Chapter 011
Jongharng Chioujen
Arriving at the ground floor, as soon as he got out of the elevator, Chioujen went straight to Hannrong’s office. The room was quite large, measuring 8 meters by 6 meters. There was a large rectangular table in the middle of the room. The table was filled with chairs that were also large. In one corner of the room was a large, dark gray box. The box was shaped like a locker. But it was not a locker at all. It’s just the shape that was indeed similar. Looking at the box, Chioujen thought of the big box that magicians often use in magic shows. About nine months ago, Songfei had once shown Chioujen that the box could be a hiding place, at least for a while. Chioujen opened the box without hesitation. The inside looks quite roomy. Chioujen steadfastly jumped in.
The inside was really roomy. Quite comfortable for adults whose body was not too big. Actually, people with enormous bodies could also hide inside, but surely later, their bodies would be sore. There was a part of the box that was transparent. The transparent part was only about 20 centimeters by 50 centimeters. So Chioujen could see outside the box. From the outside, the part was not visible because it only looked like dark glass. So it’s like tinted glass, which was dark on only one side. It’s just that the glass in this box was not just dark but pitch black, so one would not suspect that from behind it, people could see clearly. Songfei had also once told him that the person hiding in this box could clearly hear voices or sounds coming from outside the box.
The notion that Shannchyuan was a person confined inside an elevator was merely an assumption. The person inside the elevator might have been Shannchyuan, but it could also be someone else. If that person wasn’t Shannchyuan, then Chioujen’s decision not to appear was the right one. Chioujen didn’t want his presence to be known to many people. His arrival at this building was discreet. Even his arrival in this city was also secret, at least for the time being. People didn’t need to know. So, as much as possible, Chioujen didn’t want people to know that he was already in this city.
If the person in the elevator was Shannchyuan, Chioujen’s decision to hide wasn’t a hundred percent wrong, either. From the banging on the elevator walls he heard earlier, Chioujen guessed more than one person was trapped inside the elevator. If one of those people was Shannchyuan, who was the other person? What was that person’s relationship with Shannchyuan? Chioujen really believed in Shannchyuan. But he felt that sometimes Shannchyuan was too naïve. Shannchyuan was an honest person, so he rarely suspected others. At least that was the impression Chioujen got. Of course, he could be wrong, though. If one of the two trapped people was Shannchyuan, then Chioujen wanted to say something to Shannchyuan, but he didn’t want anyone else to hear their conversation.
After waiting a few minutes inside the box, Chioujen heard someone’s voice. It turned out that Hannrong and the person trapped in the elevator had already descended. They didn’t enter Hannrong’s study yet, so Chioujen couldn’t hear clearly the contents of their conversation. After waiting for about five minutes, Hannrong’s study door opened. Chioujen saw that three people were going inside. It was exactly as Chioujen suspected that Shannchyuan was the one trapped inside the elevator. But one more person Chioujen did not know. Beside Shannchyuan stood a very young girl. Chioujen had never seen her. From her gestures, it was implied that the girl really believed in Shannchyuan. Chioujen guessed maybe she was a relative of Shannchyuan who happened to be visiting this city.
But if she is Beaushu’s relative, why did he bring her all the way here? Like me, Beaushu came to this building, most likely only because Songfei asked. So why bother bringing anyone else? If Beaushu wanted to take the girl around town, wouldn’t it be better on another day?
Before everything was clear, Chioujen didn’t want to show himself. After all, Chioujen would look ridiculous if he suddenly appeared from the box. It could be an unfunny joke. A joke that Chioujen would probably regret for the rest of his life. So Chioujen sticks to the original plan. Observing everything from inside the box. After everyone left, only then would Chioujen get out of the box and leave this building.
Shannchyuan was carrying a fairly large blue bag. Chioujen could recognize that it was the bag that Songfei had asked Chioujen to keep for a while. So it was true that Shannchyuan had already taken the bag. He was relieved but also curious.
I didn’t notify Songfei after the package arrived. Songfei might have doubted whether the package had arrived or had it lost on the way. I could understand if he later contacted Beaushu to ask Beaushu to keep his things.
But that’s all beyond Chioujen’s control. He just received the package after returning from a business trip. So indeed, he would not have time to contact Songfei. Chioujen’s attention then turned to the blue bag.
The bag looks full. What exactly is in the bag?
Chioujen watched Shannchyuan. The person he had known since he was a child, looked exactly the same as three months ago, when Chioujen had last seen him. Just as usual, Shannchyuan’s face looked much younger than his actual age. Only this time, his face looked a little pale. About three months ago, Shannchyuan once came to the town where Chioujen worked.
