TBTTSP - Chapter 30
Chapter 30: [Interlude] The Story of Xu Min
Xu Min often found herself recalling the past, trying to confirm that Shang Yi had indeed told her, lightly and firmly, "Vengeance must be taken."
Lately, her memory had been unclear. Xu Min believed her thoughts had been clouded by other matters, that she had fabricated Shang Yi into something else entirely.
Every other afternoon, Shang Yi would fall into a deep sleep. She had timed it: twelve hours of sleep every day, starting at noon.
It was as if an alarm would go off at noon, and Shang Yi would just collapse. Lately, that was the impression Shang Yi and her assistant gave Xu Min.
After observing for half a month, she was finally certain that Shang Yi was indeed sleeping during this time.
She had once, with Ugly Boy's special permission, glanced at Shang Yi from a distance. When Shang Yi slept, she was like a quiet afternoon, her entire being inscribed with the word "serenity."
Stepping in her high heels, she pulled open the door and entered the brightly lit lobby. The elevator doors were so polished they reflected Fan Yaoyao's hurried, colorful figure. Fan Yaoyao, whom Shang Yi called Old Girl, was heading out with two bags of coffee. The baseball bat in her hand was particularly conspicuous, sharp as a blade, as if she were ready to drag someone out and hack them to pieces at any moment.
She didn't see Xu Min. Xu Min stepped into the elevator.
After skillfully swiping her card and pressing the button for the 19th floor, Xu Min wondered if anyone else would be guarding Shang Yi's door now.
She was sure Ugly Boy wasn't there. Two hours ago, she had used an excuse to send him to an accident scene a four-hour drive away, and she had drained half the gas from his tank. Even if Ugly Boy realized something was wrong, he wouldn't be able to return for quite some time.
She had done everything she needed to do for this moment.
She was alone in the private elevator. The mirror-like walls reflected seven or eight Xu Mins, shadows overlapping shadows, images within images. She opened her handbag, touched up her makeup in front of her countless reflections, and put her lipstick away. Inside the handbag, less than a foot long, lay a bright silver folding knife.
The elevator doors opened. Xu Min took out a solid black key card, swiped it at the door, and pushed through three doors before she finally saw Shang Yi.
Shang Yi was sunk deep in the soft bed, as serene as if she were having a sweet dream.
Shang Yi was already thirty-five this year. Xu Min's father gave each of his mistresses a large sum of money to maintain their various faces. Shang Yi's money seemed to have been spent more effectively than the others'. Perhaps Shang Yi's aesthetic sense was better, unlike the others, whose noses had been pared down into thin lines. Xu Min recalled the predicament of a former mistress-auntie, now gone, who had needed a cotton swab just to pick her nose. She had to sincerely admit that Shang Yi was easier on the eyes than the others, which was no doubt a credit to her having a brain.
Of course, Shang Yi was younger than all of them. Among her father's mistresses, Shang Yi was the youngest and the one closest in age to Xu Min.
Xu Min knew this, but her father never considered her feelings. If she'd been born with a dick, she might have been favored more than Shang Yi. But the problem was, she hadn't been. So she was just a substitute, a consequence of her father not having a capable son.
For Shang Yi, her father could easily get rid of her mother. He wouldn't have kept her mother around for Xu Min's sake.
Other people must have been blind not to see that the large truck that had suddenly run them over was premeditated. How could the driver have just happened to be an unforgivable fugitive?
The Old Man must have been crazy, thinking a young woman like that was truly, devotedly in love with him.
Ridiculous. From the myriad charms in Shang Yi's eyes, Xu Min could tell she'd had someone else on the side for a long time.
Who that person was, she couldn't say. She hadn't found out yet.
Before that happened, before her father foolishly married Shang Yi, she had to get rid of Shang Yi. And after that, she'd get rid of the Old Man.
Shang Yi's neck was slender, a testament to the results of her various beauty exercises to maintain a good figure. Xu Min gently cupped her hands around Shang Yi's neck, feeling the faint throb of blood vessels with each heartbeat.
If she squeezed—
No, forget it.
She had already arranged things with the police and the underworld. After Shang Yi's death, someone would naturally take the fall for her.
Killing Shang Yi with her own hands would bring nothing but trouble.
When she said she liked Shang Yi, it wasn't a complete lie.
Feelings can make people irrational sometimes, Xu Min thought.
Her fingers felt slightly disobedient. The folding knife in her handbag sprang open with a flick, silently reflecting a sharp glint of light.
