Ling Lie arrived at the North District Art Gallery. This place was very close to Xieyang Road where he used to rent, but he had never visited it properly before. If there was any point where he and Ji Chenjiao were particularly compatible, it was that neither had any artistic cells. Designs that others applauded, in his eyes, were just—what the hell?

Now, he stood in front of a “what the hell” wire rack. Many eyeball-shaped bulbs were connected to the rack. The wires were shaped like tentacles, looking completely devoid of beauty, even somewhat disgusting.

The price tag below was incomprehensible to him, and the praises coming from behind were even more baffling.

“So beautiful, really want to own it, if only it were cheaper.”

“Mou Ying’s work? Mou Ying’s again, she’s really talented.”

Mou Ying was Mou Ying’s pseudonym. She signed a contract with this shop called “Autumn Pond”. Her works were sold here. The shop would take a commission, and correspondingly, give certain promotion and act as a go-between for Mou Ying.

The boss didn’t know Mou Ying was dead yet, “You’ve been looking at Mou Ying’s works for a long time. Interested in this dark style?”

Only then did Ling Lie know this style was called dark style, pretending to be an expert, “Just looking more.”

He had a leisurely temperament and long hair. Although he didn’t have a trace of art in his bones, his appearance was very deceptive.

The boss didn’t want to miss such an expert, so he enthusiastically followed behind.

Ling Lie pretended to be interested and looked around, but looked at Mou Ying’s works the most.

The boss thought he liked Mou Ying and quickly recommended: “If you like Mou Ying, we have many of her past works here. See if there’s anything that catches your eye, I’ll sell it to you at a good price.”

Good price?

When sellers actively offer good prices, it’s usually because sales are not good and they are selling at a discount.

Ling Lie asked: “What was her style before?”

Boss: “Beautiful fairy tale style, let me show you…”

At this time, Ji Chenjiao was also looking at Mou Ying’s early sweet works on Mou’s father’s phone.

Mou’s father also showed some screenshots of Mou Ying’s WeChat Moments. Some of them were not found by the serious crime squad, probably deleted by Mou Ying shortly after posting.

One was a photo taken by Mou Ying. A book was open, a line of words underlined with a red pen: That accursed, godless, unnatural technique!​

Mou Ying wrote: My goal.

Mou’s father said: “When I saw this, I shuddered. I really don’t know what she is in contact with all day long!”

Ji Chenjiao read the text on the photo, couldn’t quite understand, searched the underlined sentence online, and found it came from a foreign short story “Pickman’s Model”, classified as absurd horror fiction.

Without time to understand in detail, Ji Chenjiao thought, did Mou Ying want to draw inspiration and energy from these words?

But Mou Ying’s past style was obviously not like this.

Almost at the same moment, Ji Chenjiao and Ling Lie said in unison: “How did she become like this now?”

Although the boss of “Autumn Pond” was a businessman, he was also one of Mou Ying’s few friends in Xiarong City. He came from the same small place as Mou Ying, and Mou Ying came to Xiarong City for development because of his persuasion.

Speaking of the change in Mou Ying’s style, the boss regretted a little, “Actually, I think she used to love this industry purely, but now she’s a bit obsessed.”

Mou Ying had a nickname “Little Witch” in the small circle back home because her ideas were quirky, very spiritual, and had a cute dreamy atmosphere.

But in Xiarong, competition was extremely fierce. To stand out, works had to have something exceptionally bright. Mou Ying’s talent seemed useless here. People around her were more brilliant than her. Someone commented that her works were beautifully mediocre, making people unable to feel vivid struggle.

Works couldn’t sell. Mou Ying had to face not only the blow to her ability but also the more realistic problem that her saved money was running out. The boss lent her money and gave her the best recommendation spot, but she still didn’t improve. The boss wasn’t doing charity; helping to this extent was the limit.

Under pressure, Mou Ying actually started self-harm. Blood, pain, things ordinary people avoid, actually gave the bewildered and depressed her “vitality”. She began to experience what “vivid struggle” was. She created frantically in a room full of stench and finally had a work sold at a high price.

