1
On the afternoon of June 27, before dinner, Rui Xiaodan came to see Ding Yuanying.
As soon as Ding Yuanying saw Rui Xiaodan, he politely invited her in.
The approaching July weather made the room even hotter. Rui Xiaodan confidently sat down on the sofa in the east room, placed her bag in one corner, and apologized, "Mr. Ding, I was rude the other day. Please forgive me. I've been busy with the sound system project and haven't had time to look for a new place yet. I'm sorry about that."
Ding Yuanying sat on the other end of the corner sofa and responded amicably, "It's fine, this setup works well."
Rui Xiaodan said, "I've ordered a sound system using the Lusheng flagship kit and Sileike amplifiers, modeled after the idea of your setup. Do you think this configuration is okay?"
Ding Yuanying replied, "Lusheng is the top brand in China's Hi-Fi audio industry, and the flagship components have even higher quality. Sileike is also a very reputable brand, sometimes referred to as the 'Rolls-Royce for audiophiles,' a benchmark for luxury. Your configuration is excellent. Just keep the speaker cabinet size moderate to minimize pseudo bass frequencies, as the natural sound is already powerful enough."
Rui Xiaodan laughed and said, "I've never seen the phrase 'Rolls-Royce for audiophiles' in magazines, but I often see the term 'poor man's Rolls-Royce.' Mr. Ding, there's no need to be cautious. The more you tiptoe around, the more it reminds me that I'm not wealthy."
Ding Yuanying felt slightly awkward.
Rui Xiaodan said, "Besides the speakers, I'd also like to replicate the style of your equipment cabinet. I'll inevitably need to bother you for help with these. If you don't mind, I could bring the team over to take a look sometime."
Ding Yuanying said, "Sure. If needed, I still have the original design drawings and specifications saved on my computer. You can take them as a reference for the team."
Rui Xiaodan was delighted and said, "You still kept those? That's wonderful!"
Ding Yuanying replied, "It's just a little hobby of mine." As he spoke, he turned on the computer on the coffee table, quickly found a disk, and copied the drawings and specifications onto it.
Rui Xiaodan glanced at her watch and immediately took out her mobile phone from her bag to call Ye Xiaoming. She found out he was at the audio store and arranged to deliver the disk with the drawings and specifications shortly. Over the phone, she said, "I'll come over with Mr. Ding in a bit. If you have any questions, you can ask him directly."
After hanging up, Rui Xiaodan earnestly said, "Mr. Ding, I came today to invite you to dinner. I've already made a reservation and invited a few cultural figures to join us. There's no other reason—just to apologize for my rudeness the other day. Sharing a meal will put it all behind us."
Ding Yuanying replied sincerely, "I'm the one who's caused trouble by staying here. I should be the one expressing my thanks. I can't accept this dinner, but I'll find an opportunity to treat you all instead."
Rui Xiaodan took a document titled Decision Regarding Rui Xiaodan's Suspension for Reflection from her bag and handed it to him, saying, "I know it's hard to persuade you, but let's see if this will do to invite you."
Ding Yuanying took it and opened it:
Decision Regarding Rui Xiaodan's Suspension for Reflection
After investigation and verification by the Discipline Inspection Committee of the Public Security Bureau of Gucheng City, Officer Rui Xiaodan of the Criminal Investigation Division is found to have been negligent in her duties, misused public resources, and committed serious misconduct in relation to her personal purchase of audio equipment. Accordingly, the following disciplinary actions are imposed:
Issuance of a public criticism and requirement to submit a thorough written self-examination.Suspension for reflection for 15 days.Suspension of half a month's salary, withholding of six months' bonuses, and disqualification from annual awards.
Discipline Inspection Committee, Public Security Bureau of Gucheng City
June 23, 1996
After reading it, Ding Yuanying thought for a moment and said, "Alright, I'll go with you."
Ding Yuanying's calm tone sounded to Rui Xiaodan more like, "Alright, I'll grant you this." She sensed an air of condescension in his magnanimity.
Rui Xiaodan placed the disk in her bag, stood up, and said, "I'll wait for you downstairs." Then she headed down.
Ding Yuanying took 2,000 yuan in cash and a pack of cigarettes before heading downstairs.
2
Ye Xiaoming, upon learning that Rui Xiaodan was bringing Ding Yuanying to the shop, immediately called Feng Shijie, who quickly made his way there as well.
When Ye Xiaoming found out that Rui Xiaodan would be arriving shortly with Ding Yuanying, he promptly informed Feng Shijie. Feng wasted no time and headed straight to the audio shop.
Rui Xiaodan drove Ding Yuanying to the shop. When they walked in, they saw Ye Xiaoming chatting with a friend holding Ding Yuanying's album. Unbeknownst to them, this seemingly casual moment was anything but coincidental.
