Chu Jiajun howled as he lunged at him. Ji Yongtao couldn't see clearly, only feeling a sharp pain in his abdomen. One, two, three times—the man pinned him to the boundary between the inside and outside of the car and stabbed him three times with the dagger. One of the blades had clearly pierced a vital spot, and Ji Yongtao's breathing changed immediately. Air rapidly escaped from his lungs, unable to remain in his body.
He had to hold Chu Jiajun's hand tightly to keep the knife inside his body and prevent it from being pulled out.
Chu Jiajun's eyes were filled with blood and tears, like a whirlpool and a juicer, and all the softness and hope that remained in his body in the past were shattered - he gave up the knife, leaving it in Ji Yongtao's body, then snatched the jammed gun, put the muzzle to the man's eyebrows, and frantically pulled the trigger that would not fire the bullet.
Then, like a puppet with its strings cut, the man writhed helplessly against him, his blood-stained hair tangled like red silk. Lying on top of him, Chu Jiajun burst into tears.
He cried for a long time until he was exhausted.
Do you know?
Do you know why I didn't kill you and why I stayed in Ai Ya River?
Please, just say you know.
He wearily pulled himself to his feet, his hair dripping with blood, draping over his face. Ji Yongtao's breathing grew increasingly labored, each breath in and out of his lungs like a shattered bellows. The knife had penetrated his abdomen too deeply, its tip piercing the lower left lung.
But the killing intent came so quickly.
Ji Yongtao pulled the dagger from his abdomen and stabbed him—Chu Jiajun grabbed the blade that was thrusting at him, cutting his finger. The man, already half-dangling in the air, slid out of the car, tumbling down the slope beside the road and disappearing into the dense black forest below.
Ji Yongtao heard him scream and saw him trying to reach out and grab him.
But it was too late.
-
Because of the chaos at the gold exhibition, the jewelry exhibition was cancelled in City A. But compared to Chu Jiajun's news, the news of the exhibition cancellation was silently drowned out in the city.
Aiyahe Community is famous for being the western restaurant where Chu Jiajun hid his meat. The whole street is filled with a spooky atmosphere.
Dafei was temporarily taken in by a neighbor to be taken care of. He probably lost a lot of weight because he missed his owner.
Ji Yongtao returned to his hometown.
He was found collapsed in the woods by a patrolman from the joint defense team and was taken to the hospital, where he was saved. After returning, he was suspended for a month for an investigation, and all the things related to Chu Jiajun were taken away from his home.
After that, he went back home.
Mother and son hadn't seen each other in years, and the family knew about Xu Fei's situation. Only at mealtime would his mother and other family members sit at the table with him, while his stepfather would sit in front of the TV with his bowl, watching and eating. His mother's other child seemed to want to talk to him, but every time he did, his parents would quickly send him somewhere else.
Ji Yongtao passed by Xu Fei's home. He had only been there once many years ago, and he could no longer remember any impression of his family.
He stayed in his hometown for only three days, then bought a ticket in advance and returned to City A after lunch. His mother saw him off to the door, asked him a few questions about his well-being, and then they parted ways.
Li Yu invited him to dinner and told him he would be back on duty the following week. After investigation, there was indeed no suspicion of accomplices, which could only be considered a serious oversight; but considering that he also risked his life in pursuit of the criminals, the organization's opinion was to give him a lighter sentence and allow him to make meritorious contributions while serving his sentence.
Ji Yongtao: Has he committed a crime again?
Li Yu: He should have run towards Zhejiang.
Ji Yongtao: He wanted to go to Shanghai. He might have robbed people along the way.
Li Yu: Did you know that he wrote to you?
Ji Yongtao thought he had heard it wrong.
During his suspension, Chu Jiajun sent several letters back to City A along the way. The content of the letters seemed ridiculous to others. They were just urging Ji Yongtao to "remember the old times" and quit his job to follow him.
Ji Yongtao: After I met him...
Li Yu: Your situation is no longer "contact".
Ji Yongtao: ...During the time I lived with him, I had a feeling that he had nothing to do with this world.
Ji Yongtao: At first I thought that college students were so focused on studying that they were out of touch with society. Later I thought about it, and realized that they didn't consider themselves a member of this society at all. They didn't have this concept. When they had no money, they robbed, and when they were unhappy, they killed.
