Chapter 13

1 

The sweltering summer had passed, and the Mid-Autumn Festival was drawing nearer day by day. In this crisp autumn season, the sky was a clear blue, dotted with wispy clouds, high and far away, while the sunlight poured down unobstructed. On the streets of the ancient city, advertisements for mooncakes of various brands emerged in due time. All the signs indicated that the Mid-Autumn Festival, the festival symbolizing reunion, was just around the corner.

After a half-month suspension for self-reflection, Rui Xiaodan resumed her work. She threw herself wholeheartedly into the intense job, burying her feelings for Ding Yuanying deep in the bottom of her heart, like an internal wound.

That afternoon, the criminal police team held a weekend regular meeting in the conference room. The heads of each special task force reported on their work respectively. Captain Lei Jianfeng analyzed and summarized the work situation of the past week, made arrangements for the next step, and finally said, "The case of the taxi robbery and murder in the eastern suburbs has been closed. This group is dissolved. Yan Shoujun and Qi Hong will take over the theft case at the food city. Zhou Wei, Rui Xiaodan, and Xu Donglin will join the special task force for the Ma Wang criminal gang. If there are no other questions, the meeting is adjourned."

After the weekend meeting, everyone dispersed. Rui Xiaodan returned to the office, and soon Zhou Wei followed, putting the materials of the "Ma Wang criminal gang case" on her desk and saying, "I've already read these materials. You have a look and get familiar with the situation."

Rui Xiaodan said, "Okay."

She opened the file bag, took out the materials, and started to read, jotting down some notes or reminders in her notepad from time to time. Time passed unknowingly. When it was time to get off work, her colleagues had all left. Zhao Guoqiang and Zhou Wei asked her to leave with them before they left, but she said she only had a dozen pages left to read, so she stayed alone in the office to continue reading the materials.

The Ma Wang criminal gang was a mafia-style criminal group led by Ma Wentao and Wang Mingyang. Ma Wentao, the ringleader, was 46 years old, with a bachelor's degree in law from the Institute of Political Science and Law. He used to be the head of the supervision section of the provincial procuratorate and resigned in 1986. In the same year, he founded the "Famous Works Book and Culture Co., Ltd." in the ancient city. This man had rich social experience and was fierce and cunning. Wang Mingyang, the second in command, was 38 years old, with a bachelor's degree from the Academy of Fine Arts, unmarried, and served as the strategist of the gang. He was proficient in law and sociology, calm, cruel, with stable psychological quality and high intelligence. He had personally planned and directed 12 major vicious cases, and was known as the "Cold-faced Zhuge" within the gang.

There were a total of 19 core members in the Ma Wang criminal gang. Using the cultural company as a cover, they were heavily involved in smuggling and pirating books and audio-visual products. The identified amount of criminal proceeds was close to 1.1 billion yuan, and the criminal activities spanned 16 large and medium-sized cities across the country. Inside the gang, one person was killed to enforce discipline, two were killed and one was disabled in gang fights with other city gangs, four were seriously injured while resisting law enforcement, and three informants and law enforcement officers were killed in revenge. Since most of the Ma Wang gang's crimes took place in other cities in the cultural products circulation, they were little known in the ancient city. However, the "Famous Works Bookstore Chain" had a good reputation in the ancient city due to its elegant cultural image and good service.

The "Ma Wang criminal gang case" was a case that the provincial public security department was closely watching. Due to the gang's tight organization and relatively high personal qualities of its members, the investigation work had been very difficult. So far, only three people had been arrested and one had been shot dead, while 15 key suspects were still at large.

Rui Xiaodan was completely absorbed in reading the case files. It was not until it got very dark that she realized it was already night. She got up, turned on the light, and continued to read. At this moment, the phone on her desk rang. It was the guard on duty at the gate, telling her that a man in his 30s had been waiting for her at the gate for several hours and asking when she would get off work.

