1
Rui Xiaodan had booked a flight to Hangzhou at 12:30. In the morning, she made a simple travel preparation at home and then went to the civil aviation ticket office to pick up the ticket. After getting the ticket, seeing that there was still some time left, she walked west along the street and entered a foreign language bookstore. She was deeply impressed by Ding Yuanying's comments on the violin piece "Zigeunerweisen". Although she hadn't bought a stereo yet, she still wanted to get these three records first.In the record self-selection area of the foreign language bookstore, all kinds of CD records were on display. She stopped in front of the imported record showcase, looking for the records she wanted. The salesgirl asked enthusiastically, "Excuse me, what records are you looking for? I'll help you."Rui Xiaodan said, "I want three records of 'Zigeunerweisen' played on the violin, one each by Anne-Sophie Mutter, Jascha Heifetz, and Itzhak Perlman.""Please wait a moment." The salesgirl said and then turned around to look for the records.At this time, Rui Xiaodan felt someone gently touch her arm. Looking sideways, she saw a young man with glasses standing beside her. The young man whispered, "Don't buy them. They're too expensive."Rui Xiaodan looked at him doubtfully.At this moment, the salesgirl handed the three records to Rui Xiaodan and asked, "Look, are these the ones?"Rui Xiaodan picked up the records and took a look. Each record was priced at over 140 yuan. She returned the records to the salesgirl apologetically and said, "I'm sorry. I'll think about it again.""It doesn't matter." The salesgirl said politely and then went to serve other customers.The young man whispered, "I could tell you're an expert when I heard the name of the record. Walk 20 meters west, and there's a small shop called 'Gu Dao Record'. Those who are connoisseurs in this field go there to buy records. You can save dozens of yuan on each record. If you can't find them there, it's not too late to come back here. We all do this.""Thank you." Rui Xiaodan said with a smile. This was the second time she had heard the name of "Gu Dao Record". Even without the young man's advice, she was going to go there because they sold Ding Yuanying's records."You're welcome. It's not easy for anyone to earn some money these days." The young man said, then bowed his head and continued to pick records.Rui Xiaodan thought to herself, "It seems that the hearts of music enthusiasts are connected." She found the small shop named "Gu Dao Record" according to the young man's instructions. Perhaps it couldn't even be called a "shop". It was actually a display window about three meters long rented outside a computer store. It was so small that there wasn't even room for a counter. All the records were displayed on the wall.The shop owner was a man in his thirties, quite handsome, neatly dressed in a suit and tie. The large gold ring on the ring finger of his left hand was particularly eye-catching.Rui Xiaodan stepped forward and asked, "Do you have 'Zigeunerweisen' played by Mutter, Heifetz, and Perlman? If so, I'd like one of each."The shop owner asked, "Do you want the domestically licensed version or the original imported version? The domestically licensed version is in stock."Rui Xiaodan asked, "What's the difference?"The shop owner replied, "The domestically licensed version is 20 yuan each, and the original imported version is over 100 yuan each. There's a difference in price and, more importantly, in sound quality."Rui Xiaodan said, "I want the original imported version."The shop owner thought for a while and replied, "It's out of stock. If you really want them, you need to pay a 50-yuan deposit."Rui Xiaodan nodded and asked, "How much cheaper can it be compared to the foreign language bookstore?"The shop owner said, "At the foreign language bookstore, you can't get these three records for less than 450 yuan. Here, each one is 100 yuan, no bargaining."Rui Xiaodan paid 50 yuan as a deposit.The shop owner gave Rui Xiaodan a deposit receipt and signed his name: Liu Bing. Then he said, "Come back and check in three days. If there's no stock, I'll return the deposit to you."Rui Xiaodan left the "Gu Dao Record" shop, went back to the parking place, got in the car, and drove straight to the airport.
