Lin Yufeng felt a weight lift off his shoulders as he left Jiahe Garden.
His black Nissan sedan needed fuel, and he was hungry after a whole day without food. After filling the tank at a gas station, he ate a bowl of handmade noodles at a roadside stall. The noodles were neither Beijing-style nor Shaanxi-style, but they sufficed. He then drove onto the highway, heading in the opposite direction of Beijing. It was already past 9 PM, and he smoked a cigarette as he drove. The cool, natural night breeze blew in through the window, free of summer's heat or the staleness of air conditioning.
After finishing his cigarette, Lin turned on his phone. A series of missed calls from Zhao Qing appeared on the screen. Just as he was about to call back, Zhao Qing's number flashed again. Lin answered, "Zhao Qing? It's Yufeng."
"My God, what happened?" Zhao Qing's voice was anxious.
Lin chuckled, "I'm leaving the ancient city. I just had a meeting with our Mr. Ding."
Zhao Qing breathed a sigh of relief, "I figured you went to the ancient city. So, what kind of person is he?"
"He's quite a character," Lin replied.
"The court has just ruled against Lusheng," Zhao Qing informed.
Lin laughed heartily, "So bad? Couldn't even get a deferred judgment? Well, at least it's settled."
"Why did you cancel your room reservation?" Zhao Qing asked.
"I'm not going back to Beijing. I'm heading to Yao Niao Mountain, a famous summer retreat. I'll wander around the mountains. You send Director Yan and the others back, then fly to Wuhan with the driver to inspect the Wuhan company's work. We'll meet in Wuhan, and have the driver bring the car back from there."
Zhao Qing grew concerned, "Yao Niao Mountain is 700-800 kilometers from the ancient city. You can't drive there alone. Either turn back to Beijing and I'll meet you halfway with two drivers, or drive to Zhengzhou and stay there. I'll reach Zhengzhou by tomorrow noon and accompany you to Yao Niao Mountain. Director Yan will be handled by Zhiwei."
Lin responded calmly, "Why are you so worried? I'm just in a bad mood, can't sleep. I'm human, not a saint. Let me unwind a bit. Once I'm tired, I'll have a good sleep. We'll meet in Wuhan. I'm hanging up."
"Wait, don't—" Zhao Qing's voice was cut off as Lin ended the call and turned off his phone.
Lin Yufeng's black Nissan sped along the highway, overtaking every car. The right lane was often more damaged than the left, making for a bumpy ride. Many large trucks hogged the left lane, ignoring flashing lights and horns. Lin frequently overtook them via the emergency lane, a maneuver he would never have allowed his driver to make. After five hours of high-speed driving, he reached the Yellow River Bridge in Zhengzhou around 2 AM.
In August, the Yellow River was in flood season, its waters wide and turbulent. Lin stopped midway on the bridge, walked to the railing, and threw the Smith & Wesson CS45 handgun into the river. He had smuggled the gun from Shenzhen to Beijing, hidden in a toolbox, driven 2700 kilometers by two rotating drivers. After meeting Ding Yuan, the gun was no longer needed.
With the gun disposed of, Lin drove off the Yellow River Bridge. He estimated Yao Niao Mountain was still over 300 kilometers away, so he refueled again at the toll station and continued south on National Highway 107.
He alternated between highways and national roads, the uniform guardrails, anti-glare boards, and various signs causing visual and psychological fatigue. Driving under extreme exhaustion easily led to temporary brain blanks. Lin had no long-distance driving experience and was fueled solely by a specific mindset. After driving continuously from Beijing for 1000 kilometers, he finally entered the Dabie Mountains around 7 AM. Yao Niao Mountain was drawing nearer, as was the end of his life.
He knew what awaited him post-lawsuit: shareholders, creditors, company executives—all pressing him for answers. Then Lusheng would negotiate with Ge Lv Shi, followed by talks, compromises, and signing agreements. Regardless of reluctance or half-hearted consent, the outcome was already predetermined.
As chairman and major shareholder of Lusheng, Lin couldn't avoid this, but he couldn't face it either. He didn't want anyone to see his death as a suicide. He planned it to look like an accident due to fatigue.
Yao Niao Mountain, part of the Dabie Mountain range, is known for its resemblance to a heroic bird and is one of China's four famous summer resorts. It has been praised since ancient times: "In the sweltering heat of summer, the coolness here feels like a fairyland." The landscape, with its rolling hills and flowing springs, is like a captivating painting.
The mountain road wound up like a ribbon, one side against steep cliffs, the other a sheer drop. The black sedan, covered in dust from the long journey, bore no resemblance to its original color. Lin was utterly exhausted, devoid of strength. A song from his childhood echoed in his mind: "The sky is full of stars, the crescent moon shines bright, the production team holds a meeting, grievances are aired." He lamented, "People can indeed be stifled to death."
Lin glanced at the cliff below and thought, "Let's end it here." He turned the steering wheel sharply, plunging down the cliff. The car rolled and crashed, followed by a burst of fire at the bottom of the valley...