Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Retreating backward as she left the house, Luo Qun winked at Sophie mischievously.
That was unlike Luo Qun. Li Du and Sophie found that strange and had a feeling that
something was not right.
Besides, Luo Qun’s expression had suggested reluctance. Her smile had been beyond
sweet, which was abnormal, as Li Du had never seen her acting that way.
Sophie gave Li Du a push and said, “You go, go ask her what exactly happened.”
Li Du said, “She obviously doesn’t want to talk about it. It must be something related to
her parents’ and brother’s murder case…”
Sophie stubbornly gave him another shove and said, “We are not invading her privacy. I
am sure that things are not so simple. Something must have happened. She needs
help, Li, really, I know she needs someone to help her.”
Pinching Sophie’s cheek, Li Du smiled. “You are so kind.”
Sophie said with a serious look, “Stop fooling around. Hurry, go ask her what exactly
happened.”
She knew that her relationship with Luo Qun was not intimate enough for such inquiries,
so she did not follow Li Du out.
The five animals wanted to trail along but Sophie dragged them back and scolded them.
“You guys are so curious. Why do you want to know everything?”
Ah Meng stared blankly at Luo Qun’s police clothes. It felt that somehow, something
was not right, and it wanted to take revenge for itself. But who should I take revenge
on? It seems like someone had just provoked me, Ah Meng thought.
Determined, it ran forward, but a can of honey appeared before him.
Just like that, Ah Meng’s eyes lit up. They were glued to the honey can, following it.
When the can of honey moved backward, Ah Meng moved backward too.
Sophie placed the can on the table. Pointing to the ground, she said, “Come here and
sit down, and you can eat the honey.”
Ah Meng sat there obediently, salivating.
Li Du walked over to Luo Qun and realized that she was still looking inside the house.
Turning back, Li Du saw that nothing was out of the ordinary. Sophie was taming the
five little pets and teaching them not to be naughty.
“So what really happened to you?” Li Du asked.
Shaking her head, Luo Qun said, “Nothing much, Li, really nothing much. You know, I
always found it weird that your pets are so smart and witty. Why is that?”
Li Du laughed dryly. “Perhaps they were all born smart?”
Luo Qun answered, “No. It’s because Sophie takes good care of them. She’s very good
at teaching children, isn’t she? I really envy her. Really, she’s completely perfect.”
Li Du asked, “What exactly happened, Luo Qun? I feel that something is not right with
you.”
Luo Qun shook her head again. “It’s really nothing much. I’ll get going.”
Li Du stopped her. Frowning, he said, “Do you actually treat me as your friend?”
Luo Qun said very seriously, “No.”
Li Du was surprised. At that moment, he could not grasp what he was feeling.
Luo Qun continued, “I treat you like a brother. Really, I do. You have helped me so
much. Now you’re more than just my friend.”
Li Du smiled widely. “If you treat me as your brother, stop hiding things from me. Tell
me, what exactly do you want to do? What are you going to do after resigning?”
“It’s precisely because I treat you like a brother that I can’t tell you more.” Luo Qun
picked up her jacket and swung it across her shoulder. “Bye, Li. I will tell you everything
next time we meet. I can’t tell you right now. I can’t be a selfish, bad woman.”
Li Du wanted to catch up with her but Luo Qun had walked off quickly, without stopping.
She had started the car right after getting in. In a second she was gone, leaving nothing
behind but the smoke from her car exhaust.
Seeing the car disappear from his sight as it rode off, Li Du could only feel helpless.
Sophie came out and asked, “You didn’t get an answer?”
Li Du smiled bitterly. “You don’t understand her character. This girl is too stubborn. It’s
like she’s made of steel.”
Taking his hand in hers, Sophie said, “If she hadn’t been stubborn and steel-like,
perhaps she would have broken down from the pressure by now, right?”
They could guess the reason for Luo Qun’s resignation. The case had to be related to
her parents. However, they were unsure why Luo Qun would not say anything about it.
When Luo Qun wanted to leave Flagstaff for Phoenix, she had told Li Du. In fact, she
had told him a long time in advance.
With that in mind, Li Du and Sophie guessed that the place Luo Qun was headed to
must be extremely dangerous.
When they parted, Luo Qun had acted as though that would be the last time for them to
meet. It was as though they were breaking up forever.
Sophie was very kind-hearted and sympathized with Luo Qun. Hence, she continued to
think of a solution together with Li Du. They tried to make sense of the situation
together, wanting to help Luo Qun.
Li Qu teased her, “This must be something complicated. We might be implicated if we
interfere. Aren’t you afraid of trouble?”
Sophie smiled bitterly. “What do you think? I am not Mother Mary. However, if we don’t
help her, who will? She’s a stubborn lady!”
Li Du had yet to carry out his plan when something suddenly happened to disrupt it.
It was in the afternoon two days later when they were having lunch.
Ah Ow, who was sucking on a lamb shoulder, suddenly jumped up. With its mouth wide
open, it howled, “Ah woooo, Ah woooo! Ah wooooooo!”
Then Ah Meow also started crying out loud. It jumped onto the table, and with a single
swipe, toppled all the bowls.
Lu Guan was shocked. He said, “What’s happening? Has the mad cow disease
relapsed?”
Ah Meow nibbled on Li Du’s clothes and dragged him towards the front door. Then Ah
Meng sat up, pointed outside and cried out loudly too.
Li Du snapped back to reality and said, “Quick, get out, something’s happened!”
Just as he finished his sentence, there was a feeling of the sky and earth moving.
First, the lamp hanging down the ceiling of the kitchen shook. Then the windows also
started shaking, followed by the tables and furniture.
Brother Wolf lifted a chair and threw it at the window to break it. Then he picked up his
daughter and pulled Li Du up, pushing all of them towards the door. He hollered,
“Earthquake! Get out, now!”
“God!” Li Du and the rest were shocked.
Brother Wolf threw his daughter out of the window and came back to pick up Victoria.
He howled, “It’s a longitudinal wave now, hurry, hurry, hurry!”
Godzilla and Big Quinn regained their composure and threw the other children out of the
window swiftly. Then the two of them gathered Sophie, Rosalind, and the other ladies
and helped them out before leaving with the rest of the men.
Li Du stood on the grass, taking in the sight before him in utter shock. The solid villa
was shaking, and while it was not very dramatic, they could all feel it. There was an
earthquake!
There was a lawnmower on the lawn. Big Quinn had just used it in the morning to mow
the grass.
The lawnmower shook and fell sideways onto the ground, and then it was flipped right
side up again. The earthquake was getting more violent!
The electricity poles and trees began to swing and the house started to go Piang-Ping.
They could hear the furniture and appliances falling down in the house.
The surroundings of the villa were serene, as there were few other residents around.
Looking far ahead, they saw people scampering on the streets outside. Some of them
were screaming.
The sky was overcast, and the clouds seemed to rise and fall like waves. With
everything that was happened down on the ground, Li Du felt like it was the end of the
world.
Thankfully, the villa did not collapse in the end.
