Indeed, his achievements were so great that they threatened the ruler. Could society and the Party-state possibly tolerate such a powerful and uncontrollable figure? There was simply no way to deal with him. Well, now, taking advantage of the current situation, seeing that his corruption stemmed from within, spreading outwards, he was no longer secure. Really, this was merely a pretext; with a stroke of the pen, he could seize the opportunity and change his fate. Perhaps in less than three days, a completely different person would emerge. But even so, they gave him face, their lovers interceded, saying all the right things, all to help him get through this ordeal.
If you get through this hurdle, you might not get through that one. Both are life-or-death situations.
Jin Xiaofeng broke out in a cold sweat, as if hundreds of sharp eyes were watching him hand over the command seal. His confidence surged like a tidal wave before Shi Zhongming. The wind filled the tower, where colorful lanterns spun wildly.
My heart and soul are chilled.
He felt a dark cloud indeed looming overhead. No thunder or lightning, only a muffled groan in his heart. One wave subsided, another rose—no, the wave had subsided, but no more. He slumped. He was at his last gasp: "Let me think about it."
"All right."
“Zhongming, I actually wanted to ask you the same thing, of course you benefit from it—”
"It's not very beneficial, just busywork. But Mr. Jin, perhaps I should raise some soldiers. 'Raising soldiers for a day, using them in a single day' is the saying."
Jin Xiaofeng suddenly realized.
Shi Zhongming, good! So that's why he couldn't stand that sentence.
He switched sides, and naturally, he was promoted. Before, when I was around, he was just the ninth person at the table, never getting his due. Now that I'm gone, it's only natural that he's not someone to be trifled with—after all, he's followed me for so long. In the final blow, he finally showed his true colors and revealed his true abilities.
"Zhongming, you are indeed a good man. I will carefully consider my matter. But because you were once my man, I must reconsider one last time."
Suddenly, a sharp ringing sound came from the desk.
"Hello—" I don't want to listen, but I still have to listen.
"Mr. Jin! Something terrible has happened!" It was the manager of the Day and Night Bank: "An old lady is crying and screaming! She says the bank has collapsed and she won't even get a coffin. She's been banging her head against the wall, threatening to kill herself. She's been taken to the hospital. Mr. Jin, the situation here is too dire; we can't leave the house, and the police can't control her."
"...Don't worry, things have taken a turn for the better, and the situation will become clear soon."
He slumped the receiver down. Yes, he wouldn't die; he'd surely be able to afford a decent coffin. He was simply fading away, disappearing. Looking back, it all seemed like a dream—he immediately recalled the day the Music World opened, standing triumphantly among the crowd, proclaiming, "This is Shanghai's only entertainment hub!"
He defeated all the other smaller arenas to establish his own dominance; such is often the way of the world: one rises while another falls. The fleeting beauty of nature fades away.
Shi Zhongming seized the perfect moment and pulled a bill from his jacket pocket. It was like a pre-set trap, waiting for him to slip through his fingers. He pointed to the number on it.
A Glimpse of Jin Xiaofeng:
"Is this the number?"
"More than enough, Mr. Jin?"
"Will you still call me 'Mr. Jin' from now on?" He smiled. "Or—'Old Jin'."
Shi Zhongming, resolute yet discreet, responded with a smile:
"Still the same: Mr. Kim."
"Alright, alright. Zhongming, you're going to do this one last thing for me." Shi Zhongming looked at him with a belly full of doubts.
At that moment, Dandan also received a strange phone call.
He picked up the receiver: "Hello—"
After a long silence, she called out again, "Hey—"
The receiver remained silent.
The other person didn't put it down. She glanced at the clock's arms; it was 1:50 AM. It was as if someone had opened their arms, yet not completely, hesitantly. The pendulum swung, ticking away, clearly tired. In the still, silent night, a mysterious and terrifying thought lingered: "Who?"
"It's me, Huaiyu."
Dandan was suddenly jolted, as if a distant, lonely soul had suddenly sprung from the receiver and filled the room. What should she do? She was completely disoriented.
It's the sound of an electric organ; if sung, it would be:
Christmas Eve,
holy night,
In the darkness,
Radiance shines...
Christmas is just three days away. In Shanghai, fashionable men and women consider it an honor to attend Christmas dances. Those who don't get the chance can only go to church.
Silent prayer in the church.
Only these two strangers from Beiping, for reasons unknown, reunited before God.
My whole body felt numb, and my heart was pounding wildly.
They didn't know whether to get closer or stay away—their bodies seemed to be under the supervision of another person, no longer natural.
This was Dandan's first time at Holy Trinity Church at the corner of Sanma Road, but Huaiyu's wasn't. In the same spot, he was facing another woman.
Dandan could only look at the male lead in the movie with complete understanding. The movie was gone, everything was gone, but the male lead remained—her first male lead.
She was a little angry and embarrassed. Why did he have to tell her that?
She put on a grand performance, undertaking a mission of national salvation? And she was the last to know about the men around her?
Huaiyu said:
"I'll take care of the money and the ticket for you. You should go. It's dangerous without your backer; it's not worth it."
"No, this can't stop me..." Dandan said, trying to stay calm. She had given everything, but what had she gotten in return? All she could do was keep going.