She hadn't finished reading the case files completely, but she already had a general understanding of the situation. She put away the files, turned off the light, locked the door, and greeted several colleagues on duty when passing the duty room of the criminal police team. She wondered in her heart: Who had been waiting at the gate for so long? She couldn't figure it out. When she walked out of the office building and took a look at the gate from afar, she realized it was Feng Shijie.

Feng Shijie waited until Rui Xiaodan walked out of the gate before taking a few steps forward, smiling awkwardly as a greeting.

Rui Xiaodan said politely, "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were waiting for me. What's up?"

Feng Shijie said nervously and earnestly, "Well, your speakers and cabinets are ready, and the speakers are being tuned. Tomorrow is the weekend. I'd like to invite you to take a look at the speakers and cabinets to see if you're satisfied. If you think they're okay, we can bring them back and install them. That pile of machines has tied up a lot of Ye Xiaoming's funds, and he's quite anxious."

Rui Xiaodan said, "Ye Xiaoming is a businessman. He should assemble the stereos completely before showing them to me."

Feng Shijie explained, "His audio store is being transferred. There's nothing much he can do there except for the remaining stock. Once it's transferred, he has to vacate the house immediately. It's not suitable to tune the speakers there. He's moved the machines to the carpentry workshop. If there are any problems with the speakers, it's easier to fix them on the spot. It would be difficult to do at home because there's no proper space or tools, and we'd have to bring them back anyway."

Rui Xiaodan thought for a moment and said, "Then... let's go tomorrow morning."

Feng Shijie said, "You set the time and place, and I'll pick you up tomorrow. If you think it's inconvenient, you can bring a few friends. I don't mean anything else. I mean..."

Rui Xiaodan understood what he meant and said, "I'll wait for you at the north gate of the Rose Garden Community at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning. We'll pick up Ouyang Xue at the Venus Hotel on the way. Just the two of us will go."

"Okay, it's settled." After that, Feng Shijie asked again, "Where are you going now? I can give you a lift part of the way. Wait a minute while I go and get the car." Then he drove the car out of the parking lot beside the gate.

Rui Xiaodan intuitively felt that this was making a big deal out of a small matter. This kind of seemingly unnecessary fuss could be due to a person's character or working habits, or it could be a sign of something "subtle". She didn't think much about it, just subconsciously had a faint and vague feeling in her mind. Although she didn't want to take the ride, she got in the car out of politeness and said, "Please drop me off at the Venus Hotel. Thanks."

When they arrived at the Venus Hotel, Rui Xiaodan got out of the car, and Feng Shijie drove away.

2

The next morning, fog had settled over the ancient city. The thin mist, like light smoke, hung over the treetops. Objects a little further away were faintly surrounded by the fog, as if immersed in a cup of milk diluted with water. Rui Xiaodan arrived on time at the north gate of the Rose Garden Community as agreed. Feng Shijie and Ouyang Xue had already been there for a while, waiting beside the Cherokee jeep.

Feng Shijie still seemed a bit nervous. He opened the car door and said, "I left early, so I picked up Miss Ouyang first. It's foggy today. We'll drive slowly."

The three of them got into the car. Rui Xiaodan and Ouyang Xue sat in the back together.

Wangmiao Village was about 20 kilometers away from the ancient city. After getting off the ring road, the car turned onto a narrow rural asphalt road. Although it was paved with asphalt, it was full of dust. On both sides of the road, there were piles of and sun-dried crops such as corn and peanuts, making the already narrow road even narrower. Farmers working in the fields could be seen everywhere. It took more than an hour to cover the 20-kilometer journey, and it was already past 10 o'clock when they reached Wangmiao Village.

Feng Shijie didn't drive directly into the village but to a jujube grove, parking the car in front of a shed in the grove. Looking around, a vast jujube grove spread out before them. In the hazy mist, red jujubes hung heavily on the branches, weighing them down. Besides jujube trees, most of the land in the grove was planted with peanuts, and there were also a few scattered plots with some green vegetables. The red jujubes set off by the green leaves were extremely beautiful. The open fields stretched to the horizon out of sight. The air was fresh and cool, free from the noise of the city and the hustle and bustle of people coming and going.

