All discarded and broken phones can be exchanged for stainless steel basins.

Liu Chunchun never imagined that the opening of his art exhibition would attract so many people. He lay half-conscious on the hospital bed, with one arm and one leg suspended, feeling incredibly excited, tears brimming in his eyes. Bai Xi stood at the bedside, expressionless, holding up his phone, the screen displaying a bustling exhibition hall filled with visitors, students, reporters, and even cleaning ladies hurrying about to collect empty water bottles. The security guards were maintaining order with loudspeakers, making it even livelier than the neighboring Monet exhibition.

“Have you seen enough?” Bai Xi asked. “I need to go pick someone up.”

“Just five more minutes,” Liu Chunchun replied reluctantly.

Bai Xi shot back coldly, “Call me Daddy.”

Liu Chunchun shamelessly responded, “Daddy.”

Bai Xi’s icy demeanor finally softened a bit, and he smiled while scolding, “Get lost!”

After a moment, Liu Chunchun curiously asked, “Why are all my audience old aunties?”

Bai Xi replied without changing his expression, “This shows that in our city, old aunties have a much higher appreciation for art than those internet celebrity streamers you like.”

Liu Chunchun clapped his hands together, making a grand decision: “From now on, I will only love old aunties.”

“Alright, sleep now,” Bai Xi said, putting away his phone. “Old San and the others are coming to see you tonight, so I won’t be back.”

“Okay, Bai Ge, you handle your business, don’t worry about me,” Liu Chunchun sat up a bit, sincerely saying, “And thank you for this exhibition.”

Bai Xi laughed, patting him on the shoulder, then turned to leave the ward.

“President Bai.” Just as he reached the parking lot, his secretary called out again, “Can we wrap things up at the exhibition? I need to settle the wages for the team leader; they still want to line up at an internet celebrity fried dough stick shop.”

“Sure, wrap it up,” Bai Xi casually replied, tossing his phone into the passenger seat.

The secretary breathed a sigh of relief and quickly waved over the team leader. In this day and age, even opening a milk tea shop can hire people to line up; getting a crowd to come see Liu Chunchun’s unknown exhibition was certainly much easier, and the old aunties really enjoyed this kind of activity. After all, they wouldn’t be exposed to the sun, could drink free mineral water, and the air conditioning in the venue was comfortable. They all inquired if there would be future exhibitions, genuinely expressing that this painter is great, and they all liked him.

The silver sports car smoothly turned right through the city, drawing a beautiful arc, only to get stuck in a sea of private cars, taxis, and buses. September marked the peak return of college freshmen, compounded by ongoing subway construction with blue barriers everywhere, making the roads extremely congested and nearly impassable.

Bai Xi glanced at his watch; the two hands danced like little ghosts, finally trembling toward three forty—ten minutes away from the agreed time. Watching the traffic in front of him resembling a still-life painting, Bai Xi felt a dull ache at his temples and had no choice but to dial the reserved phone number.

Out of service.

He dialed again.

Still out of service.

……

Time ticked by, and when Bai Xi finally arrived at the exit, it was already an hour past three fifty. A huge wave of people poured out of the station, some carrying luggage, others holding live chickens, and still others carrying fruits. The air was filled with various sour smells, which, under the humid afternoon sun, became a stifling mix that made one dizzy.

Bai Xi had to step back a couple of paces to find a ventilated spot. His once crisp gray shirt was now soaked with sweat, his shoes trampled by countless feet, and ice cream from some unknown child was smeared on his pant legs, making it hard for him to maintain a good mood. He impatiently unbuttoned his shirt collar and dialed the phone again.

Unsurprisingly, out of service.

With no other options, Bai Xi, though extremely reluctant, had to call the old man who was on vacation.

“The number you dialed is out of service.”

Bai Xi began to suspect if today was some sort of World Shutdown Day, the kind where everyone participates in environmental protection. Just as he was contemplating his next move, a commotion suddenly erupted at the other end of the train station.

“Catch the thief!” someone shouted loudly.

Bai Xi looked up and happened to see a tall man skillfully parting the crowd and swiftly lifting someone off the ground, tossing them at a forty-five-degree angle as if they were a piece of trash.

The onlookers gasped and scattered, clearing a large space for the thief to land. Bai Xi, seeing this, was alarmed and hurriedly rushed forward, diving to catch the thief just before his head met the tiles, acting as a human cushion.

There was a dull thud, and the crowd collectively gasped in shock.

Ouch.

“Don’t move!” The police quickly rushed over and handcuffed the two on the ground.

Bai Xi: “…”

Bai Xi quickly handed a card to himself and said, “Officer, I’m a good person.”

However, no one believed him. After all, jumping in to save a robber in front of so many witnesses either meant he was an accomplice or had a screw loose.

Bai Xi then pointed at the heroic figure, speaking truthfully: “I was afraid he would kill the thief.”

Given the angle at which the thief fell, it was indeed likely he could have broken his neck or at least suffered a concussion. The police asked Bai Xi, “Do you know him?”

“Sure, I know him,” Bai Xi replied, “I’m here to pick him up. His name is Han Zhuo.”

The police took the ID from the heroic man—Zhou Jinshan.

……

Until he was taken away in the police car, Bai Xi remained trapped in the cruel reality, unable to extricate himself. He really did not want to admit that he had, in a moment of heroism, recklessly saved a stranger who turned out to be a thief in front of everyone.

This matter was a bit complicated; he didn’t know Han Zhuo, not even having seen a photo of him, only receiving instructions from the old man to personally pick him up at the train station. The only other clue was having heard his mother say that Han Zhuo got into fights every day back home, visiting the police station more often than the neighborhood shop.

