Gao Ji Yi drove his family to Fang Lang Jie’s winery in Miyun for the weekend.

Lu Xiao Jiang had returned.

The men were fishing by the pond.

Gao Ji Yi’s son fell on the grass and wailed loudly. Lu Xiao Jiang’s wife quietly complained about insects in their room last night. The nanny Ou Yang Qing Qing couldn’t find the milk powder scoop anywhere. However, no matter how much noise the women and children made, the three men remained motionless by the pond, truly irritating to watch. In the afternoon, the women took the children and went back to the city center to shop at the mall together.

In the afternoon, the three brothers decided to have a hotpot for dinner at the winery.

Gao Ji Yi was quite pleased and immediately called a young woman over to make tea. The young woman was a sales representative at the winery. Gao Ji Yi, who came to play often, was already an old acquaintance. Fang Lang Jie sat to the side, finished calling his wife, and then turned to look at Lu Xiao Jiang: “Are you and Zhou Zi still like that?”

Lu Xiao Jiang nodded, not daring to speak.

Gao Ji Yi remembered this matter: “Lang Jie, did you call him today?”

Fang Lang Jie shook his head: “I did. He said he was busy.”

“Did you tell him about Xiao Jiang’s return?”

“No.”

Gao Ji Yi teased Lu Xiao Jiang: “That’s strange. I thought he wasn’t coming because Xiao Jiang was here.”

Lu Xiao Jiang looked completely dejected.

Fang Lang Jie said: “The phone calls always go through, sometimes Xiao Min answers, but I haven’t seen him in almost half a year.”

Gao Ji Yi pushed away the young woman sitting on his lap and said with puzzlement: “I’ve seen him twice, but both times were at the Sheraton. That kid was serving the leaders like a grandson, and I couldn’t even talk to him.”

In truth, Fang Lang Jie also found it strange. Zhao Ping Jin had been in Beijing all along, and it was indeed rare for friends not to see each other: “The strangest thing was at my father’s birthday last time. Even Shen Min came, but he was nowhere to be seen.”

“I think he’s become important, and his attitude has changed too. No matter how busy, everyone has to eat, right? How busy can he be?” Gao Ji Yi complained while taking out his phone: “Brothers, cooperate a bit, okay?”

Gao Ji Yi began dialing. After two rings, he made a hushing sound.

The call connected.

Gao Ji Yi pressed the phone to his ear, instantly lowering his voice, appearing anxious and nervous: “Zhou Zi, where are you?”

“Something happened to the brothers at the winery.”

“Last time when the brothers drove over, they totaled a Buick Regal on the highway. Didn’t think much of it at the time, but turns out we ran into a scammer. Now the guy’s here, blocking the lobby.”

“Call the police? That’s not possible, how embarrassing would that be!”

“It’s a holiday today, no one’s around. Me and Lang Jie were fishing here this afternoon.”

“Not many people, just me and Lang Jie handling it! We still have two security guards here. The brothers just said, if you win the fight, your salary goes up for half a year! If you cripple someone, Brother Gao will support your wife and kids!”

Everyone in the tea room was dumbfounded, then began holding their stomachs trying not to laugh. Gao Ji Yi’s ability to make up stories on the spot was first-class.

“Are you coming or not?”

Gao Ji Yi brought in Fang Lang Jie, who Zhao Ping Jin always trusted, for backup: “Lang Jie wants to say something to you.”

Fang Lang Jie glared at Gao Ji Yi, whose mouth was twitching from holding back laughter, took the phone, and his tone became urgent, even more convincing than Gao Ji Yi’s: “Zhou Zi, come quickly, save our lives.”

Gao Ji Yi stood up and wandered around the room. There was an empty tea tray on the table. Gao Ji Yi picked it up and slammed it on the table, breaking two plates. Several glass cups fell to the ground. A woman screamed. Gao Ji Yi shouted toward the empty entrance: “Fuck your grandfather!”

