Chapter 15

1

The high walls of the ancient city detention center loomed overhead, flanked by towering watchtowers and heavily armed guards stationed at the gates. This was a domain built to confine evil. Two police vehicles from the criminal investigation unit were parked at the entrance. Captain Lei Jianfeng and the special task force assigned to the "Ma Wang Criminal Syndicate Case" had come to conduct another interrogation of Wang Mingyang. After three days of meticulous preparation guided by Ding Yuanying's advice, Rui Xiaodan had crafted an interrogation strategy and would lead today's session.

Wang Mingyang was escorted into the interrogation room by prison guards. Seated on a specialized chair, his expression of indifference and calm demeanor were unchanged from three days prior. He paid no attention to the female officer across from him, his gaze aimlessly fixed on a distant spot, as if his thoughts had already drifted far beyond the confines of the small interrogation room.

Rui Xiaodan began calmly, "Wang Mingyang, you've had three days to think about it. Have you made up your mind?"

As before, Wang Mingyang remained silent.

Rui Xiaodan gave a faint smile and said, "You and I didn't flinch when we had guns pointed at each other's heads. Why hesitate now?"

Wang Mingyang finally shifted his gaze to meet hers. In an equally calm tone, he said, "Let's correct that. It's not hesitation; it's restraint from saying unnecessary things."

"What do you consider unnecessary?" Rui Xiaodan asked. "Care to explain?"

Speaking slowly, Wang Mingyang replied, "Whether I speak or stay silent, the outcome is the same—death. It makes no difference whether I die once or ten times. However, I can derive a sense of moral satisfaction from your frustration at my refusal to betray others. That's all."

"Interesting," Rui Xiaodan responded. "That shows you still have a need for self-validation—a distinctly human trait. If you didn't even have this basic need, I'd have reason to question your humanity."

Wang Mingyang sneered coldly, "Trying to provoke me? Not very clever."

Unperturbed, Rui Xiaodan replied, "Let me correct you. This isn't provocation. It's recognition that you're still worth talking to. You're right that there's no difference between dying once and dying ten times. Similarly, the law doesn't account for more than one death sentence. We don't necessarily need you to say anything. So the power to decide whether you feel fulfilled or disappointed isn't in your hands."

Wang Mingyang smirked disdainfully.

Rui Xiaodan continued, "I won't deny that your confession has reference value for this case. However, the legal machinery doesn't depend on confessions to function. Especially in this case, your testimony no longer holds substantive significance for sentencing or investigation."

"So why are you here?" Wang Mingyang retorted.

With composure and gravity, Rui Xiaodan replied, "The law demands extreme rigor in both procedure and substance, but it disregards anything beyond one death sentence. My presence here fulfills the legal and humane obligations of my role: to quantify that rigor and offer your soul a clean slate, allowing your spirit to stand tall."

Wang Mingyang curled his lips in a slight, dismissive smile. "Ma'am, don't get carried away. Law enforcement is your job—you do it for a living. But if you think you can preach to me, you're out of your depth. Don't inflate your professional duties to elevate your personal stature. It's unbecoming."

Rui Xiaodan replied calmly, "This isn't a battlefield. You and I aren't here to compete in wits or intellect—we're here to reason."

"Whose reasoning?" Wang Mingyang asked indifferently.

"Yours," Rui Xiaodan replied. "The reasoning of a bandit. Shall we? If you can't even articulate the reasoning of a bandit, then the rigor the law demands can only quantify you to this point."

Wang Mingyang said, "The reasoning of a bandit? Direct acquisition, risk, thrill."

Rui Xiaodan countered, "That makes you sound like a brave man. But I believe the essence of banditry is breaking the rules. Breaking the rules and direct acquisition are two different concepts. Your lack of confidence to compete fairly with the strong under the same rules only shows that you're weak. In weak cultures, the highest value is rule-breaking. Thus, the reasoning of a bandit is, at its core, the most cowardly philosophy of survival. So no, you're not a brave man."

Wang Mingyang was startled but didn't show it on his face. He looked at the young, intelligent female officer with growing amazement. Her words struck straight at the essence of the issue, and her depth of knowledge and sharp reasoning far exceeded what he had expected from anyone, let alone a woman. He nodded slightly and said, "I agree with your analysis. So, where's this clean slate you're offering my soul? Show it to me. Salvation of the soul is the business of the Bible, but the Bible doesn't compel me. Are you trying to prove you're holier than the Bible?"

Rui Xiaodan felt a wave of relief. The conversation was steering into territory she had prepared for. Maintaining her composure, she replied, "I'm insignificant. But since you brought up the Bible, let's start there. At the very least, your attitude tells me you haven't truly understood it, so you're not qualified to evaluate it."

The rest of the conversation unfolded as a battle of intellect and philosophy, weaving through theology, morality, and existentialism. Rui Xiaodan's calm and incisive arguments gradually dismantled Wang Mingyang's defenses, leading him to reflect deeply on his actions and beliefs. By the end of the interrogation, Wang Mingyang, subdued and introspective, began to recount his crimes, speaking in a voice marked by resignation and sincerity.

In the monitoring room, the captain's furrowed brow relaxed as he leaned back in his chair. "I can't believe it. This girl's a natural."

The interrogation, which lasted eight hours, ended late in the afternoon. When Rui Xiaodan finally stepped out of the room, the sun was already low in the sky.

2

After work, Rui Xiaodan didn't immediately go to find Ding Yuanying. Instead, she took a stroll alone along the tree - lined path between Bishui River and the street. After walking for a while, she sat down on a stone bench by the river and stared intently at the slowly flowing water.

