Liu Bing lived on the ground floor of Building 32, Unit 4, in the Heping East Village of the ancient city. This residential area, built in the early 1980s, featured rows of identical six-story buildings. Liu's apartment was a 75-square-meter unit, typical of the time. Like many ground-floor residents, Liu had fenced off a yard in front and built a small flat-roofed house of about 30 square meters, divided into two rooms. Liu Bing's family of four, including his now-married sister and retired parents, lived comfortably in the main apartment, but Liu insisted on living in the flat-roofed house, seeking a private space for his high-end audio equipment.
Unlike other families, Liu's flat-roofed house was entirely separated from his parents' apartment. He even bricked up the only connecting door, which meant he had to walk an extra ten meters around the building to join his family for meals. One room in his flat was an audio room, professionally designed with budget materials to manage resonance, reflection, diffusion, and soundproofing—hallmarks of an audiophile. His bedroom reflected his love for music, adorned with posters of maestros and famous singers, magazines about audio systems and records piled near his computer, and an old black vinyl record hanging above it.
The previous night, Liu Bing had been out drinking and chatting with Ye Xiaoming and Feng Shijie at the Nanhuan Street night market, returning home only around two in the morning. At four, an alarm clock jolted him awake. It was his neighbor Aunt Zhao, who swept the streets early every day. The clattering of tools onto her tricycle and the opening and closing of the courtyard gate briefly disturbed the dawn's silence.
Normally, Liu Bing would fall back asleep quickly, having grown used to these sounds. But today, he couldn't. Lying in the dark, he lit a cigarette, pondering his life, the red glow of the cigarette intermittently lighting up the room.
Liu Bing came from a modest working-class family. His parents' pensions and healthcare provided stability, and he took on various odd jobs, often receiving financial help from them during lean times. His life was neither particularly good nor bad. Over the years, he'd worked as a hotel waiter, taxi driver, and clothing vendor before running a small record shop. His dream was to make it big and live a high-society life, a dream as distant as those of many others. In reality, his record shop was struggling; pirated records were risky, and legitimate ones weren't profitable. It seemed unsustainable.
What could he do? This question constantly plagued him.
Liu Bing vividly remembered his first encounter with Ding Yuanying. Half a year ago, an unfamiliar man walked into his shop with a bag of records to sell. The records were pristine, original imports, with the only distinction being a stamp on them. Liu Bing managed to haggle the price down to 50 yuan each, making the deal on the spot. Since then, the man regularly brought him more records, always paid in cash. It became a mutually beneficial arrangement.
He knew Ye Xiaoming and Feng Shijie had put in effort to involve this man, but he couldn't understand how someone who had to sell records to make ends meet could suddenly be seen as a genius. Skeptical yet hopeful, Liu Bing found it hard to fully believe but couldn't ignore the involvement of Rui Xiaodan, Ye Xiaoming, and Feng Shijie. If Ding Yuanying was indeed exceptional, aligning with him could be a rare opportunity. But how?
Reflecting on Ding's past difficulties and the help he'd given him, Liu Bing rationalized that asking for a favor now was reasonable. This could be a chance not to be missed.
He thought until his head ached, finally getting up at seven in the chilly autumn morning. Fallen leaves scattered the streets, swirling in the wind.
By 7:30, Liu Bing was at the police station entrance, waiting for Rui Xiaodan. He stood by a panda-shaped trash bin, close to the bus stop, so he could see anyone arriving by bus or entering the station.
Around 7:50, he saw Rui Xiaodan in uniform disembark from a long bus and hurried to greet her. "Miss Rui!"
Surprised, Rui Xiaodan asked, "What are you doing here?"
Liu Bing stepped forward, "Miss Rui, I need to talk to you."
Rui Xiaodan checked her watch, "Can you wait a moment? I need to check in first, or I'll be late."
"No problem, I'll wait here."
Watching her hurry into the station, Liu Bing wondered what kind of person Ding Yuanying was to warrant such respect from Rui Xiaodan.
After about ten minutes, Rui Xiaodan drove out in a Santana police car, stopping near the gate and waving Liu Bing over.
"How did you find this place? What's the matter?" she asked.
"Feng Shijie told me. It's about Ding. He's planning something with Xiaoming and Shijie. My shop isn't doing well, and I wanted to ask for your help…"
Rui Xiaodan cut him off gently but firmly, "I'm sorry, that's not something I can involve myself in. You need to talk to them."
"Xiaoming and Shijie are okay with it, but we need Ding's approval."
Rui Xiaodan said, "You know Ding Yuanying. If you think you need his approval, talk to him directly. It's not my place to get involved."
Liu Bing felt awkward, unsure of what to say.
After a moment, Rui Xiaodan offered, "I can give you a lift. You should talk to Ding Yuanying."
Liu Bing, seeing this as the "walkthrough" Feng Shijie mentioned, quickly thanked her.
In the car, Liu Bing sat in silence, feeling the weight of his earlier dealings and his current situation. Rui Xiaodan dropped him at the entrance of Jiahe Garden Community, gave him Ding Yuanying's exact address, and then drove off to her duties.