Chapter 165

Xie Wendong opened his mouth. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a crowd of heads of various sizes gathered at the door, all staring at him and Qiu Ningshui with wide eyes, seemingly ready to rush in at any moment. Xie Wendong sighed and chuckled to himself—fighting against so many police officers was really beyond his capabilities. He pointed at Qiu Ningshui, sighed, and said, “I don’t want to argue with you. I originally planned to go out for dinner with you after work, but it seems like you’re not in the mood now.”

After saying that, he turned and walked outside. Qiu Ningshui was stunned and quickly grabbed his sleeve, smiling and saying, “Arguing aside, why wouldn’t I eat the meal that belongs to me?” She looked proud, scheming in her mind how to make Xie Wendong pay a hefty price. Seeing her suddenly smile so brightly, Xie Wendong was puzzled. He had never seen anyone’s expression change so quickly. He nodded mechanically and said, “Then I’ll wait for you downstairs.” With that, he got up and walked outside. The police at the door, seeing him come out without any intention of moving aside, glared at him. Xie Wendong narrowed his eyes and slowly said, “Move aside!”

“Move aside? Kid, you…” A young police officer, already dissatisfied with Xie Wendong, grew angry upon hearing his arrogant tone. But when Xie Wendong’s sharp gaze swept over his face, the young officer shamefully lowered his head, feeling his face burn as if he had indeed been cut, instinctively fearing that gaze, and swallowed his words back. Xie Wendong glanced at the others and said again, “Move aside!”

Under his gaze, the police stepped aside, creating a corridor wide enough for more than one person. Xie Wendong said “Thank you” and slowly walked down the stairs. The imposing aura he unconsciously exuded made everyone present feel ashamed. Qiu Ningshui could sense it too. Watching his back, she murmured, “What kind of person are you really?!”

Xie Wendong went down the stairs and found a chair to sit in the hall. The middle-aged police officer on duty saw him and said with a smile, “Not bad, young man. You’re the first to get out unharmed.” Xie Wendong just chuckled dryly and didn’t reply.

After sitting in the police station hall for a while, Qiu Ningshui changed into casual clothes and came downstairs. He stood up and asked in surprise, “Why did you get off work so early?”

Qiu Ningshui pulled Xie Wendong and walked quickly back to the police station. Only after leaving the compound did she breathe a sigh of relief and said, “Why did you speak so loudly just now? I had to sneak out.”

Xie Wendong said nothing, just smiling at her. Qiu Ningshui complained, “What are you staring at? Have you never seen anyone ‘run away’?” Xie Wendong nodded and smiled, “Now I have.”
“How much are you planning to spend on a meal for me?” “As you wish.” “Great! That’s what you said.”
The Friendly Hotel in the city center is one of the top five-star hotels in Kunming. Its interior is elegantly decorated, with magnificent glass lamps illuminating the lobby like daylight. Walking on the crimson carpet gives one the feeling of being in the clouds. Qiu Ningshui pulled Xie Wendong there and kept looking around, exclaiming from time to time, “It’s really beautiful here.” The Friendly Hotel was indeed beautiful, but so were its prices—not a place ordinary police officers could afford. Of course, exceptions applied to those with special connections. Qiu Ningshui had no such connections; she had only passed by here before and was entering for the first time. She tugged at Xie Wendong’s clothes and asked cautiously, “You don’t have enough money to pay, do you?”
Xie Wendong chuckled and said, “People from the Political Department are usually quite wealthy.” This place meant nothing special to him—it was just a hotel. If he wanted, he could even buy it with money. Qiu Ningshui rolled her eyes at him and said, “Your clothes are just a bit plain.” Xie Wendong was wearing a dark blue Sun Yat-sen suit, a style rarely seen these days as suits had largely replaced traditional Chinese clothing. Xie Wendong smiled indifferently and said, “Clothes are just clothes. As long as they suit me and are comfortable, that’s enough.”
Qiu Ningshui laughed and said, “I didn’t realize you had such personality! Have you eaten Western food before?” Xie Wendong replied, “I’m not from the countryside.”
Qiu Ningshui certainly didn’t hold back with him—she never did when it came to spending others’ money. Moreover, she still remembered how Xie Wendong had tied her to the bed last time. Now that she had this rare opportunity, she planned to “make up for” that “shame” on the bed. For drinks, red wine—Louis XVI. In her words, women only truly looked elegant and graceful when drinking red wine. For food, Western cuisine, a French feast. She said Western food was cost-effective, civilized to eat, and didn’t lead to waste.

