Chapter 1059 – The Blind Man Carrying a Lamp
”Ying Chen isn’t on the fourth floor corridor, he must be hiding in the middle of one of the rooms, he’s probably keeping an eye on the surroundings as well.”
”This guy doesn’t dare to set up a routine and has a bizarre style of doing things, I have to be a bit more cautious before I can do anything.”
Chen Ge didn’t know if Ying Chen had gotten any information about himself from the middle-aged man, and he couldn’t care less, thinking that while Ying Chen wasn’t moving now, he would hurry to meet Ms. Red and try to find some more help.
Under the assistance of the skirt lady, Chen Ge arrived at the corner of the stairs between the fourth and fifth floors, a faint stench wafted in the air, and there were more water stains underneath his shoes.
”What’s with the sudden stop.” Chen Ge inquired in a low voice, he had been walking up the stairs when the skirt lady who was supporting his arm suddenly stopped moving.
Chen Ge couldn’t see anything, and after noticing the skirt lady’s abnormality, he immediately tensed up.
His ears vaguely heard the girl’s singing voice, like it was coming from a broken music box, intermittent, the kind of voice that was too weird to describe.
”Is someone coming? Go to the fifth floor first, don’t stay here!” Chen Ge had a very bad premonition, he was able to tell that the singing was coming from the fifth floor, and he was worried that the sound would bring Ying Chen over.
”There was a person on the fifth floor who just went over, walking without any sound at all.” Ms. Skirt’s tone was strange, “Did I see it wrong?”
”Wait a minute! A music box? A girl singing? A figure walking without a sound? What you just saw couldn’t be Ying Hitomi, right?” Chen Ge knew that in reality, there was a broken music box sitting on Ying Hitomi’s bedroom table.
”Then should we chase after it?” The woman inquired.
”Nope, not quite right.” Chen Ge’s fingers that were gripping the backpack became harder and harder, “If I were Ying pupil, I definitely wouldn’t let the music box make a sound when I escaped, isn’t this intentionally exposing my position?”
”It’s also possible that he accidentally touched the music box, causing it to suddenly ring.”
”I’ve been to Ying Chen’s home, and the music box was placed in Ying pupil’s bedroom at that time, assuming that Ying pupil didn’t go home in the middle of the day, this person with the music box must not be Ying pupil!” Chen Ge’s cold sweat broke out, “There was another person in the building helping Ying Chen! He was the one walking around with the music box to attract attention! That bastard might have guessed that someone else was looking for Ying pupil!”
Ying Chen was very smart, but Chen Ge was also very sharp, and both sides were able to spot problems from some very minor details.
”Do you know anyone in this building who is particularly close to Ying Chen? The kind of person that Ying Chen can trust unconditionally?”
”There are a lot of tenants who are on good terms with Ying Chen, by the way, Ying Chen is very popular with the children, and the children are all willing to play with him.”
”Liked by children?”
”En, Ying Chen has a very good personality, he also really likes to play games with the children, and occasionally buys them toys and candies.”
”Was that figure that just passed by a child?”
”Kind of, very short, walking without any sound at all, I almost thought I was mistaken.” The woman slowed down, she was also slowly realizing that the residential building was not quite the same as usual tonight: “Are we still going to the sixth floor?”
”Of course we’re going, but pay attention when you pass the fifth floor and see if there’s anyone else in the corridor.” Chen Ge squatted down and touched the water stains on the ground, “The water stains are about to dry, it’s not quite like Ying Chen intentionally sprinkled the water to retain the shoe prints.”
”You’re being too careful, it could be that Auntie Wu just cleaned it.”
”How can you be sure that Auntie Wu cleaned it?” Chen Ge heard another new name from the woman – Auntie Wu.
”She’s the housekeeper of our building, very responsible, and cleans the whole building every morning and evening.” Ms. Skirt said casually, “You don’t suspect that Auntie Wu is helping Ying Chen, do you?”
Chen Ge didn’t say anything, his mind thinking about another matter.
The neighborhood where Ying Chen and Ying pupil lived was very shabby now, but many years ago it was the most luxurious neighborhood in the old city, which could be seen from the fact that the building was equipped with elevators so early on.
Auntie Wu was specifically responsible for cleaning the building which wouldn’t have been a big deal, the problem was that she also appeared in the world behind Ying pupil’s door, this cleaning might have been killed by Ying pupil in reality, like Ms. Skirt and Mr. Wood.
But there was also another possibility that Aunt Wu might have done something to Ying pupil that caused him to remember it.
Chen Ge had multiple bells of speculation in his mind, Auntie Wu might have helped Ying pupil escape, or Auntie Wu might have been the one who tipped off Ying Chen.
