Huacheng University. Morning.
There was no class, but Professor Ma ca early anyway. He made himself a cup of strong tea, read the latest journal articles, and waited for the son of his old friend to co.
Two days have passed, and he has also completed the re-engraving process. It is ti for him to return the bamboo scrolls.
Professor Ma never goes back on his promises.
However, he waited for the entire day, and nobody ca to his office.
Seeing that it was almost ti for dinner, he got tired of waiting and picked up the phone by the table, scrolled to the contact information left by the young man, and called him.
Beep. Beep.
With each ring, his patient wore down. Just as he was about to slam the phone down on the table, sobody picked it up.
Hello? Who is this?
An unfamiliar voice spokea middle-aged man who seed to be plagued by exhaustion and annoyance.
H-hi. Im Ma Zhen. Im calling for the father of the owner of this number.
Oh, Professor Ma. I thought Apologies. Its good to hear from you again.
Professor Ma was visibly annoyed at this point, but he swallowed his anger and continued, And you are?
Apologies, again. Im the eldest son, and the person who went to see you is my younger brother. I know you made an appointnt with my brother to et today, but
The man, on the other hand, fell silent, and Professor Ma could vaguely hear muffled sobbing as if the man was trying to obscure his own crying. A feeling of unease crept into his heart.
After a long silence, the man returned, his voice a little hoarse. You can keep the bamboo scrolls. It is my fathers gift to you, but my brother hes gone mad. Im sorry to keep you waiting.
The professor frowned upon hearing this. Does this an that the younger brother made his own decision to snatch the scrolls for himself?
I will be hanging up. Our family is a ss right now, and I dont want to waste your ti.
Dont hang up just yet. There are a few things I need to ask you, Professor Ma insisted.
Do tell. Ill help you to the best of my abilities.
Professor Ma felt that his lips were dry and took a sip of the weak tea, which tasted just like water.
Your brother ca to a few days ago. He told that your father asked to return the scrolls. I agreed, out of respect for the dead, and
Before he could finish speaking, a cold snort ca from the other end, and the man spoke, Professor Ma, you are a man of education! How could you fall for that? Did he tell you that my father sohow ca back to life too? Wouldnt I know if he ca back to life?
After a short silence, the man continued, He insisted that father ca back to life and told that he would see father running through a bamboo forest in his dreams. Sotis he would be laughing alone in the corner of an old warehouse. Sotis, in the cetery of a mountain. I an, isnt this outrageous?
Indeed. I presu it is.
Despite this, Professor Ma knew better, especially after seeing what had happened to Lu Xu the other day.
Sohow, he could see a thin and pale old man that haunted a bamboo forest in his mind. His heart shuddered.
When he told he was going to collect the bamboo scrolls today, the man interrupted his thoughts. I confiscated his phone and car keys, but
Did sothing happen?
He disappeared, the man breathed out. With my fathers body. Couldnt find either of them. Im worried sothing bad might have happened to my brother.
I see. Its okay. Things will work out on their own.
I hope. I must get back to work, and you The man paused. Keep yourself safe. Im worried that my brother is looking for you.
He hung up the phone with no further explanation.
Ridiculous. I am a man of science. A man cant just co back from the dead hah!
As he murmured to himself, he took out his phone and searched for Lu Yibeis phone number.
Just as he found his number, the phone rang, and an unknown number was calling him.
Hello? May I speak to Ma Zhen?
You are?
Im a doctor from the hospital in Huacheng. During our rounds this morning, we found that Lu Xu has gone missing, and he has yet to return to his room.
Excuse ?
We dont know what happened; even after checking the caras, we couldnt determine where he disappeared. He was supposed to be discharged today, but anyway, he left your contact information with us, and we are calling to ask if you have seen him. He still needs to pay the hospital bill.
No, I have not seen him, but I will co and pay the bill for him later.
Putting down the phone, Professor Ma sat on the chair and was lost in his own thoughts.
Two disappearances in a short tifra
And both of them ca into close contact with the bamboo scrolls
That cant be right; I was the closest to the scrolls, but Im still here.
However, a faint stench rushed into his nostrils, and the sll of rot plagued his office.
As soon as he realised it, he hurriedly took another whiff, only to find that it disappeared in an instant.
I need to get that damn cleaner in my room already.
As he spoke, he called Lu Yibeis number.
Lu Yibei was sound asleep and reluctantly got up upon being awakened by his mobile phone ringing.
Rushed footsteps ca from downstairs, and Jung barged into his room and leapt onto his bed, looking at him with expectant eyes.
He ignored her and accepted the call, putting the phone to his ears as Professor Mas voice flooded his ears.
Yibei, sothing bad has happened. Lu Xu and my old friend disappeared, and I suspect sothing bad is happening. Co to my office as soon as possible.
Yibei was visibly stunned, and he replied, Okay, well et later.
As soon as he hung up, Jung began to tease him, Who was that? A girlfriend? A boyfriend? Or sobody boring from the Night Division?
Arent you the god of reproduction and not the god of gossip? he asked, rolling his eyes. My professor.
Agh, youre a boring person, and your professor is a boring person too, she spat. People with titles are all very boring, like wives, teachers, and mothers
Are you sure about that? he smiled. Because, judging by his tone, well be able to get you so juicy cores in no ti!
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