There were several men and women in the jujube grove, some shelling peanuts and some picking jujubes.

Rui Xiaodan got out of the car and asked, "Why are we here?"

Instead of answering directly, Feng Shijie pointed at the people shelling peanuts and picking jujubes in the field and explained, "These are all from my extended family. Since you rarely come, have a taste of something fresh. Take some with you when you leave. They're not valuable things."

Ouyang Xue said sensitively, "Mr. Feng, what do you mean by this?"

As Feng Shijie led them into the jujube grove, he said, "We're all audio enthusiasts. Guests are always welcome. Originally, I wanted to invite you to taste the dewy jujubes, but we'd have to get up before dawn for that. I was afraid you might misunderstand, so I didn't mention it. Our village is in a poverty-stricken county and is a poor village itself. We really don't have much to offer guests."

Only then did Rui Xiaodan clearly realize that the so-called visit to see the speakers was just a pretext. But since they were already here, it would be unwise to say anything more. Due to the fog, there were glistening dewdrops on the green leaves and red jujubes. She picked a dewy red jujube, wiped it in her palm, and took a bite. It was crispy and sweet.

Ouyang Xue ate one and said, "So crispy. It's really different from the ones we buy. Let's just consider it as dewy jujubes."

The women in the field greeted Rui Xiaodan and Ouyang Xue shyly. Ouyang Xue had only heard the term "beating jujubes" before but had never seen the real thing. She asked curiously, "Mr. Feng, people always say 'beating jujubes,' but why are they all picking them?"

Feng Shijie replied, "Beating jujubes means knocking them down with a pole and spreading a large plastic sheet under the tree, so both good and bad ones will fall. Picking jujubes means only choosing the best ones with no damage to the skin, usually for gifts."

Ouyang Xue picked a few big, red jujubes and held them in her hand. While eating, she said to Feng Shijie, "Mr. Feng, this is a bit far-fetched. What on earth do you mean?"

Feng Shijie said, "I'll take you to see the speaker cabinets soon. It's almost lunchtime. Having a rural meal at home can be considered a novelty. My mother and wife are preparing it at home. After lunch, we'll go back. Actually, I've always wanted to invite you to a meal, and today, with you at my doorstep, it's a good opportunity. However, rural food can't compare to hotel food."

Since Rui Xiaodan didn't say anything, Ouyang Xue guessed that she knew what was going on, so she didn't ask any more.

They stayed in the jujube grove for more than half an hour and then drove into the village. Rui Xiaodan finally got a direct impression of what Feng Shijie meant by "a poor village in a poverty-stricken county." The shabby asphalt road was full of potholes. On both sides of the road, dilapidated earthen walls and old houses overgrown with weeds could be seen everywhere. Children playing were wearing dirty and ill-fitting clothes. It was a desolate scene that could only be seen in old movies.

As Feng Shijie drove through the village, people greeted him from time to time, and he responded casually. Rui Xiaodan could sense from people's expressions and tones that they admired Feng Shijie as a wealthy man.

The car drove into a courtyard that still looked dilapidated despite some repairs. There were several rooms, and one of them was a new brick-and-tile house. On the wall, a cross less than one meter high was painted with cement and red paint. Anyone with basic religious knowledge knew that this was a Christian church.

The voice of a local female missionary preaching could be heard from the church.

Neither Rui Xiaodan nor Ouyang Xue had ever seen a rural Christian church before. Feng Shijie noticed their curiosity from their eyes, stopped the car, and led them over. Inside the church, there were rows of long wooden benches, and in front was a large blackboard with chalk writing: "Believe in the Lord and you will be saved. Believe in the Lord and you will go to heaven, and be happy forever..." There were more than 20 people gathered in the room, most of them women. They had almost the same pious expressions and prematurely aged skin due to years of hard work. The female missionary, in her 30s, was reading the Bible to the believers.

A woman at the door asked Feng Shijie in a low voice, "Why isn't your mom here?"

