DF Chapter 53
by VolareChapter 53 Why are you the younger sister, and I’m the older sister?
Jingjiang No. 1 High School’s holiday schedule was very punctual, starting twelve days before the Lunar New Year. This time, the senior high students had a longer vacation than usual, returning to school on the eighth day of the new year.
On the second day of the holiday, Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an boarded a plane to Southeast Asia.
This was Sheng Jia’s first long trip. Even though Sheng Jia told her it was a classmate inviting her to travel, Sheng Huaiying still repeatedly reminded her to be safe and to call home every morning and evening.
This kind of exhortation made Sheng Jia feel extremely uncomfortable, but she nodded and agreed when faced with Sheng Huaiying’s concerned gaze.
Sheng Huaiying was trying hard to adapt to her new identity as a “mother,” and the daily changes caught Sheng Jia a little off guard. She had never experienced such gradually detailed care. Thinking about it, it wasn’t actually that bad.
After experiencing a psychological stage of resistance, she gradually accepted Sheng Huaiying’s kindness towards her, even though it came a bit late.
Before leaving, Sheng Huaiying would even prepare some daily necessities that she might need, just like any ordinary mother, even though she had already prepared most of them herself, which was a bit redundant. But Sheng Jia didn’t spoil her enthusiasm. Instead, she expressionlessly put everything she prepared into her suitcase.
Sheng Huaiying was not intimidated by her cold face. On the contrary, she smiled brightly, probably because she saw that there was exactly a small space in the suitcase, a small world that Sheng Jia had prepared for her.
Song Ningqiu did not travel with Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an. It was said that she had a business deal to discuss there in advance and had flown over a week ago, and was now at the most critical point of negotiations.
The airport was one of the few places in Jingjiang without snow. The huge tarmac was cleaned spotlessly. When the snow stopped falling overhead, the plane took off on time.
Sheng Jia stared at the gradually shrinking ground outside the window. For some reason, she didn’t feel any nervousness this time.
Even though she was about to have a face-to-face opportunity with Song Ningqiu, she thought she would be very excited and her heart would beat violently, but now, accompanied by the buzzing of the plane taking off, she only felt unusually calm.
It wasn’t until Song Ji’an handed over the tablet that she came back to her senses.
“Sheng Jia?” Song Ji’an smiled and stuffed a handful of snacks into her hand. “Let’s study the information while we have time.”
Before boarding the plane, their small group chat kept buzzing. Most of the messages were from Xu Lijing, Su Zhaolin, and Song Yi, complaining in the group that Song Ji’an wasn’t being righteous for not taking them along, and then unceremoniously listing a super long shopping list, demanding that Song Ji’an bring them back.
When they were idle in the airport hall just now, Song Ji’an pulled Sheng Jia to record what they wanted one by one, so busy that she didn’t have time to explain the main task of this trip to Sheng Jia.
Sheng Jia took the tablet. It displayed a beautiful aerial view of a volcano, standing on a small island, surrounded by rocks and glass-like sea. It was an extremely beautiful sight.
“This is?” She didn’t find any markings on the island.
“This is our destination this time,” Song Ji’an said, drawing on the tablet with a pen and opening another window, which was an introduction to the island.
“Ansdert Island and the active volcano on it.” Song Ji’an explained, “I said that this time I want to take down a mine, which is this volcano.”
“A volcano?” Sheng Jia was surprised. “Are there also gems in a volcano?”
“It’s bumble bee jasper, which is only produced in the active volcanoes of Indonesia. The price is not very expensive, but the color is very unique. It can be used in medicine to repel evil spirits and insects.” Song Ji’an introduced, “This active volcano on Ansdert Island is very likely to erupt in the next two years. Of course, it is a small volcano, and the eruption will not be too strong, but its owner still wants to sell it.”
“Are there many people eyeing this island?” Sheng Jia asked.
Song Ji’an: “No, the island owner has not released the news that this volcano has bumble bee jasper rough stones. Only a few people who have business dealings with her know about it.”
Speaking of which, she smiled, “My mother is friends with the island owner and has some contact with the others. Since they are all interested in the island, they might as well let their respective juniors compete for the ownership of the island as a training exercise, so I came on this trip.”
“This time we have to transfer from Manila to Jakarta, and then take a car to the island.” Song Ji’an said, “After arriving on the island, we have three days to figure out what’s on the island and the clues the island owner has designed for us. After three days, the island owner will decide the final ownership of the island based on how much information we have.”
“Sounds like an immersive large-scale script murder mystery,” Sheng Jia summarized. “I thought it would be another auction?”
“Not really,” Song Ji’an agreed with her summary. “It’s just a script murder mystery. The island owner likes to read suspense novels very much and is also involved in it herself. She also has her own pen name, but it’s not very famous, and she doesn’t want to reveal who it is. Actually, she sent me the invitation letter for this event three days ago, but I wanted to look at it with you, so I didn’t open it. It is said that it also includes most of the information for this event.”
After saying that, she took out a glittering invitation letter from her bag. This time, they were flying first class, and there were only two of them, so they didn’t have to worry about disturbing anyone.
After the invitation letter was opened, it revealed elegant handwritten English, “Dear Miss Song Ji’an and Miss Sheng Jia, I am the owner of Ansdert Island and the initiator of this auction dinner. I hope you will have a pleasant three days on my island.”
“Is that it?” Sheng Jia glanced at the invitation letter, which contained no useful information, and looked at Song Ji’an questioningly. “What about the identities? What about the plot?”
