Thick curtains blocked out every ray of sunlight. In the dimly lit room, Lin Xiaoqiang, highly agitated, paced back and forth, proclaiming, "I am the highest authority in Haizhou. Everything here is mine. I am the Party Secretary! The Provincial Secretary!" He seemed oblivious to Liu Mei and Yang Chun standing in front of him. Liu Mei turned to Jin Tie, "What's happened to him?"
Jin Tie, looking defeated, replied, "He's been like this since the night before last. Yang Chun feared he'd cause a scene at the hotel, so we moved him here."
Liu Mei frowned, "Why?"
"I don't know. Every two or three hours, he needs more drugs." Jin Tie, breaking his usual composed demeanor, pleaded softly to Yang Chun and Liu Mei, "Do any of you have some? Please give me a little." Yang Chun threw a small paper packet onto the floor.
Jin Tie scrambled for it like a desperate animal, "Without this, it's like bugs are crawling out of my bones. What's happening to me?"
Disgusted by the scene, Liu Mei said to Yang Chun, "I'm leaving."
"I'll walk you out." Yang Chun half-embraced her shoulders as they headed for the door.
As they left, Lin Xiaoqiang shouted after them, "Why are you leaving without reporting to me? The first person I will punish is Guo Xiaopeng. Severely!" His words sent chills down Liu Mei's spine. Yang Chun tightened his grip on her shoulder as they stepped outside. Liu Mei whispered, "Your prediction was spot on."
The living room of Guo Xiaopeng's villa on Jianqiao Peninsula was bathed in bright sunlight. The expansive leather sofa gleamed with a golden hue. Several green Longjing tea leaves floated in a teacup on the coffee table, with steam curling gently in the air.
Wang Jingfei knew it was time to make a substantive move, so she asked, "You've always wanted to know my true identity, haven't you?"
Guo Xiaopeng's interest was piqued, and he nodded seriously.
"Then I'll tell you everything." Wang Jingfei appeared sincere. "My father was a senior police officer. His last position was a bureau-level inspector at the Ministry of Public Security. He was a formidable and knowledgeable man, handling numerous cases, some of which became part of the curriculum at the police academy. From a young age, I aspired to be a police officer, largely influenced by him. I believed it to be the noblest profession, ensuring others' safety while accepting personal risk. But in high school, my faith wavered. I was one of the top students, and many prestigious fields like economics, finance, and diplomacy were open to me. Then, something happened that changed everything."
"Your father had an accident?" Guo Xiaopeng guessed.
Wang Jingfei nodded, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Where did it happen?" Guo Xiaopeng asked gently.
"In a coastal city in the southeast," Wang Jingfei said, dabbing her tears with a handkerchief. "It was a hotspot for smuggling. Within a month of his arrival, smuggling activities were effectively dismantled. Naturally, this led to many losing everything and landing in prison. So, they took their revenge." Her tears flowed freely now.
Guo Xiaopeng handed her a packet of tissues.
Wang Jingfei could hardly speak through her sobs, "The criminals put him in a sack and dumped him into the sea. His body surfaced days later, unrecognizable but with numerous wounds."
Guo Xiaopeng's expression darkened with sympathy.
Wiping her tears, Wang Jingfei composed herself and continued, "So, I changed my plans and enrolled in the police academy, determined to avenge my father."
"Why did you later abandon the police force for business? And why not mention your police academy background, claiming you attended Beijing Business College instead?" Guo Xiaopeng's eyes were fixed on her.
"Those responsible for my father's death were caught and sentenced within a year. With my mission complete, I lost direction and motivation. Plus, I wasn't suited for the regimented life of a police officer. Two years after dropping out, I went to Hong Kong to study business. As for the second question," Wang Jingfei hesitated but decided to be forthright, "I didn't want others to know about my police background. Business people often distrust the police, and I didn't want to relive the painful memories. I hope you understand. And I did attend a two-year accelerated program at Beijing Business College after leaving the police academy, which qualified me for a master's program at the Chinese University of Hong Kong."
