Song of the Setting Sun (II)

"Excuse me, we've received notice from the police station. Due to some special circumstances, guests can't check out at the moment. Please wait for a while, is that all right?" Shui Mei spoke in an official, businesslike tone; she had no intention of bearing the blame at this moment. Since it was the police station's order, her job was simply to relay the message.

"The police station? What does that have to do with me? I'm a law-abiding citizen!" The Flashing Lady's voice suddenly soared, utterly at odds with her previous air of elegance.

Shui Mei couldn't help but frown. The name was so unusual that she remembered it, and she had thought this Ms. Flashing seemed refined. She hadn't expected her to be so difficult to communicate with.

"This is a notice from the police station; there's nothing we can do. We're truly sorry," Shui Mei apologized sincerely, then asked Aunt Zhao to prepare a fruit platter, while He Lingyu hurried to fetch some drinks.

But the Flashing Lady was unimpressed by their attitude. She continued in her florid soprano: "I'm going to file a complaint against you! You have no right to restrict guests' movements. I'll go to the Bureau of Industry and Commerce..."

Spinach, trying to placate her, said, "That's not under the Bureau of Industry and Commerce's jurisdiction."

The Flashing Lady hesitated, checked her phone, snorted loudly at Spinach, then dialed 110, reporting that Shui Mei's inn was unlawfully detaining her.

Having made her report, the Flashing Lady now shone like a fully-charged LED bulb, dazzlingly bright.

"Let me tell you, inns like yours, once you're listed with the police, it's a death sentence—you'll never operate again. Believe it or not, I've been through this many times. It's not just places like your rural backwater; even five-star hotels in the City of Magic, I've demanded compensation from them."

Spinach suddenly understood, "So you want to claim compensation from us?"

"Glad you finally get it." The Flashing Lady lifted her chin high and snorted through her nose.

Shui Mei...

He Lingyu...

Half an hour later, the Flashing Lady grew restless. She stood up, glanced at her phone, checked her watch, then looked at the wall clock. "The police response is too slow. I want to file a complaint against them!"

She proceeded to make another complaint call. Meanwhile, several guests came downstairs intending to go out. He Lingyu politely explained the situation; they made no fuss and decided to stay in the lobby to watch the drama unfold.

Of course, the police hadn't arrived yet; the only entertainment was the Flashing Lady's fervent speech.

She had finished her call and was now giving a monologue, recounting whom she knew in the City of Magic, whom she had dined with in the Imperial Capital. The message was clear: she was a person of formidable connections.

The humble folk of Shui Mei's inn, along with the handful of gawking townsfolk, became her audience, their faces filled with surprise, admiration, and expressions beyond words.

Finally, the front desk phone rang again. The Flashing Lady reached to answer, but He Lingyu, quick as lightning, snatched the receiver away. The Flashing Lady shouted, "You have no right to cut off my contact with the outside world! That's my right! This is illegal! Help! Help!"

A stern voice came through the line: "We're from the police station. We called earlier. Is something happening inside? Was there a call for help?"

He Lingyu said helplessly, "You'll see when you come in."

She signaled Uncle Zhao to open the rolling gate from inside. The arriving officers showed their badges; they were all familiar faces, having been to the inn before during Li Qing's arrest.

The Flashing Lady, spotting the police, rushed over. "Comrades, please help me! The people in this inn are illegally detaining me! They're detaining me!"

"Did you call 110 to report this?" Clearly, the officers had been briefed by the dispatch center on their way.

"Yes, it was me! They're detaining me, not letting me leave!" The Flashing Lady was in tears, a far cry from the spirited fighter she'd been moments ago.

One officer, Old Guo, turned to Shui Mei. "You didn't explain the reason to this lady?"

Shui Mei shrugged helplessly, "I did, but she wouldn't listen."

Old Guo called over a young officer. "Xiao Liu, please explain to the lady, and if needed, help mediate."

With that, Old Guo asked the guests remaining in the lobby to show their IDs and examined them one by one. Once everything checked out, he had Spinach lead them upstairs to verify the identity of each guest in their rooms.

The police station's work proceeded smoothly, but the Flashing Lady kept up her lament, refusing to listen to Xiao Liu's explanations. He explained, she cried; the two seemed locked in separate worlds.

In short, she claimed she'd been unfairly treated at this inn, illegally detained—something she'd never encountered in the Imperial Capital or the City of Magic. Her rights had been trampled, and she was determined to defend them!

Because two tour groups were currently staying at the inn, there weren't many independent travelers. Old Guo and his team quickly checked all the remaining guests and said to Shui Mei, "Thank you for your cooperation. You can resume normal business. If anything unusual happens, you can contact the station anytime, or call me directly."

Old Guo gave Shui Mei a phone number and added, "The members of those two tour groups won't be back tonight; they're cooperating with the investigation in town."

Shui Mei was intensely curious about the sudden onset of mental issues among so many people in those two groups, but now wasn't the time to ask Old Guo. She pointed subtly at the still-crying Flashing Lady and lowered her voice, "What should we do about this one?"

Old Guo was troubled as well—how did he end up with such a peculiar case?

He walked over, his face stern. "Madam, you are absolutely safe now. Our investigation found no evidence of illegal detention. There seems to be a misunderstanding..."

Before Old Guo could finish, the Flashing Lady let out a piercing scream and lunged at him. Instantly, several bloody scratches appeared on Old Guo's coal-black face.

Old Guo...

Everyone...

The Flashing Lady screamed, "Assault! Assault! He's assaulting me!"

He Lingyu commented, "Well, Officer, I saw this person attack a police officer."

In the end, the Flashing Lady was finally taken away in a police car to the station, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Shui Mei sighed, "I've been running this inn for so long, and this is the first time I've met such an oddball."

He Lingyu frowned, "Ms. Flashing seems mentally unstable. Could she be like those tourists?"

Everyone remembered—yes, there were a dozen or so people in those two tour groups who had suddenly lost their minds.

To think, when Ms. Flashing checked in yesterday, she was perfectly normal.

The elderly men and women in those tour groups had seemed normal, too.

The remaining guests in the inn began to head out, ready soon to watch the sunset.

A young couple, before leaving, said to He Lingyu, "Could you please clear the trash bin in our room?"

He Lingyu smiled and agreed, then headed upstairs.

The couple's room was at the end of the second floor, once occupied by Si Kai. After Si Kai saw a ghost in that room, he refused to return, so it was opened to other guests.

It was the best and most expensive room in the entire inn. As He Lingyu entered, the bell on her wrist jingled softly.

She muttered irritably, "This room used to be empty for years. You two used to stay here occasionally, which made sense. But now someone actually lives here, and you're still coming—what are you up to?"

She had come to the room yesterday; it was spotless, and the bell had been silent.