He ran his fingers through her short hair—he would never know how long it used to be, a sleek black ribbon; he said:
"Why are you being so good? Don't change, don't be good, look at me—"
He started to become violent.
Dandan met his yearning yet violent gaze, struggling involuntarily, which only fueled his desire. A hint of allure and hatred inadvertently flickered across Dandan's small face, a series of expressions unfolding. How absurd! She knew she had shut herself off. In this dark place, she knew her inherent evil was stirring; if she didn't advance, she would retreat. She was determined to seduce the distant Huaiyu. Now, the two of them…? Hmph, she would be even more wanton than Duan Pingting.
Gradually, Dandan learned how to reciprocate and ultimately endure her man. —But, in the throes of passionate ecstasy, she suddenly murmured softly:
"Hey, Brother Huaiyu—"
Mr. Jin abruptly stopped, his greedy eyes flashing with a murderous glint, as if struck by a fatal blow.
He shook the limp, half-conscious Dandan and demanded:
What are you shouting for?
Dandan opened her bewildered eyes slightly and asked in return;
"……What?"
What are you shouting for?
"Me? I can't remember..."
Jin Xiaofeng gritted his teeth and began to deal with the little girl in the most primal and ferocious way. She said she had forgotten, but he knew she hadn't. And so he harbored resentment.
She was pleading: "You—don't—"
He was furious:
"I want you to die by my hand!"
Dandan, barely alive, was wrapped in a blanket in a corner of the bed. Her body was on the verge of death, but her mind was racing. Had she really angered him like this?
She transformed him into a beast? This is a truly bewildering and sinister realm. Who is she? Who is he?
She was slightly out of breath, her eyes rolling back, mostly white, less black. Mr. Jin, this once-powerful figure, harbored a grudge! She understood, and smiled proudly.
"Xiao Dan, I'm an old hand at this. There's nothing I don't know."
"I promise I won't."
“That’s for the best, Xiao Dan,” he pulled her into his arms, comforting her, “I’m sorry—”
Dandan was exhausted and remained silent. Unexpectedly, he lowered his voice and asked again, "This is the first time I've met you. What were you singing?"
"drizzle."
"A light drizzle, falling non-stop? Like right now?" he teased. "Sing it for me?"
"Not singing"
“Sing a 9.”
"I won't sing!"
"Shall we sing?"
"No, no, no, I'm going to sleep."
"Alright, alright. I'll only sing when you're happy to. Forcing you won't do me any good."
Dandan smiled, like a little fox:
Mr. Jin, you
Summer of 1933, Shanghai. 3
"Withdraw the money? That's going to put me in a really tough spot! Things have gotten to this point, the vault is empty, we can't get it out of control! Think of something quickly!"
Quickly, think of a solution! Quickly, think of a solution! The common people cannot contend with officials. No matter how prominent or influential a person is, they are like a deflated balloon that has been stabbed. They are as anxious as ants on a hot pan, or mosquitoes in shallow water, with nowhere to exert their strength.
The incident happened out of nowhere.
I never imagined that something so rare would happen to Mr. Jin. Some people in this world die from a single fall, while others stubbornly live on despite being covered in cuts and bruises. But none of this applies to Mr. Jin; he was completely unprepared for it.
It turns out that no one was prepared at all, and they were often taken aback when it knocked on their door in the middle of the night.
Mr. Zheng insisted on withdrawing the money. Three days of persuasion were ineffective.
Jin Xiaofeng summoned Shi Zhongming and slammed his fist on the table, yelling, "You have absolutely no ability in this matter! If you had mediated and settled things for him, things wouldn't have come to this!"
“Mr. Jin,” Shi Zhongming couldn’t help but feel a chill at these words: “You’re not blaming me for taking the blame, are you?”
"—" Mr. Jin waved his hand: "Raising an army for a thousand days is for one day. Zhongming, you have been following me for quite some time now."
"It happened so suddenly, and I did my best." Shi Zhongming said expressionlessly, "I've never been one to throw things around, but—"
Mr. Jin left before he could finish speaking, leaving Shi Zhongming alone with a half-finished and unresolved situation.
The car continued heading towards Yin.
Jin Xiaofeng's mind was filled with this devastating news, which swept through him like a whirlwind. If Mr. Zheng withdrew the funds, the matter would spread far and wide. The shareholders would also rush to the bank to withdraw their money, and the bank would be unable to pay them out immediately. The whole area would know, and people would say that his credit was bad and his reputation was ruined. In an instant—…
Before even reaching the bank, the air was thick with noise. The place was filled with ordinary people, mostly those opening accounts for 20 or 30 yuan, or even 200 or 300 yuan, saving every penny they could. They didn't feel safe keeping their meager savings, and the news of the bank's impending collapse only fueled their anxiety. Long queues formed, and because the bank was open 24/7, even more people came, their cries of despair echoing in the cold night, desperately trying to reclaim their hard-earned money. Withered, thin hands reached out and flailed wildly…