Chapter 23 Section Thirteen
When we arrived at Shinjuku Station, it was a bit windy and the sky had already darkened.The sky was still drizzling.
Passing through Kabukicho, Akio walked towards Okubo.Although it was just getting dark, there were already a few wandering warblers standing in the alley next to Metropolitan Okubo Hospital.Half are foreigners and the other half are Japanese.In the nearby Okubo Park, the Arab men with fierce eyes looked at Qiu Sheng, and found that he was neither a plainclothes policeman nor a customer who came to buy amphetamines, so they smacked their lips and walked away.
Under the cold sky, Li Zizu's apartment looked even more desolate.It was past six o'clock in the evening, and no room was lit.During the day, I saw a few pieces of clothes hanging outside, already drenched by the rain, hanging there feebly.After a closer look, I found that the clothes were dirty, as if they had been outside for several days.
Qiu Sheng checked the mailbox at the entrance of the apartment.Li Zizu's mailbox in room 103 was filled with pornographic tapes, small advertisements for telephone clubs and pornographic hotels, and there were no letters.
After returning to Japan from Hong Kong, Reiko applied for a resident certificate of Megumi Nakamura and went through the moving-in procedures.The date of moving in was exactly ten days ago, that is, the day when the Chinese student living next door saw Reiko.Even if she applied for a national health insurance card and a seal certificate, and went to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to apply for a passport, it was impossible for her to have Nakamura Megumi's passport in time.
Even if an application has been made, you must take the collection notice sent to this address before you can pick up your passport.In other words, Reiko must come back here.
As long as I monitor this mailbox, will Reiko appear?Qiu Sheng couldn't help thinking.
The surest way is to ask Maki from Onda's office, falsely claiming to be Megumi Nakamura, and call to confirm whether the passport has been issued.In this way, you can know the dispatch date of the collection notice.Next, just rent a car to monitor.
However, Qiu Sheng immediately knew that his plan was not feasible.Because someone patted him on the shoulder.Looking back, a man with a scar on his cheek and a fierce look in his eyes, who could tell he was a gangster, said to him, "Can I ask you to come here for a while?" Suddenly, he grabbed Qiu Sheng's left arm without any explanation.The little finger of the man's right hand is missing from the second joint down.
A black-headed RV parked in front of the apartment at some point. Although it was impossible to see clearly what was inside the windows pasted with heat-insulating paper, there were several people in the car.Things don't look good.
"I know Mr. Kuroki."
Hearing what Qiu Sheng said, the other party was taken aback for a moment, but then he opened the rear door and said, "The superior ordered that as soon as anyone approaches the apartment, we must investigate carefully." The other two men who were more vicious looked at Qiu Sheng.
At this time, Qiusheng's cell phone rang.
"Mr. Kudo?" Kuroki asked.
Qiu Sheng said, "I'm busy now." Then he handed the phone to the underworld brother in front of him, "Please explain to Mr. Kuroki directly."
The underworld brother snatched the phone, and immediately roared loudly: "Hi!" Heimu didn't know what he said, and the guy shouted "Yes!" Then he said: "We didn't know he was the guest of the eldest brother, sorry." Then, He handed the phone to Qiusheng with both hands.The people in the car also rushed out, shouting: "You have worked hard!" Even though Qiu Sheng tried to dissuade him: "Okay, I understand." These people still stood respectfully.
"I'm sorry, they are all guys who don't understand the rules." Hei Mu seemed to be holding back a smile and said.
An old man came out of the public bath, seemed to have gotten used to the scene in front of him, said "excuse me", gently pushed aside the underworld brothers who were standing all over the alley, and walked over.
"I made this call because I have something to thank you." Kuroki said in a tone that could not feel any gratitude at all, "After tracking down the guy who sold the stolen goods, as you expected, he hid Reiko's notebook Computer. If you come to my office at noon tomorrow, I will let you take a look."
Qiusheng guessed right, Lizi used a modem to connect to a public phone to go online.Why?Definitely not for browsing the site.
There are only two possibilities: one, to receive emails; the other, that she uses the Internet to log into her bank account, other than that, there's no reason to go through such a hassle.In any case, as long as the computer still has the data at that time, it can become a clue to track 5 billion.
