87 The Farmer and the Snake
"Hello, Xiaoyu, have you gotten off the train yet?" The call connected, and a brisk voice came through, carrying a subtle hint of anticipation. "Xiao Zhou is waiting for you at Exit 1 South!" "You... went to the train station?" "Going," not "coming," Jin Lang keenly noticed this subtle distinction. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Liu Yuwei's apology, "I'm sorry, something urgent happened and I couldn't get back. I forgot to tell you!" "Is Auntie still not feeling well?" he hurriedly asked with concern. "No, it's nothing to do with my mom. It's something about work..." Liu Yuwei mumbled vaguely, her fingers twisting the corners of her clothes. "Then..." Jin Lang muttered to himself, "Tomorrow morning's opening ceremony..." "I'm sorry, I promised you that, but..." "It's okay, work is more important!" Jin Lang interrupted her, deliberately raising his voice as if his mood hadn't been affected, but the sound of his fingers tapping could be heard from the other end of the line. "Xiaoyu, when do you expect to be back?" Liu Yuwei was silent for a moment, the verdict still displayed on the computer screen before her, and her heart was heavy. "It's hard to say right now..." she began with difficulty. "Just focus on filming the movie, don't worry about me!" "I should be with the crew for a few months after filming starts..." Jin Lang pondered, as if searching for a connection, his voice becoming softer. "But luckily, the studio isn't far away this time. You can come see me when you're free!" Hearing his expectant invitation, Liu Yuwei felt her heart squeeze and clench, bitterness and guilt instantly turning into a sharp pain. What she had learned half an hour ago weighed on her chest like a heavy mountain, almost suffocating her breath... "Jin Lang..." she called, her voice trembling. "Hmm?" A few seconds of silence seemed as long as an century. The urge to reveal the truth surged in her throat, suppressed by an inexplicable worry. "Xiao Yu?" "Well, I just want to ask you, is your uncle also buried in the Lingshan Cemetery on the outskirts of the city?" "Yes..." Jin Lang was a little surprised, "Why do you think of asking this?" "My grandfather's death anniversary is in two days, and we are going to visit the grave. It just so happens... I want to stop by and take a look..." Jin Lang seemed to remember the previous agreement, and his tone became more gentle, "Don't bother, wait until "The Past of the Dust Lamp" is finished filming, then we can go together! I want... to take you to see him in person." "Okay..." After hanging up the phone, Liu Yuwei collapsed on the bed like a deflated balloon. It would be better to wait until everything is investigated thoroughly before telling Jin Lang, so that it can be regarded as... making amends? Or perhaps, if this setting sun...
"Hey, Xiaoyu, are you getting off the bus?"
The phone was connected, and a cheerful voice came with a hint of imperceptible expectation.
"Xiao Zhou is waiting for you at Exit 1 South!"
"You... went to the train station?"
Go, not come. Jin Lang was very keen to catch this subtle difference. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Liu Yuwei's apology, "I'm sorry, I have something urgent to do and can't go back. I forgot to tell you!"
"Is Auntie still not feeling well?" he asked hurriedly with concern.
"No, it has nothing to do with my mom. It's something about work..."
Liu Yu was vague in his response, twisting the corner of his clothes with his fingers.
"Then..." Jin Lang muttered to himself, "Tomorrow morning's opening ceremony..."
"I'm sorry, I promised you, but..."
"It's okay, work is more important!" Jin Lang interrupted her and deliberately raised his voice, as if his mood was not affected, but the sound of finger tapping came from the other end of the phone.
"Xiaoyu, when do you expect to be back?"
Liu Yuwei was silent for a moment. The verdict was still displayed on the computer screen in front of him, and his heart was heavy.
"It's hard to say right now..." She said with difficulty, "Just focus on filming the movie and don't worry about me!"
"I should be with the crew for a few months after the filming starts..." Jin Lang pondered, as if looking for some connection point, and his voice became softer, "But luckily the studio is not far away this time, you can come find me when you have time!"
Hearing his eager invitation, Liu Yuwei felt a squeeze and clenching of her heart, bitterness and guilt instantly transforming into a sharp, stabbing pain. What she had learned half an hour ago weighed heavily on her chest, almost suffocating her...
"Jin Lang..." She called out, her voice trembling slightly.
"Um?"
A few seconds of silence seemed like a century. The urge to reveal the truth surged in my throat, but was suppressed by inexplicable worry.
"Xiaoyu?"
"Well, I just wanted to ask you, is your uncle also buried in that Ridge Mountain Cemetery on the outskirts of the city?"
"Yes..." Jin Lang was a little surprised, "Why did you think of asking this?"
"My grandfather's death anniversary is in two days, and we're going to visit his grave. It's a good opportunity... I wanted to stop by and take a look..."
Jin Lang seemed to remember the previous agreement, and his tone became gentler. "Don't bother, wait until "The Past of the Dust Lamp" is finished filming, and then we can go together! I want to... take you to see him in person."
"Alright..."