The blade had never drawn blood. She held it flat against Shang Yi's neck.
"You're the one who said it. Vengeance must be taken," Xu Min muttered to herself.
The curtains in the room suddenly billowed with a gust of wind. The window was open. Wind and sunlight poured in together, cutting a slice of brightness into the dim room.
The light fell on the two people on the bed, making them look like two overlapping shadows.
The knife in Xu Min's hand sharply reflected all the harsh light, casting a grayish, ghastly white pallor into her eyes.
Shang Yi was frail and weak; she would absolutely not wake up now. She straddled Shang Yi's body, the torso beneath her breathing faintly, its heartbeat weak.
She put the knife away. Her fingers closed, gradually tightening around Shang Yi's throat.
Xu Min was about to get rid of Shang Yi using this stupid, clumsy method.
"Miss Xu!"
As expected, someone interrupted her.
Old Girl, who should have been downstairs with the coffee, had returned early. She burst in through the window, pulling the baseball bat from behind her back like a sword. Xu Min had the illusion that the bat was glinting with a cold, sharp light. The coffee fell to the floor, spilling everywhere in a deep, dark pool.
This is the nineteenth floor! Xu Min thought.
How did Fan Yaoyao climb up to the nineteenth floor? She had no time to think. The baseball bat was unsheathed with a shing—
And indeed, a long sword was drawn from it, held between her and Old Girl.
"Get down."
"How did you get up here?"
Old Girl didn't speak, the tip of the sword aimed straight at the spot between Xu Min's eyebrows.
"Alright, alright. If Shang Yi's person kills me, think about what he will say."
"Get down."
Xu Min raised her hands in surrender and swung a long leg off Shang Yi. Old Girl sheathed the sword, and it once again became an inconspicuous baseball bat.
Xu Min's eyes followed Old Girl's movements for a few moments before she finally laughed out loud. "Hah, you gave me a scare."
"When Sister Shang wakes up, she'll deal with you. I suggest you run. Maybe you have some kind of scheme my brain can't figure out, but if anyone tries to take Shang Yi away, I'll cut them down."
"This illness of Shang Yi's is really strange."
"None of your business."
Xu Min knew that compared to the scheming Ugly Boy, who was so good at pretending to be obedient, Old Girl was far too simple. From Old Girl's expression, she could tell there was definitely more to Shang Yi's sleep than met the eye. Like someone with diarrhea trying to hold it in, Old Girl couldn't hide the slightest flicker of emotion.
She sat down in the room. Old Girl would never dare to lay a hand on her. She needed to stay here and watch. She hadn't used a weapon; Old Girl had no proof, and no one but Shang Yi would believe her word.
"How long have you been with her? What's your monthly salary?"
"Are you trying to turn me?"
"Quite smart. Let me think, how much are your father's monthly expenses? Hmm? He's lying in a hospital bed, tubes stuck all over his body… Of course, I'm not saying Shang Yi can't afford it. I know she helped save your father directly. Fan Yaoyao, you don't have to spend a dime. You just work for Shang Yi, collect your salary, and your boss with her heart of gold pays for your father's end-of-life care—but is it really good for your father to live like this?"
A subtle shift appeared in Old Girl's expression. The word "father" was like a password, easily unlocking her most vulnerable part.
"Everyone calls you Old Girl, Old Girl. Look, Fan Yaoyao, who even remembers your name? You're too young. You were born in '95. You started following Shang Yi when you were still a minor, didn't even finish high school. When you were six, your father locked you in a closet. You ate, slept, and relieved yourself in there. You were eight when he dragged you out. At eight, your father used you to entertain clients. You were cute, you were pretty, catering to that group of perverts who like little girls, and then he filmed videos. Videos of 'Shandong's Cute Girl Fan Yaoyao' are all over those porn sites. That's why you paint yourself up like this, to hide what you really look like. After you started school, the principal and your homeroom teacher did things to you too, didn't they? Because you were just too pretty, hmm?"
From beginning to end, Old Girl listened as if hearing a stranger's story about another stranger, her face expressionless, like a clay or wooden sculpture, showing only indifference.
But tears dripped from that wooden face.
"There's no point in opening my old wounds. I'm not afraid. You can spread the videos around again if you want."
"What I mean is, why would Shang Yi want your father to live? I don't recall you ever asking for him to be treated. Shang Yi saved you, and because you can't get your father out of your head, as long as he's alive, you'll always remember Shang Yi's great kindness and be utterly devoted to her, hmm? Don't you want to get rid of your father?"