"However, there is one condition." Kuroki said, "You must buy a ticket first before touching Reiko's computer."
Qiu Sheng thought for a while, and immediately understood Hei Mu's intentions.
"What if I don't have a plane ticket?"
"That means you are provoking me."
After speaking, Kuroki hung up the phone.
One flight from Narita Airport to Hong Kong departs in the morning and the other departs in the evening.What Kuroki meant was that he could go to his office to see Lizi's computer at noon tomorrow, but he had to make an appointment for a flight to Hong Kong in the afternoon and go directly to the airport from him.
"Damn it." Qiu Sheng couldn't help cursing.
The underworld brothers thought that Qiu Sheng was scolding them, bowed and said in unison: "I'm sorry!"
Qiu Sheng didn't want to go back to the hotel directly, and walked aimlessly among the skyscrapers at the west entrance.
The rain did not know when it stopped, and the moon poked its head out from the thick clouds.He walked to Koshu Street, turned next to the KDDI building, and saw the strange appearance of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.This unlucky building, built during the heyday of the bubble economy, symbolizes the decline of Japan.
Walk past the front of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building and come to the southern end of Central Park.Homeless people who were kicked out of the Shinjuku Station underground mall moved their cardboard houses here and lived a collective life.A few bad boys have been doing this nonsense thing they call "homeless hunting" and they've been killing homeless people.
Walking out of Central Park, on the left across South Avenue, is the Garden Hyatt Hotel.When the hotel first opened, Akio had stayed at it several times when he returned to Japan.The New York Grill on the top floor is a very popular place for dating. Young men and women hold champagne in their hands and look down at the homeless people shivering in the cold wind.
Qiusheng looked up at the sky.A cold and gloomy night.The wind seemed to be stronger than before.
Tomorrow evening, Qiusheng must decide whether to return to Hong Kong or to fight against Heimu.There are almost no clues to find Reiko's whereabouts.The laptop that Reiko used is the only clue, but the computer is in Kuroki's hands. If Qiusheng doesn't have a ticket back to Hong Kong, he can't see the computer.
Because a Chinese student broke through the empty door and sold Lizi's credit card to someone who sells dirty things, Lizi's plan to apply for a passport as "Megumi Nakamura" failed.If she went to Okubo's apartment mailbox to pick up the notification, she would be caught by Kuroki's subordinates who monitored the apartment.Even if she escapes cleverly, she still has to escape as Reiko Wakabayashi.
After Kuroki participated in the money-raising fund fraud plan designed by Reiko's fiancé Sanada, Reiko received an unexpected large sum of money.Now, Reiko is desperate.
Reiko must have a new name and identification in order to escape from Kuroki.For this reason, she did not hesitate to venture back to Japan.
Qiusheng is convinced of one thing.
Reiko abandoned Yamamoto and chose to be with Sanada.She then threw Sanada as bait to Kuroki.In other words, she has no one to rely on now.
He walked around Central Park twice, passed the Yodobashi Water Supply Station along Park Avenue, and walked in the direction of the Koji Bridge.
Reiko's father used to run a company, and her mother was a peerless beauty. She lived a happy life when she was a child.Akio believes that even if there is a certain degree of exaggeration, what Nakamura said should be true.When Lizi was in the fifth grade of elementary school, her father was deceived by the underworld, the company went bankrupt, and finally committed suicide because of self-blame.As a result, Reiko and her mother, Yasuko, had to live a life of abject poverty. When they were in high school, they lived in the poor apartment of Ayase.After that, because something happened to her mother, Yasuko, the mother and daughter disappeared.
More than ten years later, Yasuko lived a convalescent life in a certain hospital, but was sent to Muqiu Mental Hospital because of violent self-mutilation.Reiko then visits her mother in the hospital.
According to Kuroki, when Reiko was in her early twenties, she worked as a public relations lady in a hotel in Ginza and lived a glamorous life.But Mitsuyo Yoshioka of Mugaoka Hospital said her mother, Yasuko, accepted the relief.
However, Reiko did not abandon her mother.For at least a decade, Reiko continued to pay the rent on the Ayase apartment she lived with her mother in.When Yasuko was admitted to Muqiu Hospital, Lizi arranged for her to live in a private ward for 10,000 yen a day.