After hanging up the phone, Liu Yuwei collapsed on the bed like a deflated balloon. Perhaps he should wait until everything was thoroughly investigated before telling Jin Lang. Would that even be considered… making amends?
Or maybe, if this sunset hadn't made things worse, Jin Lang wouldn't have noticed these old things at all, then... could he just keep quiet and take things one step at a time?
She sat up suddenly and shook her head vigorously, trying to get the idea out of her mind.
At this time, the mobile phone screen lit up again, and it was a Weibo prompt.
Liu Yu was delighted to find that the netizen who knew the situation had actually replied to her. The other party said that he was in the Acropolis and some of the things he said were not convenient to post online, so they could meet in person to talk.
She quickly replied that it was no problem and that she was also in the Acropolis and was always available.
Yu Yao was holding up half a piece of tender yellow corn stuck on chopsticks and was about to give it to Liu Yuwei, but when he turned around, he saw her standing at the entrance changing her shoes with her computer bag.
"Mom, I won't be home for dinner. I have to go out for something!"
Liu Yuwei didn't expect the other party to be so forthcoming and actually say that he was free at noon. She followed the address sent to her and found the "Fu Man Xiang Dumpling Restaurant" in the basement of an old residential building.
The front door is not big, but inside it is bustling with people and the atmosphere is full of fireworks. She stopped a waiter who was serving food and asked, "Excuse me, which table is number 10?"
"Here, next to the air conditioner, the booth by the window!"
Liu Yuwei looked in the direction of the finger and found a thin man wearing black-framed glasses sitting there, looking down at his phone. She had expected the insider to be a weathered, middle-aged truck driver, and she couldn't help but wonder if she had been scammed, and she became more cautious.
"Hello, I'm Jin Lang's lawyer, Liu Yuwei, who contacted you online!"
The man looked up at Liu Yuwei, his eyes behind his glasses also filled with scrutiny and suspicion. He nodded towards the empty seat opposite him and said, "Sit down first!"
"One serving of pork with three fresh delicacies and one serving of cabbage with oil residue. That's it!"
The waiter swiftly placed two plates of steaming hot dumplings on the table. The man broke open the disposable chopsticks and poured some vinegar into the small dish.
"Have you eaten yet? If not, let's eat together!"
Liu Yuwei was thinking about the important things in his mind and waved his hand, "You eat first, we'll talk after you finish eating!"
The man picked up a dumpling and put it into his mouth. "Why do you look so familiar to me? What did you say your name was?"
"Liu Yuwei..."
He raised his cell phone, swiped his fingers quickly, then raised his eyelids and glanced at Liu Yuyi.
"Are you... the lawyer who was trending on the Internet a few days ago?"
Liu Yuwei didn't expect that this matter would be brought up suddenly. She straightened her back and met the inquiring gaze calmly.
"Yes...it's me, but those things on the internet are just rumors, just like what Xiyang Dongzhao said!"
"I came to you today because I don't want Jin Lang and Uncle Jin to suffer the same fate as me."
The man sneered, "You lawyers are the most eloquent and can turn black into white. Who would dare to believe your words?"
He paused, his tone suddenly becoming indignant. "If it weren't for the unscrupulous lawyer who helped the plaintiff, we wouldn't have lost the case, and Old Jin wouldn't have had to risk his life!"
These few words hit Liu Yuwei's most painful soft spot, but she also realized that this person really knew the inside story.
The fastest way to bring everyone together is to find a common enemy.
"Brother, besides being Jin Lang's lawyer, I'm also his...girlfriend."
She leaned forward and lowered her voice, afraid that the other party might not hear her clearly in this noisy environment, but the man quickly put on an expression of disbelief.
"Girlfriend? Then why doesn't he come out and dispel the rumors for you!"
Liu Yuwei was at a loss for words. How could she prove this? An idea suddenly struck her. She remembered a selfie of the three of them from when she had taken Xiaolu to Universal Studios.
She handed the screen to the man. He leaned closer, and his hand shook, causing the dumpling he had just picked up to fall back onto the plate.
He took the phone and looked at it carefully, then took the initiative to swipe left and right. He saw several pictures of Xiaolu and Liu Yuwei together. He asked in surprise, "You... already have children this big?"
Liu Yuwei was determined to make the best of a bad situation. "Well... I didn't make it public... I just wanted to protect the child. Some people online are too extreme."
The man nodded, and his suspicious look disappeared instantly. His eyes looking at Liu Yuwei were suddenly full of trust, and even a little concern and sympathy like an elder.
He swallowed a few dumplings in a hurry, put down his chopsticks, and took the initiative to start a conversation about the past.
The thin man is called Zhao Jian, an accountant at Jin Junping's company. When he was young, he got drunk and stood up for a friend, which left him with a criminal record. After being released, he encountered many setbacks. In the end, it was Jin Junping who gave him a job and dignity.
