Chapter 4: The Prodigal Leaves Home (Part 3)
She said, "I won't argue with you. Look—there's a gap in this wall. It's neither a foyer nor a window. What does that mean? A passageway opened up between this unit and the next?"
I said, "The connecting wall between Unit 1 and Unit 2 of Yun Ting Lan Yuan isn't a load-bearing wall. That makes the walls between the two units thinner and less private. Normally, a luxury home should offer sufficient privacy, but this was deliberate—because both units are 142 square meters each."
"What does that have to do with the floor plan?"
"National regulations classify any home over 144 square meters as a luxury property, subject to a 3% luxury tax. Wealthy people who want a mansion without paying the premium use two separate purchase quotas to buy two units, then knock out the connecting wall to create a single home of nearly 300 square meters—while only paying the standard 1.5% tax on ordinary housing. That's also why Yun Ting Lan Yuan is so popular among the city's wealthy."
Wendy Xu's eyes widened with sudden understanding. She whispered, "Rich people really are cheapskates. I've dealt with so many of them. They chase after rights but despise their obligations."
I studied the renovation plans carefully, frowning. "I've been inside Victor Li's home before, and I'm sure the wall wasn't opened up."
She paused. "Could it be... a secret passage?"
I fell into deep thought. This was a major discovery for us. "It's possible. This lead is important—we need to go see for ourselves. Let's put everything back first."
I photographed the renovation plans, returned the documents to their place, then told the elderly couple we'd found what we needed and would come back another time. We left in a hurry.
Out the door, my heart was still pounding. What should have been a straightforward arson case involving Nora Zhao was becoming stranger the deeper we dug. The biggest clue still had to be found at the scene of the fire!
Wendy Xu walked beside me, unable to hold back. "If you go back to the scene of the fire, the chances of getting caught are extremely high. Everyone in that complex—the residents, the property management—they've all seen your wanted poster!"
"You're right. The moment I'm recognized, it's over."
"Then should we even go?"
I said, "Yun Ting Lan Yuan is an exclusive, high-end community. Sneaking in undetected is hard, but not impossible. Those of us fighting for our homes have been staking out Victor Li for years—we've developed methods."
"How?"
"Just follow me."
I led Wendy Xu away from the main entrance and around to the garbage collection area behind the complex.
Rows of dumpsters were stored here, and the stench was overpowering. Wendy Xu covered her nose and mouth. "Why are we here?"
I explained, "Because the access road is still under construction, no cars or foot traffic come through here. It's the ideal holding area. Several nearby communities bring their dumpsters here for pickup, and after the garbage trucks empty them, they haul the bins back. That's how we get in!"
"You actually sneaked in this way before?"
"Not exactly. We had other methods, but those were just for avoiding property management. Today we need to avoid the residents too."
Yun Ting Lan Yuan always emptied its dumpsters in the afternoon, and the timing was about right. I searched the rows and quickly found bins marked with the complex's name. They were still full of uncollected garbage.
I found a concealed spot for us to wait. Eventually the city garbage truck arrived, efficiently emptied the bins, and departed. Then the cleaning staff from each complex came to haul the empties back.
After a long wait, an elderly worker from Yun Ting Lan Yuan drove up in a small truck and began loading the empty bins.
Once enough bins were on board, I whispered to Wendy Xu, "Now's our chance."
Using the truck and dumpsters as cover, I climbed onto the vehicle and pulled her up after me. I kept an eye on the old man, and when he turned to grab the next bin, I quickly shoved Wendy Xu into an empty dumpster, then dove into the one beside it and pulled the lid shut.
If I'd left the lid open, residents on higher floors might have spotted the figures hiding inside.
Once inside the dumpster, Wendy Xu cracked the lid open and whispered, "I think I'm going to throw up from the smell."
"This is the best option we've got. Bear with it and stay quiet."
