Before Wang Xiaoling answered the phone, I imagined many possibilities, but none of them seemed very plausible. I had been away from Dali for a long time and couldn't think of anything I had done that could have brought us together. I also had a phobia of the police station. I would never forget the feeling of helplessness and fear when I was framed by Cao Jinbo!
Wang Xiaoling answered my call, and I spoke to her first, saying, "I heard from Lao Ma that you just came to the farm to see me?"
"Well, there's something we need your cooperation in our investigation. It's not convenient to talk about it over the phone, so please come to the Municipal Bureau tomorrow."
"You've been transferred to the Municipal Public Security Bureau?"
"Yes, in charge of criminal investigations."
"The cases that come to you are never small cases, are they?"
Wang Xiaoling smiled but didn't say anything. This was tantamount to my tacit agreement, which made me even more suspicious. However, since she didn't want to talk much on the phone, I didn't ask any further questions. In the end, I just said to her, "I have to attend a friend's wedding tomorrow morning. Can I come to see you in the afternoon?"
"No problem. Call me when you arrive and I'll come out to meet you."
"good."
"Is this a phone number you use regularly?"
"Yes, this is my number in China, it's always been active... If you need to contact me in the future, just call this number."
Wang Xiaoling responded and ended the call.
I stood there for a long time, unable to describe my feelings. My emotions were conflicted; one moment I longed for tomorrow to arrive quickly, and the next I wished time could slow down... I seemed to smell turmoil in the darkness, like rust or burning plastic... In short, it made me panic and instinctively wanted to escape.
...
Coach Ma, who was next to me, asked again, "I still haven't told you what it is?"
"Yes, she said it wasn't convenient to talk about it over the phone..."
Coach Ma frowned and thought for a while, then said to me, "Is it possible that they're going to make a move against Cao Jinbo?"
"If there's no basis for it, we'd better not make any 'random' statements."
Coach Ma lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and said, “You haven’t been in China lately, so you might not be aware of the situation here… This time, not only is there a nationwide crackdown on organized crime, but even those protecting criminals will be thoroughly investigated… A few days ago, the police chief of a neighboring county was placed under investigation for allegedly acting as a long-term protector of organized crime, and several gang leaders have been arrested… I think it will soon be Dali’s turn, so Wang Xiaoling’s visit to you at this time is probably for this reason… I think Cao Jinbo’s good days are coming to an end. He has offended too many people, and someone must have already reported him.”
I was momentarily stunned, then habitually asked, "Really?"
Coach Ma nodded and then said, "However, in the past few years..."
"He's already been cleaned up. Even in a crackdown on organized crime, you need evidence first... I think Cao Jinbo's rise to this point shouldn't be underestimated; his connections are undeniable. Even if the higher-ups really want to take him down, it won't be easy... Unless they take down his protectors first... If things go wrong, he might even turn around and bite you!"
"Yes, this person is too cautious. Finding evidence against him won't be an easy task!"
At this moment, Coach Ma patted me on the shoulder and said, "You're basically no longer in the country now, and I still think you shouldn't get yourself involved... When you meet Wang Xiaoling tomorrow, be a little reserved... I reckon she'll ask you about Cao Jinbo's attempt to forcibly buy our inn and get you imprisoned... Even if it's proven true, it definitely won't be able to get rid of Cao Jinbo; so, try your best not to offend him, after all, we're all still in Dali... We've finally settled down and want to live a peaceful life, especially Tie Nan, who just got out of there, it's not good for him to cause trouble!"
"I understand what you mean."
"Hmm... Cao Jinbo has committed many evil deeds. There will definitely be someone more powerful than him to deal with him. We ordinary people should just live our lives peacefully... There's no need to provoke him."
...
Back at the farm, I quickly washed up and lay down on the bed, but I couldn't fall asleep for a long time. I sat on the bed for a while, then sat on the sofa, gazing at the distant starry sky, lost in thought.
What will the future hold?
If I let go and ignore it, would that be the best outcome?
My life has gradually started to get back on track; now I have a good career and have accumulated some assets; at least materially, this is the best stage of my life, and I really should enjoy life... But Dali is a bottomless quagmire for me.
I took a deep breath... and then made a decision in my heart: after seeing Wang Xiaoling, I would leave Dali immediately and never ask about things here again.
Looking further ahead, I plan to buy an apartment in Shanghai early next year, as a way of fulfilling a long-held wish...
How wonderful! I finally have a house and a luxury car in Shanghai... Why should I bother with those troublesome things that are beyond my control!
Thinking about it this way, I immediately felt relieved, and after returning to bed, I fell asleep shortly afterward.
...
The next morning, I was awakened by the sunlight. As soon as I opened my eyes, I was stunned by the beautiful scenery before me. My back window faced Cangshan Mountain, and my front window faced Erhai Lake. Around the wooden house was a sea of flowers and grass. The ponies were hiding in the grass eating tender grass. The sunlight shone through the branches and leaves, falling on my feet and on the ponies' feet.
I poured myself a cup of hot tea and held it in my hands.
I just kept looking outside until Yang Sisi called me.
After I answered the call, she asked me, "Are you all ready? I'll come pick you up."
"Okay, come on over... I can have breakfast here."
"I've already eaten... If you haven't, hurry up... We'll go straight to the hotel later... Don't give anything away in front of Cao Xiaobei, make sure he gets married properly, understand?"
I smiled and asked, "Could it be that he still harbors illusions about you?"
"Whether he still harbors illusions, I don't know... but he must be feeling very sad inside."
"Yes, otherwise he wouldn't have 'forced' you to attend his wedding... But what exactly does he mean?... Is he trying to prove that he's doing well?"
"No, he wanted me to prove to him... I've always told him that I'm the happiest woman in the world. Don't you men have a sixth sense too?... He knows I'm lying to him."
(End of Chapter)
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