She was thinking: How does he know which stock will rise? How does he know Han Chufeng will lose the bet? How does he know Wang Mingyang will talk? If composing poems over drinks and picking stocks only show his talent, then finding a reason for Wang Mingyang to repent is not that simple. She couldn't remember seeing the term "cultural attribute" in the dictionary or encyclopedia. Literally, it should refer to the nature and characteristics of a certain culture. She seemed to have some insights but couldn't fully understand it. However, this unfamiliar term had already caught her attention. It was precisely this "cultural attribute" that made Ding Yuanying leave the fame - and - fortune - filled arena of desires and come to an unknown corner in the ancient city. He was a person who was extremely realistic yet out of tune with reality, a contradiction.

The words Xiao Yawen had said came to her mind again: He can be a devil or a ghost, but not a normal person... With my intelligence, I can't understand this kind of person... He wants to be alone and quiet... Every pore of him exudes a condescending tolerance for worldly culture... A person like Ding Yuanying has no meaning for women. As long as she is a woman, she has greed, anger, and infatuation. A woman without these is a woman in heaven...

She thought by the river for a long, long time and made a decision that even she herself found incredible.

She took a bus to Venus Hotel first. It was just when night was falling, and the hotel was just entering the peak period of guests arriving. She saw Ouyang Xue standing at the hotel entrance talking to an acquaintance. When Ouyang Xue saw Rui Xiaodan coming, she said a few quick words to that acquaintance, and then the person left.

Ouyang Xue stepped forward and said, "You've been really busy these days. You didn't even make a phone call."

Rui Xiaodan said, "I'm in love."

Ouyang Xue opened her eyes wide in surprise and said, "Ah? Such a big thing, why didn't you tell me?"

Rui Xiaodan smiled and said, "I've been through so much, how could I have the time?"

Ouyang Xue said, "Oh, I was being insensitive. You must be really busy at the first time. You can't spare the time."

Rui Xiaodan said, "I'm here to drive the car and go out to do something."

Ouyang Xue said, "What about that BMW?"

Rui Xiaodan said, "Is that the kind of car I can drive?"

Ouyang Xue took out the car keys from her pocket and handed them to her, saying, "I haven't seen you for a few days. Have dinner before you go. Report to your sister about your love story. It's already dinner time."

Rui Xiaodan smiled and said, "I'll report to you another day, sister. I've already made an appointment with Yuanying to have dinner together."

Ouyang Xue said, "Oh... You're already calling him Yuanying, Yuanying. Well, well!"

Rui Xiaodan asked, "If the stocks really make money, what are your plans?"

Ouyang Xue said, "What else do I need to plan? First, change this crappy car. This time, I definitely won't buy a second - hand car again. It's embarrassing. Do you have some ideas?"

Rui Xiaodan said, "Yuanying is idle all day long. We need to find something for him to do. The ancient city is not a place for him to stay for long. I don't expect things to last forever either. Let him do something so that it can be a memory in the future. Having something to do can also keep him here for a few more days."

Ouyang Xue said, "You're already thinking about breaking up just after falling in love. That's terrifying. Then what's the point of falling in love? Besides, he doesn't even do private equity funds anymore. What else can you make him do?" Ouyang Xue especially emphasized the word "you".

Rui Xiaodan walked a few steps towards the car, opened the door, turned around, and said, "If possible, I want to make use of the situation in Wangmiao Village and let him come out to do something."

Ouyang Xue was startled and blurted out, "Poverty alleviation?"

Rui Xiaodan corrected, "It's not poverty alleviation. It's hitching a ride on Feng Shijie's poverty - alleviation effort to do something. I know what to do."

Ouyang Xue said, "I don't know what you're thinking. How much money do you want to raise?"

Rui Xiaodan said, "It depends on how much money the stocks can make and how much you can lend me. But there's a bottom line. The money I borrow from you can't exceed my share of the hotel. It must be an amount that I can afford to lose. I won't consider my father's money for now. There's always some leeway in the father - daughter relationship. I can't control myself. I just want to be greedy once."

Ouyang Xue asked in confusion, "Greedy for what? Money?"

Rui Xiaodan said, "Greed."

Ouyang Xue was even more puzzled and said, "You, a person like you... would be greedy?"

Rui Xiaodan smiled and said, "If you change the car, don't include the new car in the hotel's assets. Count it as your personal property. Don't sell this old car either. Count it as mine. Deduct 20,000 yuan from my share of the dividends. A BMW is not a car for our class. Since Yuanying is in the ancient city, if possible, I still want to have a car to take him out for a drive when I'm free."

Ouyang Xue said, "This car was only bought for 40,000 yuan. It's been driven for three years. Is it still worth 40,000 yuan? I doubt if anyone would want it in the car market. You want your precious one to ride in this crappy car?"

Rui Xiaodan said, "When it comes to me, he's like a child from a poor family. He should be content to have a car to ride in." As she spoke, she got into the car, started the engine, waved to Ouyang Xue to indicate she was leaving, then closed the car door and stepped on the gas pedal to start the car.

At this moment, Ouyang Xue suddenly shouted, "Xiaodan!"

Rui Xiaodan heard it and immediately stepped on the brakes, opened the door, and asked, "What's wrong?"

Ouyang Xue hesitated for a moment, walked over, and held the car door, saying, "Xiaodan, is this the beginning?"

Rui Xiaodan asked in confusion, "The beginning of what?"

Ouyang Xue said, "From now on, it's like we're at a fork in the road, and we'll go further and further apart in the future."

Rui Xiaodan's heart trembled. There was both a resonance of some kind of mood and a touch of family affection. She deliberately smiled casually and said, "Goodness! What are you thinking?"

The word "Goodness" dispelled some of the worry in Ouyang Xue's eyes, and she also smiled.