Chapter 40: The Charm of the Villa

"Are you going to investigate this case?"
"Yes."
"Wait a moment, let me shut down my computer..." Miao Ruolan stood up as well.
"...This..."
"Whatever it is, under the current circumstances, I absolutely will not allow you to investigate alone," said Miao Ruolan.
Well, alright then...
Lin Xiaosu could only compromise.
He hadn't originally intended to bring her along. Why? Because this case was peculiar, bound to involve matters unsuitable for children. A man and woman alone in a room was already awkward enough, but to share a room and watch an adult film together—that was dangerous...
Still, she had a point. With things as they were, it was best not to venture out alone, especially at night, before the lid was blown off this case.
Outside Hongxing Pharmaceuticals, Lin Xiaosu and Miao Ruolan sat by the pond, resembling a pair of young lovers out for a stroll.
They were waiting.
Waiting for their target to appear.
As the sun sank in the west, the target finally appeared: Wang Changfa, a man in his forties, at the height of his prime, wealthy and not yet old. Childhood dreams within reach, and, most fatal of all, his wife didn't care what he did. What better time for him to spread his wings?
Beside his car—a Feichi—his driver bowed in greeting. "Boss, do you want to go home?"
"You go home. Leave the car to me."
Wang Changfa got in, and the Feichi sped off toward the southern part of town.
Behind the Feichi, Miao Ruolan drove swiftly, but her car lacked power; soon the Feichi threatened to slip from sight. She grew anxious. "We really ought to buy a proper car. Investigating like this puts us at a disadvantage."
"It’s fine. He won’t get away," Lin Xiaosu replied.
For the latter half, he directed Miao Ruolan’s driving; after several twists and turns, they arrived at Tashan Lake.
On the side of Tashan Lake nearest the mountain was the villa district.
Fengcheng’s wealthy residents all liked to build private villas here.
Nestled between mountains and water, the scenery was endless and elegant. But the villas were shrouded in mystery; seldom did any bigwig appear in person. Most sent others—lovers or relatives—to claim land and build houses in their names, though in reality the properties belonged to the bigwigs—of course, by the standards of a small county town.
"There," Lin Xiaosu pointed to a villa by the lakeside.
Miao Ruolan’s gaze sharpened, and she saw it.
The Feichi had just pulled into the garage; the garage door closed behind it.
Very discreet...
Had it not been for Lin Xiaosu, she might have lost the trail...

Miao Ruolan parked her little electric car beneath a willow.
"What now?"
Lin Xiaosu lifted his gaze. "Up the tree."
Miao Ruolan was a little excited. "Which one?"
"That one," Lin Xiaosu pointed gently.
It was a large willow beside the villa. At this time of year, its tender branches fluttered like cotton. The ancient, robust willow with its fresh, watery shoots, the clear waters of Tashan Lake, the towering mountain, and the tastefully decorated lakeside villa together created the beauty of Tashan.
From this old willow, one could see the second floor.
If one jumped from the tree, it was even possible to reach the rooftop of the third floor.
Truly the perfect spot for a clandestine observation.
Miao Ruolan surveyed the area...
"Let’s go!"
The two moved along the lakeshore. In the enveloping night, no one noticed them. When they were only three meters from the willow, Miao Ruolan leaped, vanishing instantly.
An instant later, Lin Xiaosu vanished too.
Both landed in the willow, shielded by the old tree behind them, close enough to feel each other’s warmth.
No matter how anyone might look, they would not be discovered.
Lin Xiaosu activated his Heavenly Eye, piercing through time and space—reversal!
Day and night flashed rapidly before him. Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat: last night, the car had started up, meaning Wang Changfa had been here.
Had anything happened in the villa last night?
He continued to trace back, and the most thrilling scene appeared.
The mistress of the villa—a sultry woman—entered the room on the second floor.
The room had curtains, but the wind was strong yesterday, and Lin Xiaosu caught a glimpse of half the bed.
On the bed, Wang Changfa was wrapped in a towel. The woman entered, smiled enticingly, filling the room with spring. Her own towel flew off, and then...
To determine whether she was the poisoner, the best method was to see if she was infected. If she was, she was likely another victim; if not, her chances of being the poisoner soared, since she would have preemptively immunized herself.
In his time reversal, Lin Xiaosu saw only that the pair indulged in a mosaic of activities.
But with the curtains drawn, he couldn’t see clearly; he needed a closer look.
He exited the time reversal, focusing on the present scene.
His target now: someone’s bathing...

There were no curtains in the bathroom.
Only glass.
Once the glass became fogged, an ordinary person would see nothing.
But Lin Xiaosu’s Heavenly Eye was extraordinary.
Under its gaze, the steam dispersed automatically; the reflected light from the glass couldn’t interfere with his vision.
With the sound of water flowing, he saw the most exquisite scene.
Everything—whether meant to be seen or not—was visible...
She was uninfected!
As she finished bathing, a new scene unfolded, startling Lin Xiaosu...
Her hand reached for the small platform where the bath products were kept, her slender fingers pressed three times, and a hidden compartment opened, revealing a metal bottle. She uncapped it, revealing pale red liquid, which she applied carefully to certain places, meticulously smoothing the edges...
Lin Xiaosu felt embarrassed and glanced at Miao Ruolan. She wasn’t looking at him, but at the window, her cheeks flushed red.
The bathroom door seemed to be knocked upon.
Though no sound reached him, Lin Xiaosu could see the airflow disturbances on the door, indicating someone was knocking.
The beauty swiftly flipped her hand, stashed the bottle in the hidden compartment, swept her hand, and the compartment vanished as if by magic.
A shy smile appeared on her face as she opened the bathroom door.
Of course, Wang Changfa was outside. He opened his arms to embrace her; she nestled into his chest. Lin Xiaosu focused on her lips. Though he couldn’t hear the words, he possessed the mysterious skill of lip-reading.
Lip-reading—understanding speech by observing lips and tongue movements alone.
This skill was not easy, but Lin Xiaosu had worked hard at it recently and mastered it.
Why was it essential?
Because time reversal’s greatest limitation was its silence.
He could only see images, not hear sounds.
Therefore, he diligently practiced, and now he could make those silent scenes deliver the spoken words directly into his mind.
The woman said, "No... You’re naughty, let’s bathe first..."
So they bathed.
And as they bathed, things quickly took a turn, and in that bathroom, what occurred was decidedly unsuitable for children.