My childhood friend is in her mature, sophisticated form again today. - Chapter 60

Lin Jiqiu leaned back on the sofa, holding a copy of the land registration document in his hand. He had maintained his masculine appearance for almost a week, and the atmosphere in the office seemed to have changed accordingly. When Ayou served tea, she no longer glanced at him, and when Azuo organized files, she no longer looked up occasionally. Ahua, on the other hand, was indiscriminate, sidling up with anyone, male or female; Amo still appeared and disappeared mysteriously; and Aju still stole bites.

“This land wasn’t used by Zhou Zhiyuan himself. It was leased to Fengyuan Agriculture.” Lin Jiqiu put down the photocopy. “Zhou Zhiyuan was just a nominal landowner; the real user was Beichen Zhiting.”

“Can you find out the legal representative of Fengyuan Agriculture?”

“I checked. A woman named Wang Fang. She’s 42 years old and from this province. She has an ID number and a registered address. But when I went to see that address, it was an abandoned residential building that was demolished three years ago.”

“The person is no longer alive, but the identity is still in use.”

“This is a common tactic of the Northern Star Court.” Lin Jiqiu picked up his teacup and took a sip. The tea had gone cold and was very astringent. He put the cup down and tapped his fingers lightly on the coffee table. “Cheng Ran, we investigated the supply chain, the financial chain, the land, and the legal representative. We could find the source of every link, but every link pointed to a non-existent person. This isn’t a loophole; it’s a design. They deliberately let us find these things.”

Cheng Ran looked at him. “You mean, what we’re seeing is what they want us to see?”

“Things on the periphery can be discarded. Every name, every piece of land, and every car we find is a spare tire. If it gets punctured, we just replace it; it doesn’t affect the car’s ability to keep going.”

“Then what is it that they don’t want us to see?”

“The core issues. The true identity of the Seven Stars. The origin of the Originium. The decision-making mechanism of the Northern Star Court.” Lin Jiqiu leaned back on the sofa, looking at the ceiling. “We haven’t found any of these.”

Ah You poked his head out from the kitchen. “Boss, the noodles are ready. Eat them while they’re hot.”

Lin Jiqiu stood up and walked to the table to sit down. Cheng Ran followed and sat opposite him. Ayou brought over the noodles—beef noodles. The broth was rich, the beef was stewed until very tender, and the noodles were of uniform thickness. Lin Jiqiu picked up his chopsticks and took a bite. The aroma of the beef spread in his mouth, with a hint of star anise.

“Ah You, the noodles are delicious today.”

Ah You’s eyes lit up, but he didn’t say anything and turned back to the kitchen.

Lin Jiqiu ate half a bowl of noodles and put down his chopsticks. “Chengran, I’ll go to Hekou tomorrow.”

“Go to Yuanfeng Electronics?”

“No. Go to the management committee of the industrial park. The management committee should have a record of that land, that building, and those water and electricity bills.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“No need. Check Zhou Zhiyuan’s identity at home. Even if you can’t find it, try other channels. For example, whether he has paid taxes or obtained a phone card.”

Cheng Ran thought for a moment. “Okay.”

The next morning, Lin Jiqiu went out alone. A Zuo drove, while Cheng Ran stayed at the office. The sun was shining brightly; the autumn sun wasn’t harsh, and it felt warm and pleasant. The car got on the highway and drove for about an hour and a half before arriving at the Hekou Industrial Park. The park’s management committee was located in a three-story building; the first floor was the service hall, the second floor was the offices, and the third floor was the conference room.

Lin Jiqiu walked into the lobby, where a young woman was sitting at the front desk, looking at her phone.

“Hello, I would like to check the registration information of the companies in the park.”

The young woman looked up at him. “Which company do you work for?”

“Yuanfeng Electronics. Our company just moved here, and we need to verify some documents.”

The young woman pointed to the second floor. “Go upstairs, turn right, and look for Director Zhang.”

Lin Jiqiu went up to the second floor, turned right, and entered the third office. The door was open, and inside sat a man in his fifties with thinning hair, wearing reading glasses, and reading a newspaper.

“Director Zhang?”

The man looked up. “Who are you?”

“It’s from Yuanfeng Electronics. We just moved here, and there are some inconsistencies in the documents we filed before, so we’d like to check them.”

Director Zhang put down his newspaper and took off his reading glasses. “Yuanfeng Electronics? Didn’t you move there several years ago?”

Lin Jiqiu remained expressionless. “The previous information is from before. The legal representative has recently changed, so the information needs to be updated.”

