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墨書 Inktalez
"Cheers to Teacher Zhou!" A Long raised his glass, slightly tipsy. "Without you, I'd still be out there stabbing people on the street!"
Laughter erupted among the crowd, and Old Zhou's eyes glistened with unshed tears. He lifted his teacup. "To everyone who gives dignity to the 'Garbage Man.'"
As the glasses clinked and drinks flowed, Lin Xiaofan unknowingly drank too much. The alcohol blurred the lines of reality as he draped an arm around Old Zhou's shoulders, rambling, "Teacher Zhou, do you know? If it weren't for the system forcing me... hic... I wouldn't even..."
"The system?" Su Yuqing interjected sharply. "What system?"
Lin Xiaofan jolted, the alcohol fading from his mind. "I mean... our Cancer Foundation's internal system, that donation tracking program..."
Su Yuqing narrowed her eyes, clearly skeptical of his explanation. Old Zhou, however, regarded Lin Xiaofan thoughtfully, his fingers unconsciously tracing a bump on the armrest of the wheelchair—where a photo of miners was hidden.
By the time the banquet ended, it was deep into the night. Lin Xiaofan declined A Long's offer to help take Old Zhou home and instead pushed the wheelchair into the rain himself. Old Zhou lived in an old apartment building without an elevator. Without hesitation, Lin Xiaofan hoisted the elderly man onto his back and instructed A Long to carry the wheelchair upstairs.
"You stubborn child..." Old Zhou rested lightly against him like a fallen leaf. "Just like your father."
"You knew my father?" Lin Xiaofan paused at a landing.
Old Zhou did not answer directly. "Back then, there were twelve of us in the mine; only three made it out alive." His breath brushed against Lin Xiaofan's neck. "Your dad, me, and..."
"Zhao Tianming," Lin Xiaofan finished for him.
The old man's frail body trembled slightly.
After settling Old Zhou comfortably, Lin Xiaofan stepped out into the rainy night alone. The alcohol made his thoughts drift; one moment he recalled heartfelt gratitude from the art exhibition, and the next he was haunted by stories of mining disasters his father had never mentioned. Notifications from the system popped up before him but were swiped away absentmindedly.
"Screech—"
The sudden sound of tires screeching pierced through the night as a black Mercedes abruptly cut in front of him. The rear window rolled down slowly to reveal Zhao Tianming's well-maintained face.
"Mr. Lin, need a ride?"
Raindrops trickled down Zhao Tianming's jade ring. The mingled scent of leather and cigars wafted from inside the car, causing Lin Xiaofan's stomach to churn.
"No thanks." He took a step back.
Zhao Tianming remained unfazed and handed over a document through the window. "Take a look at this. Article 43 of the Charity Law regarding public fundraising qualifications..." His long fingers tapped on a specific line of text. "It seems your recent art exhibition might have crossed some lines."
Lin Xiaofan stared at the document as raindrops blurred the ink but still revealed the glaring words "Administrative Penalty."
"Is Zhao Huizhang threatening me?"
"How could that be?" Zhao Tianming maintained his smile. "Just a friendly reminder. After all..." He paused meaningfully, "your father also suffered from ignorance of the law back in the day."
Lin Xiaofan's fists clenched tightly. Zhao Tianming had already rolled up his window, leaving only one last remark hanging in the rain-soaked air: "Say hello to Old Zhou for me. Tell him... I'm still looking into that matter."
The Mercedes-Benz glided silently into the night. Lin Xiaofan stood still, rainwater trickling from his hair into the collar of his coat. Suddenly, his phone vibrated with an urgent system alert:
【High-Risk Warning!】
【Malicious Behavior Detected】
【Immediate Fund Transfer Recommended】
【Associated Individual Danger Level: 99%】
In the distance, an ambulance whizzed by, its red lights blurring in the rain like a pool of fresh blood.
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