As Rui Xiaodan and Ding Yuanying entered, they saw Ye Xiaoming talking with a man in his thirties who was holding none other than Ding Yuanying's album. What appeared to be an incidental and unplanned moment was, in fact, entirely deliberate.
Ye Xiaoming stood up quickly to greet them, warmly offering them seats.
As soon as he noticed them, Ye Xiaoming got up to welcome them, his manner enthusiastic and polite, gesturing toward the seats.
Rui Xiaodan handed the disk to Ye Xiaoming, saying, "We won't stay. Check the contents first. If you have questions, you can ask Mr. Ding."
Handing over the disk, Rui Xiaodan explained, "We're not staying. Go through the materials, and if you run into any issues, feel free to ask Mr. Ding."
Taking the disk, Ye Xiaoming said, "Thank you, Mr. Ding. I'll likely need to bother you in the future. I was actually planning to return your album tonight, but since you're here, you might as well take it now." Reaching for the album, he gestured to Feng Shijie.
Accepting the disk, Ye Xiaoming addressed Ding Yuanying, "Thanks again, Mr. Ding. I imagine I'll need your guidance sooner or later. I'd intended to drop your album off tonight, but seeing as you're here, I'll just give it back now." Turning to Feng Shijie, he extended his hand for the album.
As he passed the album, Feng Shijie remarked, "This is an excellent record—absolutely brilliant."
Handing the album to Ye Xiaoming, Feng Shijie enthusiastically added, "This record is phenomenal. Truly outstanding."
Ding Yuanying took the album and casually said, "It's alright."
Taking the album, Ding Yuanying responded nonchalantly, "It's alright."
Feng Shijie froze momentarily before asking, annoyed, "It's alright? So you're saying it's not that good?"
Feng Shijie hesitated, his expression hardening as he retorted, "It's alright? You mean it's not that great?"
His tone caught everyone off guard.
His unexpected tone left everyone momentarily stunned.
Rui Xiaodan, puzzled, glanced at Feng Shijie and said to Ye Xiaoming, "If there's nothing else, we'll be leaving."
Looking briefly at Feng Shijie with confusion, Rui Xiaodan turned to Ye Xiaoming and said, "If there's nothing further, we'll head out."
As Ding Yuanying turned to leave, Feng Shijie abruptly stood up, angrily saying, "Don't go just yet."
Just as Ding Yuanying was about to leave, Feng Shijie stood up and demanded, "Hold on, don't leave yet."
Rui Xiaodan, baffled, asked, "What's going on?"
Perplexed, Rui Xiaodan inquired, "What's this about?"
Feng Shijie said angrily to Ding Yuanying, "The album may be yours, but the compositions and performances aren't! What are you being so modest for? Do you even know that Mutter was Karajan's star pupil? Tell me, what's wrong with this album? Is it Sarasate's composition or Mutter's violin playing?"
Visibly upset, Feng Shijie said, "Sure, the album is yours, but the music and the performance are not! What's with the modesty? Do you even realize Mutter was Karajan's prized student? Now, tell me—what's wrong with this record? Is it Sarasate's masterpiece or Mutter's violin playing?"
Rui Xiaodan, growing annoyed, said, "Aren't you being a bit too particular?"
Annoyed by the confrontation, Rui Xiaodan interjected, "Aren't you splitting hairs a little too much?"
Ye Xiaoming quickly explained, "He's a huge fan of Mutter. Her Zigeunerweisen brought him to tears, and he even traveled to Beijing just to see her perform live. Don't mind him—this is just how audiophiles are."
Attempting to de-escalate, Ye Xiaoming said, "He's obsessed with Mutter. Her performance of Zigeunerweisen moved him to tears, and he even went all the way to Beijing just to see her live. Just let it go—this is typical audiophile behavior."
Ding Yuanying, calm as ever, said, "Alright."
Ding Yuanying, unperturbed, replied, "Alright."
Feng Shijie, finally convinced, said, "Amazing! Truly amazing! I'll definitely buy all the versions and listen to them."
Conceding, Feng Shijie exclaimed, "Incredible! Just incredible! I'm going to buy every version and listen to them all!"
Ding Yuanying said, "Well, we'll take our leave."
Ding Yuanying said simply, "Alright then, we'll be off."
Just as Ding Yuanying was about to get into the car, Feng Shijie came rushing out to stop him, with Ye Xiaoming following closely behind.
As Ding Yuanying approached the car, Feng Shijie hurriedly ran out, cutting him off, with Ye Xiaoming trailing behind.
Feng Shijie pleaded, "Brother, it's fate that we met today. My name's Feng Shijie. Let me host dinner tonight—it's an honor you can't refuse. If you've got other plans, I'll wait here for you."
Earnestly, Feng Shijie said, "Brother, it's destiny that we met today. I'm Feng Shijie. Please let me host dinner tonight—don't turn me down. If you're busy now, I'll wait here for you."
Rui Xiaodan responded, "Sorry, but we're heading to dinner right now."