2
In just two hours of flight, Rui Xiaodan was already in the gentle and beautiful scenery of the south of the Yangtze River. Both the scenery and the people in Hangzhou were less rough than those in the north and more delicate.As soon as she got out of the airport, she saw someone holding a sign with "Rui Xiaodan" written on it. She quickly walked over. The person also walked quickly towards her. Rui Xiaodan asked in puzzlement, "I haven't said a word yet. How are you so sure it's me?"The man chuckled and said, "Your dad said that the most beautiful and most elegant one among those in their mid-twenties must be you. And you're walking towards me, so it must be you."Rui Xiaodan smiled faintly and followed the man. They went to the parking lot and got into a Cherokee jeep with a sign of the "Jiang Hu" film crew behind the front windshield. Then the man drove away from the airport.The film crew was shooting an exterior scene by the West Lake. Perhaps because it was a synchronous recording, the onlookers were very quiet. Only a male and a female actor in ancient costumes were speaking their lines, and the cameramen, sound recorders, and other crew members were also quietly busy. Rui Xiaodan saw her father sitting under a sun umbrella, with one foot on a prop box and a water cup in his hand, staring intently at the monitor. It was no different from the scenes of a director working that she had seen on TV. She didn't disturb him and stood far away waiting.From childhood to adulthood, she only knew that her father was a film director and had watched the films he directed. But this was the first time she had seen her father filming on the spot. She quietly observed her father. She felt that her father had aged a lot. There were many gray hairs on his head, his facial skin was loose, and he had gained some weight, but he still looked energetic, wearing a red T-shirt and jeans, looking younger than his actual age of over fifty.After this scene was filmed and the crew members were packing up for the next scene, Rui Xiaodan walked up to greet her father, calling out somewhat awkwardly and stiffly, "Dad."Rui Weifeng looked at his daughter excitedly but didn't show it too much. He said, "Sit down. Your dad has been looking forward to this day. There's a restaurant in Hangzhou that serves authentic West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy (a famous Hangzhou dish). Dad will take you there for dinner tonight."Just this one sentence made Rui Xiaodan's eyes moist. Suddenly, she felt that she had been too cold to her father over the years, and a sense of guilt welled up in her heart.The crew members knew that Rui Weifeng was talking to his daughter, so they all consciously avoided.Rui Weifeng said regretfully, "You're born to be a good actress. If you had applied to the film academy back then, you'd probably be a renowned actress by now. An actor can do another take if they don't perform well, but a criminal policeman won't get a second chance if something goes wrong."Rui Xiaodan said, "Dad, why do you start talking about this as soon as we meet?"Rui Weifeng opened a bottle of drink and handed it to his daughter. After she took a sip, he said, "It's not a good feeling to worry about you all the time. Why didn't you listen to me back then?"Rui Xiaodan said, "I thought about it back then. You're a director. If I went into acting, it would seem like I was relying on you, and I wouldn't have my own identity. Now I earn my own living, and I feel at ease."Rui Weifeng asked, "Is your work okay? Can the restaurant you and Ouyang opened make some money?"Rui Xiaodan said, "It's all okay. This need for money happened suddenly." Then she briefly told her father the whole story of why she needed the money.After listening, Rui Weifeng pondered for a moment and said, "You're... in unrequited love. It should be a good thing, but..."Rui Xiaodan said, "But it's not certain whether he loves me or not. This is hardly what you call being in love. It's just me being unrequited."Rui Weifeng said, "You're not an ordinary girl. The person you like must be extraordinary. I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about whether you can handle this kind of man."Rui Xiaodan said, "Handle? I've never thought about it. I just want to be nice to him wholeheartedly."Rui Weifeng nodded and paused for a while, saying, "Oh... This really makes me feel bad. You've ignored me since you were six years old. Where did you have such a big temper from?"Rui Xiaodan asked, "If you'd rather be alone than live with my mom, is my mom that vulgar? If you don't get married because you want more women, what kind of behavior is that? Dad, I'm here to shamelessly ask you for money this time. Even if I have flattering words, I can't say them at this moment."Just as Rui Weifeng was about to speak, a crew member shouted in the distance, "Director, everything is ready!" Rui Weifeng stood up and shouted, "Places, get ready to shoot!" Then he said to Rui Xiaodan, "I'll have someone send you back to the hotel. The room has been booked for you. Let's talk more tonight, father and daughter."Rui Xiaodan watched her father hurry towards the actors.
3
Rui Xiaodan stayed in Hangzhou for one night and took the 8:00 p.m. flight back to the Ancient City the next day.
It had been drizzling in the Ancient City throughout the night. The pattering rain seemed to carry an inescapable melancholy, so long and so desolate, like the sighs of a wanderer. Lying in bed, Rui Xiaodan was lost in thought to the accompaniment of the rain. It rained all night, and she thought all night. She recalled every important word that Xiao Yawen had said in Frankfurt:
"He can be a demon, a ghost, anything but an ordinary human being."
"His way of thinking is upside down, not the normal human way of thinking."
"Once you have that kind of thought, it's as if you've opened the gates of hell."
"If it really happens, it's your own fault. Don't blame me for not warning you."
"With my intelligence, I can't understand this kind of person."
Rui Xiaodan thought to herself: Whether it's called a demon or a ghost, it's just a way of expression. Essentially, their thinking logic and values are different from those of ordinary people. The so-called gates of hell are nothing more than the mental pain caused by value conflicts. If you're an enlightened one, I'll respect you and learn from you; if you're a devil, I'll judge you and walk away. Even if our values are different, is it really that terrifying?
