Arriving at the Jiahe Garden community, Rui Xiaodan noticed the lights in Ding Yuanying's room were off. Puzzled, she wondered if he had gone out to buy something or fallen asleep on the couch. She went upstairs, unlocked the door, and was greeted by a thick cloud of cigarette smoke, the faint glow of a cigarette butt illuminating the darkness. She switched on the lights and closed the door, finding Ding Yuanying reclining on the sofa, his right hand holding a cigarette draped over the back.
Rui Xiaodan walked over and said, "Why are you sitting in the dark? Meditating?"
Ding Yuanying chuckled at the mention of meditation and replied, "Meditating on your visit."
Rui Xiaodan took out the bonus money she had received earlier and placed it on the coffee table. "Didn't you say even a fool could handle company affairs? No worries then. This is my bonus money; I'll leave it here and not bring it to dinner."
Ding Yuanying corrected her, "It's not the company, it's you I'm meditating on."
Rui Xiaodan was taken aback. "Meditating on me? What's there to meditate on about me?"
Ding Yuanying said, "Given your background, it would be more logical for you to return from Frankfurt to visit family. At least in the eyes of ordinary people, your current lifestyle seems abnormal."
Rui Xiaodan fetched Ding Yuanying's down jacket from the bedroom, smiling lightly. "It's because police officers don't earn much. If I stayed in Frankfurt, it wouldn't be abnormal. If I were a wealthy investor returning home, it wouldn't be abnormal either. I get asked this a lot. I'm just me, nothing more."
Ding Yuanying remarked, "Your hotel shares yield several times your salary. Without this income, or if Ouyang Xue had run the business into the ground, what would your situation be now? Quit and find another income source? Or studying at Frankfurt University? That's a big leap. You knew police salaries before you joined. Why take the exam if you didn't want the job?"
Rui Xiaodan questioned, "What's wrong with you today? What are you trying to conclude?"
Ding Yuanying extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray. "So, your lifestyle isn't abnormal. In Buddhist terms, it's about being free of attachments, about liberation. Ultimately, I'm not as enlightened as you."
Ah, so that's it!
Rui Xiaodan ignored his "meditation," packed the cigarettes and lighter into her bag, and said, "Come on, let's go out for hotpot. If you meditate any longer, you'll turn into a fool."
Ding Yuanying put on his shoes and down jacket, and the two headed downstairs. Rui Xiaodan wiped the snow off the windshield, started the car, turned on the heater and wipers, and drove out of the Jiahe Garden community. Cars on the icy streets moved slowly, the snowflakes sparkling in the headlights. The snow-covered city, under the night lights, looked so beautiful, adding a sense of warmth despite the cold.
Ding Yuanying, watching the New Year atmosphere from the car, said, "After the New Year, the market enters a slow season, making it a good time to rent a storefront. Contact Xiao Yawen and ask her to help the company rent a place."
Rui Xiaodan, focused on driving, asked, "Any specific requirements? Location? Size? Price?"
Ding Yuanying replied, "For an audio store, just tell her the purpose, she'll figure it out."
Rui Xiaodan agreed, "Okay, I'll get in touch with her." After driving a bit further, she suddenly asked, "What's your opinion of Ye Xiaoming?"
Ding Yuanying said, "So far, I think Ye Xiaoming is smart. But judging someone by just smart or not is insufficient."
They hit traffic on a busy road, creeping slowly along the snowy streets. After over twenty minutes, they arrived at Longmen Hotpot City.
The hotpot restaurant had three sections: the bustling first-floor cafeteria, the more refined second-floor seating, and private rooms on the third floor. The first floor was the busiest, with tables crowded and lively. Every table was filled with people eating, chatting, and laughing without restraint.
The two found a recently vacated table, waiting for the waiter to clear it. The cafeteria-style hotpot meant small, simple tables packed closely together, creating a festive atmosphere. Waiters bustled around, occasionally dealing with impatient customers.
At a nearby table, two young men with flushed, oily faces and a pile of empty beer bottles were talking. One said in a world-weary tone, "I've lost everything: my wife, my job, my health. Anyone else would have died by now, but I'm still here, strong."
Rui Xiaodan, trying not to laugh at the contrast between the young face and the old tone, turned away to avoid causing trouble.
At another table, a scholarly-looking man asked a woman, "Ms. Wang, may I ask if your company has any older, unmarried women?"
The woman, clearly unimpressed, replied politely but sarcastically, "Yes, unattractive ones."
Rui Xiaodan could barely contain her laughter, and seeing Ding Yuanying hiding his face behind the menu to laugh, she pulled him upstairs, laughing once they reached the second-floor landing. "What a coincidence! Just for this laugh, the trip was worth it."
The second-floor dining area was more refined, with better furniture and décor, and a more spacious layout, though less lively. They chose a table by the window, enjoying the view of the snowy street. The waiter brought tea and menus. Rui Xiaodan ordered a divided hotpot, seafood, beef, tofu, vegetables, and a bottle of beer. She took Ding Yuanying's cigarettes and lighter from her bag.
The hotpot and ingredients arrived quickly. They chatted as they ate.
Ding Yuanying asked, "What places abroad have you visited?"
