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墨書 Inktalez
Sitting in the car, Ziya had no mood to appreciate the bustling metropolis under the night sky. Her mind was clouded with the melancholy she had seen in Yuan Ye's eyes just moments ago. She had caught a glimpse of him earlier, as if he were searching for something. Did he see something...?
"Anqing, what do you think Yuan meant when he asked us what we saw?"
"Child, I’m speechless. You’re always overthinking. He saw us, what else could it be? Stop imagining things," Anqing said, casually brushing Ziya's bangs aside. She always felt that her daughter's bangs made her look less spirited.
"Hey! What are you doing?" Ziya was troubled, and Anqing's gesture only added to her irritation. Pouting and looking displeased, she deliberately swept her bangs down again and turned her head away from Anqing.
All of this was observed by Liu Haoming through the rearview mirror. He had long been annoyed by Anqing's indulgence towards Ziya. He had witnessed Ziya's temper; the more someone catered to her, the more stubborn she became. She was truly a headstrong girl.
As the car drove into the community, the scattered residents and children who usually played on the platform were already home resting. The cold, metallic fitness equipment stood silently, and the orange streetlights flickered softly, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere. Liu Haoming was determined to talk to his daughter Ziya before going to bed. Meanwhile, Anqing rushed inside to prepare tea for her husband and pour cool boiled water for their daughter.
Liu Haoming flopped heavily onto the sofa, picked up the remote control, and turned on the TV. Glancing at the time, he muttered to himself, "Ah! I won't be able to catch the 10 o'clock news tonight; I'll have to settle for the midnight news—all because of you..." He initially intended to vent his frustrations but swallowed his words upon seeing his daughter's unhappy face and quietly switched on the TV.
"I know you're tired; here’s some light tea," Anqing said knowingly. Earlier in the car, her husband hinted at wanting to talk to Ziya, but now Ziya had put on a sulky face as if daring him to say anything. To break this tension, she forced a smile and joked with both father and daughter.
……………………………………
Yuan Ye helped Liu into his car and noticed how swollen Liu's ankle looked—quite alarming. He decided to take her to the hospital for a check-up. However, Liu firmly refused, insisting he only needed to drop her off at the alley entrance.
"No need, really! I have some medicinal alcohol at home; just a dab will do. Last time I fell down the stairs so badly and was fine," Liu said nonchalantly, surprising Yuan Ye.
"What about your husband?" Although he didn’t want to pry into others' personal matters, their conversation had led there. So Yuan Ye asked softly. At this question, Liu displayed a nervousness that was hard to miss—first casually brushing back her hair that wasn’t even obstructing anything, then intertwining her fingers tightly together.
"He's very busy, the Sanda coach..." Liu's eyes seemed to be deliberately hiding something, but the fleeting worry did not escape Yuan Ye's observation.
"Haha! A martial arts Sanda coach, how about getting to know him?" Yuan Ye joked as he turned the steering wheel, his gaze unwavering on the road illuminated by streetlights. He sensed that Liu's marriage was not as calm as she claimed; perhaps there were things she didn't want to mention, and it would be inappropriate to press further.
"He's a very boring person; you wouldn't be interested in him." Perhaps it was not good to dismiss Yuan Ye's curiosity, but Liu still replied hesitantly. As they spoke, the car had already driven into a narrow alley not far from her home. It was quiet here now, with very few pedestrians on the road. The trees lining the sidewalk blocked the light, casting a natural shadow. It felt eerie; walking alone here could indeed be a bit intimidating. The nearby shops had all closed, and glancing at the time revealed it was quite late.
Yuan Ye helped Liu out of the car; her home was in the building facing the street. As he assisted her down, he followed Liu's gaze up to her window, where the light was still on.
"Your husband is still waiting for you! Do you want me to help you upstairs?" Yuan Ye said, feeling a bit guilty as he watched her bounce along.
Just then, a hoarse cough came from above them. They both looked up at the balcony, where a figure stood casting a cold glance at them before turning and entering the house.
"You should go! I'm fine," Liu said suddenly, her expression flustered and her voice noticeably hurried.
"Okay, I'll leave..." Yuan Ye quickly stepped away from her, unsure of what Liu was afraid of.
Back in his own home, Yuan Ye gently rubbed his nose and checked the time—it was exactly midnight. He quickly turned on the television to watch the midnight news and poured himself a cup of strong coffee during a commercial break.
The news broadcast started on time, with a beautiful anchor speaking in clear Mandarin that caught Yuan Ye's attention. He watched with a somewhat lecherous smile at the anchor's well-tailored outfit while reclining on the sofa. Being single had its perks; he could do whatever he wanted. Growing impatient, he propped his feet up on the tea table—ah! What a comfortable feeling this was. He picked up his coffee and leaned slightly forward just as a breaking news segment almost made him spit out his drink.
The report showed a car accident scene that was shocking and terrifying. A small car had been completely swallowed by a large truck; it looked like a twisted mess of metal. Watching firefighters cut open the doors and windows of the car to retrieve the victims... Yuan Ye stared at the news in horror, and with a 'clatter,' his coffee cup slipped from his hand.
From the two bloodied bodies being carried out by firefighters, he recognized them as Zhang, the Chief Editor, and Nana... Yuan Ye froze instantly, his mind ringing with disbelief. He rubbed his eyes hard and looked again; the coroner's vehicle had already taken away the deceased, and the wreckage of the small car was being swiftly cleared by traffic police. It was a large roundabout; if one wasn't careful about watching traffic signals while driving, they could easily be crushed by an oncoming vehicle from another direction.
Yuan Ye was stunned, lost in thought for a long time. He recalled the blurry figure he had seen in the building, and how it had vanished completely upon entering the lobby. The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became. In a panic, he fumbled for his phone and absentmindedly glanced at it, only to suddenly notice the landline on the Tea Table. He quickly straightened up and picked up the phone.
With a flurry of frantic button presses, he tried to calm his racing heart. Sweat poured down his cheeks and forehead in large beads as he anxiously awaited the other party to answer.
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