The Bittersweet Days of Our Youth

“Sorry, Miss Ye. The information left by the customer is fake so we can’t find the owner of this account at all. I can only tell you that the money has not been withdrawn.” Governor Liu said regretfully, “Your father and I are old friends. Don’t worry. If someone comes to withdraw this money, I will have him detained. About the murder of Little Miss, I feel very sad. I will definitely pay a visit someday.”

“I will pass on the message to my father. Thank you, Uncle Liu.”

Without bothering to be polite, I pulled Qin Shiyue out of the door of the bank in a rush. The building full of money was so depressing that one could not breathe. I covered my chest and squatted on the curb gasping for air.

“Are you okay?” Qin Shiyue said with concern, “If you don’t feel well, go home and rest.”

I forced a smile and said, “I’m fine. I don’t want to go home yet. The air outside is much fresher than at home.”

“Have you thought about it? Maybe, the murderer didn’t kidnap Tao Tao for the 50,000 yuans, otherwise, how come he hasn’t come to get it by now?” Qin Shiyue sneered: “In my own opinion, the murderer, I’m afraid, will not come to get the money.”

“Why? If they don’t want money, is it really a feud with our Ye family?”

“Perhaps, it is for something else.” Qin Shiyue’s gaze was so far and forlorn. His eyes were bloodshot with worry lines on his brows.

Perhaps, because it was a night without rest, coupled with shock and sadness, at this time, my whole body felt like a person stepping on a ball of cotton. The dark circles under my eyes were so heavy that he insisted on sending me home first before he went back to the French Concession.

The next day the maid sent a letter up. The envelope had this written on it: ‘For Ye Bingqing’s eyes only’.

I curiously opened the envelope. In it was a white paper on which was written: Xi Lai Teahouse left. The rest was a series of messy numbers.

From downstairs, my mother called me to come down for dinner. I panicked and folded and stuffed it into my arms sleeves.

In the stairway far away, I heard a woman’s wailing cry, “What a poor child. Master, do not feel too sad, it is the way of life–” 

The Yu family’s youngest master Yu Zifan and youngest mistress Yu Zhen had come. Compared to the second yitai, this woman was a natural-born actress, tears flowing with extra sadness.

Yu Zifan also had red eyes and looked at Ling Yue, who was sitting on the side with no expression, and said, “Third Yitai is in mourning.”

Third Yitai glanced at him lightly as a response.

Mother told the couple to eat at home. Third Yitai was extraordinarily uncomfortable, but could not be angry. She could only hold the dishes in front of her. I naturally knew in my heart that there was a love affair between them, so I said indifferently, “Young Master Yu is really thoughtful. Yu Ziyang seems to be wanted by the Nationalist Party, and you still have time to run here twice in three days.”

“Second Young Lady, a big thing had happened in the Ye family. Our family has enjoyed the patronage of the Ye master for so many years. It would be discourteous not to come.” Yu Zifan laughed awkwardly twice, still glancing at the third yitai out of the corner of his eye. “I wonder if…any clue of the killer…”

“Not yet.”

“Oh.” Yu Zifan’s face twitched oddly twice. “The murderer shall not die well.”

The words silenced the family, and the third yitai covered her mouth with a handkerchief and cried again. The dinner table was too depressing to stay when the housekeeper ran in and said, “Master, Young Master Lu is here, and that Mr. Qin is here too… They said they found the murderer–”

“Quickly invite them in!” Father’s eyes instantly got a glow. The maid made tea and served it, and the two men sat facing each other looking at each other with playfulness on their faces. Yu Zifan and Yuzhen got up and said goodbye saying the store was busy. Lu Xingjiu asked, “How come as soon as I come, someone wants to leave?”

Yu Zifan was full of panic. “Young Master Lu is quite serious, we were going to leave now.”

“That store of yours is deserted all day long, probably one old fellow is enough. Sit down, you and your wife sing the lead role of this play, how can we do it without you?”

My heart had a bad feeling. Yu Zifan, Yu Ziyang, the third yitai, Tao Tao, 50,000 yuans. These seemingly unrelated people and things, if strung together, seem to be a complete clue. 

Why didn’t I think of it? 

I quietly walked over to Qin Shiyue, who smiled at me and whispered, “Since he wants to grab the credit, let him have it first.”

Lu Xingjiu proudly looked at Qin Shiyue and said, “Father-in-law, this matter really has to start from the seventh of July. On that day, I led people to arrest Qin Shiyue, Yu Ziyang, and Yue Xiaoman. At that time, I misunderstood Mr. Qin so I would like to apologize to Mr. Qin. I also blame my brothers who do not know the rules. WhenYoung Master Yu went to see his brother, The brothers asked for some money for drinks, so Young Master Yu thought he could handle some money. So, he went to bride a scum in our Lu mansion. That scum asked for 50,000 yuans to release Yu Ziyang–-“

“It’s you–” The third yitai‘s expression was like seeing a stern ghost. “It’s you!”

“Third Yitai, don’t be in a hurry, just listen to me.” Lu Xingjiu’s face fell a bit. “I naturally do not know whether Yu Zifan kidnapped the young lady, but this 50,000 is not a small amount of money. Probably, with your Yu family’s current situation, you can not get that much money. I always rely on evidence. This is all too coincidental, so we might as well ask Yu Zifan himself whether these two things are related or not.”

Yu Zifan’s legs went limp and he knelt on the ground loudly. He was so scared that his tongue was tied in knots and he stammered, “No, no, I didn’t kill Little Miss. I didn’t kill Little Miss at all. I did kidnap Little Miss to extort money from Master Ye, no, Little Miss was kidnapped by someone else. I didn’t mean to kidnap, I really did not kill Little Miss.”

“Then how did she die?” Lu Xingjiu smiled sarcastically.

Yu Zifan was already incoherent, and his wife, Yu Zhen, saw that the matter had been revealed and knelt on the ground crying with pearly tears. “Master and Madam, you have to believe us. Little Miss was really not killed by us. We just want to get 50,000 yuan to save Ziyang.”

The third yitai suddenly lunged up like crazy but was stopped by dad, his hands shaking slightly. “Ling Yue, don’t dirty your hands. Lu nephew, send them to the police station. I want them to bury with my daughter!”

Yu Zifan was at a loss for words and yelled at the third yitai, “Tao Tao is my daughter. How could I kill her? Ling Yue, you have to believe me! She was still alive when I took her to Liangqiao Hutong.”

Third Yitai‘s face suddenly went white, her body was trembling like a broken leaf in the wind. “What are you talking about–”

Yu Zifan realized that he had said the wrong thing, but the words were already spilled water, and the despair on the third yitai‘s face had completely betrayed her. Father’s face was twisted with rage. “Take him away from me, cut his tongue out, I want him dead!”

Such a change of events was difficult for me to digest for a while. Yu Zifan was quickly dragged away and the hall was instantly quiet. Third Yitai timidly called out to Father. She knew that she could no longer hide, so she simply sat on the floor and stopped defending herself. After all, her daughter was already dead and her heart was already ashamed.

“Bitch!” Mother, who had always been very close to Third Yitai, suddenly snapped, “Housekeeper, lock this bitch up in my room and send two people to keep a good eye on her!”

The housekeeper took the word and went away. Third Aunt looked back at Father and sighed quietly.

❈❈❈