Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Danger Hides in the Exhibition, Showing Sharpness for the First Time

The days passed quickly, and the much-anticipated stamp exhibition finally arrived. For the past few days, I had been preparing carefully—digging out the plainest clothes from the bottom of the closet, a gray jacket and black trousers that could blend into any crowd, and a wide-brimmed hat and a disposable mask that could cover most of my face. I even practiced walking with my head slightly lowered, trying to avoid attracting any attention. Every night, I would revisit the plan in my mind, anticipating all possible dangers and figuring out countermeasures. Lin Hao's figure occasionally appeared in my thoughts; I hoped he would keep his promise and not reveal my secret. The old woman and the old man also lingered in my heart, and I silently prayed that they would be safe.​On Saturday morning, I got up early, put on my prepared clothes, and stuffed a small amount of cash and a small notebook into my pocket—the notebook was used to record the rare stamps I might see at the exhibition. I told my parents that I was going to the library to study, then quietly slipped out of the house. The morning air was fresh, with a hint of coolness, and the streets were not yet crowded. I took the bus to the city's cultural center, my heart beating faster and faster as I got closer. The cultural center was a tall building with a modern style, and there were already many people gathering at the entrance, most of whom were stamp collectors, chatting in low voices, their faces filled with excitement.​I lined up at the registration desk, keeping my head down, and quickly filled in my name and contact information with a fake name. The staff handed me a small badge, and I pinned it on my jacket casually, then followed the crowd into the exhibition hall. The hall was spacious and bright, with white walls and soft lighting. Rows of glass display cabinets were placed neatly, and each cabinet was filled with various stamps, shining under the light. The air was filled with the faint smell of paper and ink, mixed with the low voices of people chatting, creating a solemn and lively atmosphere at the same time.​I walked slowly along the display cabinets, pretending to browse casually, but my eyes were constantly scanning the surroundings, especially looking for Mr. Li's figure. There were many collectors around, some leaning in front of the cabinets, carefully observing the stamps, some whispering with their companions, discussing the value of the stamps. I kept my pace slow, my hands in my pockets, tightly clutching the small notebook, ready to record any useful information at any time.​After walking for a while, I saw a familiar figure standing in front of a display cabinet in the center of the hall—it was Mr. Li. He was wearing a black suit today, which made him look more imposing than usual. He had a serious expression, his sharp eyes scanning the stamps in the cabinet, and a man in a gray suit stood beside him, whispering something to him from time to time. I quickly lowered my head, turned around, and walked to the opposite display cabinet, pretending to be interested in the stamps there, but my peripheral vision was always on Mr. Li.​"These are all rare stamps collected by Mr. Li in recent years. Look at that set of tiger zodiac stamps—it's extremely rare, and it's said to be worth more than 5,000 yuan now," a collector said to his companion, pointing to the display cabinet where Mr. Li was standing.​"Really? That's amazing! Mr. Li is really powerful. He can collect so many rare stamps in such a short time," the other companion replied, his voice full of admiration.​I quietly listened to their conversation, my heart sinking. A set of tiger stamps worth more than 5,000 yuan—Mr. Li's strength was indeed much stronger than I thought. I took out my notebook and quickly wrote down the information about the tiger stamps, then continued to browse, looking for stamps that I didn't have yet.​As I walked to the corner of the exhibition hall, I saw a display cabinet with a set of pig zodiac stamps. The stamps were exquisitely printed, with a bright color, and it was exactly the rare version I had been looking for. I leaned forward slightly, carefully observing the stamps, my heart filled with excitement. I remembered that this set of pig stamps would be worth more than 1,500 yuan in a few months, and it was an important part of the complete zodiac collection.​"You also like this set of pig stamps?" a soft voice came from beside me. I was startled, quickly turned around, and saw a middle-aged man wearing glasses, with a gentle smile on his face. He was holding a stamp album in his hand, looking at me kindly.​I calmed down, nodded slightly, and said in a low voice: "Yes, it's very rare. I've been looking for it for a long time." I didn't want to talk too much with strangers, for fear of revealing my identity.