Xu Min crossed her legs, relaxed and unhurried. Certain that Ugly Boy hadn't returned, she continued, "If you're going to turn someone, you need to show some sincerity. How about this: you know I can actually delete all your videos from the internet and then have your father die. Or you can do it yourself, whatever satisfies your hatred. As long as you keep today's events a secret, I can give you a new identity, hmm? I can also drag out that principal and homeroom teacher of yours—the ones Shang Yi couldn't touch—and send them to prison. Or arrange for some 'accident.' What do you think? Speaking of which, I'm actually quite surprised. With my family's resources, how could Shang Yi not be able to delete those videos of you online… It's really strange."
"Maybe she didn't want to delete them. Maybe she just wanted me to be grateful to her." Old Girl lowered the sword. "You have to show me results. And then you have to forget this ever happened."
"One moment."
Xu Min took out her phone, opened a website, and handed it to Fan Yaoyao. "This website will be shut down by tonight."
"That's not impressive. It doesn't have to be shut down. I just want my videos gone."
"Fine. You can search tonight. At least the ones on this site will be gone. By noon tomorrow, you won't be able to find your videos anywhere."
"Then I'll keep it a secret until then and wait for you. You are not to lay a hand on Shang Yi."
"You can keep it a secret forever," Xu Min said, full of confidence.
If she had said something similar to Ugly Boy, it wouldn't have worked. But Old Girl was a girl, and this matter truly hit her where it hurt. Beneath the dreadlocks and the messy, grimy, death-metal makeup was a pretty, serene, and gentle face with a sweet, child-like voice, hiding all the past sorrows that defined "Fan Yaoyao."
Fan Yaoyao had abandoned her past self, but the internet has a memory. The men who watched those videos at home would remember this girl, and Fan Yaoyao could never escape her past shell.
She pulled open the door and left. Until the next day, there was no move from Shang Yi.
She received a text from Old Girl: "Thank you, but I will still protect her. I will keep your secret. I hope you will turn over a new leaf and be a good person."
Be a good person. Xu Min savored the phrase.
Old Girl really was a simple girl.
But she didn't believe the matter was settled just like that. The memory of her mother's death and the Old Man's smile were still vivid.
Once Shang Yi, the stumbling block, woke up, things would become unpredictable.
As she was thinking, a new email arrived with a ding. She opened it casually. It was from Shang Yi. The subject line was—A Surprise.
Inside was a link. The link led to a video.
Only then did Xu Min remember that it was her thirtieth birthday.
Oh.
She opened the video nonchalantly. When she saw the image, a chill ran from her tailbone to the crown of her head.
Why the hell did that idiot Shang Yi install a security camera in her own room?
The phone rang right on cue. It was Shang Yi.
"I knew it wouldn't be so cliché. I also couldn't sense that you liked me, so I took some precautions. I think you were probably just blinded by anger. Here's some advice for you. First, when you want to kill someone and silence them, don't do it yourself. It's too obvious. Second, strangling someone with your bare hands is inefficient. If you hadn't put that knife away, I might already be dead. Third, when you're trying to turn someone's subordinate, remember to do your research. Of course I'm keeping her father alive—it's more satisfying to watch him suffer. Killing him in one go wouldn't be gratifying at all. Fourth, I know you took care of the security cameras on your way up in the elevator, but you might want to pay attention to the window washers on the outer wall today. There's a suspended platform on the roof, and the crime scene is easily visible from the window. Plus, you didn't close it. Fifth—"
"Stop humiliating me."
"I'm not. I'm grateful you hesitated, so I won't tell your father about this. Let me continue. Fifth, if you're going to make a move, don't do it on someone else's home turf. Even if Old Girl hadn't said anything, I have a recorder under my bed. Sixth, your mother's death really had nothing to do with me, and I really don't plan on becoming your stepmother, so don't take your anger out on me. Seventh, none of your father's children are particularly promising. You're very good at legitimate business, but you're no good at murder and robbery. So, be a good person."
Be a good person. A rather stimulating piece of irony.
"I'm just stupid, that's all." Her voice was low as she fiddled with a small bead next to her. "I really do like you."
