Chapter 31: Who Are You?

Yu Bai, who had been shooed out, didn’t obediently sit at her desk. She dropped the playful, teasing facade she’d worn in Zhou Hui’s office, and her gaze turned icy in an instant.

She walked through the corridors of the City Bureau to the restroom and made a call. “Come pick me up at the City Bureau entrance.”

With that, she hung up. An inexplicable irritability washed over her, and her vision blurred for a moment. She frowned and shook her head, her right hand unconsciously slipping into the pocket where she kept her cigarettes.

She had a heavy smoking habit—twelve hours was about her limit. She’d endured two full days in the hospital, but that one cigarette earlier had reignited her craving for nicotine. She pulled a cigarette from the pack and slipped it between her lips.

Naturally, she lowered her head and flicked her lighter. As she squinted and exhaled a thin wisp of smoke, she let out a satisfied sigh.

A faint sound came from behind her. Yu Bai looked up and saw a familiar face reflected in the mirror above the sink.

“Zhao Min?” Her voice rose slightly at the end as she squinted at the reflection, not turning around.

“Why are you at the City Bureau?” Zhao Min’s tone was accusatory from the start.

Yu Bai lowered her head and took the cigarette from her mouth, expertly tapping off the ash with practiced ease. She savored the aftertaste, licking the roof of her mouth greedily, as if trying to hold onto more of the smoky flavor.

She still didn’t turn around. She glanced at Zhao Min in the mirror, then dropped her gaze. The physical discomfort soured her mood, and she shook her head again. Her knuckles pressed lightly against her brow, and a mocking smile tugged at her lips. “Why can’t I come to the City Bureau?”

Zhao Min’s heart jolted, and a faint furrow formed between her brows.

She had invested more effort in studying Yu Bai than in herself. Over the past two years, she’d pored over every file on Yu Bai, dissecting her from head to toe, inside and out.

She knew all of Yu Bai’s past experiences, her family background, her psychological state—even her likes, dislikes, and little habits.

But…

Zhao Min still couldn’t read her.

Theory and practice never quite aligned. She had all of Yu Bai’s files, but files were just that—files.

For instance, she knew Yu Bai was a smoker, dependent on nicotine like any addict.

But she only had the concept; she had no idea of the severity. Opportunities to see Yu Bai were rare enough to count on one hand.

And Yu Bai had never smoked in front of her before. This was the first time.

So she didn’t know that Yu Bai smoked heavily, chain-smoking without a care for her health—capable of burning through a whole pack in half a night.

Yu Bai had no intention of quitting, so she never held back.

She was exhausted and had no desire to deny herself even this one vice. Besides, she knew full well how hard it would be to quit for good.

“Orders from above?” Zhao Min asked from behind her. She hadn’t found a chance to speak with Yu Bai alone all morning.

Yu Bai’s fingers paused slightly around the cigarette before bringing it back to her lips. “Figure it out yourself.”

Zhao Min: “I can’t, so I’m asking you.”

Yu Bai sighed faintly, stubbed out the cigarette, and tossed it into the trash bin beside the sink.

She leisurely twisted the faucet open and washed the ash from her hands before finally turning around.

She reached up to straighten Zhao Min’s uniform collar, then looked up with a gentle smile. “Tell me, how could you not figure it out, hmm?”

Zhao Min’s nerves tensed suddenly. She instinctively lowered her head and found Yu Bai’s hand lingering at her collar. Her gaze darted uncertainly.

Her breathing quickened, but she remembered to answer. “…I didn’t receive any orders from above…”

Yu Bai chuckled softly, her fingertips sliding away from Zhao Min. “Who said I have to go through you to contact them?”

Zhao Min looked up in stunned surprise, meeting Yu Bai’s slightly downcast eyes. They were about the same height, and at this distance, she could even make out Yu Bai’s curled lashes fluttering like butterfly wings with each breath.

Yu Bai’s lips curved, and a few light words rolled from her throat. “A little punishment.”

Zhao Min’s body went rigid in an instant. She could hear Yu Bai’s words from the hospital echoing in her ears.

~~~

“If you keep letting your imagination run wild, I’ll ask them to… replace you.”

~~~

She understood now.

Yu Bai hadn’t forgiven her for what happened that day. Perhaps in the hospital, Yu Bai had meant to tell her then, but in the end, she’d told Zhou Hui instead.

She had pushed too hard.

Zhao Min had known all along that Yu Bai disliked anyone getting too close—whether in work or life.

Her actions had crossed Yu Bai’s boundaries, exceeding what Yu Bai could tolerate.

