Chapter 4: Farewell 1
I returned to Shanghai again and stayed there for quite a long time.
Nearly six months had passed since I left to accompany Li Zitong to the funeral. My previous job was long gone, so I had to resubmit my resume. Finally, before autumn deepened, I found a job that barely covered my mortgage.
My new company needed a certificate of resignation from my previous employer, so I went back. As soon as I walked in, the general manager, who happened to be passing by, grabbed me and took me to a conference room to talk about life.
After some heartfelt inquiries, he lamented that, for both professional and personal reasons, he hoped I would return to work. However, the HR department at headquarters was overbearing, stating that a month-long absence without reason was a serious violation of company policy. His requests were rejected several times.
I hummed and hawed politely, but didn't really take it to heart.
"Let's not talk about the bad things. How is the new job?" he asked.
"It's just okay. It's the end of the year, and there are very few job opportunities. I finally found a decent one, but the salary is one-third lower and the location is out of the way. To make it easier for work, I'll have to move across the river next month."
"Is it really that bad?" He looked skeptical.
"Can I still lie to you? Please keep an eye out for a good job for me. If it comes, I'll treat you to a meal."
"I don't believe it. When you talk about moving, you're as happy as if you won the sports lottery. Is your new job paying so well that you're afraid I'll be jealous?"
I quickly suppressed the smile on my face and said, "That's not true!"
After leaving the company, I went to the bathroom on the same floor to wash my face, staring at the mirror and reflecting on myself, wondering if I had been too complacent recently.
After returning to Shanghai, Li Zitong ignored the crew and stayed with me for a week. That period felt like a dream. Only when the assistant director called and lamented that the financing was going to run out of money if things continued like this did she hurriedly leave. I also got busy with my new job.
Yet, I remained euphoric. I felt the future was incredibly bright, life was filled with hope. Shanghai's morning rush hour subway might be the most crowded in the world. The elbows of the person in front of me pressed against my chin, the breaths of the person behind me pressed against my neck. Yet, even on this hellish journey, I could handle it with ease and joy, so busy with interviews. I even wanted to tell those sleep-deprived office workers, "Why so gloomy?" My heart was overflowing with happiness, so much so that I was happy to share it with everyone I met.
The reason I lost my composure in front of the general manager just now was similar. I was so excited at the thought of moving.
Last month, Li Zitong's filming work was nearing its end. She returned to Shanghai for some reason, and we naturally made an appointment to meet.
She owns a suite in Shanghai, located in an upscale residential complex on the Bund. When I first stepped into the lobby of the complex, I thought I'd stumbled into a five-star hotel. I couldn't even imagine how expensive the housing prices were.
The elevator goes directly into my home. As soon as I stepped out, five large dogs rushed over, eager to rub against me. I don't know why Li Zitong keeps so many dogs, but I don't dislike animals. After a few visits, I became familiar with them.
"You're here," Li Zitong leaned against the door, "I'm waiting for you to cook. I've bought all the ingredients."
"Don't you want to go out for dinner? I've picked a nice Japanese restaurant."
"No, I've been eating too many boxed lunches on the set lately, and I miss your cooking so much."
The house is nearly 200 square meters, but with five large dogs, the space still seems insufficient. While we eat, the dogs chase each other around the living room. I'm always worried they'll knock over the antique porcelain in the decorative cabinet or the vase on the coffee table, but Li Zitong seems unconcerned.
"Why are you such a good cook?" She picked up a piece of braised eggplant and put it in her mouth. "You really haven't received any special training?"
"When I first graduated, I was very poor and could only cook for myself. Anyone can make something of similar quality after a few years of practice."
"I've had to cook for myself since high school, but I still can't do it well. You have to have talent to be able to do it."
I couldn't argue with that. The first time I came here, Li Zitong cooked dinner herself. The taste wasn't just terrible; it was downright despairing. But she smiled at me, and I gritted my teeth, swallowing the charred meatballs that tasted like sawdust. I secretly wondered if Li Tianci had developed a sociopathic personality from being forced to eat too much of this stuff.
"By the way, I got a new key for the door." She put the key on the table, "It will be convenient for you to come over next time."
"What would I be doing here if you weren't here?"
"The film I'm working on will be finished next month. Would you like to consider living together then?"