At that time, Shannchyuan accompanied the used bookstore owner where he had worked. Shannchyuan told him that the used bookstore owner chose to live with relatives who lived in the town where Chioujen worked. Shannchyuan and two other employees of the used bookstore wanted to make sure that the used bookstore owner would be okay. According to Shannchyuan, the three of them chatted with relatives of the secondhand bookstore owner. They were relieved because all the family members of the relatives received the owner of the used bookstore with joy.
Shannchyuan stayed for three days in the city. While visiting Chioujen, Shannchyuan also brought some of Chioujen’s belongings that he forgot to take with him when Chioujen left three months earlier. Some of Chioujen’s co-workers thought Shannchyuan was younger than Chioujen. They were shocked to learn that Shannchyuan was much older than Chioujen.
Although Chioujen could see the situation outside, the length and width of the transparent part of the box where he was hiding were very limited. There were so many blind spots that he could not see all the scenery outside. Hannrong gave them hot tea. While drinking tea, Shannchyuan and the young girl took turns telling stories to Hannrong. It turned out that the girl yesterday witnessed an act of kidnapping. She ran into the building to escape the pursuit of the kidnappers, who realized that someone was watching their actions. Shannchyuan and the girl then hid in the elevator.
So it turned out that the people who had barged in yesterday were the kidnappers. Luckily, Beaushu had a brilliant idea. As strange as it was, the idea was truly extraordinary. Then Shannchyuan and the girl hid in the elevator. So it turns out that yesterday’s people were kidnappers.
Even so, Chioujen still felt that something was strange. Something he couldn’t explain.
They were only after the girl, who was with Beaushu, because she had witnessed their evil deeds, or was there some other reason?
Chioujen looked at the young girl who was with Shannchyuan. His current position in the box didn’t allow him to see the girl clearly. But from the tone of her voice, Chioujen could imagine that the girl was someone with great self-confidence.
What is the relationship between Beaushu and this girl? Based on their story, it seems they didn’t know each other before. Unlike Beaushu, who came here on business, this girl just happened to be here. If the kidnapping happened in front of another building, she would definitely run into the other building. But from their interaction, it seems that Dahge is very close to this girl. Can a few hours of being cooped up together make two people who previously didn’t know each other become close? Or did they actually know each other long before this?
Various speculations popped up in Chioujen’s mind.
They could have come together to this place. But Dahge only went into the building alone because he thought he wouldn’t be too long. While waiting for Dahge to finish her business, the girl saw a kidnapping incident. Then he ran into the building to ask Dahge for help.
At first glance, this hypothesis makes sense. Even so, there was something odd.
If so, why did they agree together to cover it up? Is there anything else that prevents them from being seen walking together?
Chioujen’s head was spinning around. He had to stop the wild speculation floating in his head. He knew the best way was to ask Shannchyuan directly. Then he looked back at the scene in the room.
Then Hannrong said, “Yesterday indeed, I went out for a while. I didn’t lock the door and gate because I thought I would only be out for a while. It turned out that, for some reason, my business took a long time. When I came back here, I still had time to meet those people. When I asked them what they were doing, they didn’t answer. Those people just walked away. I saw there were three people in this building. But inside the SUV parked outside the building, there seemed to be three people as well. So the total number of people I saw was six. Maybe I was wrong about their number because I paid little attention to their number yesterday. After that, I rested for a while in this room. Because there was no sign that you were still in this building, so I immediately locked everything and went home.
Chioujen nodded from inside the chest. Hannrong said exactly as he had instructed. But there was something new. The car that Chioujen saw yesterday stopped around this building was a sedan. However, from the girl’s story and Hannrong’s words, it turned out that they were using an SUV. Maybe they used two cars. The SUV used for the kidnapping then left the area, but another member of their gang, who was in a sedan, soon arrived to keep an eye on the place. But it’s also possible that the sedan that Chioujen saw wasn’t part of the gang. Maybe they were the other party who, for some reason, was keeping an eye on the gang. Or perhaps it’s just a coincidence. The sedan might belong to someone else who had nothing to do with the plot or the kidnapping case.
Chioujen continued to observe and listen to their conversation. His body was starting to feel sore, but the curiosity that overtook him made Chioujen ignore all of that. After all, there was no way he would suddenly come out of the box. Whatever happened, he had to keep hiding in the box until no one else was in the room.
“Isn’t the night watchman coming?” asked the young girl.
