B5SB -Chapter 59 Spy Melody

Early the next morning

Shen Family

Teacher Shen woke up with a frown, finding herself lying in bed, her whole body aching. She sat up while hugging the blanket and accidentally touched the person next to her.

She turned her head and saw a middle-aged man lying beside her. Startled, she screamed: “Ah…!”

The man was woken up by her scream and said impatiently, “What’s all the screaming for? Since your family has already handed you over to me, don’t worry. Your father will be out soon.”

After saying this, he got up, picked up his clothes from the floor, and started putting them on openly. When he noticed Teacher Shen still tightly covering herself with the blanket, he walked over, leaned down, and kissed her forehead, smiling: “Why are you so shy? Haven’t I seen every part of you already?”

Already shaken by fear, Teacher Shen turned pale upon hearing his words, her eyes staring hopelessly at the ceiling.

The man reached out and patted the blanket covering her. “Get up. After breakfast, we still need to go get the marriage certificate.”

Then he opened the bedroom door and left.

Hearing the door close, Teacher Shen pulled the blanket over her head and burst into tears.

“Creak.”

The bedroom door opened again—this time it was Mrs. Shen. Seeing her daughter crying under the blanket, she felt uncomfortable too. She walked over, sat on the bed, and choked out, “I… I didn’t want it to be like this either.”

Teacher Shen heard her mother’s hypocritical words and suddenly threw off the blanket, glaring at her with hatred. “Why? I’m your daughter. How can you hate me so much that you’d send your own child to an old man’s bed?”

Mrs. Shen didn’t meet her eyes. She lowered her head and quietly sobbed: “Just think of it as doing it for the family. Otherwise, the family would fall apart.”

Teacher Shen felt nothing but bitter irony. She laughed harshly. “As you wish. I’ll marry him.”

“But Mom, this is the last time I’ll call you ‘Mom.’ From now on, I have no family. I’ll publish a notice severing all ties.”

Mrs. Shen felt uneasy. “You’re my daughter. Even if you cut ties, I can’t stop you.”

Teacher Shen ignored her mother and said coldly, “Go out. I’m getting up.”

Mrs. Shen watched her, lips moving but saying nothing, and turned to leave the bedroom.

Mechanical Factory

Gu Yihan was sitting at her desk reading the newspaper. Now that Sister Zhuang had left the accounting department, people in the office had suddenly become more talkative.

She saw Sister Li warmly holding her hand, as if the previous isolation had been nothing but a dream.

In a voice loud enough for the whole office to hear, Sister Li said, “Did you all know? Deputy Director Shen was arrested, and Sister Zhuang got involved with him!”

Zhou Tingmei’s eyes lit up. Curious, she asked, “Really? Who told you?”

Seeing everyone in the office looking at her, Sister Li straightened her back and said, “If it’s about anything in this factory, there’s nothing I don’t know.”

Liu Yang asked, curious: “What exactly did Sister Zhuang do with Deputy Director Shen?”

Sister Li lowered her voice but still loud enough for everyone to hear: “I heard a rumor… they resold 120 tons of our factory’s steel.”

Except for Gu Yihan, everyone else inhaled sharply. “That’s profiteering! Where did they sell so much steel?”

Sister Li glanced at Liu Yang and sneered: “Are you stupid? Of course it was sold on the black market, then shipped elsewhere.”

Liu Yang sighed: “That’s too much… enough to get the death penalty.”

Zhou Tingmei looked at Liu Yang: “With your cowardly nature, no wonder Comrade Gu looks down on you. Don’t you realize how many years Sister Zhuang’s been at the factory?”

Liu Yang glanced awkwardly at Gu Yihan. Ever since that day, he hadn’t spoken to her alone. Since she looked down on him, he wouldn’t pester her.

Gu Yihan’s eyes turned icy as she looked at Zhou Tingmei. “Stop using me as a comparison. If you’re so eager to talk, go rub against the toilet wall and satisfy yourself before coming back out.”

Sister Li was stunned at Gu Yihan’s harsh tone. She realized how much Gu Yihan had changed. Previously, she wouldn’t respond unless provoked. Now, she was aggressive and direct.

Zhou Tingmei’s face flushed with anger. She wanted to retort but remembered last time she hit Sister Zhuang and couldn’t speak up. All she could do was stomp and vent her frustration.

After work, Gu Yihan was walking home with Maomao. In a small alley, she noticed someone’s clothes looked similar to Zhou Tingmei’s.

She hesitated for a moment and walked toward the alley. Before she got there, she only saw Zhou Tingmei’s retreating back.

Seeing Maomao’s big, confused eyes, Gu Yihan patted its head. “Let’s go, Maomao.”

After just a few steps, she heard someone playing a tune on the erhu—Nan Niwan. It sounded off, eerie, suffocating, and sinister.

The melody sent chills down her spine. Gu Yihan suddenly remembered: she had heard this kind of tune in her past life while scrolling through Douyin—it was a tune used by the Japanese invaders.

She quickly noted the house number and ran straight to the Public Security Bureau.

Running so fast, she collided with someone coming out of the bureau.

Rubbing her sore nose, she looked up: “S-sorry…”

Seeing the man’s face clearly, her eyes widened in shock. “Comrade Lu?”

Lu Huailin’s eyes held a teasing smile. “In such a hurry?”

Gasping, Gu Yihan said, “There’s a spy!”

Hearing “spy,” Lu Huailin immediately led her inside the bureau and arranged for her to wait in a meeting room.

Sitting on a chair, Gu Yihan soon saw Lu Huailin enter with a middle-aged police officer.

“Comrade Gu, right? Where did you see the spy?” the officer asked sternly.

Gu Yihan explained: “I saw the partner of one of our department colleagues enter a certain house. From inside came an eerie Japanese melody.”

The officer’s eyes turned cold. “You’ve heard a Japanese melody?”

Gu Yihan felt pressured under his gaze. “I haven’t. But anyone who has heard that sound would know it’s not played by someone from our country.”

She swallowed nervously. “It’s… unsettling to hear.”

Because it concerned a spy, neither the officer nor Lu Huailin dared delay. It was better to arrest someone wrongly than to let a spy go.

The officer immediately left with a team to the location Gu Yihan indicated.

Left alone with Lu Huailin, Gu Yihan exhaled deeply.

Seeing her tense body relax, Lu Huailin said, “Don’t leave Jinyang City for now. Later, you might be called to give a statement.”

Gu Yihan nodded. “Understood.”

She got up to leave, and Lu Huailin followed. She looked at him, puzzled.

“It’s late. I’ll escort you home,” he said, looking into her eyes.

Gu Yihan was taken aback. She quickly waved her hands: “It’s not dark yet. Maomao’s with me—it’s safe.”

Lu Huailin looked at the dog peeking into the house and said, “It’s fine. On the way anyway.”

She wanted to ask, “How did you know where I live?” but he didn’t give her the chance. “Let’s go.”

If he insisted on escorting her, she might as well accept the free bodyguard.

Walking ahead with Maomao, Gu Yihan reached her home. Turning to Lu Huailin, she said, “I’m here. You can go back now.”

Lu Huailin’s face remained impassive. He nodded and turned to leave.