I did consider it, but it didn't seem realistic. "You know my mom's situation. She needs someone to take care of her."
"I understand what you mean, but don't worry. I heard last month that the owner of the upstairs building wants to sell. The price has been negotiated through an agent, and I'll sign the contract and hand over the house once I get the money together. The house will be fully furnished when it's handed over, and the owner has never lived in it. Once it's fully furnished, you can let your mother move in."
"Wait, the apartment upstairs...how much did you mortgage?"
"I didn't have a loan, so I sold my stocks and mutual funds. Money is something you can always scrape together if you work hard."
Like the Polish cavalrymen facing tanks for the first time, I felt my worldview was profoundly impacted. Past life experience taught me that money is the only thing most easily lacking.
"It would be nice if you could at least discuss it with me in advance." I sighed.
"I was anxious, but this opportunity is rare. Considering our future, this is the best option. Your mother lives alone upstairs, making it easier for us to take care of her. At the same time, the living spaces are separated, so we won't disturb each other..." She paused, "Hey, are you listening?"
I stopped thinking and said, "Sorry, I felt a little weird and my mind wandered."
"What's strange about that?"
"It's just a feeling." I thought for a moment and said, "We talk about life choices like a couple who've been married for years, but we've only been dating for four months. Come to think of it, after being with you, my sense of time has become completely messed up. I always feel like a long time has passed. I even feel like these four months have stretched longer than my entire life."
She reached out her hand and gently placed it on the back of mine. "I feel the same way, like I'm possessed. These four months have been like a bouquet of flowers, but also a dream. It's incredible that the human body and mind can accommodate such a rich variety of emotions at the same time. If everyone's happiness is rationed, I'm so afraid that I've squandered all my life's happiness in this short time..."
As I emerged from the bathroom, my phone rang. It was Li Zitong. She had just returned to Shanghai after filming wrapped, and I thought she wanted to ask if I wanted to go out that evening, but that call almost became our last conversation.
"It's over, they won't believe it. I can't defend myself now." Her voice was distant on the phone, and it seemed that the speakerphone was on, but the nervousness in her words could still be clearly felt.
I straightened my back and gripped my phone tightly. "What's wrong? Did the police summon you to cooperate with the investigation again?"
"No, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have taken the initiative to investigate. I didn't expect to actually get it... Where are you now? How long will it take for you to get to Minhang?"
I was completely confused and could only try to comfort her while rushing to the underground parking lot, saying I'd get there as soon as possible. After much persuasion, she finally calmed down somewhat and explained the whole story.
Li Tianci had rented an apartment in Shanghai, having paid a year's rent in advance. Now that the lease was due, the landlord couldn't contact Li Tianci and couldn't remove all the tenant's belongings on his own, so he called the police. Following standard procedure, the police notified Li Tianci's family, Li Zitong.
After rushing to the apartment, the landlord gave her the key and left, saying that she would only have one more day to clean up.
She was forced to sort through the house. She called it sorting, but in reality, she just wanted to pack it all up and throw it away. There were a lot of clothes in the closet, and she had to fold them up and bundle them up. While doing so, she noticed the pocket of a windbreaker was stiff. Pulling it out, she found a platinum membership card for a high-end mall. There was also a receipt for a deposit, indicating that Li Tianci had once stored something there.
On a whim, she searched the pockets of every piece of clothing and found numerous receipts, many of which were large. The items purchased were almost all luxury goods, mostly men's fashion from Armani and Versace, with a number of Gucci leather bags and watches from Panerai and Blancpain.
However, she had never seen Li Tianci wearing luxury goods.
The deposit receipt and most of the shopping invoices were issued by the same mall. Out of curiosity, she immediately went to the mall with the receipt, intending to retrieve the items. Upon arrival, she discovered something more complicated. The information desk staff confirmed that Li Tianci had indeed deposited the items on January 10th of this year. However, he had specifically instructed that not only the receipt but also his presence was required to retrieve the items.
January 10th was the day after the Dawn Star was stolen. If the police death report was correct, Li Tianci would have been dead six months by then. She happened to have a photo of his death certificate and household registration on her phone, so she showed them on the spot, explaining that the person who had left the items had unfortunately passed away and she wanted to claim them as a relative.