Li Yu: But he stayed here for so long.
Ji Yongtao: Because he wanted to be one of them. He wasn't someone who was ostracized by society; he was someone who was torn away from society by force at a very young age... Actually, if...
He said this and said nothing more.
In the cafeteria, the two sat opposite each other in silence for a while. Li Yu lit a cigarette, and as the smoke settled, he said, "It's too late."
-
Before returning to work, he was assigned a research assignment. It seemed the provincial department had brought in a high-level talent who had studied abroad and was studying a course called "Psychology," and Ji Yongtao was asked to cooperate.
There are rumors in the workplace that this subject is about studying mental illness, and that if you learn it, you'll be able to read minds... Anyway, I've never heard of any child learning this, it's so mysterious.
Two people came: a middle-aged man and a young student. Ji Yongtao was called into their office. The man pushed his heavy glasses and repeatedly confirmed his basic information, including his name, age, birthday, and position.
Ji Yongtao: Why do we need to confirm things in the documents?
Man: Because you have to know who you think you are.
Ji Yongtao: Ah?
Man: That's right, Ji Yongtao, this is the identity your parents and the outside world have given you. But excluding these, who do you want to be?
Ji Yongtao: Ji Yongtao, what else?
Man: Don't be hostile to us...
Ji Yongtao: No, comrade, what do you mean? How can I not be myself?
Man: If you didn't have this identity, who would you want to be?
Ji Yongtao laughed a few times: Rich people.
The man nodded and wrote it down in his notebook.
Ji Yongtao: Wait. Can it be changed?
Man: Yes.
Ji Yongtao: ...Xu Fei's brother.
Man: Which Xu Fei?
Ji Yongtao: College student Xu Fei.
Man: Not Chu Jiajun?
Ji Yongtao: Whose ancestral grave spews fire to support that thing?
Man: Okay, what about your brother Xu Fei, he's a college student, what does he look like?
Ji Yongtao: He...
Ji Yongtao discovered that the Xu Fei in his mind had the face of Chu Jiajun.
He lay on the chair, staring blankly at the ceiling. The man asked: If he is not Chu Jiajun, but just Xu Fei, would you like to give up the identity of "Ji Yongtao" and become "Xu Fei's brother"?
Ji Yongtao nodded.
Man: What does this identity give you? Is it life value? Benefits? Or...
Ji Yongtao: It's nothing, just one more person at home.
Man: How many people were there in your family originally?
Ji Yongtao: Me alone.
Man: What this identity gives you is not called "another person in the family", but "home".
Ji Yongtao covered his face with his hands and smiled softly.
Man: Which identity does he want? Chu Jiajun or Xu Fei?
Ji Yongtao: He refused to leave, he must like the identity of Xu Fei.
Man: Then he wants the same thing as you.
Ji Yongtao remained silent, sighing deeply. His sigh was accompanied by a subtle murmur. Chu Jiajun had stabbed him three times, the last of which had pierced his left lung, and this would likely leave him with many aftereffects.
He returned to his office. A thin layer of dust coated the table, darkening the frame as well. Ji Yongtao picked it up, blew away the dust, and stared at it for a long time. A colleague passed by and patted him on the shoulder: "Don't overthink it. Who could have predicted this? No one else saw it. It's not just your fault."
Ji Yongtao threw the photo frame into his bag: I'm leaving.
Colleague: Oh? You're quitting?
Ji Yongtao: I will take a few people to Shanghai, he will definitely go there.
He had originally taken the dog home, but because he was on a business trip, he had to send it to a neighbor's house for foster care. As if unwilling to be sent away, Dafei followed Ji Yongtao desperately and refused to enter other people's houses. No matter how much the collar was pulled, it would not go in, and if it was carried in, it would rush out immediately.
Ji Yongtao squatted there, feeling helpless. Finally, for the sake of the mission, an exception was made and he was allowed to bring the dog with him.
Originally, the jewelry exhibition was planned to be held in City A. Chu Jiajun planned to make a big move, and some people were indeed inquiring about his plan and trying to join in.
