Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Goodbye
“That, that, that! That’s just a very common photo pose!”
Lee Cheng’s face was a picture of misery, snot and tears mingling together as he struggled to defend himself:
“I’m really wronged, Big Brother! I truly am… There’s a head for every debt, and a debtor for every grievance! If I really offended you, I would accept my death at your hands! But this is a true miscarriage of justice! I really don’t know anything about that so-called Genius Club!”
Lin Xian stared at him intently.
He was very familiar with Lee Cheng… having had many dealings with him. Indeed, he was someone who dearly loved life and feared death.
His mistress truly loved him, often performing “heroic rescues” for him.
But Lee Cheng never once thought of reciprocating, always faithfully following the principle “husband and wife are birds of the same forest, but when disaster strikes, they must fly separately.”
Getting information out of Lee Cheng’s mouth was actually quite easy.
As long as his life felt threatened, he would be as obedient as the Tmall Genie, answering whatever was asked and even rushing to respond.
Such a man, so desperate to cling to life and so fearful of death. If he says he doesn’t know, then he probably really doesn’t know.
Lee Cheng suddenly had a revelation:
“I, I remember now! It’s a whole set of photos! A very famous international photographer took them especially for me… It’s a full set! An entire photo album!”
“Do you want to see it? It’s just over there, in the wardrobe! You’ll see it as soon as you open the bottom drawer! I’m telling you the truth!”
He was truly scared out of his wits, gasping for air and wildly gesturing towards the wardrobe on the other side of the room.
Lin Xian walked over to the wardrobe, pulled out the drawer, and found the photo album Lee Cheng was talking about.
It was luxurious, adorned with gold thread and silver lines, and the first page had an indecipherable signature.
He flipped through it.
Page by page, all photos of Lee Cheng posing with a “tycoon” POSE.
Lee Cheng hadn’t lied.
The photos in the album were part of the same set as the one in the frame, with identical clothing, background, and lighting.
There were seated photos, standing ones, all very formal.
Some with arms crossed, hands in pockets, some standing erect, and indeed there was that one with the index finger pointed up at the sky.
Professional portraits? Costume tests? Glamour shots?
Lin Xian didn’t know what to call these types of photos, but essentially they were those things, the kind everyone in sales has in their WeChat moments, those glam shots.
If it’s not selling houses, cars, or insurance, then it’s credit cards and loan intermediaries.
Lin Xian turned to the page where the index finger pointed to the sky.
If you look at the whole set of photos, this one doesn’t seem strange anymore. It’s just a very common photo pose.
“What do you expect to find out by asking ?”
Big Face Cat, covered in dust, came in from outside:
Bang!! Bang!! Bang!! Bang!!
Four consecutive shots to Lee Cheng’s thigh!
Lee Cheng’s screams echoed through the entire estate as the carpet turned red in an instant.
“Will you talk or not?”
Big Face Cat pointed the gun barrel at Lee Cheng’s forehead.
“I, wu wu wu wa, I really don’t know! Wuu wuu ah I really don’t know anything about the Genius Club… never even heard of it!”
Without a moment’s hesitation, another shot, and the white sheets burst into a spray of red fireworks as the world fell silent.
“Brother, he really didn’t know.”
He understood Lee Cheng better than Big Face Cat. Still not talking even now meant he definitely didn’t know.
Big Face Cat looked at Lin Xian and shrugged:
“You want to ask him about the Genius Club? That’s not going to be easy to investigate… I’ve been looking for so long and have only uncovered a name. Moreover, all these years, I haven’t found out anything else.”
“Are you certain it was the Genius Club who killed your father?” Lin Xian asked Big Face Cat:
“What have you found out?”
“I only found this name.” Big Face Cat looked down at the head-shot Lee Cheng, grinding his teeth:
“If they hadn’t killed him, why would I have come across their name? You think I, Brother Lian, would deceive you?”
“Hey, let’s not chat about this anymore, brother, we better hurry and go! We can talk about it in detail later! If the cops come, we won’t be able to leave!”
