Tomorrow as Bright as Day – Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Henry returned in the afternoon, and Liang Jiancheng arranged for a driver to take him to the airport.
Liang Jiancheng had become friends with Henry while studying in the United States. Both of them loved outdoor adventures and often went hiking together. Once, they experienced a major accident in the wild, and their friendship deepened into a bond forged through life and death.
Because of that bond, when Liang Jiancheng later decided to start his own business, Henry congratulated him by placing three large orders.
Before getting into the car, Henry suddenly said, “If there’s going to be a ceremony, I’ll gladly make another trip to China.”
He was referring to Liang Jiancheng’s engagement.
Standing beside the sleek black sedan, Liang Jiancheng opened the car door for him. His manner had the calm grace of a cultivated Chinese gentleman, yet he still carried the sharpness and subtle sensuality of a young man.
“Alright, I’ll be sure to invite you.” Liang Jiancheng said.
After Henry’s departure, Liang Jiancheng decided to stay in Yicheng for another day.
Henry’s orders had ensured an excellent year-end performance for his new company. As long as production was properly arranged, there was no need for him to rush back to Haigang. Professor Liang had already said he wouldn’t be returning to Haigang for the New Year’s, so Jiancheng stayed as well, planning to celebrate the coming millennium together in a quiet way.
The atmosphere at the conference hall today reflected the gradual recovery of the domestic economy. Leaving the Bomei Hotel, Liang Jiancheng had a slew of business cards in his pocket—he had given out quite a few of his own, too.
Liang Jiancheng used to work at Shuangyang Electronics. Thanks to Shuangyang’s reputation, he was not an unfamiliar face at such an event.
“Mr. Liang!” someone called out — a manager from a major Haigang company hurried after him.
Liang Jiancheng and, after a brief pause to recall who it was, greeted him politely: “Hello, Mr. Luo, how is business lately?”
“Not bad, not bad. Orders have picked up in the second half of the year.” The man called Mr. Luo was a burly man, a head shorter than Liang Jiancheng, but much broader in built.
“It’s all thanks to Shuangyang. This year’s business hasn’t been easy, but you still gave me the price we signed two years ago. I really appreciate it.” Mr. Luo said.
Liang Jiancheng smiled slightly, “Integrity is the key to doing business. If a contract is for several years, it has to be honored for that long. We can lose money but not our reputation.”
Mr. Luo nodded repeatedly.
Liang Jiancheng’s tone was also slightly confused. He asked, “But Mr. Luo, don’t you work in electronics manufacturing? Why attend a textile expo?”
Mr. Luo spoke openly and didn’t hide anything: “. I have set up a new company specializing in knitwear. This time I came to Yicheng to find suppliers.”
Ah, so that was the reason.
Then Mr. Luo asked in return, “Does Shuangyang Color TV have plans to get into textiles? For export?”
Shuangyang was a well-known household appliance brand in Haigang — its color TVs were nationally famous. Liang Jiancheng, though still young, had served as procurement manager at Shuangyang Color TV. His ability was part of it, but even more so, he had a very capable and formidable mother.
At this moment, Liang Jiancheng pulled out a business card from his coat pocket and handed it over politely: “I’m no longer with Shuangyang Electronics. This is my new company, and I hope Mr. Luo will continue to provide guidance in the future.”
Well……
Mr. Luo took the white business card from Liang Jiancheng’s hand with surprise, and at a glance he saw Liang Jiancheng’s new company and new position.
Xinghai International Trade Co., Ltd.
General Manager: Liang Jiancheng (Byron)
Fax: 00XXXXX
…
The last day of December 1999. The 31st. It was cold.
The air was so cold and clear it could freeze water into ice. Early in the morning, Ming Xi boiled water at home. The kettle whistled sharply on the stove, steam rolling in thick white clouds as it boiled.
After washing her face, Ming Xi put on her gloves and went out.
Today she had an exam. Ming Decheng and Yang Yumei were also going out. They told her that Ming Yue would land at the provincial capital airport that afternoon, which was only a two-hour drive from Yicheng, and they would go to pick her up in person.
Oh, and one more thing.
Ming Decheng also told her: after the exam in the afternoon, don’t go home. Go directly to Jinxin Restaurant on Huaibei Street—he’d already booked a table there.