Rui Xiaodan replied, "I'm afraid we're heading to dinner already."
Feng Shijie, clearly deflated, said awkwardly, "Oh, what a coincidence… Well, if you don't mind, may I host your dinner instead? Please, just this once."
Disheartened but still hopeful, Feng Shijie said, "Oh, what bad timing… But if you don't mind, can I host tonight's dinner instead? Just this once—please."
At this moment, Ye Xiaoming interjected, "Miss Rui, your speakers are being made by him. We were just discussing it—he's made speakers before, and there's a woodworking shop in his village."
At this crucial moment, Ye Xiaoming chimed in, "Miss Rui, your speakers are being built by him. We were just talking about it—he's made speakers before, and there's a woodworking workshop in his village."
Realizing this was deliberate and directed at Ding Yuanying, Rui Xiaodan thought for a moment and said, "Mr. Ding, if you don't mind, let's have him join us."
Understanding that this was intentional and aimed at Ding Yuanying, Rui Xiaodan paused before saying, "Mr. Ding, if you're okay with it, let's let him join us."
Ding Yuanying said, "Alright."
Ding Yuanying agreed, "Alright."
Without missing a beat, Ye Xiaoming said, "I can't leave the shop, so I won't be going."
Before anyone could respond, Ye Xiaoming added quickly, "I've got to stay here at the shop, so I won't be joining you."
Rui Xiaodan and Ding Yuanying got into the car and left, with Feng Shijie trailing behind in his Beijing 213 Jeep. Ye Xiaoming stood alone at the shop entrance, looking abandoned.
Rui Xiaodan and Ding Yuanying got into the car without further comment, driving off as Feng Shijie followed behind in his old Beijing 213 Jeep. Left behind, Ye Xiaoming stood at the shop entrance, looking somewhat forsaken.
3
The sun had already set and night was falling quietly.
Due to the delay at the audio store, it was the peak hour for customer traffic at the Venus Hotel when the car arrived. There were numerous vehicles parked in front of the hotel, and the parking attendants were busy guiding cars to park in an orderly manner.
Before getting out of the car, Feng Shijie's heart sank. He knew full well that the money he carried was insufficient to cover the bill at such a hotel. But since he was already here, he could only play it by ear.
Seeing Rui Xiaodan step out of the car with a man, Ouyang Xue deduced that this must be Ding Yuanying, so she quickly walked over to greet them. Although she knew of Ding Yuanying and had even helped rent a house for him, she had never actually met him.
Rui Xiaodan made the introductions, "This is Ouyang Xue, the boss here. And this is Mr. Ding Yuanying."
Ouyang Xue shook hands with Ding Yuanying, and they both said, "Hello."
Noticing Feng Shijie walking nervously toward Ding Yuanying, Rui Xiaodan introduced to Ouyang Xue, "This is Feng Shijie, an audiophile I just met. He helped make the speakers I ordered."
Ouyang Xue shook hands with Feng Shijie and exchanged greetings.
The four of them entered the hotel and went upstairs to the private room named "Moonlight Pavilion". In the center of the dining room was a large dining table covered with snow-white tablecloths, on which were placed delicate tableware, leaving ample space around for people to move about. In one corner of the private room was a small, half-height cabinet with glass doors, filled with spare tableware. On top of the cabinet sat a payphone and a guestbook.
There were already three people in the dining room.
Rui Xiaodan introduced Ding Yuanying, Ouyang Xue, and Feng Shijie to the guests who had arrived earlier. Then, she pointed at a man in his thirties wearing a police uniform and said, "This is my colleague, Liu Jiang, a publicity officer at the Ancient City Public Security Bureau. The other two are friends that Liu Jiang invited for me. I don't know them yet, so let Liu Jiang introduce them."
Liu Jiang politely introduced to Ding Yuanying, "Today, Xiaodan is treating Mr. Ding. Xiaodan doesn't drink, so she asked me to invite some friends who can drink. Actually, we're not great drinkers either. We're just here to liven things up and have a meal. This is Mr. Wei Tianyi, an editor at the Ancient City Evening News, and this is Mr. Du Xiaohui, a reporter for the 'Police Affairs Tracking' column at the Ancient City TV Station."
Both Wei Tianyi and Du Xiaohui were in their mid-thirties. Wei Tianyi wore glasses, had slightly long hair, and was dressed in a short-sleeved silk shirt, looking rather unkempt. Du Xiaohui seemed more capable, with a crew cut and wearing a T-shirt.
Wei Tianyi shook hands with Ding Yuanying and said with a smile, "Mr. Ding, I'm here to freeload thanks to you. Forgive me. Since we're all here, we're friends, so there's no need to be polite."
As they were chatting, a sumptuous banquet was served, and two hotel waitresses stood by to attend to the guests attentively.
Rui Xiaodan picked up her glass, stood up, and said, "Ladies don't drink, so I'll use water instead of wine. Mr. Ding, let me toast you first. After drinking this cup of 'wine', may all the unpleasantness pass."
