Chapter 19

Chapter 19

When Qin Song woke up the next morning, Huang Yuanrui was already sitting on the sofa applying her makeup.

“Ruirui, why are you putting on makeup so early?”

“I’m going back.” Huang Yuanrui focused on applying her lipstick, not even sparing Qin Song a glance.

“Going back? Didn’t you just get here yesterday afternoon?”

“It’s filthy. I’ll come back after you’ve disinfected the place.”

Qin Song paused. “Oh, that is… indeed a problem. What time is your flight? I’ll take you to the airport.”

Huang Yuanrui looked at Qin Song silently for three seconds before snapping her lipstick shut and tossing it into her makeup bag. “Get ready. We’re leaving for the airport now.”

***

Qin Song watched Huang Yuanrui pass through security, then turned and walked out of the airport, lighting a cigarette on the way.

“Hey, Sis, she’s gone. Where are you? I’ll come find you and tell you all about this mess.”

***

That evening, Xixi and Nian Gao were called to a bar by Huang Yuanrui.

Huang Yuanrui was wearing heavy makeup and sitting in a chair, smoking.

Men passed by from time to time, many of them turning their heads to look at her.

Nian Gao asked, “Didn’t you just fly to City A yesterday afternoon? Why are you back after only one day?”

Xixi chimed in, “Oh, she definitely had a fight with Qin Song… Huang, your makeup is really thick today. Those eyelashes make you look like Donald Duck’s girlfriend.”

“Minnie?” Nian Gao asked.

“Sister, that’s Mickey Mouse’s girlfriend…” Xixi corrected.

Nian Gao and Xixi laughed together.

“Something’s not right,” Huang Yuanrui said.

“What’s not right?” Xixi asked. “Minnie is definitely the mouse’s girlfriend. Donald’s is named Daisy.”

“Qin Song isn’t right.”

“I smell tea…” Xixi said, leaning in.

Nian Gao also leaned forward, both of them waiting eagerly for Huang Yuanrui to speak.

Huang Yuanrui began, “When I went to 302 yesterday, there was a woman inside who had locked the door from the inside. She claimed to be the Guest Room Manager and said she was fixing the toilet…”

Xixi interrupted her. “Stop, stop, stop. Don’t tell me you believed her. In all my years, I’ve never seen a hotel where the Guest Room Manager has to fix the toilet. What, is Qin Song bankrupt? Can’t afford a professional repairman?”

“Not necessarily…” Nian Gao suggested. “Maybe it was just clogged and needed a quick plunge. It’s normal for a Guest Room Manager to help out with a toilet if they’re right there, isn’t it?”

“You’re such an innocent child,” Xixi said. “That kind of nonsense is meant to trick little girls like you. Huang, go on. Then what?”

“I believed her at the time,” Huang Yuanrui said. “Mainly because she said the toilet was broken and there was waste everywhere, so I hurried out of 302.”

“What was she wearing?” Xixi asked. “A uniform?”

Huang Yuanrui thought about it carefully. “I don’t remember clearly, but it seemed like she wasn’t wearing shoes.”

“Sister!” Xixi exclaimed. “She’s that dedicated? There’s waste everywhere and she takes off her shoes to step in it barefoot? I’ve heard of ‘stepping-in-poop’ feel slippers, but I’ve never heard of someone taking off their shoes just to actually step in it!”

Nian Gao added, “If she’s fixing the toilet barefoot, she can just wash her feet when she’s done… If she wore shoes, her shoes and socks would be ruined. So it’s actually somewhat logical, right?”

Xixi sighed. “…My blood pressure is rising. Huang, keep going.”
Huang Yuanrui continued, “She was definitely lying. I’ll skip the boring details, but basically, Hu Heng claimed later that the woman was his girlfriend. He said he let her stay in my room just to show off. Oh, and she even used a face mask in my room-I found it in the trash.”

“Who’s Hu Heng?” Xixi asked.

“That friend of her boyfriend’s with the really big head,” Nian Gao replied.

“Oh, I remember now,” Xixi said. “That idiot.”

“Later, Qin Song gave Hu Heng a real earful, and then we went to bed,” Huang Yuanrui said. “But after we lay down, Qin Song started messaging Hu Heng on WeChat. I couldn’t see what he was typing, but I just felt like something was off.”

Xixi lowered her head, biting her straw as she fell into thought.

“Don’t overthink it,” Nian Gao said. “He was probably just chewing Hu Heng out.”

Xixi looked up. “Huang’er, what exactly felt ‘off’ to you?”

Huang Yuanrui ran her fingers through her hair, massaging her scalp. “I can’t put my finger on it. My mood hasn’t been great lately either. My heart is always racing with anxiety, I have no appetite, and I’m easily irritated. I’m not sure if it’s just my own mental state.”

“Stop gaslighting yourself,” Xixi said. “Let me point out two things. First, that big-headed friend of your boyfriend’s is a simple, honest guy. You need to think carefully: would he really take over a room his ‘brother’ uses to house his own woman just to impress some girl he’s trying to pick up? Second, why did she lie to you about fixing the toilet? Because she had a guilty conscience. But why was her conscience guilty?”

Under Xixi’s guidance, Huang Yuanrui suddenly spotted the hidden flaw in the logic.

If Hu Heng really wanted to show off to a girl, why would he let that girl know the room was actually someone else’s private nest?

And if the girl didn’t know she was occupying someone else’s nest, why would she be so defensive and guilty?

This led to an even deeper question: What if she *did* know she was occupying someone else’s nest?

Huang Yuanrui looked at Nian Gao. “Nian Gao, let me ask you. If Hu Heng was your boyfriend and he let you stay in Room 302, and then some other woman suddenly knocked on the door and demanded to know who you were, what would you do?”

“I’d call Hu Heng immediately and ask him what the hell was going on,” Nian Gao answered.

“Let’s change the premise,” Huang Yuanrui said. “Suppose when Hu Heng let you stay there, he told you the room belonged exclusively to Lao Da’s woman and he was just letting you stay there temporarily. What would you do then?”

“I’d explain it clearly to her,” Nian Gao said. “At most, I’d just apologize. I’d take responsibility openly.”

“Change the premise again,” Huang Yuanrui said. “Suppose you’re Hu Heng’s mistress, and the person knocking on the door is Hu Heng’s wife?”

Nian Gao frowned. “I’d be scared to death. I wouldn’t dare stay in the same room as her. I’d be looking for any way to slip away as fast as possible.”

Xixi clapped her hands. “See? There’s your answer. I’m telling you, you really should have gone inside to look. Who knows? While you were being played for a fool at the door, your precious Qin Song might have been lying right there on that bed.”

Huang Yuanrui’s expression shifted instantly. With a sharp *crack*, she slammed her glass onto the floor, sending shards flying. Everyone in the bar turned to stare at their table.