Chapter 15: Skylark

~Go to sleep in the bird’s nest~

Ji Jinmao was shocked, suddenly raising his head and stumbling toward the elevator: “Go to the tenth floor, go to the tenth floor! There’s a window at the end of the corridor, you can climb out from there!”

Xu Songling, still urging, asked, “Have you contacted He Mingyu? When will the police dog arrive?” Then, he saw Ji Jinmao rushing out like a lost soul and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Zhao Xiangwan’s heart almost skipped a beat.

When I first arrived, I saw a large billboard hanging high on the west side of the hotel. At night, neon lights flash in red, green, and yellow, blinding people’s eyes.

The neon sign of the Four Seasons Hotel is about nine meters long and welded to the wall with steel pipes. If Ji Zhao climbs it, it could be fatal!

It’s on the tenth floor. How much weight can the steel frame supporting the sign hold? If a grown man sits on it and swings his arms and legs, what if it collapses?

“Captain Xu, President Ji has found a place. Ji Zhao might be there. Let’s hurry!” Zhao Xiangwan explained, and everyone rushed toward the stairs.

Tenth floor.

The wind blows.

The neon lights shine through the windows, casting colorful reflections on the floor.

Ji Jinmao leans against the window, shouting at the top of his lungs: “Ji Zhao——”

Three triangular steel frames, one end welded to the wall, the other supporting the nine-meter-high sign. The wires sway in the air, and the lights decorate the night beautifully.

There was a person sitting on the bottom steel frame. He stood sideways facing the window, his hands raised flat, and his feet swinging slowly back and forth.

He wore a white shirt and khaki pants, his messy bangs covered his eyebrows, and his eyes sparkled like stars in the sky.

Ji Zhao was lost in his own world, ignoring any external sounds. The night wind blew from afar, gently brushing his cheeks, ears, fingers, and toes, wrapping around him like a soft embrace.

Xu Songling pulled Ji Jinmao back, shouting, “Why are you shouting? What if you disturb him and he falls?”

Ji Jinmao was completely panicked, tears and snot streaming down his face. He gripped Xu Songling’s arm tightly and spoke between gasps.

“What should I do? What should I do? If he dies, I will die too! I only have this one son, and this is the only one left in our Ji family. My father died early, and I was raised by my mother. When Ji Zhao was born, Dan Feng (his wife) had severe hemorrhage and almost died, so I decided to get a vasectomy ^[1]a medical procedure to prevent having more children.. Dan Feng and I only have this one son, and my mother only has this one grandson…”

Ji Jinmao was so worried he was confused. At that moment, he didn’t look like the richest man in the room. He even mentioned the private detail of getting a vasectomy. He was simply a distressed father, overwhelmed with concern for his son.

Luo Yihui rushed over, supported Ji Jinmao, and said apologetically, “Uncle, I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I’ll try to talk to him.”

Seeing Luo Yihui, someone he trusted, Ji Jinmao wanted to slap him.

Knowing that Ji Zhao has autism ^[2]a developmental disorder that affects social interactions and behavior. and struggles to express himself when he feels wronged, how could Luo Yihui leave him alone on the terrace for over ten minutes?

Ten minutes is long enough for something tragic to happen!

What’s the point of apologizing now? What’s the point? If anything happens to Ji Zhao, Ji Jinmao will strangle Luo Yihui!

But when he heard Luo Yihui say he would talk to Ji Zhao, and recalling that they were of the same age and grew up together, Ji Zhao might listen to him. Ji Jinmao felt a tiny spark of hope. He wiped his face, trying to calm himself, and whispered, “Keep your voice down and persuade him to come back.”

With Ji Jinmao’s consent, Luo Yihui approached the window, observing Ji Zhao sitting on the steel frame.

Luo Yihui’s face was lit by the colorful lights, red, green, blue, and yellow, shifting unpredictably.

The tension in the air was palpable.

Xu Songling stayed calm, whispering for someone to call the special police and firefighters for backup. He also instructed someone to get a firefighting safety rope and prepared himself to assist in the rescue.

