In the evening, the rain had lessened but still drizzled continuously. After work, Rui Xiaodan took a bus to Jiahe Garden community to fetch clothes, shoes, and socks for Ding Yuanying. She then hurried to a large supermarket to buy a pack of cigarettes and two beautiful glass ashtrays before rushing home. Entering the house, she found Ding Yuanying still in bed, lying on his side, one arm outside the blanket, the other supporting his head. His pensive look seemed adorable to her.
She placed the clothes next to him and asked, "Didn't you nap this afternoon?"
"No," Ding Yuanying replied, looking at the file and photo albums. "You are very diligent."
Rui Xiaodan helped him dress, saying, "It's not diligence; it's survival. If you slack off, you don't eat." She put on his vest and shirt, then suddenly leaned against him and whispered, "Hold me... I killed someone today, the second one."
Ding Yuanying said, "Executing a criminal includes killing a person; that's the value of the law. If a woman's psychology doesn't fit the work of a criminal police officer, that's a gender issue."
Rui Xiaodan said, "Two more years, just two years, and then I'll go study abroad."
Ding Yuanying asked, "Why two years? Why not now, or three or four years later?"
This question made Rui Xiaodan smile. "In two years, I'll be old, and the police team won't want me if I'm not physically fit. In three or four years, it'll be even harder to get a study abroad approval past thirty. I like being a criminal police officer; I'll do it as long as I can. But this job isn't suitable for women, so I need to plan ahead. Getting a decent law degree and becoming a lawyer is a way to make a living."
Ding Yuanying saw in her a completely independent person. Her present and envisioned future were her own support systems, leaving no room for dependency.
After a brief silence, Rui Xiaodan stood up, saying, "Let's not dwell on this. You love kung fu tea, right? Later, I'll take you to try some authentic ancient city's kung fu noodles. You'll love it."
Rui Xiaodan went to the living room, placed the cigarettes, lighter, and glass ashtray on the coffee table, and then boiled water in the kitchen to make a cup of Longjing tea. By the time she brought the tea over, Ding Yuanying was in the living room, turning on the new audio system.
"There's a CD in the player," she said. "It's still your favorite."
The song "Daughter of Heaven" began playing. Ding Yuanying sat on the sofa, listening intently, then stood at different angles to listen again. After a minute, he asked, "How much did this set cost?"
"Just over 20,000 yuan. Is it good?"
"It's not just good, it's excellent. Very high cost-performance."
Rui Xiaodan pushed him onto the sofa, straddled his lap, and fed him a sip of tea. She wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered, "Are you feeling better?"
Ding Yuanying replied playfully, "Understanding the difference between heaven and hell, I've reached Nirvana."
Rui Xiaodan chuckled.
"I'd like a photo," he said. "The one with you and the German Shepherd."
"Oh, that's my favorite. I'll get a larger print and frame it for you. That big wolfhound is you. Okay? I'll take you for a walk whenever I feel like it."
Ding Yuanying laughed, "Just throw me a piece of bread."
Rui Xiaodan got off his lap, "Finish your tea. I'll get the umbrella, and then we'll go out." She packed the cigarettes and lighter into her bag and fetched an umbrella from another room.
Ding Yuanying took the umbrella and followed Rui Xiaodan out. "Is the kung fu noodle place nearby?"
"Far from it, but we'll need the umbrella just to reach the gate."
"Why not drive? Can't the car be driven?"
"It can, it's in the garage. I just don't want to drive it."
"Why not?"
Rui Xiaodan hesitated. "Is that kind of car really for me to drive?"
Ding Yuanying stopped her from locking the door, saying, "You're being superficial."
Rui Xiaodan didn't understand, "What do you mean?"
"It's a Buddhist term, meaning being fixated on appearances while ignoring the essence."
After a moment of hesitation, she went to the garage and drove out the BMW.
The car drove smoothly on the wet road, the gentle rain pattering, the wipers moving rhythmically. The road reflected the lights under the night sky. The subtle act of driving brought a quietness between them, both waiting for the other to speak first.
Finally, Rui Xiaodan broke the silence, "You made me feel very awkward. What's wrong with being superficial? Everything needs an appearance that reflects its nature. If it's right, it's not superficial."
Ding Yuanying said, "Fine, you're close to enlightenment."
Rui Xiaodan wanted to speak but stopped herself, driving in silence. After a long pause, she said calmly, "Yuanying, don't make me feel like a woman loses all dignity after taking off her pants. Leave me some respect."
In his heart, Ding Yuanying said to her: Silly girl, my feelings for you are not just respect, but admiration.
After another moment of silence, Rui Xiaodan suddenly smiled, "What bet did you make with Han Chufeng?"
"The succession of the Zheng Tian Corporation," he said, briefly explaining it. "Friends' bets are half serious, half not. Let's leave it for now and resolve it later."
"I didn't know you had such interests."
"I didn't know you had studied street dance. I can't imagine you dancing."
"Do you look down on street dance?"
"No, it just seems distant from your personality and work."