”How is the relationship between this Aunt Wu and Ying Chen?”
”It’s very bad, Aunt Wu often fights with Ying Chen. She hates cats and feels that Ying Chen always picks up some dirty stray cats, adding to her workload in cleaning.” The woman added after a while, “By the way, once when we were chatting privately, Aunt Wu said that Ying Chen’s body had a sour odor, just like cat meat that had been left out for a long time.”
Brain racing, Chen Ge connected the known information “This place has just been cleaned, which means that Auntie Wu has been here before. The short figure with the music box that appeared immediately after Auntie Wu, the music box is in Ying Chen’s house, I reckon that Ying Chen asked that short figure to take the music box to test Auntie Wu, and Ying Chen suspected that the person who had entered his house was Auntie Wu!”
”Although I didn’t understand too much, I feel as if what you said makes sense.” Ms. Skirt found out that Chen Ge spoke in a very organized manner, at least that’s what it sounded like at first glance.
”Ying Chen doesn’t know about my existence, it’s normal that he would suspect Aunt Wu.” The world behind the door was woven from Ying Chen’s memories, the rules that this world operated by were Ying Chen’s memories, the only people and things that Ying Chen could utilize if he wanted to escape were those in his memories, but on this day Chen Ge entered the world behind the door, he was the only anomaly.
Both sides had already walked to the fifth floor while exchanging words, the floor here was also a bit slippery, Auntie Wu had just cleaned the place.
”There’s no one in the fifth floor corridor, let’s go to the sixth floor?”
”Don’t be in a hurry, see if there are any shoe prints on the floor, look carefully.” Chen Ge’s body was close to the wall, he had basically adapted to the darkness now, overcoming that physical discomfort.
”Shoe prints?” The woman let go of Chen Ge’s arm, she seemed to have entered the corridor to take a look, “There really are!”
”Keep your voice down, how many people’s shoe prints are on the ground?”
”This kind of shoe print should be Auntie Wu’s, she likes to wear cloth shoes, the other kind of sandal shoe print could be that of a child in the building.”
”Looks like we guessed well, look again at what direction the toes of the shoe prints are facing and judge where they went.” Chen Ge couldn’t see, so he could only rely on Ms. Skirt to help.
”Auntie Wu’s shoe prints are more numerous, she seems to have been hovering in front of the cleaning cabinet for quite a while, she should have been picking up tools. Also that sandal shoe print has been facing in one direction, the owner of the shoe print should be following Auntie Wu.” The woman finished and added, “Now there is no one on the fifth floor, could they have gone to the sixth floor?”
”Hovering around the cleaning cabinet? Isn’t the utility room for the cleaning staff normally on the first floor? Would it be inconvenient to put their cleaning tools on the fifth floor?” Chen Ge recalled the scene when he went to Ying Chen’s house, and he had the impression that there wasn’t any cleaning cabinet on the fifth floor.
”The developer seems to be preparing to create a model neighborhood, and had the property owners prepare cleaning cabinets for the owners on each floor, containing daily cleaning tools, as well as ropes and firefighting equipment.”
”It sounds and feels like there’s no problem, but why did Aunt Wu prefer to linger in front of this cleaning cabinet on the fifth floor.” Chen Ge grabbed the woman’s arm, “Is that cleaning cabinet locked?”
”No.”
”Go over and open the cabinet door and take a look, I suspect that Auntie Wu may have hidden something in the cleaning cabinet.”
The woman assisted Chen Ge to the side of the cleaning cabinet, she gently tugged on the door, “Huh?”
”What’s wrong?”
”It won’t open, as if it’s stuck with something inside.”
”It’s not locked and can’t be opened?” Chen Ge suddenly thought of something, he said quietly towards the cleaning cabinet, “Ying pupil? Are you in there? I know that your brother is a perverted murderer who also likes to abuse cats, I’m here to help you escape from this building!”
”What are you babbling into the air?” Ms. Skirt had just finished saying this when there was a sudden soft thud from the janitorial cabinet, as if someone had removed the top door, “Who’s in there?”
The locker door opened and Ms. Skirt sucked in a breath of cool air.
”What did you see? Tell me about it instead?” Chen Ge urged in a small voice.
”Ying, Ying pupil is shrinking in the cabinet! How could he hide here!” The woman was surprised and her voice became a little louder.
”Ying pupil?” Although Chen Ge was mentally prepared and he knew that Ying Hitomi was definitely hiding somewhere in this building, he didn’t even expect to encounter the other party this early, “Looks like I’m lucky this time.”
”Who are you …… guys? Did Auntie Wu tell you guys that I’m here?” Ying pupil’s voice was a bit numb, just like a robot, without a trace of emotion.
