The shop-owner of the bread shop was shifting the steamers back into the shop. When he saw Chen Nian, an unnatural expression flittered across his face.
Chen Nian showed him the counterfeit note, "The change you...... you gave, it's fa.......fake."
"You came to spread malicious rumours when you can't even straighten your tongue? Clearly you must be suffering from a lack of confidence! You must be telling lies!! In any event, how are you going to prove that this fifty dollar note was the one I handed to you?"
Chen Nian's face reddened, "It just......just is."
The shop-owner raised his voice instantly, "Hey, that's not how one conducts oneself! Come on – you're a student, and you look like a decent girl – do you take me for a fool?!"
Chen Nian stared into his eyes calmly, "Guilt......guilty conscience."
"You......" Having been exposed by Chen Nian, the shop-owner raised his voice even louder, and even mimicked her in an attempt to humiliate her, "Guilt......guilty conscience......You can't even speak properly, how dare you talk about guilt......guilty conscience."
A few customers laughed in response. Even though they bore no ill intent, Chen Nian felt that all of their laughter was full of malice.
The wife of the shop-owner came over to clarify the situation. On learning what happened, she shot a glare at the shop-owner before turning to Chen Nian, "Young lady, are you sure that we're the ones who gave you the counterfeit note? I've been running this shop for many, many years, and I've never ever given customers counterfeit notes. Perhaps you received this counterfeit note from other shops but mistakenly thought that we were the ones who gave it to you?"
Chen Nian was extremely sure, "I didn't mix it up." She continued, "Not......you." Chen Nian pointed at the shop-owner, "Him."
The shop-owner crumpled his facial features together in an exaggerated fashion, and protested, "Why do you continue to accuse me relentlessly? Do you think that I won't be able to deal with you just because you're a woman?!"
The wife of the shop-owner interrupted him midway. Turning to Chen Nian, she said gently, "There's a sign at the cashier which states that money is to be checked on the spot, and that we're disclaiming all responsibility the moment you leave. If everybody attempts to follow in your footsteps by claiming repayment for counterfeit money, my shop would definitely collapse – even banks would collapse if they gave in to requests like yours."
The shop-owner and his wife then proceeded to serve their customers and paid no heed to Chen Nian who remained standing by the sidelines. The customers purchasing bread would often cast curious glances at her; however, as Chen Nian's problem didn't concern them in the slightest, they simply minded their own business and left after having purchased their bread.
After some time, Chen Nian broke her silence, "Report to Police."
The wife of the shop-owner sighed in exasperation, "Why are you so obstinate? I've told you numerous times, we weren't the ones who gave you the counterfeit note. We're just a small business, and we don't want any trouble."
Chen Nian stared at the shop-owner's wife silently.
Angered, the shop-owner replied, "Do it then. Call the police."
Chen Nian called the Police.
Before long, two Police Officers arrived at the scene. They separated Chen Nian from the shop-owner and his wife, and questioned each group separately. The Police Officer who had questioned Chen Nian believed her version of the story, but there was nothing he could do as Chen Nan had no evidence.
The shop-owner's wife insisted to the Police Officer, "We don't blame the young lady, she was simply mistaken."
When Chen Nian saw the Police Officers preparing to leave, an overwhelming sense of injustice washed over her. Aggrieved, she asserted to the Police Officers, "I'm not......not mistaken. They're really......really the ones who.......who gave me the fake note."
The shop-owner's wife took one glance at her before leaving to continue selling her bread.
The Police Officer brought Chen Nian to the side and patted her shoulders. He sighed helplessly, "We can only proceed with complaints based on evidence. Young lady, be more careful in the future, okay?"
Chen Nian eyes gradually started to reddened. The situation would have been better if the Police Officers had never arrived. Now that they have arrived and left, she felt an even stronger sense of helplessness.
The world is filled with slightly evil and malicious people.
But evidence does not always exist to prove their commission of the malicious acts.
Chen Nian was extremely unfortunate – even though she was the victim of a malicious act, she was unable to do anything in response. Unable to resign herself to such a conclusion, Chen Nian obstinately remained rooted in the shop. There were numerous curious by-standers who kept peering at Chen Nian. Meanwhile, the shop-owner invested all his energies into serving his customers. Now that the Police Officers have arrived and left, he felt an increased boost in confidence.
Chen Nian looked at the shop-owner, who had intentionally plastered his face with a genuine smile. For a moment, Chen Nian was possessed by a desire to burn the shop down.
When the thought flashed across her mind, Chen Nian froze.
It was so easy for malicious thoughts to be born, even in a calm and peaceful heart.
Just then, the lower hem of a white t-shirt appeared in Chen Nian's field of vision, along with a hand which was clasping a cigarette. With two fingers, the person snatched away the fifty dollar note which had been drenched in Chen Nian's sweat.
"Wait for me by the roadside."
Chen Nian raised her head. He had thick, black brows, and extremely dark eyes. He had a calm facial expression, and the fringe hanging on his forehead was so long they nearly poked his eyes.
Chen Nian didn't move. The youth gestured to the left with his jaw as an indication for Chen Nian to leave.
Chen Nian walked to the roadside. The youth slowly stretched his cigarette into the steamer, and forcefully stubbed the cigarette out on the white loaves of bread in the steamer. The shop-owner and his wife were thunderstruck, both at a loss for words.
The cigarette remained vertically erect on the white bread.
The youth slapped the fifty dollar note down onto the steamer, and said something which Chen Nian was unable to discern. Gradually, the facial expressions of the shop-owner and his wife turned into one of shock and fear.
However, Chen Nian couldn't even spare the slightest attention for their expressions. All she could focus on was the youth's back figure – his tall and slender figure.
Without a moment's hesitation, the shop-owner took out a fifty dollar note and handed it to the youth. The youth turned away and descended the steps leading to the roadside. When he reached Chen Nian, he handed the brand new fifty dollar note to her, "Real money."
Chen Nian asked, "What did you......you say to.......to them?"
The youth simply gave Chen Nian a lopsided smile, clearly indicating an absence of intention to tell Chen Nian what he had said to them.
Chen Nian took one glance at the bread shop, and noticed that the wife of the shop-owner was sobbing into her hands.
The youth followed Chen Nian's gaze and turned back to look at the shop-owner's wife. He stated colldly, "They're both husband and wife – when the husband gives out counterfeit notes, how could the wife be entirely clueless about his acts?"
"I know." Chen Nian responded.
The youth raised his eyebrow questioningly.
The tall youth served as a shade that sheltered her from the setting sun. Chen Nian lowered her head, and silently walked forward. As she walked, she tightly bit her lips and asked, "Fifty doll......dollars. Did they really have......to do what they......did?"
"Don't you know? All humans are like that. The longer they live, the worse they become."
Chen Nian shook her head slowly, "I want......" She fished her mobile phone out from her bag, and searched for Zeng Hao's contact number.
He asked, "What do you want?"
"As I mature, and grow.......older, I don't want......to become a.......worse person." She began stuttering again, and only managed to spit out one sentence after much effort, "Don't want to......transform into......the type of people I hate......hate the most during my......my youth."