16-1:An Unexpected Invitation

On the south end of Renmin Road near the western suburbs, clustered among various hardware, appliance, and car repair shops, stood Feng Shijie's auto detailing shop. In addition to car detailing, the shop also handled electrical repairs, audio installations, tire inflation, and other miscellaneous services.

This afternoon, a few cars were parked in front of the shop. Several young men in matching orange work uniforms were busy washing cars and polishing them. Feng Shijie, also in a work uniform but older and stained with oil spots, was repairing the electrical system of a black Audi. His hands were covered in grease.

A Santana police car pulled up. Feng Shijie instinctively paused his work to greet the incoming customer but froze upon recognizing the uniformed Rui Xiaodan stepping out. A subtle intuition made his heart tremble slightly. He approached her with a mix of enthusiasm and caution, "Miss Rui, what a rare visitor!"

Rui Xiaodan's inquiry was casual yet probing, "Busy?"

Feng Shijie replied cautiously, "Not too bad, manageable."

Directly, Rui Xiaodan said, "If you're still interested in the Wangmiao Village project, you can talk to Ding Yuanying this afternoon. He's waiting for you at home. He moved to Jiahe Garden community. Here's the address." She handed him a pre-written note.

Feng Shijie took the note, immediately smudging it with black grease. Realizing the note hinted at a potential opportunity, he said repeatedly, "Thank you, thank you!"

Rui Xiaodan smiled, "Don't thank me; I'm not that magnanimous."

Feng Shijie was taken aback, awkwardly replying, "Ha, that's an odd thing to say."

"I have work to do, so I won't disturb you further. Get busy," she said, getting back into her car. She made a farewell gesture and drove off.

Feng Shijie walked into his shop and placed the note on the table, wiping his hands with a piece of cotton fabric. He lit a cigarette and sat by the table, lost in thought, trying to decipher the smoke for answers. "Talking" was undoubtedly a signal, suggesting potential opportunities, implying access to the capabilities and social connections of one man. The significance of this conversation was clear.

After a while, he picked up the phone and dialed Ye Xiaoming's mobile, starting with a casual greeting, "What are you up to?"

"I'm with Liu Bing at the audio store. They're about to start renovations and asked me to move the inventory. I was about to call you. Can I store it at your place temporarily?" Ye Xiaoming said.

"Sure," Feng Shijie agreed. "Do you have a vehicle?"

"I was going to call a taxi," Ye Xiaoming replied.

"Why waste the money? I'll send a car over. I need to talk to you anyway," Feng Shijie said.

"What's up?" Ye Xiaoming asked.

"Miss Rui just came by. Mr. Ding wants to talk this afternoon," Feng Shijie said.

"Oh?" Ye Xiaoming's surprise was evident, even over the phone. Feng Shijie could sense his interest in the information. "Talking is a good sign. Take it seriously, but not too seriously."

"That's why I need your input. Let's discuss when we meet," Feng Shijie said.

After hanging up, Feng Shijie handed the car keys to a young man washing a car. "Xiao Zhang, go to Ye Xiaoming's store and bring his inventory back."

Xiao Zhang handed the high-pressure washer to another worker, got into the jeep, and drove off.

Feng Shijie returned to the workshop, making space in the storeroom before resuming his car repairs. His mind, however, was still preoccupied with the upcoming meeting with Ding Yuanying and Rui Xiaodan's cryptic remark, "Don't thank me; I'm not that magnanimous." What did she mean by that? He pondered over it repeatedly but couldn't decipher it.