Rui Xiaodan replied, "Not far places, just Paris, London, Rome. Been to Moscow a few times for layovers, saw Red Square, walked down Tverskaya Street."
Ding Yuanying suggested, "When you visit family, take a detour to Jerusalem."
Rui Xiaodan said, "Jerusalem? That's way out of the way."
Ding Yuanying said, "I've been there, it's not that far. Jerusalem is a holy city for three major religions. It's worth a visit if you can."
Rui Xiaodan asked, "What's your point?"
Ding Yuanying replied, "Tourism is the point, broadening your horizons is the point."
Rui Xiaodan agreed, "Alright, I'll detour there."
Ding Yuanying put some beef and squid into the hotpot and waited for it to cook, sipping beer.
Rui Xiaodan asked, "Do you know how I see you in this ancient city?"
Ding Yuanying replied, "No idea."
Rui Xiaodan, laughing, said, "Your so-called peace is essentially like becoming a monk. If not for me rescuing you with my charm, you'd be a monk by now."
Ding Yuanying laughed too. "I always wondered why I hadn't reached enlightenment. Turns out I was waiting for your salvation."
Rui Xiaodan laughed off his philosophical talk, sipping her tea. "Who are you? Who am I? I've thought about that too. We live differently; I live simply, you live complexly. We intersect but are not parallel. But this is enough for me."
Ding Yuanying said, "It's not about simple or complex; it's about different levels of existence. You live freely, without attachment. Simply put, it's a plain life. I seek clarity and get lost in thought, far from your level."
Rui Xiaodan joked, "I live on such a high level; how come I don't realize it?"
Ding Yuanying explained, "You live naturally; you don't need to know. It's about innate nature, not intellect or wisdom."
Rui Xiaodan laughed at his comforting words. "You really know how to console us mortals!"
Ding Yuanying asked, "Why did you become a police officer? Why do ordinary people see it as abnormal?"
Rui Xiaodan said, "Why are we back to this? I've heard this a lot, either calling me stupid or digging for some profound reason. I never answer. Many are police officers; why am I different? It's just because I have German residency, making me special."
Ding Yuanying said, "Does German residency lack value? I spent ten years in Berlin for permanent residency, working, buying a house, paying taxes. German residency means high income, welfare, worry-free life, free travel in Europe, status among Chinese, and even special treatment at Chinese stores."
Rui Xiaodan said, "People abroad strive for residency. My mother even got citizenship. But... you tell me what's next."
Ding Yuanying said, "But you get what Germans can give to a Chinese person, including superiority over other Chinese. There are things they can't give you, like truly belonging to mainstream society. You don't need to declare it; they won't mistake you. Being a police officer is a symbol of mainstream society. You can't achieve that in Germany, but you can here, thanks to nationality and heritage. That's your homeland."
Rui Xiaodan instinctively extended her right hand for a handshake, and they exaggeratedly shook hands, laughing. "Comrade! Comrade indeed!" Then she added, "People who haven't lived abroad can't understand what mainstream society means for an ordinary citizen. They live in it, lacking only money, so they don't understand. I just like the prestige of being a police officer; it's not about deep thoughts."
Ding Yuanying said, "So, your life isn't simple; it's luxurious. You first gave up something most can't understand. From a worldly view, it's abnormal; from a spiritual view, it's luxurious. When people mock Jesus as foolish, it's just incompatible values."
Rui Xiaodan whispered affectionately, "I feel elated. Now I want to help you reach enlightenment."
Ding Yuanying smiled. "We differ greatly. I spent twelve years in Berlin, experiencing everything you did. You act on your thoughts, taking and letting go freely, living naturally. I kept meditating endlessly, trying to understand life, ending up in a dead end, dozing off against the wall."
Rui Xiaodan said, "You meditate for me; I can find my way out. If I couldn't, I wouldn't be as naturally enlightened as you say."
Ding Yuanying said, "Meditate on your experience abroad, leading to why China lags behind. You'll inevitably ponder culture and systems. Any fate is a cultural product. China's five thousand years of culture lets you boast, but can't make you proud of having any specific culture. Having culture and having a specific culture are different."
Rui Xiaodan asked, "So what culture is it?"
Ding Yuanying said, "It's a culture of heavenly authority, of salvation. If a culture inherently has a weak attribute, how can it support a strong political and economic system? Culture's value isn't in its duration but in its alignment with objective laws. Five thousand years of culture is glorious, but traditions must pass through the sieve of objective reality."
Rui Xiaodan said, "I don't know deep theories, just my feelings. First, it's not our concern; it's for those benefiting from this system to worry about. Second, reforms and mindset shifts have greatly changed China, but they must align with national conditions and public quality. It's not something solved by urgency; China needs time."
Ding Yuanying said, "A very objective view. Meditate further."
Rui Xiaodan said, "I'd stop there and focus on my life. What else to meditate on? You show me."
Ding Yuanying said, "I return to the initial question: why is China lagging? Then another cycle of phenomena, systems, culture, leading back to needing time, like an endless loop. That's why I'm not as enlightened as you. I'm still wandering in thought, unable to act properly, just trying to live clearly."
Rui Xiaodan laughed. "You're like a big dog, dozing off by the wall."
Ding Yuanying smiled sheepishly.