Joe had it set on proportional scale, so the projection from the smart device upied most of the living room.
When the audio and video appeared, it was as though they had been pulled into the scene of those many years ago, viewing the happenings on a certain afternoon from several decades ago from the videographers perspective.aHuf7b
Joe was momentarily stunned, emotion shing past his dazed face.
He had only watched the dynamic photo on a small screen yesterday, focusing his attention on a few primary figures, hence he didnt feel much. Now that he used the mode that optimised scene reconstruction, he was getting the illusion that he had shed back to his childhood, and an indescribable emotion surfaced in his heart.
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The mansion was situated at the opposite end of the living room, a facsimile of the original.
Although only the ground and lower edge of the second floor entered the frame, one could still imagine the sophistication and the dignity of theplete manor.U 6vLF
A rack of flowers was set in front of the building, amidst lush green grass and shaded by tall, luxuriant fruit trees.
A high table with a sumptuous spread of afternoon tea was ced under the tree canopies. Tables and chairs were arranged in picturesque disorder in a loose circle, and men and women dressed to the nines were conversing over afternoon tea. The atmosphere was idyllic at first nce, for peals of cheerfulughter could be heard.
In the vicinity of the shot, which was also where they were seated on the sofa, was a chicly trimmed hedge and garden swing. It was discernible that the person carrying the lens was seated on the swing.
This is Joe swept his hand over, wanting to introduce the scene, but his brain suddenly huped.
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The Mansons old estate, someone finished his words for him.
Ah yes, that. Its the Mansons old estate. Joe unconsciously turned his head over before processing that it was Yan Suizhi who had spoken.
Dean Yan, you recognise it? Joe was surprised.
While articles would asionally feature the various manors that the Manson family owned, this old manor was an exception, practically never appearing in any article before. It was because its estate was the venue for the asional social gatherings that the Mansons ced such high security on it.dO7xGS
Unless the Mansons had extended an invitation, people wouldnt normally recognise the grounds.
Have you been there? Joe asked.
Yan Suizhi shook my head. I just happen to know of it.
His ss was still half-filled with milk, but he didnt continue to drink. His hands loosely sped the ss, setting it on his knee. He leaned back into the sofa, looking elegant and rxed, whilst his gaze fell into the distance, sweeping across the guests in the shade. The expression on his face was very light.hepPxT
Joe didnt have to struggle to survive in thew school, so he didnt have as much of an understanding of Yan Suizhis temperament as Gu Yan, Ke Jin, Laura, and the others had. But he could still sense that while Yan Suizhi wasnt in a terrible mood, he wasnt in much of a good mood either.
At least, it was unlike his mood just now, just after rising from bed.
After the lens stabilised, a female voice rang out in the room: May 22, 1227 of the Emma Gregorian calendar, still at the Manson Manor. I got duped by my own dad into attending this ridiculously dull gathering. After pretending to be a nobledy for two hours, the newly bought high heels dont fit as well as when I tried them on, so both my ankles are bleeding. And I still had to keep smiling through the pain. I suspect that in thest half-hour, I was smiling like I wanted to eat someone
Joeughed drily, exining during the pause in the females narration, Ms Eunice was crazy about shooting this type of dynamic diary when she was young, because she insisted that she would want to relive bits and pieces of her past after she turned 170. Who doesnt have their moments of idiocy? Just bear with it for now.rPkDuR
Eunices voice in the recording didnt sound as crisp and as clear as it did now. Twenty or so years ago, she had only just be involved in the familys affairs. Her tone was still flush with a vivacity that she had brought out of school, and some of herints trailed off a little petntly.
I took advantage of the intermission just now to make a break for it. Im now The lens swivelled to show the wide garden and the nearby ropes of the garden swing. Im chilling on the swing here, hiding a bit. I hope that those brats tumbling around the garden donte close to me, including my idiot brother.
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Joe,
He was starting to regret that he had skipped through it yesterday and hadnt reviewed the bit at the beginning.PXCvHK
Sure enough, Ms Eunice would only nder him.
