Mr. Aisli: “Take your time, how did you know he disappeared? It’s only been a few minutes. Maybe he just went somewhere without your notice?”
Youngest son-in-law: “But I’ve searched everywhere. Please let me explain.” The youngest son-in-law took a few deep breaths and his face gradually relaxed.
He was being grabbed by the collar, and he looked at Mr. Nick and the youngest daughter, trying to plead for help.
Mr. Nick merely furrowed his brow, showing no intention of assisting.
Even the weak woman he usually bullied remained motionless, sitting in the corner, indifferent to his plight.
With his face turning red, the youngest son-in-law struggled desperately to break free from the grip of the eldest daughter. Just as his face was about to turn crimson, the eldest daughter finally let go and threw him to the ground.
She towered over him with her plump figure, looking down at him condescendingly. “Now, speak up.”
Mr. Aisli: “Why don’t we discuss it while walking? Let’s not waste any more time.”
————————-
“The urinals are for urination, and the cubicles are for defecation. You all know that, right?”
Led by the youngest son-in-law, the group hurriedly headed towards the restroom.
“I just needed to pee, so I stayed outside at the urinal. My brother-in-law said he had a stomachache and went into the single cubicle next to me. I stayed outside the entire time, and my eyes never left his door.”
“You see, I had my suspicions about him. Moreover, there is some estrangement between us, so we didn’t talk much.”
“The first sign of something amiss was the unusual silence.”
“I was the one talking the whole time, and initially, he would reply with a sentence or two. But at some point, there was suddenly no sound from inside.”
“No sounds of exertion, no water noises, no talking.”
“I knocked on the door several times, but there was no response.”
“I started to panic and forcefully kicked the door open, only to find him gone.”
As the youngest son-in-law spoke, he pointed toward the restroom at the end of the hallway. “Right there.”
“Tell me, how could such a big person vanish into thin air?”
The eldest daughter glared at the youngest son-in-law with a sinister look. “Shouldn’t we be asking you that? How could such a big person disappear just because he went into a restroom with you? My husband is a coward, what did you do to him?!”
“Your husband is a coward?” The youngest son-in-law widened his eyes. “Come on, don’t be ridiculous. He’s just lazy, not a coward. If he were a coward, how could he have seduced my wife? I believe the culprit is your husband. He realized he was caught and fled in fear.”
The eldest daughter raised her fist towards the youngest son-in-law. “You’re talking nonsense. My husband wouldn’t harm a rabbit, let alone kill someone. I think the real culprit is you. Don’t think I don’t know that Mrs. Nick took the funds that were originally meant for you. You held a grudge and killed her.”
The youngest son-in-law pointed his finger at the eldest daughter angrily. “Don’t you dare frame me. Those funds were originally my father’s, and he could give them to anyone he wanted. What could I do about it? I would never resort to murder over something like this. I am not as foolish as you, who is only concerned about eating.”
“Who are you calling a pig?!”
“…Calm down, I didn’t call you a pig, I called you a fool.”
“Fuck, you’re still insulting me!”
The youngest son-in-law: “…”
Tensions escalated further.
Behind them, the tour guide and a few attendants followed. Bai Lixin looked back and noticed that the youngest daughter was walking at the back of the group with a calm and expressionless face.
She appeared relaxed.
This relaxation wasn’t a calm one, but rather a response of letting go of everything.
Under the youngest son-in-law’s lead, the group soon arrived at the restroom. Even though it was a place for bodily functions, it was made of golden materials.
As soon as the youngest son-in-law entered the men’s restroom, he walked straight through the outer hall and approached the first cubicle.
“Look, there are traces here from when I broke the door down.” He pointed at the broken lock from inside. “He went in here, and then he suddenly disappeared.”
“I’m telling the truth. If I had known, I wouldn’t have come with him. What bad luck.”
The eldest daughter immediately glared at him.
Bai Lixin moved to the front of the crowd and observed the situation inside the cubicle.
