Chapter 126
Chapter 126
By noon the next day, Hu Heng had hurried into Mingdu.
When he knocked on Qin Song’s door, Qin Song and his family of three were in the middle of lunch.
Li Juan greeted him with a smile. “Perfect timing. I just finished cooking. Sit down and eat with us.”
Hu Heng forced a smile. “No need, Li Juan. I ate on the plane.”
He set the things he was carrying on the floor. “I came in a rush, so I only bought some fruit on the way… Here, Xiao Hui, Uncle bought you a toy.”
Xiao Hui ran over and solemnly took the toy from him. “Thank you, Uncle Hu.”
Hu Heng patted her on the head.
Qin Song pointed at the dishes on the table. “Have a little more. We’ll go out and talk after we eat.”
As Li Juan served the rice, she asked, “What do you two need to talk about?”
Hu Heng said, “Our high school homeroom teacher hasn’t been doing well lately. Wang Hai and I were discussing whether we should buy something and go visit him at the hospital together.”
Li Juan said, “Your high school homeroom teacher? You’re still in touch after all these years?”
Hu Heng nodded. “He took good care of us back then. We all saw him like a father. We haven’t really visited him much these past few years, so we figured we should go see him and show our gratitude.”
Qin Song picked up the thread. “I’ll eat quickly. We’ll talk once I’m done.”
After hurriedly finishing lunch, Qin Song took Hu Heng to a quiet teahouse.
Hu Heng frowned and asked, “Yesterday on the phone, you said something had happened. What did you mean?”
Qin Song sighed.
Hu Heng said, “You’re driving me crazy with worry. I was thinking about your situation the whole way here.”
Qin Song looked around, lowered his voice, and told Hu Heng about the piece of paper and the text message.
As he spoke, Qin Song kept his eyes fixed on Hu Heng’s, watching his reaction.
Hu Heng was clearly frightened. He looked very anxious.
He did not take a single sip of tea, only kept fiddling with an empty teacup in his hands.
Qin Song said, “What am I supposed to do now? Who the hell sent that damned message? Who’s threatening me?”
Hu Heng thought for a long time, then said calmly, “Old Qin, I think you need to first distinguish between a threat and intimidation.”
Qin Song asked in confusion, “What’s the difference? Aren’t they both things only a bastard with no conscience would do?”
Hu Heng said, “A threat is when someone pressures you because they want to get something from you, or make you do something for them. Intimidation is purely about putting psychological pressure on you, making you afraid, maybe even driving you insane.”
Qin Song thought for a moment. “Then what is this? Why do I feel like I’m being intimidated and threatened at the same time…”
Hu Heng asked, “Did that person tell you to do anything?”
Qin Song said, “No. He said he doesn’t want anything right now, but that might not be true later. He might as well let me die knowing why and get it over with! How long is he planning to torture me?”
Hu Heng said, “Then it’s intimidation. In reality, he doesn’t have anything he wants to get from you at all. He’s scaring you for the sake of scaring you. Don’t be afraid!”
Qin Song snapped, “Damn it, that’s easy for you to say. He has evidence! He’s got me by the balls. How can I not be afraid?”
Hu Heng said in a low voice, “That thing of yours happened over half a year ago. If this person wanted to call the police, he would’ve done it long ago. Why drag it out until now? Because he doesn’t want to call the police at all! So what are you still worried about?”
Qin Song closed his eyes and shook his head. “No. No… It feels like there’s a stone lodged in my chest. If I don’t drag this person out, I won’t be able to sleep at night.”
His eyes flew open, and he added, “He said his last name is He!”
Hu Heng looked at him in confusion. “He even told you his surname?”
Qin Song nodded.
Hu Heng said, “Who starts off by announcing who they are?”
Qin Song could not take in a word. He stared irritably at the ceiling.
Hu Heng asked tentatively, “How about you… run?”
Qin Song said, “Run where?”
Hu Heng said, “Move to another city, or go abroad again.”
Qin Song said, “If I were on my own, then fine, I’d run. But now I have a wife and kid. Where am I supposed to go? How would I explain it to Juan and Xiao Hui?”