The staff member was clearly stumped, seemingly having never encountered such a situation before, and the employee training manual didn't mention how to handle it. So she apologized profusely while contacting the duty manager.
Within two minutes, the manager, dressed in a well-tailored suit, arrived at the scene. He invited Li Zitong to the VIP reception room and, after a few words, he found out Li Zitong's identity and occupation, solving the problem on the spot.
He asked Li Zitong for his business card and then told the staff to fetch the items he had deposited with him. It was a heavy iron box with a combination lock.
"Your brother's untimely death is deeply saddening. Please accept my condolences," the manager said softly. "By the way, your brother had pre-ordered a limited edition watch when he passed away. The market price has almost doubled now. If you're willing, we'll keep it for you at the original price."
Li Zitong responded with a few words, her mind completely focused on the iron box, but she didn't want to open it on the spot and cause trouble. So she pretended to be calm and took her bag to the elevator under the escort of the mall staff.
She arrived at the parking lot, got into her car, closed the door, and glanced out the window to see that there was no one else. She hurriedly tried to unlock the password, but she tried Li Tianci's birthday, phone number, and other numbers related to him, but still failed to unlock the car.
Suddenly, someone knocked on her car window. She started, lowering her window to see that someone trying to park next to her was asking if she could move her car. She apologized and drove out of the parking lot.
She suspected that if the password was new and irregular, Li Tianci might have written it down somewhere to avoid forgetting it. She returned to Li Tianci's apartment, but couldn't find the note. Reminiscing, she had an idea. She tried her birthday, and the lock unlocked. The "Dawn Star," missing for nearly a year, suddenly reappeared, its diamond radiance illuminating the entire room.
She took a deep breath, managing to calm herself. She pulled out her phone, wanting to call the police, but she struggled to dial. She suddenly realized she was still a suspect. If she voluntarily handed the stolen property back, would the police not become suspicious? Even if they didn't pursue the case, how would the media, swarming around the case like flies, report on it? Would anyone believe she had come across this priceless jewel by chance?
She thought about it over and over again, and her mood became more and more confused. Finally, she couldn't help but call me.
After learning the whole story, I said calling the police was the only solution. At this point, hiding it for long would be impossible and would only put her in a more awkward position.
After my repeated persuasion, Li Zitong finally agreed to call the police. However, because she was afraid, she wanted me to go with her, so I naturally agreed.
"I'll send you the address later," she said softly, "Come here quickly."
I set off immediately. There were a lot of red lights along the way, and many low-quality drivers cut in. The whole journey took more than an hour.
Li Tianci rented room 302 of the apartment building. I ignored the elevator, which had stopped at the 15th floor, and rushed up the stairs. When I reached my destination, I was stunned. The door to room 302 was not closed, but only ajar.
A sense of foreboding washed over me. I pushed the door open and rushed in. The house was a mess. So much junk had been moved to the living room, waiting to be packed. It was hard to find a place to put it.
I called Li Zitong's name, but no one responded. Every room was empty.
My heart sank, and I immediately called her. Luckily, her phone didn't ring in the room; she'd taken it with her when she left. I prayed as the waiting tone stretched on, but no one answered. By the third time, I'd almost given up hope, but surprisingly, the call went through.
I was so excited that I couldn't speak coherently and repeated her name several times. But she was the first to speak, and I immediately stopped talking in shock.
"There's no point in yelling so affectionately. You're in the trunk, you can't hear anything." A familiar male voice came from the reporter Yang Chunhui, or perhaps Li Tianci, who hadn't died. The background noise was mixed with the clatter of traffic and horns.
"If anything happens to her, I won't let you go." I threatened in a low voice.
"Oh, that's really scary." He laughed playfully. "Actually, I didn't want to be too ruthless. But who told her to be so nosy and steal my things?"
"Just for a piece of jewelry, you're going to kill someone again?"
"Oh, a piece of jewelry." He laughed dryly. "You're right, it's just that it has too many diamonds, so the price is really high. More importantly, I hate it when people touch my things."
That's not yours at all, you're just a penniless thief. I thought so, but I held back and said, "You've got the stuff, what else do you want?"
"Bah, you're pretending quite well. If I really had it, why would I still be chatting with you? Are you so bored? If you have any sense, hand over the "Dawn Star" in exchange, or you'll never see her again."
"I don't understand what you're saying."
