43: Forty-three.

Once the best friend 43: Forty-three.

Once the best friend The next day, a bit earlier.

“This is the operator, the number you are trying to reach has been disconnected due to a large number of reports.

It is advised that you use another method to contact the person.

Do you have any other questions, sir?”

The sound of a female’s voice came intermittently through the telephone receiver; a thin fog had enveloped Belfast today, slightly affecting communications.

“No, that’s all.”

Seated in the armchair behind the desk, Lu Li replied before hanging up the phone.

It seemed that the remaining commission fee couldn’t be retrieved for the time being.

Outside the window, the streets were hazy, and residents moved across the cobblestone paths in the morning mist.

It was somewhat surprising not to find Anna sitting by the window; she hovered by the door, resting her chin on her hands and gazing intently at the sculpture.

Anna had been in this state since Lu Li awoke.

“How long have you been looking?”

“For a while now,” Anna replied, her head nodding slightly with each word.

“It hasn’t moved, has it?”

“No, it hasn’t even blinked once,” said Anna, somewhat disheartened, letting out a small sigh.

Sense something from her words, Lu Li asked, “You’re not just observing the sculpture when you stare at it, are you?”

“Nope,” Anna’s head shook, as if she wanted to turn around but dared not to.

“Just too bored, looking for something to do.”

“So?”

“So, I was contesting with the Miss Statue on who can keep their eyes open longer.”

Lu Li wasn’t sure if the statue could blink, but he knew for certain that Anna must be extremely bored.

Whether it was making the best out of a bad situation or just looking for something to do out of boredom, the truth was that ever since Anna awoke in her ghostly form, she had been trapped in the painting, facing the same repetitive scene every day—with no one willing to communicate with her.

This situation had somewhat improved since Lu Li had brought her back, but the problem remained unresolved.

Just like in the gallery, she could only stay within the confined space of the Detective Agency, unable to go out.

For a girl who died from illness at eighteen and whose persona remained that age, this was nothing short of a prison.

Perhaps he could find a chance to take her out for a stroll?

Lu Li’s dark pupils softened imperceptibly, and his voice, still calm, rose, “Friendship first, competition second.”

Without turning, Anna scoffed, “If there’s a competition, of course I have to try to be number one!”

“…” Lu Li fell silent.

The atmosphere gradually grew heavy.

Silence and fog drifted through the slightly desolate Supernatural Detective Agency.

Knock, knock, knock—

Both gazes fell on the door at the same time; one of the gazes subconsciously blinked…

“Ah no, I lost!”

Anna lamented with a sigh, her cheeks written with unwillingness.

“We’ll continue tomorrow, go hide in the bedroom,” Lu Li said.

“Oh.”

Anna drifted into the bedroom with a dejected air, making sure to close the door behind her using telekinesis.

Lu Li got up and approached the door, opening it—The visitor was someone he had met once before.

Just yesterday.

…

“My name is Daisy.

We met yesterday, you gave me your business card…”

Daisy sat in the sofa beside the wall, usually forthright but now appearing somewhat restrained.

Her legs, encased in long pants, were pressed together, stiff and tense.

“I remember.”

Lu Li took a seat in his executive chair, watching Daisy for several seconds, until her smile stiffened, then he asked, “Is there something you need?”

“I have…

I have a commission I’d like to request.”

“Please, go on.”

Lu Li gestured with his hand for her to continue, opened a drawer and took out a notebook, picking up a fountain pen.

“You must be aware that this is the Supernatural Detective Agency.

Does your commission involve a supernatural incident?”

“Yes…

I had a good friend who passed away due to an illness a while ago…”

“You suspect her death was unnatural?”

“Um…

It’s not just me, some of my classmates at the time also thought her death was unnatural…”

“Why.”

“I don’t know…

perhaps intuition?

I know this sounds very…

difficult to understand, but please, you must let me finish.”

“Continue.”

“Thank you…

My friend’s name is Anna…

we were at Himfast’s Deer…”

“Please wait a moment, I need to check something.” Lu Li suddenly closed his notebook and placed it on the table, along with his pen.

Daisy, looking a bit nervous, watched as Lu Li slightly tilted his head and spoke towards the bedroom door, “Anna.”

There was no reply, perhaps because Lu Li wasn’t loud enough, or maybe Anna didn’t want to reveal herself in front of a stranger.

Lu Li continued, “Anna, I have a question.”

After a few seconds of silence, a cute voice came from behind the door, as if trying to conceal something, “Shh~~~”

Lu Li, ignoring Anna’s hushing, directly asked, “I remember you once said you had a good friend named Daisy.

Where is she from?”

Anna, distracted from staying hidden, unconsciously answered, “From Belfast, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

After replying, Lu Li looked away, his gaze falling on Daisy’s face, which was filled with disbelief and hesitation, “Miss Daisy, I’ll take on your case.

But how much are you willing to pay for this commission.”

Daisy didn’t reply to Lu Li; she suddenly stood up, her eyes misting over with a layer of moisture, complex emotions emerging on her face as she stumbled towards the bedroom and shouted, “Anna, is it you!”

“Daisy!?”

Seconds later, a voice filled with the same surprise and joy rang out, and Anna emerged from behind the door, her face radiant with delight.

She seemed extremely happy, rushing towards Daisy, only to come to an abrupt stop a meter away, the joy on her face quickly fading, replaced by fear and withdrawal.

Anna might have thought of a lot, but Daisy didn’t care about any of that.

She lunged towards Anna like a young girl, crying out in joy, only to pass right through Anna’s ghostly form, as if she had just remembered something, a trace of sorrow appearing in the depths of her eyes.

Ghost and human gazed intently at each other up close, Daisy’s eyes brimming with tears, Anna silent.

Lu Li seemed to sigh almost imperceptibly.

Not because of the scene before him, but because if this idiot hadn’t shown up, he could have already made a thousand shillings by now.

Knock Knock Knock—

Just then, the sudden sound of knocking broke the frozen silence.

Anna and Daisy turned towards the door, then simultaneously looked at Lu Li behind the desk.

Lu Li raised his hand and pointed to the bedroom, “You two can go inside and catch up for a while.”

After exchanging a glance, Anna and Daisy, suppressing various emotions in their silence, both entered the bedroom.

The door closed, and tranquility returned to the living room.

“Come in.”

Lu Li called out to the person outside the door.

Creak—

The door opened, and Oliver peeked in sneakily, looking around.

He thought he had just heard a woman’s voice inside the house?

“Anna’s friend came to visit her,” Lu Li explained.

Oliver paused, seemingly trying to remember who Anna was, then shivered and gave a nervous laugh, “Oh, such enviable friendship.”

“So, you have business here?”

“I’ve returned the books, and…

here.”

“A letter?

Another new one?”

“Um…”

“What does Mrs.

Slav mean.”

“You don’t know?”

“I have some understanding, yet not quite.”

“She wants you to play the role of Mr.

Slav.”

“Close the door, from the outside.”