Chapter 238: Heavy Fist (Part 2)
The style of Hunan cuisine, much like the bold "Jianghu" dishes of Chongqing, had only recently gained popularity in its place of origin. The people of Yiyang had adopted these trends, bringing them to their own city. Consequently, although Yiyang was located in the inland region, its culinary scene was a vibrant mix of various popular elements.
Guo Lan’s willingness to attend this lunch surprised Ren Lindu, who was also exceptionally pleased. He took the initiative to sit beside her, serving her with a gentlemanly demeanor.
Hou Weidong was happy to see that Ren Lindu had indeed invited Guo Lan, yet a faint sense of discomfort lingered in his heart.
Guo Lan had never worked in rural areas and was unfamiliar with the local conditions. Seeing that Zeng Xiangang, the village committee director, had opened a shopping mall of considerable scale and quality, she was both astonished and curious. After holding back for a moment, she finally asked, "Director Zeng, where did you find your first pot of gold?"
Zeng Xiangang had never heard the term "first pot of gold." He hesitated slightly, guessing the meaning behind the question from the pretty female official before him. "Hou Weidong encouraged us to open a quarry. We all followed his lead, and that’s how we made our money."
"Was it really that simple?"
"Exactly."
Ren Lindu chimed in from the side, "Hou Weidong and I were recruited through the same public exam. Now, the difference is clear. I sleep in a dormitory, while he lives in a lakeside suite. I ride in a car with license plate number 11, while he travels in comfort. If I had known earlier that running a quarry was so profitable, I would have gone to Shangqinglin to lease a stone mountain myself."
Old Liu joked, "Secretary Ren, you still have a seat in a car."
Ren Lindu replied, "The Hongqi sedan is Secretary Zhao’s official vehicle. I am merely a passenger accompanying him. Hou Weidown has his own private car, which is truly convenient."
Secretary Zhu Yan, the County Party Secretary, rode in a new Audi, while Zhao Lin sat in a Hongqi sedan. Both were official vehicles. Aside from Zhu Yan and Zhao Lin, only Hou Weidong and Ren Lindu were eligible to ride in them.
Hou Weidong raised his teacup and clinked it against Zeng Xiangang’s. "Old Zeng, you’ve managed to expand the mall to this size. You’ve shown real entrepreneurial spirit. I wish you success in opening up a new world, finding a new starting point, and living a new life, leaving the past behind."
These words carried deeper meaning, which Zeng Xiangang understood. He nodded. "I’ve figured things out over the past two years. Dwelling on the past is pointless. If this mall does well, I’ll open another one in Shazhou."
Guo Lan felt a strong affinity for this taciturn farmer-turned-entrepreneur. "The materials in your store are high-end, and quite expensive. I think you could have started in Shazhou, or even directly in Lingxi. The business might have been even better there."
Hou Weidong, knowing the full story, explained, "Old Zeng has only run a quarry before; he isn’t familiar with retail. He wanted to gain experience in Yiyang first before expanding to Shazhou."
As they were chatting, a young girl stumbled into the room, breathless. "Boss Zeng, something terrible! There’s a fight in the store."
Seeing the girl gasping for air, Hou Weidong said, "Slow down. What’s going on?"
The girl was agitated, her speech stumbling. "Right after you left, about ten men showed up. They demanded five thousand yuan in protection fees. Qin Gan refused, so they started smashing things in the store. Qin Gan grabbed a knife and fought back."
Zeng Xiangang, Zeng Xiangyong, and the young men they had brought with them changed color upon hearing that someone was trashing their place. They stood up instantly. Hou Weidong knew these four were brave and fierce; if things escalated, it could be disastrous. "Today is the opening day. Don’t let this get out of hand."
"Go to the kitchen and get weapons. No knives—find wooden sticks," Zeng Xiangang shouted, then ran toward the kitchen.
Hou Weidong ran downstairs while dialing the police on his mobile phone.
A large crowd had already gathered outside No. 98 Zhongshan East Road, with the sounds of fighting coming from the center of the throng. Old Liu, cherishing his car, stopped about a hundred meters away from the scene.