​The middle-aged man smiled and said: "I'm also a stamp collector. This set of pig stamps is indeed rare. Mr. Li spent a lot of money to collect it. I heard he plans to sell it at a high price, but no one has dared to buy it yet—after all, it's too expensive."​"He wants to sell it?" I asked, pretending to be surprised. This was a good opportunity. If I could buy this set of stamps, my collection would be one step closer to completion. But I also knew that Mr. Li would definitely not sell it easily, and the price would be very high.​"Yes, but the price is very high. He asked for 1,200 yuan," the middle-aged man said, shaking his head. "It's not worth it for ordinary collectors. But for those who want to collect a complete set of zodiac stamps, it's a must-have."​I nodded, pretending to be thoughtful, then turned around and continued to browse. My mind was racing—1,200 yuan was a lot of money for me now, but it was worth it. I had saved some money from my part-time job and the money I earned from selling some ordinary stamps, but it was still not enough. I needed to find a way to get more money, or find a way to negotiate with Mr. Li.​Just as I was thinking, I heard a familiar voice not far away: "Is that you?" I froze, my heart almost jumping out of my chest. It was Mr. Li's voice! I quickly lowered my head, pulled my hat down lower, and walked forward quickly, pretending not to hear him. I could feel his sharp eyes staring at my back, making me feel like I was being pricked by needles.​"Wait a minute!" Mr. Li's voice sounded again, and I could hear his footsteps getting closer and closer. I gritted my teeth,quickened my steps, ready to run if necessary. But just as I was about to turn around the corner, a hand grabbed my arm. I was terrified, thinking it was Mr. Li, but when I turned around, I saw Lin Hao standing in front of me, with a nervous expression on his face.​"It's me, don't be afraid," Lin Hao whispered, quickly letting go of my arm. "I saw Mr. Li staring at you just now, so I quickly came over to distract him. He didn't recognize you, but you have to be more careful."​I let out a long sigh of relief, my legs weak with fear. "Thank you, Lin Hao. You saved me again. Why are you here?"​"I came to the exhibition to see stamps, of course," Lin Hao said with a smile. "I didn't expect to see you here. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I just saw Mr. Li walking towards you, so I quickly came over. He's over there now, talking to a collector." He pointed to the direction behind him, and I looked over quietly, seeing Mr. Li standing not far away, chatting with the man in the gray suit, his eyes still scanning the crowd from time to time.​"Thank you so much," I said sincerely. "I almost got caught just now. I'm here to find some rare stamps, but I didn't expect it to be so dangerous."​"I know you're in trouble," Lin Hao said, his voice lowering slightly. "I've been thinking about it these days. If you need help, just tell me. I can help you look out for Mr. Li, or help you find stamps. I promise I won't cause you trouble."​I looked at Lin Hao, his eyes full of sincerity. I was moved, and nodded: "Thank you, Lin Hao. You're really a good friend. I do need your help. Can you help me keep an eye on Mr. Li? If he comes over, let me know immediately. I want to take a look at that set of pig stamps in the corner. I want to buy it, but I'm afraid Mr. Li will notice me."​"No problem," Lin Hao nodded firmly. "You go to look at the stamps, I'll stand here and keep an eye on him. If he moves towards you, I'll cough twice to remind you. Be careful, don't stay in one place for too long."​I thanked him again, then turned around and walked to the corner where the pig stamps were displayed. I leaned in front of the cabinet, pretending to observe carefully, while my ears were pricked up, listening to the movement behind me. Lin Hao's figure was in my peripheral vision, standing not far away, pretending to browse the stamps, but his eyes were always on Mr. Li.​After observing for a while, I saw a staff member walking by. I quickly stopped him and asked in a low voice: "Excuse me, can I talk to Mr. Li about that set of pig stamps? I'm interested in buying it."​The staff member looked at me, then nodded: "Of course. Mr. Li is over there. I'll go tell him." He turned around and walked towards Mr. Li. My heart beat faster and faster, and I quickly adjusted my mask, making sure my face was covered. I took a deep breath, trying to calm down—this was a crucial moment, and I couldn't make any mistakes.​Soon, Mr. Li walked over with the staff member. He looked at me, his sharp eyes scanning my face, as if trying to see through my mask. "You want to buy that set of pig stamps?" he asked, his voice cold, with a hint of suspicion.​I nodded, keeping my head down, and said in a low voice: "Yes, sir. I've been collecting zodiac stamps, and I've been looking for this set for a long time. I heard you want to sell it, so I want to ask about the price."​Mr. Li stared at me for a few seconds, then said: "The price is 1,200 yuan. If you want to buy it, pay cash now. No bargaining." His tone was firm, leaving no room for negotiation.