Director Zhang glanced at him, then took a set of keys from his drawer. “Wait a moment.” He stood up, walked to the end of the corridor, and opened a door. Behind the door was an archive room, rows of metal cabinets exuding the smell of old paper. He stopped in front of one cabinet, pulled out a few folders, and handed them to Lin Jiqiu. “Your company’s documents are all here. Just check them and put them back.”

Lin Jiqiu took the folder, thanked him, and returned to the corridor to open it. The first page contained the registration information for Yuanfeng Electronics, with the legal representative being “Wang Fang”—the same name as the legal representative of Fengyuan Agriculture. The second page was the land use certificate, with the land owner listed as “Zhou Zhiyuan”—the same name as the land owner of Fengyuan Agriculture. The third page was the environmental impact assessment report, which mentioned “wastewater, waste gas, and solid waste generated during the production process.” What were they producing? The environmental impact assessment report stated “electronic components.”

Lin Jiqiu took out his phone and photographed each page. Then he put the folder back in the archives, locked the door, and returned the key to Director Zhang.

“All checked?”

“That’s all. Thank you.”

Director Zhang waved his hand and sat back down to continue reading the newspaper.

Lin Jiqiu went downstairs and got into the car. A Zuo started the car.

“You got a picture?”

“We got the photos. The legal representative of Yuanfeng Electronics and the legal representative of Fengyuan Agriculture are the same person. The land owner is also the same person. Zhou Zhiyuan and Wang Fang—they are just people on paper.”

“Who is the real mastermind behind all this?”

“I don’t know. But these two figures on paper connect two companies: Fengyuan Agricultural Production and Yuanfeng Electronic Warehousing. They’re part of the same system.”

It was already afternoon when Cheng Ran returned to the office. He sat on the sofa, several printed pages spread out on the coffee table in front of him. He looked up. “Zhou Zhiyuan has never paid taxes, never had a phone card, and has no bank account. But he has an ID card, and the issuing authority is genuine. The issuance date is fifteen years ago.”

“Fifteen years ago. Back then, the Northern Star Court was probably already manufacturing these paper figures.”

“Maybe.” Cheng Ran looked at her. “What about your end?”

Lin Jiqiu transferred the photos from his phone to his tablet. “The legal representative of Yuanfeng Electronics and the legal representative of Fengyuan Agriculture are the same person, and the land owner is also the same person. Zhou Zhiyuan and Wang Fang, these two names connect the whole chain.”

“Zhou Zhiyuan, Wang Fang, Liu Wei, Li Wei, and Chen Li all use the same template.”

“The ‘Paper Doll’ Factory of Beichen Garden”.

Cheng Ran zoomed in on a photo; it was the page from the environmental impact assessment report. “‘Electronic components’—they produce chips. Just like we saw before.”

Lin Jiqiu leaned back on the sofa and rubbed his eyes. “Chengran, if we list all these paper figures, can we find a pattern?”

What pattern?

“Their ID card numbers, issuance dates, and registered addresses may have duplicate patterns.”

Cheng Ran thought for a moment. “You mean, these paper figures might be mass-produced from a single template?”

“Just like their tokens. Mass-produced and used in different places.”

Cheng Ran opened his tablet and began organizing all the paper information he had gathered over the past few days. Lin Jiqiu sat beside him, watching him enter each name, each ID number, and each address into the form.

Ayou came out carrying two cups of tea and placed them on the coffee table. He looked at Lin Jiqiu—in male form—and then at Cheng Ran. “Boss, what are you busy with?”

“We are compiling a list of people on paper.”

Ah You didn’t ask any more questions and turned back to the kitchen.

An hour later, Cheng Ran finished the form. He looked at the screen, his brow furrowing slightly. “The first six digits of the ID numbers are all the same. They were issued in the same region.”

Which region?

“Another province. A small county town I don’t know.”

“Does Beichen Zhiting have connections in that small county town?”

“Possibly. That might be their base for making paper dolls.”

Lin Jiqiu looked at the table on the screen. There were over a dozen people, different names, but the first six digits of their ID cards were the same. The issuing authority’s address was the same. Their registered addresses were in the same town and the same village.

“Chengran, we need to go to this place.”

“good.”

That night, Lin Jiqiu lay in bed, his mind filled with the ID numbers of those people on paper. Same region, same police station, same village. What was that village called again? He thought for a moment, then pulled his phone from under his pillow and glanced at the form Cheng Ran had sent him—”Liuhe Village.” Liuhe Village. A place he had never heard of before.

