved Hai Shu over. "Are you here to apply?"

Hai Shu smiled sweetly. "I want to dance."

The glasses-wearing woman sized her up and handed her two pages to sign. Hai Shu glanced at it—simple contract, no hidden terms, agreeing to a daily wage of 300 yuan.

After signing, she was taken to the adjacent rest area, where there were costumes and two teachers teaching dance. They were called teachers, but they were only a bit more familiar with the moves than the others, and the moves were very simple. Hai Shu was agile and coordinated, and after watching once, she was able to pick up the steps.

The glasses-wearing woman was pleased and asked Hai Shu to change into her costume and join the next parade.

Hai Shu wore a Sailor Moon costume, and since her dancing was good, she was gradually pushed to the front of the line. She suddenly felt a gaze focused on her, but when she looked around, she saw no one in particular—just the numerous gazes coming from all directions, making it hard to tell where hers was coming from.

When she paid too much attention to it, the gaze disappeared, almost as if it was just her imagination.

Soon, it was lunchtime. The performers and temporary workers went to get their meals. Hai Shu mingled with them, chatting while eating.

The one with the crown headband said, "You danced for the first time today? You have talent! It took me a whole week to stop looking so awkward!"

Hai Shu replied, "I’ve learned martial arts. Did you all come here to work during the winter break?"

The one with instant noodles hair said, "No wonder you’re so good at dancing. We came last summer too. The wages were lower during the summer because a lot of college students don’t go home then, but during the winter break, they all return home."

Hai Shu said, "Dancing in the summer must be so hot! Which schools are you from?"

The one with the crown headband said, "It’s cold in the winter, but I’m from the Fine Arts Academy. She’s from Guiyong University. What about you?"

Hai Shu replied, "I’m from the Science and Technology University."

The one with instant noodles hair said, "You’re from the Science and Technology University too? I’ve heard of a girl from your school who is really good at dancing. She earned quite a lot one summer."

Hai Shu asked curiously, "Who was that?"

The one with instant noodles hair shook her head. "I don’t know. I never met her, but I heard about her last year. Some of the official performers mentioned her. They said she would definitely come back that year, but I didn’t see her when I left."

The one with the crown headband interjected, "Not necessarily. Maybe she went to perform up there." She made a gesture pointing upward, and the one with instant noodles hair responded with an understanding "Oh."

Hai Shu didn’t understand. "What’s that?"

The one with the crown headband said, "You must be from out of town. Look over there."

Hai Shu followed her gesture and saw a mountain with scattered buildings. Actually, Xingchen Amusement Park was built on a mountain, with the water park at the foot of the mountain, and higher up was Yue Sheng Mountain Villa, a more upscale entertainment venue.

People generally associate amusement parks with water parks, but in fact, Yue Sheng Mountain Villa and Xingchen Amusement Park were part of the same complex.

The one with the crown headband said, "There are performances at the villa, and the wages are much higher than ours, but only the very best can go."

Hai Shu took note of this information and spent the afternoon dancing in two more rounds. Once again, she felt that strange gaze. After the comic convention guests arrived, the atmosphere shifted, and Hai Shu returned to the management office to collect her payment for the day. The glasses-wearing woman reminded her to come back tomorrow, with an extra 100 yuan for the first day of the new year. Hai Shu took the opportunity to ask, "Do I have a chance to perform at the villa?"

The glasses-wearing woman glanced at her warily. "The villa doesn’t have any performances at the moment."

"Well, when there is something, please remember me."

The glasses-wearing woman frowned, as if she wanted to say something, but finally just waved her off, signaling for her to leave.

Hai Shu changed back into her own clothes and bought a hamburger and a large cup of cola at the food stand, standing to eat. Today had been exhausting, and the physical fatigue made her brain slow down a bit. While in a daze, someone wearing a Monkey King mask appeared in front of her.