"Stop talking nonsense. You're tempted by the money, right? I've made it clear. The item is in your hands. You said the police are watching and it's not safe to leave it with her, so you should keep it properly. And so you scammed her out of it."
I was startled. "I definitely don't mean that. Release Li Zitong, and we'll meet somewhere. I'll return your things to you."
"Do you think I'm stupid? You're going to let me go if I don't get it? Meet me in Luodian Town, Baoshan District, in an hour. I'll tell you the specific address when I get there."
"Baoshan? This amount of time is too tight."
"Don't worry, I've calculated it using the navigation. As long as you don't do unnecessary things like calling the police, you'll definitely make it in time. It'll only be an hour. When the time comes and I can't see anyone, I'll drive the entire car, including the things in the trunk, into the river and be done with it." After saying that, he hung up the phone.
Putting my phone down, I immediately began searching the room. Li Zitong's intention to lie was obvious. When Li Tianci came to our house, the crown was in her hands. She found a way to hide it. She believed that I would understand and cooperate, so she lied to Li Tianci, allowing us to maintain a certain degree of initiative.
I rummaged through the clutter in the living room and, sure enough, I found the "Dawn Star" from the bag of rice.
I nearly broke the electric lift gate as I drove out of the complex. I ran three red lights and sped onto the Outer Ring Expressway, seizing a clear window to call my father. If I called the police, explaining myself would be too time-consuming.
As soon as the call was connected, I explained the situation directly. As experienced as my father was, he remained calm and asked some crucial questions, quickly gaining a thorough understanding of the situation.
"I have a general understanding of the situation. Don't worry, slow down first and find the nearest exit up ahead. Find a place to park and we'll discuss it later."
"Take a long-term view? The deadline is almost here. If we slow down, we won't be able to catch up."
"That's why we have to take the long view. The first rule of negotiation is not to let the criminals lead you by the nose. He will definitely call you again when the time comes. Just say there was a vehicle problem and the delay."
"It just so happens that at this point in time, he will definitely become suspicious."
"Of course he'll be skeptical, but there's nothing he can do. After all, his goal is to get the crown, and giving up here won't do him any good. After weighing the pros and cons, he'll most likely change the time and location for you to meet, and that's enough. With a time buffer, we can deploy police forces and implement lockdown measures in advance."
"Will it really be that easy? With his intelligence, he's not that easy to fool."
"Trust me. Your dad has been a police officer all his life. I've seen a lot of people like this. Their little tricks can't fool me. Just do what I say. Even the most cunning mouse can't beat a cat."
But this time the opponent is different. He is someone who has deceived the police several times before.
"What if he realizes I called the police and it's all over..."
"There's no such thing as a 'what if'!" my father raged. "You won't go wrong if you listen to me. Don't be foolish enough to run over there alone. What can you, an amateur, do? You might end up with the worst possible outcome. Not only will you fail to save the person, but you'll also get yourself into trouble."
I yanked the steering wheel, changed lanes and avoided the truck in front of me, and the tires made a sharp hissing sound.
"What happened?" the father asked nervously, "Slow down quickly."
"It's a small matter." I pulled a hand away and wiped away the sweat that was flowing into my eyes and obstructing my vision. "I have a question for you to answer honestly. If someone else came to you for help instead of me, would you give the same solution?"
My father hesitated for two seconds and said, "Of course, this is the only reasonable solution." But I realized from his hesitation that when he first envisioned the solution, he prioritized his position as a father.
"Sorry, I still don't dare to take the risk."
My father was about to say something else when his phone beeped, signaling another call. I quickly hung up and answered the other one.
"You were talking to someone just now." The voice on the line was very cold.
I quickly explained that I had just accidentally answered a sales call. I thought he had changed his number and answered without thinking. Li Tianci was silent for a long time after hearing this.
The car entered a long tunnel, the orange lights and turn signal lights occasionally flashing across the window glass. He finally spoke again, "I'll give you one last chance. If I find your phone busy again, the deal will be canceled immediately."
"Of course not." I changed the subject. "I'm almost in Luodian Town. Where exactly should we meet?"
"Gone. Let's change the place. Keep driving north and we'll see you in Changshu in an hour."
"But didn't we just agree that..."
"You were the first to breach the contract, right?" He hung up the phone coldly.
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