He turned over and pulled the blanket over himself. The ball on his wrist vibrated slightly.

“Still not asleep?” Cheng Ran’s voice came through the communicator.

“Thinking of Liuhe Village.”

“We’re leaving tomorrow. Ah Zuo checked the route; it’ll take six hours by car.”

“Then let’s set off as soon as possible.”

“good.”

Lin Jiqiu closed his eyes. The streetlights outside the window cast blurry patches of light through the curtains. He thought of his father—if he had also found Liuhe Village back then, would he have gone there? What would he have seen? Lin Jiqiu didn’t know, but he would have gone. He would see that village for his father, see the origin of those paper figures.

The next morning, before dawn, Lin Jiqiu got up. He was male, dressed in dark casual clothes and sneakers. He checked his backpack—communicator, folding knife, multi-card, thin wire, charger, and a change of clothes. Ayou poked his head out of the kitchen, holding a spatula.

“Boss, so early?”

“Yes. I’m going on a long trip today.”

Ah You wiped his hands on his apron. “I’ll make you some food for the road.”

“good.”

Lin Jiqiu came downstairs, and Cheng Ran was already on the sofa. He had also changed into dark clothes and was carrying a backpack. A Zuo was standing at the door, holding his car keys.

“Let’s go.”

The three of them went out. Ah You followed, carrying a bag. “Sandwiches, water, and fruit. To eat on the way.”

Lin Jiqiu took the bag. “Thanks.”

Ah You stood at the door, watching them get into the car, drive out of the street, turn a corner, and disappear. Only then did he turn back.

The car entered the highway and headed north. Lin Jiqiu leaned back in her seat, looking out the window. The city receded, high-rises became low-rises, low-rises became farmland, and farmland became hills. After about three hours, they stopped at a service area to rest. Lin Jiqiu got out of the car and stretched, while Cheng Ran went to buy three cups of coffee. A Zuo checked the tires and engine oil.

“How much further?” Lin Jiqiu asked.

“About three hours.” Cheng Ran handed him the coffee.

Lin Jiqiu took it and took a sip. Bitter, dark roast, low acidity. Cheng Ran’s coffee.

“Cheng Ran”.

“Um.”

“Do you think the people of Liuhe Village know they are working for the Beichen Court?”

“They probably don’t know. They might have just provided their ID information in exchange for some money. They don’t know where those identities were used.”

“Then they are also pawns.”

“Everyone is a pawn.”

Lin Jiqiu was silent for a few seconds. “Including us.”

Cheng Ran did not respond.

After finishing my coffee, I got in the car and continued driving. After nearly three more hours, the navigation showed we had arrived at Liuhe Village. The village was small, with only a few dozen households scattered along a small river. The river wasn’t wide, and the water was shallow enough to see the stones at the bottom. The village was very quiet, with hardly anyone around, except for the occasional bark of a dog.

A-Zuo parked the car under a large locust tree at the village entrance. Lin Jiqiu got out of the car, and Cheng Ran followed behind. The two walked along the dirt road in the village. On both sides of the road were low brick and tile houses, some of which had peeling paint, revealing the adobe bricks underneath. Firewood and farm tools were piled up in the yards, and a few chickens were pecking at the ground.

“Hello, could you tell me where the village committee is?” Lin Jiqiu asked an elderly man passing by. The old man pointed to the other end of the village. “Go to the end, it’s on your right.”

The village committee building is a two-story building with white tile facade, and a sign that reads “Liuhe Village Committee” hangs at the entrance. The door was open, and inside sat a man in his fifties, reading a newspaper.

“Hello, we’re from the provincial capital. We’d like to inquire about the village’s household registration situation.”

The man looked up at them. “The province? Which department?”

“The Civil Affairs Department. We’re conducting a sampling verification for the population census.” Lin Jiqiu took out a work ID card from his pocket—Cheng Ran had forged it that morning; it had a photo and an official seal, and it looked genuine.

The man took it, glanced at it, and handed it back to him. “What do you want to ask?”

“We randomly checked several ID numbers in the village and found that the registered addresses corresponding to these ID numbers were all in Liuhe Village, but we couldn’t contact the individuals. We want to confirm whether these people still live here.”

The man thought for a moment. “Who is it?”

Lin Jiqiu took out a piece of paper from his pocket, on which were the names of the paper figures. The man took it, glanced at it, and shook his head. “None of these people are from this village.”

“Not from this village? Then why are their household registrations here?”