Her words were rather subtle, and no one at the table could tell precisely who was the one feeling unpleasant. Ding Yuanying knew in his heart that he was here to accommodate the other party, so without hesitation, he picked up the six-milliliter wine glass and drank it all in one go.
The waitress immediately refilled it.
Ouyang Xue also picked up a glass of water and said, "Mr. Ding, it's been a year since you came to the Ancient City, and I haven't visited you. It's my fault. Today, I'd also like to toast you as an apology."
Ding Yuanying drank it without a second thought.
Since Feng Shijie was driving, he also used water instead of wine. Seeing others toasting, he was afraid of being rude, so he quickly picked up his water glass and said, "Mr. Ding, I'm not good at speaking. I'd like to toast you too."
Ding Yuanying thought to himself, "Why are you joining in the fun?" But he didn't refuse and drank it anyway.
Thus, Liu Jiang, Wei Tianyi, and Du Xiaohui each toasted Ding Yuanying for different reasons. Each man at the table had only drunk one cup of wine, but Ding Yuanying had already downed more than three liang of wine. Only then did the first round of toasting end.
After the first round of drinking, they took a short break and started chatting.
Du Xiaohui said to Rui Xiaodan, "Actually, we know each other. In 1993, during the hostage rescue at the Sunshine Nursery, I was the cameraman for the on-site report. At that time, I saw you disguise yourself as a kindergarten teacher and go in. Later, I heard two gunshots. I didn't know whether you shot him or he shot you. Now it seems like nothing, but it was really tense back then. Unfortunately, when it was broadcast, your face was mosaicked, so no one in society knew it was you."
Wei Tianyi said to Rui Xiaodan, "I know it was you. Our newspaper's reporter Xu Haitao even went to interview you, but he got the cold shoulder. At that time, he even cursed you for putting on airs."
The citizens of the Ancient City all knew about the hostage-taking incident at the nursery in 1993, but few knew about Rui Xiaodan. At this moment, Feng Shijie looked at Rui Xiaodan admiringly, quite unexpectedly saying, "So it was you!"
Rui Xiaodan said to everyone, "Let's not talk about this anymore."
Liu Jiang changed the topic and said, "Xiaodan, we see each other every day, but we don't really talk much. I've always thought you're a mystery. I'm not being sarcastic; I really don't understand. Since you have the right of residence in Germany, why don't you develop your career there? The criminal police team is no place for slackers. What's so good about this job? It's poor, tough, and dangerous."
Rui Xiaodan smiled and said, "Listen to you. Is this something a publicity officer of the Public Security Bureau should say?"
Wei Tianyi laughed and said, "That's exactly what shows his level. The trick to raising the realm is to widen the gap."
Everyone laughed.
Ouyang Xue saw that the topic was getting off track, so she called out, "Everyone, don't just chat. Come on, eat and drink."
Hearing this, everyone got back on track. They chatted about all sorts of things while clinking glasses frequently. One moment they talked about the crisis of faith and popular culture, and the next about the realm of life, expressing detached feelings... Before he knew it, they had unconsciously brought up the topic of money, and then began to complain, complaining about low incomes, accusing society of lacking integrity and fair competition.
Ding Yuanying drank another four cups amidst everyone's persuasions. With a full six liang of wine in his stomach, the effects of the alcohol were already very strong. He felt hot all over and his mind was starting to feel dizzy.
Rui Xiaodan was quietly observing from the side, thinking, "He's had too much to drink. It's only a matter of time before he passes out."
Ouyang Xue was thinking the same thing.
Wei Tianyi noticed everyone's expressions. Suddenly, he picked up a glass of wine and said, "Today's drinking is a bit dull. What do you think if I drink this cup and come up with a drinking game?"
No one objected.
So, Wei Tianyi drank a cup of wine and said, "Let's be a bit arty for once. We'll compose poems while drinking to liven things up. If you can't come up with one, you'll be fined a cup of wine. Actually, it doesn't matter if it's a proper poem. Doggerel, cliche verses, or jingles are all fine, just for the fun. Mr. Ding is the eldest here, so let's start with Mr. Ding."
Liu Jiang and Du Xiaohui also chimed in, "Okay, okay."
Rui Xiaodan thought to herself, "This move is quite dutiful, but also rather mean. It serves two purposes: to kill time and to make him look bad. After all, Ding Yuanying is a businessman. How can he compete with professional literati when it comes to writing? Moreover, he's already eight-tenths drunk and has no power to resist. Passing out is embarrassing, and coming up with clumsy verses is also embarrassing. He's bound to make a fool of himself."
Even Feng Shijie could see through it by this point in the banquet. The hostess wouldn't stop until Ding Yuanying was "drunk to satisfaction". But he was confused again. Was this drinking for friendship or out of personal spite?