Zhao Min suddenly felt a twinge of fear. “Yu Bai…”

Her voice trembled despite herself.

“Shh!” Yu Bai pressed a finger to her lips and lowered her voice. “You’re a smart woman. Some things go without saying, right?”

“Mm…”

“Good.” Yu Bai nodded. Just then, her phone vibrated softly against her body in her pocket—buzz, buzz. She pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and hit the end call button.

She looked up, a faint smile curving her lips. “I’ll be sticking around the City Bureau for a bit. Watch your step.”

With that, she turned on her heel and walked away.

“Where are you going?” Zhao Min blurted out.

Yu Bai paused mid-stride. “You shouldn’t pry into my personal business.”

“I’m sorry. I just… I’m worried about you.” Zhao Min hung her head, her voice heavy with dejection.

Yu Bai sighed in exasperation, her tone softening as she reassured her. “I’ve got some business to take care of. Relax—I can at least look after myself.”

Zhao Min glanced at Yu Bai’s bandaged arm and murmured, “Just… be careful, then.”

Yu Bai stepped out through the City Bureau gates and slipped into the SUV waiting curbside. She sat in silence in the back seat for a long moment.

The bodyguard up front, clad in a sharp black suit, waited for her orders. Through the rearview mirror, he saw her lost in thought, her brows lightly furrowed.

Two minutes passed before he dared to speak. “Madam, where to?”

“Hm?” Yu Bai snapped out of it and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Home.”

The City Bureau wasn’t far from her place—a twenty-minute drive brought the SUV to a smooth stop outside the granite perimeter wall.

“Madam, we’re here.”

Yu Bai kept her eyes closed in the back seat, resting. Without opening them, she fished her keys from her pocket and tossed them to him. “Get out and unlock the door.”

The bodyguard caught the keys, surprise flickering across his face. He’d been with Yu Bai for a month now, and his employer was an odd one. She never let bodyguards inside her home and refused close protection, always insisting they keep a few paces back.

More than once, he’d gotten the sense that she found their protection annoying—superfluous, even. Unnecessary.

That attitude was exactly what had led to the incident two days ago.

He hesitated for a beat before hopping out and opening the car door for her. Yu Bai stayed put, snapping impatiently, “The door first—”

He didn’t dawdle, rushing ahead to unlock it.

Still in the car, Yu Bai felt her physical discomfort mounting. Her fingertips trembled faintly, cold sweat slicking her palms.

She clenched her fists tight, fighting back the rising nausea with sheer will. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out.

Her vision blurred, her steps unsteady. By the time she reached the door, she’d drained every last ounce of her strength.

She took the keys from the bodyguard. “Head back to the club. Pick me up at seven tonight—I need to go out.”

The ruckus from a couple days back still had him on edge. “Madam, why don’t I wait in the car? Things have been unsafe lately.”

“Get lost!” Yu Bai hissed the words through gritted teeth, her voice taut with restraint.

She stepped inside, and the door slammed shut in his face with a resounding bang.

Feeling like a fool, he trudged back to the car and fired up the engine.

Yu Bai leaned her back against the dark red wooden door, her teeth beginning to chatter uncontrollably. The world around her warped and twisted into grotesque shapes—monstrous forms with claws outstretched, jagged maws gaping wide as they lunged toward her one after another.

She squeezed her eyes shut on instinct and stumbled to her bedroom on fading willpower. The curtains were drawn tight; the moment she shut the door behind her, darkness swallowed her whole. Click—the lock engaged.

Thud.

She dropped to her knees beside the bed. Her trembling fingers yanked open the nightstand drawer and fumbled for the white pill bottle inside. Her bandaged hand couldn’t grip it; the bottle slipped several times, fraying her patience to the breaking point.

Bracing against the nightstand, she finally twisted off the cap, shook out two pills, and swallowed them dry.

Next came the rope from the drawer. She bound her legs with practiced efficiency, then her hands across her chest—flawless even in the pitch black.

It wasn’t long before her resolve shattered entirely. Her body went limp, a puppet severed from its strings. A voice echoed in her ears, drifting up from some distant hell.

~~~

“Who are you?”

~~~

Yu Bai’s breathing grew ragged, her chest heaving. A woman’s face materialized before her eyes—its features contorted, her gaze brimming with cruel amusement.

She opened her mouth and emphasized once more, her tone heavier.