After a period of exile in coastal areas, he arrived in Shanghai. It was January 1991, and the whole city was filled with the atmosphere of the New Year.
Along the way, he wrote to Ji Yongtao and even called his workplace—because no one answered the phone at Ji Yongtao's home. The man rarely went home and hadn't noticed that his home phone was already overdue.
Initially, the person on the other end took a conciliatory approach, trying to persuade him to surrender. After repeated calls, the person on the other end grew annoyed and left a message saying, "Either you tell me where you are, or call me if you have any other questions," before hanging up. Chu Jiajun simply wanted to know if the man was still alive, fearing he might have been too harsh.
In the coffee shop across from the train station, two people sat across from him, both wearing sunglasses and hats. They had finally managed to get Chu Jiajun to work, and the three of them planned to form a team. It was raining in Shanghai today, and the raindrops cast bright veins on the dusty window panes.
There is a rumor that the Japanese jewelry exhibition that was cancelled in City A will be held in Shanghai instead.
The person on the other end was talking to him, but he just looked at the phone book in his hand, flipping through the numbers. He called all the numbers related to Ji Yongtao, but received no response.
Later, he even called Ji Yongtao's hometown - it was his mother who answered the phone, and Chu Jiajun was quite happy: Hello, auntie!
The mother didn't react: You are…
Chu Jiajun: I'm Xu Fei, his cousin, so you're my aunt—
The next second, accompanied by a frightened female gasp, the call was hung up.
Chu Jiajun came back to his senses and closed the notebook in his hand - the two men were calling him. They were an uncle and nephew. They used to commit crimes in Yiwu. Recently, there was a severe crackdown, so they decided to make a big move in Zhejiang and then stop doing business.
Chu Jiajun had never really liked these "landers." Robbery was just a way for them to make money. Once they'd made enough, they'd stop, change their names, and start living their lives. He couldn't understand why they longed for the lives of ordinary people, working in a company, being scolded by managers, and enduring bullying... In his world, as long as they had a gun, they could do whatever they wanted.
But recently, he'd gradually changed. He had what he wanted—Xu Fei's life. Chu Jiajun didn't care that this life had been snatched from someone else. He had it anyway, and as long as they could still meet, he should be able to persuade Ji Yongtao to continue living this life.
Chu Jiajun: If I want to form a group, I can do it myself. Why should I include you two?
Chu Jiajun: 30% to 70%; you two can split the remaining 30%. I won't bargain.
Cheng Jiu: The inspections are getting stricter and stricter, especially since you caused such a commotion in City A. Even car thieves there can hardly survive!
Chu Jiajun: What does a few bicycle thieves have to do with me?
Cheng Jiu: As you headed southeast, the inspections became stricter along the way. I heard there was an investigation team that started from City A to investigate you. They stopped in Changshu to investigate your bank robbery case, and several people involved there were also arrested.
Cheng Jiu: If this investigation team really came for you, they would have arrived in Shanghai in the next two days.
Chu Jiajun yawned and didn't answer.
Cheng Jiu's nephew sat nearby, speaking very little, his eyes somewhat dull. He ate his lunchbox, his clothes stained with rice grains, and seemed to have a mental retardation. This man was enormous, as broad and fat as a wall. Compared to Chu Jiajun, this man was frighteningly conspicuous, making the others look unremarkable.
Chu Jiajun: If you don't agree to this share, there's no need to discuss it. I'm leaving...
He stood up from the table, but at the moment he stood up, a huge force grabbed his waist and lifted him up; this incredibly large force came from the fat man, and Chu Jiajun was in mid-air and couldn't struggle free at all.
There was a sudden panic in the coffee shop. The waiter thought that the customers were quarreling and wanted to come over to mediate. Then, accompanied by several screams, the fat man dropped Chu Jiajun, covering his forearm and wailing - Chu Jiajun stabbed him with a folding knife.
Blood gushed out, and the crowd went from panic to fear, shouting "Murder!" and running out.
Chu Jiajun fell to the ground, sheathed his folding knife, and ran to the door, intending to disappear as quickly as possible. The train station was bustling with people, and many people noticed the chaos in the cafe and stopped to watch.
He was about to run and casually glanced at the exit; then he stopped and stared blankly at the exit of the train station.