At this time, Ding Yuanying asked the waiter beside him to bring five more wine glasses. Including his own, there were six in total. He filled them all up one by one and said amiably to Rui Xiaodan, who hadn't said a word, "Everyone has been so kind to me today. I'd like to return the favor and toast each of you one more cup. But after drinking these six cups, please let me leave. Don't let me collapse here. At least leave me a bit of dignity."
Rui Xiaodan suddenly felt as if she had been stabbed through the heart, thinking, "This man is really something."
Just as Rui Xiaodan was at a loss for words, Ouyang Xue seemed to smooth things over with a smile and said, "Mr. Ding, if you leave, how can we keep drinking? It'll spoil everyone's fun."
Ding Yuanying wondered, "In the boxing ring, a good fighter never hits a fallen one. Why are they hitting a fallen man today? Whose boxing ring is this?" After thinking for a while, he said humbly, "Since everyone is in such high spirits, I'll make a fool of myself. However, I don't have the talent to compose a poem in seven steps like Cao Zhi (a famous Chinese poet who was said to be able to compose a poem within seven steps). Nor do I have the extraordinary talent to compose one on the spot. In the past, when I didn't know the depth of my knowledge, I did scribble a few clumsy verses. I wonder if they're suitable for today's occasion?"
Wei Tianyi immediately said, "They're suitable, of course."
Du Xiaohui also said, "They're suitable."
Rui Xiaodan and Ouyang Xue stared at Ding Yuanying intently, as if looking at a mystery waiting to be solved.
Ding Yuanying said, "I'm showing my clumsiness." Then he recited:
"Self-Mockery"
Originally a man from the back hills,
By chance, a guest in the front hall.
Drunk, dancing with half a scroll from the sutra pavilion,
Sitting in a well, boasting of the broad sky.
Great ambitions mock fame and fortune,
Using the sea as a measure for good and bad fortune.
When it comes to having an empty purse,
Angrily blaming the world for its wrongs.
Rui Xiaodan was no lyricist, yet she had a basic grasp of common tune patterns. She could tell that this was in the "Bu Suan Zi" tune, and she also knew that writing classical-style poems was more difficult than writing free verse. However, to judge and evaluate a poem, just listening to it once wasn't enough; one had to look at it word by word.
The three literati naturally knew this better. As expected, Wei Tianyi asked the waiter to bring the guestbook and a pen and said, "Mr. Ding, could you please recite it again, more slowly? I'll write it down."
Rui Xiaodan also took out her notebook and pen from her bag.
So Ding Yuanying recited it again.
As Rui Xiaodan wrote it down, she analyzed it in her mind: "Originally a man from the back hills" means someone who has never seen the world and lacks learning. "By chance, a guest in the front hall" refers to getting the rare opportunity to be in a grand place. "Drunk, dancing with half a scroll from the sutra pavilion" implies self-complacently showing off a smidgen of knowledge from the countless books in the sutra pavilion. "Sitting in a well, boasting of the broad sky" means having a narrow view like a frog in a well. "Great ambitions mock fame and fortune" shows the lofty state of completely transcending the pursuit of fame. "Using the sea as a measure for good and bad fortune" indicates an extremely broad mind. "When it comes to having an empty purse" means suddenly realizing one has less money than others. "Angrily blaming the world for its wrongs" is like cursing out loud, blaming the world for all the problems.
The poem was neat in terms of its tonal patterns, rhymes, and parallelisms, except for the rhyme of the character "ke" which deviated a bit, but according to ancient poetry rules, it wasn't really a deviation and was necessary for expanding the meaning of the poem, just right. The lines were plain and not obscure, vividly painting a picture of the mentality of a bookish and vain literati. The self-mockery was sharp, the self-analysis was profound, and the artistic conception was high. Rui Xiaodan couldn't help secretly praising it in her heart: "A great poem."
Although Ding Yuanying's poem was a self-portrait he drew for himself years ago, Rui Xiaodan felt as if she was looking at herself in the mirror, her face flushing with a sense of shame. At this time, an awkward atmosphere was quietly spreading in the room.
Suddenly, Wei Tianyi moved the wine glasses of Liu Jiang and Du Xiaohui in front of him, looked at Ding Yuanying apologetically, drank the three cups in one go, stood up, clasped his fists, and said, "Mr. Ding, I'm sorry. If there's fate, we'll meet again. Goodbye!"
After Wei Tianyi finished speaking, he turned around and left. Liu Jiang and Du Xiaohui smiled apologetically at Ding Yuanying and others, and quickly followed. Rui Xiaodan and Ouyang Xue didn't even have time to react and had to passively follow to see them off.
Outside the hotel, Wei Tianyi said to Rui Xiaodan rather implicitly, "Miss Rui, I'm so shallow. I had a free meal at your expense. I'm sorry. If I had a friend like him, I wouldn't treat him like this."
Liu Jiang said with a faint smile, "Xiaodan, are you looking for drinking companions or foils? Anyway, see you."
