C1 A Needle in a Haystack

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting a glow on the bed. The white blanket highlighted the delicate, fair shoulders peeking out, and the telltale marks bore witness to the previous night's fervor.

The man awoke, suddenly aware of someone lying beside him. Memories of the previous night's passionate encounter came flooding back. He rubbed his groggy head, cast a disdainful glance at the woman next to him, and promptly rose from the bed.

He showered thoroughly, as if trying to scrub away bacteria or viruses that might have clung to his skin.

Dressed, he pulled a wad of cash from his wallet and tossed it onto the table. As he was about to leave, his piercing gaze caught sight of a red stain on the bed, and his eyes widened in disbelief.

The man took another look at the still-sleeping woman, withdrew an additional sum of money from his wallet, and tossed it onto the table. His gaze then coldly shifted from her face as he opened the door and left.

Hunger roused Lee Bingqian from her slumber. She groggily reached for her phone on the nightstand, only to grasp at air. Puzzled, she turned to look.

The nightstand was missing! And where was she?

Clarity replaced confusion in Bingqian's mind. Attempting to sit up, she winced at the pain that coursed through her body.

Her face, a portrait of anger, turned crimson. Not an inch of her body was spared from harm. With gritted teeth, she managed to climb out of bed, grabbed a vase, and cautiously made her way to the bathroom.

Finding the bathroom empty, Bingqian set down the vase and noticed the money scattered across the table. She clenched her fists, seething with resentment.

Bingqian was a doctor. The previous day, a former patient had invited her to dinner as a thank-you for curing his illness. Without giving it much thought, she accepted. During the meal, she stepped away to use the restroom and soon after began to feel weak and dizzy. She remembered nothing beyond that point.

Lee Bingqian quickly dressed and immediately grabbed her phone to call the police.

Soon after, the police arrived on the scene. Oddly enough, the hotel was unable to determine who had checked into the room.

The hotel cooperated with the police by providing surveillance footage, yet the footage from the floor Bingqian was on had mysteriously disappeared.

Through the surveillance video at the hotel's entrance, Bingqian spotted the patient who had invited her to dinner. Judging by the time he left, he couldn't have been the man from the previous night.

Bingqian questioned the officer with frustration, "I refuse to believe this is all just coincidence! The surveillance footage is always missing when you need it most, and now there's no check-in information. Was the room opened by a ghost? I suspect the person who assaulted me is closely connected to this hotel."

"Please, try to remain calm, ma'am. We will thoroughly investigate this issue," the officer assured her.

The police advised Bingqian to return home and await the investigation's findings. The hotel manager quickly called in the tech department to figure out what had happened, but even after an extensive search, they were baffled by the disappearance of the check-in information and surveillance footage.

The police suggested Bingqian review the day's surveillance video, but she was too disoriented at the time to recall what the man looked like. It was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Ultimately, Bingqian resigned herself to her misfortune. It was as if she had a grievance she couldn't express.

Filled with frustration and gloom, Bingqian went back to the hospital.

"Dr. Lee, my condition... it's treatable, right?" a handsome young man asked, shyly glancing at the astute and efficient female doctor before him.

With a professional smile, Bingqian reassured him, "Certainly. As Washington's most renowned specialist in men's health and with my extensive clinical experience, I've treated countless patients. You can fully trust my expertise."

"Thank you so much, Dr. Lee," the young man said, his cheeks flushed as he awkwardly scratched his head and stepped out the door.

Bingqian pressed a button on the lower left side of her desk, and the sound of the calling machine echoed from outside the door.

After waiting for over ten seconds, there was still no sign of a patient. Puzzled, she pressed the button again.

Another patient ten seconds passed with no one entering. Just as Bingqian was about to call the next number, the door burst open with such force that it slammed against the wall, creating a resounding bang.

The noise startled Dr. Lee. She looked up to see several men barging in.

"What's going on here?"

The men didn't seem to hear Bingqian's voice; their attention was wholly on the man they were supporting. He was clearly no pushover, and heaven only knew the effort they had expended to bring him in.