Bureau of Demon Affairs CH6
Chapter 6: Thirteen Years
Thirteen years ago.
Zhou Xun didn't hit her growth spurt until the third year of middle school. Back then, her mother was constantly hovering over her with fish, shrimp, eggs, and milk—sometimes even stewed bone broth—insisting she needed the protein. Eventually, Zhou Xun grew so sick of the milk that she started stuffing a carton into her pocket every day to smuggle it out to Fang Nan.
Three days before winter break ended, Zhou Xun was stuck in an intensive high school entrance exam prep course. It was a testing day; she finished the final subject early, handed in her paper, and flew out of the classroom to find Fang Nan.
The afternoon sun was relatively warm. Fang Nan, her backpack still on, was standing at a small book stall outside the school gates devouring a romance novel. The balding owner glared at her for the fifth time before she finally finished the last page at lightning speed.
"You haven't finished your winter homework yet?" Zhou Xun asked, noticing the weight of the backpack.
"I'm not doing it. In fact, I’m going to tear it to pieces," Fang Nan declared with the solemnity of a blood oath.
"Your mom will kill you."
Fang Nan scoffed. "Please. She doesn't have the time to care about me."
Zhou Xun turned to look at her properly. "Your dad still isn't back?"
Around the turn of the millennium, the ripple effects of the mass layoffs were still rocking Baihe City. Both Zhou Xun’s and Fang Nan’s fathers had been affected. Zhou Xun’s father had transitioned into driving a taxi, while Fang Nan’s father had taken up long-haul trucking.
Fang Nan shook her head. "It’s been half a month. I think he’s out fooling around, but my mom thinks he might be dead in a ditch somewhere."
Zhou Xun was used to Fang Nan’s biting cynicism toward her father, but a middle-aged man vanishing into thin air during this particular time was never a good sign.
Just last week, another dismemberment case had hit Baihe City. The victim hadn't been identified yet, but the site was a residential area just two blocks from their school. It was the third brutal case in a row. Between the internet, local tabloids, and street gossip, the serial killer had reached mythic proportions. People whispered about him eating hearts and livers, or wearing masks that are the faces of his victims, perfectly flayed from their bodies to torment their families. The entire city was paralyzed by fear.
"By all rights, he should have been back a week ago. But given his track record, I'm sticking with the 'fooling around' theory."
Zhou Xun remained silent. They were neighbors; she had grown up listening to the thunderous, violent arguments between Fang Nan’s parents.
"Come over to my place," Fang Nan tugged at Zhou Xun’s arm. "No one's home, we can watch TV!"
As they walked toward the staff housing complex, they passed Old Man Chen’s convenience store. The elderly man was hunched over a shelf, restocking. A green, vintage public payphone sat on the glass counter next to bubbles of gum and spicy snacks. Old Man Chen waved as they passed. He was a Rabbit Demon; despite his wrinkled face, his skin was snowy white, and his red eyes remained sharp and alert.
Just before they reached Fang Nan’s door, she remembered her vow. She pulled the workbook out in front of a trash can, performing a dramatic rendition of "Qingwen Tearing the Fan", telling Zhou Xun she wanted her to "hear the sound of freedom".
"Nan-nan!"
At the height of her performance, Fang Nan heard her childhood nickname. She turned to see her long-lost father, Fang Yixiang, standing under a tree, waving to her.
He hadn't called her that in years.
"Dad!"
The torn paper scattered across the ground as Fang Nan ran into his arms. He might have been a deadbeat, but blood was thicker than water, and seeing him alive sent her into a state of pure ecstasy.
"Whoa, look at you! New clothes?" Fang Nan looked up at him. His outfit was entirely different from the rugged gear he’d worn when he left. "Who bought this for you? Why didn't you bring it home for Mom to see?" Her joy quickly soured into her usual sarcasm.
But unlike the old Fang Yixiang, who was a powder keg of a man, he simply ruffled her hair and smiled gently. "I was wrong before. I’m sorry, Nan-nan."
The sudden warmth caught Fang Nan off guard. She didn't know how to react.
"I took the day off. How about I take you out for some fun?" The invitation was something that would have delighted a kindergartner, but for a girl starved of a father’s affection, it made her eyes sting.
"Yeah! Okay! Then... sorry, Zhou Xun, I have to go with my dad—"
"Don't go!" The shout escaped Zhou Xun instinctively.
Every nerve in her body told her to stop her best friend. Every instinct screamed that the man standing before them was not Fang Yixiang.