“We have to celebrate your sister’s return,” Ming Decheng said.
Ming Xi answered faintly, “Mm,” feeling a chill deep inside.
Yang Yumei remained silent from beginning to end. Ming Xi deliberately lagged behind, watching them get into the car before leaving.
“Okay, go take the exam.” Ming Decheng said, waving at her without looking back.
Yang Yumei kept her head down the whole time, got into the car in a hurry, almost slipping as she climbed in.
Ming Xi stood straight, her gloved hands tucked into her pockets, but no matter how tightly she tucked them, they wouldn’t warm up. The Santana’s doors closed. Ming Decheng started the engine. They were ready to go.
At the mouth of the alley, the biting wind made her ears go numb and hard.
Then suddenly—the passenger door opened again.
Yang Yumei, who was already in the car, get out again.
She stumbled out of the car, as if she had made some sudden, desperate decision, and suddenly shouted, “Ming Xi! When you finish your exam, just go! Don’t come home!
“Go on, don’t come home—”
Go on, don’t come home—These were the last words Yang Yumei left for her.
Ming Xi tried to respond, but when she opened her mouth, the wind filled it, choking her throat. Even after Ming Decheng’s car drove away and the exhaust fumes dissipated, she remained standing at the entrance of the alley, motionless.
She wondered what Yang Yumei was trying to tell her by getting off the car?
Did she mean “after the exam, go to the Jinxin Restaurant instead of home”? Or did she mean “leave Yicheng altogether and never come back”?
Which one?
Ming Xi pursed her lips, her legs felt like they were filled with lead and she couldn’t move for a while.
After a long time… she turned around and walked inside without looking back.
As if nothing had happened, she returned home, then got on her bicycle and rode to the exam site. For as long as she could remember, only the things she could hold in her own hands were real. Only the paths she could walk herself were good paths.
Facing the wind, Ming Xi’s entire head was blown stiff by the wind, and her heart became as hard as iron.
Why did Ming Decheng and Yang Yumei choose this day to run away? Because this day was crucial to her. No matter what happened, she couldn’t leave Yicheng or skip the exam.
Even if she sensed something was wrong, there was nothing she could do.
Fine then, go. All of you, go! Ming Xi thought bitterly. She told herself again and again not to feel sad: I was going to leave this family first. I didn’t want them anyway.
Then, to her surprise, her icy cheeks grew hot as two streams of tears slid down.
What the hell, she actually cried.
Tears kept pouring out, and no matter how hard she tried to steel herself, she couldn’t control them. They froze quickly in the wind, clinging to her skin like ice. Ming Xi clenched her jaw tightly, her whole face stiff with the frost of winter.
…
In this world, everything except herself was just external things.
When Ming Xi was fifteen, she wrote something in her diary: If the love in this world is destined to have nothing to do with me, then please let all that useless love pass me by…
Anything she couldn’t have was useless to her.
Ming Xi appeared in the examination room five minutes before the exam started. Cai Ni was already sitting in the back row counting her pens. When Ming Xi appeared in the classroom with her bangs blown by the wind, Cai Ni looked at her in astonishment.
…What kind of style is this?
Ming Xi said nothing, calmly took off her gloves and sat down.
She had nothing with her but her exam permit and one pen in her coat pocket. When the papers were handed out, she picked up her pen and started writing immediately.
Oh. She forgot to write her name. Ming Xi’s frozen hands trembled slightly as she held the pen and tried to write her name neatly.
Fortunately, the graduation exam for TVU was really simple. Even with her mind in turmoil, it did not affect her ability to answer the questions.
In the entire examination room, Ming Xi finished the test paper the fastest and also helped Cai Ni who was behind her. After Cai Ni checked the answers, Ming Xi submitted her paper without hesitation.
Because she was looking for a job, Ming Xi had used her savings to buy a cell phone and a SIM card. Two days earlier, at the Bomei Hotel, she’d even met a few bosses and given them her number.
At noon, while having lunch in the cafeteria, Ming Xi showed her cell phone to Cai Ni and gave her phone number.
Cai Ni held the phone, touching it over and over with envy, “My dad said he’ll buy me a once exams are over.”
Ming Xi nodded calmly.
“Did your dad buy this for you?” Cai Ni asked.