Lu Manning felt weak in the knees and leaned against the wall of the corridor, gasping for air.

Zhao Xiangwan, holding his breath, closely observed Luo Yihui’s every movement. His thoughts turned to Feng Hongying’s harsh words about Luo Yihui, and Zhao Xiangwan became more vigilant, eager to understand Luo Yihui’s true feelings.

But—

He heard nothing.

It was as if a thick wall had been erected in Luo Yihui’s heart, blocking any thoughts.

The mind-reading skill failed, which made Zhao Xiangwan even more cautious.

People with deeply hidden thoughts do not easily reveal them and will only let them slip when emotionally stirred.

Zhao Xiangwan moved a bit closer, studying the handsome and sunny young man without being obvious.

Luo Yihui was dressed in a black, slim-fitting shirt, black trousers, black leather shoes, and a black belt. The gold belt buckle stood out against the black, and even though Zhao Xiangwan wasn’t familiar with luxury brands, he could tell the belt was expensive.

Ji Zhao’s mother was Luo Yihui’s aunt. They shared similar looks, both with fair skin and dark eyes. However, Luo Yihui had a broader forehead, thin lips, short hair, and a more masculine appearance compared to Ji Zhao.

Luo Yihui began to speak.

No one dared make a sound and held their breath, afraid of startling Ji Zhao.

“Ji Zhao, have you had enough fun? Are you hungry? Let’s go home and eat.”

Luo Yihui’s voice was calm, as if two old friends were catching up after a long time apart.

Zhao Xiangwan, standing a step behind Luo Yihui, narrowed his eyes when he noticed the flashing neon lights.

When humans see something of interest, their pupils dilate; on the other hand, when they see something they dislike or hate, their pupils constrict.

Pupil changes are involuntary, making them difficult to fake.

Though Zhao Xiangwan couldn’t hear Luo Yihui’s inner thoughts, he concluded from his subtle expressions that Luo Yihui didn’t like Ji Zhao, perhaps even hated him.

The story about the “stupid son of the landlord” ^[3]a term used to describe a wealthy person’s child who is careless or irresponsible. that Feng Hongying once used to taunt Ji Zhao had been shared with Zhao Xiangwan by Luo Yihui. If it was intentional, the depth of his manipulation was unsettling.

“Ji Zhao, I just left for a while. Why are you out here? You haven’t eaten at the thank-you banquet ^[4]an event held to show gratitude. tonight. Come on, let’s go eat.”

Luo Yihui’s eyes darted up to the right.

When people mentally visualize or construct things in their minds, their eyes often move upward and to the right.

Why would Luo Yihui be creating mental images right now? He wasn’t painting or writing. His attempt to fabricate details clearly showed he was lying.

Lied? Was Luo Yihui’s story of leaving due to a stomachache a lie? Why did he leave on purpose?

“Don’t you want to eat? If you’re hungry, your aunt and uncle will strangle me to death. Haha…” Luo Yihui laughed with exaggerated gestures.

Ji Zhao’s raised hands shifted, one high, the other low.

Ji Jinmao’s eyes brightened, and he whispered urgently to Luo Yihui: “He’s responding! Hurry, get him back.”

Luo Yihui nodded and said, “Hmm.” A strange glint flashed in his eyes. “Ji Zhao, it’s dark and windy. You must be cold, right? Stand up slowly, and I’ll catch you.”

Ji Zhao’s hands began to tremble slightly as he slowly turned his head. The neon lights reflected off his dark eyes, making them glow brightly, like two precious gems.

As Ji Zhao faced the hotel corridor, Zhao Xiangwan could clearly see that his lips were dry, his hair disheveled, and his body shaking slightly. His eyes were confused, and his pupils unfocused, as if he were still lost in a dream.

This condition was wrong.

Taking a step closer, Zhao Xiangwan finally understood Ji Zhao’s inner world.

His mind was different from ordinary people.

After gaining the ability to read minds, Zhao Xiangwan noticed that ordinary people were like radios, with their inner voices easily accessible if she tuned in. Ji Zhao, however, was like an old black-and-white TV. When she got close, dynamic images appeared in her mind.

***

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