Xie Wendong looked at Qiu Ningshui sitting across from him. No matter how he looked at her, he couldn’t see anything elegant or graceful about her. She made smacking noises while eating and squeaking sounds while drinking, drawing curious glances from the guests around them. Xie Wendong had thick skin, yet he still felt embarrassed, realizing the significant gap between him and this beautiful female police officer. He couldn’t help but think of Peng Ling. She was just as beautiful as Qiu Ningshui and also a police officer, but she always ate slowly and gracefully, giving off an air of composure that made it easy to see she was a rational person. Watching Peng Ling eat was actually a pleasure. Qiu Ningshui, on the other hand, ate and drank in big gulps, showing a more masculine demeanor that matched her bold personality.

“Is there something on my face?” Qiu Ningshui raised her head, still with food in her mouth, speaking unclearly. “Why are you staring at me the whole time without eating?”

Xie Wendong snapped out of his thoughts and smiled apologetically. “You remind me of a friend of mine, also a police officer.”

Qiu Ningshui put down her fork and knife, swallowed the food in her mouth, and asked, “Is she a woman too?” Xie Wendong nodded. Suddenly concerned, she asked, “Is she beautiful?” Xie Wendong sighed, his eyes filled with longing, and replied softly, “As beautiful as you are.”

Qiu Ningshui raised an eyebrow and asked, “Is she your girlfriend?” Xie Wendong smiled. “I’m quite picky. There aren’t many people in the world who can catch my heart. She’s the best among them.”

Hearing this, Qiu Ningshui grabbed a napkin and roughly wiped her mouth before throwing it on the table. “I’m done eating!” she said.

Xie Wendong was stunned. “You didn’t eat much. Aren’t you hungry?” Qiu Ningshui huffed, stood up, and walked away. “I’m not in the mood to eat now.” Xie Wendong shook his head, still unaccustomed to her mood swings. He snapped his fingers to call a waiter to settle the bill.

After leaving the hotel, Xie Wendong said, “Let me take you home.” Qiu Ningshui replied curtly, “Don’t I have legs? Do I need you to take me?”

Confused, Xie Wendong didn’t know what she was upset about. He hailed a taxi, handed the driver fifty yuan, and said to Qiu Ningshui, “Never mind. I won’t take you home then. Be careful on your way.” Qiu Ningshui sat down in the taxi, stuck her head out, and shouted, “You’re such an idiot!”

“You…” Xie Wendong really wanted to pull her out of the taxi and spank her. But by the time he tried to act, the taxi had already driven away. Shaking his head helplessly, he watched as the taxi disappeared and muttered, “Hope to see you again next time!”

By the time Xie Wendong returned to join the group, it was already completely dark. That night, the soldiers took turns guarding the containers, and nothing untoward happened. Xie Wendong was extremely cautious; although Ma Feng knew where they were staying and understood the importance of the items inside the containers, he didn’t dare to act. After all, he was Ma Feng, not Ma Feng the madman—he wasn’t insane, so he lacked the courage to confront the military in the provincial capital. In this regard, he couldn’t compare to Xie Wendong. The latter would dare to act even if it meant confronting even the highest authorities if he thought it would benefit him. Achieving great things requires not only a brilliant mind but also courage and determination. Of course, without luck, even a genius is just an idiot.