Feng Shijie also answered in a low voice, "We have guests at home. She's cooking."

The woman muttered dissatisfiedly, "She only cares about her own home and forgets the Lord's home."

Rui Xiaodan and Ouyang Xue were afraid of disturbing the preaching, so they took a quick look and left.

Just over 20 meters away from the church were several rooms that served as a carpentry workshop. Four people were working inside. To everyone's surprise, one of them was Ye Xiaoming. But at this moment, he seemed like a different person. Wearing an old work clothes of unknown origin, his face was no longer as clean as when they saw him in the audio store, and there were some scraps of unknown substances on his body. He was sitting on a half-high wooden stool, flipping through an audio magazine, with all kinds of tools for assembling audio, such as multimeters, welding guns, and screwdrivers, placed beside him. The other three people put down their work to greet them when Feng Shijie brought the guests in. After introductions, they were Zhou Guozheng, Wu Zhiming, and Li Tiejun, all relatives or friends of Feng Shijie in the village, in their twenties or thirties.

Among those working in the room, only Ye Xiaoming knew Rui Xiaodan and the others. He put down the audio magazine, stood up, and smiled, saying, "It's really not easy to earn this money. I never expected it to be this difficult."

Feng Shijie added, "Of course. These speakers are much more complicated than the ones I made back then. They're not in the same league at all. Just pick one up and you can feel the difference. Each one weighs 18 kilograms. That's quite something."

The size of these speakers was not much different from ordinary bookshelf speakers, but they looked very sturdy, giving a sense of steadiness, as if they could withstand any wind and rain. The color of the cabinet, like Ding Yuanying's speakers, was black. Although there were still a few details in the paint finish that were not refined enough, they could be ignored. Overall, they looked really nice. Instead of using the original kit's binding posts, the eight binding posts at the back of the speakers were custom-made, large, delicate, and very imposing with a golden sheen.

The cabinet had been assembled, with eight compartments. The color and paint process were the same as those of the speakers. Next to the cabinet were 11 audio machines packed in cardboard boxes and a plastic bag full of signal connection cables.

Ye Xiaoming said, "The best boards were used for the cabinet. The thickness of the cabinet wall is 32 millimeters, and the cabinet is nailed together with bamboo sticks. I guarantee it won't rust or deform in your lifetime. The paint finish uses the piano lacquer process, so it will never peel off and will get shinier with wiping. I took the liberty to customize the 16 binding posts. They have a diameter of 22 millimeters, are made of high-grade oxygen-free copper, and 24K thick gold-plated. They're definitely top-notch. If you feel bad about it, you can add 600 yuan to the cost. It's okay if you don't, since I made the decision on my own. No matter who uses it, as long as it passes through my hands, it has to be something presentable."

Rui Xiaodan said, "Okay, thank you."

Ye Xiaoming said, "The cabinet is definitely prettier than Mr. Ding's. Although the size is the same, more materials were used, so it's more solid. If you think everything is okay, I'll disassemble it into parts. Otherwise, it won't fit in the car. We'll go to your place to assemble it after lunch."

Rui Xiaodan said, "Okay, do as you say."

3

Leaving the carpentry workshop, the car wound its way through several turns in the narrow alleys of the village before coming to a halt at the entrance of an ordinary-looking courtyard. The large iron gate stood wide open. Feng Shijie said, "This is my childhood home. My parents live here."

It was a standard small farmhouse yard. The brick walls enclosed a cozy space. In the north, the main house faced south, its red bricks and black tiles giving it a rustic charm. Under the east wall, grapevines were planted, climbing up a neatly built trellis. Several thick and lush locust trees in the yard cast a cool shade, where a few chickens were leisurely pecking around for food.

As soon as they got out of the car, a woman approaching sixty, with a kind face, and a woman in her thirties, dressed in full urban fashion, walked up to them with broad smiles. Behind them was an elderly man, his hair grey and his figure rather gaunt. Feng Shijie introduced them to Rui Xiaodan and Ouyang Xue, "This is my mom, my wife, and this is my dad."

