9, 38, 52, 69...
80, 83...
103, 193, 193...
103 and 193, that's months in between.
Three months, what does that mean?
It doesn't mean anything.
Except that something is wrong.
Something must have gone wrong in these three months.
221, 243, 256, 281...
all the way up to 1460...
Up to last month, it would have been exactly 1460 days.
I have all the numbers in my head.
The date of every letter... what pattern lies in this?
Forget it, I've entertained every possibility.
A total of 54 letters in the past four years.
No clue whatsoever.
No city, address, or telephone number,
no ways of reaching him.
All I have are these letters.
He writes about waking up late, being constipated.
Watching a game all night.
How he can smell the food from the restaurant next door.
That's all. Not a clue of where he is.
But he's out there somewhere.
Know what I'd really like to do?
I'd really like to drag him out.
Scream at him why don't you just die?
This is what I'd really like to do.
I'd really like to do this.
Why don't you stop reading the letters?
I've tried.
How about moving away?
I won't.
I need to curse him out loud.
Still the same city.
Nothing has changed in four years.
He is still hiding some place where I can't see.
This city... or that...
I have once told him,
if my parents disapprove our relationship I'll stop eating.
And wait for him.
I didn't think I'd still wait for him when he disappeared.
But the truth is, I've been waiting for four years.
Ten bugs.
It's called the "Microelectrode Guided...
Stereo tactic Deep Brain Surgery".
They use stereo tactic technology.
To locates the nerve in your brain...
that attaches you to heroin.
Then apply microelectrode treatment.
Boom... it's gone.
I was quite muddle-headed around that time
After they destroyed 'the reward center' in my brain.
they needed to let it recuperate...
before planting new nerves.
As a result, I became very forgetful.
My head was quite messed up...
for awhile.
Then I got better and no longer relied on narcotics.
I felt brand new.
I told them I was fully recovered,
but they wouldn't believe me
They still granted child custody to him.
What a bunch of pricks!
Eh, what does he do?
281, 281, 302, 302.
Tell me, what do these numbers mean?
They all have 2 in them.
OK. They all have 2. You know this guy?
Take another look.
Forget it.
After they took away my baby, I have been crying for long time.
Then I thought.
I've got to seek help.
Or I'd never survive on my own.
I didn't intend to tell you this.
I wanted to talk about something else.
I've never told anyone about it.
I mean, what's the use of talking about it?
True.
Nineteen.
Got any singles?
Got two.
It's nineteen.
I don't have any singles either.
One bug less, is that OK?
One bug less.
Fine, wait for me then.
Got change for a twenty?
No, no.
Ok.
Got change for a twenty?
No Changes.
Did you fuck up your head or something?
Over here. Hey, this way!
What about the change?
That cunning bitch! We take this for our change.
I'm getting off after the bridge, can you drive?
Ok.
You're here.
It's me.
Huo-Gui.
I'm Shui-Tian.
There's no bottom to a lake.
As there's no edge to a shore.
What?
Its water remains neither wet nor dry to itself.
As its ripples never conjure the feeling of solitude.
These ripples surround rocks that are neither too big nor too small.
Whispering softly to their very own whispers.
Just whispers...
What? Say that again?
Ahhhh.
Somebody jumped off the bridge.
Feifei, Feifei.
Hey!
What should we do? What do we do now?
He should give us the tickets.
Why did he jump?
He fucking jumped?
Did he see a cop?
There was a cop?
I need to find a toilet...
Stop right there, you little bastard.
You looking for a toilet?
You backing out on me,
You bastard dare to back out on me.
Discount tickets for sale Ambient.
Did you see the car driver?
It was just happened, he was here.
Something dropped from above then he ran away.
How did the guy fall?
I don't know, it all happened in a blink.
Wait...
That, that guy.
That guy?
Short hair.
Feifei, come with me.
You Okay?
You were driving... here they come.
Does it hurt?
Your car?
You the driver?
I'll need to see your driver license and car registration.
Tell me what happened first.
Can we do this later?
Sure.
What's going on?
I don't have a license, you go back and wait for me.
Remember what I told you?
Got it.
I do exactly as you say.
So what's next?
Get a cab.
Taxi, hey, taxi...
Get in. I owe you one bug anyway,
where to?
Never mind.
Seriously?
Take this.
My mother used to make me take it when I had a stomach ache.
Cheap and works like charm, take two tablets water.
It's all right, I'm OK.
Take it.
I'm really fine.
Just take it for god's sake!
Thank you.
Where to?
We need to get to 40 Lake East Road.
Lake East Road, I have to turn around then.
What kind of place is it?