"I didn't notice before. Your classmate is here, too," he said, turning that same gentle smile toward Zhou Xun.
The word "classmate" solidified her suspicion. Fang Nan’s father knew they had grown up together so calling her "classmate" was far too distant. More importantly, they weren't in the same grade—they weren't even in the same class.
Fang Nan waved at her. "Go on home. I’ll find you tomorrow!"
Zhou Xun stared at his pristine down jacket and his leather shoes, polished to a mirror shine. He looked like he’d spent hours grooming himself. Her mind raced, searching for a way to "evacuate" Fang Nan without alerting him.
She forced a tight smile. "Uncle, did you forget? You promised that if I tutored Fang Nan and she got over a fifty on her math exam, you’d take us both to McDonald's."
"Huh?" Fang Nan looked confused. She knew her brain was never used for studying, and such a bet was impossible. But she instinctively trusted Zhou Xun and didn't argue.
"Ah... I suppose I did forget."
"Then today is the perfect day to keep that promise."
"Fine."
'Fang Yixiang' gave a thin, joyless smile. His eyes, black as charcoal, locked onto Zhou Xun. It was the look of a predator that had finally found the prey it was looking for.
Zhou Xun summoned every ounce of her courage and looked him dead in the eye. "Fang Nan, you and your dad wait for me a second. I need to go to the shop and call my mom so she knows I won't be home for dinner."
"Alright."
Zhou Xun turned and walked toward the convenience store, only exhaling once she was out of immediate reach. She had chosen McDonald's because it was in a crowded, bustling shopping mall. He wouldn't dare strike in public, would he? She just had to delay him until the police arrived.
The store was empty. Old Man Chen was nowhere to be found. Zhou Xun called out for him, but there was no reply. She sighed. She couldn't count on the old rabbit anyway. If something happened, he’d barely be a match for a preschooler.
Steadying her nerves, she spotted a small folding knife on the glass counter—likely used for opening boxes. She snatched it and shoved it into her pocket.
Please don't let me need this, she prayed.
She looked up at the security camera. Old Man Chen had installed it recently because his failing eyesight had led to several thefts. Zhou Xun unclipped the cartoon plushie from her bag and placed it on the third shelf. She had seen Old Chen restocking the second shelf; he’d find it as soon as he returned. Between the plushie and the footage, there would be a trail if anything went wrong.
Then, she picked up the landline and dialed the emergency number she knew by heart.
Before the call could connect, a shadow blocked the golden sunlight streaming through the door.
"You’re quite the loyal friend, aren't you, little girl?"
Zhou Xun turned. 'Fang Yixiang' stood behind her, wearing that same sickening, half-smile. His pitch-black eyes were like blades, cutting through the air, seeing through everything.
Her throat tightened. She pressed the receiver to her ear, desperate to keep any sound from leaking out. She didn't dare move, terrified of exposing the frantic, desperate pounding of her heart.
But the man just kept staring.
Zhou Xun took a deep breath and met those charcoal eyes. "Yes. Fang Nan is my best friend. If anyone tries to hurt her, I’ll fight them to the death."
Her voice trembled, despite her best efforts.
The man seemed genuinely amused. He let out a real laugh.
"You're quite clever," he said.
Zhou Xun turned away, refusing to look at him. The call still hadn't connected. Suddenly, she yelled toward the back of the store: "Old Man Chen! If you see my mom, tell her Fang Nan’s dad is back! He’s taking us to the McDonald's at Victory Mall! I won't be back for dinner!"
There was no reply. It was a bluff, and they both knew it. The man watched her with the cruel patience of a cat playing with a mouse.
Then, finally, the line clicked. Someone picked up...
* * *
The ringing of her phone snapped Zhou Xun out of the memory. It was Captain Du.
"What's going on?" Du Xingwang didn't quite understand Zhou Xun’s frantic orders, but he knew she usually had a reason. "Why the stakeout?"
"Du Xingwang! It's him. It’s really him!"
"Who? The 'Leatherface' killer?"
"Yes!"
Zhou Xun was shaking. She thought of the missing family photo charm from Zhang Guangjun’s car. She stared out the window at the gray sky.
Can you resist? she thought. Can you really stop yourself from biting the bait?
Translator's Notes:
Thirteen years ago.
Zhou Xun didn't hit her growth spurt until the third year of middle school. Back then, her mother was constantly hovering over her with fish, shrimp, eggs, and milk—sometimes even stewed bone broth—insisting she needed the protein. Eventually, Zhou Xun grew so sick of the milk that she started stuffing a carton into her pocket every day to smuggle it out to Fang Nan.
