Chapter 64

Chapter 64

I had thought it through before coming to see Du Ruhai.

If Fang Man’s death really was connected to Du Ruhai, his motive would be nothing more than to intimidate us, to give us a warning so that Meng Yifan and I would learn to keep our mouths shut.

If that were the case, he should have acted powerful and smug when we came to find him. Even if he wouldn’t admit it on the surface, he would have projected an arrogant air that screamed, “I did it, and what are you going to do about it?”

But strangely enough, when we confronted him just now, he acted completely ignorant and innocent from start to finish.

His performance was so seamless that I couldn’t spot a single trace of acting.

However, Meng Yifan was dead set on him being the culprit. “I don’t know why he’s such a good actor, but thinking it over, who else would do this besides him?”

“Based on that logic alone, he’s definitely involved in Fang Man’s death!”

We returned to the car, and Song Xiaotian rubbed his temples. “But what if the truth is as Du Ruhai said, and someone is framing him? If he really isn’t the killer, then seeking revenge blindly would mean targeting the wrong person. How could we possibly comfort Xiaoman’s soul in heaven that way?”

Meng Yifan cursed, “That bastard Old Zhao Seven is like a dog kept by Du Ruhai. I bet he knows something. Why don’t we kidnap him and beat a confession out of him?”

Song Xiaotian shook his head. “Didn’t you see how high his status is with Du Ruhai? Touching him is the same as provoking Du Ruhai directly. Right now, we’re in a state of mutual deterrence with Du Ruhai. We’re afraid of him making a move, and he’s afraid of us going after his family.”

“Once we’re the ones to break that balance, can you handle whatever he does in his rage?”

Meng Yifan fell silent, clearly unable to handle such a consequence.

We were already struggling to cope with Fang Man’s death. If anything happened to anyone else, I didn’t even want to imagine it.

“For now, let’s keep investigating that hit-and-run driver.”

Song Xiaotian slammed his fist against the steering wheel. “That driver must have met someone before Xiaoman’s accident. The person he met is the one who hired him, or at least someone connected to them. I refuse to believe we won’t find a single lead.”

***

That night.

I returned to my rental apartment.

Meng Yifan had wanted to stay with me, fearing I might do something drastic since Fang Man had just passed away.

But I didn’t let him. At a time like this, I just wanted to be alone.

Yet, when I got home, turned off the lights, and lay in bed, a wave of loneliness hit me. I felt like a small, solitary boat drifting in the middle of the ocean, with no shore in sight.

Suddenly, my heart raced, my breath grew short, and I broke out in a cold sweat.

I tossed and turned until the early hours of the morning, still thinking about Fang Man. The more I thought, the more I couldn’t accept the fact that she was gone.

I decided to get up to use the bathroom and take a cold shower to calm myself down.

Just as I finished relieving myself and was about to take off my clothes, I heard it… a sudden sound of crying coming from outside the bathroom.

I froze in place, my heart skipping a beat, not daring to move another muscle.

The more I listened to that crying, the more familiar it sounded.

It sounded… like Fang Man’s voice.

Thinking I was hallucinating from grief, I quickly turned on the faucet and splashed water on my face.

But after I washed my face, the crying only grew clearer.

I walked out of the bathroom and called out, “Manman… is that you?”

I walked into the bedroom while calling her name, turned on the light, and searched the entire room.

I even checked under the bed.

But I saw nothing.

The crying continued. I hurried back to the living room and called out again, “Manman… is it you? If it is, please answer me. I miss you so much…”
I truly missed her with all my heart, but as I shouted those words, my voice was trembling.

At that moment, the sobbing suddenly changed. I heard Fang Man calling my name.

She was calling for me while she cried, and the sound was coming from outside the door.

“I don’t want to go…”

“Chen Mo… why did this happen to me…”

Hearing that voice, my entire body stiffened. I hurried to the door and pressed my eye against the peephole to look outside.

I saw Fang Man. I saw her, even though she was dead!

She was dressed in white, her head hanging low, her pale features faintly visible.

However, she was turned to the side. I could only see the right side of her face; her left side was hidden from view.

I suddenly remembered… at the scene of the accident, a large section of the left side of Fang Man’s head had been crushed. Her left face was severely damaged-so much so that when the mortician was restoring her body, they couldn’t even fully fix that side of her face.

A primal fear surged within me. I knew it was highly likely that Fang Man had returned as a Ghost to find me.

But this time, alongside the fear, there was a spark of excitement.

The Ghost outside… wasn’t she the lover I yearned for day and night?

If that was the case, what exactly was I afraid of?

“Manman, it’s me, Chen Mo…”

I leaned against the door, talking to her through the barrier. But before I could get more than two sentences out, I began to sob. “If you have a final wish, tell me. I’ll fulfill it for you.”

“Chen Mo…” Fang Man called my name again. Her crying turned into choked sobs. “I have to go… take care of yourself… and my parents…”

Listening to Fang Man’s familiar voice, my tears flowed like a torrential spring. I wept along with her. “How could this happen? I was planning to propose to you next year. Manman, please don’t go. I’ll open the door, just come inside first.”

Fang Man cried out, “Don’t open the door. I’ll scare you. I really have to go now. This is the last time we’ll see each other. Chen Mo, don’t forget me…”

Her voice suddenly began to drift further and further away.

“Don’t go!”

I threw the door open and chased after her. I caught sight of Fang Man’s back as she floated toward the stairs.

A living person couldn’t float like that. It really was Fang Man!

“Manman! Don’t go! I still have things to say to you!”

I shouted as I gave chase.

But she floated incredibly fast. Every time I was about to catch up, her figure would suddenly appear a dozen meters ahead.

I chased her without a single moment’s rest. I knew that if she left now, I would truly never see her again.

I had only one thought: I had to catch her. Even if she was a ghost, I wanted to be with her!

I chased her for nearly an hour until my legs began to feel weak, yet I still couldn’t reach her.

Finally, she floated into an old residential compound. There were no security guards, so I rushed inside after her.

I followed her into one of the buildings. My legs were shaking, but I didn’t stop, desperately pursuing her all the way to the seventh floor.

I watched as she ran into one of the apartments on the seventh floor.

The door to that apartment was slightly ajar. As if possessed, I pulled the door open and charged inside.

At that moment, my only thought was that Fang Man had nowhere left to run; I could finally be with her.

But when I burst inside, Fang Man was nowhere to be found.

I stood frozen at the entrance, my entire mind going blank.

I didn’t see Fang Man, but I saw… ‘something’ that I should never have been able to see.