Chapter 016: The Object of My Secret Affection

I said that was all water under the bridge, old stories long past, but then my father revealed something that made me give up all hope once and for all.

Xu Meijing asked curiously, “Zheng Yan, what was it that he told you?”

As I walked on, I recalled, “My father said, first of all, there was no way Xu Jiaojiao could be interested in me. Her family is powerful and influential, their background prestigious—girls of her station only look for partners who are their equals. We’re just a middle-class family—there’s no chance. And he also said Xu Jiaojiao was already engaged to the son of a high-ranking official. They’d planned to marry right after graduation. Ordinary people like us couldn’t possibly compete with someone of that level.”

Xu Meijing gave a small sound of assent. “So that’s what made you give up on your dream girl? Zheng Yan, you really don’t have much resolve, do you?”

I said that having a crush and falling in love were two different things. I did have a vague fondness for her, but it wasn’t to the point of heartbreak. My father had always been my guiding light since I was little. Even though I’d had my rebellious phases, every path he set me on turned out to be the wisest. Only now do I fully realize that.

“It’s not so bad…” Xu Meijing brushed her short hair aside. “Back in school, I got along well with Xu Jiaojiao. She was a good person, never put on airs. My family wasn’t well off, and she helped me out a lot. She’s basically my benefactor, so no matter what happens later, I’ll do everything I can to save her. Zheng Yan, you’re not going to just stand by and watch, are you?”

I said I’d do my best, though I wasn’t all that confident. The various deadly traps we’d encountered along the way had completely changed my understanding of what was possible. I couldn’t guarantee anyone’s safety. So far, I had barely managed to bring Xu Meijing out alive. To be honest, Du Jiang’s designs were far too advanced—some details were unlike anything I’d ever seen. My theoretical knowledge was useless against these killing machines.

...

Soon, we arrived at the seaview suite. We could hear the waves crashing outside. Inside, the room was quiet and well-lit; nothing seemed out of the ordinary from the doorway.

Xu Meijing and I both knew that the calmer things seemed on the surface, the more likely something was wrong. The stillest lakes often conceal the deadliest currents.

Xu Meijing called out first, “Xu Jiaojiao! Xu Jiaojiao, are you in there?”

There was no response—just an eerie, unnatural silence. We could even hear the ticking of a second hand inside.

I motioned for Xu Meijing to stand behind me, then pulled the iron door of the suite open with all my strength. The entire interior was revealed before us.

The first thing we saw was a spacious living room, luxuriously decorated in bright, generous style. There was a set of leather sofas, a glass coffee table in the middle, and a fifty-two-inch LCD TV right across from us. The decor was dominated by gold tones, with crystal chandeliers and lavish paintings everywhere, highlighting the suite’s opulence. Yet the vast living room was empty.

“Where is she? No one’s here! Could she be in the bedroom?” Xu Meijing pointed at the tightly closed bedroom door.

I shook my head and gestured to the left of the living room, where a huge folding screen stood, adorned with classical Chinese ink paintings. On the tiles near the screen, several bloody footprints were reflected. Instinct told me something was hidden behind the screen.

Xu Meijing saw the bloody prints too. They belonged to a large pair of leather shoes, all facing inward, as if the person had entered but never exited. The direction of the footprints seemed to send a message: whoever left them was still inside.

Could it be that Du Jiang was in there, waiting for us?

Xu Meijing shuddered and clung closer to me. If Du Jiang was inside, who knew what might happen?

To be safe, I raised my hatchet and slowly advanced. As we rounded the screen, we both froze, stunned by what we saw.

There, behind the screen, someone was hanging.

It was none other than our last classmate—Xu Jiaojiao.

Her predicament left us both speechless.

She was nailed to an iron cross—solid iron, with her body bloodied and bound at the center. Her hands and feet were shackled to the cross, her body pressed tightly against it. Most disturbingly, a thick hemp rope was looped around her neck, one end tied to the cross, the other wound around the blades of a vintage ceiling fan overhead.

Her eyes were half closed, long hair disheveled over her shoulders, blood trickling constantly from her lips, staining her white T-shirt and jeans. The rope was suspended from above, making it look as if she’d been hanged alive.

“Xu Jiaojiao! Xu Jiaojiao!” Xu Meijing shouted. Xu Jiaojiao’s brows twitched and she opened her eyes slightly.

