Perhaps it was his stomach; after eating hot pot the night before, Yang Jian started suffering from diarrhea the next morning.
Thinking it wasn't a big deal, he still insisted on going to work. On the way to deliver goods, he bought a box of Loperamide from a pharmacy and took two pills with mineral water, but it offered no relief.
"Brother Yang, you rest. I'll unload this truck."
Upon arriving at the mall warehouse, Ma Yuan voluntarily took on the task of unloading.
"Alright, unload it slowly. I'm going to the restroom."
Yang Jian said and then ran off.
This truck was delivering pears, also packed in thirty-jin boxes. This mall needed thirty boxes, and Ma Yuan's small frame found it very strenuous to carry them.
By the time Yang Jian returned, Ma Yuan had finished unloading the goods, but he was utterly exhausted.
Yang Jian felt a bit weak from the diarrhea and didn't rush to leave. He sat in the driver's seat, clutching his stomach.
"Brother Yang, you shouldn't come for the next trip. Ask the boss for leave."
Ma Yuan, after finishing the paperwork with the mall, got into the passenger seat with the delivery slip.
"Okay, let Uncle Wei deliver the next one. I need to go to the hospital for an IV drip."
"Brother Yang, have you considered Brother Cheng's suggestion from last night? Let's go work for them. The fruit market is dangerous, not to mention exhausting."
"Little Ma, the streets aren't that easy to navigate. Don't be fooled by their seemingly glamorous lifestyle of eating and drinking well every day. In reality, most of them end up with tragic fates – either in jail, hacked to death, or disabled.
Do you know why Fang Hai didn't want you to follow him? Because with your small frame, you'd just be cannon fodder on the streets. He was looking out for you."
"But you're so good at fighting. I'll just be your subordinate, running errands."
"Even if I'm good at fighting, can I fight against guns? I can fight three, but can I fight thirty? Most people on the streets are desperate outlaws. Who can guarantee they'll survive every conflict?
Like last time, when Fo Ye and his men surrounded us. If we had started fighting right away, the two of us would be lying in cold coffins by now.
Let's just work honestly and earn money. That life on the streets isn't for you."
Yang Jian patted his shoulder and set off again. He still had three more supermarkets to visit.
Ma Yuan looked a bit dejected. "Alright, Brother Yang. I'll follow you wherever you go. By the way, I've asked my dad to open a bank account for you today. The two thousand yuan you gave yesterday will be deposited into it. You should get the bank card this afternoon. From now on, you can deposit your earnings in the bank to avoid carrying too much cash."
"Really? Thank you."
"What are you thanking me for? It's a small matter. Brother Yang, I know someone who makes fake IDs. How about I get you a fake ID?"
Yang Jian blinked. "What's a fake ID for?"
"It can help you deal with ordinary temporary checks. You know, there are often security patrols or police officers checking IDs on the streets. They can't verify the authenticity of an ID on the spot. A fake ID can save you a lot of trouble, and you can even check into some small guesthouses."
Ma Yuan had already guessed that Yang Jian was on the run after committing a crime.
"How do I get a fake ID, and how much does it cost?"
"You just need to give me a registration photo. It'll only cost a few dozen yuan."
"Okay, I'll get one taken when I have time."
Yang Jian thought Ma Yuan's suggestion was quite good. It would save him from having to dodge police officers on the street and feeling guilty like a thief.
When you're on the run after committing a crime, you're constantly on edge, fearing police checks, and living like a mouse, afraid to move about openly.
Yang Jian felt a deep sense of melancholy, wondering how many years this life would last, what his future held, and what his ultimate fate would be.
Perhaps surrendering himself was the wisest choice, but having been to prison twice already, Yang Jian dreaded it. He truly did not want to return to that place where freedom was lost.
His only hope now rested on Lu Hao. The Lu family had considerable influence. Since they could notify him to escape at a critical moment, perhaps they could help clear his case.
It had been three months since he left. The situation at home should have cooled down by now. Should he try to contact his family? Yang Jian was conflicted.
"Brother Yang, are you feeling better? Can we go?"
Seeing Yang Jian's dazed expression, Ma Yuan thought he was still unwell.
"Let's go. Let's finish delivering this batch of goods quickly, and I'll take leave to rest."
Yang Jian snapped out of his thoughts and started the truck.
After finally finishing the delivery, Yang Jian returned to the company. The moment he parked the truck, he ran to the restroom.
This fruit market only had two public restrooms, one in the north and one in the south. Yang Jian headed for the northern one, which was about a hundred meters away from the Northern Company.
Less than a minute after he left, a police car pulled up to the entrance of the Northern Company.
Four uniformed police officers got out of the car. Two of them stood at the entrance, as if to prevent anyone from escaping.
The other two entered the company, showed their badges, and went to the office.
"May I ask who the boss is? We are police officers from the train station police station. We are conducting a temporary inspection of your employees. Please gather them all here."
One officer briefly flashed his badge in front of Dan Wei before putting it away.
Dan Wei hadn't even seen it clearly but still cooperatively called Ma Yuan and the others over for inspection.
Seeing the police car arrive, Ma Yuan knew trouble was coming and immediately sent Yang Jian a text message.
The five employees in the company took out their identification cards. The two officers glanced at them and returned them.
"Boss, do you have other employees in your company?"
The officers were clearly focused. Dan Wei guessed they were after Yang Jian, but he didn't dare lie. "There's one driver, he just went to the restroom. Perhaps you could wait a moment."
"Which restroom?"
"I think it's the one on the north side."
The two officers exchanged a look, then immediately turned and left, calling their two companions into the car and heading straight for the northern restroom.
Yang Jian, who was having a bout of diarrhea in the restroom, received Ma Yuan's text: "Police inspection, don't come back."
Yang Jian felt a surge of relief. This trip to the restroom had been quite timely. Otherwise, he would have been cornered in the company by the police. He needed to get out quickly and blend into the street to avoid them.
Just as he was pulling up his pants, another text arrived: "Run, the police are coming to the restroom."
Damn it, they were here to catch him! Yang Jian panicked. He quickly fastened his belt and ran outside. As he reached the entrance, he realized that going out this way would mean running right into the police.
No, he couldn't go out the main entrance. The market was semi-enclosed, with four large gates for entry and exit. There were bound to be people guarding them now. Entering the market would be like walking into a trap; he wouldn't be able to escape.
He could only climb over the wall from the restroom. This restroom was semi-open, about ten meters long. Except for the cubicles, which had a roof to shield from the sun and rain, the urinals were in the open. From about three meters above the urinals, one could climb over to the street outside the market.
Without hesitation, Yang Jian turned, took a running start, and about two meters from the restroom wall, he used the edge of the urinal as a springboard. He leaped into the air, then pushed off the middle of the wall with his right foot, his hands gripping the top.
With a heave of his arms, he flipped himself over the wall. Outside was a green belt by the roadside. Jumping down was safe.
Hearing the sound of a car braking at the restroom entrance, Yang Jian leaped into the green belt, then walked onto the road. He walked forward briskly for about ten meters as if nothing had happened, then immediately ran across the road, disappearing into the crowd.