What's wrong?Qiusheng thought to himself.The crux of the problem must lie in the "incident" caused by Wakabayashi Yasuko. The housewife nearby said: "The police are here." Megumi Nakamura said: "A terrible thing! Go investigate the records of the police station in the jurisdiction, can you find clues? Or check the database of the newspaper? In any case, it is impossible to find out a clue before tomorrow evening."
——What’s the point of continuing to investigate Reiko’s past?
After talking with Megumi Nakamura, Akio has been thinking about this issue.Everyone has privacy that they don't want to be violated by others.
The 5 billion yen stolen by Reiko is Kuroki's money and has nothing to do with Akio.Lizi's life is also her own, and Qiusheng can't do anything about it.
Continue to wait, if there is no new situation, go back to Hong Kong tomorrow.He neither wants money nor intends to hurt anyone.
He had lost all sense of time, and the headlights of taxis passed him one after another.Yellow street lights shone on the wet road.
I don't know when it will rain again.The clouds moved quickly, and the moon peeked out a little, before disappearing.
The phone rang and the screen displayed "No Number".
Qiusheng pressed the call button.
"Long time no see." Reiko said.
"Where are you?"
"It's near you." She said with a slight smile, "You don't seem surprised at all."
"I'm guessing that you might come to me."
"Do you know everything?" Lizi asked, "You really are a magician."
"what should I do?"
"Go straight, go up the stairs in front of you, and I'll wait for you there."
She paused.
"I'm looking at you right now."
Qiu Sheng looked around with the faint light, and found a petite figure on the elevated road.
Reiko leaned against the railing, looking at the street lights.She wore a black fur coat with a hood, and rouge-coloured riding boots.The curly hair seems to grow a bit longer.In the night, you can see her fair face.
"Have you been looking for me?"
As soon as Lizi saw Qiusheng, she immediately asked.When she lowered her eyes, her long lashes fluttered in the light of the car's headlights.Her makeup today is also impeccable.
"Why did you ask me?" Qiu Sheng asked instead of answering Li Zi's question.
"I'm thinking about how I can find you." Lizi also ignored Qiu Sheng's question, "I've been following you. Then, stand here and watch your direction towards the park."
Sure enough, Reiko went to Okubo's apartment and saw Akio surrounded by Kuroki's men.If Qiusheng arrives later, Reiko will fall into Kuroki's hands.
"I have been hesitating, wondering whether I should call you. Finally, I decided to wait on this bridge, and if I see you again, I will call you." Lizi laughed uneasily, "In the end, you Just walked back."
During the three days back to Japan, Akio searched around Tokyo for Reiko's whereabouts.Now, when Lizi appeared in front of him, Qiusheng felt that "he really shouldn't see her".
"I've been thinking about you," Reiko said, her hot breath being blown away by the wind. "Before, life in Hong Kong was very fast." She smiled brightly, but then put away her smile.
"What should I do?" Qiusheng asked again.
"Believe me," Lizi said, "When I'm with you, it's the happiest time in my life." Then, she said with timid eyes: "Am I a very bad woman?"
Qiusheng didn't answer.
"Do you hate me? I'm a nasty woman, a mean woman, a dirty woman..."
"That's not the case."
"But everyone says that about me." Lizi smiled, "Isn't it funny?"
Qiusheng looked at Lizi without saying a word.
"Will you forgive me?" Reiko asked in a tone that seemed to be peeping at the other party from the bottom of a deep cave.
"You did nothing wrong."
"Really?"
"right."
"You lied." Lizi said self-destructively, "No one will forgive me. You see, everyone is laughing at me, and you should be able to hear it too?" She looked around cautiously, then looked timidly at Qiusheng, "So, I want revenge."
Lizi was a completely different person from when she was in Hong Kong.Or rather, she almost collapsed. "I'll give you all the money I have." Lizi said suddenly, her tone seemed to be throwing paper scraps into the trash can.
"I don't need it." Qiusheng replied, "The money is not mine, and it's not yours either."
"That's right." Lizi admitted it straightforwardly, and then murmured, "What should I do?"
"Do you want me to answer?"
"You tell me." Reiko said.
"Give the money back to Heimu."
"I don't want it." Lizi replied immediately, "The money is mine."
"Then you leave Japan immediately and never come back."