Rui Xiaodan and Ouyang Xue greeted the elders politely.

Feng's mother warmly beckoned, "Come on in and have a seat, everyone."

In the center of the yard, a large square table was surrounded by long wooden benches. On the table were plates filled with peanuts, melon seeds, and fresh fruits. No sooner had Rui Xiaodan and the others sat down than a pot of freshly brewed tea was served. Feng's mother, beaming with delight, led a female relative to the kitchen to prepare the dishes. The comings and goings created a warm and bustling atmosphere.

Feng Shijie said to Rui Xiaodan, "You guys have some tea and chat for a while. I'm going to load the car and will be back soon."

About twenty minutes later, Feng Shijie and Ye Xiaoming returned. Ye Xiaoming was clearly on very familiar terms with the Feng family. He was chatting and joking as if this were his own home.

After a brief chat over tea, the dishes started arriving from the kitchen. The table was soon laden with a sumptuous spread of farmhouse cuisine, yet Feng Shijie's family members didn't take their seats.

Rui Xiaodan asked, "Auntie, why aren't they coming to have dinner?"

Feng Shijie replied, "It's an old rural custom. They won't eat with us." Then, he pointed at a dish on the table and said, "Have a try of this. You might not have tasted it before."

Rui Xiaodan and Ouyang Xue each took a bite, but neither could figure out what it was.

Feng Shijie explained, "This is called fried sausage. It's a local specialty snack. To put it bluntly, it used to be a real treat for the poor. Since they couldn't afford meat, they'd mix pig blood with flour and salt, stuff it into pig intestines, slice it up, and fry it in oil, as a substitute for meat. It's a sign of the tough old days."

Apparently, this meal had been carefully prepared in advance. By the standards of rural hospitality, it was a very grand reception. However, the meal didn't last long, wrapping up in just half an hour. Everyone at the table knew that the food itself wasn't the key point; rather, it was the underlying message conveyed through this meal.

When they were about to leave Wangmiao Village after the meal, the Feng family members promptly loaded a bag of fresh dates and a bag of peanuts into the car without asking. Several of them stood at the courtyard entrance to see the guests off. This scene left a deep impression on Rui Xiaodan. Just as Xiao Yawen had said, it wasn't she who warranted such treatment, but Ding Yuanying.

Rui Xiaodan couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Whether it was Han Chufeng's high-end reception or Feng Shijie's warm hospitality by seizing the opportunity, ultimately, it all boiled down to the fact that she was a woman trying to get closer to Ding Yuanying. This realization made her feel both awkward and sorrowful. At that moment, she understood that she had become a tool for others to use.

4.

When they were on their way back to the ancient city, Ye Xiaoming came back in the car with them. To avoid an awkward silence, Feng Shijie started sharing some interesting anecdotes from the audiophile circle in the ancient city while driving. After all, being an audiophile, he had a wealth of such stories to tell.

Feng Shijie said, "The year I bought my stereo, I took 8,000 yuan to Beijing. I wandered around for a full seven days. My feet got blisters from all the walking. I stayed in basements every day and lived on instant noodles. After I brought the stereo back, I listened to it for a whole day and night without sleeping. At three o'clock in the morning, the neighbors upstairs and downstairs banged on the heating pipes to protest. Back then, my stereo set was definitely the most awesome one in the ancient city. But just a few years have passed, and now, whenever audiophiles in the circle see it, they say, 'This pile of junk, just throw it out the window.'"

Ouyang Xue asked, "Did you throw it away?"

Feng Shijie replied, "How could I bear to? It cost me a fortune. That year, I took 300 yuan to Beijing to buy records. I spent the whole day going from one record store to another. I was gripping the money so tightly that it got all sweaty, but in the end, I couldn't bring myself to spend it, so I just came back with the money still in my hand."

Rui Xiaodan said, "Then your travel expenses were wasted."

Ye Xiaoming chimed in, "Not at all. I hitched rides."

