Three days was neither long nor short. A turn of the page, and they were gone.
One hour remained until the deadline.
Cui Wanqiu sent over Liu Chengyi's number.
Wang Xiaoliang called it.
The call connected.
"This is Wang Xiaoliang."
"Beep-"
The other end hung up.
He called again.
Hung up instantly.
The third time, it rang once before being cut off.
Wang Xiaoliang glanced at his phone screen and began typing a text.
"One hour left. If nobody comes to open the door, I'll smash the lock and dispose of everything inside as scrap."
He sent it. No response.
He slipped his phone into his pocket.
Then he turned and called Xie Hui out of the office.
"When time's up, I'm smashing the lock. Record it on your phone. Don't stop recording the whole time."
Xie Hui froze.
"Mr. Wang, you're really going to smash it?"
"Of course. These old bastards are spoiled rotten."
The sun beat down on the courtyard.
Time ticked by, second by second.
The hour struck.
A thin layer of rust covered the brass lock on the garage door.
Wang Xiaoliang crouched and took a hammer out of the toolbox.
He hefted it.
Then stood up.
He swung his arm. The first blow-
Clang!
The dull crash rang out across the courtyard.
It didn't open.
A second blow.
Still no luck.
The door to the neighboring office opened a crack. Li Yongling poked half her head out, saw what was happening, and immediately ducked back inside.
A few seconds later, she came out again, followed by Cui Wanqiu and Yi Jiahui.
Li Shumei and the head cook also ran out of the cafeteria, still wearing their aprons, water dripping from their hands. They probably hadn't finished washing the pots and dishes.
Xie Hui hurried to