After a while, I felt the truck start moving. The old man was driving us into Yun Ting Lan Yuan. Through the crack in the lid, I watched the neighborhood glide past.
He headed straight for the underground parking garage and began replacing the bins there. I was thrilled—reaching the garage was exactly what I needed.
When the truck stopped and he went to swap the outermost bins, I seized the moment and climbed out, pulling Wendy Xu after me. While the old man was still focused on his work, we slipped away from the other side of the truck. He didn't notice a thing.
Wendy Xu walked beside me, patting her clothes in distaste. "Won't the security cameras pick us up? I've heard upscale communities have people monitoring the feeds."
"I know every camera in this complex inside and out."
She stared at me in disbelief. "You knew that much in advance? You really are the one who set the fire?"
"No—the homeowners fighting for their rights sneak in all the time to cause trouble. We throw eggs and paint at Victor Li's cars."
"Aren't you afraid of getting arrested? Even if he's wronged you, destroying private property is still illegal."
"Only one of us got caught. A buddy of ours livestreamed himself flinging manure at a car and got cheers from the whole group chat. The police picked him up pretty quick—the chat logs were Exhibit A. He got three days of administrative detention, but we respect the hell out of him."
"Did he... use his hands to fling it?"
"He used a ladle!"
"That's disgusting. But I understand—if I'd bought a stalled condo, I'd lose my mind too."
I led Wendy Xu through the complex, easily avoiding each camera. "We know this place inside and out. No matter where Victor Li parked, we could hit his car with paint. See that utility room over there? We broke the lock ourselves. Sometimes we hide out in there, or store leftover eggs and paint inside."
Wendy Xu shook her head. "You folks will do anything to make Victor Li's life miserable."
Once inside the residential building, I had Wendy Xu take the elevator to the 14th floor while I used the stairs, worried about being recognized.
The climb left me gasping for air, but as I Ascended, I could hear voices above—crying that grew louder the closer I got to the 15th floor.
Reaching the 14th floor, Wendy Xu was already waiting. She told me people were arguing upstairs.
Arguing?
I crept to the stairwell entrance on the 15th floor and peered out. I froze.
Funeral wreaths and a memorial portrait were arranged outside Victor Li's door, and yellow police tape sealed the entrance.
His family members were burning paper money in the hallway. The body lay at the door, covered by a blanket. In our local custom, the deceased stays for three days before cremation and burial.
But what made my heart stop was a slender figure kneeling before the family.
She wore a cheap white dress already stained with dust from the floor.
A large blue hiking pack sat beside her, making her look even more fragile and small.
She pressed her forehead to the floor and held the position for a long time.
It was Elena Chen.
The family members burned their paper money as though she were invisible. Victor Li's son, still in mourning clothes, spoke in a trembling voice: "The suspect hasn't even been caught, and you bring a million yuan, asking for our forgiveness?"
Wendy Xu asked, "Who is that woman?"
I said, "That's Victor Li's only son, Howard Li. A rich kid born with a silver spoon. He founded several companies at a young age—thanks to his own hard work and his father's millions in startup capital. He built them into thriving businesses—thanks to his own talent and his father's connections."
"I meant the woman."
"None of your business."
"More than a million..." Elena said weakly to Howard Li. "My grandmother also passed away last month. I've arranged with my relatives to cash out my inheritance—that should cover another four hundred thousand. For the rest, I'll find a way to make up the difference and compensate your family."
"Compensate my ass!"
Howard Li suddenly hurled paper money at Elena's head, roaring: "My father is dead, and you throw money at us for forgiveness? Get out! I wish the person who died was you!"
Elena flinched from the impact, then quickly lowered her head again, whispering apologies.
I stared at the scene, numb.
Last night in the park, she hadn't said any of this.
She'd said that even if the whole world stood against me, she believed it had simply misunderstood me.
And in the end... she didn't believe me at all, did she?
When the world misunderstood me, she could only kneel there, humbly begging for forgiveness, pleading for people to forgive me.