At dawn, the rain was still falling. She got up, freshened up, quickly had a few bites of breakfast, and put the rent Ding Yuanying had given her, all the cash at home, bank passbooks, and the certificates needed for planned affairs into her bag. After checking, she drove out. She didn't go to the bank directly but first went to the most reputable "Chengxin Real Estate Agency" in the Ancient City to inquire about rental houses. As the summer was getting hotter day by day, the top priority was to find an air-conditioned house for Ding Yuanying as soon as possible.
She arrived a bit early. After waiting at the door for a while, the agency opened, making her the first customer of the day. The female staff member who had received her before immediately recognized her and smiled apologetically, saying, "Hello. I'm really sorry. There aren't any suitable houses for you yet. Please wait a little longer."
Rui Xiaodan said, "If I keep waiting, summer will be over. What about if we don't consider the rent? But it has to be quick. I must move today. I can't wait any longer."
The female staff member thought for a moment and said, "We can't arrange a move for you today. If you really have to move today, we can give you some information. They are all new houses, ranging from 80 to 160 square meters. Each room has air conditioning and a telephone. The community environment and property management are very good. You can complete the formalities on the spot and move in right away. There's a snack street less than 300 meters away from the community. In short, they meet all your requirements, and you'll surely be satisfied. But the rent is high, between 1,400 and 2,500 yuan. If you rent one, our intermediary service for you here will end."
Rui Xiaodan said, "Okay."
The female staff member said, "Go to Jiahe Garden Community on the south side of East Hanghai Road. Next to the main gate is the business hall of Jiahe Real Estate Company. The rental department and the sales department are in the same hall. You can view the houses on the spot. As long as you can accept the rent, you can move in immediately."
Rui Xiaodan immediately drove to Jiahe Garden Community.
First, she drove around the community. There was a computer city, a farmers' market, and a large supermarket, providing a very good shopping environment. On the west side of the community, there was indeed a long snack street with numerous shops and a rich variety of food, far better than the small stalls in Nancun Community. It was very convenient to have a meal. After looking at the surrounding environment of the community, she came to the rental department of the business hall of Jiahe Real Estate Company. After a brief conversation with the staff, the staff introduced the available houses to her in the community model. She chose House 305, an 80-square-meter apartment at the east end of the third floor, and then went to view the house on the spot.
This was a newly built community, and everything was brand new. From the standardized movements of the security guards on duty to the tidy, garden-like internal environment of the community, and then when she went upstairs and saw the newly decorated house, she had already made up her mind. Just as the agency had said, each room had air conditioning and a telephone extension.
After some negotiation, the rent was reduced to 1,260 yuan per month. Rui Xiaodan rented the house in her own name, signed the agreement on the spot, paid the rent for one year in full, got the house key, and then immediately called the moving company, arranging to move from Nancun Community at 2:00 p.m. At the same time, she called Ding Yuanying's landlord to arrange a house check-out at 3:00 p.m.
After finishing these things, Rui Xiaodan went to the bank. She filled out a withdrawal slip at the bank, handed in the passbook, entered the password, and showed her ID card as required by the staff. After waiting for a while, the cash was withdrawn. Since it was a large withdrawal, she vigilantly observed the surroundings while quickly counting the approximate amount of money and put it in her bag. She withdrew 220,000 yuan this time, 20,000 yuan more than the actual collateral Ding Yuanying needed.
Out of the bank, she drove to the "Gu Dao Record" store and parked the car at the door.
Perhaps because of the rain, there were no customers in the store. The shop owner, Liu Bing, was leaning against the doorframe, looking at the rain. Seeing Rui Xiaodan coming, he quickly went back into the store and took out three records. Obviously, he still remembered this customer.
Rui Xiaodan handed the deposit receipt to Liu Bing.
Liu Bing gave the three records to Rui Xiaodan and said, "Please check if these are the ones."
Rui Xiaodan picked up the record of Anne-Sophie Mutter's violin performance, tore off the outer plastic film, opened the box to check, and saw a seal with the character "Ying" (from Ding Yuanying's name) on the record. There was the same seal on the back cover. This record was exactly the same as the one she had seen in the audio store. It could be confirmed that it was the same record.
Rui Xiaodan opened the other two records, and they all had the same seal. She calmly said, "Boss, these aren't new records. There are private collection seals on the records, and the outer plastic packaging is handmade."
"Can new records be sold at this price?" Liu Bing retorted, explaining, "These are records from someone's collection, and they are well-preserved. New records cost 150 yuan, and I'm only selling these for 100 yuan."
Rui Xiaodan said, "Take out all the records with the 'Ying' seal. I'd like to have a look."
Liu Bing carried out a cardboard box, picked out a dozen records from it, and then took down more than 20 records from the wall and put them all in a shoebox for Rui Xiaodan to choose from.
Rui Xiaodan checked them one by one and asked, "Are there any more?"
Liu Bing said, "That's all. It's up to you to pick."
Rui Xiaodan said, "There are 36 here. With the previous 3, there are 39 in total. I'll take them all."