Rui Xiaodan watched them disappear into the brightly lit street, suddenly feeling that she had been very petty and boring. It was just a game she thought was like a cat toying with a mouse, until she suddenly realized that she wasn't the cat, and the other party wasn't the mouse either.
Ouyang Xue wasn't annoyed. She looked calm, as if thinking about something.
4
Rui Xiaodan and Ouyang Xue returned to the dining room and sat down again. The two waitresses didn't know whether to leave or stay, standing there at a loss. Ouyang Xue told them to go.
Ding Yuanying stood up and said to Rui Xiaodan, "Miss Rui, we should go too."
Just as Rui Xiaodan was about to answer, she was stopped by Ouyang Xue's decisive gesture. Ouyang Xue slowly poured herself a glass of Coke, took a sip, and said calmly, "Pay the bill, one thousand yuan."
Feng Shijie looked at Ouyang Xue and Rui Xiaodan in surprise, then turned his gaze to Ding Yuanying. Rui Xiaodan was even more surprised, casting a puzzled look at Ouyang Xue.
Ding Yuanying took out the money, counted out 1,000 yuan, and put it on the table.
Ouyang Xue said, "It's gone up, two thousand."
Ding Yuanying put the 1,000 yuan he hadn't had time to put away yet on the table.
Ouyang Xue said, "It's gone up again, three thousand."
Feng Shijie couldn't bear it any longer and said through gritted teeth, "Boss, this is too much, isn't it?"
Rui Xiaodan took out a cigarette from her bag, lit it, and wondered, "What's wrong with Ouyang?"
Ouyang Xue completely ignored Feng Shijie and said calmly, "Mr. Ding, to be frank, I just want to make things difficult for you. If you really want to leave, no one will stop you, but you'll get the reputation of eating without paying."
Ding Yuanying said, "Even if I have to crawl out through a dog hole, you have to make an opening first."
Ouyang Xue said, "Say something nice to me and you can go. Just one sentence."
Ding Yuanying asked, "What counts as something nice?"
Ouyang Xue retorted, "Do I need to teach you what women like to hear? One sentence can get you out of this, it's not that hard."
Everyone knew what kind of sentence it was, something like "Miss, you're really beautiful". In this particular situation, saying such a sentence meant a lot to a man's dignity, and everyone at the scene knew it.
Rui Xiaodan silently watched Ding Yuanying, her eyes filled with extraordinary anxiety and an expectation of sharing weal and woe, as if telling him: "You've already bowed your head enough. It's time to fight back a little."
Ding Yuanying didn't take this vulgar fight seriously. He was about to say, "Miss Ouyang, you're really beautiful..." But he suddenly stopped. He saw Rui Xiaodan looking at him with that kind of gaze. He hesitated. He could even imagine how disappointed Rui Xiaodan would be if he said that sentence. She cared about his dignity, even the most basic kind.
After pondering for a while, Ding Yuanying said, "This has nothing to do with Mr. Feng. You can let him go."
Rui Xiaodan's heart hung in the air.
Ouyang Xue said, "Why bother? You've already stripped the woman bare. What are you still holding back for, a big man like you?"
After hesitating for a moment, Ding Yuanying reluctantly said something he normally wouldn't: "Want to make some money? Does that sound good?"
Ouyang Xue said, "Sounds good, but where's the money?"
Ding Yuanying said, "Go buy a specified stock and sell it in May next year. If you don't earn more than double the money, I still owe you a meal. As for how much you want to earn, it depends on your principal."
The dining room fell silent. Only then did Ouyang Xue and Rui Xiaodan understand why Ding Yuanying had asked Feng Shijie to leave first.
After a long silence, Ouyang Xue said coldly, "I'm from a small family and don't have much money. Even if I sell everything, I can only scrape together 500,000 yuan. I can't afford to lose it."
Ding Yuanying said, "I only have that set of audio equipment that might be worth something. I'll count it as 200,000 yuan. According to the rules, usually only 10% is needed as collateral. 200,000 yuan as collateral is already 40%, so you have no risk."
Ouyang Xue said, "We small households still have to live. We can't afford to play around with that kind of audio. If you really mean what you say, bring 200,000 yuan in cash as collateral."
Ding Yuanying was silent, thinking. After a long while, he asked, "May I make a phone call?"
Ouyang Xue got up, picked up the phone from the sideboard, dragging a white telephone cord. She put the phone in front of Ding Yuanying and casually pressed the hands-free button, which meant that the voice on the other end couldn't be hidden.
Ding Yuanying pressed the number keys, and the LCD screen showed a mobile phone number.
The phone was connected.
Just as the phone rang for the first time, something unexpected happened. Rui Xiaodan suddenly stood up, reached out her hand, and with a "snap", she pressed the hands-free button to hang up the call. She calmly said to Ouyang Xue, "I'll give him the 200,000 yuan."