The boss didn’t know how the work came at first, happy she finally found her spirit back, treating her to a good meal. Later, every time she came to deliver works, Mou Ying was scarred. The boss’s wife found something wrong and asked the truth from Mou Ying.

The couple almost called the police. Mou Ying cried and begged, saying she finally found the feeling of creation. If she lost it again, she would rather die! The couple were people in this circle and could understand Mou Ying’s pain. In the end, they chose silence. But the boss’s wife would regularly visit Mou Ying’s home to make sure she was okay.

Once, Mou Ying hurt herself particularly badly. The boss’s wife couldn’t stand it anymore and sent Mou Ying to Rongmei. Their intention was to use the power of psychological intervention to let Mou Ying return to normal life. Whether she could continue creating in the future was the least important thing.

But surprisingly, after receiving treatment, Mou Ying not only stopped self-harming but also repeatedly completed stunning works. After making money, Mou Ying’s mental state also improved a lot. Perhaps it was that saying—popularity nourishes people.

The only regret for the boss couple was that Mou Ying completely stopped creating past sweet style works, all evil, obscure, dark works that left a deep impression.​

The boss said Mou Ying didn’t need their supervision now. Whenever she felt something wrong, she would go to stay in Rongmei for a while. When discharged, she could not only adjust her mentality but also produce works. Except for all works being too dark, there were no other problems. The boss was somewhat worried Mou Ying would be “swallowed” by her own works. Such things were not uncommon in the art circle.

“But we have no position to interfere with her. Not being seen is the most painful thing for a creator.”

In Chaoxia County, Mou Ying’s parents were arranged to rest after questioning.

But the serious crime squad couldn’t stop. Previously focused on investigating attending physician Ha Junli, now others who had communicated with Mou Ying also needed to be screened one by one according to the frequency of contact.

The reason Rongmei became a benchmark for rehabilitation hospitals in the province was precisely because it had a mature nursing system for patients and created a friendly and positive atmosphere among patients.

Besides doctors and nurses, patients also had much contact with rehabilitation scholars.

This was a very unique group. They were originally patients too. After treatment and recovery in Rongmei, they used their spare time to help other patients in Rongmei, conveying mental journeys that only patients could truly empathize with.

A few of them even developed a strong interest in psychological care after recovery, working and studying as rehabilitation scholars in Rongmei.

Sun Jing was one of them. Rehabilitation scholars were different from doctors and nurses; they were not fixedly responsible for a certain patient. Sun Jing and six other rehabilitation scholars had communicated with Mou Ying. The reason Ji Chenjiao noticed her was that the name felt familiar when he first saw it. Upon checking, sure enough, Sun Jing counted as a celebrity locally in Xiarong City.

Four years ago, Sun Jing held multiple positions as screenwriter, director, dancer, and entrepreneur. She was beautiful, learned dancing from a young age, and became somewhat famous before twenty. Later she opened an entertainment company and dance school with her husband, gaining both fame and wealth. In those years, she presented herself as a perfect career woman without any stains. However, a divorce dispute made her disappear from the public eye.

At that time, the media constantly reported her infidelity, using her fame to oppress her husband at home. Her husband was in great pain and nearly committed suicide. Later, the snowball got bigger and bigger. Media also exposed that she became somewhat famous in filmmaking initially because her husband gave money and gifts everywhere. She was not as good as bragged at all. Just before the divorce storm, she even grandly scolded film critics and fans on social networks, having no character to speak of.

Ji Chenjiao remembered Sun Jing apologized for scolding fans, saying it was her impulse, but the apology didn’t win forgiveness for her, instead causing greater scolding. After that, Sun Jing disappeared from the public eye.

“It’s that Sun Jing.” Xi Wan also remembered, “She’s actually a rehabilitation scholar here.”

In the initial screening, Sun Jing stated she chatted with Mou Ying a few times, and Mou Ying even drew a picture for her. Ji Chenjiao felt it necessary to talk deeply with her about Mou Ying. Xi Wan, as a female, was more suitable to question Sun Jing than him.