The lens cut back to the guests, focusing on a man sitting in the shade. It was a slightly younger Devore Yves. His elbows were rxed on the arm of his chair, unhurriedly polishing his sses.
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Before the lens turned away, Joe continued from where Eunice left off, saying, Didnt I mention that Old Fox helped the Mansons get connected with people involved in medical technology and medicinal mines? Bevin is one of them. Hes been to about three gatherings from what I recall. His family upgrades their medical capsule every year, and the Manson brothers also order a shipment on the spot every year as a gift to Old Manson and the guests. Actually, it isnt that many; 40, at most. Euniceter found out something after getting ess to the delivery order through some channels. There was nothing amiss about the quantity stated; there were 40. But the transport used to deliver the goods every time was Silver Snake. You know, it would have no problem carrying 200 medical capsules. Dont you find it strange that those merchants, who were so meticulous in their calctions, would leave the more suitable transportations unused?
He hesitated for a moment, then said, The medical capsules in Spring Ivy Hospital were pretty much all from him. Afterwards, Old Fox had a falling out with him. I heard Old Fox mention that he wanted to stop ordering from him and change to another manufacturer, but there wasnt any logic behind it. And not long after that maybe two or three monthster? He died. And then all the medical capsules in Spring Ivy were changed.
Cause of death? Gu Yan asked.
He would have been around four or five those many years ago. Countless in the alliance passed on every year, some of which were merchants. He didnt have much impression, if any, of these matters of age-old.OTFGiW
Joe said, Drug overdose; a type of painkiller.
Painkiller?
He had a history of severe nerve pain.
During their exchange, Eunice had swivelled the camera to a few different guests, all of whom they were somewhat acquainted with.NEg17y
Mr Cliff, unsurprisingly, is dragging my dad and Mr Manson into another one of his thank you speeches. Without the two of you, it would have taken me at least sixty more years to catch this assembly line of space shuttles and those Grade A shipping routes. h, h. He uses the same opening every year; I can recite it already.
Ah, his son is sitting next to him. Hes a bit older than me. I cant quite remember his name; Ill just call him Cliff Junior for now. I dont really like the way he looks at the back of his fathers head. I can practically hear him saying when are you old farts going to step aside. And the way he looks at dad is even nastier. I dont think he likes any of the high society families. Maybe hes jealous? Hell probably inherit the family business in twenty years. I mourn for myself twenty years into the future. Itll be hell to have to deal with people like him.
Yan Suizhis expression was still very light, yet his eyebrows arched.
The one staying in Hanjin Hotel now was this so-called Cliff Junior. After more than twenty years, the new generation superseded their predecessors, and the head of the family had changed.g8K7EB
He doesnt like socialites? Yan Suizhi asked in passing.
Joe said, I have limited contact with him. Eunice would know better, but ording to her, it seems to be so. When chatting with him, she could tell from certain tones and nces, as well as minute gestures, that he doesnt like those families, especially mine.
Story tranted by Chrysanthemum Garden.
Yan Suizhi nodded.
Why?0Sph5W
Its nothing much, Yan Suizhi said mildly. I just thought of the way he was ying with the cards previously. I found it just a bit curious.
What about it? Super annoying, begging for a spanking? Joe muttered.
The Spades and Hearts were very casually thrown a distance away, and the Diamonds were ced in front of him, whereas the Clubs were toyed with in his hand. Yan Suizhi had excellent memory retention, and could even replicate Cliffs expression and actions at that time.
So? Joe looked at him nkly, poking Gu Yan again, like he was asking to be saved. Help me out. I feel like Ive returned to the days that I took that elective.kHh7Od
Lil Young Master Joe had also acted like this back when hed decided to take aw elective in a brain fart moment. Most of the ss were given food for thought under Yan Suizhis guidance; only he remainedpletely clueless and could only poke Ke Jin to his left and Gu Yan to his right for a more straightforward exnation.
