1
Qin Guan's body froze completely.
The suitcase containing Qi Min's body, those two bags holding her clothes – all had disappeared. Looking around, the entire third floor had vanished from sight. Waves of fear crawled up his legs like cold snakes, coiling around his spine, shoulders, and arms... He felt as if he'd fallen into an icy cellar.
Objects don't grow legs. Someone must have taken them!
Who?
Had someone discovered the body? Reported to the police? Were officers already here?
At the thought of police, Qin Guan's breathing instantly became ragged. His vision blurred with cold sweat as he stumbled around the third floor with trembling hands.
Just as he turned a corner, he collided headlong with someone.
A cleaning lady around fifty years old. Behind her stood an elderly man in hotel staff uniform.
"Oh dear," the woman immediately steadied Qin Guan with practiced courtesy, "I'm so sorry, sir. Did I stain your clothes? We can arrange dry cleaning."
But Qin Guan had no mind for clothes. His eyes darted over her shoulder, desperately searching for that familiar rectangular shape.
"Are you looking for something, sir?" The cleaner studied him carefully, "A large black suitcase? Really heavy one?"
2
"I saw it earlier when cleaning near the water tank. Manager sent us to fix the tank, so I moved it out." She gestured to the maintenance man behind her, leading Qin Guan behind the water storage tank. Her tone remained casual.
Qin Guan scrutinized her face – an ordinary middle-aged laborer's face, slightly tanned, with wrinkles framing calm eyes. Years of service had ingrained that deferential, almost timid manner when addressing guests. Her expression showed no trace of panic or fear.
"I just pushed the suitcase here," she pointed to open space less than two meters from the waterslide chute, "and stacked those two black bags on top."
"Sir, I didn't steal anything!" The cleaner grew more anxious seeing Qin Guan's pale face and sweaty forehead, "I didn't even open them! Hotel rules forbid touching guests' belongings. I only moved them because I had to!"
Qin Guan swallowed hard. If she'd left them here... then where were they now?
"Don't worry sir, I'll report to the manager. There's no third-floor cameras, but we'll check lower floors!" She briskly removed gloves, reaching for her walkie-talkie, "If needed, we can call police—"
3
"No!" Qin Guan instinctively grabbed her wrist, then forced an awkward smile, "I mean... such big items couldn't vanish. Must've been moved aside. I'll... keep looking."
"Let me help!"
Ignoring his protests, the cleaner followed him around, chattering: "Why leave suitcases on third floor? That thing was so heavy! What's inside anyway?"
Each question stabbed at Qin Guan's nerves.
Wiping sweat, his panic grew with each failed search. He prayed the items remained on third floor, that fewer people knew about the "lost luggage".
But laughter suddenly echoed up the stairs.
Two young men in dripping swim trunks appeared. Seeing the frantic search, they burst into louder laughter: "Looking for a Hanke brand suitcase? With two trash bags?"
A handsome one with ear studs doubled over laughing: "And two garbage sacks!"
4
The truth emerged through the rich kids' banter.
These Porsche-driving heirs, still hungover from last night's party, had immediately headed for the waterslide upon checking in. Finding the unclaimed luggage, they'd turned it into drunken sport.
"He kicked it!"
"Bullshit! You pushed it to me first!"
"You threw the bags! Don't deny it!"
"Come on AJ, you dared me! I won! You owe me!"
Amid their laughter, Qin Guan pieced together the trail: The black bags had been thrown like basketballs into first-floor dumpsters. The heavy suitcase? Kicked and shoved down the waterslide chute – now resting at the bottom of the lake.
5
Qin Guan swiftly waded into the lake, having stopped the cleaner from calling for help.
Early summer's morning water chilled his bones.
When the water reached his shoulders, his toes finally touched the suitcase - the heavy luggage now buried in lakebed mud.
It lay motionless, yet its presence stroked Qin Guan's heart like a cold hand. Thinking of Qi Min's body curled inside, his chest tightened painfully.
"Relax dude, we'll get someone to haul it up," the rich boys splashed nearby, laughing.
The one called AJ wiped water from his face, ear studs glinting. His careless aristocratic demeanor oozed entitlement: "I'll pay for the suitcase. Whatever books inside too! All of it!"
Qin Guan had told them the case held books - only books could be that heavy.
But underwater, the case felt lighter - buoyancy at work.
Diving calmly, Qin Guan gripped the handle. One tug stirred up muddy clouds.
The two youths clamored to help, but their spindly limbs betrayed their pampered upbringing.
"I'll pay security 2000 yuan to fish it out!" AJ boasted, "They'll jump in fully clothed!"
But Qin Guan kept his hand on the handle, unmoving. Should he really retrieve it?
Standing neck-deep, studying the waterslide structure above, a new idea crystallized.
6
"Forget it," Qin Guan forced nonchalance, "Waterlogged books are useless anyway."
He shook his head like the carefree youths: "Failed my grad exams twice. Sick of seeing these damn books!"
"But that's a Hanke suitcase," AJ teased.
Qin Guan knew the brand - expensive luggage Qi Min always splurged on.
"Just a broken case," he shrugged, conviction hardening - this heavy burden now conveniently submerged. Heaven-sent opportunity.
He recalled his geographical research: This highland lake's hotel area was merely a shallow cove. Deeper waters lay beyond. Currents would carry silt-heavy objects downstream.
No suitcase, no body.
No body, no murder case - as a criminal defense lawyer, he knew this well.
Taking a deep breath, Qin Guan's mind cooled like the lake water. Let Qi Min disappear forever.
7
After shoving the case into deep currents, Qin Guan climbed ashore.
He theatrically accepted the youths' compensation, calmly retrieved the clothing bags, checked out, and took a taxi downhill.
At the mountain base, he burned all evidence in deserted woods.
No body, no proof - nothing could trace back to him.
But Qin Guan played smarter. Using Qi Min's phone, he photographed a building with "XX Law Firm" half-visible, paired with her seductive selfie. The social media post read: "Falling for this city. What to do?"
He scheduled her resignation email to tomorrow - her boss would believe it. Everyone knew Qi Min's career ambition.
Her family? Easier still. From a poor single-parent home, strained mother-daughter ties. By the time her mother reported missing, evidence would be long gone.
8
Thinking of Li Yang, Qin Guan sneered. That hotheaded pretty boy posed no threat - all bark and no bite.
Reviewing every detail, Qin Guan finally relaxed on his flight home. His spacious house awaited - meek wife, adorable daughter. That was his real life.
The plane landed.
Qin Guan followed the crowd to the parking garage. His dusty Toyota waited where he'd left it - he always drove himself to business trips, never troubling his wife.
A small card stuck in the door handle.
As he pulled it out to discard -
His eyes widened.
Blood turned to ice.
Not a business card.
A stiff paper slip. Blank front. On the back, printed in standard Song font: