Thriller Paradise

1 pm on the 2nd of May.

City S, Cloud Art Center.

This was an art gallery at the eastern side of town. Other than art shows, it also did auctions and appraisal of art pieces. That day, a young man in a black casual outfit came here. The person was none other than the detective crime novelist Mr. Feng Bujue himself…

"So, one has to purchase tickets…" After Feng Bujue bought the ticket and entered the gallery, he grumbled with some annoyance, "Even though I already have a bad feeling before going out but this ticket of 180 is already pricier than normal movie tickets… Speaking of which, normally people won't have their first meeting at an art gallery, right…"

Brother Jue and Passing Rain promised to meet a 1:10 pm. As a gentleman, naturally, he arrived earlier than expected.

Since I'm already here, why don't I go look around? Standing here waiting makes me look suspicious… Over the past few minutes, the guards have looked at me several times already, Feng Bujue thought. That gaze is either he suspects me of something or wants to get to know me… Hm… I have to go and find something to do.

He shoved his hands in his pockets, wandered around aimlessly, and stopped before a rather large painting.

Great, now no one is paying me any attention. This is easier than I thought… I'll just pretend to be admiring the paintings. Hmm… As long as I move at the same pace as everyone else, I won't be…

"You also have an eye for his work?" A stranger's voice began next to him. Brother Jue caught an uncle in a wool sweater from the corner of his eyes. He looked around his early fifties and had a kind countenance.

Erm… Who is 'he', and who are you, uncle? Feng Bujue really did not expect people would engage him in conversation. He grumbled internally but replied with a stammer. "Ah… Erm… He's not bad."

"His works are all top-notch. It has been so long since Russia had such a daring painter who dares to break through the boundaries," the uncle said with interest.

Oh… so this is the work of a Russian artist… Well, it should be some -nov or -ski… Brother Jue swiftly moved his eyes to the LED screen next to the painting. He read through the painting description and added, "Well… this is a work of impressionism. Everyone will have a different view."

"Ha ha… you're right." The uncle said, "Young man, then what do you think this painting is trying to express?"

Well, clearly, it's trying to express how blurry the streetlights will be after you have too many vodkas inside your body… This kind of painting… Give me 180 RMB and I can produce ten of the same for you. I just only need to dip Arthas in paint and have him roll around on some paper.

"Most likely, he's trying to express… the irrevocable damage that alcohol can do to the human body." Feng Bujue could not hold his tongue.

The uncle was startled for two seconds before he started to laugh and continued to laugh for a full minute…

Hey, hey… Is it that funny? Even if you get the punch line, there's no need to laugh for so long right? So many people are looking this way, uncle! This looks like the perfect time for me to slip away from this uncle… And you, security! Why are you selectively ignoring this situation? At least some of you should have come over and say 'please do not make such disturbance at a public place'!

Naturally, the guards wouldn't do that… because this uncle was the owner of Cloud Art Center. His name was Li Feng, a low-profile businessman and… Li Ruoyu's father.

"How did you two end up together?" Passing Rain's voice suddenly appeared behind Brother Jue. Feng Bujue turned around and saw Li Ruoyu for the first time in real life. It took Brother Jue by surprise that Passing Rain looked prettier in person.

Her skin was fair as first snow, her eyes twinkling and her manners graceful. The way she carried herself was with ease and grace. But her presence was still the same… there was an undercurrent of chilliness that prevented people from getting too close to her.

Today, Passing Rain wore a black long-sleeved T-shirt and a pair of faded jeans. She too was casually dressed and did not have on any accessories. She did not have earrings or tattoos. Of course, this had always been her style. Her first meeting in real life with Brother Jue wasn't that big of a deal for her.

"Eh? How did you come out from inside the gallery?"

"Because this is my family's gallery," Passing Rain replied.

"Hah?" Feng Bujue was startled. So, I could have waited for you to come out? Then why did I waste the money to buy the ticket?

"Dad, what are you laughing about?" Passing Rain asked her father who looked like he was running out of breath.

"Hah… Hah…" Uncle Li took a few gasps and was coming down. "Xiao Yu. This… young man… Hahaha…" He wiped at his tears. "Eh? Wait… you two know each other?"

Wait, wait, wait! That should me my lines! You are her father‽ I was wondering who would be walking around in a wool sweater, so you own this place!

"Erm… nice to meet you, uncle," Feng Bujue said. "I am Feng Bujue."

That slipped out before I can stop myself! Why did I say what I said! I should have made it more formal… Now it feels like I'm a primary school student coming to visit his friend's home…

Uncle Li widened his eyes. Staring at Feng Bujue's face, he took three steps back and gave Brother Jue a good once over. Then he turned to ask his daughter. "This is your boyfriend?"

Passing Rain answered in her normal, and even tone, "No. Just a normal friend."

"Yes, yes, normal…" Feng Bujue wanted to add but before he finished, he felt a cold and sharp gaze on him… that caused him to swallow the rest of his sentence. Hey… so you can say we're normal friends, but I can't… what are you up to…

"Oh!" Uncle Li took out his phone and without asking for Feng Bujue's permission, he moved fast as lightning… and took more than a few full-body and half-body pictures of Feng Bujue. Then, this uncle who was surprisingly agile for his age, moved his fingers like wind… with crazy speed, he operated his phone and made a call.

"Hey, honey, did you get the pictures?" After the call was made, Uncle Li turned around with pure joy on his face and said into the phone, "It's our daughter's friend! Yes! A living breathing young man! Yes, yes… he's quite handsome. Oh… he's not that but at least she now has a real friend!"

Just how lonely is your life! This is far beyond the level of normal social isolation… even I have more than a few friends!

"Okay, we'll talk when I come home." Uncle Li hung up and whipped around. His eyes scorched like fire and said seriously. "Xiao Feng, I'll leave my daughter in your hands…"

Passing Rain held her forehead. "Dad, can you please don't say things like that…"

"Haha… you, you are being too kind," Feng Bujue replied with a dry laugh.

"And what do you mean by that? Am I something to be handed around like some object?" Passing Rain glared at Brother Jue.

Hey! It is not my fault that your father is acting this way. Shouldn't you glare at him, not me?

…

Ten minutes later, Passing Rain had dragged Brother Jue to the street. She finally gave a long sigh.

"Erm… It feels like I have wandered into some information that I shouldn't know… you wouldn't kill me for it, right…" Feng Bujue said weakly.

"It doesn't matter. Who are you going to tell?" Passing Rain said.

"Well… you're right, Soulie is your cousin so she already knows and that means Xiao Tan has an eighty percent chance of knowing all this already…" Feng Bujue predicted. At the same time, at the park across the street, there were two people hiding behind the trees wearing caps and hats low on their heads, watching what was happening on this side.

"For some reason… I felt a chill run up my back," Xiao Tan said, "They wouldn't be talking about me, right?"

"Who knows… Aiz! If only I know how to read lips," Laughing Soul said. "I desperately want to know what these two will talk about when left alone…"

"By the way… will we be captured as stalkers?" Xiao Tan looked around with uncertainty.

"What are you afraid of? With a super pretty girl by your side, the chance of you being misunderstood for that is zero," Laughing Soul said confidently.

"Yes, yes… with a super pretty girl like you with me, we can do all kinds of bad things," Xiao Tan said snidely. "Speaking of which you're already twenty-two, and I don't think a person that age should refer to themselves as super pretty… Ergh…" Before he finished, an elbow shot at his stomach.