"Me neither."
"If you stay in Japan with that money, Kuroki will find you sooner or later and kill you."
"I'm not afraid of death."
"Then what exactly do you want?"
"Can you grant my wish? Like a magician?"
"I'll do my best."
"Your attitude is so cold." Lizi smiled lightly, "I ask you, have you ever really hated others?"
Qiu Sheng thought for a while, then shook his head, "Have you ever truly loved others?"
Qiu Sheng shook his head again.
"I think you shouldn't be able to fulfill my wish."
Then, Reiko put her hand on Akio's left wrist.Her movements are extremely natural.
"It's almost December," she said nonchalantly. "Have the Hong Kong Christmas lights been put up yet?"
"Maybe. Hong Kong is full of Christmas spirit after December."
"Do you remember? You said on Mount Taiping that you would show me the night view of Christmas."
"Yes," Qiusheng replied, "I will never forget."
"It was so happy at that time." Lizi let go of Qiu Sheng's wrist, walked around to the front, and stood in front of Qiu Sheng, "Even now, I think of those days every day."
"Me too." Qiu Sheng said.
Lizi stroked Qiusheng's cheek lightly with her hand, stroking it several times with her slender and clear fingers, as if she wanted to remember his outline.
"I have one request." Lizi said, "I want to be someone else."
"I know."
"Can you do it?"
"Can."
"When the time comes, will you live with me?"
Qiusheng looked at Lizi silently.
"Sorry, I know it's impossible."
Then, she beat Qiu Sheng's chest hard.
"Tell me, what am I supposed to do?"
Qiu Sheng gently put his arms around her shoulders until she gradually calmed down.Lizi cried into tears in Qiusheng's arms.
They didn't know how long they hugged each other. Qiusheng's inner emotions fluctuated violently, and he couldn't tell whether it was sadness or despair.
He is not sympathetic to Reiko, but he is deeply hit by his inability to save this broken soul.
After Lizi finished crying, she apologized and said, "I'm sorry, but after crying, I feel much happier."
She smiled, her face flushed, and she seemed to have regained her vitality.
"I'm going back to Hong Kong tomorrow." Qiu Sheng said, "When you are ready, you can call my mobile phone in Hong Kong at any time. You can go directly to Narita Airport and buy the flight that departs immediately. Even if Kuroki and the others check the ticket reservation Even if the economy class is full, there will definitely still be seats in the first class and business class.”
"I just need to go to Hong Kong, right?" Lizi nodded slightly.
"When you call, you decide on your new name. I will use this name and prepare a passport from another country for you."
"Thank you." Lizi said, "Why are you so nice to me?"
"You don't have to thank me." Qiusheng gently touched Lizi's cheek.Her face was wet from the rain and became so cold.
"You have the right to be happy."
Lizi looked at Qiusheng in surprise.
"I went to see Megumi Nakamura, and she wanted me to tell you this."
"I did a lot to her."
Tears slid down her cheeks and wet Qiusheng's fingertips.Reiko's tears were extraordinarily hot.
"I should go." Lizi wiped away her tears, "I've been crying all the time." She tried her best to smile, but she burst into more tears.
"Be careful." Qiu Sheng said.
"You said the same thing last time."
She laughed again.A car honked its horn desperately and drove past at high speed.A warm body suddenly threw itself into Qiu Sheng's arms.
"You take me away!"
Then she burst into tears.Qiusheng had never heard such a sad voice.
"I can take you wherever you want." After Reiko stopped crying, Akio said.
The headlights illuminated Reiko's thin shoulders, and the car drove past.Even through the expensive fur coat, she could still clearly feel Reiko trembling.
"I'm sorry, but it's impossible."
Qiusheng knew that Lizi would say that.
He put his hand lightly on her trembling shoulder and stared straight into Reiko's face.
"I don't know how to bring you happiness, even if I know, I can't bring you happiness. So, I can only do what I can."
Qiusheng stopped a taxi and let Lizi get in the car.
The rain is getting heavier.
The taxi disappeared quickly.
Qiusheng has been standing in the swirling rain.
There was thunder in the distance, which was rarely heard this season, and Qiu Sheng received a message from Mabu at the hotel counter. "I hope to give you the souvenir I brought to Hong Kong tomorrow." Since he didn't receive a call from Qiu Sheng, he also became anxious.Qiu Sheng borrowed a bath towel from the counter and wiped his wet hair.