​I pretended to hesitate, frowned, and said: "1,200 yuan is a bit expensive. Can you make it cheaper? I really want this set of stamps, but I don't have that much money now. I can pay 1,000 yuan, and I'll bring the rest later."​Mr. Li sneered: "No bargaining. Either buy it now, or leave. There are many people who want to buy this set of stamps. I don't lack your business." He turned around, as if he was going to leave.​I quickly said: "Wait, sir! I'll buy it. But I need a little time to get the money. Can you wait for me for ten minutes? I'll go to the ATM nearby to withdraw money." I deliberately made this request, trying to buy some time to think of a way to get the money, and also to avoid staying with Mr. Li for too long.​Mr. Li hesitated for a moment, then nodded: "Okay, I'll wait for you here for ten minutes. If you don't come back, I'll sell it to someone else." He stood beside the display cabinet, his eyes still scanning me, as if he was still suspicious of my identity.​I nodded quickly, then turned around and walked out of the exhibition hall. As soon as I walked out, I took out my phone and called my part-time boss, asking him to advance my salary. Fortunately, my boss was very kind, and he agreed to transfer the money to me immediately. I found an ATM nearby, withdrew the money, and then quickly ran back to the exhibition hall.​When I walked back, Mr. Li was still standing there, looking a little impatient. Lin Hao was standing not far away, seeing me come back, he quietly gave me a thumbs-up. I walked over to Mr. Li, took out 1,200 yuan from my pocket, and handed it to him: "Sir, here's the money."​Mr. Li took the money, counted it carefully, then nodded, and asked the staff member to take the set of pig stamps out of the display cabinet and hand it to me. "Here you are. Take it and leave quickly," he said, his tone still cold.​I took the stamps, carefully put them into my pocket, then nodded and said: "Thank you, sir." I turned around and walked away quickly, not daring to stay for a moment. When I walked to Lin Hao's side, I whispered: "Let's go, quickly."​Lin Hao nodded, and the two of us walked out of the exhibition hall together, blending into the crowd. When we got to the street, we both let out a long sigh of relief. "You did it!" Lin Hao said with a smile. "I was so worried that Mr. Li would recognize you just now."​"Me too," I said, taking out the pig stamps from my pocket and looking at them. The stamps were intact, and I felt a surge of joy. "Thank you, Lin Hao. If it weren't for you, I would have been caught. You're really my good friend."​"It's nothing," Lin Hao said with a smile. "I'm glad I could help you. By the way, that set of pig stamps is really rare. You're so lucky to be able to buy it."​I smiled and nodded: "Yes, it's a crucial part of my collection. Now I have nine sets of rare zodiac stamps. I'm one step closer to my goal."​We walked along the street, chatting about stamps. Lin Hao told me that he had collected some ordinary stamps, and he wanted to learn more about stamp collection from me. I agreed happily—having a friend who also likes stamps and can help me was a great thing. But I also reminded him again: "Lin Hao, you must keep my secret. Don't tell anyone that I collect rare stamps, especially Mr. Li. It's very dangerous."​"I know, don't worry," Lin Hao nodded firmly. "I won't tell anyone. I just want to collect stamps with you and not get involved in any trouble."​We said goodbye at the bus station. I watched Lin Hao leave, then took the bus home. On the bus, I held the pig stamps tightly, my heart filled with joy and relief. The stamp exhibition was dangerous, but I also gained a lot—I not only bought the rare pig stamps, but also made a new friend who could help me. But I also knew that this was just the beginning. Mr. Li was still a huge threat, and he would definitely not let me go easily. I had to continue to be careful, collect more rare stamps, and accumulate enough strength to defeat him.​When I got home, I locked myself in my room, took out all the stamps, and arranged them neatly on the table. Nine sets of rare zodiac stamps were placed in front of me, each with bright colors and exquisite patterns. I stroked each stamp gently, my eyes filled with determination. I was getting closer and closer to my goal, and I would not give up easily. I would continue to work hard, seize every opportunity, and use these stamps to change my fate, and protect the people who helped me.​That night, I lay in bed, thinking about the events of the day. The danger in the exhibition hall, Lin Hao's help, and the joy of getting the pig stamps were all lingering in my mind. I knew that the road ahead was still full of dangers, but I was no longer alone. I had Lin Hao, the old woman, and the old man. Their kindness and help were my strength. I would continue to be cautious, make careful plans, and wait for the right opportunity to counterattack. I believed that as long as I persisted, I would definitely defeat Mr. Li and realize my dream of changing my fate.