This sudden incident startled Feng Shijie. He had never seen such a scene. Ding Yuanying was also a bit shocked and looked at Rui Xiaodan with a complex gaze. Only Ouyang Xue didn't show annoyance as expected from the situation. There was just a faint, cold smile on the corner of her lips.
Rui Xiaodan said to Feng Shijie, "I'm sorry, Mr. Feng. Please go back first. We need to talk about some private matters."
Feng Shijie had originally been waiting to drive Ding Yuanying home, but since Rui Xiaodan had given the order to leave, he couldn't say anything more. He just nodded politely to Ouyang Xue and Rui Xiaodan and left first.
There were only three of them left in the room.
Ouyang Xue asked, "Xiaodan, don't tell me you're using your shares in the restaurant as collateral?"
Rui Xiaodan said, "If you agree, I can use the shares."
Ouyang Xue said, "I don't agree."
Rui Xiaodan said to Ding Yuanying, "I'll give you the money within five days. I don't need your audio equipment as collateral. To be precise, I don't dare to insult you. As for whether what you said is just a joke or for real, that's your business."
Ouyang Xue said, "Mr. Ding, I'll raise 500,000 yuan within twenty days. Whether it's a joke or not is up to you."
Ding Yuanying said, "Before you make the trade, I'll tell you which stock to buy. But there's a rule in this business. You need to promise to keep it secret."
Ouyang Xue said, "Okay, I promise."
Ding Yuanying asked, "Can I go now?"
Ouyang Xue neatly collected the 2,000 yuan in cash on the table and returned it to Ding Yuanying, sincerely saying, "Mr. Ding, I'm sorry for offending you today. I'll go with Xiaodan to send you home first. I'll host another banquet to apologize to you some other day."
Ding Yuanying originally wanted to say, "No need to send me. I'll go back by myself." But as soon as he stood up, he felt dizzy, his whole body seemed to be floating, so he didn't dare to say that face-saving sentence.
Rui Xiaodan and Ouyang Xue supported Ding Yuanying on both sides, walked downstairs, and put him in the back seat of the car. Ouyang Xue drove towards Nancun Community, and Rui Xiaodan kept observing his condition through the rearview mirror.
5
After sending Ding Yuanying home, Rui Xiaodan and Ouyang Xue returned to the hotel.
After the car left Nancun Community, Rui Xiaodan asked, "Ouyang, what was that all about today?"
Ouyang Xue was driving through an intersection and didn't have time to answer.
Rui Xiaodan rolled down the car window a crack, lit a cigarette, took a deep puff, and said, "That was too much. Is there any need to bully people like this? How will I explain this to Yawen later? I just can't stand seeing a hero being pushed around by a woman."
Ouyang Xue said, "Answer me first. Where are you going to borrow this 200,000 yuan? In five days, will mortgage your property be in time, or will remitting money from abroad be in time?"
Rui Xiaodan hesitated for a moment and said, "I'll go to my dad."
Ouyang Xue said, "I knew you were thinking about this. You've been through so many difficult things over the years, but you never turned to him. Today, you're bowing your head for a man. 200,000 yuan! What could make you so irrational? What kind of person could make you so reckless?"
Rui Xiaodan had never thought about these questions. Reminded by Ouyang Xue, she was suddenly stunned.
Ouyang Xue said, "I've been bullied since I was a kid. I've never bullied anyone as I grew up. I have no grudges against him. Why would I bully him? I just wanted to see how much you care about him and also see if he cares about you. You've been looking at him with that kind of look since he drank those six cups of wine. I've never seen you look at anyone like that. Girl, you're in love."
Rui Xiaodan's heart trembled!
This tremor made her previous emotions fade a lot, and she finally understood Ouyang Xue's intentions. And she was now occupied by this more sensitive topic. She was silent for a long time and murmured, "Me? In love?"
Ouyang Xue said, "You haven't even had time to think about whether it's worth loving or if you can love, but you're already in love. It means you can't control yourself. I'm two years older than you. I have to keep an eye on you."
Rui Xiaodan frowned slightly and said painfully, "Oh, God! Sis, please use a more civilized word. You're even more vulgar than Yawen. I'm about to faint!"
Ouyang Xue smiled and said, "It's the truth."
Rui Xiaodan thought for a while and said, "Since I can't control it, then just love."
Ouyang Xue said, "But this guy is no ordinary person. Today, it was your look that forced him to get into this with us. He's not our kind of people. I don't think you can hold on to him. Maybe you'll be the one who gets hurt in the end. You lost your composure today. A woman should let a man pursue her. You should at least save some face for yourself."
Rui Xiaodan said, "That's for those high-and-mighty women. I've never been high-and-mighty, so why should I pretend? As for holding on to him or not, if you can hold on, you don't need to try; if you can't, you can't force it. So just love."