“Several years ago, someone came to the village and said they wanted to rent an address in the village to register their household registration. They gave the village committee a sum of money and asked the village to help them get the stamp. The village secretary agreed. Later, these people’s household registrations were registered here.”

Who is that person?

“I don’t know. I heard he came from the city. He drove a black sedan and looked quite wealthy. He treated the village secretary to a meal and gave him tens of thousands of yuan. The village secretary agreed.”

Where is the village party secretary now?

“I’ve retired. I’ve moved to town.”

Lin Jiqiu took out his phone and asked the man to write down the village secretary’s address. The man wrote it down and handed it to him.

“Are you still going to look for him?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

The two walked out of the village committee. Cheng Ran lowered his voice. “That person said, ‘Rent an address in the village to register your household.’ Beichen Zhiting is mass-producing paper dolls.”

“Liuhe Village is just one example. There are probably many similar villages all over the country.”

“How long will it take to find them?”

“I don’t know. But at least we found one.”

Lin Jiqiu got into the car, and A Zuo started the engine and drove towards the town. The town wasn’t big, with only one main street. The village secretary lived in a residential building at the end of the street, on the third floor. Lin Jiqiu went upstairs and knocked on the door. An elderly man in his seventies opened the door; his hair was completely white, and his back was slightly hunched.

“Are you the Party Secretary of Liuhe Village?”

“Yes. You are—”

“I’m from the provincial government. I want to ask you something. Do you remember a few years ago, someone came to the village to rent an address to register their household registration?”

The old man’s expression changed. “Why are you asking this?”

“That person is suspected of fraud. We are investigating.”

The old man remained silent for a long time. “I don’t know that person. He gave the village some money, saying he wanted to rent an address to register the household registration. I thought it was just a normal business deal, so I agreed.”

“What’s his name?”

“I don’t know. He only said his surname was ‘Zhou’.”

“Zhou Zhiyuan?”

The old man thought for a moment. “It seems so. It’s been too long, I can’t remember clearly.”

Lin Jiqiu and Cheng Ran exchanged a glance. “What does he look like?”

“Tall, thin, wears glasses. Speaks softly.”

A telescope. Another telescope.

Where is he now?

“I don’t know. He only came once. After that, he always had someone bring him money.”

“Send money? Who?”

“A young man, driving a car, delivered the money to the village committee, took the receipt, and left.”

“What does that young man look like?”

“Thin, not tall, round face. Doesn’t speak.”

Lin Jiqiu wrote these down. “Thank you.”

The old man looked at them. “What exactly did that person do wrong?”

“The investigation is still ongoing.”

The two went downstairs and got into the car. A-Zuo started the car.

“A telescope.” Lin Jiqiu leaned back in his chair. “A telescope again.”

“He is the executor of the Northern Star Court. The paper doll base in Liuhe Village may have been established by him.”

“Where is he now?”

“have no idea.”

Lin Jiqiu looked out the window. Liuhe Village appeared quiet in the setting sun, the water in the stream shimmering with golden light. Those paper figures—Zhou Zhiyuan, Wang Fang, Liu Wei, and Li Wei—all came from this small village. Their identities were fake, but their addresses were real. This village was a node in the Beichen Court’s paper figure network.

“Chengran, after you get back, check which other villages across the country have similar abnormal household registrations.”

“good.”

A-Zuo started the car, turned around, and drove towards the highway. Lin Jiqiu leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. The old man’s words echoed in her mind—”Tall, thin, wearing glasses. His voice wasn’t loud.” Binoculars. That name had been with Lin Jiqiu since the first day he met her. Meeting her in the abandoned factory area, following her outside Chen Weisong’s neighborhood, establishing the paper doll base in Liuhe Village. His mission wasn’t to kill her, but to revolve around her. To keep her from getting close to the core, but also not to let her completely give up.

“Cheng Ran”.

“Um.”

“Does the telescope know we’re in Chaliuhe Village?”

“Maybe he knows. Maybe he found out as soon as we arrived.”

Lin Jiqiu opened her eyes and looked out the car window. It was getting dark, and the headlights of cars on the highway were lighting up one by one. She thought of her father—if he had also investigated Liuhe Village back then, perhaps he too would have stood beneath that apartment building, asking the same old man the same questions. Then he went back, and then he got into trouble. Lin Jiqiu didn’t know if this was a cycle. But she wouldn’t let it continue. She rolled down the car window a crack, letting in the night wind, carrying the unique chill of autumn.