——He saw Ji Yongtao.
At first, Chu Jiajun thought he had misjudged Ji Yongtao; he had come out with his teammates and was talking to the local contact. Moreover, he was accompanied by a dog.
He wanted to watch a little longer, but suddenly, the dog's gaze turned towards him. Perhaps it had smelled a familiar scent, and Dafei suddenly became excited and struggled desperately towards him. Ji Yongtao was worried that it would get lost in the crowd, so he pulled the leash tightly.
After arriving in Shanghai, the biggest challenge they faced was language.
The popularization of Mandarin hasn't yet reached its initial stage of success this year. While it might be okay for people with the same language background, like Ji Yongtao and Chu Jiajun, who grew up traveling around with others and are familiar with and able to speak and understand various local dialects, the more difficult Cantonese and Wenzhou dialect were gradually learned due to the large number of cases they handled.
But Shanghainese is totally incomprehensible. The speech is fast, with many reduplications, and inexplicable polyphones in almost every sentence. Apart from the "伐" at the end of the sentence, several people struggled for a long time but couldn't make out any pattern.
There seemed to be a fight going on in the cafe across the street, and he looked over there curiously. Dafei started getting excited again, barking non-stop in a certain direction.
Colleague: Brother Yong, we finally managed to convince him. Let's go to the guesthouse to put our things, have a quick meal, and then start the meeting.
Ji Yongtao: Give me the address, I'm going to walk the dog first.
Colleague: Do you know how to get to the guesthouse?
Ji Yongtao: Follow the map.
Colleague: Um...um, Xiao Jiao, how far is the train station, that is, this place, from the guesthouse, where we sleep?
Colleague: Huh? In Hong...Hong Town? Brother Yong said he was in Hong Town.
Ji Yongtao thought, how far can it be from the train station to Hong Town, so he went to walk the dog.
Compared to City A, Shanghai's colors are grayer. There are a few nightclubs at the intersection, but other places are mostly dark. On the side of the road, a few old men were laughing at the newly dug "hole" by the Pudong River: "Look at that design! Sticking a candied haws on the bank of the Huangpu River? Isn't that a mistake? Who knows what it'll look like when it's built..."
—It seems that Shanghai recently built a very strange building on the Huangpu River. Some people said it looked like a candied haws with the ball missing. He glanced at the promotional pictures of the project on the street. It really did look like it.
It was late, and the streets were deserted. After eight o'clock, the busiest places were dance halls, video halls, and nightclubs. Karaoke was a trendy thing along the coast, and the young people in our company wanted to go there for a social gathering next time.
He took Dafei for a spin and bought some food and water for it. It was a rare opportunity to come here, so Chu Jiajun had wanted to go look around. He had originally planned to go to Huaihai Road and Nanjing Road and visit the First Food Department Store.
The further he got from the commercial street, the sparser the lights became. He looked at the map under a streetlight, and when he saw the distance between himself and his destination, Ji Yongtao couldn't help but curse.
Taxis were scarce and expensive. When I went on a business trip, I gave my travel allowance to a colleague, who only had a dozen yuan on him. Ji Yongtao sat on the side of the road with his dog, struggling to find the night bus route.
Suddenly, a hand reached out from the side and handed over three hundred-dollar bills.
He was stunned and turned to look at the man. Under the dim streetlight, Chu Jiajun had an expectant smile on his face. Dafei happily jumped on his back and licked his face desperately.
Chu Jiajun: Take a taxi. There are very few buses at night.
Ji Yongtao wanted to take action, but the man held a gun in his other hand and pointed the gun at him.
Chu Jiajun: My gun won't jam.
He held Ji Yongtao at gunpoint, forcing the man to stand up. Through the lamppost, he could only see half of the man's face.
Chu Jiajun: I know you get a daily allowance for business trips, but it's quite small. This isn't much, so take it. I'm in a difficult situation right now...
Ji Yongtao didn't even wait for him to finish and tried to grab his gun-holding hand from the side; the two figures flexibly circled around the lamppost and confronted each other, and Chu Jiajun barely dodged it.
Chu Jiajun: I will give you more in the future. Can you please be a little reasonable?