Early the next morning, the group got ready and set off on their journey. Yunnan boasts stunning scenery, picturesque landscapes—those who never visit this place will never know the beauty of their country. Towering green mountains line the roads, rising high into the clouds, shrouded in mist like a fairyland. Occasional sheepherder songs could be heard, gentle and ethereal, hard to trace. On the way there, the group had no mood to appreciate the beauty along the road, but on the way back, their spirits lifted as they gazed out the window in awe. San Yan sighed, “When I’m old, I’ll build a small cottage on one of these mountains—a simple place where I can enjoy the beauty around me.”

Xie Wendong smiled calmly, looking at the distant mountains, and said, “The land is so beautiful—so many heroes have emerged over the years.” San Yan perked up and asked, “I wonder if we can be considered heroes.” Xie Wendong replied with a smile, “We certainly won’t be on the list of heroes, but we’ll definitely be included in the book of tyrants.”

San Yan chuckled and said, “Whether tyrants or heroes, as long as our names are remembered and passed down, that’s enough. Brother Dong, think about it—if a hundred years from now people still mention our names with approval, saying, ‘Great! What a bunch of scoundrels!’ haha, that would be something to be proud of.”

Xie Wendong shook his head thoughtfully. “Fame isn’t important. Profit isn’t much either. Results are ultimately meaningless—what’s the use of obtaining them? What matters to me is the process, not success. Enjoying the pleasures along the way while pursuing success—that’s the true enjoyment of life. Looking back at the footprints we’ve left in the darkness—that’s what truly brings pride.”

Sanyan sighed. His thoughts were different from Xie Wendong’s; he valued outcomes more, not the process. But he wouldn’t say it—ever since, in Sanyan’s and others’ eyes, Xie Wendong had already become an almost divine figure. No one would contradict what he said; whatever he said was truth. Sanyan said softly, “I follow Brother Dong to conquer the world, to establish our own kingdom. And among everyone, only Brother Dong is worthy of my loyalty.”

Xie Wendong patted his shoulder sincerely and said, “A kingdom means nothing to me. If one day we truly have our own land, and if one day you really want it, just say the word, and I’ll give it to you without hesitation. Because you’re someone who can achieve great things—and because you’re my brother.”

Hearing this, Sanyan’s heart ached, his excitement beyond words. He slowly lowered his head, his eyes filling with tears that dripped onto his pants. It took a while before he raised his head again, trembling as he said, “Brother Dong, the greatest happiness in Sanyan’s life is to be by your side, to follow in your footsteps, to see your back. That’s enough. Even if I die, I’ll do so with a smile. In front of you, I’ll always be your most loyal soldier. In battle, Sanyan will always be your bravest vanguard.”

Xie Wendong sighed, placed a hand on his shoulder, and said, “Straighten up. People’s hearts are like grass—some can be trusted for important tasks but not for everything else, and some can be trusted but not for important tasks.”

The convoy moved slowly along the winding road. On one side were steep cliffs, on the other, towering peaks. Even the most experienced drivers wouldn’t dare speed up here, as even a small stone on the road could cause the car to roll off the cliff. At a turn ahead, there was a white van parked, with a middle-aged man who looked like a driver standing beside it, waving at the convoy, sweating profusely. The car in front stopped, and a soldier poked his head out and asked, “Hey, in trouble?”

The middle-aged driver hurried over, handed him a cigarette, and forced a smile as he said, “Exactly! This damn car broke down again. Could you help me out? See if you can give me a lift.” As he spoke, he pulled out 200 yuan and shoved it into the soldier’s jacket pocket. The soldier quickly pushed the money back. It wasn’t that he didn’t want it, but he didn’t dare. He shouted, “What’s the meaning of this? What if our officer sees it? Give it back!”

The driver looked anxious and said, “Brother, I’m not trying to trouble you. I really have an urgent matter to attend to in the city. Please, help me out!”

The soldier couldn’t resist his pleas, got out of the car, and said, “I’ll go ask the officer. If he doesn’t agree, there’s nothing I can do.” The driver nodded repeatedly in thanks. The soldier walked over to Zhou Yu’s car, knocked on the window a few times, and said respectfully, “Lieutenant, there’s a car broken down ahead. We were wondering if we could give them a lift. What do you think?” He then added, “I think that person is quite pitiful too.”