Chapter 24: Clean Hands.

Chapter 24: Clean Hands.

The sound of the guzheng drifted through the luxurious teahouse. The woman playing it kept her head bowed, her delicate fingers dancing across the taut strings, drowning out all other noise. The air was thick with the scent of the most expensive incense.

Red-Head didn’t know how to appreciate fine fragrances, but he loved the sensation of burning money. Seeing that the time was right, he raised his hand, rubbed his belly—squeezed into two semi-circles by his belt—and looked at Fang Ye with a feigned, apologetic expression.

"Little Ye, why don't you reconsider?"

Fang Ye, blood staining the corner of his mouth, stood leaning against the wall. He remained silent.

Red-Head didn’t get angry. No one knew this kid’s stubborn backbone better than he did. He smiled amiably. "No rush! Let’s just go to the lake, take in the scenery, and think it over. Who knows? Maybe a view of the landscape will clear your head, and everything will become crystal clear."

The windows of the black car were draped in heavy curtains. Ten security guards surrounded Fang Ye as he walked toward the vehicle; passersby on the street couldn't see a thing, assuming it was just some big shot out on the town who didn't want to be recognized.

The woman playing the guzheng didn't dare stop. Only after the tail of the car vanished around the corner did she end her melody and, with a gentle smile, close the door to the teahouse.

***

Bai Li had just stepped out of the library when her phone pushed a new Weibo notification. It was from the Lingjiang blogger she had followed earlier—perhaps thanks to big-data tracking, the blogger was recommending a scenic spot.

It was the Colorful Pebble Beach at the nearby Lingshui Lake. It was said that if you stood on the beach, you had a chance to see seagulls at sunset.

Bai Li wasn't particularly interested and was about to put her phone away when a voice spoke up behind her.

"This picture is so beautiful, and there are seagulls! I love seagulls the most. Is it near Lingshui Lake?"

Startled, Bai Li turned around to see that Chen Miao had followed her out. Chen Miao smiled, looking a bit embarrassed, a faint shadow of sadness in her eyes. "My dad can't make it anymore; he's busy at the hospital."

Bai Li understood, catching the scent of her disappointment. She tapped her screen back to life and asked, "Chen Miao, do you like this place? Would you like to go and see it together?"

The summer breeze that year blew slowly, softening the girl’s heart.

A spark of light appeared in Chen Miao’s eyes, but it died out just as quickly. She shook her head. "I can't go. My mom wants me home early. Oh, by the way, it’s my birthday this Saturday. You’re the first friend I’ve made from out of town—come join us, okay?"

Bai Li had never attended anyone’s birthday party. Everyone knew her situation; she basically had no freedom, so no one ever thought to ask her. Faced with this sudden invitation and the title of "friend" from Chen Miao, Bai Li felt at a loss. Under Chen Miao’s eager gaze, she neither accepted nor refused, saying only that if she had the time, she would definitely be there.

***

After Chen Miao left, Bai Li stared at the picture on her phone. *If a friend has a birthday, should I prepare a gift?*

Seeing that it wasn't too late yet, she went home to grab her sketchbook and colored pencils, asked the locals for directions, and successfully arrived at the Colorful Pebble Beach of Lingshui Lake.

Dusk arrived slowly that year; it was six-thirty, and the sky was still bright. Standing on the national road, looking out at the vast, endless lake, the gently lapping waves made a pleasant sound as they struck the shore. She reached out to touch the cool lake breeze.

Bai Li’s eyes curved into crescents, the fatigue on her body seemingly swallowed up by the expansive view of the lake. Walking alone on the colorful pebbles, she really did encounter a flock of seagulls with pristine white feathers.

Unable to wait, she found a spot with the best lighting, took out her sketchbook, placed it on her lap, and wanted to capture the entire scene on the white paper.

***

"Come on, let Little Ye out of the car. Take in the scenery. Or, if you’d rather, go for a dip in the lake," the voice was gentle, yet filled with the stench of coercion.

He wore a hat specifically to shield himself from the wind blowing off the lake. The lake breeze made one's cheeks go cold, and Fang Ye opened his eyes. Brought to the lakeside to be threatened, there was no sign of fear on his face.

Red-Head patted his hand, a glimmer of appreciation in his murky eyes. "Little Ye, think about it again. Work for me, and you won't have to die."

Fang Ye didn't look at him, as if the threat were something childish, and he laughed.

***

Bai Li was startled by the wind blowing off the lake and looked up gently.

When the dusk descended, the entire landscape turned a shimmering, golden yellow, and the circling seagulls were dazzlingly white. Graceful willow trees grew in the water, and boats swayed gently in the middle of the lake. Bai Li was mesmerized; she stopped her pen involuntarily, wanting to etch this scene deep into her memory.

She seemed to hear a few fragmented voices, but they vanished as soon as they reached her ears. She followed the sound...

Her gaze landed on the cliff nearby. Obscured by the brush, she couldn't see exactly who was standing on top, only several figures in black. She couldn't make out the facial features of the person in the middle of the crowd.

But she recognized him instantly.

It was Fang Ye.

Someone kicked a rock from the cliffside, and it tumbled into the water.

With a loud "thud," Bai Li froze for a moment. In that instant, she imagined countless possibilities. It finally settled on the idea that Fang Ye might be getting bullied—because that group of men in black clearly didn't look like the group led by Brother Cheng.

Then, she grabbed her sketchbook, typed 110 into her phone, and ran toward the shore without hesitation.

***

The conversation on the cliff continued.

Red-Head’s bodyguard kicked a section of the railing off the edge of the cliff, resulting in another huge splash. Red-Head laughed. "Are you really not afraid of death? You should remember who paid for your grandmother's medical bills back then."

Only then did Fang Ye speak. "Red-Head, I am grateful that you helped me solve my difficulties back then, which is why I’m playing this game with you. But I don't need this opportunity. Perhaps you can find someone else."

A flash of appreciation crossed Red-Head's eyes. A person who accomplishes great things doesn't need subordinates who are timid. He knew that Fang Ye understood perfectly well that this job wasn't as simple as just "watching the place."

If such a method could threaten Fang Ye, he would be happy, but also disappointed. If it couldn't... well, he had other means.

It was just that... he didn't want to be truly manipulated by Fang Ye. If he refused, he naturally had to suffer a bit; otherwise, no one in Lingjiang would listen to him anymore.

He raised his hand, and the bodyguards immediately crowded in. Red-Head looked at the height—a fall wouldn't kill a man, though he might suffer some scrapes against the rocks. As long as no one stopped him, it wasn't impossible to climb back up, even if it was exhausting.

People who crawled out of the mud—if he took a liking to them, yet they still dreamt of shaking off the muck to live a clean life, was that even possible?

Fang Ye didn't know, but he understood that there were many people in this world who didn't take human life seriously. In the beginning, he had only hoped to have enough to eat, to never have to kneel on the ground and grovel before others again.

Now that he had a choice, he wanted to see what the sunlight looked like.

The dusk deepened. The darkness threatened to swallow the light of the world. Bai Li watched the crowd drawing closer and felt the gunpowder-like tension in the air.

Without a word, she shoved the man next to Fang Ye. She wasn't very strong, but perhaps the bodyguard was caught off guard, as he actually stumbled back several steps.

Taking advantage of this gap, Bai Li stood in front of Fang Ye, holding up her phone, her finger hovering over the dial button for 110.

Her voice was clear and crisp, tinged with resilience: "What are you doing? I’m calling the police."