So, Gu Yan was used to being poked by now. Remember the ying card suit symbolism? Clubs represent power and status, referring to families in the upper crust like yours and the Mansons, whereas Diamonds represent wealth and resources.
Ohhhhh Young Master Joe nodded his head vigorously like a pecking rooster. I get what you mean now.
That which was set before him was always dearest to his subconscious.kcebSz
On the other hand, toying with the Clubs showed that he had no respect for those families. It was even coloured with a hint of condescending disdain and defiance, because he felt that they were living off their forefathers glory, not of their own merit.
Joe, But hes quite tight with those Manson brothers. Its not the sucking up kind, but they have yed together since their childhood.
Yan Suizhi, Which is why I find it a little curious.
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Eunice introduced many people. and Joe picked some to expound on.
The man with ampshade mustache is Mr Zhou, a professor from the medical school of the University of Batelia. He was an incredible teacher; many famous doctors and researchers from Spring Ivy were once his students. The Manson brothers would have long conversations with him about Old Mansons sickness every time, including preventive and recuperative measures, and so on. This guy as well Old Fox suddenly stopped using his students, and within three or four years, all doctors and researchers associated with him were transferred or dismissed. And then not long after that, this professor abruptly came down with the rm clock disorder.
This was a type of degenerative dementia that was difficult to treat in the present-day alliance, and elderly were a high-risk group. People affected by this disorder would tend to forget most things, only remembering a few habits at fixed timings and ces that would be repeated over and over again every day. They were also extremely sensitive to time and could undergo emotional upheavals if they were a few minutes off.
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This Ms Lucy is an amazingdy. She should be the youngest amongst the attendees here. ording to Eunice, she wasnt even forty when this was filmed. She was lively and candid, and rather charming. She had several suitors amongst those present, but she ignored all of them only to marry, quite capriciously, an ordinary, obscure teacher in the following yearthe type that people dont even remember the surname of. I heard they had a daughter? She was in possession of two medicinal mining lines. Amon batch of medicinal ingredients came from her medicinal mines, whichter got her into big trouble. It was said that some drugs in the market were found to be defective, resulting in many people who took them to go insane. It so happened that it affected the sleep medicationmonly used by business tycoons as well, and the root cause was traced back to the mine. However, this implicated many others, so the news was kept under wraps and the medicinal mines were quietly scrapped. Ms Lucy was imprisoned andmitted suicide in the following year.
Joe added after a moments thought, Its a bit of a coincidence, but the painkillers that Mr Bevin, the guy I talked about just now, overdosed on was also from that defective batch of drugs.
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Eunices dynamic diary wasnt short, the whole episode split into four sections. They watched for about half an hour before the end was in sight.UIb31l
Joe mainly highlighted seven names; when talked about individually, nothing seemed to stand out, but when put into perspective, there did seem to be cause for spection. Devore Yves had introduced these people to the Mansons, and each of them died in a hasty manner.
And before things went wrong, Old Fox would more or less have some tells or movements. Joe said, The more we find out, the more we can prove that these reactions were not coincidence. There are actually more, involving a few others at this gathering, only that they werent under the shade when the video was recorded. Eunice said that some went to the washroom, and there was a married couple who was held up by something and came inte
As he spoke, heavy thuds of footsteps suddenly came from Eunices recording, like something was running over.
Joe abruptly mmed up.RkTaQp
A puerile voice suddenly emerged from the recording, sounding both distant yet nearby. Sis! You! Are! Secretly! Taking! Videos! Again! Didnt they say that you cant take random videos over here!
Shh, shh. Eunice made shushing noises to warn that brat to lower his voice. The lens turned, and she said, exasperated, Oh my god, the idiot has found me.
However, she whirled around at a poor timing, coincidentally whacking into the little hellion that shot over. The lens spun dizzily before crashing loudly to the ground.