“Or rather, is this script murder mystery based on the dinner party as a clue, and our identities are unknown?”
Faced with Sheng Jia’s question, Song Ji’an thought for a moment before slowly nodding, “I think so. My mother said all the information is on this invitation letter.”
So the two of them looked at the invitation letter again. Sheng Jia felt the thickness of the invitation letter and noticed something was wrong, “Is this paper a bit too thick?”
Hearing this, Song Ji’an also touched it, “Indeed.”
Sheng Jia handed the invitation letter to her. She groped up and down and found overflowing glue on a small corner. Tearing along that spot, the invitation letter split into two complete pieces, and sandwiched in the middle was a photocopy of a contract.
——”Contract for the Complete Contracting of Bumble Bee Jasper on Ansdert Island”, a folded, yellowed A4 paper with a signature scrawled on the back, and the signature of the owner of Ansdert Island, Ms. Serena.
On the front of the contract, the words “Help” were written in large red paint.
Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an fell silent when they saw these two words. They looked at each other, not expecting the plot to really start from this moment.
Obviously, this contract was the first clue they could grasp, and on the island, Ms. Serena might be waiting for their arrival, to start this interesting game.
In fact, both Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an were extremely intelligent people. Their reactions when faced with challenges were very similar, and that was interest.
Ms. Serena gave them a very straightforward start, piquing their interest.
“If there are no identities in there, and after we get to the island, Ms. Serena directly enters the role and asks us about our roles, how should we answer?” Sheng Jia raised her first question.
“If there are no specific identities and we can play it freely, I think the identities we make up should have a certain family relationship.” Song Ji’an said her thoughts, “Because this way we can justifiably stay in the same room. This plot clearly involves crime. Whether our purpose is to rescue the person asking for help or to kill the person asking for help is unknown, which means there is a certain danger and ‘death’ risk. Death probably means being eliminated.”
“It’s safest for us to stay together. Whether we go out to explore missions or integrate information at night, it’s more convenient. But no matter what the mission is, our ultimate goal is very clear, to find as many clues as possible, find out more secrets, and live until the day the dinner party starts.”
“Okay,” Sheng Jia nodded. “Then if we can freely make up identity relationships, I will be your younger sister.”
Song Ji’an: “Huh?”
Sheng Jia added: “A cousin.”
Song Ji’an: “Huh?”
Sheng Jia: “Is there a problem?”
Song Ji’an sincerely asked, “Why are you the younger sister, and I’m the older sister?”
Song Ji’an never thought that Sheng Jia would say she was the younger sister. After all, her personality seemed like a strong older sister. No matter how you looked at it, there was not a trace of a younger sister’s shadow.
“I thought you would want to be the leader.” Sheng Jia replied, “After all, in the stereotypes of sisters in the public eye, younger sisters mostly obey their older sisters and are not as mature and reliable as their older sisters. You are the protagonist this time, aren’t you?”
Song Ji’an was stared at by her, her ear tips turning red. “Can you not use such a tone and look to say such things?”
Sheng Jia frowned, righteously, “What tone? What look?”
It’s just a look and tone that earnestly persuades me to obey you!
These words were suppressed in Song Ji’an’s heart and almost blurted out.
The usually strong and lone wolf-like girl said such words. Song Ji’an already had intentions towards her, so how could she control her heartbeat? She pinched her earlobes, forcing herself to calm down, and simply agreed, “Okay, that’s it. If there are no identity requirements, then I will be the older sister, and you will be my cousin. Our superficial personalities can be one bright and one dark. I talk a lot, and you are silent and taciturn, to confuse others.”
“We are already like that.” Sheng Jia reminded.
Song Ji’an: …
“We basically have no age difference, do we still have to distinguish between older and younger sisters?” Song Ji’an couldn’t help but retort, “I call this professional!”
“Okay,” Sheng Jia didn’t refute this time. She nodded slightly, signaling Song Ji’an to continue.
Song Ji’an had a breath stuck in her chest, neither up nor down. She bit her lip, but didn’t miss Sheng Jia’s lips that had just relaxed when she turned her head again. She “ah” and accused, “Sheng Jia, are you doing this on purpose?”
Sheng Jia looked at her with a calm face, “What?”
“I saw it, you just smiled.” Song Ji’an said loudly, “You just did it on purpose.”
Sheng Jia finally couldn’t help it, and a hint of a smile leaked from her eyes, “I didn’t do it on purpose, I just think your reaction is very interesting.”
“The expression is very vivid and lively.”
Song Ji’an glared at her, and the breath in her heart silently dissipated. She sank back into the seat, crossed her arms, and leisurely said, “Since it’s decided, do you want to call me a few times to get used to it?”
Sheng Jia followed her words and said, “Okay, older cousin.”
Song Ji’an: …
Song Ji’an held it back and held it back, but couldn’t help laughing out loud. Even if it was just a cousin, her heart was a little fluttery and secretly happy.
There are not many opportunities to take advantage of Sheng Jia verbally.
Sheng Jia laughed along with her.
The somewhat serious atmosphere just now because of getting the information in the invitation letter suddenly relaxed, and the air was filled with their unspoken little understanding.
This flight from Jingjiang Airport to Manila took a total of five and a half hours. The two occasionally joked a few times, and then recorded their preparations and personas in notebooks. The time passed quickly. They arrived at their destination at sunset. They were lucky enough to watch a Philippine sunset together on the plane and felt the climate change from winter to summer.
They would stay here for one night and then head to Jakarta tomorrow morning.