Fang Lang Jie’s hand trembled, and he hung up the phone, jumping up in anger. Now he was truly upset: “Old Gao, fuck your ancestors! Those were cups I brought back from Austria!”

Gao Ji Yi chuckled: “I’ll compensate you, I’ll compensate you.”

An hour later.

Through the glass window, Gao Ji Yi saw a black car speeding through the open gate in the distance.

“He got here pretty quickly,” Gao Ji Yi grinned as his scheme succeeded, turning to tell Lu Xiao Jiang: “You hide for a while first.”

Fang Lang Jie was putting thin slices of lamb into the pot when he heard this and said: “Is that necessary?”

Gao Ji Yi said: “Let’s talk to him first after he sits down. If he comes in and finds out he’s been tricked, with his temper, it won’t just be Xiao Jiang getting beaten up—neither of us will escape.”

Lu Xiao Jiang stood up: “I’ll go back to my room.”

As the car drove into the courtyard, Gao Ji Yi immediately shouted: “Zhou Zi, come quickly, come quickly!”

When Zhao Ping Jin got out of the car, he saw no debt collectors, just a few people gathered under the veranda in the courtyard. A copper pot from Donglaishun restaurant was set up over charcoal, and they were having a hotpot!

Zhao Ping Jin’s face immediately darkened, and he walked toward the veranda with a gloomy expression.

Seeing his expression, Gao Ji Yi quickly said: “Oh no, Lang Jie, hurry and stop him, he might flip our pot!”

Zhao Ping Jin turned around angrily and started to leave.

Gao Ji Yi hurried over and put his arm around him: “Don’t be like that, sit for a while, sit for a while.”

Zhao Ping Jin wouldn’t sit. There was a carton of cigarettes on the table that had just been finished. Zhao Ping Jin opened it, took a pack, and stuffed it into his coat pocket.

Gao Ji Yi cried out in distress: “Hey, don’t waste that, I had a hard time getting it from the old man.”

Zhao Ping Jin didn’t even raise an eyebrow. He opened two more packs and casually threw them to Fang Lang Jie’s employee standing nearby: “From Brother Gao to you.”

The special white-packaged government-supplied cigarettes excited the young worker, who exclaimed: “Thank you, Brother Gao!”

Gao Ji Yi glared at Zhao Ping Jin, grinning through gritted teeth.

Zhao Ping Jin took out a cigarette. The taste of these cigarettes wasn’t good, having a strange herbal medicine smell. With the cigarette in his mouth, he glanced at Gao Ji Yi: “Our father visits the study room every day. Was this necessary? Are you that reluctant to part with these little goodies?”

Gao Ji Yi laughed heartily: “Will you sit down? Lang Jie, get a bowl for Zhou Zi.”

Zhao Ping Jin said indifferently: “I have something to do. I need to leave.”

He did say goodbye and left.

After walking a few steps, Zhao Ping Jin turned back, pointed at Gao Ji Yi’s nose, and cursed: “How childish can you be?”

Gao Ji Yi stood up with a cry of anger.

Zhao Ping Jin waved his hand with his back to him and walked away gracefully.

Gao Ji Yi watched as he got into the car, and the black vehicle roared out of the winery’s courtyard.

Gao Ji Yi angrily jabbed at the fire with tongs: “This guy, such a killjoy.”

Then he turned to speak to Fang Lang Jie: “Number Two, when you saw him, you should have put in a word for Xiao Jiang.”

Fang Lang Jie replied leisurely: “Enough. You know Zhou Zi’s temperament. When he feels like getting over it, things will naturally be fine. But speaking of which—why was he in such a good mood today?”

Gao Ji Yi turned around to put his arm around the young woman’s waist and then paused in surprise.

Fang Lang Jie shook his head, picked up some meat slices with his chopsticks, dipped them in sesame sauce, and ate slowly.

Fang Lang Jie secretly felt something was wrong.

The sky gradually darkened, and the wind started blowing, carrying fine snow.

After dinner, Gao Ji Yi, who had suffered a gout attack a few days ago, stopped drinking. Several people gathered in the small flower room to drink tea.