Xi Wan invited Sun Jing to a lounge with the task. Sun Jing’s eyes were a bit red, mood appearing low, still unable to accept Mou Ying’s suicide.

“I feel she wasn’t that kind of person. She was very friendly. When I told her about my experience, she even comforted me in return. That painting she gave me was to tell me that past things are no longer mine, don’t look back.”

Saying this, Sun Jing found Mou Ying’s painting on her phone. It depicted a woman in a purple long dress dancing gracefully amidst countless snowflakes and fallen leaves. She was cut all over, but she was still dancing, while those snowflakes and fallen leaves hurting her could only spiral and wither, losing vitality.

This painting was very beautiful. Even the blood on the woman had a kind of resolute beauty. It was quite different from those dark works Mou Ying created after coming to Rongmei.

Sun Jing wiped away tears, somewhat self-blaming, “She was the patient with the lightest psychological problems among those I contacted. I felt she might not need me much. Communication with her was scarce recently, failed to discover her predicament.”

Xi Wan asked some questions about Sun Jing herself. Sun Jing smiled relievedly, “Thank you for remembering me, but I have walked out. I no longer make movies, nor dance. What the media says about me is no longer important to me.”

After the questioning ended, Sun Jing stood up elegantly, turning to leave just like the woman still dancing in the painting.

Ji Chenjiao looked at Mou Ying’s painting and thought for a while, suddenly realized he hadn’t seen Ling Lie for half a day, and there was no message from Ling Lie on his phone. Asking Shen Qi, Shen Qi said: “My brother went back to the city.”

Ji Chenjiao’s heart thumped. Since last night, he and Ling Lie had been a bit off. Although they chatted a few sentences today, the problem wasn’t solved, like a tiny grain of sand in the eye, with a presence strong enough to be ignored.

Ji Chenjiao asked Shen Qi what Ling Lie went back to the city for. Shen Qi asked back: “You don’t know, how would I know?”

Ji Chenjiao: …Fine.

Intellectually knowing Ling Lie went back to the city at this time probably to find clues, Ji Chenjiao still felt Ling Lie had the suspicion of deliberately avoiding him. Handing over the work in Chaoxia County, Ji Chenjiao drove back.

On the way, Xie Qing called to ask about the investigation. Ji Chenjiao parked the car on the roadside and told the truth. After chatting for a while, when about to hang up, Xie Qing casually said: “Ling Lie isn’t with you?”

Really mentioning the pot that doesn’t boil. Ji Chenjiao thought, I’m just going back to catch him.

But suddenly, a thought popped up in Ji Chenjiao’s mind. He did mention Yan Xi to Ling Lie, but Ling Lie seemed to know more about Yan Xi than what he said. Where did Ling Lie learn it from?

“Senior brother.” Ji Chenjiao changed the address, “Did you tell Ling Lie something?”

Xie Qing: “Hmm? You mean?”

Ji Chenjiao paused for a few seconds, still mentioning the name almost never mentioned in front of Xie Qing, “Yan Xi.”

The other end of the phone also quieted down. After a while, Xie Qing said: “Ling Lie asked me about the relationship between you and Yan Xi.”

Ji Chenjiao frowned, lips pressed tightly.

“Junior brother, to Ling Lie, you are a very special person.” Xie Qing said: “Even I, an outsider, can see it. He is very interested in your private affairs, but unwilling to ask you personally.”

This didn’t sound like good words, but Ji Chenjiao didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. On the contrary, his heart felt like a furry paw scratching, tickling the tip of his heart.

“First he asked me about you, now you are asking what he asked.” Xie Qing laughed: “Look at what you two are doing.”

Ji Chenjiao touched the root of his ear, momentarily not knowing how to answer.

Xie Qing: “As a senior brother, I won’t say much else, you know it yourself. But at least I’m a few years older than you. If you think my words make sense, listen; if not, treat them as wind passing the ear.”

Ji Chenjiao: “Mm, I’m listening.”

