The Vanishing Lover

The phone rang just as the car carrying Xu Ruyi pulled up at the foot of Guanlanting.

A young female officer was driving her home. Once the car stopped, the officer considerately helped unload the luggage. Glancing at Little Pear sleeping soundly in Auntie Feng's arms and then at the slender Xu Ruyi, she smiled. "Miss Xu, I can help carry these upstairs for you."

Xu Ruyi nodded gratefully.

The morning had been exhausting. First, picking up the child from the hospital – after such major upheaval at home, the child had stayed with Xu Ruyi, living in hospitals and hotels. Whether it was the unfamiliar environment or the emotional stress, the child developed a fever and cough on the very first day at the hotel, which progressed to pneumonia, necessitating hospitalization.

Now, they could finally go home – the police had notified her that the searches at both Guanlanting and Jiayuan Community were complete.

The phone kept ringing.

"Miss Xu, go ahead and take the call. I'll handle the luggage!" The female officer opened the trunk to retrieve the bags.

Xu Ruyi nodded her thanks again and answered the call.

The voice on the other end was familiar to her now – He Zhisheng, the head of the Criminal Investigation Unit handling Qi Min's disappearance case.

"Xu Ruyi, I'm calling to inform you that Qi Min's body has been found. Your husband, Qin Guan, has now been formally arrested and detained by us…"

She only heard that sentence.

The words that followed – "You cannot see him for the time being, but you have the right to hire a lawyer. Any communications can be relayed through your lawyer…" – she could no longer hear any of it.

She tilted her head back. The midday sun filtered through the dense tree canopy, dappling patterns onto the police car's body, onto her own form, onto the peacefully sleeping face of her child, and onto the busy, greying head of the nanny, Auntie Feng…

The tree shadows swayed. Spots of white light, like playful spirits, silently danced towards her. They passed through her long hair, her thin shoulders, skimmed her face, pale and utterly devoid of color, and finally settled on her trembling hands.

Her hands were trembling.

She turned her body slightly away from the officer, but couldn't fully control the shaking in her hands.

Her lips moved, wanting to say something – she should say something at a time like this. What should she do? Cry? Sound frantic? Ask what she should do now?

No. She couldn't cry. She couldn't utter a single word.

"Miss Xu, what's wrong?" The young police officer had sharp eyes. She quickly noticed Xu Ruyi's unusual state and moved closer with concern.

"It's nothing,"

Xu Ruyi took a deep breath, holding onto that breath she couldn't afford to let go. She blinked, forcing the surging tears back into her reddened eyes with sheer will. Then, she painted her face with the expected expression of heartbreak, grievance, and helplessness. "I... my husband... has been arrested and detained... for murder."

Home was still the same home.

The familiar path, the familiar trees, plants, flowers, and objects along the way – there was the small pavilion where Dad often played chess. That stubborn old man loved nothing more than writing and playing chess. When he found a worthy opponent, he'd even forget to eat!

Further along was a row of parking spaces. The empty space at the very end was the one Mom had bought for her, chosen for its prime convenience right below her building.

A ground-level spot cost 210,000 yuan. Mom paid in full without hesitation: "Oh, don't I know you? Not the best driver and quick-tempered too! If we made you hunt for a spot, you'd be frustrated within two loops. This is something you use every day! Buy it!"

Beside the parking space stood a tall, lush osmanthus tree.

This particular tree bloomed most abundantly and fragrantly. Every autumn, Dad would obediently hold open a net beneath it while Mom wielded a stick, gently tapping the branches. Petals would rain down like snow. Little Pear would run joyfully through the "rain of flowers," shouting, "Oh, Grandpa and Grandma are shaking the osmanthus! I get to eat osmanthus cakes!"

She couldn't think about it.

Thinking about these things felt like an invisible hand was squeezing her heart.

Xu Ruyi stopped walking – something dense and heavy clogged her chest, making it impossible to breathe.

"Miss Xu, are you feeling unwell somewhere?" The young police officer moved closer again.

"Yes, it hurts a bit around my ribs," Xu Ruyi pressed a hand to her chest, as if silently pushing away the intense pain gathered there. "Probably still from the car accident last time..."

"Right, the doctor did mention you had impact injuries to your chest. Thankfully no fractures! That would have been troublesome – 'a hundred days for muscles and bones to mend'!"

"Yes, truly fortunate. A hundred days... unimaginable, with so much happening at home..."

Amidst this small talk, the group made their way upstairs.

The familiar home.

A high-end building with one elevator per unit. A spacious flat, a large apartment with four bedrooms and two living rooms – technically six rooms originally. One had been opened up to expand the living room, and another, according to Xu Ruyi's preference, had been turned into a small sitting room.

The interior was elegant and clean, decorated in a subtly tasteful French style that Xu Ruyi loved.

Every brick, every tile, every table, every curtain that perfectly matched her desired aesthetic – all had been personally selected and arranged by those two stubborn, unpersuadable elders.

Auntie Feng carried the sleeping child to her room.

"Miss Xu, your home is truly beautiful," the young police officer said softly. Seeing the loss and sorrow on Xu Ruyi's face, she offered comfort. "Things have come to this point now. There's nothing more you can do. Regardless, you should get some proper rest first. I'll be going..."

She set down the luggage, politely took her leave.

Xu Ruyi smiled, watching the officer step into the elevator. Only then did she close the door.

She stood silently behind the door, hand gripping the handle, holding her breath. Only when she heard the sound of the car engine starting below did all her carefully constructed defenses finally, uncontrollably, crumble away.

Almost instantly, she collapsed like a boneless creature, sliding silently to the floor.

Beneath her was a fresh, simple daisy-patterned doormat – Mom knew she loved daisies. She had spent two whole days, visiting three malls and over a dozen shops, just to find this one, the best quality and most beautiful one.

Xu Ruyi had scolded Mom for going to so much trouble.

"Oh, what's the big deal? I had nothing else to do anyway, just browsing a few more places. Since we're buying one, of course it has to be one you like! It's something you use every day! Ah, I know you're worried I'm tired. I'm not tired! You're my only precious daughter. Doing this little thing for you? I do it willingly! Happily! Really not tired, not tired at all!"

Mom gently stroked her hair, gazing at her with adoration. It felt like yesterday.

The faint wrinkles at the corners of her eyes overflowed with deep affection and joy.

Now, where could she seek that familiar touch?

Where could she find that loving gaze from Mom?

Xu Ruyi's thin arms braced against the floor. The immense, tightly held pain deep within her finally began to swell inch by inch in her frail body. It swelled silently, then exploded. Every fissure became a sharp knife – countless knives, double-edged, sharp, cold, mercilessly shredding her insides to pieces.