——What kind of drug is this?
There’s no label on the bottle.
"It’s nothing..." Shang Qi tried to take the bottle back.
Chuzheng pressed the bottle with her little paw and hid it under herself, preventing Shang Qi from getting it.
"..."
——You better tell me what kind of drug that is.
Shang Qi exhaled and picked up Chuzheng, but he didn’t see the bottle.
"???"
He clearly saw her hide it; why is it gone?
Chuzheng looked coldly at Shang Qi, thinking he could really handle me easily!
Naive!
"Just for calming and soothing," Shang Qi said softly, "Be good, give it back to me."
——Are you sure?
Shang Qi pondered for a moment and spoke slowly, "I’ve been different from other kids since I was young, not just because of family... Maybe I’m really what they say, a cold-hearted disaster star."
——What’s wrong with being a disaster star? You’re the best!
Shang Qi:"..."
This did not comfort him.
However, Shang Qi felt strangely more helpless than angry.
"At first, it was okay, but as I grew older, I found myself becoming irritable at times, maybe because of a word, maybe because of a book, or maybe just because of bad weather..."
He doesn’t know why this happens, but he knows he might be sick.
Initially, he didn’t tell anyone and just researched some information himself.
Gradually, he realized if he didn’t get treatment, he might turn into a monster.
It was manageable when young, using external forces to stabilize himself.
——Last time, those things in the basement?
"...Yes."
Pain could keep him clear-headed.
As time and age increased, his condition worsened.
This drug, he needed to take it almost daily recently, once stopped, he would fall into agitation and eventually lose his mind.
But now, he’s reduced it from once a day to once every three days, and recently he can even take it once a week.
After Shang Qi finished speaking, he let out a breath and reached for Chuzheng, "Can I have it back now?"
Saying some words indeed makes one feel relaxed.
Chuzheng offered up the bottle with her little paw to him, not asking anything further.
Anyway, that’s the setting; asking further won’t help.
——I’ll be with you from now on.
The words on the phone screen are neatly arranged. Despite being merely cold characters, Shang Qi felt a warmth.
"Okay."
-
After returning, Chuzheng listened to the recording again.
For Du Pei, getting answers from ordinary people is easy.
The beginning was just Du Pei’s casual chat with a girl, deliberately softening his voice so as not to appear threatening.
After setting the stage, Du Pei moved to the main topic, "Can we recall tonight’s events?"
Girl: "Okay."
Du Pei: "What did you do after coming home from work?"
Girl: "Just the usual, cooking, doing housework, looking over some work files, then freshening up..."
Du Pei: "Mm, and after that?"
Girl:"..."
The girl fell into long silence.
It was about a minute later before her voice was heard again.
Girl: "Then I don’t remember... when I woke up I saw you guys..."
The girl’s memory stopped there; she couldn’t recall anything, and didn’t know what she did during that time.
Du Pei comforted her briefly then moved to the next question.
"Has this happened to you before?"
Girl: "Seems like it has."
Du Pei: "Can you tell me about it?"
Girl: "Few days ago, I woke up to find myself lying at my doorstep, and my shoes were soaked through. Another time, I woke up with several scratches like... cat scratches."
Du Pei: "Do you have a habit of sleepwalking?"
Girl: "No, I never sleepwalk."
Du Pei: "Have you met anyone or encountered anything during this time?"
Girl: "I just go to and from work every day, occasionally hang out with friends, haven’t encountered anything unusual."
Du Pei: "Think carefully, even a small detail counts."
Du Pei kept guiding the girl to remember, initially firm in saying she hadn’t met anything strange or anyone.
"I remember... previously a patient gave me a talisman."
The girl seemed to have gotten up, walking far away with slippers on the hardwood, returning shortly after.
"This one, the patient was very handsome, so... I kept it, but... it seems after getting this talisman, I started feeling off."
The girl likely thought the talisman was tied to traditional culture, realized her odd experience, then suddenly recalled it.
Du Pei also requested the talisman.
At this moment, it’s right before Chuzheng.
"Notice anything?"
Shang Qi emerged from the shower while Chuzheng was still examining the talisman.
——Ugly handwriting.
"??"
The talisman had two characters, not in simplified form, somewhat complex with distorted shapes, unrecognizable.
But the writing was indeed poor.
Like analyzing world secrets, after observing carefully for a bit, she reached this conclusion...
"What’s He Jin’s background?"
——Don’t know.
"Didn’t you... follow him before?"
——That was an accident.
The original owner was fooled by unclear judgment, unrelated to me!
Shang Qi sat beside her, drying his hair: "After arriving here, he’s gotten close to high society folks, who seem to trust him."
Like Shang Yucheng.
Shang Yucheng seemed to want him to resolve his own issues...
How to resolve?
——Don’t worry, with me here he won’t harm you.
Chuzheng patted herself earnestly, appearing serious but acting somewhat immature and comical.
Shang Qi couldn’t help but chuckle, his deep black eyes momentarily sparkling like stars.
Chuzheng decisively abandoned the talisman, stepping towards Shang Qi, who naturally reached to catch her.
Chuzheng stretched both paws, embracing Shang Qi’s waist like a human.
Shang Qi was stunned by her action, then relaxed, stroking Chuzheng’s back: "Little one, why do you always want to protect me?"
Chuzheng clutched her card, too busy to type, so didn’t respond.
"I’m such a disaster star; people want to stay away from me." Shang Qi seemed indifferent to Chuzheng’s answer, speaking slowly: "Aren’t you scared?"
Scared?
I’m scared to death, but what’s the use?
Still have to be forced to shield you, better thank me!
So Chuzheng shook her little head.
Shang Qi considered patting her head, but recalling she disliked it, only stroked her neck: "But I fear... bringing disaster to you someday."
One by one, those around him fulfill a prophecy.
Bodyguards were in three shifts so that brief encounters wouldn’t stir major issues.
Du Pei...
His visits were limited, controlling their duration, trying not to stay too long.