After spray-painting the car together, Wu Jun and Luo Weimin quickly fled the scene.
Luo Weimin walked him to the edge of the district.
As they were about to part ways, Luo Weimin suddenly said awkwardly, "Um, Wu Jun... do you happen to have Xiulan's phone number? Xu Xiulan disconnected her old number, and I can't get in touch with her anymore."
"Uh..." Wu Jun really didn't have Xu Xiulan's number. All he could say was, "Old Luo, next time I see Auntie Xu, I'll ask for it for you. I don't have her number either."
After spending some time together, Wu Jun and Luo Weimin had gotten to know each other. Luo Weimin felt that being called 'Uncle' made him sound too old, so he told Wu Jun to call him 'Old Luo' instead.
Wu Jun didn't mind either way.
Hearing this, Luo Weimin grew tense. "Whatever you do, don't tell her it's for me! Don't even mention my name."
Wu Jun was baffled.
'He was just calling himself Auntie Xu's suitor, and now his name can't even be mentioned in her presence?'
"Wu Jun, there's... a bit of a misunderstanding between Xiulan and me. It's better if you don't ask. Please, I'm counting on you."
"Alright, I get it. I'll definitely help you out."
The two exchanged numbers, and Wu Jun hailed a cab to leave.
By the time he got back to Tianyuan District, it was already 11:30 p.m.
He had to be up a little after five the next morning to open the store. Wu Jun washed up, went back to his bedroom, and flopped onto the bed.
"Ah, so comfortable! This was money well spent!"
He'd never slept on a bed that cost over 3,000 yuan before. It felt like lying on a cloud; every position was comfortable.
He put down his phone and went to sleep.
He woke up on time the next morning and opened the store for business.
The flow of customers was as steady as ever. He was so busy all morning that he didn't even have a moment to grab a bite to eat.
「Meanwhile, at the Alliance Road District.」
It was 9:00 a.m.
Wang Hongliang went downstairs, smoking a cigarette as he walked toward his parking spot.
When he saw his black car covered in garish green words, he completely lost it.
"Who did this!"
"Which son of a bitch born without an asshole spray-painted my fucking car!"
Wang Hongliang's furious roar echoed between the apartment buildings.
His shouting attracted a crowd of elderly onlookers.
"He must've pissed someone off."
"Hah. Is there anyone he *hasn't* pissed off?"
"Look at the state of him. He definitely got into a fight."
Seeing the words on the car, the crowd began whispering among themselves.
Luo Weimin was also in the crowd.
The lighting had been poor the night before, so he hadn't gotten a good look.
Now, seeing his handiwork in the daylight, he felt his performance had been a bit subpar.
'It wasn't even half as good as my usual calligraphy practice in the park with the big brush!'
"What are you looking at?! Nothing to see here! Go do your stupid square dancing! A bunch of old fossils! The waiting-for-death squad!" Wang Hongliang, his face dark with rage, roared at the crowd, venting all his frustration on the onlookers.
With his shaved head, full tattoo sleeve, and bruised, swollen face, Wang Hongliang was still an intimidating sight. Not wanting to get involved, the group of seniors scattered.
'Serves him right!' Luo Weimin thought with a silent snort. Having enjoyed the show, he clasped his hands behind his back and headed for the security office.
'It must be that bastard Wu getting back at me!'
As soon as Wang Hongliang calmed down, he immediately thought of Wu Jun.
The only person he'd had a beef with recently was Wu Jun.
'Besides, I just spray-painted his wall, and then my car gets hit. Who else could it be but that bastard Wu?!'
Wang Hongliang's hands trembled with rage. He shakily lit a cigarette and went back upstairs.
Back in his apartment, he started rummaging through his things.
He found a baseball cap and put it on to cover his shaved head.
He then found a pair of Hu Yanmei's sun-protection sleeves to hide his full tattoo sleeve.
He took off the thick, gold-plated chain from around his neck and put it away safely.
After dressing himself up to look like an honest, upstanding citizen, Wang Hongliang drove to the police station.
The green-graffitied Accord turned heads all the way there, drawing more attention than a supercar.
At 9:40 a.m.
Wu Jun had just gotten Xu Xiulan's phone number from his mom and sent it over to Luo Weimin.
The meticulously disguised Wang Hongliang entered the convenience store with a police officer in tow.
"Officer Zhou, that's the bastard! He's the one who spray-painted my car!"
The moment Wang Hongliang entered the store, he pointed an accusing finger at Wu Jun.
Seeing the police at his door, Wu Jun's heart skipped a beat.
