At the entrance of the Guangdong Road used car city, Ah Cai sat inside the white Prado. He didn't start the engine. Instead, he stroked the steering wheel with a cold smirk, then flipped open the contract he had just signed.
"A monthly payment of 6,616 for five years? Motherf***er... that's 400,000 in total?" Ah Cai spat out the window. "Brother De, Ah Kun... you two old vultures. You really think I'm just some brain-dead dockworker? You want to bleed me for 150,000 in interest? Fine. But I'm making you cough up that 30,000-yuan commission first."
He opened WeChat and barked a voice message: "Hey, I need a full set of fakes. Title, registration—make them look perfect. I'll send the address. Move fast, I don't care what it costs."
With a credit score already buried under three hundred missed payments, Ah Cai had zero intention of ever paying back the loan. His goal was simple: use this rented "bait" to hook a bigger fish.
Half an hour later, he called a man nicknamed Haining. Haining lived in the prestigious Evergrande complex; his family had recently come into some cash after a government land buyout, and he had been itching for a Prado to show off his new status.
"Haining? You home? Weren't you saying over drinks the other night that you were looking for a rig?" Ah Cai's voice was buzzing with "neighborly" excitement.
"Yeah, Cai-ge! You got a lead?" Haining sounded hooked immediately.
"My cousin is a manager at 'Old Wild Motors.' He just took in a 2016 original-paint model—clean as a whistle. Since we're family, he let me have it for 250,000."
"250,000? That's a steal! Usually, those go for nearly 300,000 in Beihai."
"Exactly. But my old man saw it and nearly broke my legs. Said it drinks gas like a monster and forced me to sell it. Look, we've been brothers a long time. I'm not here to make a profit off you. Give me 230,000, and I'll eat the 20,000 loss just to keep the peace at home."
"Are you serious, Cai-ge? Where are you? I'm coming to see it now!"
Outside the Evergrande complex, Ah Cai leaned against the car door, clutching a folder of freshly printed "ownership papers."
Haining circled the car three times, his eyes glowing. "Cai-ge, she's beautiful! Anything from Old Wild Motors is legit. But... I only have 130,000 in cash right now. I'd need to finance the rest..."
"Finance?" Ah Cai interrupted with a look of disgust. "The banks are a nightmare. Paperwork, credit checks... we've known each other for years. Just give me the 130k cash. The remaining 100k? Pay me 10k a month, zero interest. Give me your ID; I'll head to the DMV now to handle the title transfer. In two hours, I'll park the car right under your window."
Haining looked like he was about to cry. "Cai-ge... you're a real one. There aren't many brothers left in Beihai with this much honor."
"Go on, wait for my call," Ah Cai said, taking Haining's ID. As he watched Haining walk away, his smile turned predatory.
He immediately dialed the forger again. "That registration I ordered? Redo it. Add a name—use the info from the ID I'm sending you now. Move it! I've got a payday waiting."
Ah Cai did the math: He'd paid Brother De a 50,000-yuan deposit. He'd just pocketed 130,000 in cash from Haining. In one afternoon, he'd cleared an 80,000-yuan profit and dumped a massive debt onto a dead man's plate.
As for Brother De? As for the five-year loan?
Ah Cai floored the accelerator, the Prado roaring toward Beibu Gulf Boulevard. "Honor? Honor is for people who can afford it. Brother De, this Mind Game is only just beginning."