On August 4, 1998, at 9:30 AM, Rui Xiaodan's farewell ceremony was held at the Qin Gu County Funeral Home.
Located three kilometers east of the county, the funeral home stood isolated amid the vast, barren Loess Plateau. The scorching sun and the surrounding desolate landscape added to the solemn and forlorn atmosphere. The white walls enclosed several single-story buildings with green-gray tiled roofs, and a towering chimney loomed over the area, emphasizing the loneliness and melancholy of the place. The few trees within the compound were covered in a thick layer of dust from the frequent sandstorms, almost completely obscuring their original green color.
Inside the farewell hall, Rui Xiaodan's body lay behind a dozen wreaths. She was dressed in her police uniform, her body below the badge covered by a piece of white silk, and the injured side of her face concealed by a bouquet of fresh flowers. Several leaders gave brief speeches, and finally, Criminal Police Captain Lei Jianfeng delivered a eulogy on behalf of the entire Ancient City Criminal Police Team.
Ouyang Xue stood there, unable to hear a word of the speeches. Her mind was consumed by the image of Rui Xiaodan's face, struggling to accept the reality of her friend's death. Over the years, she had developed a bond with Rui Xiaodan that was stronger than blood ties. The sudden loss of this emotional anchor left her feeling profoundly bereaved, as if she were living in a distant, surreal movie.
Rui Weifeng could not bear the scene and turned to leave.
Xiao Yawen felt as if her chest had been struck by a heavy blow, leaving her breathless and in pain. She wanted to cry out but feared drawing unwanted attention and comfort, so she suppressed her grief.
After the ceremony, the attendees exited in an orderly manner, and the funeral home staff prepared to move the body. Xiao Yawen and Ouyang Xue lingered, watching the cart roll towards the side door.
Just as the cart was about to disappear from view, Xiao Yawen suddenly shouted, "Wait a moment!"
Her urgent, heartfelt cry caused the staff to halt and prompted everyone at the door to turn and look, including Ouyang Xue, who did not immediately understand what was happening.
Xiao Yawen hurried to the cart, reached under the white silk where Rui Xiaodan's feet should have been, and felt the empty space. In her distress, she exclaimed, "Xiaodan can't go without shoes." She then took off her own shoes and placed them at Rui Xiaodan's feet before allowing the staff to proceed.
The officers responsible for the arrangements at the door exchanged looks of guilt and regret, silently chastising themselves for overlooking such a detail.
Seeing Xiao Yawen barefoot, Rui Weifeng immediately understood. He instructed a friend from Yinchuan, "Go start the car and take Yawen to buy some shoes in town."
Ouyang Xue said, "I'll go buy the shoes. You shouldn't run around barefoot."
Xiao Yawen agreed, "Okay, buy size 36. I need to talk to Uncle Rui."
Recognizing that Xiao Yawen and Rui Weifeng needed privacy, everyone else moved to the rest area. Rui Weifeng walked a few steps to the left of the entrance, seeking shade under a large tree.
Rui Weifeng said, "You won't need to rent a car. You can take our car back to Yinchuan. I hear you have court tomorrow, which must be hard on you. There's a flight from Yinchuan to Beijing at 6 PM, so you'll have some time when you get to Beijing."
Xiao Yawen directly asked, "Uncle Rui, when will you tell us Xiaodan's burial place?"
Rui Weifeng replied, "If you promise that Ding Yuan Ying won't disturb Xiaodan, I'll inform you once she's settled."
Xiao Yawen responded, "I can't make that promise."
Rui Weifeng said, "Then I can't help you. Xiaodan was my daughter, my precious jewel. She had a chance to avoid danger but didn't take it. If she ignored Ding Yuan Ying's advice, I have nothing to say. But the fact is, he didn't even say a word of concern. I can imagine Xiaodan's feelings at that moment. I will tell her mother the truth. We have the right to keep Xiaodan's burial place private and to protect our feelings from being hurt."
Xiao Yawen countered, "The fugitives were four armed criminals facing the death penalty, only 20 minutes from the county. Any police officer would understand the risk to public safety if they reached the town."
Rui Weifeng retorted, "That's Xiaodan's business. I'm talking about Ding Yuan Ying. Did his words influence Xiaodan?"
Xiao Yawen answered, "Yes."
Rui Weifeng asked, "How much influence?"
Xiao Yawen replied, "A lot."
Rui Weifeng said, "Yet he remained silent, and my daughter is gone. For a father, that's enough! He only lost a woman; he can find a second or third. But I lost my daughter—irreplaceable and unrecoverable. For this, I can't forgive him and don't need his noble gestures to visit Xiaodan."
Xiao Yawen looked at the elderly man, his eyes and mouth lined with deep wrinkles, his hair graying. His undisguised pain made him appear even more haggard and aged. She could understand his feelings but couldn't agree with his reasoning. She handed him a business card and said, "You have the right to keep it private. If you change your mind, please let me know. I want to say that you don't really understand Xiaodan, and you're relying solely on the rights of blood ties."
Her final words angered Rui Weifeng, intensifying his already profound grief. He felt dizzy, his mind buzzing, and cold sweat breaking out. Struggling to steady himself, he tried to light a cigarette, but his trembling hands couldn't control the lighter. After several failed attempts, he threw it away and walked off.
Xiao Yawen sat on the steps barefoot, covering her face and crying. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she felt as if something were choking her, making it nearly impossible to make a sound. She could only think of Rui Xiaodan's brief life as a beautiful meteor streaking across the sky, leaving a dazzling and tragic light before vanishing.
What she could hold on to was the vivid light in her heart.