Three days before winter break ended, Zhou Xun was stuck in an intensive high school entrance exam prep course. It was a testing day; she finished the final subject early, handed in her paper, and flew out of the classroom to find Fang Nan.
The afternoon sun was relatively warm. Fang Nan, her backpack still on, was standing at a small book stall outside the school gates devouring a romance novel. The balding owner glared at her for the fifth time before she finally finished the last page at lightning speed.
"You haven't finished your winter homework yet?" Zhou Xun asked, noticing the weight of the backpack.
"I'm not doing it. In fact, I’m going to tear it to pieces," Fang Nan declared with the solemnity of a blood oath.
"Your mom will kill you."
Fang Nan scoffed. "Please. She doesn't have the time to care about me."
Zhou Xun turned to look at her properly. "Your dad still isn't back?"
Around the turn of the millennium, the ripple effects of the mass layoffs were still rocking Baihe City. Both Zhou Xun’s and Fang Nan’s fathers had been affected. Zhou Xun’s father had transitioned into driving a taxi, while Fang Nan’s father had taken up long-haul trucking.
Fang Nan shook her head. "It’s been half a month. I think he’s out fooling around, but my mom thinks he might be dead in a ditch somewhere."
Zhou Xun was used to Fang Nan’s biting cynicism toward her father, but a middle-aged man vanishing into thin air during this particular time was never a good sign.
Just last week, another dismemberment case had hit Baihe City. The victim hadn't been identified yet, but the site was a residential area just two blocks from their school. It was the third brutal case in a row. Between the internet, local tabloids, and street gossip, the serial killer had reached mythic proportions. People whispered about him eating hearts and livers, or wearing masks that are the faces of his victims, perfectly flayed from their bodies to torment their families. The entire city was paralyzed by fear.
"By all rights, he should have been back a week ago. But given his track record, I'm sticking with the 'fooling around' theory."
Zhou Xun remained silent. They were neighbors; she had grown up listening to the thunderous, violent arguments between Fang Nan’s parents.
"Come over to my place," Fang Nan tugged at Zhou Xun’s arm. "No one's home, we can watch TV!"
As they walked toward the staff housing complex, they passed Old Man Chen’s convenience store. The elderly man was hunched over a shelf, restocking. A green, vintage public payphone sat on the glass counter next to bubbles of gum and spicy snacks. Old Man Chen waved as they passed. He was a Rabbit Demon; despite his wrinkled face, his skin was snowy white, and his red eyes remained sharp and alert.
Just before they reached Fang Nan’s door, she remembered her vow. She pulled the workbook out in front of a trash can, performing a dramatic rendition of "Qingwen Tearing the Fan", telling Zhou Xun she wanted her to "hear the sound of freedom".
"Nan-nan!"
At the height of her performance, Fang Nan heard her childhood nickname. She turned to see her long-lost father, Fang Yixiang, standing under a tree, waving to her.
He hadn't called her that in years.
"Dad!"
The torn paper scattered across the ground as Fang Nan ran into his arms. He might have been a deadbeat, but blood was thicker than water, and seeing him alive sent her into a state of pure ecstasy.
"Whoa, look at you! New clothes?" Fang Nan looked up at him. His outfit was entirely different from the rugged gear he’d worn when he left. "Who bought this for you? Why didn't you bring it home for Mom to see?" Her joy quickly soured into her usual sarcasm.
But unlike the old Fang Yixiang, who was a powder keg of a man, he simply ruffled her hair and smiled gently. "I was wrong before. I’m sorry, Nan-nan."
The sudden warmth caught Fang Nan off guard. She didn't know how to react.
"I took the day off. How about I take you out for some fun?" The invitation was something that would have delighted a kindergartner, but for a girl starved of a father’s affection, it made her eyes sting.
"Yeah! Okay! Then... sorry, Zhou Xun, I have to go with my dad—"
"Don't go!" The shout escaped Zhou Xun instinctively.
Every nerve in her body told her to stop her best friend. Every instinct screamed that the man standing before them was not Fang Yixiang.
"I didn't notice before. Your classmate is here, too," he said, turning that same gentle smile toward Zhou Xun.
The word "classmate" solidified her suspicion. Fang Nan’s father knew they had grown up together so calling her "classmate" was far too distant. More importantly, they weren't in the same grade—they weren't even in the same class.