"It was necessary for work. Street dance is very free and wild. If you're curious, I'll show you someday."
Talking, they arrived at the "Ancient Style Kung Fu Noodle" restaurant. The place was brightly lit inside and out, with cars parked tightly in front and customers constantly coming and going. The spacious dining hall was noisy, like a boiling cauldron. Facing the entrance was a golden plaque that read: "Ancient City's Best." On the wall in front hung a banner with the words "Fresh, Fragrant, Authentic, Beautiful." They found an empty table with the help of a server, and Rui Xiaodan placed the cigarettes and lighter in front of Ding Yuanying.
Ding Yuanying looked around and finally understood what kung fu noodles were. It was a highly refined way of eating hand-pulled noodles. Each table had a pot for boiling noodles in plain water, with dozens of different sauces and side dishes. Each portion of noodles was freshly cooked, offering a unique taste with different sauces and sides, elevating a single mouthful of noodles to an art form.
Soon, the full set of kung fu noodles was served. Rui Xiaodan cooked a portion of noodles with some greens, briefly boiled it, and served it in a small bowl with sauce and side dishes, handing it to him. "This is how you eat it. Try it."
Ding Yuanying took a bite and said, "Delicious! Very good!"
Rui Xiaodan watched his eager eating with a sense of peace and happiness.
Ding Yuanying cooked another portion for himself and said, "You should eat too."
Rui Xiaodan just wanted to watch him. She shook her head, watching him eat bowl after bowl until he was too full and had to rest. "Do you like being cooped up inside all day? Doing nothing?"
"I go online, study, look at various things."
"Study what?"
"Not studying, just paying attention. I'm interested in cultural attributes."
"Cultural attributes? Never heard of it. Is it important?"
"There are three layers to understanding society: technology, systems, and culture. For individuals, nations, or races, fate ultimately comes from cultural attributes. Strong cultures produce strong people; weak cultures produce weak people. It's a rule, a divine law, unaffected by human will."
"What are strong and weak cultures?"
"Strong cultures follow the laws of nature. Weak cultures rely on moral expectations from the strong to obtain benefits unreasonably, hoping for a savior. Strong cultures in martial arts are called 'secret manuals,' while weak cultures, being easy to learn and use, become popular."
Rui Xiaodan pushed the ashtray towards him to keep ash from falling onto the food. "Learned people really know how to criticize. Sharp. I get the general idea, but what's the use?"
"None and all."
"None is fine if it means understanding life. All means what? Give an example."
After a moment, he said, "Take the cultural industry, like literature and film. These are arts that delve into the soul. If they can decode higher-level cultural codes, they can awaken and shock the soul, meeting people's needs, creating virtue, market demand, and fame, comparable to the profits from narcotics without the legal risks."
Rui Xiaodan laughed, "I didn't see that, but you seem more like a sophisticated criminal."
"It's not determined by me but by the Lord, making people spiritually inclined. It's not me giving people souls, but God."
"Do you believe in the Lord?"
"Without the Lord, where do -isms and ideas come from? The Lord is everywhere. The thing guiding one's value choices is the Lord, the cultural attribute."
"Incredible." She thought for a moment. "What if a death row inmate with stable psychology knows their inner Lord, and we need them to talk? Possible?"
"In theory, correct judgment makes it possible, but errors in practice affect the probability."
"Today, the man who almost killed me deserves ten death penalties. Routine interrogation is useless. Can I make him talk?" She then explained Wang Mingyang's situation.
Ding Yuanying thought for a while, "He needs closure. You can help him find it."
"Closure?"
"A sense of soul's destination. It's a human need, part of human nature. Help him find a clean place for his soul. He needs not repentance, but a reason to repent."
"What if he doesn't need it?"
"Civilization can't handle those not human in nature."
"That makes sense." She nodded. "What should I do?"
"You need at least three days to prepare."
"I'll apply for three days. It's worth a try." She took out her phone to call but went outside due to the noise. After ten minutes, she returned, saying, "The captain agreed to give me a chance. Hope I don't embarrass myself."
"The dead can't die again, can they?"
Indeed, the dead can't die again, but can they live again? She changed the subject. "Why stop the private fund?"
"Stock profits come from market speculation, not production. Its operation aims to transfer money from most to a few. Private funds extract from the wolves, requiring even more ruthlessness, with higher psychological costs and risks. So, moderation is key."
"Devil's path."
"I never claimed to be good."
She laughed, took a bite of noodles, drank tea, and asked, "Didn't you say you didn't want to be ruined by a woman? Changed your mind?"
Putting out his cigarette, he said, "Calculated emotions are one thing. What's left without calculations?"
"What?"
"The heart given by the Creator."
"I don't deserve that. If you're the wolfhound, I'm already a greedy woman."
...
After dinner, Rui Xiaodan drove Ding Yuanying back to Jiahe Garden community.
At home, she wrote in her diary: Who are you? You are the one I can't help but care for. I have poured out my 26 years of accumulated energy for you at this moment.
I know you will leave, so I cherish every day I have with you.