Xie Qing: “Cats, these small animals, look gentle and harmless, but are very shrewd inside. And towards the prey they fancy, possessiveness is outrageously strong.”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

Xie Qing: “Alright, go to work.”

Ling Lie left “Autumn Pond”, bought nothing, found the phone in his pocket vibrating, took it out to look, eyebrows raised slightly.

“Where are you?” Ji Chenjiao asked.

Ling Lie: “Far away.”

Ji Chenjiao: “Report location.”

Ling Lie kicked a small stone on the road, carelessly, “Report and you’ll appear?”

Ji Chenjiao: “Report first.”

Ling Lie looked at the roadside sign full of literary style, “Culture Second Corridor.”

Ji Chenjiao: “Ten minutes.”

Ling Lie was stunned for two seconds, “You are in the city? You really coming?”

Ten minutes later, Ji Chenjiao really came.

This street had many uniquely decorated cafes. Ji Chenjiao took Ling Lie into one. Ling Lie hugged a mint slushie sucking fiercely, just like a cat sucking catnip.

Ji Chenjiao looked at him. He lifted his eyelids, meeting Ji Chenjiao’s gaze.

“Why did you come?”

“What are you doing here?”

The two spoke simultaneously. Ling Lie wiped his mouth, “Of course I came to share the burden for your serious crime squad, chatting with Mou Ying’s friends.”

The reason Ji Chenjiao could appear in ten minutes was also because he expected Ling Lie would come to the place where Mou Ying sold works.

Ling Lie finished talking about what he learned in “Autumn Pond”. Ji Chenjiao handed the phone to Ling Lie. In the album were some of Mou Ying’s early works provided by Mou’s father. These works were worlds apart from those selling well now, simply not like from the same person.

Ji Chenjiao said: “The boss’s wife of ‘Autumn Pond’ sent Mou Ying to Rongmei to stop her self-harm, but by accident, Mou Ying found that compared to using self-harm to inspire, the weird crowd in Rongmei could stimulate her more.”

Ling Lie nodded, “Seems Ha Junli’s feeling wasn’t wrong. Mou Ying didn’t go to Rongmei to cure illness at all, but treated morbidity as nutrient.”

Ji Chenjiao looked at the messy ideas written in the notebook, piecing together Mou Ying’s mental journey—

In her original narrow world, she was maverick and talented. Those who understood her said she should go to a broader world. So she went. But what awaited her was fierce competition. Everyone was influenced by art since childhood, inspiration endless. She was completely surpassed, breathless. Her style was admired by no one here; she must change.

But how to change? Sharp, crazy, depicting with blood.

The law of the jungle was everywhere in this circle. Her evil was triggered; she needed more evil. By chance, she discovered a treasure like Rongmei, filled with mental patients, madmen rampant. They were her nutrients, her inspiration continuous.

But slowly, the earlier “gentle” stimulation couldn’t give her inspiration anymore. She needed greater stimulation. And at this time, Jiang Yunduo appeared.

“Mou Ying used Rongmei to create.” Ji Chenjiao pondered: “Then who used her?”

The sound of Ling Lie sucking slushie pulled Ji Chenjiao back. He looked at Ling Lie intently, eyes gradually becoming serious.

Ling Lie’s eyes rolled twice, a bit uncomfortable, “I finished drinking, I want to go back.”

Ji Chenjiao suddenly reached out, grabbing his wrist across the table.

There were quite a few people in the cafe, speaking in low voices. Human voices mixed with music, like somewhat distant white noise.

“I haven’t finished drinking.” Ji Chenjiao said. The mocha in front of him was almost untouched. Ling Lie struggled in his hand twice, didn’t break free. He looked at Ling Lie again, “Accompany me.”

Ling Lie’s eye tail moved very lightly, gaze slightly downwards, “Then let go first.”

Ji Chenjiao let go, slowly tasting a sip.

Ling Lie watched anxiously, “Are you the kind of person who can mooch air conditioning for a day with one cup of coffee?”

Ji Chenjiao: “What’s the rush? Order another slushie for you?”

Ling Lie: “It’s not good for us beautiful men to drink too much ice.”