A few pieces of scattered silk fabric were lying on the ground. If the eldest son in law had been here, those pieces of silk would have been used to clean up afterward.
The golden toilet was clean, with no signs of being stepped on around the edges.
Looking up, he noticed that the cubicle led directly to the roof, making it possible to climb out from there.
The ventilation opening was overhead.
The other cubicles were clean, with no signs of anyone entering.
The director secretly set up his camera again, discreetly filming while aiming the lens at the youngest son-in-law. “Are you sure you kept watching after he entered until you confirmed his disappearance?”
“I’m certain,” said the youngest son-in-law, his face growing increasingly grim as he looked at the scene. “This place is too eerie. Maybe there really are ghosts.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the tense atmosphere once again took on a subtle shift. The director and the Aisli couple couldn’t help but suppress their laughter. Mr. Aisli said, “How could there be ghosts? Someone must be playing tricks.”
The youngest son-in-law looked at these people with a pale face. “Have you all gone mad? Can’t you be a bit more rational? How can you still find it amusing? Two people have already disappeared, and two people have died under mysterious circumstances.”
“Perhaps the next one will be you, you, or even you. How can you still laugh? Aren’t you afraid of death?”
It was unknown which type of production the director was filming, as he seemed to have a lot of courage. The more problems arose, the more excited he became. “The previous incidents occurred because we didn’t take them seriously enough. The culprit orchestrated all this to make us believe in the supernatural.”
“I already know who the culprit is.”
As soon as these words were spoken, even the tour guide looked at him curiously.
Everyone’s gaze turned towards the director, waiting for his next words.
The director cleared his throat. “To be honest, I am a director who specializes in filming suspenseful detective stories. Look up at the ventilation opening on top of this cubicle.”
“Based on my deduction, the eldest son-in-law didn’t disappear but actually left through the ventilation opening above.”
“But how did he manage that, considering the height of over three meters?” Mr. Aisli questioned.
The director replied, “It’s not difficult to accomplish. Watch me.”
As he spoke, he adjusted the angle of his black backpack and handed it to a nearby male actor. Then he confidently walked into the restroom cubicle.
The director extended both hands and touched the golden walls, followed by his feet. “By using this simple method, one can slowly climb up, open the ventilation window on top, and create the illusion of a locked-room disappearance case.”
“This seemingly locked-room cubicle is, in fact, not a locked room at all.”
After demonstrating, the director retracted his hands and feet, smiling and waiting for everyone’s admiration.
“But if this method was used, wouldn’t there be sweat stains left on the walls?” Mr. Aisli approached, pointing to the spot the director had touched earlier. “Look, just like the area you touched earlier.”
“On a golden surface, sweat stains are easily visible, just like yours. But the original walls are clean, with no traces of footprints.”
Everyone raised their heads and indeed saw no sweat stains on the walls except for the ones left by the director.
The director blushed awkwardly. “Well, uh, he… he wore gloves.”
He pointed to the silk fabric on the ground excitedly. “Yes, that’s right. He wore something on his hands and feet to prevent sweat stains. It was these pieces of silk fabric.”
“As long as he wrapped the fabric around his hands and feet, he could ascend cleanly.”
“Are you joking, sir?” Mrs. Aisli widened her eyes. “Take a good look. These are silk fabrics. Even if you handle them lightly, they can easily be damaged.”
Mrs. Aisli pulled out two pieces of silk fabric from her bag, rubbing and tearing them vigorously. Soon, the threads were unraveled.
“While there are silk fabrics on the ground, their condition is still good. It’s impossible for them to be wrapped around hands and feet.”
The director’s face grew even redder. He looked up at the ventilation opening and then around him. “There must be another method. I just didn’t think of it. He must have used another method to disappear from here.”
“May I ask? If he left through the ventilation opening, wouldn’t there be a sound when opening it?” A calm voice emerged from the crowd, and everyone turned to see the good-looking servant for the fallen noble siblings. His gaze was directed at one of the attendants as he asked aloud.
