In June, in Jinzhou City, the city center district.
Within an average residential house at this moment, candles flicker, and incense permeates the air.
Ling Quan sits in front of an old laptop, carefully opening a purplish-black brocade bag in her hands. Inside the bag, there's a somewhat dated white silk cloth. Perhaps due to its age, the writing on the cloth is somewhat blurry.
After looking at the cloth under the light for a long time, Ling Quan was still unable to make out what was written on it and finally retrieved a magnifier from her drawer reluctantly.
"June 8th... Ling... Quan, life encounters... Peach Blossom..."
Holding the magnifier and shining a light on the cloth for a long time, Ling Quan finally deciphered the writing on the cloth.
June 8th? Confused for a long time, Ling Quan finally realized with sudden comprehension.
"Dear dad, dear mom, today is June 8th! Why did you leave me nothing but this broken brocade bag? What's the point? It's already four in the afternoon, and I haven't left the house. How could I encounter Peach Blossom?"
Ling Quan complained to the brocade bag, left speechless.
Ling Quan, a twenty-five-year-old single lady. After graduating from university, she grew tired of the 9-5 work lifestyle and hence, decided to carry on her family's business—fortune-telling!
Ling Quan's grandparents were fortune-tellers, and so were her parents. However, when it came to Ling Quan, the family business was lost!
Yes!
Completely lost!
The current Ling Quan, where can she still fortune-tell? What she could do was basing on various characteristics of the other party to guess their living conditions.
In simpler terms, she could only make psychological conjectures.
Surprisingly, Ling Quan has quite the knack in psychology. At least, since she started her online career, a significant fanbase has formed around her.
As for income, although it's not much, it's enough for her to live on.
She put aside the brocade bag in her hand, took out her phone, opened WeChat, and sent a message to her good friend Ou Chenchen: Lady, I'm hungry! My deceased parents have told me that today I'm under the curse of the 'Peach Blossom,' and I should not go out. You’re taking care of my dinner tonight. I'm expecting a delivery at my house within twenty minutes!
After editing, send!
Looking at Ou Chenchen's silly avatar, Ling Quan couldn't help but laugh.
After graduating from university, Ling Quan and Ou Chenchen have become close. Chenchen is always ready to lend a hand, wherever Ling Quan asks, she'll get there as quickly as she can.
Today, Ling Quan is caught with the 'Peach Blossom' curse, hence naturally she sought help from Ou Chenchen.
Within a minute of sending the message, Ou Chenchen replied!
"Received, do you fancy pork trotters or ribs?", the screen displayed.
"Sweet and sour ribs."
"OK"
Having finished with the exchange, Ling Quan chuckled and put down her phone.
Looking at the ancient brocade bag in front of the computer, Ling Quan couldn't help but laugh at the helpless situation, and then put it back in the drawer.
This brocade bag, prepared by Ling Quan's parents over a decade ago, was entrusted to her upon their death. It was instructed to be opened on a very specific day when Ling Quan turned twenty-five.
For so many years, Ling Quan had always wondered what was inside the brocade sac. It wasn't until she opened it that Ling Quan truly understood what it meant to be 'laughing and crying at the same time'.
Destined for a romantic mishap! Well... To think she would be fated for a romantic event today, decades later? Can she be any less self-assured?
She moved her mouse and opened her specialized fortune-telling software. Seeing five or six pending orders waiting for processing, Ling Quan decidedly ignored them.
In this line of business, making the client wait a bit longer would be more conducive to advancing one's own career.
While using her computer, roughly ten minutes had passed when Ling Quan suddenly heard a knock on her door.
It was Ou Chenchen! The old lady sure was quick today, not even twenty minutes had passed before she made an appearance.
"Here I come, Chenchen! Let me tell you, the brocade sac my parents gave me mentioned I would have a romantic…" mishap today!
The moment she opened the door, Ling Quan was suddenly at a loss for words.
Because, standing at her door was… indeed a 'peach blossom'!
Could it be anything but a peach blossom?
Ling Quan looked at the man standing at her doorway, secretly swallowing a gulp of saliva.
Such a good-looking man.
That pair of eyes, slender and exquisite.
Those lips, a deep crimson hue and invitingly cold.
That face, with chiseled features, was finely detailed and proudly erect.
His aura was overwhelming and vast, like a celestial being that had mistakenly fallen to the mortal world!
Just one glance, and Ling Quan was certain that he was no ordinary individual.
"Sir, whom are you looking for?" Ling Quan asked, regaining her composure after a moment of distraction.
Though she was single, she knew very well that not all handsome men could be approached recklessly.
"Ling Quan." The man's words were like gold, few and precious.
Ling Quan: "?"
"We suspect you're involved in designing the murder of Du Xiaoqing. Therefore, you'll need to come with us."
The man pulled out an ID card, flashed it in front of Ling Quan, then quickly tucked it back.
Z Organization, Bai Mu Jiu.
What was this all about?
Even though the man put his ID card away quickly, Ling Quan had seen the important information on it clearly.
Z Organization? What was this? Were they daring enough to impersonate police officers?
And would police officers conduct investigations in casual clothing?
A string of questions flashed through Ling Quan's mind. In the end, Ling Quan concluded that he was also a con-artist, just like her, perfect at deception, fraud, and blackmail!
"Officer, you’ve got the wrong person. I don't know any Du Xiaoqing, and I did not commit any murder."
Ling Quan was hesitating, killing time, waiting for Chen Chen to arrive. Then she would call the police!
"Mistaken identity?" Bai Mu Jiu sneered and immediately took out a pair of handcuffs, aiming towards Ling Quan's wrist.
Ling Quan was well-prepared. When she saw the metallic object in Bai Mu Jiu’s hand, she didn't hesitate and tried to close the door. However…
Bai Mu Jiu had long arms and even longer legs. Extending his arm and stepping forward with his long leg, he pushed open the door that was about to close!
Seeing the circumstances change, Ling Quan screamed out loud: "Help, I am being robbed... Assaulted... Ah...."
This shout by Ling Quan indeed had a great effect. From the corridor came a series of 'thump, thump, thump' footsteps, followed by the appearance of four or five police officers in Ling Quan's line of sight...
As soon as Ling Quan saw the police, she mustered some unknown courage, took a small step back, kicked towards Bai Mu Jiu's groin, and then ran towards the policemen!
"Officers, you have come just in time. There is a man here pretending to be a policeman, trying to frame me for murder!"
Police, they all stand for justice. Finding them when in trouble was the right thing to do, at least she thought so subconsciously.
"Boss, are you okay?"
Among the arriving police, one named Liu Yu showed concern towards Bai Mu Jiu. This left Ling Quan speechless...
"I'm fine, take her to the station." Bai Mu Jiu's face remained expressionless, his handsome face showing no hint of pain.
"Wait..."
Finally recovering her voice after a long pause, Ling Quan said, "Officers, you've got the wrong person. I can't even bring myself to kill a chicken, let alone a person!"