The transportation company, once thriving, plummeted after losing the lawsuit. Unable to pay the compensation, the other party demanded that dozens of heavy trucks be auctioned off. However, if the trucks were sold, the drivers would immediately lose their jobs, and all their contracts would be breached.
Jin Junping gritted his teeth and persevered, hoping to save the company and his employees' jobs. However, he was deemed to have "assets but refused to cooperate with their disposal" and was placed on the list of dishonest debtors. Liu Yuwei also knew the tragedy that followed.
Speaking of "the setting sun shining in the east", veins popped up on Zhao Jian's forehead and he denounced him as the ungrateful venomous snake in the story of the farmer and the snake.
This man's real name was Zhao Dongyang, the son of Mr. Zhao, the bus driver. He had been a passenger driver at Acropolis Bus, but was fired for dangerous drunk driving. Mr. Zhao begged Jin Junping to give his son a meal, repeatedly assuring him that he had quit drinking. Jin Junping, mindful of their past friendship, agreed.
Zhao Dongyang initially did well, but freight transport was far more demanding than bus transport. He privately complained that Jin Junping was taking advantage of his youth and assigning him more long-distance routes than other drivers. Later, he was caught with alcohol in his car, and Jin Junping scolded him in front of everyone.
Zhao Dongyang's traffic accident was most likely caused by drunk driving. The company not only paid his medical expenses but also compensated for the loss of his cargo. Old Zhao regretted this, believing he shouldn't have allowed his son to continue driving. After Old Zhao's death from a stroke, Zhao Dongyang became a lonely man. He brazenly made trouble at the company several times. Seeing his limping, Jin Junping felt sorry for him and gave him money out of his own pocket.
So many years have passed, and he is still using the same old tricks again. It's simply because he can't make ends meet and wants to extort some money.
After hearing the whole story, Liu Yuwei had a clear idea. Her plan was to find Zhao Dongyang and persuade him to delete his Weibo post. Of course, it would be even better if he could apologize proactively.
In the afternoon, Zhao Jian closed his small hardware store and accompanied Liu Yuwei to find the bungalow where the Zhao family had lived for decades. They happened to meet Zhao Dongyang limping out with his bare chest to throw away the garbage.
Knowing they were there for something online, his eyes lit up at first, excitedly believing Jin Lang had sent someone to give him money to ward off evil. But when he heard Liu Yuwei explain that this constituted malicious defamation and extortion, his expression changed instantly. He pulled a watermelon rind out of the trash bag and threw it at them, cursing, "Fuck! The richer they get, the stingier they become. They spent tens of millions on a movie, and they wouldn't even give me a penny! Even Jin Lang's farts are worth money now, and he's even less stingy than his father!"
"Get lost and stop nagging me!"
When faced with such a scoundrel, reasoning with him is obviously like talking to a cow.
Liu Yuwei returned home, brow furrowed. After a long moment of deliberation, she decided to split up. Zhao Jian would contact the veteran drivers at the transportation company and ask them to write down their knowledge as supporting evidence. Meanwhile, she bought herself a train ticket to the traffic police station where Zhao Dongyang's accident occurred and request access to the accident responsibility certificate. As long as they could clearly establish his conviction for driving under the influence, any dispute over the work-related injury would be resolved.
It was originally just a precaution, but a bloody storm suddenly hit without warning at night.
Initially, an entertainment account only revealed that the filming location for "The Past" had been completed, the crew was in place, and filming was set to begin in the next two days. Fans celebrated enthusiastically upon hearing the news.
I don't know if the gongs and drums were irritating Jin Lang's haters, or if someone behind the scenes was deliberately giving the rumormongers a boost at this crucial moment. Several Weibo posts that hadn't attracted much attention all day were retweeted and spread like crazy within a single hour.
Soon, the news that Jin Lang's father was a deadbeat debtor overshadowed the movie-related topics and became a hot search topic, becoming the electronic midnight snack for many netizens.
Zhao Dongyang sensed the surge in traffic and immediately posted a few more attention-grabbing posts to show off his sympathy. This time, he changed the direction and focused on the difficulties of life for people with disabilities.
Jin Lang's fans fought back vigorously, emphasizing that he had not "benefited" from Jin Junping's behavior, unlike some "rich second-generations" who relied on the hard-earned money of their deadbeat parents to pave their stardom. However, netizens who were surging with hatred for 208W didn't care about the past and only saw Jin Lang's current high-profile promotion of the father-son relationship and the film commemorating the deadbeat.
Some people sarcastically commented that there's a new breed of filial son in the Chinese entertainment industry, one who, while their parents aren't living, will squeeze out two ounces of oil from their ashes after they die. The concept poster for "Dust and Lamp Past" was even photoshopped with the eye-catching message: "The spirit of a deadbeat debtor has crossed over to the screen to whitewash himself."
With things escalating to this point, Liu Yuwei couldn't help but worry about whether the film could still start smoothly. She sent a WeChat message to Jin Lang. A green bubble hung alone in the dialog box. She held the phone, her eyelids growing heavier, until her consciousness blurred, and she didn't receive a reply.
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