He'd always been a law-abiding citizen; other than going to the station to get his ID processed, he'd never had any dealings with the police.
But he was confident he hadn't left behind any evidence, so he wasn't the least bit flustered.
"What's all this, Wang? You even got the police involved," Wu Jun said, getting to his feet with a smile.
"You're Wu Jun, correct?" Zhou Xing asked, looking at him. "This Mr. Wang here claims you spray-painted his car. Is that true?"
"Spray paint? What car?" Wu Jun looked at Zhou Xing with a baffled expression. "Officer, I have no idea what you're talking about."
Seeing Wu Jun's convincing act, Wang Hongliang pointed at him and said angrily, "Keep pretending! Go on, keep it up! I'm one hundred percent sure you're the one who spray-painted my car!"
Wu Jun dropped the pleasantries. "Cut the crap," he retorted. "What proof do you have that I spray-painted your car?"
"Mr. Wang, just as Mr. Wu said, do you have any evidence to prove he did it?" Zhou Xing asked Wang Hongliang with a frown.
Earlier that morning, Wang Hongliang had come straight to the police station, insisting that he knew exactly who the culprit was. Zhou Xing had no choice but to come along and investigate.
"I..." Wang Hongliang was at a loss for words.
Just as Wu Jun had no proof that he had spray-painted the wall, he had no direct proof that Wu Jun had spray-painted his car.
"Officer, it's obvious!" Wang Hongliang took off his cap and pointed to the bruises on his face. "See this? This bastard did this! He's the only one I've had a problem with recently. If it wasn't him, who else could it be?"
Zhou Xing felt there was something fishy about the whole situation. He frowned. "Those are two separate issues. The fact that you two fought doesn't prove he's the one who vandalized your car. Do you have any other evidence?"
"You want evidence? Of course I have more!"
As he spoke, Wang Hongliang turned and stormed out the door. Zhou Xing and Wu Jun followed.
"The evidence is right here." Outside, Wang Hongliang let out a RIIIP as he tore down the poster Wu Jun had pasted on the wall. He said to Zhou Xing, "I spray-painted his wall, so he spray-painted my car for revenge. It's obvious now, isn't it?"
Before Wu Jun or Zhou Xing could react, Wang Hongliang added, "Officer, I'll repaint his wall, and he'll pay for my car repairs. That's fair, right?"
Zhou Xing frowned. He suspected things were probably just as Wang Hongliang had described, but it wasn't direct evidence and couldn't be used to close the case.
Wu Jun stared at Wang Hongliang as if he were a complete idiot.
"Officer, I've been trying to find out who spray-painted my wall. Well, now he's admitted it himself. I'll have to ask him to repaint it for me," Wu Jun said, turning to Zhou Xing.
Wang Hongliang said, "I'll repaint your wall. As soon as you pay for my car repairs, I'll get right on it."
"Who said I spray-painted your car? Are you crazy?" Wu Jun said, looking at Wang Hongliang in disbelief.
"You..." Wang Hongliang was stunned by Wu Jun's response. 'He's still denying it!'
"Officer, you heard him. He just admitted it. He has to repaint my wall," Wu Jun said to Zhou Xing, who was standing to the side.
"I didn't spray-paint your wall! Who said I did? I was just joking," Wang Hongliang backpedaled, stunned by Wu Jun's shamelessness. Seeing he could do nothing against the brazen young man, who was like a dead pig that doesn't fear boiling water, he changed his story.
"Have you two had enough?!" Zhou Xing couldn't take it anymore. "You're grown men, not children! Are you playing games with the police?!" he scolded.
Seeing that Zhou Xing was angry, Wu Jun and Wang Hongliang stopped their bickering.
"Did you, or did you not, spray-paint his car?" Zhou Xing asked Wu Jun, pointing at Wang Hongliang.
"I did not," Wu Jun denied flatly.
"And did you spray-paint his wall?" Zhou Xing asked Wang Hongliang, gesturing toward the store.
Wang Hongliang replied with a dark expression, "I did not!"
"Fine. I'm done with this. If either of you gets any actual evidence, you can come find me at the Xinhua District Branch." Zhou Xing snorted in frustration, then turned and left.
"It was you, wasn't it, you bastard Wu!" Wang Hongliang demanded after Zhou Xing had gone.
"I told you to get your ears checked yesterday. Did you go? Are they still clogged with donkey hair?" Wu Jun said with an amused look, folding his arms. "How many times do I have to tell you? I didn't do it."
"You...! You bastard Wu, this isn't over!" Wang Hongliang spat out, exasperated, then spun around and stormed off.