”I’m here to help you leave, I know your brother’s true colors, and he will definitely receive the punishment he deserves.” Chen Ge took a step forward, his hand touched Ying pupil’s shoulder, he used his own fingers to gently stroke over Ying pupil’s face, his fingertips touched the uneven scars.
”Do I look scary?” Ying pupil’s voice came from in front of Chen Ge.
”I’m blind and can’t see what you look like, but I know you have a strong and kind heart and a very smart and calm brain.”
Ordinary children who encountered a situation like Ying pupil’s would probably have gone crazy long ago, but Ying pupil didn’t, he had always been looking for a chance to escape and never gave up.
Although their brothers’ personalities were extremely different, they were both very smart, and in a way, it could also be said that both of their brothers were terrifying.
Chen Ge memorized Ying pupil’s looks, and in order to gain Ying pupil’s trust, he grabbed Ying pupil’s hand and put it on his face, “My name is Chen Ge, and from now on, you are no longer alone. Regardless of the final outcome, I will always be with you.”
No one had ever said this to Ying pupil before, that Aunt Wu should be secretly helping Ying pupil, but she didn’t dare to give Ying pupil any guarantees.
Chen Ge touched Ying pupil’s face with both hands, and also touched what Ying pupil was holding in his hands, the boy was carrying a large bag with a ball-shaped object inside, and something that looked like a flashlight.
”What’s in your bag?”
”Aunt Wu didn’t believe what I said, so I took something to show her, and then she believed it.”
”What was it?”
”A soccer ball made by my brother.”
With the sound of OO@@@ in her ear, Ying pupil opened the bag, and Ms. Skirt looked curiously towards the bag.
”A human head!”
Fear roiled over her heart, and Ms. Skirt was dumbfounded in that moment as she made a little too much noise.
”Keep your voice down! We can’t stay here, go to the sixth floor immediately! Let Ying Hitomi meet Ying!” All of Chen Ge’s speculations could be proven when Ying Xie met Ah Ying, and he was a bit impatient now.
The skirt lady assisted Chen Ge and Ying Xie on the left and right, and the three of them re-entered the building, but just as they reached the corner of the fifth and sixth floors, the old elevator in the floor suddenly made a sound.
”The elevator is activated! Someone is taking the elevator to the upper floors! Is it because Ying Chen heard the sound?”
The word human head was too clear, and Chen Ge was now a little worried.
He stopped, his face gradually becoming ugly as that elevator stopped on the fifth floor, followed by the faint sound of a cat’s cry.
”It’s Ying Chen!”
The cat’s cry did not instantly become louder, Ying Chen should still be near the elevator, but it was certain that he had already reached the fifth floor.
”Hurry up.”
Three people together could easily make noise, but Chen Ge didn’t have a better solution right now, so he could only try to stay as far away as possible.
”Go to Ms. Red’s house and hide in her house first!”
The sound of the cat’s cry never changed, and Ms. Skirt assisted Ying Xie and Chen Ge to the sixth floor, where they stopped in front of Ms. Red’s room door.
”Don’t knock on the door to prevent making noise. Call her or send her a message to open the door.”
”But I don’t have a cell phone with me.”
While the two were talking, the sound of a girl singing came from the other side of the hallway, and the man with the broken music box came up the stairs!
The sound of a cat’s cry could warn Ying Chen, but it couldn’t warn anyone else, and there were Ying Chen’s helpers inside the building, which was an extremely bad thing for Chen Ge, who couldn’t see anything.
”What to do?”
Time was running out, the knock on the door had a fifty percent chance of attracting Ying Chen, if Ms. Red opened the door more slowly, Chen Ge and the others would most likely be caught by Ying Chen, and Ying Chen’s helpers were also heading this way.
”Retreat to the left hallway first.” The plan had to change, Chen Ge and the others were heading into the left hallway when the sound of catcalls suddenly rang out, and the distance between Ying Chen and them was slowly closing!
”That guy heard the sound just now!” Chen Ge clenched his teeth, he found that Ying Chen was really very difficult to deal with, this bastard had suffered a loss once, so this time he purposely found someone to go up the stairs with him, one on the left and one on the right, whichever side of the building he entered would be seen!
A catcall came into their ears, the sound gradually became distorted and shrill, the three of them were now standing at the entrance of the hallway on the left side of the sixth floor, and Ying Chen was probably in the hallway at this moment.
”The sound was made by me, he should only be looking for me, you guys go to the seventh floor first and hide, I’ll go stop Ying Chen.” Ms. Skirt took the initiative to enter the hallway towards the fifth floor, Chen Ge also held Ying Chen’s hand and entered the hallway, except that he and Ying Chen were quietly walking towards the seventh floor.