Ming Xi gave a faint smile.
Cai Ni misunderstood, took that as a yes, and said sincerely: “Actually, your dad treats you very well.”
Ming Xi hummed twice and continued eating.
She couldn’t tell Cai Ni that if Ming Decheng and Yang Yumei really ran away, she might not have much time left.
“Let’s go ice skating after the exams tonight! Afterwards, we’ll go to the big market to watch the fireworks. Tomorrow morning, we’ll climb Tianhu Mountain to watch the millennium sunrise.” Cai Ni mentioned her plans for the evening, and she already rubbed her hands excitedly when she mentioned the millennium sunrise.
Cai Ni didn’t create this New Year’s Eve plan alone; several classmates worked together on it. It was only that Ming Xi had been hard to find these past few days, so Cai Ni hadn’t been able to tell her until now.
Ming Xi looked at Cai Ni and said uncertainly, “I don’t know if I have time…”
Cai Ni immediately started to act coquettishly: “No way! You have to come! We agreed to celebrate New Year’s Eve together!”
Ming Xi gave a soft “mm.”
…
Ming Xi took the English exam that afternoon and finished very quickly. She managed her time carefully and handed in her paper ten minutes early. Every second mattered to her now. The moment she stepped out of the exam room, she got on her bike and sped home.
The door looked the same as always, but once she unlocked it and went through the rooms, she realized—the house had been almost completely emptied out.
She entered Ming Decheng’s phone number. Disconnected.
She tried Yang Yumei’s number. Also disconnected.
Ming Xi held the phone and suddenly gave a short, angry laugh.
Unexpectedly, Ming Decheng and Yang Yumei came back with a surprise attack—
After she left for the exam, they came back to pack up their belongings, leaving only some broken pots and pans for her. They even took away the two strips of bacon hanging by the window to dry!!!
Without thinking further, Ming Xi went into the bedroom and used all her strength to shove the bed aside.
There was a suitcase under the bed. She opened it and began tossing things in—clothes, personal belongings, a few treasured items: her Sony Walkman, a basket of English tapes, a few books.
When a house no longer holds anything worth missing, packing was quick.
It didn’t take Ming Xi long to pack her suitcase. She zipped it up, pulled it upright, and dragged it out.
…
But even with all her speed, she was still a step too late—
As soon as she walked out, three men were blocking the doorway. She had seen them before—at Qin Li’s house.
The gangster leader was called Liu Xinjun.
In broad daylight, Ming Xi wasn’t afraid they’d try anything. She looked straight at them, eyes steady, and dragged her suitcase step by step toward the street.
They didn’t touch her. The man called Brother Liu leaned lazily against the wall, eyes fixed on her. When she came close, he rasped in his smoke-roughened voice: “Your old man’s run off. Your stepmother’s run off with him. You planning to run off too?”
Ming Xi said nothing and kept moving forward.
The two people brought by Brother Liu easily stepped in front of her.
“It’s only right to pay back your debts. You can’t get away with it.” One of them said; his tone was not fierce, but rather sounded reasonable.
Ming Xi straightened her back slightly and turned around. Now that things had come to this, she had no reason to pretend. Brother Liu stared at her; she stared right back, following the scar across his forehead down to his eyes, then glared hard.
“So it’s true—debt makes the debtor a lord, doesn’t it?”
Liu Xinjun pulled a slip of paper from his jacket and threw it at her, “Your dad owes me two hundred thousand yuan. This is his IOU.”
Ming Xi’s hand moved fast; she snatched it before it hit the ground.
The two men started forward to take it back, but Liu Xinjun raised a hand to stop them. “Let her look. She can read and understand it.”
Ming Xi laughed in her heart, glanced at the IOU, and returned it to Brother Liu without saying a word.
Ming Decheng ran away so fast because he had cheated Liu Xinjun’s money under the pretext of opening a restaurant. He didn’t even dare to look at her in the eye before leaving because the IOU agreement had written something that was difficult to agree to.
“Right? Your dad really owes me two hundred thousand. He even wrote on it… If he can’t pay it back, he’ll marry off one of his daughters to me as my wife.” Liu Xinjun spoke while looking at Ming Xi leisurely, and when he mentioned the word wife, the corners of his mouth twitched mockingly.