Guo Xiaopeng seemed relieved and then shifted to another pressing topic, "Did you really have a relationship with Li Xinjian at the police academy?"
Wang Jingfei didn't answer immediately, rejecting the personal question, "That's a private matter."
"But it's important to me," Guo Xiaopeng insisted.
"It's history," Wang Jingfei said curtly.
"I beg to differ," Guo Xiaopeng pressed.
"To be precise, it's about to become history," Wang Jingfei added.
Guo Xiaopeng relaxed, leaning back on the sofa, "Do you know what? Hearing that, I feel like a patient misdiagnosed with a terminal illness being told it was a mistake. It's a relief, a blessing!"
Night had fallen over Villa No. 8 at Golden Coast. The living room was dimly lit by a few wall lamps. Lin Xiaoqiang lay curled up, dozing on the sofa.
Jin Tie, speaking softly on the phone in a corner, was talking to his sister. She asked about Lin Xiaoqiang, and he said Lin was asleep. She then inquired about the bank draft. Jin Tie assured her he had it and was instructed to bring it to the port station on Route 806, where she would meet him in two hours from Wuzhou, the nearest city to Haizhou.
After hanging up, Jin Tie carefully approached the sleeping Lin Xiaoqiang. He gently retrieved the envelope containing the bank draft from Lin's pocket and placed it in his own. As he gathered his belongings to leave, Lin Xiaoqiang's voice, dark and eerie, came from behind, "The fish slips off the hook, never to return."
Jin Tie froze, terrified, unable to turn around.
"Turn around slowly," Lin Xiaoqiang's voice was like a ghost's whisper. Jin Tie obeyed. Lin Xiaoqiang was sitting up on the sofa, pointing a gun at him. Jin Tie, never having faced such a situation, felt his knees buckle. Lin Xiaoqiang raised his voice, "Throw me the bank draft!"
Jin Tie, using all his strength, tossed the envelope over.
Lin Xiaoqiang stood up, picked up a pillow, and walked towards Jin Tie, "Thinking of running off while I'm in bad shape?"
Jin Tie nodded honestly.
Lin Xiaoqiang pressed the pillow against Jin Tie's abdomen and fired a shot through it. The muffled gunshot echoed as Jin Tie slowly collapsed.
At the secluded Xishan Villa, surrounded by falling leaves, the night brought a somber chill.
When Guo Xiaopeng and Wang Jingfei entered, they found Guo's mother, dressed neatly, sitting on the sofa, clearly trying to maintain her composure.
After greeting her warmly, Guo Xiaopeng sat beside her. Wang Jingfei also greeted her and prepared to sit across from Guo Xiaopeng.
Guo's mother, with a trembling voice, called her over, "Come, sit here."
Wang Jingfei obliged, sitting next to her.
"Such a lovely girl!" Guo's mother said, gently touching Wang Jingfei's face and hair. Wang Jingfei smiled awkwardly.
Guo's mother asked softly, "How old are you, dear?"
"Twenty-eight," Wang Jingfei replied.
"Married?"
Wang Jingfei shook her head.
"You should be. I had Xiaopeng at your age."
Guo Xiaopeng chided, "Mom, you're getting carried away."
After Guo Xiaopeng left, his mother scrutinized Wang Jingfei, "Do you like our Xiaopeng?"
Wang Jingfei found the question hard to answer, so she replied vaguely, "Few would dislike the chairman."
"I know, Xiaopeng has many flaws. But if you love someone, you should overlook their faults." Wang Jingfei nodded in agreement, "You're right, Auntie."
"My only worry in this world is Xiaopeng. His ambitions are too big, and his courage even bigger. But he tells me nothing. You, being close to him, should advise him when you see him going astray." Wang Jingfei felt a pang of sorrow but nodded in agreement.