C3 I will Disappear from the Face of the Earth

In the spacious suite, the tea on the table had already spilled, leaving a mess on the floor. Chiyang stood in the center, his gaze dim, like a starry sky obscured by clouds.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

“Director Hsu, it’s me.”

Hearing the sound at the door, Chiyang composed himself and replied calmly, “Come in.”

The door opened, and his assistant, Lee Lintang, entered with a file in hand, respectfully reporting, “Director Hsu, the investigation into the car accident you requested is complete. The victims were a man and a woman. There were three people in the car: the parents and their child. Only the child survived. This child is the girl you asked me to look into a few days ago.”

Chiyang took the file from Lee Lintang and looked at the photos of the accident scene. The car was a mangled wreck, the front crushed, the highway barrier destroyed, and the ground littered with indistinct fragments. Standing nearby, tears streaming down her face, was the girl, Rann.

His heart twisted painfully, and Chiyang's hand trembled slightly as he held the file. Memories rushed back to years ago, to the quiet yet fulfilling small town where Chiyang and Shirann’s families were neighbors. They studied together, went to school together, and grew up side by side.

Four years ago, when they were seniors in high school, they promised to get into the same college and work toward the same goal. But three months before the college entrance exams, Chiyang vanished without a trace.

Rumors started circulating that someone had seen Chiyang at the city bus station. Desperate and anxious, Shirann urged her parents to drive her there to find him.

Because of their close-knit community, Shirann's parents didn't think much of it. As they chatted along the way, Shirann's mother quickly saw through her daughter's intentions.

Caught in the throes of teenage embarrassment, Shirann blushed and argued with her parents. It was then that the accident happened...

The moment the car crashed into the guardrail, Shirann felt the violent impact and heard the screeching of metal against the pavement. When she came to, she was separated from her parents forever.

The horrific scene replayed vividly in her mind as Shirann, heavy-hearted, rode her scooter into a narrow alley. The alley was lined with apartment buildings, and rent was cheap. Shortly after starting college, Shirann realized that the typical dorm life of girls gathering to discuss celebrities, makeup, and dating wasn't for her.

Three years ago, she struggled with her college entrance exams due to the sudden loss of her parents. With the help of her uncle's family, she managed to attend a less prestigious college. However, she didn't give up and aimed to get into graduate school through her own efforts.

So, Xia Shirann rented a room off-campus and was fortunate to find a roommate, Ruoye. Ruoye was also a junior, attending a nearby university.

As Xia Shirann parked her scooter in front of the apartment building, she suddenly remembered she forgot to buy medicine and food for Ruoye. Just as she was about to head to the store, her phone rang. It was Ruoye calling.

Xia Shirann answered the call and got straight to the point: "Ruoye, are you feeling any better now? What would you like to eat? I'll pick it up for you."

Ruoye's voice came through, thick with a cold: "Oh, no need. I just called because I figured you were off work, and I wanted to let you know I'll be home a bit late today."