My girlfriend is a Miao demon.

The taxi's tires chugged softly over the city's asphalt in the dead of night, a gentle rustling sound that seemed to accompany this journey filled with unknowns. The car entered a 2700-meter-long tunnel through the mountains, named Airport Tunnel No. 1. Above the tunnel stretched a narrow tendril of Shounan Mountain towards Wangshan City. The light inside the car suddenly dimmed, with only the glow of the tunnel's streetlights filtering through the windows, casting flickering shadows on the three people's faces.

Mao Xigu sat in the back passenger seat, his fingertips tracing the edge of his phone case, his brow furrowed, looking slightly tired. He glanced at Sawako beside him, but the girl's gaze was fixed on the rapidly receding road signs outside the window.

"Xiang Nanfeng, shall we find a place to have a quick chat first? Also, Miss Zuo... it seems she won't be returning to school for the time being, so we need to find her a place to stay."

Mao Xigu's voice broke the silence in the carriage. Yes, he would stay at Xiang Nanfeng's place after arriving in Wangshan, something they had agreed upon online beforehand. But what about Zuo Hezi? Where should she stay? And with so many things that had happened these past few days, how did these three people end up together? Clearly, each of them had answers to questions that others were eager to know, and they needed to find a place to have a proper talk first.

"Oh, I can stay in a hotel," Sawako replied immediately. "I'll just find any hotel in the city later."

Zuo Hezi's first reaction reminded Xiang Nanfeng of what Shen Feng had said that morning about his teacher, Zuo Hezi's father, Zuo Sigong—that intellectual's unique sense of boundaries. Indeed, "like father, like son." But at this moment, such a sense of boundaries was inappropriate.

"No need to stay in a hotel anymore, there's a place that's perfect for all of us."

Xiang Nanfeng's tone was resolute. He didn't look up as he spoke, continuing to text on his phone. As soon as he finished speaking, it seemed his text had just been sent. Without consulting the two people behind him, he turned directly to the driver and said:

"Driver, after we exit the tunnel, we'll take the overpass and then the ring expressway to the Circle Art City."

"Okay," the driver replied, turning on the turn signal and the vehicle began to merge to the right.

The two people in the back row exchanged glances. Xiang Nanfeng guessed that Mao Xiguzhu didn't know that the Circle Art City was Zuo Sigong's residence, and also guessed that Zuo Hezi probably didn't know that he had re-rented the studio she had just vacated. So he briefly explained to the two of them:

"Master Mao Xi, since you know Miss Zuo, you must also know about her father, Professor Zuo, right?"

"Yes, I know."

"No. 18, Zone 3, East, Circle Art City was Professor Zuo's first rented studio, and it's also where his accident happened. Ms. Zuo, if not, did you stay there during your stay in Wangshan?"

"Yes, I just moved out of the lease a little over two hours ago."

"Well, I went to that studio to find you. I heard you had already moved out, so I rented it. I thought since you lived there before, you should stay there now. Besides, Wangshan is such a big place, and it must not be a coincidence that we met at the airport. So everyone must have a lot of questions and be eager to know the ins and outs of others. I think there is no better place than that place to talk about these things."

Xiang Nanfeng spoke as if it were nothing, but in reality, his heart was in turmoil.

"Yes, yes. Listen to the south wind, you can't go wrong!"

Mao west Gu Master immediately echoed.

Sawako nodded. It seemed her sudden return indicated she was prepared to stay permanently in Wangshan, making her studio in the Circle Art City clearly more suitable than a hotel. Sure enough, as Sawako considered the potential problems of staying permanently, she suddenly opened her backpack and began rummaging through her things. It turned out she was looking for a SIM card and a SIM card ejector tool.

"I'm so sorry, could you please pass by a mobile phone store on the way to the Circle Art City? I was in such a rush that I forgot to renew my mobile phone service at the airport, and my SIM card from China has been suspended due to unpaid bills."

"Oh, is it still the same phone number?"

"Yes."

"Then you can switch back. I've already topped up your old phone number. You can use it as soon as you turn it on."

"what?"

For Xiang Nanfeng, renewing the studio lease was to search for secrets he might discover at Zuo Sigong's death scene if he couldn't find Sawako, while renewing the phone number that had been disconnected was to find Sawako as much as possible.

Zuo Hezi was unaware of these things; she had no idea that Xiang Nanfeng existed. Therefore, to her, someone she didn't know at all, yet who knew her perfectly well, was practically a prophet. So, when she inserted her SIM card and looked up, her astonishment was palpable.

Mao Xi, the Gu Master, of course didn't know what was going on either. After all, he had been out of contact with Xiang Nanfeng for more than two days because of his flight. However, he had already witnessed Xiang Nanfeng's abilities, so when he discovered that Xiang Nanfeng had already contacted Zuo Hezi, he wasn't surprised by what Xiang Nanfeng was doing. Mao Xi couldn't help but smile, and he proudly introduced Xiang Nanfeng to Zuo Hezi:

"See, I told you long ago. This guy named Xiang Nanfeng is no ordinary person! He's Wangshan TV's top—oh no! He's China's top investigative journalist. His observation, judgment, and thinking abilities are extraordinary. There's nothing he can't find out about anything or anyone he wants to investigate!"

As soon as these flattering words were uttered, Xiang Nanfeng made a "stop" gesture, but the gesture did not stop Mao Xigu's "sycophantic words".

"Alright, alright, I really can't listen to this anymore. You're making it sound like I know everything. I suggest we both stop talking and sort out our thoughts so we can explain our respective backgrounds clearly later."

"well!"

The two in the back echoed his sentiment. At that moment, a massive semi-circular archway, like a steel rainbow, appeared on the left side of the road—the very landmark of the Circle Art City, a landmark of its era. The taxi turned left into the art district. This time, Xiang Nanfeng knew the way well; he gave the driver directions, and they quickly found No. 18, East 3rd District, stopping at the entrance of a narrow alley. As the car came to a stop and the three paid and got out, the real estate company's account manager emerged from the alley to greet them:

"Mr. Xiang, Mr. Xiang, you're incredibly efficient!" The account manager, fearing he might lose a willing tenant willing to rent the "haunted house," clutched the contract, hoping to finalize the signing immediately. "Mr. Xiang, as you requested, the room remains exactly as it is; it hasn't been cleaned, and no one has been inside. What do you think of this contract?"

Xiang Nanfeng pointed at Zuo Hezi and said, "You should still sign the contract with her."

With that, he took the keys from the account manager and strode towards the studio. The two behind him didn't want to waste any more time. Zuo Hezi signed the contract and was about to take out her wallet to pay when the account manager stopped her. He pointed to Xiang Nanfeng, who had already entered the room, and said, "Ms. Zuo, you don't need to pay. That gentleman has already paid a quarter's rent via WeChat. Just give me the contract."

After saying that, the account manager packed up the contract and left, and the two people at the alley entrance followed him in with their luggage. The blue security door clicked shut, and three hours later, the 300-square-meter "haunted house" at No. 18, East Zone 3, Circle Art City welcomed new tenants.