Ji Chenjiao couldn’t help laughing, drank another mouthful of coffee, then said: “About last night, I want to have a good talk with you.”

Ling Lie’s round eyes widened a bit, but quickly squinted back.

“Yan Xi is indeed a very unusual person to me. When Captain Ning was busy, he took me to investigate cases.”

Ling Lie looked east and west, “Oh.”

“He taught me many skills. After he and Captain Ning disappeared, for a long time, I thought he had an accident together with Captain Ning.”

“But I didn’t fully trust him.”

Ling Lie stopped looking around.

“I also imagined another possibility. He deliberately approached Captain Ning because Captain Ning had something he wanted. After he got it, or he didn’t get it but Captain Ning found clues, he made Captain Ning ‘disappear’.”

Ji Chenjiao paused for a moment, “The longer the time, the more the latter thought prevails. For so many years, I haven’t been able to forget him, and care about him very much, because my master likely disappeared because of him. To solve this mystery, Yan Xi is a name that cannot be bypassed.”

Ji Chenjiao stared at Ling Lie’s gently opening and closing pupils, “My attention to Yan Xi, and attention to you, have completely different meanings. Apart from similar thinking modes when analyzing cases, you have no other similarities. Even this point, after deep contact, I also know you are different.”

He said: “Can you understand?”

Ling Lie’s ear tips turned slightly red; Ji Chenjiao saw it. Ling Lie touched his ear, the redness on the tip instantly spreading to the auricle.

“Captain Ji, you talk a lot today.”

“Isn’t it because someone grabbed a few ‘alike’ from me, got jealous and turned hostile?”

Ling Lie’s eyes were bright, hugging the empty slushie cup, “No oh, I ate slushie, not vinegar.”

Ji Chenjiao felt Ling Lie at this moment was triumphant, the small action of lifting his chin both annoying and cute.

It was getting late. Ji Chenjiao finished the remaining coffee, about to get up when Ling Lie pressed the back of his hand. Ling Lie suddenly leaned close to his face, whispering in his ear: “You shouldn’t be jealous. I never liked the married man Xiao Yu’an.”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

Ling Lie hadn’t finished: “Nor liked the married man’s domestic ragdoll cat.”

Ji Chenjiao was wondering what he should say when Ling Lie kissed his ear, “I only like our Xiao Ji.”

Bang—Xiao Ji’s precise calculation brain short-circuited.

Ling Lie wanted to slip away after speaking, but his hand was held back by Ji Chenjiao, dragging his body back.

“Hey hey hey? Falling falling!” Ling Lie retreated on tiptoes, lost balance, and fell into Ji Chenjiao’s arms, sprawling.

Ji Chenjiao took this posture of sitting in the sofa, gripped Ling Lie’s chin, and kissed down.

Ling Lie opened his eyes wide, eyelashes blinking fast, two legs kicking outside the sofa. Only good thing was this was the North District Cultural Corridor. People frequenting here were exceptionally open-minded. Two men getting drunk on coffee didn’t seem like something worth watching.

Ji Chenjiao vented the day’s stifled frustration in this kiss. After kissing, he felt refreshed instantly. Looking at Ling Lie kissed silly by him, he wanted to do it again.

But Ling Lie reacted fast this time, jumping up from the sofa, “Going to swell! Unless you treat me to another mint slushie!”

Ji Chenjiao: “…” Who said just now beautiful men can’t eat too much ice?

Ling Lie happily left the coffee shop holding the slushie, trying hard to reduce swelling for his mouth.

Getting in the car, Ji Chenjiao said: “Not swollen anymore?”

Ling Lie performed panic with poor acting skills, “What do you want to do?”

Ji Chenjiao took away the slushie, replacing the straw’s position.

The mint-flavored kiss was cold. Ji Chenjiao fell in love with the taste of mint at this moment.

And shortly after the two left the Cultural Corridor, a person who hadn’t appeared in Xiarong City for a long time—Bai Lingxue—pushed open the door of “Autumn Pond” and walked in.

Author’s note:
Cited from “Pickman’s Model”​