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墨書 Inktalez
Liang Bo dropped Sun Meng off at Small Town Story. As she got out of the car, he casually handed her a business card.
"Wow, you work at the Urban Management Bureau? And you're a director!" Sun Meng exclaimed dramatically, waving goodbye to Liang Bo as his car slid out of the community entrance. Only then did she stroll into the shaded path of the inner courtyard.
Just as she entered the community, her phone rang. It was Anqing calling. Upon answering, Anqing asked where she was and why she hadn't come home yet.
"I'm almost there," Sun Meng replied before hanging up. A mix of emotions stirred within her as she pondered a very sensitive question. If someone truly felt lonely and neglected, that sense of being overlooked was genuinely painful. At that moment, Sun Meng felt a warmth that belonged solely to Ziya, a feeling that was both touching and indescribable. Shaking her head, she quickened her pace into the building.
Once inside, Anqing stared intently at Sun Meng, making her feel quite uncomfortable under such scrutiny.
"Godmother? What... are you looking at?"
"Did you... not get a haircut?" Anqing asked suspiciously.
At this question, Sun Meng immediately flustered, her demeanor becoming awkward and her eyes darting around. She was at a loss for what excuse to offer in response to Anqing's inquiry.
"You're such a big girl; you should know better... you..." Liu Haoming observed Sun Meng's reaction and realized she was lying. He wondered why she felt the need to lie; perhaps there was something troubling her. Anqing's relentless questioning made it seem as if she treated Sun Meng like her own daughter Ziya. It was important to remember that Sun Meng's relationship with them was indeed sensitive; she wasn't their daughter, and this excessive attention could be seen as concern or, more harshly, as surveillance.
Sun Meng felt grateful for Liu Haoming's intervention; she held him in high regard. His balanced personality meant he never took things lightly and his care for others radiated warmth.
Sun Meng entered her bedroom and sat down in front of the computer. She took out a USB drive from her bag and felt an overwhelming urge to throw it in the trash. Staring at the powered-on computer, she paused to collect herself before retracting her hand and placing the USB drive beside the mouse pad instead.
Suddenly, a message popped up in the bottom right corner of the screen. Sun Meng clicked on it to find it similar to the last notification—likely another video. She opened it, revealing a text: "Your friends are in my hands. If you dare call the police, they will be buried without a trace. Remember!" The message shocked Sun Meng so much that she couldn't bear to continue watching the video. The implication was clear: it was a threat against her friends. What could be in this video that she didn't want to see? She wanted to look but feared what she might find; caught in this conflict, Sun Meng felt torn.
After hesitating for a long time, Sun Meng finally mustered the courage to click on the screen. It revealed many small white dots that shook for a moment before forming an image. First, a woman appeared with her head bowed, hands tied behind her back, and a dark cloth bag covering her head. Sun Meng leaned in closer, trying to see the woman's features clearly, but it was impossible. Suddenly, light seeped into the dark room as the door creaked open, and two figures cautiously stepped inside.
"Ah... it's Ziya... Zhiqing..." Sun Meng exclaimed in surprise upon seeing them. She quickly covered her mouth, glancing nervously at the door, fearing that Anqing might hear her, which would undoubtedly lead to an uncontrollable situation. Sun Meng had no idea who had brought this video; she could only imagine what Ziya and Zhiqing were going through. The threatening text accompanying the video had already made everything clear: Ziya and Zhiqing were in grave danger.
An unshakeable fear filled Sun Meng's heart, overwhelming her with tension, speculation, and dread. She hurriedly clicked pause; at that moment, she wanted to close the video but also felt compelled to keep watching. This inner conflict left her utterly confused. Gritting her teeth and calming herself, she tentatively clicked play again to continue watching.
She saw Ziya and Zhiqing discussing something before Zhiqing stepped outside to retrieve a wooden stick and lifted the woman's mask. Was it Chen Lunxiu? The transfer student… Sun Meng recognized that familiar face. Chen Lunxiu was an outsider whose parents had divorced. Due to family issues, she had fallen into a bad crowd at a young age—smoking and engaging in reckless relationships. Sun Meng had once encountered her at a hospital after Chen Lunxiu had undergone an abortion.
Understanding the situation in the video, Sun Meng saw Zhiqing crouched on the ground while Ziya climbed onto his shoulders. Realizing they were trying to rescue Chen Lunxiu made her heart race—hurry up! Just a little more! Sun Meng's heart was in her throat as she repeatedly urged Ziya and Zhiqing under her breath, feeling as if she were right there with them. The tension was palpable; every pore on her body stood on end as if danger could strike at any moment.
Just as Sun Meng anxiously hoped for their success in saving Chen Lunxiu, a sudden loud bang startled her, causing her to jump. Then Chen Lunxiu's body went limp without any movement, and Ziya and Zhiqing's faces twisted in agony. Chen Lunxiu's lifeless form lay on the ground like a meteorite, and they were instantly drenched in blood… droplets splattering across their faces.
"Ah... Ziya... Zhiqing... please don't joke around!"
Sun Meng murmured in shock to herself. After a brief moment of blankness in her mind, she quickly shut down her computer, her fingers trembling and body shaking as she closed her eyes tightly. The bloody scene invaded her thoughts relentlessly; she frantically pondered what was happening with Ziya and Zhiqing. What were they involved in? But judging by the warning text, it seemed they were not joking around at all. What did the death of their classmate signify?
Sun Meng felt utterly powerless as she turned to look at Ziya's beloved doll sitting forlornly on the single sofa. The clock continued ticking away, yet its owner was now in peril.
With tears blurring her vision, Sun Meng silently cried out Ziya's name in her heart, praying for help but unsure of what to do! If only there were a time tunnel; Sun Meng vowed she would willingly sacrifice herself to bring Ziya back and endure everything in her place.
She thought about calling Ziya; if only she could get through! As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she hurriedly grabbed the bag hanging behind the door. Anxiety gnawed at her insides as she frantically searched for her phone when a business card fell to the floor. Picking it up revealed it was from Liang Bo—just given to her moments ago. Sun Meng cursed herself for not having Ziya's quick thinking or her extraordinary calmness in emergencies.
Dialing Ziya's number resulted in nothing but busy signals followed by an automatic disconnection. Panic surged within her as she shakily dialed Zhiqing’s phone next, only to receive the same frustrating outcome as with Ziya’s call.
Sun Meng was lost in thought, her gaze fixed on her phone. Tears streamed silently down her face like a trickling stream, yet she couldn't bring herself to cry out loud. Struggling, she walked over to the computer desk and pulled out a tissue to wipe away her tears, her eyes catching sight of the business card that Liang Bo had given her.
Liang Bo... the assistant. He should be able to help, Sun Meng cursed under her breath, calling herself a fool for not thinking of this sooner.
She dialed the number on the card and heard someone pick up on the other end.
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