A place to buy plane tickets.
It's cheap flying these days.
It's only two blocks away.
I'll take you there.
Wait a minute, we need to go to Mapu first.
Mapu? That's far.
I have a relative there doing water heating business.
I don't have enough money.
He's got money for me.
Fine, I'll take you there.
You take over from here.
Ok.
I heard two peasants fled the scene up there.
Factory workers, I think.
Take a look at this, we found this on him.
"Dying is like flying".
"It's much easier than living".
"The seasons fly through the fingers of time".
"Leaving behind it, hours of hesitation".
The guy's a depressed poet.
Calm down.
Fuck! Fucking shit!
What now? What do we do now?
It's pretty clear...
what happened.
You won't be able to drive your car for awhile.
If you're worried about your... is it girlfriend?
If you're worried about her, maybe you ought to go back first?
We've got your phone number.
Come to our precinct tomorrow.
And we'll figure something out, OK?
Got a bump there.
Huh.
You all right?
I am fine.
You can go home first.
Stop! Stop!
What's your name?
My name is Shui-Tian.
Shui-Tian. That's a nice name.
First time in the city?
Here for a job?
I'm here looking for Xiao Xiang.
Who's that?
My girlfriend.
Where is she?
I have no clue.
How could that be?
Her mother wanted her to be a hooker.
She wouldn't do it, so she ran away.
I heard she's come to the city.
But she didn't tell me, so I'm not sure.
Why did her mother want her to be a hooker?
Many girls in her class were doing it.
Served the guys working the mines.
One day her mother brought home a man.
He was also a miner.
Her mother said to her.
"You didn't pass the entrance exam".
"So no more school for you anyway".
"Your classmates are making money by the hundreds".
And she told Xiao Xiang to sleep with the man.
Xiao Xiang raised bloody hell and ran away.
I've been to this town a couple times.
Couldn't find her.
Someone told me she came to the city.
Her mother demanded ten thousand bucks from me.
I give her the money...
and she'll leave me and Xiao Xiang alone.
I have the money now.
All I need is to find her quick.
Feeling better?
Much better.
What's your Xiao Xiang like?
She's a tough cookie.
One time she told off the town chief's son.
You call that tough?
She should've told off the town chief,
the village chief, and all those bastards.
What's the use of telling off the son?
You upset?
No.
Then tell me, is your Xiao Xiang pretty?
She was the prettiest in town.
She's simply different from everyone else.
Unlike the rest of the county bumpkins.
What was she like then?
One time I said to her.
Let's go to the city together.
She then said to me... I've had the same thought.
Another time.
She went into town to play slot machines.
She didn't tell me, so I was a bit upset.
She came back so excited.
Boy that thing is super fun!
As soon as I heard that, I wasn't upset anymore.
I think I know your Xiao Xiang.
Huh?
I'm serious.
There's this girl working in the restaurant close to where I live.
A table manager, quite pretty.
She always talked with her hands like this.
Please enjoy your food.
This soup is super good.
This spicy tofu dish is also superb.
You wanna try?
Oh c'mon,
what's your problem making me wait so long?
Was she like this?
Take me to her, please... I need to find her now.
Get a hold of yourself.
So I tried talking senses into them.
But it's useless.
Let me tell you, it was impossible.
Some eight or nine of them came.
And we got into a brawl.
How could I possibly fight so many by myself?
Not possible.
So I pinned one of them down...
and beat the shit out of him.
I punched him once, twice, three, four, five times.
I gave him a good dozen of punches.
That motherfucker got scared shitless.
I dragged that piece of shit towards the doorway.
All the way to the gate.
Boy, he was bleeding like hell.
I knocked him over with one shove.
Don't move.
What are you doing? What are you doing?
What the hell are you doing?
You little bastard.
What are you doing?
Bastard.
Stop running, you little piece of shit.
My belt, where's my belt?
You don't want the money, is that it?
I do, I do.
Do your fucking shit.
Have you lost your fucking mind?
You want that money? Then go find some dough for the plane tickets.
Our contact's dead.
He jumped, we're on our own now.
If we don't make it to Guangzhou today.
Who's gonna give us the money? Huh?
If we don't make it today...
we're done for.
We might as well forget about the money. You still in or not?
Yes!
Do your fucking shit, little bastard.
You listen to me well you little motherfucker.
If you don't get a little sense in that brain of yours.
I'll finish you off with my own hands.
Get over here! Get over here!
Take this, make her give some money.
Just get enough for two plane tickets.
I won't give her a hard time as long as she gives us the money.
Doesn't that make us robbers?