Shit, theres this bit? Why didnt I notice it yesterday Joe awkwardly scratched his nose. I have a deep impression of this scene. I didnt m my brakes in time and knocked into the back of her knees. Her legs gave way and she went straight down to her knees. Luckily, the hedge was in the way and no one saw her but shed probably never been so embarrassed before. She was furious, and I got walloped pretty badly by Ms Eunice afterwards.ghN4ML
Sis, msorry.
The blonde, miniature version of Little Young Master Joe shed into the shot, looking dazed from fright. He hastily helped Eunice up, and as Eunice made to smack him, turned heel and scuttled away, yeting back stiffly after taking just a few steps.
Eunice picked up the camera, forgetting to turn it off in the flurry. Clipping it to her cor, she hobbled past the hedges and the garden, finding a sink to wash the dirt from her palms and knees.
After cleaning up, she sneered, turning around to catch her stupid brother for a beating.lVSyri
Theres nothing much to see here. Im going to turn it off, kay? Young Master Joe covered his face, intending to turn off this piece of dark history.
But before he could put the hologram away, in the shot, Eunice rushed past a hedge, almost bowling into someone.
That someone was a prettydy who, startled by Eunice, subconsciously took two steps backwards. The tall man behind her held her shoulders, steadying her.
From the direction that they were walking, they should havee from the main entrance of the Manson Manor; the married couple who was held up by something and came inte that Joe was talking about.mJepMV
Eunices voice rang out from the recording, sounding apologetic. Sorry, I was in a hurry and didnt see you round the corner.
Thedy who had narrowly escaped being knocked into waved her hand, smiling. She pulled a loose lock of hair behind her ear, her eyes curving beautifully, and even the small mole at the corner of her eye turned gentle and animated. Then I should be apologising as well. The garden is so beautiful that Ive been looking around instead of watching my way.
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The tall and handsome gentleman, who was supporting her shoulders, nodded at Eunice in greeting.
Eunice made way for them to pass, then hurried off in pursuit of her brother. However, she nced back again after no more than a few steps.M0bFqd
The married couple from just now appeared in the lens again, only that it was their back view, and that they were a little further off. They stopped once more soon after.
Thedy came around behind her husband, gently pushing his back, saying, You walk ahead. This way, if I tune out again, others wouldnt get unlucky.
The man was very tall and didnt budge when pushed. He turned his head back to look at her, humming in agreement. Theres no one behind you, so after the collision youll be the one sitting on the ground, and others naturally wouldnt get so unlucky.
The woman, YpshNI
Off-camera, Euniceughed.
As Gu Yan studied the faces of the married couple from the sofa, his brows slowly furrowing.
Eunice finally noticed that the video was still recording and reached up to stop the video.
The virtualndscape suddenly darkened. The fragmented lights and shadows vanished.6UntrT
The tension had yet to bleed from Gu Yans brows, an idea of some sort just about to emerge in his head.
Immediately after, next to him, Yan Suizhi suddenly spoke. Joe, do me a favour.
Gu Yan turned towards him and saw that his gaze was still fixated where the husband and wife once stood, looking slightly distracted.
Huh? Joe started. Oh, sure. What is it?oB8RUx
Rey the portion just now, Yan Suizhi said.
Sure can do, Joe projected the scene again, and as he slid the progress bar, he said, Why? Did you notice a detail in this portion that I missed?
Yan Suizhi didnt give a response for a time. The virtualndscape was fast-forwarded under Joes control, and it was only when the scrubbing video turned Eunices voice in the background squeaky and high that he returned to his senses. He answered in a seemingly calm and casual manner, Oh, there isnt any of that. I only wanted to look at the two of them another time, and let Gu Yan look at them as well.
As he spoke, the scene was brought close to the end. The lens shook again.wsV1DE
It was Eunice, chasing her brother who had scurried past the hedge.
And then, again turning around the corner, again a soft, startled cry, and again, flustered footstepsing to a stop
Chrysanthemum Garden.
The husband and wife were very close to the lens, and very close to the three people seated on the sofa.
Maybe even just a step away.nCWRLh
There they stood, their eyes curving into crescents in Yan Suizhis direction.