I’m Not Shouldering This Blame
chapter-9

Making an Appointment

“Achoo!” Jian Hua rubbed his nose that was cold from the wind and wrapped his jacket tightly around him.

The clinic had been chaotic. No one knew when the cabinet ended up against the window, but the nurses hurried to help after seeing Old Cheng lying underneath the table.

Old Cheng’s expression was blank and he still hadn’t recovered from the disaster.

Jian Hua picked up his medicine, but he felt uncomfortable just leaving. He wanted to help Old Cheng, but countless lies were required to make up for this, so it might be better leaving the matter to Old Cheng.

The sirens of ambulances and police cars were heard in the distance. Jian Hua hesitated for a few seconds before heading in that direction.

The location of the incident was a few blocks aware. The owner of the hardware store shouted using local slang. “I didn’t see it! A person just appeared here, dead!”

There was a blood-stained mountain bike lying on the ground, with the wheels bent because of violence. In addition, there was a backpack filled with food.

The deceased was very young, like a university student. Not long ago, this young man had been talking with Jian Hua. If Lu Zhao hadn’t stunned him, the young man might’ve had a chance to escape if he came across the criminals in masks.

“What is this smell? Do you smell that?” The passersby looked around.

Smoke was blown on the wind and more police cars headed towards Pearl Hotel in the centre of the city. Tonight was destined not to be quiet.

Jian Hua quietly turned back into the dull night.

The residential areas didn’t have any slight irregularities. The smell of food floated from the windows of every household and office workers were dragging their heavy bodies home. Jian Huan was unlocking his door when he heard the radio from next door.

“…A fire has broken out tonight at Pearl Hotel. The two roads around it have been blocked, so drivers please pay attention to this.”

Jian Hua pressed down the urge to go to Pearl Hotel to see what exactly happened. He frowned deeply, closed the door vigorously, threw his keys on the coffee table and tiredly leaned against the sofa.

This time stagnation, too much had happened.

Jian Hua didn’t think that those criminals would leave clues. The police might investigate, but they certainly wouldn’t find the murderers of the young man.Only those who could enter the stagnant time might solve it.

Curiosity could kill people.

There was a voice in his head, clamouring for him to go to Pearl Hotel. However, his reason told Jian Hua to carefully find out the truth. Jian Hua chose to abandon all thoughts and let the tiredness swallow him up.

He didn’t sleep well that night.

He dreamt of a quiet city, a lonely world where eyes stared at him in the darkness. He turned and saw that the owner of the bright pair of red eyes— a monster of fire was in the darkness, staring coldly at Jian Hua.

Those eyes were filled with assessment, deterrence, violence and interest. This was a fierce beast who was showing his strong and fearless desire for a fight.

Jian Hua took a step back and hid himself in the darkness again. There was an itch at this throat, like hunger or thirst.He stared at beast made of flames and wanted to… wanted to swallow the other!

He wanted to desperately fight this intruder, consume the flesh and blood. They watched each other, tempted and excited by the sweet fruit of the upcoming battle, the agony of battle and the return of pain.

Come on. Come on, I am here waiting for you!

Exhale! Jian Hua suddenly sat up in bed, covered in a cold sweat.

He couldn’t remember his dream. He only remembered the creepy threat, the pressure that covered the entire sky, making buildings seem fragile before this force.

Only the sound of his breathing could be heard in the room.

“…”

Jian Hua pressed a hand against his forehead, realizing that the impact of the changes was growing.

He reached out for a cup of water and the bottom of the cup resting on the nightstand shook, like the shackles of reality pulling Jian Hua back. He remembered that he had to go to Haicheng today. He finally got a job after six months.

His ability, the stagnant world and the weird dreams… they couldn’t compare to the harshness of life. If he didn’t work, his fortune really would be used up.

Jian Hua made himself a satisfactory breakfast and threw away the remnants of the glass jug.He didn’t know how long he would be gone, so he needed to deal with the expired food.

He entered the kitchen after a long time, and found a box of mushrooms that he bought at the supermarket the day before yesterday.

Logically speaking, the mushrooms should be next to the kettle on the cooking bench, but there was only an empty box.

After reaching out to teach the debris of the mushroom mycelium on the ground, Jian Hua was forced to face the terrible fact that there might be mice in his house eating mushrooms.

Although the taste of these mice was a bit strange…

At this moment, the ringtone of his phone was heard. Jian Hua brushed off the dust and got up to pick up the phone.

An indifferent and blunt voice was heard, telling Jia Hua that he didn’t need to go to Star Entertainment Media today to sign the contract.

It was Li Fei’s agent, and he made it sound like the opportunity had blown away. Jian Hua’s heart felt strange, but before he could get the opportunity to ask questions, the other person hung up the phone.