“Who… are… you…?”

~~~

The woman unleashed a series of eerie cackles, her voice low and her gaze shadowed. “Jennifer, tell me—who are you?”

Yu Bai buried her head in the pillow, trying to block out that voice, but it still flooded into her ears from every direction.

“Ah—” A strangled roar tore from Yu Bai’s throat, raw and desperate. She yanked frantically at the bedsheet beneath her.

The sheet was soaked through, and she had thrashed until she was spent, curling into a tight ball on the verge of collapse.

Her heaving chest slowly settled, her eyelids growing heavy as the drug finally took hold…

This time, she slept deeply. When her eyes fluttered open again, the curtain-drawn room had grown even darker.

She struggled to untie the ropes binding her wrists and ankles, then sat up on the bed with a faint sigh.

Grabbing the alarm clock from the bedside table, she saw it was 6:15.

Yu Bai slipped into the bathroom in the darkness, took a quick shower, and slipped into a bathrobe. Just as she turned to leave, she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror.

She paused, flipped on the light switch. The face staring back was ghostly pale, ringed with deep bruises under the eyes, her usually vivid lips drained of color.

Yu Bai frowned at her mirror image, a sudden wave of disgust washing over her.

She fetched a suit from the closet and changed into it, then applied heavy makeup before the mirror. Handbag in hand, high heels clicking, she headed downstairs.

It was exactly seven o’clock.

The bodyguards pulled up to the door right on time.

Once in the car, Yu Bai parted her red lips and named the destination. “Miller Bar.”

The car sped through the streets, neon lights blazing. Yu Bai rolled down the window, letting the night breeze ease her taut nerves just a fraction.

Only then did she think to check her phone.

She must have shut it off at some point; powering it up revealed a dozen or so texts. With call notifications enabled, she’d gotten alerts for missed calls even while it was off.

Yu Bai opened the messages—all from Zhou Hui. They’d started half an hour after she’d left the City Bureau, coming every hour or less.

Staring at the screen, a strange sensation welled up in Yu Bai’s chest, lodged in her throat like a lump that wouldn’t shift.

“Madam, we’ve arrived at Miller Bar.”

Yu Bai pulled herself from her reverie, smoothed her expression, and stepped inside.

“Welcome to Miller Bar.”

A young bartender hurried over, but Yu Bai raised a hand slightly, waving him off.

Six or seven was prime time at the bar; the open tables were packed, thunderous music and chatter driving the atmosphere to a fever pitch. Dim lights lent an air of intrigue. Yu Bai navigated the motley crowd with ease, arriving at the bar and rapping the counter. “One Belvedere.”

A cigarette was already between her fingers as she spoke.

“Your Belvedere.” David slid the drink over promptly. Spotting her, his face lit up with a grin.

Leaning on the bar, he remarked casually, “Sister Yu, it’s been a while.”

Yu Bai exhaled a slow plume of smoke, sipped her drink, then smiled. “Been busy lately.”

The man nodded toward her arm. “What’s that about?”

“Ran into some rabid dogs.” Yu Bai’s eyes narrowed in distaste.

David burst out laughing. “Take it easy, yeah? And you’re still drinking?”

Yu Bai dipped her head with a soft chuckle, saying nothing.

“You didn’t drop by out of the blue just for a drink.” He grinned like a fox.

Yu Bai didn’t deny it. She slid a note across the bar. “Help me track down a person.”

“What’s this?” David unfolded it—a list of every coal hauling company in Pingling City.

“Truck driver, height 177 to 180 cm, around 75 kilos. He’s probably quit by now, so it’ll be a pain. Prioritize anyone who bailed suddenly between May 17th and 20th.”

David pocketed the note and thumped his chest. “Sister Yu, leave it to me. No matter how tough, I’ll dig him up.”

Yu Bai smiled. “I’ve never doubted your skills, but…” Her tone sharpened. “Cops are after him too. I want a solo meet before they get to him.”

“Understood.” David nodded.

With her business done, Yu Bai moved to settle up and leave.

David saw her about to leave and smiled, trying to persuade her to stay. “Sister Yu, you rarely come here. Even if you can’t drink, you should at least play to your heart’s content before going. You don’t seem in high spirits today—did something get under your skin? How about I find a few people to keep you company?”

His rapid-fire words drew a laugh from Yu Bai. “Where on earth did you get the idea that I’m not in high spirits?”

David gave a wry smile. “Then I guess I read you wrong. Of course it’s best if you’re happy… So, staying to play?”

Yu Bai stubbed out her cigarette and tossed back the wine in her glass. “The usual.” She added, “Drinks the usual too. If I’m not drinking, might as well call it a night.”

“Can’t argue with that. I shouldn’t have tried to talk you into going cold turkey.” David prepared the drinks while grinning at Yu Bai. “Wounds take time to heal. Playing to the fullest is what matters most.”

“Couldn’t agree more.”