Hu Heng sighed.
Qin Song said, “I have a feeling – I can’t hide from this. No matter where I run, that little rat will be able to find me.”
Qin Song sat there in a daze for a while, then suddenly asked a question that startled even himself.
“Old Hu, tell me… is this person even human?”
Hu Heng shuddered. “What do you mean?”
Qin Song said, “I honestly can’t think of anyone who would know my business in that much detail… If it isn’t a person, could it be a ghost?”
As if something had just occurred to him, Qin Song abruptly set the teacup in his hand down on the table with a heavy thud. “Did you ever tell anyone about that incident of mine?”
Hu Heng froze for a second, then raised both hands. “If I told anyone, I wouldn’t live to see tomorrow.”
Qin Song shrank back into his chair like a deflated balloon.
Hu Heng reached out and poked him on the shoulder. “What are you even thinking? I went to all that trouble to change your identity and hide you in Mingdu, only to turn around and tell someone about that incident? Wouldn’t that mean I’m sick in the head?”
Qin Song said, “I’m sorry. My mental state is a mess right now. Everyone looks suspicious to me.”
Hu Heng said, “I still think you should let go of the fear and live your life properly. From the looks of it, this person is only trying to scare you. They can’t actually hurt you.”
Qin Song suddenly said, “Who’s surnamed He?”
Hu Heng said, “What?”
Qin Song answered his own question. “He Qian is surnamed He.”
Hu Heng said, “How could this person possibly be He Qian?”
Qin Song narrowed his eyes and thought for a while. Then he abruptly looked up. “Her younger brother is surnamed He too.”
Hu Heng fell silent.
Qin Song said, “She has a younger brother named He Yuchuan. Go back and help me look into him. Find out where he is now and what he’s doing.”
The next day, Qin Song pulled himself together and went to work.
Huahua ran over to check on him. “Are you feeling better? Did my Huahua-style therapy work?”
Qin Song smiled at her. “Thank you. It worked very well. In fact, I feel like getting it for free is too good a deal for me. You could charge for it and I wouldn’t complain.”
Huahua said, “I’m not short of money. We’re friends.”
She studied Qin Song’s face. “But you actually look worse today than you did the past couple of days.”
Qin Song said, “Actually, I was just about to ask you… When will you have time? I’d like to go again.”
Huahua said, “Anytime. Noon works.”
At lunchtime, Qin Song did not go to the cafeteria. Instead, he went to Huahua’s place again.
Huahua used a different essential oil to give him another head massage, then hypnotized him the same way as before.
Qin Song had always thought “hypnosis” meant a psychiatrist swinging a pendulum endlessly in front of someone’s eyes until the person went stupid, got possessed, and opened a pair of dazed, vacant eyes while spilling all the secrets in their heart.
Only now did he realize that hypnosis could simply help you fall asleep – and into high-quality sleep at that.
This round of “Huahua-style therapy” worked just as well. Qin Song felt his whole body regain its energy.
Huahua helped him for free every time, and it made him feel deeply embarrassed. If Huahua ever opened her own studio or wellness club, he would absolutely be the first one to sign up for a membership – and an annual one at that.
If he could, he would want to come every noon.
That afternoon, Qin Song received a call from Hu Heng.
“Old Qin, I asked a few people and found out. He Qian’s cousin isn’t in City A anymore. He went back to the city where he attended university – Songtan.”
Qin Song asked, “Does he work in Songtan?”
Hu Heng said, “He doesn’t have a proper job. He and a few no-good friends sell fake crystals and fake Buddhist amulets, that sort of shady side hustle. He also takes money online, claiming he can use metaphysics to help people repair relationships and win back lovers. Probably all a scam.”
Qin Song asked, “Why did he go to Songtan to do all that?”
Hu Heng said, “No idea. Maybe people there believe in that stuff.”
Qin Song asked, “Does he have a physical storefront?”
Hu Heng said, “Storefront, my ass. He rented two small apartments in a pretty remote area – one for work and one to live in. I’ve already found out the location.”
Qin Song said, “Come with me. We’re going there.”
Hu Heng said, “No problem.”