Rui Xiaodan took her scheduled leave for 30 days to visit relatives in Germany.
Today, Thursday, June 12, 1997, is the second day of her vacation. Early in the morning, she busied herself with washing up and putting on makeup. According to her plan, she would fly to Sanya, Hainan, to see her father, who was filming there, and repay the 200,000 yuan she borrowed from him last year. The repayment date, as agreed verbally with her father, was only a few days away.
On May 19, Ouyang Xue sold all her stocks as per Ding Yuanying's instructions. The stock, purchased last year at 9 yuan per share, had risen to 24.4 yuan in ten months, a 171% increase. The 700,000 yuan investment yielded a gross profit of 1,197,000 yuan, including Xiaodan's 200,000 yuan, which brought a profit of 342,000 yuan. However, due to the special circumstances at the time, this profit's ownership was unclear, inadvertently making it the first joint property between Xiaodan and Ding Yuanying.
As Xiaodan was picking out clothes in the wardrobe after putting on makeup, Ouyang Xue arrived as promised to take her to the airport. Xiaodan opened the door, and the two went to the bedroom together.
After much deliberation, Xiaodan chose a pair of light-colored skinny jeans emphasizing her figure, purchased last summer in Beijing, and a light red casual top, paired with low-cut casual sneakers. This was her usual attire—versatile for both casual outings and work situations. Today, however, the outfit revealed her curves without considering work needs, blending elegance and a hint of wildness.
Dressed, they went to the living room, where Xiaodan checked her cash, documents, and tickets again. Her shoulder bag contained 210,000 yuan in cash, including 10,000 yuan in annual interest at 5%.
Seeing the 200,000 yuan initially intended for stock collateral, Ouyang Xue couldn't help but think about the stock market, sighing, "This stock investment was really eye-opening. It's not something everyone can do. I pity the small investors who watch the market daily, only to see their hard-earned money disappear. After this experience, I'll never buy stocks again."
Xue's repeated use of "really" emphasized her point.
Xiaodan replied, "They say the stock market is the graveyard of elites. We small fish can't even think of getting involved. If we did, we might not even find a grave."
With everything ready, they left.
As Xiaodan got into the car, her phone rang. Seeing it was the director calling, she felt a pang of anxiety. Receiving a call from the police chief before work hours while on a family leave suggested a potential emergency that might cancel her vacation.
The director asked, "Xiaodan, where are you?"
Xiaodan answered, "In the car at my doorstep, about to go to the airport. Do you have a task for me?"
The director said, "Wang Mingyang's execution is scheduled for this morning. The detention center just called, saying Wang wants to see you before the execution. I haven't responded yet and wanted to check if you're available and willing to go."
Xiaodan glanced at her watch—it was 7:45 AM, and her flight was at 10:15 AM, leaving her two and a half hours. Boarding stopped 30 minutes before departure, and the drive would take 35 minutes, giving her over an hour. The detention center and the airport were in the same direction, so she could make it if there were no traffic jams.
She replied, "Director, my flight is at 10:15 AM. I have about an hour of free time. If the detention center and court agree, I can go now and make it on time."
The director said, "Okay, I'll inform them. Head to the detention center now."
After hanging up, Xiaodan hurriedly unlocked the door and went back inside.
Ouyang Xue asked, "Do you need to change into your uniform?"
Xiaodan responded, "Yes, this isn't just a personal visit."
Xue said, "If you go home to change, you'll be late. There's no place to change on the way."
Xiaodan replied, "I'll bring my uniform and change in Sanya."
Back in the bedroom, Xiaodan donned her police uniform and flat shoes, transforming from a beautiful woman into a dignified officer. She packed her casual clothes into a bag, and the two hurriedly drove to the ancient city detention center.