"You like someone and hate them at the same time. With that contradiction, you can't do things well. I suggest you stick to your original intention and just hate me. That way, you might actually succeed in killing me. Or, be consistent and just like me. That way, you might even move me. But ah, Xu Min, your family really doesn't understand what feelings are. If I were you, I wouldn't have opened Old Girl's wounds right in front of her. Do you know how hurt she is right now? By the way, you can never completely delete those videos from the internet. The internet has a memory. The more you delete, the more people will want to know what it is you're deleting. I've said about all I need to. To summarize, I believe that in taking over your father's business, you lack a certain capacity for empathy. I hope you can reflect on your own shortcomings. Instead of giving up on yourself and saying you're stupid and useless, you should break down your goals and think about where exactly you're lacking and where you're being stupid."
"Are you lecturing me? You sound so self-righteous."
"I'm in a good mood today."
The voice on the other end of the line carried a relieved pleasure. Xu Min could picture Shang Yi lounging on the sofa, a smile on her face as she held the phone.
"When you opened my email, a Trojan horse was installed on your computer. All your files are corrupted now. You've done a pretty good job lately, collecting a lot of my dirty laundry."
"…"
"One more thing. I've thought about it for a long time, and I really never said anything as cringey as 'vengeance must be taken.' You probably misremembered. By the way, your father is throwing a birthday party for you. When are you coming over?"
When Xu Min got out of the car and saw Shang Yi, she was wearing a restrained, conservative long dress that didn't even reveal her cleavage. She stood by the south fountain, arm in arm with her father. Her head was positioned right between two small cherubs. The stone cherubs held up heart-tipped arrows as if about to shoot, but it looked as if they were aimed only at the back of Shang Yi's head.
Shang Yi's smile was as enchanting as ever, her body as tantalizing as a fox swaying its tail. Yet she wasn't leaning against her father, maintaining a subtle, almost unnoticeable distance.
Xu Min stood behind a cluster of flowers, watching. After a moment, she saw Shang Yi step away to answer a call.
"What? Oh, so this morning it was just her mom who came to cause trouble? Nothing else? Heh, and I'm supposed to thank you for your great kindness in telling me this?"
Shang Yi's enchanting tone was for the person on the other end of the line.
"Who are you to say that? How could I compare to you? I'm not the one who would foolishly open the door for a bad guy. Alright, alright, I'm not blaming you. What are you blaming yourself for? I'll be back late today. I'll take you for hot pot, like we planned."
Xu Min silently leaned back, hiding behind the flowers.
If she could catch Shang Yi having a relationship with someone else, the Old Man would fly into a rage and ensure Shang Yi was doomed beyond redemption.
That way, her own attempt to kill Shang Yi would be much easier to explain.
She would no longer pose a threat.
Shang Yi looked down on her because she had some feelings for her. But weren't feelings ultimately meant to be used as leverage?
Xu Min skipped her own birthday party. She drove to several locations, ruling them out one by one, before heading to that Xu Wanqing person's apartment, the one she'd been to last time.
She knocked several times. No answer.
A neighbor opened their door. "That family moved out."
…
Shang Yi was too meticulous. But this also proved she had found the right place.
So Shang Yi really was gay. Thinking about it that way, wasn't it perfectly normal that some of her qualities would be attractive?
At that moment, she finally recalled that the phrase "Vengeance must be taken" hadn't actually been said to her by Shang Yi. She had just pinned it on Shang Yi, feeling it was something Shang Yi would say, and had repeated it over and over to reinforce the impression.
The words were actually her mother's. Her mother had always maintained the image of a simple, honest country woman, but inwardly she was a master strategist. While she was alive, not a single mistress had dared to step out of line.
With her memory corrected, her mind became incredibly clear. It was as if a highway had been built in her brain, and all her thoughts were now perfectly organized.
She didn't take the elevator, instead walking down the stairs step by step. The sound of her footsteps was exceptionally clear, and her thoughts fell into place along with them.
She loved Shang Yi, and she hated her.
Now, she would hate Shang Yi without distraction. Shang Yi's advice had been effective. She no longer felt lost.
She would just have to consider the woman who had saved her when she got into trouble to be dead. The Shang Yi of today was, on the surface, arm in arm with her father, smiling a smile that outshone all other beauties. Behind the scenes, she was fooling around, full of holes in her story, yet confident no one would suspect the existence of a third party to the third party.
So be it.
She pushed open the heavy iron door, crossed the elevator lobby, her crisp high heels echoing through the hall. She pulled open the main doors and descended the steps on legs that could look down on all heroes. It was a day of brilliant, scorching sun. The light on her face felt like the burning prick of a needle.
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