Red Bean Lives in the Republic of China - Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Keyu Theatre was not far away, and it would take no more than half an hour to get there.

Coincidentally, Wang Peter was also pushing a half-worn bicycle.

Yu Hongdou had never seen Wang Peter using his bicycle before; either he used his own car or He Yunqin’s. This was the first time she saw him travelling alone, and she didn’t expect that he would also be riding a bicycle.

Suddenly she remembered that once when He Yunqin and Wang Peter were in her study, they seemed to be measuring something strangely. She felt strange at the time, but then she was interrupted by her cousin’s matter and forgot to ask further.

‘I don’t know if it’s just a coincidence or if these two people have some common hobby…’

“Hongdou.”

Yu Hongdou emerged from her own thoughts when she heard her husband’s voice.

He Yunqin wanted to go to the Keyu Theatre, but he still remembered to ask her if she was willing to go with him.

“Okay,” she said with a smile.

Seeing her bright smile, He Yunqin was relieved, and he also smiled unconsciously.

Wang Peter, riding the bicycle behind He Yunqin, saw the exchange between the young couple, which helped clear his doubts.

When he first heard that He Yunqin was going to marry Yu Hongdou, he was shocked. After figuring out the twists and turns, he asked He Yunqin if he had already set his eyes on Yu Hongdou or if it was because Bai Haili was forcing the young woman to marry him.

He recalled how He Yunqin thought about it for a while and finally did not answer him at that time. 

Wang Peter was really puzzled at that time. He knew that Yu Hongdou was beautiful, but as He Yunqin had plenty of opportunities to meet beautiful women because of his family background, it couldn’t be the reason. There were many beautiful women with prominent family backgrounds. Why didn’t He Yunqin willingly arrange to marry someone else? Couldn’t He Yunqin really deal with Bai Haili? What a joke.

However, it seemed he got the real reason today.

‘Apart from Yu Hongdou, who else would be so interested in following He Yunqin around?

If it were someone else, even if they followed He Yunqin out to investigate the case reluctantly to please him, they would probably wear out of boredom or turn around and leave out of fear.

The reason why He Yunqin married Yu Hongdou is not only because of her physical attraction but also because of their spiritual connection.’

Although the Keyu Theatre was called a theatre, it was actually an old-style opera house. 

There were several famous actors and actresses, such as Bai Fengfei, there in recent years, so the owner of the troupe decorated it well. 

Clusters of green pleased the eyes of visitors as they entered the gallery. 

It was morning, and the garden was very quiet.

The steward already knew He Yunqin. When he heard that Wang Peter and He Yunqin were looking for Bai Fengfei, he hurriedly led the three of them into the inner garden.

As they were seated in the side hall, the steward served them tea, then closed the door and left.

While sipping her tea quietly, Yu Hongdou vaguely heard someone doing voice practising.

The sound of the voice was as light as a willow catkin, rising continuously. It just kept on floating and swaying all the way up to the sky.

She had only heard Bai Fengfei performing voice in the garden of the He Mansion. So at that moment, she couldn’t tell if it was Bai Fengfei’s voice. 

She looked at her husband and saw he was staring at the tea bowl attentively. So she thought he was also listening to that. “Is that Bai Fengfei?”

Upon hearing that, he looked at Yu Hongdou. He never liked to listen to operas, so how could he tell whether it was Bai Fengfei or Hei Fengfei? 

After thinking for a while, he pinched her face while Wang Peter wasn’t paying attention and said, “The troupe should have practised their voices at dawn. The only one who can practise their voice in the garden without paying attention to anyone else at this time must be Bai Fengfei.”

‘Oh, it makes sense…’ Feeling shy because of He Yunqin’s sudden action, her face became red. To drive her thoughts in another direction, she pulled up her shirt sleeves and looked down at her watch. It was almost half past eight.

Then the voice practising suddenly stopped, and after a while, she heard someone scolding the servant who was sweeping outside. “Boss Bai is here; put away the broom quickly. Be careful, or else the dust will choke Boss Bai’s throat.”

Upon hearing that, the newlyweds looked at each other.

‘That lady is a real “big shot”, so it is not surprising even if her subordinates put on a big show.’ Yu Hongdou thought.

After a little while, they heard someone coming towards the side hall.

Then the rosewood-carved door opened, and a woman in a lake blue cheongsam suddenly appeared at the door.

The last time Yu Hongdou saw Bai Fengfei, the latter wore a performing costume, so Yu Hongdou couldn’t see the woman’s appearance clearly. But when she saw the real person this time, she couldn’t help but look up and take a closer look.

She had an elongated oval face with slanted eyebrows, and her eyes were bright and clear. Just a quick look at her could bring a sense of calm to anyone.

She wasn’t young at all, and it seemed like she hadn’t had enough rest. Even with some makeup on, the tiredness on her face was still visible. 

The first thing Bai Fengfei noticed upon entering the room was He Yunqin. She smiled in surprise and exclaimed, “So the trace expert that Inspector Wang talked about is actually Mr. He.”

Her voice was as clear and smooth as spring water.

After seeing Yu Hongdou, she was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, “This is—”

Yu Hongdou had only appeared once at the wedding that day and then left, so Bai Fengfei didn’t get a good look at her. Even though she was aware that Mr. He was married, she never expected him to bring his new wife along.

He Yunqin smiled and said, “This is my wife.”

Bai Fengfei raised her eyebrows in surprise and studied Yu Hongdou closely for a moment before saying, “They really are a perfect match made in heaven.”

Wang Peter adjusted his tie and said earnestly, “Boss Bai, the Keyu Theatre case is making waves everywhere. I came here today to ask about what went down on the night of the incident.”

Bai Fengfei glanced at He Yunqin with uncertainty. 

He Yunqin set down his tea bowl and calmly told Bai Fengfei, “If it’s not suitable for me and my wife to be present, we can step outside now.”

Bai Fengfei chuckled and replied, “Mr. He, didn’t you catch what Inspector Wang just mentioned? Boss Yang’s tale has been out for a while now. Since the incident, people have been inquiring about it from time to time. I’ve gotten used to it. It’s no big deal to repeat it in front of Mr. He.”

After saying this, she smiled at He Yunqin and waved her hand, causing the door behind her to close.

Once Bai Fengfei settled down, Wang Peter inquired, “Boss Bai, have you been sleeping okay lately? You look a lot worse than when I last saw you.”

Bai Fengfei glanced down at the tea leaves neatly placed in the delicate white porcelain bowl and sighed. “I’ve known Boss Yang for many years. His troubles and tragic death have naturally left me feeling upset. I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep in quite a while.”

While she was talking, He Yunqin leaned back in his chair and quietly observed Bai Fengfei.

Yu Hongdou followed her husband’s gaze and noticed that Bai Fengfei’s cheongsam was brand new, with a soft sheen to the fabric. However, it was a bit loose around her waist and abdomen, not fitting her quite right. Given how particular Bai Fengfei was about her appearance, she would never wear clothes that didn’t fit properly. The reason for the oversized outfit could either be that she had lost a significant amount of weight recently or that she was wearing someone else’s clothes.

She took a closer look at the dark circles under Bai Fengfei’s eyes, which makeup couldn’t hide, leading her to lean towards the first possibility.

End of chapter 49

Have a nice day!