At 2:37 PM on June 23rd, a train from Wuhan pulled into the first platform of the ancient city station. The platform buzzed with passengers getting off and those preparing to board. Near the southern edge of the platform stood two police cars from the Ancient City Police Department. Detective Captain Lei Jianfeng and officers Ma Lin and Xu Lihong waited by the platform's edge. Zhou Wei, Wang Futian, and Rui Xiaodan disembarked from carriage number nine, escorting a man and a woman suspected of drug trafficking from Wuhan. Captain Lei greeted them briefly before they all boarded the car and returned to the detective squad.
The task force had tracked their quarry from the ancient city to Nanjing and then to Wuhan, forming a large triangle. After four intense days and nights, everyone was exhausted. Back at the detective squad headquarters, they reported on their operation. Captain Lei then arranged for Zhou Wei, Wang Futian, and Rui Xiaodan to be driven home to rest, granting them a day off tomorrow.
Rui Xiaodan was long accustomed to the stress and fatigue of detective work, which was no longer a problem for her. However, recent events in her personal life had kept her mind in a continuous state of contemplation. Whenever she found a spare moment at work, her thoughts drifted to the series of events that had recently unfolded. Her mind and emotions were undergoing an unprecedented upheaval.
How had Ding Yuanying managed to set a trap in broad daylight?
Why had Lusheng Corporation fallen into it so easily?
Why did Ye, Feng, and Liu draw such different conclusions from the same facts?
Through the entire incident, she saw nothing "divine" about Ding Yuanying's actions. Each step he took was something any ordinary person could accomplish. His competition was entirely above board, legal, and fair, without any secrecy or illegal activity. The so-called "myth" was so plain and simple.
It turns out that being truthful and realistic is the true myth!
It turns out that being honest in speech and deed is what makes a person divine!
This realization highlighted how difficult it is for people to be truthful and realistic, and how those who manage it are often seen as heretics or deviants.
What is happening to this world?
Rui Xiaodan knew that when Lusheng Corporation lost the lawsuit and the law made its helpless judgment, public opinion would not remain silent. Ding Yuanying, a man who sought peace and quiet, would end up being vilified as sinister and cunning. The Greystone Poetry incident would leave people pondering the path to salvation. As Jeanne once said, it was hard to tell if he was better than a believer or worse than a thief.
Only she could understand the underlying essence of it all—love.
…
Back home, Rui Xiaodan took a hot shower, washing away the fatigue and dust of the past few days. She dried her hair with a blow dryer, wrapped in a towel, and then dressed and applied makeup. As she did so, she pondered her schedule for the day. Suddenly remembering something, she put down her eyelash curler, walked to her study, and wrote a few lines on a piece of paper. She then returned to her bedroom to finish her makeup.
Once ready, she placed the note in her bag, found an empty water box, locked her door, opened the garage, and drove to the Sichuan Mansion Hotel in the west district of the ancient city. She bought a bottle of Wuliangye liquor and ordered several dishes: red oil tripe, shredded tofu salad, cold duck feet, kung pao chicken, mapo tofu, and salt and pepper squid. The hot dishes were chosen for their ease of reheating. She packed everything, including the liquor, into the box.
With the box of food and liquor in the car, Rui Xiaodan called Ding Yuanying: "Sweetie, I'm back... Come downstairs in ten minutes, I'll pick you up... We're not eating out, I've already prepared everything."
Hanging up, she drove straight to the Jiahe Garden Community.
Ding Yuanying was already waiting downstairs. As soon as Rui Xiaodan saw him, a sense of fulfillment washed over her, and a radiant smile spread across her face.
Getting into the car, Ding Yuanying said, "Xiao Ya Wen was here. She came to Wangmiao Village a few days ago to gather evidence. She doesn't want an agent fee and hopes to become a shareholder in the company. Ouyang Xue was worried about the lack of management, so they quickly agreed. They've signed the share transfer agreement, with Xiao Ya Wen purchasing the shares that Ye Xiaoming and the others had returned. This way, the company doesn't need to transfer or be entrusted."
Rui Xiaodan was delighted, instantly understanding the implications. "That's wonderful. Ya Wen is so astute; having her manage the company is promising. It's good for both Ouyang and Ya Wen."
At that moment, a memory from May 1995 in Frankfurt flashed in Rui Xiaodan's mind. She remembered meeting Xiao Ya Wen, whose words still echoed in her ears: "Knowing this person is like opening a window, seeing different things, hearing different voices, and it makes you think and realize. That's enough. There are many other things, like opportunities and help, that I can't guarantee. This might not seem important to most people, but I know it is."
She smiled inwardly, thinking: A white-collar worker is indeed remarkable.
As they slowly drove through the community, Rui Xiaodan handed the note from her bag to Ding Yuanying. "I wrote you a note. Take a look."
Ding Yuanying unfolded it and read:
"I've been thinking a lot these days, about cultural attributes, about you and me, about Lusheng Corporation and Wangmiao Village, about what has happened and what can be foreseen... I've never been so engrossed in thought, feeling like I have so much to say to you, so many questions to discuss.
The gift you gave me is not a myth; it's an awakening.
You don't fit in with traditional customs, which makes you unhappy and brings unhappiness to those around you. As you said, not doing what shouldn't be done is also a form of action. You truly need peace and quiet, so stay obediently indoors.
Here are some questions for you:
I no longer want to be a lawyer. I suddenly feel an urge to write—novels, scripts—to reveal the fates of people with different cultural attributes. What do you think of this? Is it rash? Impulsive?
Are you starting to get tired of me?
When I go to study at Frankfurt University, where will you be?"
After reading, Ding Yuanying said, "The second question is flawed. Answering it would be incorrect."
Rui Xiaodan beamed. "So you're not tired of me at all? How can you prove it?"
Ding Yuanying responded, "There. If the heart doesn't move, it won't work."
Rui Xiaodan laughed. "The most unreliable thing about men is that place; they're always afraid of it being idle. The credit rating is the lowest."
Ding Yuanying said, "That's why true dedication proves its worth."
Rui Xiaodan, accustomed to his wit, smiled and asked, "If there were a competition for president of the Rogue Association, you'd be a strong contender. Can't you give any other answer?"
Ding Yuanying replied, "No, because any feeling that needs to be proven is flawed."
Rui Xiaodan felt even more pleased and asked, "Tell me, does alcohol reveal true nature or cause confusion?"
Ding Yuanying said, "It reveals alcohol nature and confuses logic. Drinking too much makes you talk too much, without restraint."
Rui Xiaodan countered, "I think it reveals true nature and confuses false nature."
Ding Yuanying laughed. "Then you're setting traps. Not drinking your alcohol means fearing to reveal true nature, drinking it implies false nature in daily life. It's a no-win situation. You're thinking like a seasoned interrogator."
Rui Xiaodan reminisced, "I remember when I first met you downstairs in Nancun Community in 1995. You reeked of alcohol, and I thought you were a rogue. Later, I found out you didn't drink, and Brother Chu drank with you just to hear your 'drunken words.' Today, I bought you a bottle of liquor. I'll drink with you and listen to your 'drunken words.'"
As they chatted, they arrived at Rose Garden Community. Rui Xiaodan carefully unloaded the box of food and drink from the car, and Ding Yuanying realized the meal was already prepared. She opened the garage door, drove the car inside, and Ding Yuanying understood that tonight, they wouldn't be returning home. This evening was bound to be about more than just warmth and romance.