Around nine o’clock, Shen Min called: “Is Zhou Zhou at your place?”

Fang Lang Jie answered the phone and casually replied: “He just left.”

Shen Min urgently asked: “Did he drive away himself?”

Fang Lang Jie burped and gestured for Lu Xiao Jiang to pour him more tea: “I think so.”

Now even Fang Lang Jie could hear the rare anxiety in Shen Min’s voice: “How long ago did he leave?”

“About half an hour or so.”

“Did he drink?”

“No, he didn’t even sit down.”

Shen Min responded: “Good.”

Just as he was about to hang up, “Wait,” Fang Lang Jie quickly stopped him: “Xiao Min, what’s wrong?”

Shen Min didn’t beat around the bush and simply said: “He just had a gastroscopy at noon and was resting at home.”

Fang Lang Jie’s heart skipped a beat. He looked up at Gao Ji Yi across from him. Gao Ji Yi also sensed something was wrong and put down his teaspoon to ask: “Did something happen?”

Fang Lang Jie immediately said: “Xiao Min, please be more specific.”

Shen Min was usually slow-tempered, always gentle in manner, but his tone was now slightly more urgent: “Ten minutes ago, he called the driver saying he couldn’t drive and needed to be picked up. His health hasn’t been good lately. The driver was worried and notified me. I’ve been calling him, but no one’s answering.”

Fang Lang Jie knew Shen Min was always measured, typically handling everything around Zhao Ping Jin methodically without any fuss. Now even he was getting anxious, suggesting this wasn’t as simple as not being able to drive. No wonder he had been feeling something was off all evening. Fang Lang Jie anxiously asked: “What’s wrong with him?”

Shen Min had put on his coat as soon as he received the driver’s call. Now, with car keys in hand, he was leaving. Before entering the elevator, he heard Fang Lang Jie’s question and hesitantly answered: “I’m worried something might happen to him alone. Lately, when he’s by himself…”

The signal suddenly cut off.

Fang Lang Jie stood up abruptly with the phone and turned to run outside.

Gao Ji Yi and Lu Xiao Jiang immediately followed.

Fang Lang Jie shouted for the doorman to open the gate while yelling at Gao Ji Yi: “Old Gao, go start the car!”

The three of them jumped into Gao Ji Yi’s car at the entrance. Not waiting for the two to fasten their seatbelts, Gao Ji Yi stepped on the gas. The car bounced up with a bang and shot forward. Gao Ji Yi asked: “Which road did he take back?”

Fang Lang Jie nearly rolled under the seat and quickly grabbed the backrest, then called Shen Min again: “Xiao Min, where are you?”

Shen Min said: “On the Beijing-Chengde Expressway. Driver Liu and I are rushing over.”

The wind howled on the highway.

Snow fell on the windshield, then was wiped away by the wipers. Gao Ji Yi frantically pressed the gas pedal, overtaking several cars, and entered the Beijing-Chengde Expressway at the entrance.

There weren’t many cars on the highway, and their speed was approaching 120 kilometers per hour. Fortunately, Gao Ji Yi often drove this car, so it handled well. But after driving on the return route for more than ten minutes, they still hadn’t seen Zhao Ping Jin’s car.

Gao Ji Yi kept his eyes on the road, not daring to get distracted, and repeatedly asked: “Have you seen him?”

Fang Lang Jie and Lu Xiao Jiang were constantly looking out the windows, answering each time he asked: “No, keep going.”

A moment later, Lu Xiao Jiang, sitting in the passenger seat, suddenly shouted: “Stop!”

Gao Ji Yi’s heart jumped in fright. His foot trembled and released the gas pedal. Instinctively, he first checked the rearview mirror and then slammed on the brakes.

The car’s tires skidded on the snowy ground, nearly plunging into a roadside ditch. Gao Ji Yi sharply turned the steering wheel to avoid it. All three were held back by their seat belts. Gao Ji Yi glanced out the car window, seeing only empty darkness outside, not a single spark of light.