Bai Xi twitched his lips: “Is that a good thing?”

“What do you know? He is acting heroically,” Bai Tai Tai said while elegantly enjoying rock sugar bird's nest. “Your father wants to bring him into the company, and I thought, having him as your bodyguard wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

Thus, when Bai Xi saw someone nimbly catching a thief today, he instinctively thought it had to be Han Zhuo. He didn’t want this person to face a lawsuit on his first day for potentially killing a thief—his old man would probably choke on his own anger. So, he hurriedly stepped in to help, only to end up mistaking him for someone else.

Thinking of this, he turned his head and cast a resentful, deep glance at his “accomplice.”

The thief, handcuffed, clasped his fist in gratitude: “Thank you, big brother, for saving my life.”

Bai Xi felt like swearing.

The young police officer struck the iron bars with his baton: “You two, behave yourselves!”

……

Two hours later, the interrogating officers sent the brave savior of thieves, the young master of Huancheng Group, out the door with a collective look of disbelief, confusion, and a hint of respect.

Bai Xi felt weak in the knees and his stomach growled with hunger. He thought this might be the unluckiest day of his life. What’s worse, Han Zhuo was likely still squatting at the train station, lonely and eating instant noodles.

He sighed deeply and pulled his phone out of his pocket, only to find it was dead.

Indeed, it was World Shutdown Day.

A cool breeze stirred the fallen leaves; Bai Xi sat on a long bench, shuddering, feeling like a has-been brother who had just been released from prison after ten years of solitude—no phone, no little brothers.

After a while, someone suddenly squatted down in front of him: “Hey.”

Bai Xi jumped in surprise, “Ah?”

“Hello.” The other party, with a friendly attitude, extended his hand, “Han Zhuo.”

Bai Xi: “…”

The man in front of him appeared refined, with a handsome face, thin lips slightly curved in a smile, wearing a pair of rimless glasses, and his white shirt sleeves neatly rolled up. He wore an old-fashioned watch on his wrist, and his fingers were long and dry, resembling a high school class teacher next door or a lawyer just out of the police station. He didn’t look like the wild hero described by his mother, who grew up in the countryside, simple and hardworking, getting into fights every day while learning to be like Lei Feng.

Seeing that he showed no intention of shaking hands, Han Zhuo withdrew his right hand and continued smiling, “Sorry, my phone is dead today.”

Bai Xi extended his hand: “ID.”

Han Zhuo raised an eyebrow slightly and cooperatively pulled out his ID from his pocket.

Name, gender, date of birth, hometown and address, all checked out.

Bai Xi finally believed that this person was indeed Han Zhuo.

“I heard the news at the train station and borrowed money to take a taxi over.” Before Bai Xi could ask, Han Zhuo proactively continued, “A group of old aunties were lamenting, saying why such a fine college student would become a thief. Upon hearing your description, I guessed it might be you.”

Bai Xi felt a ringing in his ears; he really didn’t want to hear the words “train station” again. He just wanted to go home, eat, and sleep, and it would be best to wake up tomorrow with amnesia. So, he forced a smile: “Forget it, let’s go back. My father will be back in half a month.”

“This police station is pretty hard to find.” Han Zhuo looked around and repeated, “The five bucks I borrowed almost wasn’t enough for the subway.”

Finally, Bai Xi caught on to the key point Han Zhuo had been emphasizing and was surprised: “You went out without any money?”

Han Zhuo replied gently, “My wallet was stolen on the train.”

Bai Xi: “…”

“I’m not asking to borrow money from you,” Han Zhuo said earnestly and humbly, “I just haven’t eaten for a day and a night. I’m hungry.”

“…… Fine, I’ll take you out for a late-night snack.” Bai Xi felt both amused and exasperated.

“Let’s not go too far; just something casual.” Han Zhuo tidied Bai Xi’s messy shirt collar, “I want to eat the non-spicy braised noodle at No. 36, Alley 8, Mokin Street, East Zone 2, knife-cut noodles.”

Bai Xi felt a mix of emotions: “You call that casual?”

Han Zhuo swallowed hard.

Bai Xi: “……”

Bai Xi said, “Let’s take a taxi.”

The taxi sped along, and after an hour, the driver stopped the car by the roadside: “We’re here.”

Bai Xi yawned; he had dozed off during the ride and felt a bit dizzy as he got out of the car, standing by the roadside to regain his senses.

“Where’s the noodle shop?” Bai Xi asked.

Han Zhuo replied, “Just across this alley.”

“Oh.” Bai Xi stretched his limbs and followed him inside. The alley was long, deep, and dark, with streetlights rendered useless. Only the dim yellow light from the precarious small buildings on either side faintly illuminated the path.

“Collecting old phones!” A rickety tricycle was ahead. “Old appliances!”

Suddenly, Han Zhuo grabbed his wrist.

Bai Xi asked, “What’s wrong?”

Han Zhuo smiled, “Nothing, I thought this was a drain.”

Bai Xi frowned slightly, sensing something was off, but before he could ask further, Han Zhuo pulled him along a few steps, subtly raising his right hand to toss a small round disk into the tricycle by the roadside—that was the listening device he had just torn off Bai Xi’s watch.

The old man collecting scrap didn’t notice, humming a tune as he pedaled the tricycle out of the alley.

Meanwhile, in another corner of the city, a group of people was carefully deciphering the sounds coming through their headphones—noisy and chaotic, and it seemed like there were people haggling as well.

It took them a full half hour to finally confirm the specific content of this mysterious sound wave.

“All discarded and broken phones can be exchanged for stainless steel basins.”