Ming Xi snorted lightly, very disdainful.
Liu Xinjun also sneered: “What, too proud to admit you’re getting a good deal?”
Men who could become gang leaders in times like these had neither shame nor fear.
“That IOU—I don’t recognize it,” Ming Xi said, lifting her eyes. She felt assured in her heart, so her expression carried a certain defiance.
“Don’t recognize it? Then pay up.” Another one of them yelled at her.
Liu Xinjun shot that man an irritated glance.
Ming Xi shot one right back at Liu Xinjun.
For a moment, the scene almost seemed absurd—if not for the deep scar on Liu Xinjun’s forehead that made everything deadly serious again.
At first she’d been nervous meeting them, but after seeing that ridiculous IOU, she wasn’t afraid anymore. What a joke—trying to detain someone with a piece of paper that has no legal force at all!
Ming Xi faced Liu Xinjun, her tone turned firm. She said, “Every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt has its creditor. Go find whoever owes you money. If it’s gambling debt, go to the police. You’re looking for them? So am I. Why don’t we file the report together?”
The girl spoke calmly and fearlessly, spouting out word by word. Regardless of her aura or demeanor, she was even more courageous than Ming Decheng! Brother Liu widened his eyes theatrically, leaning close and growling, “Fuck, what did you say… You seem to know a lot about the law! Then maybe I can find Ming Decheng through you—that’s not illegal, is it? ”
This certainly wasn’t illegal, and she could still cooperate. Ming Xi calmly took out her phone and handed it over: “Look at the call log—top of the list, Yang Yumei and Ming Decheng. I just dialed them. Try again if you don’t believe me—they’re both dead numbers.”
…He had dialed the number earlier, but couldn’t get through, so he came here to block people!
Yes, she was the same! Ming Xi looked at Liu Xinjun straight in the eye, sincere and unafraid. “I really don’t know where they went. I just know that they left early in the morning. If you have time to come after me, you’d be better off reporting them missing.”
“You’re lying. If you didn’t know they were running away, why would you run? Aren’t you obviously running away now?” A man with a round face stared at the suitcase in Ming Xi’s hand and laid it out clearly.
That was true—but she wasn’t admitting it.
“I did well in my exam today and made an appointment with my friend to go out and play. They’re coming to pick me up soon.” Ming Xi explained.
“Tsk—” Of course they didn’t believe her.
That was fine. Ming Xi pursed her lips and continued to speak, her voice slightly strained:
“We live in a society ruled by law. When you asked me questions earlier, I answered you out of conscience, but not out of obligation. If you doubt what I said, you can call the police and see if they will arrest me—
“There’s no law in China that says children must repay their parents’ debts—and certainly none that lets a daughter be used to pay off a debt. Don’t try to bully me. If you won’t call the police, I will.”
“…”
“…!”
Ming Xi’s voice was calm, but her words were full of arrogance. She needed to sound fierce—let them know she wasn’t easy prey. They shouldn’t even think about finding Ming Decheng through her. If they needed to find him, they should go find him themselves, not her!
To stand tall, you needed power; if you had no power, you needed presence. Otherwise, you were just ridiculous in others’ eyes.
After the English exam ended in the afternoon, Ming Xi calculated the time perfectly and handed in the paper ten minutes early. These ten minutes were the time she calculated to pack her suitcase.
She’d known the risk when she came home—that if Ming Decheng’s debt collectors caught her, she’d have to face them head-on.
Suddenly, a dozen or so people appeared at the entrance of the alley. They were all boys from the same school taking the exam today, including the class leader from neighboring class, who’d once confessed to Ming Xi. Summoned by Cai Ni, they had rushed straight from the exam hall, mounting their bikes in unison and charging down the narrow alley toward her house.
Ming Xi stood still, suitcase in hand. Then she turned—and saw her reinforcements.
A whole gang of classmates, all with righteous faces.
Each of them was full of youthful energy. Cai Ni, who was in the lead, sat high on her friend Dezi’s motorcycle, and next to them was the leader of the mechanical class.
The wind howled through the alley, scattering dust and paper. Cai Ni, riding on the back of a motorcycle. Even though her pretty face was distorted by the wind, her voice did not waver as she shouted with all her might towards Ming Xi: “Ming Xi… hurry up!”