When she saw us, she didn’t react with excitement or fear, but coughed weakly. “Zheng Yan? Xu Meijing? Did Du Jiang come after you too? Did you cross him as well?”

Xu Meijing stomped her foot anxiously. “There’s no time for this! Hold on, I’ll save you. Zheng Yan! Let’s just cut the rope around her neck—we’ve got your hatchet, right? Cut it now!”

I looked everything over carefully, then shook my head. “Xu Meijing, don’t you get Du Jiang’s game by now? Xu Jiaojiao is the last one to be punished—there’s no way it’ll be that easy to save her.”

“Look—her hands and feet are all shackled, each with a lock. The key to saving her is those four locks. And the rope around her neck—it’s as thick as your arm. Your hatchet can’t possibly cut through that. You’d need a huge pair of shears, a hacksaw, or maybe even burn it with fire.”

“That’s not so hard! We left a hacksaw in the pantry, didn’t we? We can use it to saw the rope, and we’ve got a fire source too—I saw a lighter in Yang Zhihong’s pocket! We’re not missing anything!”

I’d already thought of these things, but my mind was unusually clear now. I knew Du Jiang would never leave such an obvious flaw in his plan. Xu Jiaojiao was his grand finale. If a hacksaw or fire could solve the trap, it wouldn’t make sense.

I also noticed a portable speaker on the coffee table, painted to look like a red cigarette box. Clearly, Du Jiang had set everything up, just waiting for the show to begin.

“Zheng Yan! Don’t just stand there! Let’s go get the saw and lighter! If you won’t, I will!”

Xu Meijing tried to rush out, but I pulled her back. “Don’t waste time. While the red cigarette box is still silent, let’s talk to Xu Jiaojiao. We might find a useful clue.”

...

“Zheng Yan, Xu Meijing, I’ve long since realized something was wrong with Du Jiang…” Xu Jiaojiao spoke first, hanging in midair, surprisingly calm compared to our other classmates who had begged for mercy.

“During dinner, I went to the restroom and discovered that most rooms on this ship were dilapidated, nothing like the luxury hotel Du Jiang described. I also saw a complicated look in his eyes—the same look I saw at graduation. That gave me a bad feeling. About half an hour ago, Du Jiang locked me to this cross himself.”

I was surprised. “Xu Jiaojiao? You saw Du Jiang just now?”

Beep… Beep…

Before she could answer, a familiar electronic chime sounded in the luxurious living room. The chilling, sinister voice began: “Welcome to the Red Cigarette Box’s parlor. The gym’s situation surprised even me. I apologize—things went beyond my plans. But it won’t affect our ‘divine judgment’. The next person on trial is Xu Jiaojiao, daughter of Xu Tianming and second heir to the Xu Group.”

“You could have lived a carefree, luxurious life, but an accidental fire two years ago changed your fate. You’ve done much charity and donated generously since, but it cannot erase your three mortal sins!”

“First sin: Liu Jia! Her death could have been prevented, but because of something you said, her precious life was lost. She was violated by four animals before she died. Her death is your unavoidable responsibility!”

What?

Xu Jiaojiao’s first sin shocked me. In my memory, these two hardly interacted. Liu Jia was an artsy, bookish girl, always in the library, while Xu Jiaojiao was a rich heiress, frequenting luxurious places. By rights, they were from two different worlds.

Xu Jiaojiao gave a faint smile, crystal tears rolling down her cheeks. “Yes, Liu Jia’s death was my fault. I admit, I was crazy during that time. I couldn’t control myself. I couldn’t stop thinking about her. She was my whole world. I couldn’t bear to lose her. Without her, I would have lost my mind…”

To be honest, I didn’t react immediately to what she said, but Xu Meijing caught on at once. “Xu Jiaojiao? You and Liu Jia… Were you… that kind of couple? Are you serious? You must be joking, right?”

I still didn’t get it, and dumbly asked Xu Meijing, “What kind of relationship?”

She glared at me. “Zheng Yan, are you an idiot? Can’t you hear? They were lovers—girl and girl!”

“What?”

The realization hit me like a shock. Only then did I understand the weight of Xu Jiaojiao’s words—she and Liu Jia had actually been lovers? And then Liu Jia was violated and killed by Yang Zhihong and the others? And Xu Jiaojiao was deeply involved in it all?

...