DCFRP Extra 31

TL: Hua

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Two nights later, Qi Xiaoyu returned from outside in an eco-friendly vehicle.

He had just arrived at the entrance when he saw someone walking out.

Gu Zizhen was accompanying Yang Baosen, followed by Yang Haiqin, as they walked out of the Red Moon Troupe’s gate together.

Yang Haiqin’s lips were drooping, and his eyes were red, making him look very aggrieved.

Yang Baosen’s expression, on the other hand, was quite normal. He walked out while talking to Gu Zizhen, showing no signs of displeasure.

Seeing Qi Xiaoyu get out of the vehicle and come in from outside, all three stopped.

Qi Xiaoyu tightened his grip on the package in his hand, took a deep breath, composed himself, and then walked over, greeting Yang Baosen as usual.

Yang Baosen also shook his hand politely and said, “Haiqin has been under your care these past few days at your troupe. Thank you for your trouble.”

“Mr. Yang, you’re too polite. It is our duty to care for our apprentices since we opened our doors to accept them.”

At this moment, Yang Haiqin, who was behind Yang Baosen, interjected, “Uncle is right. I want to thank Teacher Qi and Teacher Gu for your care. Teacher Qi, I originally wanted to bid my farewell to you for a little longer today, but you’re not around. Where did you go?”

Qi Xiaoyu glanced at him with slight surprise and said calmly, “I had some personal matters.”

Yang Haiqin said, “Oh,” but his gaze fell on the package in Qi Xiaoyu’s hand.

The few of them exchanged a few more polite remarks, and then Yang Baosen left with his nephew.

After they left, Gu Zizhen and Qi Xiaoyu also turned around and walked towards their home.

Gu Zizhen shook his head as he walked. “This child is truly not simple. He has so many thoughts at such a young age. He was talking to me just fine before, but as soon as his uncle arrived, he immediately started crying.

He put on a different face when he saw you.”

Qi Xiaoyu replied somewhat absentmindedly, glancing back at the entrance. He only saw the backs of Yang Baosen and his nephew as they left.

He couldn’t help but recall the look in Yang Haiqin’s eyes just now, and a bad premonition arose in his heart, but he immediately dismissed it as being too suspicious tonight.

Just then, Gu Zizhen asked him, “By the way, Xiaoyu, where did you go tonight? Why are you back so late?”

It was indeed a bit late.

He didn’t go to the Laurel Stage today, yet he returned even later than usual.

Qi Xiaoyu walked beside Gu Zizhen with his eyes lowered. After a while, he said, “I had some things to do.”

After asking, Gu Zizhen didn’t wait for Qi Xiaoyu’s reply and said, “Wanrou left you some late-night snacks. Go eat it quickly and go to bed.”

Perhaps having confirmed the answer in his heart, he didn’t ask any further questions.

Qi Xiaoyu absentmindedly ate a bowl of glutinous rice balls in fermented rice wine, then returned to his room, locked the door, and opened the package in his hand.

Inside the package was a folder, and outside was a box. He opened the box, took out the folder, and found that it was covered in blood, which was still hot and still wet.

Qi Xiaoyu clenched his fists and closed his eyes.

The events of half an hour ago flashed before his eyes one by one.

He had agreed to Jiang Sicheng’s request to stall Yamada Ichiro.

When he went to perform in Japan, he met Ichiro Yamada, who really liked his performance. He didn’t have to put in much effort to stall him.

However, something else went wrong on Jiang Sicheng’s side, and they were discovered.

When Jiang Sicheng handed him this engineering blueprint, both Jiang Sicheng himself and his several classmates were covered in blood.

Jiang Sicheng kept waving at him, urging him to leave quickly and deliver the item to Xun Qian.

But now he had no idea about Jiang Sicheng’s situation.

Was he still alive? Had he escaped? Where was he? Was he safe?

Qi Xiaoyu’s mind was full of questions as he stared blankly at the object in front of him for a while.

Then, he tried hard to calm himself down and quickly set fire to the blood-stained folder.

Finally, he took out the engineering blueprint that Jiang Sicheng had mentioned and placed it separately in his colorful box for storing hair ornaments.

When he opened the lid of the box, Qi Xiaoyu was stunned. The box had been touched by someone else.

He had cleaned all his hair ornaments one by one and carefully placed them in the box.

He had always been very meticulous about these things, and their placement had a certain order.

Even sometimes when he just casually placed them, they would naturally fall at a fixed angle in a fixed position.

Usually, apart from himself, only Qi Wanrou would come in to help him tidy up, but Qi Wanrou rarely touched his precious items.

Qi Xiaoyu frowned, but unfortunately, there was no time to investigate this now.

He quickly picked up the engineering blueprint and the box and locked them all in his trunk.

After finishing everything, he lay down on the bed. He thought he should try his best to act as usual, then contact Xun Qian and find an opportunity to hand over the engineering blueprint to him.