Mr. Aisli: “Take your time, how did you know he disappeared? It’s only been a few minutes. Maybe he just went somewhere without your notice?”
Youngest son-in-law: “But I’ve searched everywhere. Please let me explain.” The youngest son-in-law took a few deep breaths and his face gradually relaxed.
He was being grabbed by the collar, and he looked at Mr. Nick and the youngest daughter, trying to plead for help.
Mr. Nick merely furrowed his brow, showing no intention of assisting.
Even the weak woman he usually bullied remained motionless, sitting in the corner, indifferent to his plight.
With his face turning red, the youngest son-in-law struggled desperately to break free from the grip of the eldest daughter. Just as his face was about to turn crimson, the eldest daughter finally let go and threw him to the ground.
She towered over him with her plump figure, looking down at him condescendingly. “Now, speak up.”
Mr. Aisli: “Why don’t we discuss it while walking? Let’s not waste any more time.”
————————-
“The urinals are for urination, and the cubicles are for defecation. You all know that, right?”
Led by the youngest son-in-law, the group hurriedly headed towards the restroom.
“I just needed to pee, so I stayed outside at the urinal. My brother-in-law said he had a stomachache and went into the single cubicle next to me. I stayed outside the entire time, and my eyes never left his door.”
“You see, I had my suspicions about him. Moreover, there is some estrangement between us, so we didn’t talk much.”
“The first sign of something amiss was the unusual silence.”
“I was the one talking the whole time, and initially, he would reply with a sentence or two. But at some point, there was suddenly no sound from inside.”
“No sounds of exertion, no water noises, no talking.”
“I knocked on the door several times, but there was no response.”
“I started to panic and forcefully kicked the door open, only to find him gone.”
As the youngest son-in-law spoke, he pointed toward the restroom at the end of the hallway. “Right there.”
“Tell me, how could such a big person vanish into thin air?”
The eldest daughter glared at the youngest son-in-law with a sinister look. “Shouldn’t we be asking you that? How could such a big person disappear just because he went into a restroom with you? My husband is a coward, what did you do to him?!”
“Your husband is a coward?” The youngest son-in-law widened his eyes. “Come on, don’t be ridiculous. He’s just lazy, not a coward. If he were a coward, how could he have seduced my wife? I believe the culprit is your husband. He realized he was caught and fled in fear.”
The eldest daughter raised her fist towards the youngest son-in-law. “You’re talking nonsense. My husband wouldn’t harm a rabbit, let alone kill someone. I think the real culprit is you. Don’t think I don’t know that Mrs. Nick took the funds that were originally meant for you. You held a grudge and killed her.”
The youngest son-in-law pointed his finger at the eldest daughter angrily. “Don’t you dare frame me. Those funds were originally my father’s, and he could give them to anyone he wanted. What could I do about it? I would never resort to murder over something like this. I am not as foolish as you, who is only concerned about eating.”
“Who are you calling a pig?!”
“…Calm down, I didn’t call you a pig, I called you a fool.”
“Fuck, you’re still insulting me!”
The youngest son-in-law: “…”
Tensions escalated further.
Behind them, the tour guide and a few attendants followed. Bai Lixin looked back and noticed that the youngest daughter was walking at the back of the group with a calm and expressionless face.
She appeared relaxed.
This relaxation wasn’t a calm one, but rather a response of letting go of everything.
Under the youngest son-in-law’s lead, the group soon arrived at the restroom. Even though it was a place for bodily functions, it was made of golden materials.
As soon as the youngest son-in-law entered the men’s restroom, he walked straight through the outer hall and approached the first cubicle.
“Look, there are traces here from when I broke the door down.” He pointed at the broken lock from inside. “He went in here, and then he suddenly disappeared.”
“I’m telling the truth. If I had known, I wouldn’t have come with him. What bad luck.”
The eldest daughter immediately glared at him.
Bai Lixin moved to the front of the crowd and observed the situation inside the cubicle.