Stupid fuck, how else are we gonna get the money?
Get over there, talk to her nicely.
All we want is two thousand bugs, you hear?
Tell her that, and if she won't do it.
I'll go give her a scare.
Go!
Take this! Take this!
Go!
Belt.
You've got two thousand bucks?
We only need two thousand.
I only made a few tens today.
He's already taken them all.
We need to buy plane tickets.
Give us two thousand and we'll let you go.
I'll go home and get it.
I'll take you with me to get it.
As long as you let me go,
the two thousand is yours.
You mean it?
Of course!
She's agreed.
Really?
Yes.
Where's the money?
She says she'll take us home to get it.
What did you tell her?
I said we need to buy plane tickets.
You dumb fuck!
What did you tell her that for?
She's going to tell...
the police everything!
You dumb fuck.
You'll be caught before you board the plane.
Help!
Somebody, help!
Help!
Uh.
Little piece of shit.
Tell her we are going...
with her to get the money.
We will sell the car for the money instead.
What about her?
What do you think?
What about Xiao Xiang?
Xiao Xiang... Xiao Xiang...
Fuck your fucking Xiao Xiang.
You don't even know where your tomorrow is...
and you're still thinking about Xiao Xiang?
You reckon she's still waiting for you?
90.
Move the car, drive
That guy your boyfriend?
The one in the magazine.
Trust me. You can never rely on men.
You should just dump the loser.
Where's my magazine?
It got lost.
Get it back, you get it back for me.
You go get it...
back for me.
Let go of your hand.
You go and get my magazine back.
What are you doing?
Ahhhh.
Ouch!
Wanna try again?
Believe it or not, I'll cut off your hand.
Just drive.
Go that way.
Turn here.
There's a gas station up ahead.
Gotta get some gas or else the car won't move.
We going?
Go.
Dare to try again? Try then! You little piece of shit.
You think I like doing this kind of thing?
I need thirty thousand to get out of the lawsuit.
Without the money, I can't go home.
I've been out for three years now.
Haven't been home in three years, you get what I'm saying?
Fifty bugs of gas.
Where you going?
I need to pay.
Let him come get it.
Fine
Ahhhh.
What's wrong?
It's OK, not a problem.
What's wrong?
It's OK.
Money.
Mmm.
Sorry.
Stop the car!
I said stop the car!
Watch her!
Is it really her?
The girl you mentioned, is it really Xiao Xiang?
I don't know.
Tell her to wait for me.
OK.
You can go.
He's coming.
Swear you won't report on us.
I won't.
Hey.
Hey, stop the car.
Hey.
Ahh.
Darn.
Hello, yes, yes.
She's moved back with her mother now.
I've met the guy she's been cheating me with.
Even shook hands with him once.
At first she denied, tried to bluff it out
She didn't admit 'til I told her.
I was gonna kill him.
Is that him?
You wanna know how he died?
What's this?
Heroine.
Where did you find these?
Dug them out from his ass.
Sorry.
It's OK.
By the time we caught up with him he was already dead.
The bags dissolved inside him.
It's extremely dangerous to carry
the stuff inside one's body for more than 24 hours,
The autopsy shows that...
this wasn't the case.
He probably took some pills on the road.
The chemical elements dissolved the bags
which then took his life.
I gave him the pills.
He said he had a stomach ache.
So I gave him a pain killer.
What about the other guy?
Still alive, we gave him some laxative.
He dumped it all out, total of 18 bags.
He wants to see you.
Who?
The younger one, name is Shui-Tian.
We've interrogated him twice but the guy wouldn't say a thing.
He said he would only speak once he's seen you. Know why that is?
No idea.
I don't want to see him.
What's the matter?
I don't want to be reminded of the whole thing.
I understand, but you've got to meet him.
Why don't you go home and calm down a bit.
We'll make arrangements tomorrow.
Fang Wen.
Fang Wen!
Come over here, sit.
Li Mi, you sit here.
Press this button behind you if anything goes wrong.
Did you see her?
Did you see Xiao Xiang?
Where's the magazine?
It's lost. You didn't see Xiao Xiang?
Where did you lose it?
Did you see Xiao Xiang or not?
I'm asking you where you lost it?
You lied to me.
I didn't lie to you.
I reported to the police back at the gas station.
How would I have known you'd let me go later?
I had no idea before then.
You let me down.
I had your word to find Xiao Xiang when I let you go.
We had an agreement.
Will you help me find her?
Just tell her, her mother has already said yes.
I'll go see her as soon as I got out of here.
Will you tell her that?
Please, please.
Alright.
I don't want to lie to you.
You did spare my life.
