《Once Upon a Time in a Foreign Land》Chapter 035 : Duanmu Shanquan
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"About tomorrow morning. Are we all going to Dafeisi Tower? Or will someone stay at the house?" Suddenly, Yingyue asked.
Yingyue's question made Shanquan stop reading the serial stories in the magazine he was holding. Yingyue had finished watering the plants in the backyard. She was currently sitting in the living room, right next to Shanquan, watching television. Shanquan actually didn't really enjoy reading stories that were serialized in magazines because it meant that he had to keep buying the magazines to find out what the stories were going on. But this time, he did it just to kill time. The story of the person who had to escape from someone's pursuit reminded him more or less of the incident he had experienced yesterday. It's not exactly a good story. The idea was not original. Besides, the way of telling the story was also far from brilliant.
Shanquan turned to Yingyue. The young girl was also looking at him. That girl's face was so cute. He did not immediately answer Yingyue's question. Shanquan instead called Yixiong and Yiren to sit together in the living room. As soon as they were all in the living room, Shanquan said, "Tomorrow, who is willing to stay to look after the house?"
During this kind of circumstance, of course, someone had to standby at home.
Yiren and Yixiong looked at each other. Shanquan knew they realized he wanted one of them to stay at home. Shanquan was also sure they were aware he wanted to take Zhengyi and Xinxiu to Dafeisi Tower tomorrow morning. Zhengyi was the biggest in size, and Xinxiu was the youngest. They were both healthy and strong.
After a few seconds of looking at each other, they finally did rock-paper-scissors because no one gave in. Yiren loses, so tomorrow he had to stay at home.
"Okay, then tomorrow, you will stay at home with Yingyue," said Shanquan.
Yiren smiled wryly. He nodded.
"I can't go anywhere?" asked Yingyue. She put on a pitiful face.
"It's too dangerous for you. Those criminals maybe are still looking for you around that place. Besides, when you are here, you are my responsibility. So for the sake of safety, I dare not take the risk," said Shanquan.
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"Hmm .....," muttered Yingyue. "Fine. Tomorrow I'll just stay home. There is something I can do in the backyard."
There was silence for about three minutes. Then Yingyue opened her mouth again. "Making a place away from everywhere as the office of a club, isn't that strange?"
"What do you mean?" Asked Shanquan.
Even though it hadn't been twenty-four hours to know Yingyue, Shanquan was more or less used to the things that Yingyue suddenly said or did. Just like this time when she was blurting something without a starting point.
"The unit Uncle Songfei leased in Dafeisi Tower. Is it not the headquarter of the detective and mystery club he manages?" Yingyue looked at Shanquan with an astonished look.
"No. It's not. That place is not their headquarter. Songfei once told me that the headquarter was in a building very close to some business center area. I don't know where exactly. Songfei had never even invited me there. The unit that Songfei rents in the Dafeisi Tower was just Songfei's private place he rents to store his personal belongings, as well as a place for him to retreat if he is in need of inspiration. Sometimes he and some of his friends also hold activities related to the detective and mystery club in that place. The building was very quiet. Since a year ago it was almost empty, so it was perfect for holding activities because hardly any neighbors would complain. The point is, that the place is not directly related to the detective and mystery club."
Yingyue nodded after listening to Shanquan's explanation. Shanquan then continued reading the articles in a magazine that was in his grasp currently. But even though he continued reading, his ears heard all the conversations that were going on around him. Even occasionally, he glanced at Yingyue and his friends.
"And I don't think you need to call him 'uncle.' He's still young," said Yixiong. He laughed.
"How old is he?" Yingyue asked.
"I don't know for sure either. Maybe twenty-seven or twenty-eight. But he's still under thirty," Yixiong replied.
"How does Uncle know that he's not yet thirty?"
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"He once said that he wanted to celebrate his thirtieth birthday by holding a spectacular game. At that time, he said that he had several years to prepare for it." Yixiong explained what Songfei had told him.
"Fine. I call him 'Feige' then," said Yingyue.
"Ah! I forgot to tell Dage something." Yiren suddenly turned his eyes to Shanquan.
He remembers something! I hope it is a serious thing.
Shanquan stopped reading again. He turned to Yiren. His eyes narrowed as if he couldn't see Yiren clearly.
Yiren was silent. He did not immediately continue his speech.
"Something like what?" asked Shanquan.
"This morning, Qiuzhen called. The company pulled him back to work at headquarters. So tomorrow morning he will go home here. Probably arrives at our house after 10 pm."
"Oh," said Shanquan. "Did you tell him anything about Songfei?"
"Not yet. I didn't tell him anything. From what I hear, he felt so excited. He only called for a while. The long-distance call cost is expensive. Furthermore, this morning I didn't know clearly yet about Songfei's matter," said Yiren.
"So you haven't said anything about the lockers at the station either?"
"I didn't have time to say that on the phone. I think we'll just explain everything tomorrow night when he's here. After all, yesterday we moved some of his things there," said Yiren.
"Can I change the television channel?" Yingyue asked. Apparently, the show currently being broadcast on the television screen made her bored.
"Oh! Go ahead. I didn't watch this program," said Shanquan. "But I don't know what about the others."
"I didn't watch this either. It's okay if you want to change it," said Yixiong.
Yiren nodded as a sign that he agreed.
Yingyue then switched the television channel. Several times she changed it until finally, she seemed interested in a news program. The news being broadcast was an interview with several mall visitors who experienced a strange incident as an explosion of light. It turned out that several dozen people were injured. No one was seriously injured, but still, they were victims of that unusual incident.
"Where did it happen?" asked Shanquan. Again, he turned his attention from the magazine he was reading to something else.
"At the mall near the train station nearby," said Yiren.
"Which train station?" Asked Shanquan.
"Zhonghang Station. Our favorite subway station," said Yiren.
"You mean the big mall opposite the subway entrance and exit?"
"Right! That mall," answered Yiren.
"When did it happen?"
Shanquan placed the magazine he was holding on to the table. He wanted to have a grave conversation about this matter.
"Yesterday, as soon as Dage walked out of the mall?" said Yixiong.
"I don't understand. Yesterday, when I left the mall, it was quiet. There were hardly any people. How could there be so many victims?"
"What do you mean by quiet? The mall was full of visitors!" Yixiong said.
Yixiong's eyes widened as he said that. It was rare for Shanquan to see Yixiong's eyes that big. Shanquan himself could not explain well either. Yesterday he had did feel odd. But because he had was hungry and tired, he just went home without thinking any further about it.
"It's true. It was full when I entered, but it was quiet when I came out," said Shanquan. Then he glared at Yixiong. "How do you know that I visit that mall yesterday?"
"Yesterday, he saw you enter the mall," said Yixiong, pointing at Yiren.
Yiren didn't want to budge. He was pointing his index finger at Yixiong. At the same time, he said to Shanquan, "He was there too. He saw you at the mall. He said that you looked like you were looking for someone. Then you walked out of the mall."
Shanquan was stunned. He did not expect that yesterday his two friends saw him enter and be in the mall. If only they had greeted him and approached him on that occasion, maybe the series of events that happened to him would not have been the same.
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