He wiped his face and reached out to smack Lu Xiao Jiang on the back of the head, roaring: “What the hell are you yelling about?!”

Lu Xiao Jiang, breathing heavily, tore off his seat belt: “Brother, back up!”

Gao Ji Yi and Fang Lang Jie both turned to look behind them.

In an instant, they both saw it.

About ten meters behind them on the right emergency lane, a black car was parked. Its headlights were off, and the emergency lights weren’t on either. It was pitch-black, sitting there silently. In the darkness, only its vague outline could be made out.

It was Zhao Ping Jin’s car.

Gao Ji Yi caught his breath. Only now did he realize that all the muscles in his thighs were tensed. He re-engaged the gear, released the handbrake, and the car slowly reversed, stopping in the emergency lane ahead. Gao Ji Yi turned on the hazard lights and jumped out of the car.

Fang Lang Jie had already run over, checking the license plate again to confirm it was his car. He reached out to pull the door: “Zhou Zi!”

The door was locked. He peered in, but only saw his own distorted reflection in the window, unable to see inside.

Gao Ji Yi and Lu Xiao Jiang came over to knock on the window, shouting inside: “Zhou Zi?”

No response.

Gao Ji Yi raised his fist and slammed it hard against the window, shouting: “Zhou Zhou!”

In his urgency, he used such force that the door vibrated with a humming sound.

The next second, there was a click, and the lock opened.

Fang Lang Jie pushed aside Lu Xiao Jiang who was next to the door. The door opened a crack, and Fang Lang Jie reached out and pulled it open.

Zhao Ping Jin sat in the driver’s seat. He had taken off his outer coat and was wearing a sweater. Between his fingers was a faint red glow.

Cold sweat ran down Fang Lang Jie’s back.

Zhao Ping Jin raised his eyes and glanced outside the car.

Lu Xiao Jiang’s heart jumped, and he unconsciously stepped back into the darkness.

Gao Ji Yi said: “You scared us to death.”

Zhao Ping Jin’s face was pale: “What’s wrong?”

Gao Ji Yi, still feeling the aftershock: “Are you alright?”

Zhao Ping Jin put the cigarette to his lips, braced himself on the seat, and jumped down. His body swayed, and he steadied himself by holding onto the car door.

Looking at him now, he seemed like a completely different person from when he was at the winery. The arrogant demeanor from before had completely disappeared. When he was alone, his expression was eerily calm, showing even more despondency. He seemed to have smoked too much; his voice was hoarse: “What’s all the fuss about?”

Gao Ji Yi sighed in relief, his anger rising rapidly: “Fuck, Shen Min thought something happened to you. Are you sick or what? You park here without even turning on a light? Which driver can see you in pitch darkness? I’m telling you, Zhou Zi, if you want to die here, you’d fully deserve it!”

At this moment, two cars flashed their lights one after another from behind. Shen Min and the driver had also arrived.

Zhao Ping Jin’s brows remained slightly furrowed as if he was enduring pain. His body continued to lean against the car door.

The snow kept falling fine and scattered, landing on their hair. Zhao Ping Jin had come down from the car, already dressed lightly. Earlier, Fang Lang Jie and the others had rushed out without even wearing their coats. The group standing on the highway quickly became very cold.

Standing on the expressway with cars coming and going was extremely dangerous.

Shen Min came forward, looked at him once, and immediately said: “Brother Gao, Brother Lang Ming, sorry for the trouble. It’s not safe for everyone to stand here. Let’s go back first.”

The driver opened the rear car door. Zhao Ping Jin still didn’t speak. He turned around, and across a beam of car lights, Lu Xiao Jiang, who had been standing behind the car all along, saw that Zhao Ping Jin’s temples were soaked with cold sweat.

Shen Min ushered him into the back seat and handed him a thermos: “Your medicine. The housekeeper just finished brewing it. I’ve been working all day, so I won’t drive for you. I’m afraid it wouldn’t be safe.”