am-books Chapter 67: 67: Goodbye
Chapter 67: 67: Goodbye
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.”
So...
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.
Indeed.
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 like this?”
At that moment.
Big Face Cat, covered in dust, came in from outside:
“Let me do it.”
Bang!! Bang!! Bang!! Bang!!
Four consecutive shots to Lee Cheng’s thigh!
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”
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!”
Bang!!
Without a moment’s hesitation, another shot, and the white sheets burst into a spray of red fireworks as the world fell silent.
“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.
But...
Will there be a future?
Probably not.
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.
Roar————
The heavy van started, revving powerfully, with the tires beginning to slowly inch forward.
“Hey!” Lin Xian yelled.
“Huh?”
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.
He lit it.
Slowly he exhaled a puff of white smoke...
After a long time.
“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—
“00:42” “00:42”
Boom!!!!!!
Boom!!!!!!
Boom!!!!!!
The thunderous white light arrived, burning everything to ashes.
...
...
On the bed in the corner of the bedroom, Lin Xian opened his eyes.