He used the public phone in the lobby to call the department's home. Although the next day was Sunday, the department was going to the head office for a meeting in the morning.The market has speculated that the operation of the backbone contractor whose creditor's rights have been waived is in trouble, and it is likely that it will be restructured before the special inspection by the Financial Services Bureau has problems, causing the market to sell a large number of stocks.The operating status of Wujing Construction has always been questioned, and it is likely to become a victim of the market.Once the company disappears, the Ministry is equivalent to standing naked in court.
Akio decided to go around Mabe's before going to Kuroki's office.They agreed to meet in front of the company at eleven o'clock in the morning.He asked the Ministry of Finance to put the discounted financial bonds and unimportant materials into the company's envelope bag, and hand it to him directly without sealing it.Then, he called the airline and made an appointment for a flight from Narita to Hong Kong at 6:00 tomorrow evening.
Take the elevator to the fifteenth floor, turn left along the dark corridor, Qiu Sheng's room is opposite the ice room.
He suddenly remembered, why does Lizi know his mobile phone number?
I seem to have missed something important.
He inserted the key fob and opened the door.At this time, he noticed movement in the ice room behind him.Just as he was about to turn around, he was hit hard on the back of the head and fainted immediately.
When he woke up, Qiu Sheng found himself lying on the bed with a splitting headache and almost unable to think.It takes a lot of effort to open the eyes even slightly.This is a hotel room.He tried his best to look at the clock. It was past three o'clock in the morning, and he returned to the hotel at ten o'clock in the evening. That is to say, he had been in a coma for more than five hours.
He touched the back of his head cautiously.Although there was no bleeding, there was a large swelling.He knew he had to apply ice to the affected area, but he couldn't get up at all.After a while, he passed out again.
At six o'clock in the morning, he woke up again.Seeing Dongfang's Fukong gradually turning pale from the window with the curtains not drawn, he stood up with all his strength, crawled to the bathroom, wet a towel with cold water, and put it on the back of his head.Still had a splitting headache, but it wasn't unbearable anymore.Fortunately, there should be no abnormalities in the bones, and it seems that they should still be able to move.
He inspected the interior, and there was nothing there that would cause trouble if stolen.There was a wallet on the table, and there was a lot of cash in it.The laptop seemed to have been opened by someone, but because Qiu Sheng had previously set a password to start it, the other party seemed to have given up.He opened the safe in the closet, and the passports, debit cards and credit cards were all intact.He checked the room again, only to find that someone had taken the phone from the inside pocket of his jacket.
Obviously, the other party was not just a robber who robbed a restaurant.
He called his cell phone from the hotel phone, but there was no response.The phone is off.
Qiu Sheng felt a little better. He went to the ice room to get ice cubes, wrapped them in a towel, and applied them to the affected area.The affected area seemed to be less swollen than when he first touched it.But as long as I move a little, I feel shaking and want to vomit.He went to the bathroom and vomited some of the contents of his stomach.
Who did it?
At first, he thought it was Kuroki who was warning him.But the current situation has forced Qiu Sheng to return to Hong Kong, and Hei Mu's goal has been achieved, so there is no need to sneak attack at the hotel.If he really thought that Qiu Sheng was in the way, it couldn't be that.
Who the hell is that?Not many people knew that Qiusheng lived here.The old man Kurata, Mabe from Goi Construction, and Onda from the investigation company... As far as he could remember, there were only these three people.Qiu Sheng really couldn't figure out who wanted to attack him.
After a long time, he finally realized that the gangster wanted to know Qiu Sheng's real identity from the phone number, and at the same time, check the phone's incoming calls and dialing records.Although I don't know why, it is obvious that someone wants to know Qiusheng's real name.However, that mobile phone was the prepaid card number Qiu Sheng bought anonymously, even if the number was found, the identity of the owner could not be found out.This time back in Japan, he did not use his cell phone to speak to anyone who knew his real name.
When he thought about these things, his consciousness gradually blurred again.
In his hazy consciousness, he heard Reiko crying.
"You take me away."
He seemed to capture something, however, before putting this information into words, the memory fell into a blank again.
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