I have no idea where your Xiao Xiang is.
I wouldn't know how to find her.
I made up that girl...
I told you about.
I mean, so many girls talk like that these days.
How would I know which one of them is Xiao Xiang?
That's a lie.
No, it's not.
You're lying to me.
Only Xiao Xiang could talk...
like that no one else.
I let you go, and now he's dead.
My money's gone. You can't lie to me!
You made a promise, you can't lie to me.
Sit! Sit...
Who is Xiao Xiang?
What is this all about?
He released me.
And I promised to find his girlfriend.
But the girl I told him about was just someone I made up.
How would I know if she's Xiao Xiang or not?
Where's that girl at?
What girl?
The girl you told him about.
This can't be possible.
Know where she is?
What's the deal with this photo album?
It's private.
No private matters where I'm concerned.
My boyfriend has disappeared.
I put his photos in my car to show people.
I've been searching for four years and still haven't found him.
All his photos are clipped to that magazine.
They have lost the magazine.
What else would you like to know?
Wanna know who I slept with in the past four years?
No one.
I'm sorry.
Are we here?
We've passed it.
My wife cheated on me.
Are all of your staff here?
Yes, my joint is small,
only a few staff.
Tell him we've found Xiao Xiang.
This is the address and phone number.
He won't get to call.
Get in the car.
I don't harbor any bad intentions.
This is merely a means to get him to talk.
Fair means or foul...
as long as it gets you what you want.
You ever thought about the future?
What if he asked to see Xiao Xiang one day?
What would I tell him?
You think the guy has a future?
He carried more than 500 grams of narcotics in his body.
Know what that means?
Plus, if all means were feasible.
We'd have gotten him to talk already. Who needs you?
Sorry, haven't been in my own skin lately.
I'm not tying to force you to do anything, this is for his own good.
He'll come off better if he's able to provide valuable leads.
Know what I mean?
Sometimes deception can be charity.
I've been lied to for four years.
I don't see anything charitable about it.
I don't fucking see it, either.
I found her, she really is Xiao Xiang.
This is her address and phone number.
I told her you've been looking for her.
And that you will go see her very soon.
Did you tell her how we met?
Uh.
I told her you took my taxi.
Did you tell her I've been tying to find her?
What did you tell her?
Does she want to see me now?
What do you want to know?
Start from the very beginning. Leave nothing out.
I met Huo-Gui...
in Marpu.
I was looking for work, wanted to make some money.
He told me I could make ten thousand bugs.
Ten thousand,
I'd never seen so much money in my life.
I wanted to make that money, so I followed him.
As soon as I got out of the car.
I was blindfolded and taken to a deserted house.
There I took in 18 bags.
Then I was dragged out to the street.
They told us to get ourselves to the city.
Someone will give us plane tickets to fly to Guangzhou.
And once we get to Guangzhou, all we'd have to do is take a dump.
And the money is ours.
To tell you the truth, I got quite scared at the time.
But Huo-Gui said everything would be fine.
Who would've thought that when we got to the city.
The guy would jump.
Hold it there. Who did you say jumped?
The guy who was supposed to give us the plane tickets.
Where?
On the bridge, he crashed onto a car.
That's when we dropped the magazine.
I had no idea what was going on.
The driver picked up the magazine and started to come after us.
What driver?
The driver whose car the guy crashed on.
- It him... - OK?
Enough, I'll see you out now.
You can come pick up the forms next week
and bring them to your insurance company.
Fang Wen, when did you get back?
You've been back awhile now, haven't you?
You've been hiding from me all this time?
Who is she?
Hey, wait a minute...
What's going on here?
It's got nothing to do with you.
What?
Sorry,
I think this lady has mistaken me for someone else.
Fang Wen.
Miss, you're confused.
Confused?
I'd recognize you even if you got skinned.
You're with her now?
Why didn't you tell me sooner?
Why did you write me all those letters if you're with her?
Why?
Tell me! Say it!
Let go! Let go! Let go!
Watch it, I can cuff you up right now.
I'm sorry,
I didn't mean to lose it, I'm fine now.
Hey, what's his name?
My name is Ma Bing.
That's his name all right.
Hear that?
Where's the magazine?
I have it.
Why didn't you say anything earlier?
No one asked me.
You done here? Let them go if you're done.
You can move the car.
Thanks.
You follow me.
Hey, wait.
Wait here a minute.
Hey, bring me the file on this case later,
I want to take a look.
Hey...
How can you be sure...
he's the guy you been looking for?
Wouldn't you recognize your own wife?
Hey...
Have you gone mad or something?
I've been looking for him for four years.
