Chapter 4: Depression

  At five o'clock in the afternoon, Du Lianchang, who had escorted Xiang Ziliang to settle down, bid farewell and left. Ren Xiaotian saw that everything was already arranged properly, so he followed Song Mingda behind him and left the house where Xiang Ziliang lived.

  He pedaled a bicycle at a leisurely pace, slowly heading in the direction of the police station.

  Ren Xiao Tian has been busy since morning and hasn't had a chance to relax. After finally settling the matter of Old Special Agent's residence, today's tasks can basically be considered complete.

  Ren Xiaotian thought that his next move was to return to the office, blow the electric fan for a while, and wait for the end of work. Next, he would gather with his close friends, drink a few cups of wine, and spend the day like this.

  He rode his bicycle, whistling as he went, comforting himself in his heart. What's wrong with Mr. "Cup"? I, Ren Xiao Tian, don't want to be an official, nor do I want to be a rich man, and even less do I want to go find a mistress, as long as I can get by day after day that's enough.

  Other police officers may enjoy the fame and fortune, but Ren Xiao Tian doesn't care about that. His greatest pursuit in life is to live a carefree day. Do what he should do, neither bully ordinary people nor collude with evil forces, just be a policeman with a conscience.

  It's a pity that fate plays tricks on people. Those who want to live a carefree life are often unable to do so, and instead earn a nickname that makes others feel embarrassed for them.

  Thinking of these things, Ren Xiao Tian felt a bit suffocated. If it weren't for that woman, how would he have ended up like this now? Forget it, it's better not to think about it too much. It's already been so long, just let him be. The world is vast, and it's more practical to come and drink a few cups of wine.

  People don't understand life, they only know the harm of wine, but don't know that in intoxication, the universe is vast. The great poet Li Bai said: "The sound of bells and drums, the delicacy of jade, are not enough to be proud of, I wish to be drunk forever and never wake up again. Since ancient times, all saints and sages have been lonely, only drinkers leave their names behind."

  Just drink some wine, don't think about the struggles in officialdom, and don't worry about the profits of the business world. As for women, if you have one, it's inevitable, but let her stay at her mother's house for a few more years.

  Xiao Tian thought of the old man who was like a riddle, born and died many times, iron nets and high walls for decades, a lifetime passed just like that. How should one understand such an old man's life?

  It's not easy, it's not easy. But Ren Xiangtian just can't figure out why someone of his age still refuses to calm down and insists on making such a high-profile appearance. Is there really someone or something at the seaside market that he cares about?

  While thinking about what had happened today, he happily rode his bicycle back to the police station with a smile on his face.

  Calling him "Mr. Calamity" isn't wrong at all. Ren Xiao Tian was born with a life of calamity.

  Ren Xiao Tian, who was in a good mood, had just entered the door when he encountered something unpleasant. As he parked his bicycle in the courtyard, he heard a burst of laughter coming from the director's office. He couldn't help but think to himself: Humph, I'm working hard outside while these uncultured guys are having a great time chatting!

  "Ren Xiatian, how can I put it to you? You're so young and only know how to enjoy life, but don't even bother to find something to do for yourself. Go, go patrol the snack street for a circle, then get off work." Before Ren Xiatian could even run back to his own office, the thin director, without saying another word, began to shoo people away.

  Qiao Shuo's words were interrupted by Ren Xiatian, who glanced around the room with a smile.

  Damn, the whole house is full of people, some are bragging, others are eating watermelon. And, there's also the son of the director of the local police station, pointing at himself with his middle finger and making a face at him.

  They're sitting there bragging and eating watermelon, is that what they call work? These uncultured guys are always thinking of excuses to make trouble for themselves. Ren Xiao Tian's teeth were clenched so hard they were making a cracking sound, his two fists were also clenched so tightly that veins were bulging out.

  He wanted to roar, he wanted to vent thoroughly. If possible, he would punch the principal in the face and then swing his hand with a flourish, saying: "A bunch of uncultured guys, this young master won't play with you anymore."

  "It's good to be alive", this is what Grandpa has said repeatedly, Ren Xiao Tian doesn't know the meaning behind it, but he can feel the helplessness from Grandpa's heavy tone, which contains a lot of frustration. How many times have conflicts occurred because of this sentence, only then did he forcefully suppress his anger.

  Endure, endure, a knife on the head of the word "endure". Alas, let it be, when one is under another's roof, he cannot but lower his head. Having endured for so many years already, why can't I continue to endure? They are just some uncultured people, there's no need for me to see things from their perspective.

  In recent years, Ren Xiatian has also had enough of the bird's long breath. He didn't dare to openly confront them, so he adopted a tone of feigned ridicule and sarcasm towards those people. The two phrases "people without culture" and "scientists" were his commonly used weapons.

