Lin Xiaoqiang pointed to the spot next to him, "Tonight, you'll sleep here." As everyone moved their bedding, Little Rabbit quickly rolled out Jin Tie's blanket. Returning, he found his place taken and quietly laid his bedding on the floor.
Jin Tie felt uneasy. "Is this really okay?"
"It's perfectly fine. Inside here, it's the same as outside—survival of the fittest," Lin Xiaoqiang said, shaking his pipe. "If you don't mind, I'll call you Duck from now on."
Jin Tie hesitantly agreed.
Lin Xiaoqiang chuckled, "Don't worry, I'm not into men."
Jin Tie sighed in relief.
The rising sun bathed the Haizhou Tower in a golden glow. A Mercedes pulled up in front of the lobby, and Guo Xiaopeng stepped out, walking confidently through the revolving door.
The doorbell rang softly. Wang Jingfei, who was exercising in her room, put down her equipment and ran to answer. Guo Xiaopeng, dressed in hunting attire, exuded a unique charm. He smiled, "I was worried I might disturb you, President Jiang, on a lazy Sunday morning."
Wang Jingfei smiled back, "I never sleep in. Please, Chairman, have a seat. Would you like something to drink?" Guo Xiaopeng shook his head, glancing around briefly. "Early to bed and early to rise, good habits," he quoted from the Book of Songs, praising industrious women.
Wang Jingfei complimented, "Chairman, you're very cultured!"
Guo Xiaopeng replied, "Don't forget, my father was a writer."
Wang Jingfei asked, intrigued, "Did he teach you personally?"
Guo Xiaopeng's tone turned somber, "No. He passed away when I was one." Wang Jingfei covered her mouth, "I'm sorry, you told me before."
"Though he didn't teach me directly, his spirit and legacy are in my genes," Guo Xiaopeng said, sitting lightly on the sofa.
Wang Jingfei handed him a glass of juice, "But your worldview is your own."
Guo Xiaopeng said, "One's worldview is mostly formed in youth and changes little after that." Just as Wang Jingfei was about to delve deeper, he changed the subject, "Do you exercise every morning?"
Wang Jingfei replied, "I developed a habit of running during my school days. Three kilometers every morning, rain or shine."
Guo Xiaopeng casually asked, "Which university in China did you attend?"
Wang Jingfei answered, "Beijing Business School."
"What year?"
"Started in '88, studied international trade for two years, then transferred to Chinese University of Hong Kong." Guo Xiaopeng swiftly changed topics again, "When I was in the U.S., I heard a story about a young manager who got up early on his honeymoon to run. The elevator operator, curious, asked why. The manager said, 'That's why you're still operating the elevator at your age.'"
Wang Jingfei teased, "So you're saying I ran my way to being a general manager?" Guo Xiaopeng pretended to be serious, "Exactly. Hard work and good habits infiltrate your work." He stood up, "Now to business. I want you to join me for an event."
"Please tell."
"We're going hunting in the forest."
Wang Jingfei eagerly responded, "Great, that's my specialty!"
Guo Xiaopeng made a gentlemanly gesture, "After you."
The Hunting Trip
In the forest, sunlight pierced through the trees like bright swords. The clearing was shrouded in a light mist. Guo Xiaopeng took the hunting rifle from Duan Hai, removed its cover, and tossed it to Wang Jingfei, shouting, "Jingfei, catch!"
Wang Jingfei caught the rifle deftly, skillfully chambering a round. "Hey, a James Purdey shotgun," she noted, loading a red cartridge. "How much is this worth?"
Guo Xiaopeng, surprised by her expertise, answered casually, "A thousand."
"Even if it's in dollars, that's cheap."
"Pounds," Guo Xiaopeng corrected, eyeing her, "You seem knowledgeable about guns."
Wang Jingfei responded candidly, "As a girl, I preferred guns over dolls. I was on the youth shooting team and won several medals." Guo Xiaopeng remarked, "You can't judge a book by its cover. Did your family influence this hobby?"
"I remember in the mainland, owning a gun is illegal."
Wang Jingfei changed the subject.
Guo Xiaopeng, noting her avoidance, explained, "It's illegal without approval. All guns must be registered. For hunting, you can apply to the Public Security Bureau for permits, like now." Leading the way deeper into the forest, he added, "As long as you pay and avoid hunting protected animals, it complies with Haizhou's local laws." Duan Hai followed at a distance.
Guo Xiaopeng scanned for prey, while Wang Jingfei, sensing the need for silence, followed quietly. A hare appeared, alert, and Guo Xiaopeng aimed quickly, firing with a loud bang.
As the smoke cleared, the hare was gone.
Guo Xiaopeng joked, "I'm just a starting pistol for rabbit races." The hare reappeared, raising its paws as if in thanks. Without warning, Wang Jingfei fired, the hare flipping and landing far away.
Duan Hai shouted, "Hit!" and ran to retrieve the prize. Guo Xiaopeng smiled, "Professional level!" He pointed to a clear spot, "Shall we sit and chat?" Wang Jingfei nodded, "Sure," and chose a clean rock to sit on. Guo Xiaopeng cleaned his gun with a cloth, "I'm clueless about animals. Once, someone sent me a dressed animal, and I couldn't identify it. I called the chef, who laughed, 'It's a dog.'"
Wang Jingfei laughed, but stopped abruptly as a gunshot rang out nearby. Instinctively, she ducked while Guo Xiaopeng looked around. Duan Hai dashed over, shielding Guo Xiaopeng just as a second shot hit his wrist. A third shot struck a rock, sparking brightly.
Duan Hai rolled, grabbed Guo Xiaopeng's five-shot rifle, and fired at the assailant, who fled into the forest. Duan Hai chased, firing another shot.
Wang Jingfei helped Guo Xiaopeng up, "Are you alright, Chairman?" Guo Xiaopeng, still dazed, asked, "Who's shooting?"
Duan Hai returned, disappointed, "He got away!" Guo Xiaopeng quickly inspected his bleeding wrist, "Is it bad?"
Duan Hai smiled, "Too bad about my watch." He showed the shattered face, "Luckily, it saved my hand."
Wang Jingfei quickly tied a makeshift bandage, "We need to get to a hospital. The wrist is very complex."
Guo Xiaopeng solemnly said to Duan Hai, "You saved my life. I won't forget this…"