Inside a cramped rental on Waisha Island, Ah Cai hid behind heavy curtains, nursing a bitter cigarette. Suddenly, a violent thud shook the door, sending showers of dust from the ceiling.
"Ah Cai! You motherf***er, get out here! I know you're in there! Don't you dare play dead!"
It was Haining's voice. Ah Cai's heart skipped a beat. He knew the fallout from the car seizure at the docks had finally reached his doorstep. He wiped his face, unbolted the door, and stepped out squinting, feigning the grogginess of someone just waking up.
"Damn, Haining! What's with all the noise? Can't a man get some sleep at noon?"
"Sleep? You have the nerve to sleep?!" Haining lunged forward, grabbing Ah Cai by the collar. His eyes were bloodshot. "I paid you 230,000 for that Prado. I've had it for one month, and today the repo men took it right off the street! The guys from Hengli Finance told me it was a 'Lease-to-Own' subprime loan! It was never your car to sell!"
Ah Cai was prepared for this, but he played his part perfectly. He slapped his thigh in mock disbelief. "That's impossible! My cousin at Old Wild Motors handed it to me himself. How could it be a lease? You must have it mixed up!"
"Mixed up? They had the official seal of Hengli Finance! The contract has your name on it as the lessee in black and white!" Haining was shaking with rage. "I've been looking for you all day. Phone off, WeChat ignored... You knew this car was a 'bomb' from the start, didn't you? You set me up!"
"I... I'm a victim too, Haining!" Ah Cai's eyes welled up—a masterclass in deception. "How was I supposed to know the paperwork was fake? My cousin swore to me it was a clean title, fully paid off. My 50,000-yuan deposit is gone too! I've been burned just like you!"
"Victim? Don't give me that sh*t!" Haining slammed Ah Cai against the wall. "You told me it was an insider price from your cousin! You fed me fake titles and fake registrations! Now the car is gone, my 130,000 cash is gone, and I still have an IOU for another 100k with your name on it! Give me my money back. Now!"
Ah Cai spread his hands, adopting the "dead pig" stance—the look of a man who has nothing left to fear because he has nothing left to lose. "Refund? Look at this dump, Haining. Where would I get the money? That 50k went straight into the dealership's pocket. My pockets are cleaner than my face right now!"
"No money? You ruined me, and you say you have no money?" Haining broke down, his voice cracking. "We grew up together on the docks! You talked about 'brotherhood' while you were tying the noose around my neck! You planned this, didn't you? Flipping a 'hot' car to your best friend just to cover your own debts?"
"I didn't! Calm down." Ah Cai backed into a corner, his eyes darting. "Maybe... maybe I can talk to Brother De? See if we can negotiate to get the car back?"
"Negotiate? Hengli Finance said with your trash credit and missed payments, the car is gone. No deals!" Haining pointed a trembling finger at Ah Cai's nose. "Listen to me, Ah Cai. Either you give me my 230,000 back today, or I'm going to the Haijiao Police Station. We can rot in a cell together!"
At the mention of the "Police," Ah Cai's face darkened. The last shred of his "friendly" disguise tore away.
"Police? Go ahead, report it!" Ah Cai snapped, his voice dropping an octave. "I was scammed by Old Wild Motors too. If the ship goes down, we both drown! I'm telling you now, Haining—forget about a refund. You won't get a single cent out of me!"
"You... you soulless bastard!" Haining stared at the stranger in front of him, feeling a chill run down his spine. "That was years of my sweat and blood. You're just going to swallow it? I'm not done with you!"
"Not done? What are you going to do?" Ah Cai sneered, revealing the raw ruthlessness of a street thug. "This has nothing to do with me. Blame Hengli Finance. Blame the dealership. If you've got the guts, go harass Brother De. Get out of my house!"
"Fine! 'Nothing to do with you,' is it?" Haining backed away, a tragic, hollow laugh escaping his lips. "Wait and see. I'm going to the station right now. Forged documents, contract fraud... let's see if the cops 'care.' Beihai is a big city, Ah Cai, but let's see how far you can run!"
Haining slammed the door. Silence flooded the room. Ah Cai slumped to the floor, staring at the forged copies on the table. His hands were shaking, just a little.