I want to make a bet with Wang Ren.
Although I didn't come to Beijing immediately after I recovered, I've already treated Wang Ren as a hypothetical enemy countless times in my mind. I've been thinking about how to defeat her, and I finally decided to tackle her strongest skill.
Wang Ren's scheme is called "Dao first, then Fa."
Her schemes are not as aggressive as Li Jiu's, nor like Old Ghost's, where you throw a punch and they use a fraction of the force to deflect your moves. Wang Ren's Dao comes from her pride. With that old pocket watch, she can use anyone's abilities she wishes. This means she can be as tricky and powerful as Li Jiu, or use your own methods against you like Old Ghost.
She can effortlessly wield the skills of Zhang Si, Zhu Guang, Li Jiu, and Cao Shi. This is Wang Ren's Fa – the ability to mimic others' schemes. She firmly believes that if others can do it, she definitely can.
Her Dao is her pride, her confidence.
And what I need to do is to defeat her confidence.
"You punish ordinary people before they commit crimes, because you are certain that this ordinary person will commit a crime, right?"
"Of course." Wang Ren's expression didn't change much as she readily agreed.
"Don't you think it's unfair to those ordinary people who haven't committed crimes yet, to speculate like this?"
"This isn't speculation; it's psychological science."
"Alright, Senior Martial Aunt, since it's science, then can I prove your scientific theory is wrong?"
I had simulated conversations with Wang Ren many times, so what I needed to do and say next came to me naturally.
"How will you prove it?"
"You always have targets for punishment, right? According to your science, an ordinary person at a certain time and place should commit a crime. Tell me the name of this ordinary person, and I will use causality to prove that they won't commit a crime."
"How will you prove it?"
"Since you're using psychological science, when that person stands before you, you will know that with their psychological state, they won't commit a crime. Am I right, Senior Martial Aunt?"
"You intend to interfere?"
"Yes, if there is interference, then they won't commit a crime, and your private punishment will be meaningless, won't it?"
The trap I had long prepared, waiting for Wang Ren to fall into it. Hearing me say this, Wang Ren burst into laughter: "Since you say so, let's begin then."
"Best of three."
"Do we need three rounds?"
"Senior Martial Aunt, you are the elder. What if I lose the first round? Won't you give me another chance?"
"Such glib talk!"
"So you agree."
"Tang Nan, do you know? Apples will eventually fall to the ground. This means laws cannot be broken. Among those who become criminals, societal environment, genes, and coincidences – when all conditions approach a threshold, people will choose to commit crimes."
"How do you know that humans won't stop before they approach that threshold?"
"Some things cannot be stopped, like time. No matter how powerful a person is, they cannot fight against the aging that time brings. The mind is the same. As time passes, people will eventually reach their breaking point."
I nodded, as if agreeing with Senior Martial Aunt Wang Ren's statement, and then added, "So, it's settled."
"Alright!"
I stood up to leave, but Senior Martial Aunt Wang Ren smiled and said, "Don't rush, have some tea before you go."
...
That evening, I had arranged to drink with Chang Dachun and a few others. Da Huang, after a few drinks, felt moved and said, "Brother, if I hadn't gone home early that day, you wouldn't have caused that accident."
That incident had passed long ago, but it still lingered in the minds of my family.
Fatty also said worriedly, "Tang Nan, I heard that after you inhaled carbon monoxide, your mind became abnormal."
"Yes, I was confused during that period, causing my brothers to worry." After speaking, I glanced at Xiao Zi'an and asked with a smile, "And this is?"
"An Xiaoyue!"
Xiao Jiayue is equal to Xiao, Xiao An, plus her son, is still Xiao Zi'an.
According to the plan I set in Wang Ren's illusion, Xiao Zi'an was a crucial piece, and I had even provided her son with 10% equity. However, that was all a dream, and I left in a sorry state after waking up.
Later, when establishing the private equity fund, to avoid causing trouble for Xiao Zi'an, I didn't give Xiao Zi'an's son any equity and proceeded with the normal process.
"Sister Yue, hello!"
Da Huang, hearing me say this, clapped me on the shoulder forcefully, "You can't call her Sister Yue. Sister-in-law has already registered her marriage with Big Brother."
I glanced at Xiao Zi'an. No, I glanced at An Xiaoyue. Her eyes held a deep meaning. I didn't say much more and quickly corrected myself: "Hello, Sister-in-law."
After speaking, I looked at Chang Dachun. Chang Dachun naturally knew the truth and his expression was a bit awkward, but he quickly regained his composure and interrupted us, "Brother, let's drink. Are you in Beijing for something this time?"
"I'm here for Gao Ziyan."
"Gao Ziyan? The wealthy family from Hong Kong, the Gao family?" Chang Dachun had asked casually at first, but his eyes lit up upon hearing Gao Ziyan.
"Yes, the head of the Gao family, Gao Ziyan. She's not even older than me?"
"What happened to her?"
"She's involved with a prostitute who drowned in a swimming pool. The police suspect she personally pushed the prostitute into the pool."
Hearing me say this, An Xiaoyue nudged Chang Dachun with her elbow. "Big Intestine, don't you have a friend who knows a lot about these things? Ask him about it."
Da Huang chimed in, "Who is it?"
Having spent so much time together, Da Huang knew almost all of Chang Dachun's friends in Beijing.
"Who is it?"
Chang Dachun didn't react immediately and asked in surprise.
"I think his surname is Ke?"
"Ke Ba? Who... who stutters!"
I chuckled, "Sister-in-law, you mean Ke Yingying, right?"
"Oh, that seems right."
"You've reminded me. It's definitely the right person to ask Ke Yingying about this. Alright, after we finish here, I'll call Ke Yingying and go see her tomorrow. Big Brother Chang, is Old Ke still in Beijing?"
Chang Dachun shook his head, "I don't know about that. I haven't contacted him in a long time."
...
After drinking with them, I didn't rush to find Ke Yingying. Instead, I took a taxi back to my Wende Xiaoyuan. It was still the same, with the cleaning lady tidying it up regularly, keeping it clean and neat.
So, it's very difficult for me. How can I break Gao Ziyan's hope and save her at the same time?
Rescuing her from her current predicament is not difficult for me.
Breaking Gao Ziyan's hope of loving me, for a man, is not difficult. The difficulty lies in achieving both these goals.