Chapter One: A Two Hundred Thousand Dollar Date

The voice of Su Meijiao, charming and alluring, came through the phone: "Gu Qingcheng, come back quickly, we have received a major commission, and the client specifically requested you." The voice of my old partner was so sweet it could almost drip honey, reminding me from across the ocean of the demeanor of Mama Sang's popular daughter at work.

In a tempting tone: "Come back to Guai Guai City, let's work on this business deal. I will prepare a super seafood feast for you, how about we enjoy Su Mei together?"

I also shook her like a microphone, and only after regaining my senses did I realize how unrealistic it was: "Two hundred thousand dollars? He could hire a police force to protect his bottle, or he could employ a thousand people to form a circle day and night, ensuring that not a drop could escape from the bottle"

He described himself like a philosopher, yet I recalled my partner Su Mei once harshly criticized me, saying that when I smiled, I looked like an idiot, devoid of any cunning. Even the most timid vendor would dare to take advantage of such a smile, charging exorbitant prices.

However, I do not intend to explain this to my former boss. A person can have so many secrets and thoughts that even friends may not necessarily share them all.

I believe I am an extreme person. Since returning from my setbacks in Italy, I have nearly changed all of my previous habits: I no longer care about the affairs of those around me, whether public or private, and I have not smiled for an entire month. Even with the table filled with bouquets sent by others, I casually give them to my female colleagues nearby, never having cared about these bouquets or their owners.

He was unconvinced: "My library has the most comprehensive resources in the world"

Some say that one can fall in love with a city because of loving a person, which is somewhat akin to the sentiment of loving everything associated with that person. I, however, take a more extreme view; I can come to resent a city because of hating a person, wishing for it to vanish into thin air along with the individual living within it

Su Mei shouted at the top of her lungs: "Two hundred thousand dollars for the刺 | 激!" The microphone, which was perfectly fine, buzzed loudly, indicating that it might be time to retire early

I had not finished speaking yet, so I immediately moved the microphone away from my ear by about 10 centimeters. Only after half a minute did I dare to bring the microphone close again, just as Su Mei's roar came to an end. Su Mei's thunderous fury transformed into a brewing storm, and she said darkly: "Gu Qingcheng, if you do not return immediately, I will set your detective agency on fire!"

He does not believe it, and I have no way to convince him, because many times I am not clear about myself. However, it is indeed true that I run a top-notch private detective agency in the country. As a well-known private detective, my fees are certainly not lower than those of any of my peers in the country. And now, I must attend an appointment worth two hundred thousand US dollars

Your eyes may not be very large, but they resemble a deep well, concealing countless secrets. Can I know what you are thinking?

Su Mei lazily remarked: "Indeed, it is a pity that they only trust the owner of the detective agency, Gu Qingcheng. What can be done? It's merely about protecting an antique vase of unknown origin. Is it really necessary for you to take action personally?"

After waiting for a while, he suddenly said: "My original name was Youhe, with 'You' meaning sorrow, but I like science, so I changed it to Yinhé."

I have been working in the Foreign Languages Department of the Galactic Library for a month now. This is my new job, where I catalog and write summaries for newly ordered books in German, French, and Japanese every day. It can be a bit tedious, yet it serves as a good way to escape the world. Immersed in a sea of books every day, a single day in the book can feel like a thousand years in the world. It sounds quite elegant, but in essence, it is no different from those who, after a heartbreak, hide away to indulge in self-pity; both are forms of escapism from a reality devoid of prospects.

Indeed, I understand that this private library is no less impressive than the Library of Congress in the United States, yet I still smiled and shook my head

I smiled and shook my head

Today, I am wearing a plain white shirt and camel-colored trousers, with the button opened to the third from the collar, yet it does not reveal any cleavage. A loosely tied light gray silk scarf around my neck perfectly covers my collarbone. My wrist hangs down, and from the sleeves of the shirt, a peculiar silver chain and a book peek out, thick enough to moor an oil tanker at the dock, making my already slender wrists appear even more bony.

