That night, Ye Zhi and I parted on bad terms. I didn't even eat before returning to my budget hotel. I sat there for a long time before calming down amidst the pattering rain.
Of course I know Ye Zhi meant well by giving me this option, but I couldn't get over it myself. I also inexplicably loathed everything related to Shanghai, which is why I said such harsh words to her.
She must have been quite heartbroken.
...
I took a hot shower and was eating instant noodles when Bai Lu called me. I knew she was concerned about the outcome of my conversation with Ye Zhi.
Sure enough, after the call connected, she asked me, "Michael, have you met with Ye Zhi?"
"I saw him."
What did she say?
I relayed what Ye Zhi had told me to Bai Lu. After a moment of silence, Bai Lu replied, "What she said is probably true... After all, someone who can handle such a large project must be a large corporation, so she's definitely not the only one with influence."
"Yes, it's really unpleasant to feel like you have to ask someone for a favor!"
Bai Lu sighed, "If there's really no hope, then let's not force it. Come back soon and let's make the most of this last month or so of business."
"Um."
After Bai Lu told me to rest early, she hung up the phone. For me, the night began to feel deep and lonely again.
I lay heavily on the bed, but despite being exhausted, I couldn't fall asleep at all.
I'm thinking about whether I should talk to Ye Zhi again, but I can't find a reason to continue the conversation.
...
It was already very late at night, and I recklessly lit another cigarette to dispel the bitterness in my heart and the anxiety of insomnia. At the same time, I was also refreshing my WeChat Moments, which had become a habit when I couldn't sleep.
Yang Sisi didn't send any more messages to inquire about the outcome of my conversation with Ye Zhi, but she posted on her WeChat Moments, saying that she was going abroad soon and reminding her friends to make the most of their time to get together with her.
I gave her a thumbs up, and it came from the bottom of my heart, because her decision to leave Dali, this place of trouble, early on was a very correct one. She really didn't need to worry about us.
...
Because of insomnia, I didn't get up until 10:30 the next day. I checked out of the hotel and prepared to drive back to Dali. For me, it was really not worth wasting any more time in this small county town.
On the way, I found a noodle shop and planned to have breakfast and lunch together.
During the meal, I received a WeChat message from Ye Zhi: "Are you there? I think I've run into a scammer! I can't understand what he's saying, and he's been lying under my car and won't move!"
I put down my chopsticks and replied, "Is there a dashcam installed in the car?"
"I didn't pay much attention."
Ye Zhi said it was normal not to notice, because many dashcams are now hidden and require a phone connection to view the footage. I replied again: "Go back to your car first, don't give him any money, and don't argue with him... then send me your current location, I'll be right there."
Should I call the police?
"Don't call the police if you don't have a dashcam. It'll only lead to confusion and a lot of trouble."
Will he call the police?
“If he were really trying to scam me, he definitely wouldn’t report it. When the police arrive, they’ll take him to the hospital. He’s only after the money, why would he go to the hospital and suffer like that… Just stay in the car, I’ll handle this for you.”
How can you be so confident?
"I'm a fucking thug, why would I be afraid of a scoundrel like him?!"
Ye Zhi sent a sweating emoji and then stopped talking. The next moment, I walked out of the noodle shop, set the location she sent as my destination on the navigation, and then drove towards where she was.
...
Ten minutes later, I arrived at the accident scene and, sure enough, saw a middle-aged man, about forty years old, lying under Ye Zhi's car wheel. I parked my car on the side of the road and walked over. At the same time, I sent Ye Zhi a message: "Check behind your car's rearview mirror. Is there a protrusion there? Usually, hidden dashcams are installed behind that."
"No."
"I really admire you rich people! Well, you have high insurance premiums anyway, so just run him over and leave the rest to the insurance company."
"Can you stop joking?"
I smiled and replied, "No joke, I'm already here. When I talk to him later, you absolutely mustn't come over and talk to him. You have to pretend you don't know me, okay?"
"Okay, I'll listen to you."
...
I pushed through the crowd and went to the middle-aged man's side. I squatted down and asked him, "Brother, where are you hurt?"
The middle-aged man, speaking in the local dialect and with a pained expression, said to me, "My legs... I can't walk anymore!"
I exclaimed, "Wow, that's quite a big deal... How did she bump into you?"
"I was just walking along the road when her car suddenly darted out from over there. I couldn't dodge it in time, and it knocked me down. My leg still hurts a lot!"
I looked down at his legs again and said with concern, "Brother, you really got hurt this time! I see your pants pockets are bulging, could it be your cell phone...? You should take it out and check, these things aren't cheap, if it breaks, you'll have to make him pay for it!"
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