After getting out of the car, I realized that in my anger, I had made Old Tie's nose bleed and his eyes swell. I felt a bit guilty using the fighting skills I had recently learned on my brother.
"From now on, don't come to my house. You're not welcome, and you don't need to worry about my business. Even if I become a murderer and get arrested, it'll have nothing to do with you."
"Old Tie, I'm sorry, Old Tie... Old Tie..."
Since I was young, I've never been very social and have had few close friends. Old Tie has been by my side, inseparable, since childhood. He's burly but timid, and most of the time, he listens to me. Perhaps that's why we're still considered brothers. But this time, I've really fallen out with Old Tie, and I feel an inexplicable panic. Especially watching him turn and leave without looking back. I feel like the friendship I once took pride in is slowly slipping away. I want to chase after him, but my legs won't move, because I know Old Tie is stubborn, and even if I knelt and begged him now, he wouldn't forgive me.
...
Back at the hotel, I lay on the bed regretting it, not even wanting to eat. Then, someone called. I saw it was the precinct's landline, so I answered.
"How's your case progressing?" Yu Xiaoluo asked me.
"No progress!"
"Got shot?"
"I'm really not in a good mood today. Let's talk later."
I hung up the phone and looked down at a letter on the floor. It was folded neatly. It must have fallen out of my pocket when I was taking out my phone. I never keep letters in my pocket, and I certainly wouldn't fold it like this.
When exactly did it get into my pocket?
I picked up the letter and opened it. It had a drawing of a willow tree on it. What kind of code is this, a riddle?
I couldn't understand it, nor did I know what it meant. But I had a feeling that the big willow tree on the paper held a hidden secret. After thinking about it for a while, I couldn't help but smile. This could be a good opportunity to make up with Old Tie!
At this time, Old Tie should be at his shop. I went there excitedly. When I reached the entrance, Old Tie saw me coming and tried to close the door from a distance. I quickly walked over, stuck my foot forward, and shouted, "Got my foot caught!"
With that, I took the opportunity to enter the shop. Looking at Old Tie's bruised and swollen face, I shamelessly said, "Husband and wife quarrel in bed, but make up by night. We're brothers who grew up wearing the same pants. There's no issue we can't resolve."
"If you have something to say, say it, and then leave."
"Fathers and sons fight side-by-side, brothers fight in battle. That person took the bait."
"Who?"
"The person who sold you the golden cat's eye."
Old Tie was clearly still thinking about this matter. When I mentioned it, he put aside our argument and directly asked, "Where is he?"
"I don't know."
"Get out."
"Old Tie, give me a break. Let me finish. When I got back to the hotel, I found a note in my pocket."
After speaking, I handed the letter to Old Tie. When he opened it and saw it was a note, his eyes also showed some confusion. He looked it over and over, afraid of missing any detail. I could tell Old Tie didn't understand.
"What does it mean?" he asked me.
"It might be an address," I guessed.
Old Tie tutted, "There are countless places with willow trees in Beijing. How are we supposed to find anything with just this simple drawing?"
I fell silent, and Old Tie didn't speak either.
Just then, someone came in and asked Old Tie, "Dashan, do you have a tobacco pouch? A guy from the Northeast wants to buy an antique. I don't have one, and I remember you acquired one."
"Yes!" Old Tie replied and helped his colleague get it. The man looked it over and asked Old Tie, "How much did you buy it for?"
"360!"
"I'll give you 600 if I sell it. Don't worry about how much I sell it for."
"Deal!"
True to his nature, Old Tie readily agreed. The guy turned to leave, but I called out to him. With the willow tree, I had no choice but to try searching for a needle in a haystack. I asked him, "Brother, do you know where there are any willow trees?"
The guy might not have heard clearly, likely preoccupied with the transaction of the tobacco pouch. He casually replied, "Ask Dashan. He goes twice a week, he knows very well."
After the guy left, I looked at Old Tie. Old Tie still looked wronged, "Where have I been that has willow trees? Zhongshan Park has a few good ones, but who goes to Zhongshan Park twice a week?"
"List the places you go to twice a week."
"Only two: the shop and the ghost market."
Speaking of the ghost market, Old Tie slapped his forehead, "How could I have forgotten?"
"Forgotten what?"
"This willow tree isn't a real willow tree. This willow tree is actually that willow tree. Pfft, the note probably means the Big Willow Tree Ghost Market."
