At 7:30 AM on October 26th, Ye Xiaoming and Liu Bing arrived at the gate of Rose Garden Community, waiting to collect the car from Rui Xiaodan. This community was one of the few high-income residential areas in the ancient city. With it being rush hour, a stream of mid-to-high-end cars flowed out of the gates. Not knowing what car to expect, they scrutinized each driver, growing dizzy from the parade of vehicles.
When a black BMW with Beijing plates approached, Liu Bing instinctively dismissed it, thinking it couldn't be the one. However, to his surprise, he saw Rui Xiaodan's face behind the wheel. His heart raced as he nudged Ye Xiaoming, exclaiming, "Oh my god, it's a BMW!"
As the car stopped in front of them and Rui Xiaodan stepped out, Liu Bing, feeling slightly awkward, said, "Miss Rui, we're all heading to Wangmiao Village for a meeting today. Brother Ding thought it might be unsafe for Miss Ouyang to travel alone, so he took her car. We're here to pick up this car."
Rui Xiaodan smiled warmly and replied, "No need for formalities. Just call me Xiaodan. The car was washed yesterday, and all the paperwork is inside. You can take it now."
Liu Bing suggested, "Why don't you drive first? We'll drop you off at work, and then I can get used to the car on a quieter road."
Rui Xiaodan agreed, "Sure, I'll go with you." She got back into the driver's seat.
Liu Bing, in the passenger seat, observed Rui Xiaodan's driving and asked about various features, such as the turn signal settings, dashboard functions, and remote start.
Rui Xiaodan answered a few questions before saying, "You'll get used to it once you start driving. I barely drive it myself, just got used to it on the drive back from Beijing."
From the back seat, Ye Xiaoming joked, "Liu Bing, don't drive this like you did your taxi—no reckless maneuvers."
Liu Bing chuckled, "Of course not."
In no time, they arrived at the police station. Rui Xiaodan got out and headed to work.
Liu Bing took the wheel and started the car cautiously, gradually accelerating. Quickly finding his rhythm, he exclaimed excitedly, "Wow, this feels amazing! I never thought I'd be driving a car like this."
Ye Xiaoming added, "It's so stable. Way better than Shijie's old Jeep!"
Liu Bing drove onto a wide, sparsely trafficked road and tested the car's acceleration and braking a few times before heading to Wangmiao Village. On the way, he mused, "I noticed the registration isn't in Brother Ding's name. He's neither rich nor poor. What's his deal?"
Ye Xiaoming pondered, "Brother Ding has been visiting Wangmiao Village a lot. Now with Ouyang Xue in the mix, I can't figure out his game. Is he helping us or the village? Are we using the village or is the village using us?"
Liu Bing said, "Even if he's helping the village, he must be getting something out of it."
Ye Xiaoming replied without hesitation, "Charity. It's a noble and prestigious act. What's he playing at? He's playing the game of standing out from the crowd."
As they chatted, the forty-minute drive passed quickly. When they entered Wangmiao Village, the villagers gave the BMW curious glances. Liu Bing, feeling quite pleased, parked the car at Feng's courtyard, where Feng Shijie's Jeep was already parked, but there was no sign of Ouyang Xue's red Santana.
Feng's mother came out to greet them upon hearing the car.
Ye Xiaoming asked, "Auntie, are they here?"
She warmly replied, "They just left for a meeting at Guozheng's house."
Ye Xiaoming said, "Thank you, Auntie. We'll head over there."
Feng's mother asked, "Do you know the way? It's at the west end of the village."
"Yes, we know. Thank you," Ye Xiaoming replied.
Zhou Guozheng's house was at the west end of the village, near a small pond and a wheat field. In late autumn, the field was filled with drying peanuts, sesame seeds, and corn. The pond, now dry, had become a large pit, useful for drainage during heavy rains. As they turned into the alley by Guozheng's house, they saw Ouyang Xue's red Santana parked by the field. Liu Bing parked next to it, leaving space to avoid scratching the BMW. Almost immediately, they attracted the attention of children playing nearby and a few young villagers.
With the BMW parked, Liu Bing and Ye Xiaoming felt the weight of the task ahead but also a sense of importance and anticipation for the meeting about to take place in Wangmiao Village.