“When I got home, he wasn’t there. When I came, he was no longer there. So I don’t know what time he comes and goes. I don’t even know if he’s coming or not,” Hànróng’s voice sounded a little irritated.
It seemed Hannrong then looked at Shannchyuan and the girl. With a slow tempo, he said, “This kind of thing ….”
Shannchyuan then replied, “Regarding that. We also don’t know whether they have actually committed a crime or not. So for the time being we will postpone reporting to the authorities for the time being.”
“Thank you, Sir.” Hannrong’s voice sounded full of relief.
“Yes, the important thing is that we are okay. This is Mr. Gongyang’s belongings that I will take home.” Shannchyuan lifted the blue bag he was carrying.
“Oh, go ahead, sir. At that time, Mr. Gongyang had already said that to me. Are there still a lot of Mr. Gongyang’s stuff upstairs?”
“There’s still a lot.” Shannchyuan laughed. “But this time he just asked me to get this bag. Maybe next time I, or other friends, will get other things.”
Hannrong’s voice was heard again. “Besides him, there are several other tenants whose belongings are still here. I don’t know when this building will actually close.”
After that, Hannrong told them a little about the state of the building. Chioujen wasn’t sure that Shannchyuan was interested in hearing Hannrong’s story because a few moments later, Shannchyuan interrupted Hannrong’s story.
“Hannrong, what time is it now?”
“It’s almost half-past nine, sir.”
“We still have other things to do, so we must leave immediately.”
“You want to go now?” Hannrong’s tone sounded a little strange. Chioujen didn’t know it was a tone of disappointment or relief.
“That’s right. This afternoon I have to visit some other friends,” said Shannchyuan. “Besides, I also have to take this lady back to her house. So, now we’ll excuse ourselves.”
After saying that, Shannchyuan and the girl immediately stood up. It seemed they were getting ready to leave the room.
"Do you two don't want to take a shower or at least wash your face upstairs first?"
Chioujen gasped when he heard Hannrong say that. Chioujen’s backpack was still upstairs. Luckily, Shannchyuan immediately refused. It seemed that he had wanted to leave this place quickly.
“Oh, there’s no need. I’m in a hurry,” Shannchyuan said. Suddenly, the man slapped his forehead. “May I use the phone for a moment?”
“Go ahead, sir,” said Hannrong. Then Shannchyuan immediately used the telephone that was there. The phone was connected to a box that must be filled with coins for the phone to work. Shannchyuan only briefly used the phone. He just called home to tell him he was fine.
“Hanrong! Do you have a phone at home?” Shannchyuan asked Hannrong as soon as he hung up the phone.
“Yes, I have, Sir.”
“May I have your home phone number?”
Unable to see clearly, Chioujen could only imagine Hannrong picking up a pen and a piece of paper. He wrote down his phone number on the paper. Then he gave the paper to the man who was about to leave the place.
“Thank you,” said Shannchyuan.
“You are welcome, sir!” Hannrong replied.
After that, Shannchyuan and the girl immediately left the room.
Hannrong also came out of the room. Maybe he’d walk them all the way to the back door. Chioujen intended to use this opportunity to get out of the box and return to the tenth floor. After retrieving his duffel bag, he will leave the building. As planned, he would return to their home in Pyngyuan tomorrow evening.
Just as Chioujen had opened the lid of the box he was hiding in, suddenly the phone in the room rang. Chioujen closed the lid of the box again. Hannrong would definitely come in soon to answer the phone. He didn’t want to see Hannrong know he had been in the box all along and seen and heard their conversation. It wasn’t until the fourth ring that Hannrong walked into the room half running. He immediately picked up the phone.
“Yes, it’s me Hannrong.” Hannrong said firmly. Chioujen was surprised that Hannrong’s tone sounded a little different from usual. Then Hannrong listened to the caller for a while.
“That’s right, they just left through the back door. Their goal was to get to the station. After that they might go straight back to Mr. Duanmuh’s house in Pyngyuan.”
Then the caller spoke again. Hannrong seemed to be listening seriously.
“Okay then. I’ll stay on guard here. It’s best if we don’t use this number again for contact. Just leave a message at the stall near the crossroad. I’ll call you later.”
After that, Hannrong hung up the phone. He then left the room.
Chioujen was shocked to hear the phone conversation.
Who called Hannrong? Why did Hannrong seem to have received calls from that person many times before? Who really is Hannrong?
So many questions immediately ran through Chioujen’s mind. He could only hope that he would get the answer soon.
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