Beneath the Dome, Sin within Sins

I don’t really know when I fell asleep. All I know is, when I woke up, my sister gave me a good scolding. She muttered something about how she thought I had fainted again because I wouldn’t wake up.

When my sister went out to get food, she instructed Lu Xun to stay and watch over me. Lu Xun nodded in agreement, but the moment she stepped out, he started looking for an excuse to leave. I knew what he was afraid of, so I decided to stop him directly. “Wait, Lu Xun, I have something to say to you.”

Lu Xun looked slightly stunned when he saw I could speak. Seeing his reaction, I chuckled lightly and said, “What kind of expression is that? The reason I don’t talk in front of Lu Che is because I’m afraid she’ll nag me.”

Seeing that Lu Xun still hadn’t said anything, I continued, “There’s no need to beat yourself up too much. What happened with your brother wasn’t your fault. Having to personally shoot your own brother is definitely something hard to overcome. But, Lu Xun, your actions saved an entire city. No one is going to blame you for it.”

Lu Xun remained silent for quite a while, then finally asked, “Lu-Ge… If it were Che who got into trouble, would you do the same?”

“Of course,” I answered without hesitation. “We all grew up with the same nine years of compulsory education, eating the same food and drinking the same water. What makes one person feel they have the right to harm others just to satisfy their own personal grievances? Sure, Che and I are siblings, and our bond runs deep, but above that is the greater good.”

“Lu-Ge, don’t you think that’s too cold-blooded?”

“Cold-blooded? You should go and ask the families of the victims. Ask them if they think it’s cold-blooded.”

After saying this, Lu Xun fell completely silent. I knew he was now grappling with these thoughts in his mind.

Since he was willing to reflect, I decided not to stop him.

And as it turned out, taking some quiet time to reflect on life was helpful. After our conversation, Lu Xun gradually returned to his old self.

Afterward, both Bigo and Tang Xin came to visit me.

Bigo was just as she had always been-kind, lively, and genuine. Especially since opening her flower shop, she’d been meeting more people and had become even chattier.

Tang Xin, on the other hand, was her usual sassy and sharp-tongued self. The moment she saw me, she wasted no time starting her teasing!

“Lady Lu, you really do have it tough!”

This was the first thing Tang Xin said to me when she saw me. Honestly, I was annoyed. I asked her why she insisted on calling me that, and to my surprise, she said that after every case, I always wake up in bed like some spoiled young lady. She even mocked me further, saying that if I wasn’t up to the task, I shouldn’t be handling cases at all-claiming that my approach to detective work, where taking down the enemy also means heavily injuring myself, is a rare and questionable trait.

Everyone in the ward burst out laughing at Tang Xin’s comments. Even Lu Xun, who always wore a serious face, cracked a faint smile.

At that moment, life felt surprisingly peaceful. Watching the scene unfold, I suddenly thought to myself, maybe getting sick once in a while isn’t so bad after all.

Six months later, I was fully recovered. However, those six months of recovery nearly drove me insane. Once I was healthy again, Su Mo suggested we all go to the beach for a trip.

As soon as the idea was proposed, Tang Xin became the first to decline. According to her, she’d rather stay home and focus on self-improvement than join what she described as a “suicide mission” trip with us. This behavior felt very unlike Tang Xin, considering she’s the type who normally throws herself fully into the fray without a second thought. I guess having too much of a peaceful life can make even her value safety over recklessness.

Bigo also couldn’t join. She mentioned that she had a wedding planning company reaching out to discuss a partnership during that time.

As for my sister and Lu Xun…

Well, my sister is just like me-a classic case of someone who doesn’t miss out on free opportunities. With the trip covering food, lodging, and transportation, of course she wasn’t going to pass it up. As for Lu Xun, he’d always follow my sister’s lead. So it was set-our little group for the trip was down to the four of us.

But then, something even more interesting occurred right before we left. My sister ended up with a stomachache from overeating and had to be hospitalized. Naturally, Lu Xun stayed behind to take care of her.

At first, I considered canceling the trip altogether, but my sister insisted that I go and get some fresh air. “You’ve been bedridden for a year and a half now-it’s about time you got out and about,” she said. She then added, “Besides, it’s free.”

After hearing her reasoning, I finally understood. She was all about taking advantage of a good deal-at least one of us should enjoy it.

And so, what was originally a trip for four turned into a trip for two. Su Mo and I boarded a plane and headed to Sanya¹.

Unfortunately, bad luck seemed to follow us. From the first day we arrived in Sanya, it was nothing but endless drizzling rain. To make matters worse, the damp weather really took a toll on my body, making me feel incredibly uncomfortable.

At noon, while we were eating at the hotel, Su Mo sighed with disappointment and said, “What are the odds? A rare trip to Sanya, and it’s raining.”

I glanced at him and retorted, “Why didn’t you check the weather forecast before coming here?”

“I did!” he countered defensively. “The weather forecast said it’d be sunny these two days! I even learned my lesson from last time. Who knew the heavens would be so uncooperative this time?”

Seeing the look of frustration on Su Mo’s face, I decided against teasing him further. Just as we were finishing up our meal, a waiter approached us and said, “Good afternoon, gentlemen. This evening, the owner of the hotel is hosting a birthday party here to celebrate. All hotel guests are invited to join.”

Before I even had the chance to respond, Su Mo jumped in enthusiastically, “Oh, great! We’ll definitely be there! It’s happening here, right?”

“Yes, sir,” the waiter confirmed.

After delivering the message, the waiter left, and as soon as he was out of sight, I kicked Su Mo in the leg. “What’s wrong with you? Why are you agreeing to everything without asking first?”

“It’s a party! Let me tell you,” Su Mo began eagerly, “while you were still sleeping earlier, I explored the hotel. The place is full of beautiful women! And I’m sure those same girls will be at the party! This could be my big chance to find ‘the one’!”

Watching his excitement, I couldn’t help but feel slightly embarrassed on his behalf. This guy seriously won’t waste any opportunity to try and find a girlfriend, will he?

Still, if there were really going to be beautiful women there, I suppose there was no harm in going. Who knows? Maybe things would turn out just as Su Mo predicted, and he’d end up winning someone’s heart. How exciting would that be?

Besides, it was pouring outside, and sitting around doing nothing wasn’t exactly thrilling. I figured we might as well find something entertaining to do!

Having made up my mind, I nodded and said, “Alright, then. I’ll bite the bullet and accompany you tonight.”

Footnote:

Sanya(三亚):Sanya is a city located on the southern coast of Hainan Island, China, known for its tropical climate, beautiful beaches, and popular tourist resorts.