Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Tracking in the Town, An Unexpected Twist

Three days later, I put my new plan into action. I told my parents that I was going to visit my cousin in a small town nearby for the weekend—a lie I had rehearsed many times, ensuring it sounded natural and believable. My parents didn't doubt me; they only told me to be careful and come back on time. I packed a small bag, put a few hundred yuan in my pocket, and hid an empty envelope in my bag—ready to hold any rare stamps I might find. I didn't take any of my existing stamps, afraid that if something went wrong, I would lose more than I gained.​The small town was about an hour's bus ride from the city. When I got off the bus, the first thing I felt was the tranquility different from the city. There were no bustling crowds, no noisy traffic, only narrow stone streets, old houses with tiled roofs, and occasional passers-by walking slowly. The town was small, but it had a long history, which meant there might be more old items hidden in the corners—stamps, old coins, and maybe even vintage books that could be valuable in the future.​I followed the map I had drawn in advance—marking the old shops I had heard about from my past memories. These shops were mostly run by elderly people, selling daily necessities and some old items left by their ancestors. I walked slowly along the stone street, keeping my eyes open, not missing any shop that might have stamps.​The first shop I visited was a small grocery store at the entrance of the town, run by an old man with a hunched back. The shop was dimly lit, with shelves filled with all kinds of daily necessities, and a pile of old books and newspapers in the corner. I pretended to buy a bottle of water, then casually glanced at the corner. "Uncle, do you sell those old books?" I asked, pointing to the pile.​The old man shook his head, his voice hoarse. "Those are just old things left by my son, no one wants them. If you like, you can take them for free. They're just taking up space." I was overjoyed, but I pretended to be casual. "Thank you, uncle. I like reading old books." I walked over to the pile and started flipping through them carefully, my eyes scanning for any stamps that might be tucked between the pages—sometimes, people would use stamps as bookmarks or stick them on the cover.​After flipping through a few books, I found a small envelope tucked in the back of an old storybook. I opened it quietly, and my heart jumped with joy—inside were five stamps, all of which were rare zodiac stamps I had been looking for. They were a little worn, but still in good condition, and their value would only increase in the future. I quickly put the envelope back into the book, closed it, and thanked the old man again before leaving.​I walked to a quiet corner and took out the stamps, examining them carefully. They were a set of rabbit zodiac stamps, which I remembered would be worth more than 1,000 yuan in half a year. This was a great harvest! I put the stamps back into the envelope and tucked it into my inner pocket, making sure it was safe.​Continuing along the street, I visited several more old shops. Most of them didn't have any rare stamps, only some common ones that were not worth much. But I didn't give up—my past memories told me that there was a small antique shop in the depths of the town, which had a lot of old stamps collected by the shopkeeper over the years.​It took me nearly an hour to find the antique shop. It was a small shop with a wooden sign hanging at the door, the words "Antique Collection" faded by the wind and rain. The shopkeeper was a middle-aged woman with short hair, who was sitting behind the counter, reading a book. Unlike the other shopkeepers, she looked very calm, and her eyes were sharp, as if she could see the value of every item.​"Excuse me, do you sell stamps?" I asked, walking into the shop. The woman looked up, glanced at me, and nodded. "Yes, but I only sell rare ones. Ordinary stamps are not worth my time." Her voice was cold, but not unfriendly. I took a deep breath and said, "I'm looking for some rare zodiac stamps. Do you have any?"​The woman raised an eyebrow, looking at me with a little surprise. "A teenager like you is interested in rare zodiac stamps? Not many young people like this nowadays." She stood up, walked to a glass cabinet, and opened it. Inside were dozens of sets of stamps, neatly arranged. "These are all rare stamps I have. Take a look."​I walked over, my eyes scanning the cabinet. There were several sets of zodiac stamps I didn't have yet, including a set of dragon zodiac stamps that would soon become extremely valuable. My heart raced, but I tried to stay calm. "How much is this set of dragon stamps?" I asked, pointing to the set.