Ouyang Xue asked, "How many years have you been in the city?"

Feng Shijie said, "I dropped out of junior high school and came to the city to learn electrical appliance repair from my master. It's been seventeen or eighteen years in a flash. My wife works in a bank, and our kid is only three years old, staying at his grandma's place. I opened a car beauty shop on Renmin Road and also do some electrical circuit repairs, tire inflating, and patching on the side. Life is so-so, but we get by."

After chatting for a while, as soon as Feng Shijie ran out of topics, the car quickly fell silent again. So he found a new topic and said, "Miss Rui, do you still remember the boss of 'Isolated Island Records'?"

Rui Xiaodan said, "Yes, his name is Liu Bing."

Ye Xiaoming said, "He's really annoyed with you. His store's business wasn't great to begin with, and after you bought out Mr. Ding's records, it got even worse. I don't think he can hold on much longer. He'll probably close down soon, just like I did."

Ouyang Xue said, "If his store depends on that to stay afloat, it might as well close."

Feng Shijie said, "He never sticks to anything. He used to sell kids' clothes, then he drove a taxi for others. He tries his hand at everything. He likes jazz, which always seems so mysterious. I can't get into it."

...

They talked all the way, and before they knew it, they had entered the urban area and first arrived at the Venus Hotel. After getting out of the car, Rui Xiaodan walked aside and whispered to Ouyang Xue, "It's not right to refuse the things in the car. Have someone go to the warehouse and load two cases of wine onto the car. We can't let him go back empty-handed."

While Rui Xiaodan and Ouyang Xue were talking, Feng Shijie and Ye Xiaoming were already carrying a bag of dates into the hotel. Just as they delivered a bag of dates to the restaurant, returned to the car, and were carrying another bag of peanuts into the hotel, Ouyang Xue had two young men put a case of wine each into the car.

When Feng Shijie saw the two cases of wine, he quickly put down the peanuts and ran back. He was just about to unload the wine from the car when Rui Xiaodan, standing nearby, stopped him, saying, "Mr. Feng, it's just reciprocity. Don't be so polite."

Feng Shijie's face was instantly filled with embarrassment, and he didn't know what to say.

Rui Xiaodan said, "Mr. Ding and I are just ordinary friends. It's not the relationship you think. Even if it were, what you've done is disrespectful to me. What do you take me for?"

Feng Shijie said awkwardly, "I... really didn't mean anything else. It's just... the village is so poor. I just wanted to find an expert to show us the way. But someone like Mr. Ding is out of our reach."

Rui Xiaodan said, "I'm sorry. I can't help you."

Feng Shijie said, "I'm sorry. It was presumptuous of me. I'm truly sorry. But these two cases of wine have to be taken off. Otherwise, it's like slapping me in the face."

Rui Xiaodan said, "If we don't slap your face now, we'll have to slap mine. Between a man's face and a woman's face, which one do you think is more appropriate to slap?"

Feng Shijie said, "Of course, we can't slap a woman's face."

Rui Xiaodan said, "Then you'll have to put up with a bit of 委屈." After that, she closed the trunk of the car and then said, "You two go ahead. We'll meet at the north gate of Rose Garden. I'll be there soon."

Feng Shijie and Ye Xiaoming drove away, looking rather embarrassed.

Ouyang Xue watched the car drive away and said with a laugh, "Who would have thought? This guy is actually an ambitious young man from the countryside."

Rui Xiaodan also smiled and said, "Give me the car keys. Keep enough peanuts and dates for yourselves, and load the rest onto the car. After I install the stereo, I'll deliver them to the folks in the team one by one. They won't be fresh if left for too long."

Ouyang Xue suddenly burst out laughing and said, "Look at all the trouble your looks have caused. But there seem to be more and more so-called experts these days. They don't even bother to introduce themselves and just use a beauty as part of their schemes."

Rui Xiaodan said self-deprecatingly, "Even I can't make use of my looks. Instead, others are using me as a weapon."