The ghost markets of old Beijing date back to the Eight Banners. Back then, after their land was confiscated, the affluent families of the Eight Banners began to fall into decline. They were unable to carry anything, nor could they manage a basket. They were too proud for menial jobs and too unqualified for good ones.
However, these pampered Banner people had to live. It was deemed unsuitable for these self-proclaimed noble individuals to set up street stalls in alleys. Thus, the ghost market emerged in the middle of the night.
The rule of "examine the goods, not the person" originated from there.
Later, grave robbers and people of unknown identity also came to join the excitement at the ghost market, and it flourished.
Beijing is vast, and there's more than one ghost market. Panjiayuan is well-known, but the true ghost market is the Big Willow Tree Ghost Market. It appears the person who tricked Old Tie might be at this Big Willow Tree Ghost Market.
With a judgment made, I felt much more at ease. I grinned at Old Tie and said, "Tonight, let's have some Zha Jiang Mian at your place, okay?"
"Where in Beijing can't you have a bowl of Zha Jiang Mian?"
"Yours has more meat in the sauce."
...
In the evening, after closing the shop, we went to Old Tie's house for Zha Jiang Mian. Old Tie was busy in the cramped kitchen, while I lay on the bed, poring over a book on Qing Dynasty jewelry, making little progress.
"Don't lie on my bed. I haven't forgiven you yet!"
"Ah, I know. By the way, Old Tie, when do you think they put this note in my pocket?"
"Maybe when we were fighting on the bus."
"How do you know?"
"The other day when I went to find Bi Dawang, wasn't a rope mysteriously placed in my pocket?"
Old Tie's words sparked my vigilance. Someone was setting up a trap. On the bus, the rope was put in Old Tie's pocket to confuse the police. Then, while Old Tie and I were fighting, someone took advantage of our distraction to put the letter in my pocket, guiding us to the Big Willow Tree Ghost Market. Clearly, they were using us as tools.
"The Zha Jiang Mian is ready. I must have owed you something in a past life; you abandoned me, and I'm still making Zha Jiang Mian for you."
Old Tie grumbled discontentedly, interrupting my train of thought. I glanced at Old Tie and said seriously, "Old Tie, do you know what a 'scheme designer' is?"
"No."
"Then let me tell you about scheme designers and my story."
So, I seized the opportunity, and while eating noodles, I recounted everything that had happened to me, leaving nothing out, to Old Tie. Old Tie listened, dumbfounded, "You got rich not because of luck, but because of these strange experiences."
"Yes."
"You think the person who cheated me is a scheme designer?"
"Even if he's not a scheme designer, he's a key tool in this scheme. For the golden cat's eye to fit into this scheme, there are mainly three people: the person who sold you the ghost eye at the ghost market, Bi Dawang, and the woman who made you pay fifteen thousand for the cat's eye. This woman should be the girlfriend of Bi Dawang, as mentioned by Fourth Master. Bi Dawang is already dead. As long as we find either of these two people, we can understand this scheme more deeply."
"Alright, we'll catch that person today. Tang Nan, you've finished your noodles. Do you want more? I'll cook some more for you."
After I explained about the scheme designer, Old Tie was no longer angry with me. It felt like the knot in his heart had loosened. I smiled in understanding, finally relieved that I hadn't lost my brother.
...
In the evening, we went to the Big Willow Tree Ghost Market early and perched on higher ground, our eyes scanning like owls as the ghosts entered on foot. Soon, Old Tie nudged me. I followed his gaze and saw a short person wearing a long robe and vest, a skullcap, a fake braid, and carrying a sack, walking towards the depths of the ghost market.
"Is that him?"
"No doubt."
"Call out."
Old Tie cleared his throat and suddenly shouted, "Hey, you who sold the cat's eye!"
The person turned around, recognized Old Tie, and bolted. If he hadn't run, we wouldn't have been so sure. With him running, neither of us hesitated. We gave chase. Old Tie was slower and soon fell behind. However, I had been training recently and had good stamina. Shortly after running out of the Big Willow Tree market, I caught up to him and grabbed his fake braid, yanking it backward. The fake braid and skullcap were pulled off.
At that moment, as if in a movie, her coiled hair cascaded down.
I was stunned. A woman?
Then she really couldn't escape. I grabbed her hair, pulled her down, and kicked her behind the knee, taking her down and subduing her.