He absolutely couldn’t involve more people and didn’t want the others in the Red Moon Troupe to get mixed up in this matter.

The next day, he woke up early.

Qi Xiaoyu tried to behave as usual and first called Xun Qian.

Then he went to talk and take a walk with Qi Fengjian.

Qi Fengjian seemed to be in better spirits today than in the past few days. Although his gaze was still slow, it followed Qi Xiaoyu all the time.

Xun Qian was clearly surprised when he heard what he had done on the phone. He immediately made arrangements, telling him not to do anything unusual today and that he would come to the Laurel Stage to pick him up in the evening. They would go home together, and then he would take the engineering blueprint.

Qi Xiaoyu agreed and asked if he had any news about Jiang Sicheng.

Xun Qian said no, he will investigate and tell him everything later tonight.

Then Qi Xiaoyu began to wait for the evening to arrive.

In the evening, he went on stage to perform “Spring Boudoir Dream.”

The theater was full of opera fans, and applause thundered at the highlights. Everything was as usual.

After the performance, he went backstage to remove his makeup and change clothes, waiting for Xun Qian to come to him.

But before Xun Qian arrived, a burst of noise erupted outside.

Qi Xiaoyu had only removed half of his makeup when Manager Wu rushed over anxiously.

The crackling charcoal fire reflected Manager Wu’s anxious face, making it look a bit strange. “Boss Qi, there are so many reporters outside today. Why don’t you quickly leave through the side door?”

As soon as he finished speaking, and before Qi Xiaoyu could ask why there were so many reporters today, a staff member ran over. “Manager Wu, there are reporters outside the side door too! What on earth is going on today?

There are even more reporters than the past two days!”

Qi Xiaoyu’s heart sank.

The others in the opera troupe also gathered around, hearing the commotion.

Xi Yun pushed the others aside and squeezed to the front. “What’s going on with these reporters? They’re making a racket like someone was killed.”

Manager Wu licked his lips. “That’s not wrong judging from the way they look. Boss Qi… What exactly happened? What did you do?”

Xi Yun shouted, “How would Xiaoyu know what happened! Go ask those reporters!”

“Manager Wu, Senior Brother, don’t worry, I’ll go out and take a look.”

Qi Xiaoyu’s mind raced. Although he didn’t know why so many reporters had come looking for him tonight, he thought it was very likely related to last night’s events.

He comforted Xi Yun, “Senior Brother, you stay here with the others and wait for me. Don’t go out.”

“No way! It’s such a commotion outside. How can I let you go out alone?”

This time, the reporters’ interview was clearly different from the previous few days.

There were many more people, no, several times more, and everyone had an agitated expression on their faces.

Seeing Qi Xiaoyu’s figure appear, what lit up was no longer the flash of cameras but a chorus of angry curses.

“Three students were killed by the Japanese army last night. Do you know about this?”

“I heard you went to Yamada Ichiro’s residence to perform last night. Is that true?”

“They are killing our students, yet you went specifically to perform for them.

Truly, a merchant’s daughter knows no sorrow for her fallen nation, still singing ‘Backyard Flowers’ across the river.”

“What is your relationship with them? Were you bought off by them and became a traitor?”

“I heard that one of the students’ last contacts was you. Did you betray their whereabouts?”

Qi Xiaoyu stood there dumbfounded, the first sentence echoing in his mind: “Three students killed by the Japanese army.”

While Qi Xiaoyu’s thoughts were in chaos, the reporters pushed forward again.

They couldn’t enter the foreign concession, but they could come to the Laurel Stage.

In an instant, Qi Xiaoyu became the outlet for all their anger.

Qi Xiaoyu gritted his teeth. This matter had come too suddenly, and even he didn’t know how everything had developed to this point.

When he called Xun Qian this morning, even Xun Qian didn’t know Jiang Sicheng’s whereabouts.

“Everyone, please calm down. Although I don’t know the details of what happened, I can guarantee that I have absolutely not done anything to betray my country.”

Qi Xiaoyu raised his voice. At this moment, he knew he had to focus on the main point.

But his clarification didn’t seem to quell the anger of these reporters at all.

“What’s the use of your guarantee? We want evidence. Did you go to Yamada Ichiro’s place last night or not?”

“The army that killed people is under Yamada Ichiro’s command.”

Qi Xiaoyu had indeed gone. He couldn’t lie, and lying now would only lead to more trouble later.

“Everyone, please calm down! How could Mr. Qi possibly do such a thing!”

At this moment, Chu He rushed out from the crowd and shouted, “Have you all forgotten that Mr. Qi gave charity performances for the army to raise funds?

I dare to guarantee that Mr. Qi would not do anything to betray his country for personal gain.”

“What right do you have to guarantee? Who are you to him? Were you with him last night? Do you know what he did?” Chu He’s words were immediately refuted.

“Then can I vouch for him?” A cold voice rang out from outside the crowd. It was Xun Qian, who had arrived at the agreed time to pick up Qi Xiaoyu.

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