Jian Hua thought about it before opening the mobile Weibo. The first hot topic was impressively ‘Huai City, Xiao Yaqin’s heartache and tears.’

Jian Hua’s mouth twitched. Xiao Yaqin’s acting skills were top-notch, making outsiders believe that she was deeply involved with Li Fei. However, well-informed insiders knew this wasn’t the case.

It was because Li Fei was gay.

Big screen productions would inevitably have a bed scene. Li Fei was the type welcomed by directors. His emotions was in place and as long as the actress had no problem, there were no issues with the scene. He didn’t even need a clean-up afterwards. No matter how hungrily Li Fei looked at the camera, he wasn’t burning with desire. In fact, he didn’t respond at all. It couldn’t be concealed from the actress and camera people.

If he wasn’t gay then it was probably the sex. He was either incapable or had a more serious illness. The insiders had their own views on this matter. But regardless of what was the truth, it had nothing to do with Xiao Yaqin.

The next topic that caught his eye was ‘Top actor crying tears of blood in Huai City.’ Jian Hua wasn’t psychologically prepared for the title and contents, and he was scared by the news keywords.

Pearl Hotel fire! Huai City’s night terrors, unidentified dead bodies!

Linjiang Bridge was destroyed and there was an explosion on the top floor of Pearl Hotel. Then someone who encountered Xiao Yaqin and Li Fei at the hotel uploaded a video.

In the video, Xiao Yaqin’s right leg was injured as she limped to a man who ignored her. Then there were screams in the video and medical staff rushed out. The video shook but the last scene showed two horrifying streaks of blood coming from the man’s eyes.

The comment at the bottom said it was Li Fei.

The fans hoped this wasn’t true. The injury looked terrible, but there was something worst than the eye injury.The problem was that in the video, Xiao Yaqin made it clear that she had been with the man who looked like Li Fei. Did he really like her? Not me?

Huai City became the hot focus.

Many bloggers claimed that the explosion was a conspiracy because they didn’t hear the sound of the explosion, or see the flames. However, there were photos of Pearl Hotel’s blackened exterior so the netizens ridiculed those people.

Huai City’s government claimed that there were no deaths from this incident. However, Pearl Hotel’s first floor lobby was in ruins and there was broken glass everywhere,so no one believed that there were only the injured.

It was the same for the hacked young man in the streets of Huai City. There were rumours about vehicles filled with corpses, as well as vivid descriptions of burnt corpses.

While Jian Hua was sleeping, waves of rumours spread on the Internet. There was also the rumour that Li Fei was blind and would quit the entertainment circles.

Jian Hua rubbed his forehead and could understand why he lost his job. If Li Fei was really as heavily injured as he was in the video, he certainly couldn’t shoot any time soon.

Jian Hua felt blank as he thought about how the halberd holding general in Crow could no longer open his eyes.

He subconsciously opened an album on his phone. He opened the publicity photo and zoomed in to those eyes, then slowly shifted it.

Suddenly, there was an incoming call, making the familiar face disappear. At this time, the atmosphere of Jian Hua’s body was reaching its limit. A storm was brewing in his dark eyes and the furniture in the room started shaking.

Fortunately, Jian Hua recovered or his house would be damaged beyond recognition.

The ringtone was sweet, while the call screen only showed a bunch of numbers. The nature of Jian Hua’s job meant he didn’t refuse calls from unknown numbers. He answered it and didn’t speak, waiting for the other side with a calm expression.

“…Hello?”

It was a familiar and unfamiliar voice.

Jian Hua had 10 ‘Crow’ ticket stubs at home. The protagonist of the movie was acted by Li Fei, so it could be said that Jian Hua was the most familiar with how Li Fei sounded.

He held his phone with a stunned expression, temporarily unable to speak.

“Are you Jian Hua?” The gentle and calm voice was heard over the phone. Li Fei’s temperament was well known in the entertainment circles. As long as he wasn’t provoked, Li Fei’s smile and words were like a spring breeze.

“Yes, is something wrong? I received a notice this morning that the contract had been cancelled.”

Jian Hua quickly recovered and spoke calmly. He didn’t show his surprise and caution at receiving a phone call from the emperor of movies.

Li Fei seemed to like this reaction. He apologized before continuing with a smile. “My agent was scared by the online rumours. In fact, I wasn’t injured so we still have to sign the contract.”

Jian Hua was about to speak, but he didn’t expect Li Fei’s next words. “I dialled your phone and discovered that you are in Huai City. I am also in Huai City so I had my assistant send me the electronic version of the copy. We should meet and sign the contract, saving you a trip to Haicheng.”