​The woman smiled faintly. "This set is very rare, and the price is rising every day. I'll give you a fair price—900 yuan. If you buy it today, I can throw in a set of ordinary stamps for free." 900 yuan was more than I had expected, but I knew it was a reasonable price. This set of dragon stamps would be worth 2,000 yuan in a few months, so it was a worthwhile investment.​I took out the money I had prepared, counted 900 yuan, and handed it to her. She took the money, counted it carefully, then took out the set of dragon stamps and a set of ordinary stamps, putting them into a small bag and handing it to me. "Take good care of them. These stamps will be worth more in the future."​"Thank you," I said sincerely, taking the bag. Just as I was about to leave, the door of the shop opened, and a familiar figure walked in—I froze. It was Mr. Li! He was wearing a different jacket, but I could recognize his sharp eyes and thin figure at a glance. My heart sank—how could he be here? Did he follow me?​Mr. Li also saw me, and his eyes showed a hint of surprise, then a faint smile. "Young man, what a coincidence. I didn't expect to see you here." He walked over, his eyes glancing at the small bag in my hand. "Are you buying stamps here too?"​I forced a smile, trying to hide my panic. "Yes, I'm here to visit my cousin, and I happened to pass by this shop. I just bought a few stamps for fun." I held the bag tightly, afraid he would ask to see the stamps.​The shopkeeper looked at the two of us, a little confused. "Do you know each other?" Mr. Li nodded. "We met in the city's stamp market. This young man is also interested in stamps." He turned to me, his eyes sharp. "You said you're here to visit your cousin? Which part of the town does he live in? I'm familiar with this town, maybe I know him."​My mind raced, trying to think of a reasonable answer. I didn't have a cousin in this town, so I had to make up a place. "He lives near the west end of the town, in the old alley next to the temple." I hoped he wouldn't ask further. Mr. Li stared at me for a few seconds, then smiled. "I see. The west end is a quiet place. Well, I won't disturb you. I'm here to buy some stamps too."​I let out a silent sigh of relief, quickly said goodbye to the shopkeeper and Mr. Li, and walked out of the shop as fast as I could. I didn't dare to look back, afraid that Mr. Li was following me. I walked along the stone street, my heart pounding. How did he find me here? Was it a coincidence, or did he really follow me? I couldn't be sure, but I knew that the danger was getting closer.​I found a quiet alley and hid for a while, making sure no one was following me. Then I took out the stamps from the bag, looking at the set of dragon stamps. They were beautiful, and full of hope for the future. But the encounter with Mr. Li made me realize that I could no longer be careless. He was everywhere, and he was definitely keeping an eye on me.​In the afternoon, I didn't visit any more shops. I decided to go back to the city early, afraid that I would run into Mr. Li again. On the bus, I thought about what had happened today. I had gained a lot—a set of rabbit stamps and a set of dragon stamps—but I had also encountered an unexpected twist. Mr. Li's appearance was not a good sign, and I had to be more careful in the future.​When I got home, I immediately locked myself in my room, took out the new stamps, and hid them in the floorboard with the other rare stamps. I counted my savings—after buying the dragon stamps, I still had some money left, which was enough to buy more stamps if I found any. But I decided to take a break for a few days, to avoid attracting more attention from Mr. Li.​That night, I thought about Mr. Li again. Was he really just a collector, or did he have other purposes? Why was he so interested in me? I couldn't figure it out, but I knew that I had to be prepared. I needed to learn more about the stamp market, to understand Mr. Li's strengths and weaknesses, and to find a way to outmaneuver him.​I also thought about the stamps I had collected. They were my most valuable assets, and they were the key to changing my fate. I couldn't let anything happen to them. I decided to find a better place to hide them, a place that no one would ever find. Maybe I could bury them in the backyard, or hide them in a wall crack—anything to keep them safe.​As I lay in bed, I felt a mix of excitement and anxiety. Excitement because I had found two more sets of rare stamps, bringing me closer to my goal of changing my fate. Anxiety because Mr. Li was getting closer and closer, and I didn't know what he would do next. But I was not afraid. I had the memories of the past, I had the determination to succeed, and I would not let anyone stop me.​Tomorrow would be a new day, and I would continue to move forward. I would be more cautious, more clever, and more patient. The road ahead was full of twists and turns, but I would overcome every obstacle, seize every opportunity, and win this battle for my fate. This was my counterattack, and I would see it through to the end.