Little Pink Starfish

Professor Fang’s research trip was something Zhang Qiu knew about, but the specifics were apparently under a confidentiality agreement—even Fang’s wife didn’t know, and she looked worried sick. She had lost weight over the past two months. Upon seeing Zhang Qiu, she anxiously asked, “Do you have any news about your professor?”

“I just got back to school and heard about the situation, so I came to check in on you,” Zhang Qiu said, stopping her from pouring tea. “Did the professor not mention where he was going?”

Mrs. Fang frowned deeply, then suddenly stood up. “Wait a moment, Xiao Qiu.” She hurried into the study and returned with a stack of documents. “Here, can you take a look at these? I already gave a copy to the university, but no one could figure it out.”

Zhang Qiu took the papers. The first page was covered in messy symbols. He frowned and said, “These are from the Qinling Gumu Kingdom—those rune pillars found in the tomb earlier this year. Could the professor be researching this? But that wouldn’t make sense—if so, he would’ve stayed local.”

“He didn’t stay local. Lao Fang packed up and said the place was humid, and that he might go out to sea,” Mrs. Fang clarified.

The second page showed ancient script, but it wasn’t any that Zhang Qiu recognized. It looked primitive and mysterious.

“Mrs. Fang, can I take a picture of this to show my senior who’s good with ancient scripts? You might know him—Hua Ting,” Zhang Qiu asked.

Hearing that name, Mrs. Fang relaxed a little and nodded. “Alright. Take it. I filed a police report, but there’s been no news. The people who were supposed to be coordinating haven’t gotten back to me either.”

While taking pictures, Zhang Qiu asked, “Who are these contacts?”

Mrs. Fang, too distraught to worry about confidentiality now, explained, “This expedition was funded by an overseas Chinese. They supposedly gave a generous budget. The deposit alone was fifty thousand. Your professor agreed partly because we wanted to help our son buy a house nearby. That way he and his wife could move back from Beijing, and we could spend more time with our grandson.”

“A private expedition?” Zhang Qiu was shocked. He had assumed this was a school-sponsored trip, which explained why the university was so hush-hush. Now that the professor was missing, the school might even be unhappy with him for doing off-book work.

Mrs. Fang’s eyes turned red. “If I’d known it’d turn out like this, I would’ve stopped him. He’s not young anymore, and his health…”

“Don’t blame yourself, Mrs. Fang. Maybe the professor just got delayed. He could be back any day now,” Zhang Qiu reassured her and took the entire pile of documents.

“If you figure anything out, let me know. I’ll tell the police.”

“Definitely. And don’t worry—he’ll be alright,” Zhang Qiu promised.

After leaving, he felt heavy-hearted. As he stepped out of the complex, a honking sound startled him. He turned to see Xiao Jiang’s round little head sticking out of a car window, with Xiao Fei perched on top, smiling sweetly as he held onto Jiang’s hair.

Li Shu got out of the car.

Zhang Qiu was shocked. “Where’d this car come from?”

“Just bought it.”

Zhang Qiu’s first thought was that Li Shu had been hiding money. He glanced at the gleaming black SUV—it was a luxury brand. He narrowed his eyes. “Where’d you get the money?”

“You swiped your phone. Quite convenient,” Li Shu said matter-of-factly.

Zhang Qiu fumbled in his pockets—sure enough, no phone.

“How’d you know the password?” he blurted out.

Li Shu smiled. Zhang Qiu’s face burned when he remembered—he had set the password to the date of his first tomb raid in the Qinling Gumu Kingdom. “I just put something random,” he mumbled.

Inside the car, Zhang Qiu was getting twitchy under Li Shu’s stare. Then Li Shu finally looked away and started the engine. Zhang Qiu suddenly remembered something. “Wait—you have a driver’s license?”

“No. You need a license to drive this?” Li Shu asked blankly, calmly overtaking a slow car.

Zhang Qiu nearly blew a gasket. “You have to obey traffic signals!” He paused. “Wait—you didn’t run a red light, did you?”

“There were no cars at the intersection,” Li Shu said. Then he added, “You have a license, right? That’s perfect. The car’s in your name.”

Zhang Qiu clutched his chest. His poor driver’s license—it hadn’t even been used properly yet. Now it was getting point deductions left and right.

While he griped about his license, he quizzed Li Shu on basic traffic laws. Li Shu smiled the whole time and nodded, clearly in a great mood.

Eventually, they turned off the mountain road. Zhang Qiu realized something was off. “Where are we going? Not the hotel?”

Soon they pulled into a scenic residential area. Zhang Qiu remarked, “Nice greenery,” and the next second Li Shu drove right in.

“You didn’t.”

But Li Shu had. He parked the car and said, “It’s a model home—best view in the area. Fully furnished. If you don’t like it, we can change it.”

Xiao Jiang cheerfully entered the door and chirped, “Daddy, this place is just like Hua Hua’s!”

The house had a modern, clean interior with large windows facing a sparkling lake.

“This is fine. Just change the sofa and we’re good,” Zhang Qiu said, eyeing the fabric couch.

The upstairs bedrooms were child-themed. Xiao Jiang picked his right away. The next room was pink and princess-like.

“Little brother’s room!” Jiang pointed.

“My room!” Xiao Fei said with a grin.

Zhang Qiu: …

“As long as you’re happy.”

