Chapter 213: A Gentle Night

Chen Shi took a deep breath to calm himself. He remembered that Lin Dongxue was right-handed, so the fingerprint lock was likely set to her right index finger or thumb.

He carefully adjusted his position. As he moved, Lin Dongxue slid down, her head now resting on his lap. This actually made things easier for him.

He gently took Lin Dongxue’s right hand. Her fingers were slender and beautiful, her nails neatly trimmed even though she never had manicures. Holding her cool hand, Chen Shi pressed her thumb to the fingerprint lock, but there was no response.

He tried her index finger next. The phone beeped, startling him. He looked down at Lin Dongxue, who mumbled something in her sleep but did not wake up. His heart settled down, and he checked her WeChat messages.

It turned out Tao Yueyue had tricked him. She hadn’t sent the photo he feared but rather a cute picture of their cat, Maoqiu.

“You little brat!” Chen Shi cursed quietly. He marked the message as unread, wiped his fingerprints off the screen, and put the phone back in Lin Dongxue’s pocket.

He needed a better solution. He slowly pushed the glass coffee table away. The table was stylish but made a loud screeching sound when moved.

Chen Shi pushed it inch by inch, his heart pounding. Finally, he cleared enough space to stand. He carefully wrapped Lin Dongxue in the blanket, then lifted her. She was so light, like a feather. He thought about making sure she ate well from now on.

He gently carried Lin Dongxue to the guest room, placed her on the bed, and covered her with the blanket. He felt a sense of accomplishment.

Suddenly, the door behind him closed and he heard the lock click. His keys and phone were in the living room, and it was clear Tao Yueyue was behind this.

He rushed to the door, saying, “Open the door, I promise I won’t kill you!”

“Spend the night with Lin-jie. If you like her, why don’t you tell her?” Tao Yueyue teased from the other side.

“Get back here!!”

“Goodnight, I’m sleepy,” she responded, clearly enjoying this.

Chen Shi sighed deeply. The room was dark, with just a sliver of light from the hallway illuminating Lin Dongxue on the bed.

He sat in a chair by the bed, considering his options. The room was small, and the bed was barely big enough for two. Staying up all night wasn’t practical, and if he needed the bathroom, it would be troublesome. Sleeping until morning seemed the only viable option.

After a while, he decided to lie down. Lin Dongxue was facing the window, so he lay on his back, hands clasped. Her hair’s faint scent filled his nose. He wanted to turn and hug her but resisted.

As he drifted off, Lin Dongxue turned in her sleep and hugged him, her face close to his.

Chen Shi couldn’t resist anymore. He leaned in to kiss her, but just as their lips touched, Lin Dongxue’s eyes fluttered open. Her cheeks flushed a deep red, making her already beautiful face even more stunning.

Chen Shi was enchanted by her and began to unbutton her shirt. Lin Dongxue shyly covered her face with her hands but didn’t resist.

Just as things were about to escalate, Chen Shi woke up. It had been a dream. They had moved in their sleep, and now Lin Dongxue’s arm was draped over him.

He checked his watch; it was 5 AM. He needed to leave. Carefully, he moved her arm and got up. The door was unlocked from the outside, likely by Tao Yueyue.

At 7:30, Lin Dongxue woke up. She glanced around, wondering when she had fallen asleep. She vaguely remembered a dream where someone—first her brother, then her father, and finally Chen Shi—held her tenderly.

Blushing at the thought, she said to herself, “What a strange dream!”

As usual, they went to the station first, then split up. Chen Shi drove Xu Xiaodong to the area, dropped him off near the police station, and went to find the old man from yesterday.

The old man was out for a walk. Chen Shi bought him breakfast and cigarettes, chatted with him, and persuaded him to show him the factory’s old site.

At the former Yutong Motors site, the old man said, “I remember the factory gate was as tall as this three-story building, and the sign was about four stories high.”

“Which direction did it face?” Chen Shi asked.

“Due south. The factory was built according to feng shui, perfectly south.”

Staring at the empty space, Chen Shi couldn’t tell much. He decided to recreate the setup. After saying goodbye to the old man, he called Xu Xiaodong. When Xu Xiaodong arrived, he was amazed at what Chen Shi had brought.

“What’s that?” Xu Xiaodong asked.

“A replica of the cross,” Chen Shi replied, holding a foam cross and bamboo poles to mimic the view from thirteen years ago. “Any progress on your end?”

“Not much. None of the missing persons from thirteen years ago match.”

The foam cross was light. As they raised it on the bamboo poles, residents gathered to watch. Xu Xiaodong felt embarrassed. “People are watching us!”

“Let them watch.”

An elderly woman approached. “What are you doing? Is this a funeral? You need to notify the community office.”

Chen Shi smiled. “No, we’re investigating a case.” He signaled Xu Xiaodong to show his badge.

“What case? I’ve never seen such an investigation!” she exclaimed.

“Please, stop asking. If we explain to everyone, we’ll never finish. Don’t worry, we’ll leave as soon as we’re done.”

Xu Xiaodong muttered, “This is so embarrassing.”

After setting up, Chen Shi said, “Stay here and guard this. I’ll check the surroundings to find the right angle.”

“What? I’m standing here like a flagpole?”

“What’s the big deal? No one knows you here. Li Yang said, ‘Love your embarrassment.'”

Xu Xiaodong glanced at the crowd, his face burning. “Hurry back!”