Ouyang Xue didn't say anything else until the car drove back to the Venus Hotel. She was thinking about what Rui Xiaodan had just said: "Since I can't control it, then just love." It sounded a bit hasty, but when she thought about it carefully, it was also a practical truth. But truth or not, she still thought Rui Xiaodan lacked rational thinking. After all, this had happened so suddenly.
Ouyang Xue turned the car around at the hotel entrance, and both of them got out of the car.
Rui Xiaodan walked to the driver's door and said, "I'm not going up. I have to contact my dad first, find out where he is, and book a plane ticket for tomorrow so I can get the money back earlier."
Ouyang Xue said, "I'll take out the money I saved for buying a house and scrape together some more. 500,000 yuan shouldn't be a big problem. I'm worried about you. Do you think this can be taken seriously? With such a good chance to make money, how much did he invest?"
Rui Xiaodan said, "Are you going to wait until the 200,000 yuan is all gone before backing out? Before he came to the Ancient City, he was running a private equity fund. Yawen said the entry threshold for his fund was 30 million yuan per household. Last year, he managed over 200 million yuan and made nearly 200 million yuan in pure profit. The fact that he sold records only shows that he ran into some difficulties, nothing else. Just because he'd rather sell records than ask others for help, but today he picked up the phone. Even if he's a fraud, I'm convinced."
Ouyang Xue said in surprise, "He's such a big shot? Why didn't you tell me?"
Rui Xiaodan said, "Does it have anything to do with us?"
Ouyang Xue was speechless.
Rui Xiaodan got in the car, closed the door, waved at Ouyang Xue, and drove away.
Ouyang Xue stood there for a long while, thinking to herself, "That look of yours is really valuable."
6
When she got home, the first thing Rui Xiaodan did was turn on the computer. She found her father's phone number from the rarely-used address book, and then stared at the number in deep thought.
It was a Shanghai number that had been changed three times, from a six-digit number to an eight-digit one. No matter where she was, every time the number changed, her father would find a way to tell her the new one, but she had never used it. In her heart, she had always held a grudge against her father: he had abandoned her mother. Throughout her growth, no matter what happened, she was unwilling to communicate with her father. Even when her parents had reached a consensus on her future, she would still make choices that went against her father's wishes, never giving him a chance.
But now, she was going to reach out to her father for a man's dignity.
Deep thought was also the process of overcoming her psychological barriers. Finally, she reached out, picked up the phone, and dialed the number digit by digit. After four rings, the pre-set answering message came: "Hello, this is Rui Weifeng. I'm filming in Hangzhou and won't be back for a while. If you have something, please leave a message or call my mobile phone. Thank you." Although the voice was already quite unfamiliar, she still recognized it as her father's.
She then dialed his mobile phone number. After a short delay, clearly because her father recognized the number, a nervous, excited, and somewhat puzzled voice came from the other end: "Is... Xiaodan?"
There was noisy background sound, like several people discussing acting problems. Rui Xiaodan also paused for a moment, then said a bit stiffly, "Dad, it's me. Haven't you rested yet?"
Her father said, "We're filming at night. I haven't rested. Are you okay?"
Rui Xiaodan said, "I'm fine. I'm looking for some money. Can I come to Hangzhou to see you?"
Her father quickly said, "Of course, of course. Don't say borrow. How much do you need?"
Rui Xiaodan said, "200,000 yuan. For one year. It's urgent."
Her father said, "200,000 yuan? No problem. Give me your account number and name, and I'll transfer it to you tomorrow."
Rui Xiaodan said, "Do you mean... I don't need to go to Hangzhou? I thought I could use this opportunity to see you. If you think I'm being too snobbish, I won't go."
Her father said, "No, no, it's two different things. You come. I can't get away here. Call me before you come, and I'll pick you up at the airport."
Rui Xiaodan said, "Okay, I'll call you after I book the plane ticket. I'm hanging up. Take care."
After hanging up the phone, she suddenly felt extremely tired, as if she had just come back from a battlefield.
She started writing in her diary, her daily routine. The first line she typed on the computer was: "Me? In love?!" If it wasn't love, then what was it? After typing this line, she couldn't go on. She stared at the line in a daze, reached into the cigarette box to take out a cigarette, put it to her mouth, picked up the lighter, and was about to light it, but suddenly stopped. Subconsciously, she put the cigarette back, grabbed the whole pack, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it, along with the delicate lighter, into the wastebasket beside her.
She immediately realized what she had done and was shocked. Her mind cleared, and she asked herself in her heart: "He doesn't like to see me smoking. Do I care that much about what he thinks of me?" She kept chewing on this question in her heart, and instead of getting more agitated, she grew calmer. She said to herself silently, "I'm in love."
It was at the very moment when she confirmed her feelings that a new question popped into her mind. Her fingers quickly tapped on the keyboard, typing out the words of warning that Xiao Yawen had given her in Frankfurt: "When you think someone is very special, never have feelings for this kind of person. Once you do, it's like opening the gates of hell..."
She began to have doubts about this.