That afternoon, they went shopping for new furniture. By the time they returned, the place had already been deep-cleaned. They had a home.

That night, as Zhang Qiu admired the freshly made bed, Li Shu slipped his hand around his waist. The two of them ended up thoroughly christening the bed.

——

The next morning, Li Shu made a quick breakfast, then drove Zhang Qiu to class. They were still late. The professor teased him.

“Well well, if it isn’t our rising internet star. Thought you quit for good.”

Zhang Qiu apologized earnestly, and the professor didn’t press it. Whatever courses he failed, he’d just have to retake.

By noon, Li Shu was waiting at the school gate. Xiao Jiang sat beside him sipping milk, while a group of girls flirted with Li Shu.

Zhang Qiu’s jealousy meter exploded.

He stormed over and heard Li Shu say, “…here to pick up my wife.”

One girl blinked. “Isn’t that Xiao Jiang? His dad is Zhang Qiu. I had a class with him.”

Li Shu glanced over. Not as good-looking as him. He looked away.

“Big Daddy, I’m hungry. When is Daddy coming out?” Xiao Jiang said sweetly.

The girls froze. Big daddy… daddy…

Zhang Qiu wanted to die from secondhand embarrassment. He rushed over, grabbed Xiao Jiang, and hustled to the car.

“I thought you finished your milk?” he asked.

“I didn’t like how they looked at Big Daddy,” Jiang said, pouting.

Zhang Qiu sighed. His son was smart when it mattered. “Lying isn’t good.”

“I know, I know. I finished it now!” Jiang said with a nod.

——

That afternoon, Zhang Qiu video-called Hua Ting to go over Professor Fang’s documents.

Hua Ting said, “These look like ancient encrypted scripts used by Qin-era spies. This part here lists medicinal ingredients. I recognize angelica and astragalus, but the rest I’m not sure about.”

“So the expedition was about medicine?” Zhang Qiu puzzled aloud.

“I can’t be certain,” Hua Ting said. “But judging from the notes, the destination might be overseas.”

Zhang Qiu pulled up a map. So many coastal provinces—it’d be like finding a needle in the sea.

They discussed it until dinner. Zhang Qiu hung up, stretched, and saw his sons asleep on the carpet. Xiao Jiang was hilariously sprawled out, while Xiao Fei was tucked under a red mist.

“Good boys.” He kissed them both.

Li Shu came out of the kitchen. “What’s that smell?” Zhang Qiu asked.

“Dinner experiment. Didn’t go well. I ordered hotpot instead.”

They ate while watching snow fall outside. Xiao Jiang, thrilled, bundled up Xiao Fei and ran outside. Zhang Qiu followed, wrapping himself up.

Soon, Jiang came running back holding a note. “A tall uncle gave me this!”

“What uncle?” Zhang Qiu looked around—no one.

“He was really tall and said I looked handsome!”

Zhang Qiu opened the note.

Fang Xin — Original lifespan: 73. Updated: 61 years, 136 days.

Fang Xin was the professor’s full name. His birthday had just passed, and the end date matched the end of this month.

Zhang Qiu handed the note to Li Shu, and it burst into flames in his hand—no ashes left behind.

“Could someone be playing a prank?” he said, unconvinced.

Li Shu murmured, “Someone who knows human lifespan… probably that Bai something’s boss.”

Bai Shengsheng’s boss? That’s the King of Hell! Zhang Qiu’s heart skipped. “The professor’s in danger—we have to find him!”

Just then, Xiao Jiang looked up. “Is Grandpa Fang in trouble? Daddy, let’s help him!”

The business card! Zhang Qiu pulled it out and burned it. Soon, Bai Shengsheng appeared at the gate, looking as sour as ever.

“What is it?”

Zhang Qiu explained the note.

Bai’s face twitched. “Can’t even borrow the register for fun… Had to go ripping pages from the Book of Life and Death…”

So that note was from the Book?

“I can’t locate the professor unless he dies,” Bai said. “Boss probably gave you the note as a warning.”

Then he handed over another card. “Today’s my day off. Extra fee for overtime. Contact this guy next time.”

Zhang Qiu looked. The name: Hei Qian (Black Money).

“…is this guy Black Wuchang?” he asked.

“Smart humans are my favorite,” came a cheerful voice.

A man in all black, sunglasses and coat, tall and built like a tank, walked up. “Boss sent me. I’ll be staying over.”

He patted Jiang’s head. “Such a handsome boy—just like Shengsheng.”

“Tall Gege!” Xiao Jiang squealed.

Zhang Qiu: … My son is such a vain little flirt. Where did he learn that?

Hei Qian smiled and moved in like he owned the place, never once taking off his sunglasses.

That night, Zhang Qiu sat cross-legged on the bed, stunned. “We have Black Wuchang in our house. This is like a drama!”

Li Shu: “Tenth time you’ve said that.”

Zhang Qiu ignored him. “I think Hei Qian and Bai Shengsheng are a thing.”

Li Shu: “Eleventh time.”

Zhang Qiu looked up and immediately saw the dark expression. Oh no.

“I just want to die knowing why…”

Li Shu sneered. “You mentioned another man’s name ten times.”

Zhang Qiu: Shit!

Li Shu pounced. That night, Zhang Qiu’s waist did not survive.