A few pieces of scattered silk fabric were lying on the ground. If the eldest son in law had been here, those pieces of silk would have been used to clean up afterward.
The golden toilet was clean, with no signs of being stepped on around the edges.
Looking up, he noticed that the cubicle led directly to the roof, making it possible to climb out from there.
The ventilation opening was overhead.
The other cubicles were clean, with no signs of anyone entering.
The director secretly set up his camera again, discreetly filming while aiming the lens at the youngest son-in-law. “Are you sure you kept watching after he entered until you confirmed his disappearance?”
“I’m certain,” said the youngest son-in-law, his face growing increasingly grim as he looked at the scene. “This place is too eerie. Maybe there really are ghosts.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the tense atmosphere once again took on a subtle shift. The director and the Aisli couple couldn’t help but suppress their laughter. Mr. Aisli said, “How could there be ghosts? Someone must be playing tricks.”
The youngest son-in-law looked at these people with a pale face. “Have you all gone mad? Can’t you be a bit more rational? How can you still find it amusing? Two people have already disappeared, and two people have died under mysterious circumstances.”
“Perhaps the next one will be you, you, or even you. How can you still laugh? Aren’t you afraid of death?”
It was unknown which type of production the director was filming, as he seemed to have a lot of courage. The more problems arose, the more excited he became. “The previous incidents occurred because we didn’t take them seriously enough. The culprit orchestrated all this to make us believe in the supernatural.”
“I already know who the culprit is.”
As soon as these words were spoken, even the tour guide looked at him curiously.
Everyone’s gaze turned towards the director, waiting for his next words.
The director cleared his throat. “To be honest, I am a director who specializes in filming suspenseful detective stories. Look up at the ventilation opening on top of this cubicle.”
“Based on my deduction, the eldest son-in-law didn’t disappear but actually left through the ventilation opening above.”
“But how did he manage that, considering the height of over three meters?” Mr. Aisli questioned.
The director replied, “It’s not difficult to accomplish. Watch me.”
As he spoke, he adjusted the angle of his black backpack and handed it to a nearby male actor. Then he confidently walked into the restroom cubicle.
The director extended both hands and touched the golden walls, followed by his feet. “By using this simple method, one can slowly climb up, open the ventilation window on top, and create the illusion of a locked-room disappearance case.”
“This seemingly locked-room cubicle is, in fact, not a locked room at all.”
After demonstrating, the director retracted his hands and feet, smiling and waiting for everyone’s admiration.
“But if this method was used, wouldn’t there be sweat stains left on the walls?” Mr. Aisli approached, pointing to the spot the director had touched earlier. “Look, just like the area you touched earlier.”
“On a golden surface, sweat stains are easily visible, just like yours. But the original walls are clean, with no traces of footprints.”
Everyone raised their heads and indeed saw no sweat stains on the walls except for the ones left by the director.
The director blushed awkwardly. “Well, uh, he… he wore gloves.”
He pointed to the silk fabric on the ground excitedly. “Yes, that’s right. He wore something on his hands and feet to prevent sweat stains. It was these pieces of silk fabric.”
“As long as he wrapped the fabric around his hands and feet, he could ascend cleanly.”
“Are you joking, sir?” Mrs. Aisli widened her eyes. “Take a good look. These are silk fabrics. Even if you handle them lightly, they can easily be damaged.”
Mrs. Aisli pulled out two pieces of silk fabric from her bag, rubbing and tearing them vigorously. Soon, the threads were unraveled.
“While there are silk fabrics on the ground, their condition is still good. It’s impossible for them to be wrapped around hands and feet.”
The director’s face grew even redder. He looked up at the ventilation opening and then around him. “There must be another method. I just didn’t think of it. He must have used another method to disappear from here.”
“May I ask? If he left through the ventilation opening, wouldn’t there be a sound when opening it?” A calm voice emerged from the crowd, and everyone turned to see the good-looking servant for the fallen noble siblings. His gaze was directed at one of the attendants as he asked aloud.