Big Face Cat kicked over Lee Cheng’s corpse, spat, and urged Lin Xian to go downstairs.
“You’re quite an interesting guy.” Lin Xian followed, smiling at Big Face Cat:
“Sometimes you’re really simple, sometimes quite loyal, and sometimes… you’re truly vicious and brutal.”
Big Face Cat stood righteously:
“People like Lee Cheng deserve death!”
Wiping the corner of his mouth, Big Face Cat said angrily:
“When you hear about the things he’s done, even a man with a daughter like me can’t even bear listening. Beast! He deserves to be crushed by a road roller!”
“If you someday have a daughter… you’ll feel exactly as I do, wishing you could kill him several times over.”
In the villa’s courtyard, Big Face Cat slammed the van door shut, looking inside at the gold bricks, jewelry and cash stuffed to the brim:
“I should’ve aired up the tires before coming, look, the tires are flat.”
“This guy is really loaded, I couldn’t even haul it all away in a truck.”
“Here, this is for you.”
Lin Xian caught the object Big Face Cat tossed to him.
It was a very large, heart-shaped blue gemstone, crystal clear and extremely beautiful.
“You shouldn’t have come all this way for nothing.”
Big Face Cat laughed and said:
“This thing might be worth more than this entire truckload of gold! It’s just not easy to sell, but you take it, give it to your girlfriend or something.”
After speaking, he walked around the van packed to the brim, took the driver’s seat, and started the vehicle:
“Are you sure you don’t want to get in, little brother?”
“No need,” Lin Xian shook his head.
Time was almost up, in two more minutes a white light would destroy everything, getting on the van didn’t matter anymore.
Besides… Big Face Cat had stuffed the van so full, he wouldn’t be able to fit in without the ability to shrink his bones.
“I’ll still give it to you.”
Lin Xian threw the sapphire back through the window: “I don’t need this.”
“Hey! You’re really polite, brother! You’re making me feel embarrassed!”
Big Face Cat watched Lin Xian with a grin:
“Thanks, brother! With this, I have the money for the next step in the plan, to take revenge for my daughter and old man!”
“I don’t know if there will ever be a chance to see you again. If there is… I’ll have to invite you to my place for dinner! You’ve got to try my sister-in-law’s cooking!”
Lin Xian was also amused by Big Face Cat’s words:
“What’s the specialty dish from your sister-in-law?”
“Dumplings, man! Really delicious stuff!”
The two men looked at each other and laughed for a long time.
Will there be a future?
This is a world without tomorrows.
These are dumplings they will never get to eat.
“I’m off, little brother!”
“Go ahead,” Lin Xian waved.
The heavy van started, revving powerfully, with the tires beginning to slowly inch forward.
“Hey!” Lin Xian yelled.
Big Face Cat stepped on the brake, popped his head out from the driver’s window, and looked back at Lin Xian:
“What’s up, little brother?”
Lin Xian slipped his hand into his pocket:
“I want to ask you one last thing, I hope you won’t mind.”
“Hey! We’re beyond formalities! Just ask!”
The midnight cicadas cried desolately, while there was silence in the courtyard’s pond with its gentle stream.
Lin Xian looked at Big Face Cat:
“Do you still remember… the exact time when your father and daughter were hit and killed?”
The smile on Big Face Cat’s face solidified, turning gloomy.
He pulled out a cigarette and clamped it in his mouth.
Slowly he exhaled a puff of white smoke…
“I’ve seen the surveillance footage from the intersection.”
His voice trembled as he choked up:
“Watched it many times.”
He bit hard on the cigarette:
“So the time the accident happened, the time they died… I’ll never forget it, I remember every minute and every second.”
Blowing out a swirl of smoke, Big Face Cat looked down at his watch:
“It was about this time now.”
Lin Xian lifted his wristwatch, and Big Face Cat’s voice came at the same time—
The thunderous white light arrived, burning everything to ashes.
On the bed in the corner of the bedroom, Lin Xian opened his eyes.