  When encountering someone who bullies them, they mock the other person as "uncultured". When encountering someone who makes a fool of themselves, they flatter the other person as a "scientist". In Ren Xiaotian's own words, it can also be considered a new era Ah Q spirit.

  In his heart, Ren Tian was used to being ordered around by others, and although he also cursed these uncultured people in his belly, he still obediently walked out of the police station's gate. Behind his back, a loud and complacent laughter echoed over.

  Ren Xiao Tian gritted his teeth, wishing he could immediately turn around and punch those uncultured people in the face. Just as he was hesitating, someone caught up from behind.

  He stopped in his tracks, wondering who was catching up to him. If someone still wanted to catch up and say a few more words at this time, Ren Xiao Tian would probably burst out uncontrollably.

  "Xiao Tian, wait a minute." The speaker was the instructor from the police station. He handed Xiao Tian a piece of watermelon and patted him on the shoulder. Xiao Tian understood the instructor's intention, which was to tell him to be patient and not to mind.

  Can I be calculated? What can I calculate? Ren Xiao Tian sighed bitterly in his heart. It's not that he didn't want to be calculated, but rather he had long been accustomed to being lifted high onto a pedestal only to be smashed to the ground, ending up as a 'cup' (a play on words for being used and discarded). Otherwise, he wouldn't have become the infamous "Cup" Mr.

  "Damn it, they're just trying to cheat me. A bunch of uncultured guys, always thinking of bad ideas to scam me. What's wrong with being from the countryside? Without farmers, you city folks wouldn't even have anything to eat." Ren Xiaotian walked towards the snack street, his mood not sunny at all. He listlessly swung his arms and muttered to himself.

  He felt a sense of suffocation deep down, thinking about the unpleasantness that had just occurred in the office. So many people were staying in the police station fanning themselves, why did he have to come out for patrol? Wasn't it because his roots were in the countryside? He hated it, but still slowly walked onto the patrol route.

  Not far from the police station, an old street that still retains its original style is lined with stalls selling all kinds of snacks.

  It's time to receive guests, and the roads on both sides are crowded with customers. Various vendors' calls rose and fell: "Newly baked steamed buns——" "Liáng fěn, liáng fěn, refreshing and delicious liáng fěn——"

  "Clomp, clomp..." Along with the crisp sound of a pair of leather-soled shoes stepping on the bluestone road, Ren Xiaotian, known as "Mr. Cup", walked listlessly along the street, constantly scanning the security situation on both sides of the road.

  If you gaze into Ren Xiao Tian's eyes, you'll find that he has a distracted look. Upon closer observation, you can also see that his forehead is filled with black lines that represent bad luck.

  "Clang, clang——" Ren Xiao Tian's footsteps continued to walk slowly on the bluestone road. From his appearance, he seemed like a very responsible young man. In fact, while running, he was thinking about his own thoughts.

  These years, he had no desire to contend with the world, only wanting to be a carefree policeman, walking on a path of light clouds and gentle breeze. Why was this road so difficult to walk? Why was it always bumpy and uneven, making people unable to see hope? Thinking of this, he felt extremely uncomfortable in his heart.

  He felt that his mood was particularly bad today, as if a big stone was stuck in his chest, feeling very entangled and depressed. This phenomenon has been present since he got up in the morning, as if something bad was going to happen.

  This situation has happened five years ago today.

  That day, Ren Xiatian also walked into the college entrance examination hall like many other examinees. He waited anxiously in front of the school gate for his first love to come and cheer him on. However, after waiting for a long time without seeing her, he saw the scene of her falling in love with someone else. As a result, he also ended up handing in a blank paper during the language examination that he was most confident in.

  Oh, the day before graduation assignment, a similar phenomenon had also occurred. As a result, on that night, an incident of drunk fighting among students happened, which led to the school canceling its decision to let them stay and work at the school.

  Won't there be something unpleasant happening today too?

  Pfft, pfft, pfft! The big wind blows away. Who would have given birth to a crow's mouth and is now cursing me? I, Ren Xiao Tian, am already so miserable, what else could happen that would be more 'tragic' and humiliating than my current state?

  Nothing is impossible except for death, and at most it's just a bird flying upside down. Ha ha, no way. Someone like me, Ren Xiao Tian, who is elegant and refined, charming and suave, how could the King of Hell have the nerve to invite me as a guest, and how could he bear to bestow good fortune upon me?

  If he really went, wouldn't his dignified appearance be compared to mine? Afterwards, shouldn't the throne be yielded to me, and let me decide the life and death of mortals? Haha!

  Ren Xiao Tian did not know that misfortune was quietly approaching him.