Upon hearing this, it is indeed simple; an antique vase, no matter how high its value, is not universally applicable, and most are insured, which may simply be a reflection of its owner's excessive regard. Wait a moment, Su Mei just used the term "unknown origin"; antiques, like rare animals, must have their lineage clarified to hold value. It seems this vase is indeed extremely precious, but even that has its limits

"Indeed, that person who sent you the Chinese lily." He sighed earnestly, "You look truly beautiful when you smile, as if nothing in the world matters, and everything is within reach. You should smile more often..."

He shrugged and said, "Well, I never knew you had such a sense of humor." He looked me up and down once more.

The other party's gaze clearly conveyed the words "not believing"

I almost laughed; he nearly said that there is someone here who needs you, a library, how exaggerated. This massive building is so innocent, yet it has to bear a connection for a tiny human being.

Guo Yinhai slowly said again: "Can you not leave? There is a library here that needs you"

Today I received a bouquet of lilies, with short and thick stems, lush green leaves, and the Chinese lilies air-freighted and wrapped in purple paper. I thought for a moment and actually went out to buy a glass vase to arrange the lilies.

Su Mei said: "Tomorrow? Tonight! The plane for tomorrow must carry local products"

I sighed; they finally found me. Oh, it is her, not them. I forgot that at this moment, I only have one partner guarding our old nest. Because her persistence contrasts with my irresponsibility, I am determined to award her a labor prize when I return.

The soft approach is ineffective, and the other party began to speak harshly: "It has been a month, Miss. You don't intend to sell the detective agency to me, do you? Hiding in some library has caused me to investigate for a month! Hmph, if you no longer want the detective agency, you might as well sell it. I wouldn't want it even if you offered it with your name and the name of the book, unless it is renamed to Su Mei Detective Agency."

I said with a smile: "Guo, my profession is a private detective"

To my surprise, Director Guo Yinhai's reaction was unusual. After he let out a sound of "ah," he did not express any further opinions. I had thought there would be some polite words of persuasion, but he omitted those entirely. It seems I overestimated myself

I thought for a moment and said, "Su Mei, it's just about protecting a bottle, there's no challenge in it..."

Because of this discovery, even the most ordinary things are adorned with a halo of value

I let out a soft exclamation, and only then did I recall the roses and birds of paradise he had likely given me in the past. Suddenly, I understood what he was trying to convey. I looked him over: his thick, heavy black-framed glasses and scholarly elegance. I shook my head and said, "I’m sorry you don’t know."

I know that my current attire is somewhat unconventional, but whether it is a white-collar or a hip-hop style, I believe it is far removed from the profession of a "private detective"

I originally thought that my curiosity had died, but it turns out that one's nature is hard to change. Amid Su Mei's sly laughter, my curiosity was rekindled. I sighed, "Tomorrow's flight"

Jenny looked at me sympathetically and said, "You should ask your friend to do half an hour of aerobics every day after work, avoid eating meat for dinner, and only have lettuce salad and drink yogurt. I can lose eighteen pounds in a month."

I nodded slightly and went out to pack my things. I heard footsteps behind me; Guo Yinhai followed me out. I shrugged my shoulders, waiting for him to speak.

I went to the director's office to resign. I was fortunate that the young director has been in the office this week, so I didn't have to go through the trouble of writing a resignation letter.

I merely nodded: "Of course, we Chinese value our word as if it were worth a thousand gold pieces."

I can only smile. In brief: "My friend, she has a large physique, so her nickname is Big Fish"

After waiting for a long time, Guo Yinhai said: "So you like Chinese lilies, but unfortunately I didn't know, I never expected..." He did not continue, and his gloomy gaze became even more somber.

I smiled and thanked her, Jenny weighs nearly 140 pounds

However, I did not say anything; I simply smiled and thanked him

God bless me, apart from producing world-famous handsome men, I am still unclear about the local products.