Fang Nan waved at her. "Go on home. I’ll find you tomorrow!"
Zhou Xun stared at his pristine down jacket and his leather shoes, polished to a mirror shine. He looked like he’d spent hours grooming himself. Her mind raced, searching for a way to "evacuate" Fang Nan without alerting him.
She forced a tight smile. "Uncle, did you forget? You promised that if I tutored Fang Nan and she got over a fifty on her math exam, you’d take us both to McDonald's."
"Huh?" Fang Nan looked confused. She knew her brain was never used for studying, and such a bet was impossible. But she instinctively trusted Zhou Xun and didn't argue.
"Ah... I suppose I did forget."
"Then today is the perfect day to keep that promise."
"Fine."
'Fang Yixiang' gave a thin, joyless smile. His eyes, black as charcoal, locked onto Zhou Xun. It was the look of a predator that had finally found the prey it was looking for.
Zhou Xun summoned every ounce of her courage and looked him dead in the eye. "Fang Nan, you and your dad wait for me a second. I need to go to the shop and call my mom so she knows I won't be home for dinner."
"Alright."
Zhou Xun turned and walked toward the convenience store, only exhaling once she was out of immediate reach. She had chosen McDonald's because it was in a crowded, bustling shopping mall. He wouldn't dare strike in public, would he? She just had to delay him until the police arrived.
The store was empty. Old Man Chen was nowhere to be found. Zhou Xun called out for him, but there was no reply. She sighed. She couldn't count on the old rabbit anyway. If something happened, he’d barely be a match for a preschooler.
Steadying her nerves, she spotted a small folding knife on the glass counter—likely used for opening boxes. She snatched it and shoved it into her pocket.
Please don't let me need this, she prayed.
She looked up at the security camera. Old Man Chen had installed it recently because his failing eyesight had led to several thefts. Zhou Xun unclipped the cartoon plushie from her bag and placed it on the third shelf. She had seen Old Chen restocking the second shelf; he’d find it as soon as he returned. Between the plushie and the footage, there would be a trail if anything went wrong.
Then, she picked up the landline and dialed the emergency number she knew by heart.
Before the call could connect, a shadow blocked the golden sunlight streaming through the door.
"You’re quite the loyal friend, aren't you, little girl?"
Zhou Xun turned. 'Fang Yixiang' stood behind her, wearing that same sickening, half-smile. His pitch-black eyes were like blades, cutting through the air, seeing through everything.
Her throat tightened. She pressed the receiver to her ear, desperate to keep any sound from leaking out. She didn't dare move, terrified of exposing the frantic, desperate pounding of her heart.
But the man just kept staring.
Zhou Xun took a deep breath and met those charcoal eyes. "Yes. Fang Nan is my best friend. If anyone tries to hurt her, I’ll fight them to the death."
Her voice trembled, despite her best efforts.
The man seemed genuinely amused. He let out a real laugh.
"You're quite clever," he said.
Zhou Xun turned away, refusing to look at him. The call still hadn't connected. Suddenly, she yelled toward the back of the store: "Old Man Chen! If you see my mom, tell her Fang Nan’s dad is back! He’s taking us to the McDonald's at Victory Mall! I won't be back for dinner!"
There was no reply. It was a bluff, and they both knew it. The man watched her with the cruel patience of a cat playing with a mouse.
Then, finally, the line clicked. Someone picked up...
* * *
The ringing of her phone snapped Zhou Xun out of the memory. It was Captain Du.
"What's going on?" Du Xingwang didn't quite understand Zhou Xun’s frantic orders, but he knew she usually had a reason. "Why the stakeout?"
"Du Xingwang! It's him. It’s really him!"
"Who? The 'Leatherface' killer?"
"Yes!"
Zhou Xun was shaking. She thought of the missing family photo charm from Zhang Guangjun’s car. She stared out the window at the gray sky.
Can you resist? she thought. Can you really stop yourself from biting the bait?
Translator's Notes:
- Qingwen Tearing the Fan (晴雯撕扇): A famous scene from the Chinese classic Dream of the Red Chamber where a maid tears a fan to express her spirited nature.
- The Layoff Tide (下岗潮): A real historical period in China (late 90s/early 2000s) where state-owned enterprises underwent massive restructuring, leading to millions losing their jobs.
- "powder keg of a man": is a metaphor for a person, usually male, holding in extreme emotional tension, frustration, or rage, appearing calm on the surface but liable to "explode" into anger or violence at any moment.
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