"All of them?" Liu Bing was stunned for a moment but quickly regained his composure. He was secretly overjoyed because it was a big deal. He quickly found a suitable box to pack them, afraid that the buyer would change her mind.
After packing the records, Liu Bing sealed the box with tape, put it in a black plastic bag, and said, "Since you're buying so many, I'll give you a discount. You can pay 3,800 yuan."
Rui Xiaodan said, "Collectors usually buy them at 80 yuan each. I'm buying all of them. Give me a price that we can make a deal."
Liu Bing was stunned again and asked, "I don't think I know you." Seeing that Rui Xiaodan didn't answer, he picked up the calculator, thought for a while, and said, "Pay 3,000 yuan. That's 77 yuan each. I can't go any lower."
Rui Xiaodan nodded in agreement, took out 2,950 yuan from her bag along with the deposit receipt, and handed them to Liu Bing.
Liu Bing took the money and said, "Come back in a couple of days. There will be more."
Rui Xiaodan smiled politely, picked up the bag with the records, and got in the car.4
It was almost 1:00 p.m. when Rui Xiaodan left the "Gu Dao Record" store. She bought a loaf of bread on the roadside, ate it while driving, and took a few sips of mineral water. That was her lunch. When she arrived at Ding Yuanying's building in Nancun Community, she called Ding Yuanying first and then went upstairs with her bag and the records.
Ding Yuanying still followed the same old etiquette, inviting the guest in and having her seated.
Rui Xiaodan put the bag with the records beside the sofa, took out 200,000 yuan in cash from her handbag, and put it on the coffee table, saying, "Mr. Ding, I just withdrew this from the bank. Please count it."
Ding Yuanying said, "Do you think this is a mature act for an adult?"
Rui Xiaodan said, "Is your promise immature or is my fulfillment of the promise immature?"
Ding Yuanying was speechless. After a pause, he handed her a cigarette.
Rui Xiaodan said, "Thank you. I've quit. According to the rules, you should write me an IOU."
Ding Yuanying lit the cigarette for himself, took a slow puff, went to the bedroom to get a pen and paper, and wrote a 200,000-yuan IOU on the spot and handed it to Rui Xiaodan, saying, "This isn't rational. It's like gambling."
Rui Xiaodan looked at the IOU and put it away, saying, "I noticed that the phone number you called to borrow money was a Beijing mobile number. That person must be the first one you could think of to borrow money from. I'm going to Beijing tomorrow. I hope to meet this person. I hope you can arrange a meeting for me. I'll let you know the train number after I book the ticket. There's only one purpose. I want to know more about you. I want to know who you are."
Ding Yuanying was caught off guard by Rui Xiaodan's extraordinary move. After hesitating instinctively for a moment, he chose his words carefully and said, "This isn't appropriate. At least, it's not proper for you."
Rui Xiaodan smiled faintly and said, "It's not polite of you to talk to your creditor like this. I may have many thoughts, but at least my right to know about the debtor as a creditor should be respected." After saying that, she opened the black plastic bag, put the cardboard box full of records on the coffee table, and used her car key to cut open the seal, revealing the box of records.
Ding Yuanying showed a hint of surprise when he saw the records.
Rui Xiaodan said, "I've bought back all the records you sold at the 'Gu Dao Record' store. In the future, if you want to sell records, just sell them to me. Here's 10,000 yuan in advance." She put 10,000 yuan on the coffee table and then asked, "How much did you sell each record to Liu Bing? 50? Or 60?"
Ding Yuanying didn't answer.
Rui Xiaodan said, "I'll offer 100 yuan each. Don't say it's unfair competition." She looked at her watch. The hands were already pointing to 2:00. She took out the key to the newly rented house and put it on the coffee table, adding, "I've rented a house and paid the rent for one year. The moving company will be here at 2:00 to move. I've arranged with the landlord to hand over the house at 3:00. Hurry up and pack."
Before she finished speaking, the sound of a truck braking and turning off the engine came from downstairs. Ding Yuanying walked to the window and looked downstairs. It was indeed the moving company's truck, and several people got out of the truck and opened the carriage. He knew that it was clearly not the right time to discuss the whereabouts of the 10,000 yuan in cash and the box of records. This was not the moment to solve the problem.
Ding Yuanying thought for a moment and said, "Miss Rui, I'm not so pretentious as to ignore what might happen. But what you see may not be what it seems. Heaven knows, earth knows, and there will be no result."
Rui Xiaodan asked, "What won't have a result?"
Ding Yuanying was at a loss for words.
Rui Xiaodan smiled and said, "Even if it's on the verge of being revealed, you can't say it because saying it would be wrong. It's like the law. A crime can't be convicted just by reasoning. There must be an evolving process between possibility and fact."