Su Mei said, "But they specifically came to us." She smiled slyly, "He must have some unspeakable secret. As long as we have something on him, then... haha." She chuckled several times.

When I returned, my colleague Jenny told me that a girl who called herself "Big Fish" had called me at noon. Just as she was saying this, Jenny received another call and gestured to me: "Fish! Big Fish!"

The best way to understand everything in the world is to discover it for oneself, and the same applies to understanding a person. Rather than providing a complete account, I would prefer that others take the initiative to discover me, just as I would discover a beautiful painting or a delightful CD.

I am somewhat moved: "That person?"

I was taken aback: "What kind of sting or shock did you receive?"

It was only yesterday that I learned the library is named after its owner, whose Chinese name is Guo Yinhai. He is a melancholic British-Chinese man, with a pale complexion and a gloomy gaze, which perfectly complements the continuous rainy weather in Manchester

He showed his joy on his face: "You go back to handle your affairs, what matters are you dealing with? Can I help?"

I remain silent; this issue seems to exceed the boundaries between employer and employee, and I believe I can choose not to respond. In fact, I think my appearance of deep contemplation is related to my habitual daydreaming, but more importantly, it is because my left eye has a nearsightedness of 200 degrees. If you notice me squinting and gazing intently at a distant point, it should indicate that I am striving to overcome the haze of my current emotional turmoil.

Putting down the phone, Jenny stared at me with wide eyes, as if my Chinese words were nothing but gibberish to her, completely incomprehensible. I was also at a loss, wondering how to explain a type of large seafood fish that Chinese people enjoy, called Su Mei. My friend, therefore, refers to himself as a big fish to avoid the hassle of explaining marine biology. Oh no, I must not mention this; I almost forgot that Jenny is from the Wildlife Conservation Society. If she hears that I eat seafood, she will surely regard me as a barbarian, categorizing me as an outlier. I was also at a loss, wondering how to explain a type of large seafood fish that Chinese people enjoy, called Su Mei. My friend, therefore, refers to himself as a big fish to avoid the hassle of explaining marine biology. Oh no, I must not mention this; I almost forgot that Jenny is from the Wildlife Conservation Society. If she hears that I eat seafood, she will surely regard me as a barbarian, categorizing me as an outlier

It is all because of the gluttonous mole at the corner of my right mouth. I swallowed hard and thought, "You seem like someone who is good at making excuses... What’s the big deal? Can’t you just handle it yourself?" Indeed, Su Mei used to be a freelance photographer for National Geographic, commissioned to capture extraordinary phenomena such as the aurora borealis and endangered species. She has traveled far and wide, gaining extensive knowledge and experience, and with her fourth-degree black belt in Taekwondo, she is more than capable of dealing with most emergencies.

I made a sound of "hm," completely unaware of the reason.

Although his metaphor moved me quite a bit, he was mistaken; today's lily is a signal urging me to return, whereas in the past, it represented a melancholic story of mine

I sighed: "I just returned from Italy, you have to let me take a break."

He gazed at my face, his expression very focused: "You have been here for a month and have never smiled. If that person can make you smile, I hope you find happiness when you return."

Guo Yinhai nodded slightly and left, surprisingly without saying much. Despite his lonely silhouette, he remained a reserved person. For half a month, he sent flowers without revealing his identity, and when he wanted to keep someone, he would only say that the library needed them. That kind of subtle demeanor was typical of a British gentleman. In that moment, I realized it was his first and last attempt to express his feelings to me. Suddenly, I felt a surge of emotion and couldn't help but say, "I will go back to handle some matters and come to see you once I'm done." Immediately after saying it, I regretted it.

Qingcheng is my name. When I returned to the United Kingdom, I indeed felt a sense of urban collapse

I smile and shake my head

He immediately turned around, and a look of joy appeared on his composed face: "Really?"

Today is just a bit of an exception