Have you tried looking for someone this long?
I can't find him now, he's gone.
You go and find him for me, go find him.
I'll kill you...
if you don't find him.
- You come with me! - No!
- Come! - No!
Come!
Just a moment.
This isn't his handwriting.
Handwriting Authentication.
Fang Wen,
I don't want anything from you.
I know it's you.
You don't have to be with me.
But just tell me it's you.
Just tell me, I won't stalk you.
Please just tell me it's you.
Fang Wen.
Day 83 "I'm planning on going back, Li Mi".
"I'll never become what they expect of me".
"I'll just have to settle for being ordinary, I'm so useless".
"Do you think I'm useless?".
Day 22... "I'm about to go back, Li Mi".
"I think I am a better man now".
"I could even picture the supermarket we'll own in the future".
"Can you forgive me?".
Day 430 "I am a changed man, Li Mi".
"Perhaps I've become the kind of man your parents wanted me to be".
"Who knows?".
"Yesterday I saw our hometown on N".
"And I suddenly burst out in tears".
"Are you still waiting for me, Li Mi?".
Day 108 "I want to tell you something, Li Mi".
"My wish almost came true".
"This morning I went to the airport and bought the ticket".
"At that moment, I could no longer resist my feelings".
"Suddenly I wanted to go back".
"I bought the ticket, went through the security check,
even reached the boarding gate".
"But in the end I came back out".
"Got a half refund for the ticket".
"Do you know how much I wanted to go back? ".
Fine, I'll tell you this...
I am Fang Wen.
But I'm with someone else now.
I don't want you anymore.
I've said it, can you leave me alone now?
I'm sorry.
I apologize...
if I've mistaken you for someone else.
You want to know...
what this is all about, don't you?
I don't know any Fang Wen. All I know is that you're Ma Bing.
I'm going back to the shop.
If you don't feel like coming around anymore, don't come.
They lied to me.
The handwriting authentication was a 70% match.
From that moment on.
The cop never took his eyes off him.
They did a thorough check on Ma Bing's background.
And found everything counterfeited.
His ID, driver's license, even his name.
He's a man who doesn't exist.
Shui-Tian mentioned during interrogation.
The man who was supposed to meet up with them
would be sporting a pair of shades.
They got into Ma Bing's room somehow
and eventually found what they were looking for.
Huo-Gui Shui-Tian.
Hai-Guang Jiang-Ming.
All was very simple.
But I didn't know this at the time.
Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday!
Cheers! Cheers...
At last Fang Wen is now wiped out from my life.
Oh, right, his name is Ma Bing now.
Wait a minute. Wait. Wait for me.
September 4th.
Qi.
The new errand won't show.
You screwed up once, you think they'd still trust you?
Wondering how I know everything?
I'm the one who keeps an eye on you.
I see.
They have me...
purchase wholesale clothing...
from Guangzhou as a cover.
The clothes are then brought to your shop.
They give me a good commission.
All this is just a part...
of the arrangement.
Yes.
Hai-Guang.
I did some calculation back in the shop.
Your commission comes out to be about eighty thousand bugs.
I gave it to that girl, are you fine with that?
The money is clean.
Tell me, doesn't it hurt when you see her pain?
Forget it.
The moment she recognized you, you could no longer hide.
Don't you realize it?
They're taking you out.
On my way here, I kept thinking
if I told you about it and ran away with you,
would I be able to rely on you?
You are still in love with her.
Feifei.
Do me a favour, if you run into her again,
don't tell her what really happened.
Not a word.
If I hadn't met her,
I would've fallen for you.
Ahhhhh.
- All set? - Yup
OK.
The tape.
Li Mi.
I finally did it.
Go and buy yourself a supermarket.
Maybe I'll come back to you very soon.
Or maybe I won't ever come back,
I have no idea.
In case I don't make it back.
This money is for you.
No matter what happens.
Please don't worry about me, really.
There's always a price to pay for everything, right?
So I don't regret anything.
In case I really don't make it back.
Just read the letters I wrote you.
When you miss me.
A total of 54 letters.
That's all for now.
We fell in love in high school.
Been together ever since.
We were both lousy students, neither of us got into college.
His two greatest passion?
Fantasy novels? And loving me.
We were both mediocre people, nobody paid much attention to us.
We were both very depressed.
The day we found out we didn't get into college.
We didn't meet up that day.
After receiving the news,
he went to a swimming pool
and spent the whole afternoon there.
Under the piercing sun, he cried for the first time.
After that, he began his life as a taxi driver.
Later on, he told me.
Having me in his life...
was the best thing that ever happened to him.