Chapter Sixteen: Bei Ge, Have You Had Too Much to Drink?

The police officer asked Hua Shi’er if he was able to go to the station to identify the suspects. He noted that if his physical condition did not permit it, he could stay in the hospital and come in a day or two later.

Since Chen Nian’s statement had already confirmed that Liu Beishan was the victim, the officer’s tone was much gentler, despite his previous poor impression of the young man.

Having failed to extort money and unwilling to waste more time in the hospital, Hua Shi’er nodded to show he was fine. He accompanied the officer to the police station, identified the three thugs through a one-way mirror, and was released after leaving his contact information. If anything further arose, the police would call him.

It was ironic; he had been the victim, yet his own case had become secondary, while he had essentially become a witness to a robbery.

Upon leaving the station, Hua Shi’er wanted to take a taxi back to Liu Beishan’s home, but a thorough search of his pockets yielded only five yuan. He checked the phone, hoping to find some digital balance in Liu Beishan’s WeChat, only to discover that the app didn't even have a payment function. Furthermore, the cheap phone didn't even have Alipay installed.

Suddenly, he slapped his forehead, realizing why something felt off. He hadn't found any information related to mobile payments in Liu Beishan’s memory. It then dawned on him that the story took place in 2011; WeChat Pay and mobile Alipay did not launch until 2013.

Hua Shi’er let out a wry smile. Under these circumstances, he would have to walk home. He glanced back at the police station, briefly considering asking the officers if they could give him a ride just as they had done for Chen Nian, but the thought of Liu Beishan’s notorious reputation at the station made him realize it would likely be a humiliating rejection. He decided against it; he wasn't one for begging for favors.

Lighting a crumpled cigarette he found in his pocket and sporting a head bandaged like a turban, he wobbled his way toward the home he remembered as Liu Beishan’s.

Liu Beishan’s home was located under an overpass, surrounded by tunnels and bridges—the only dwelling in the vicinity. In the movie, it had felt like a cottage in a fairy tale, but in reality, the environment could only be described as filthy, chaotic, and dilapidated, resembling an illegal holdout house.

He unlocked the door, but the sight of dirty clothes and smelly socks strewn everywhere made him feel that the air outside was fresher. He was not a man who settled for such conditions. Even though this was the home of his current body’s predecessor, he refused to rest in such an environment, so he immediately began to clean.

***

Once the room was presentable, he washed his hands, boiled some water, and dug out a box of instant noodles Liu Beishan had stored away to satisfy his hunger. During this time, he pulled out paper and a pen and began to write furiously.

He was recording all the economic data and "get-rich-quick" information he had memorized the day before entering this world. He needed to get it down while his memory was still sharp. Hua Shi’er was determined to make money quickly so he could move out of this dump.

He had accessed Liu Beishan’s memories and knew the kid had no savings; his entire net worth was only a little over a thousand yuan, earned recently from stealing two phones and collecting a commission on a debt. This amount was barely enough for a month’s living expenses, let alone solving Chen Nian’s problems. He needed a plan.

After finishing his notes, Hua Shi’er let out a long breath. While eating his noodles, he used his phone to search for more information. After a few queries, the corners of his mouth curled upward. It was settled: just as he had expected, everything in this world was identical to his own world in 2011, except for this city, called "Anqiao." This meant that all the information he had prepared would be useful.

He spent the night at the house and was woken early the next morning by his phone ringing. Hua Shi’er yawned, squinting at the screen to see that the caller was Da Kang.

Da Kang and Lai Zi were Liu Beishan’s best friends and accomplices; the three of them fought together and collected debts for others. In the film, after Chen Nian accidentally killed Wei Lai, the taxi Liu Beishan used to dispose of the body belonged to Da Kang’s father. As a friend, Da Kang was incredibly loyal.

He answered the call, and before Hua Shi’er could speak, Da Kang’s anxious voice came through: "Brother Bei, did you really send Wei Xiaowu and his crew to the station?"

Hua Shi’er had been too excited about the world being the same as his own to sleep much, and he was still groggy. He stood up to brush his teeth and asked vaguely, "Who are you talking about?"

"Wei Xiaowu! The older brother of Wei Xiaoliu, the one we fight for work with. Remember how we beat up Wei Xiaoliu? He threatened to take you out. Did you really turn them in?"

While Da Kang was talking, Hua Shi’er put the phone on speaker. Disgusted by Liu Beishan’s old toothbrush, he simply used his finger to smear some toothpaste on his teeth and scrubbed them. "Yeah. Those three bastards ambushed me yesterday. They cracked my head with a beer bottle. A female student tried to help me call the police, but they robbed her of fifty yuan. I called the cops as soon as they left!"

Da Kang on the other end panicked: "Wei Xiaowu and the others are with Ma Qi! Ma Laoqi put the word out this morning that he’s going to cripple you. Bei, you need to leave—you can’t stay in Anqiao anymore..."

In Liu Beishan’s memory, Ma Qi was a famous gang leader in Anqiao, known as "Seventh Master." He controlled many pickpockets who had to pay him a tribute daily. Hua Shi’er hadn't expected those three thugs to be Ma Qi’s subordinates. Liu Beishan and his friends were freelancers who couldn't afford to cross someone like Ma Qi, which explained why Da Kang was so worried.

Hua Shi’er rinsed his mouth, washed the toothpaste off his finger, and said calmly, "Don't worry about them. This is a society ruled by law; they can't just do whatever they want!"

For someone who lived on the edge of the law, constantly dancing on the red line, to suddenly talk about the rule of law left Da Kang stunned. "What’s going on? Brother Bei, are you drunk?"

"Why would I be drinking this early? I’m perfectly sober!" Hua Shi’er laughed and continued, "By the way, I need some money. Whatever you have, lend it to me; I’ll pay you back by the end of the month."

Da Kang was indeed a loyal friend. Without hesitation, he said, "I’ve got about five thousand saved up from driving for my old man at night."

"That’s not quite enough," Hua Shi’er muttered. As expected, low-level thugs like them didn't have much cash. He pondered for a moment and said, "Ask Lai Zi how much he has. Try to scrape together as much as you can. I have things to do, and the more money I have, the better."

Da Kang didn't waste words, said "Alright," and hung up.

Hua Shi’er took out Liu Beishan’s thousand-plus yuan, stuffed it into his pocket, and then found the kid’s ID card. He looked at the birth date and sighed, "If only I were already eighteen, things wouldn't be this complicated!"