The Remaining Third Chapter Forty-Four: Destiny (Wishing everyone a happy Valentine's Day)

Some destinies are meant to separate as soon as they meet.

When Blondie opened his eyes, the first thing that came to his mind was not Zhu Dachang and Hou San, who had tied him up, nor Song Yicheng, the taxi driver who ambushed him from behind, but Han Yuan, who had set out alone. Blondie looked intently at his own reflection in Zhang Xiaoman’s eyes, like a child seeking comfort from a parent after being bullied by others, and with tearful eyes he said, “Professor Zhang… I lost Han Yuan…”

Zhang Xiaoman involuntarily shivered, pulling his hand away from Blondie. “Get away from me. Stop performing here. You only met Han Yuan a few hours ago, acting as if you two share some deep bond…”

“There are people,” Blondie slightly lifted his chin, letting the breeze stir a few strands of his yellow hair, “for whom a single glance lasts longer than a lifetime. My brother and I are kindred spirits, mutually admiring each other…”

“If you really are so attached to him, that’s easy enough. When we catch him, I’ll arrange a double cell for you two in prison. You can spend eternity together then…” Zhang Xiaoman sneered and raised his eyebrows at He Wei. “Captain He, that request shouldn’t be hard for you to fulfill, right?”

He Wei winked at Blondie. “Not difficult at all. We’ll even save a cell. The warden will be thrilled.”

Blondie pretended to choke on his own saliva, coughing a few times. “Forget it. If love is meant to last, it won’t depend on day and night. If I go in, what about Han Mei? She’ll have to raise the child alone, be both father and mother. It’s not easy…”

He Wei widened his eyes, took a deep breath, and smacked Blondie sharply on the back of the head. “Damn it, do you think I’m dead?”

Seeing Blondie’s indignant expression as he was about to provoke He Wei further, Zhang Xiaoman cleared his throat. “Keep wasting time with nonsense here, and if Han Yuan really escapes, you’ll be charged as an accomplice. Then you two can really rekindle your bond in prison… Back to business. Which direction did Han Yuan run?”

Blondie quickly wiped the grin from his face and pointed. “He stole a taxi from here and headed that way… My brother is truly a legend, conquering the world with a single piece of wire!”

Zhang Xiaoman wasted no more words with him, got into a police car, and beckoned to He Wei.

He Wei swiftly took his seat at the wheel, started the engine, and was about to release the brake when he saw Blondie following. He stopped, glancing at Zhang Xiaoman for direction.

Zhang Xiaoman gently shook his head, lowered the window, and said to Blondie outside, “No need to follow us. Just pick any car to get back to the city. There’s a new task waiting for you.”

Blondie softly replied, “Oh,” rubbed his hands, and his eyes lit up. “So, should I get my informant fee this time? I’m waiting to buy a crib for my godson…”

Zhang Xiaoman lightly kicked the back of the driver’s seat. “We’ll talk about that once Han Yuan’s caught. If we don’t get him, even if I apply for the fee, you won’t get it…”

He Wei immediately understood, released the brake, floored the accelerator, and the police car sped away.

Blondie ate a mouthful of dust, spat several times, and shouted loudly, “Even if I didn’t achieve much, I worked hard! At least reimburse my taxi fare to the detention center!”

No reply came through the wind. He Wei’s police car slowly vanished from sight. Blondie sighed, cursed under his breath, and walked toward another police car. He opened the door to see it packed with officers, so he headed to the last car.

Just as Blondie was about to open the door, Song Yicheng and Song Lao’er slipped inside ahead of him. Song Yicheng looked at Blondie with smug satisfaction and waved his hand. “Sorry, this car’s full!”

Blondie pouted. “Just squeeze in. No traffic cop will check if the police cars are overloaded…”

The officer in the driver’s seat quickly turned the key, started the engine, and said coldly, “Are you suggesting I break the law? Sorry, I refuse.”

The car sped off, and once again Blondie was engulfed in dust. He scanned the empty surroundings, cursed, and walked toward the city on foot…

After driving the police car for 7.8 kilometers, He Wei finally saw a black luxury coupe and a taxi parked by the roadside, and Han Yuan lying face down on the ground. He breathed a sigh of relief, parked beside Han Yuan, called the traffic department for a tow truck to remove the taxi and coupe, took out handcuffs from his belt, and was about to handcuff Han Yuan’s wrists when Zhang Xiaoman stopped him.

Zhang Xiaoman shook his head slowly. “No need, and it won’t work. There’s no handcuff on earth that can hold Han Yuan. If he really wants to leave, even a strand of hair would unlock them.”

He Wei suddenly sensed something strange about Han Yuan’s escape and looked at Zhang Xiaoman with confusion. “Uncle Man, tell me honestly: did you let Han Yuan out on purpose?”

Zhang Xiaoman stroked his snowy beard. “Don’t worry. I’ll give you a reasonable explanation soon.” He pulled out a document. “This is a cooperation order signed by your chief. From now on, Han Yuan is my informant.”

He Wei stared blankly at the order in Zhang Xiaoman’s hand. “Doesn’t that mean everything I did was pointless, like a duck hatching chicks?”

“Not quite,” Zhang Xiaoman sniffed a few times. “Why did Zhuge Liang capture Meng Huo seven times? Some people can’t be reasoned with or trusted, even if they offer to surrender. Only when you beat them down do you truly win them over. The more capable a person is, the more this applies. So, if we want Han Yuan to obey us in the future, we had to put on this show, so he learns one thing: even if he’s the Monkey King, he can’t escape our palm… Isn’t that right, Han Yuan? Since you’re awake, drop the act and let’s talk. And throw away that little knife in your hand; you don’t really mean to stab a police officer, do you?”

He Wei looked in shock at Han Yuan, whose shoulders were slightly moving. His gaze shifted to Han Yuan’s hands, and sure enough, he saw a small knife hidden in Han Yuan’s right hand. He instantly reached for his gun.

“Relax,” Han Yuan flipped over, tossing the knife aside, and, with hands folded behind his head, grinned up at Zhang Xiaoman. “There’s a saying: your opponent always knows you best, and it’s spot on… Zhang Xiaoman, it’s a pity you’re about to die; I’ll be so lonely without you.”

Zhang Xiaoman raised his eyebrows. “What, planning to die with me?”

“No way,” Han Yuan crossed his legs. “I need to see my sister marry, have children, help her raise them. Too much to do, can’t keep you company…” He cocked his head, grew serious. “Enough chatter. We’re all busy people, let’s get to the point… Was that truck outside the detention center prepared in advance?”

“Of course,” Zhang Xiaoman pursed his lips. “You didn’t really believe your luck was so good that there’d be an unattended truck waiting for you to steal?”

Han Yuan chuckled. “Maybe I was a bit naive. So, Blondie is your man too?”

“To be precise,” Zhang Xiaoman took out an electronic shackle and fastened it to Han Yuan’s right ankle, “he’s our man. And now, so are you—we’re all in the same boat.”

Han Yuan let Zhang Xiaoman do as he pleased, not resisting. He slowly climbed to his feet and patted the dust from his clothes. “What do you want me to do? My schedule’s tight; I still have to go to Lvteng City to find Niuniu…”

“Coincidence,” Zhang Xiaoman’s lips curled into a faint smile. “What I want you to do involves going to Lvteng City as well. Our fate ends here; another waits for you there…”