When Zeng Xiangang and his group left the Hunan restaurant, they had already grabbed rolling pins and various other wooden sticks from the kitchen. Wooden sticks were effective weapons for fighting, especially against short knives, and less likely to cause fatalities. As soon as Old Liu’s car stopped, they shouted and charged toward the fight.
Hou Weidong had initially intended not to join the brawl, but seeing the scene, his blood boiled, and his head grew hot. He forgot his identity as a secretary and followed Zeng Xiangang into the fray.
When Hou Weidong pushed into the crowd, he couldn’t help but gasp.
At the store entrance, Qin Gan was wildly swinging a machete. One person lay on the ground, and over ten local thugs, all wielding knives, dared not get close.
Zeng Xiangang and his group attacked from behind, striking blindly with their wooden sticks. Being from Shangqinglin, they were naturally tough and brave. Having practiced hitting sandbags daily for some time, their strikes were particularly powerful. The thugs, whose bodies had been drained by alcohol and lust, lacked strength and relied solely on their numbers. The flurry of blows left the dozen thugs dazed, with three dropping to the ground, clutching their heads.
However, the thugs outnumbered them and were armed with knives. Soon, both sides were locked in a chaotic melee.
Hou Weidong, unarmed, dared not engage directly. He slipped into the store, where several shop assistants stood at the door holding stools, their faces pale with fear, too terrified to fight. Hou Weidong snatched a square wooden stick from one of them and ran back outside.
Ren Lindu had stayed with Guo Lan. Since Old Liu’s car couldn’t fit everyone, he and Guo Lan had taken a taxi to the scene. From a distance, they heard the shouts, the sounds of fighting, and the cheers of the onlookers.
The melee intensified, with blood spurting occasionally. The crowd retreated further. Hou Weidong saw a man with a knife approaching and, catching him off guard, struck his lower leg hard with the wooden stick. The stick snapped with a loud crack, breaking into two pieces. The man with the knife collapsed, screaming in agony as he clutched his leg.
Hou Weidong saw only flashes of blades. He had completely forgotten his status as a secretary, swinging his short wooden stick wildly.
Suddenly, police sirens wailed loudly. The police had arrived.
Except for three thugs with broken legs and three who had fled, all the fighters were handcuffed and taken to the Chengguan Town police station. Due to the large crowd, Hou Weidong’s identity was not exposed, and he fully complied with the officers’ orders.
***
Hou Weidong and Zeng Xiangang were unharmed.
Zeng Xiangyong had a shallow cut on his arm, though it bled significantly. Another young man, Zeng Xiangyin, was injured more seriously, with a deep gash on his back that wouldn’t stop bleeding. Qin Gan was the worst off, having been stabbed multiple times, with his intestines protruding. Qin Gan and Zeng Xiangyin were sent to the hospital for treatment and were not brought to the police station.
The eight thugs brought to the station were all injured, with large bruises on their heads. They glared at Hou Weidong and the others with fiery eyes.
As local thugs, they were used to bullying the weak and fearing the strong. Hou Weidong’s group had fought outnumbered, using wooden sticks against daggers and long knives, not only avoiding defeat but beating the thugs into submission. Thus, alongside their anger, there was also a hint of fear in their eyes.
Inside the police station, everyone was handcuffed. Regardless of which side they were on, they were all made to squat in a large room. Several civil patrol officers wearing unmarked uniforms walked in and, without explanation, slapped and kicked each of them.
Hou Weidong had emerged from the fight unscathed, but the two slaps caused his nose to bleed profusely. He wasn’t angry, however. Instead, he thought to himself, "The public security situation in Yiyang is truly terrible. I must persuade Secretary Zhu to take heavy-handed action against these criminal forces."
Just as Hou Weidong was lost in thought, he was kicked hard again. A short civil patrol officer said, "Come with me."
He followed the short officer into an office where a police officer in uniform was sitting in a chair. When Hou Weidong sat down, the officer handed him a tissue. "Wipe your nose clean."
The civil patrol officer held a large paper bag. "Take everything out of your pockets."
Hou Weidong wiped his nose slightly. Wanting to observe how the police station operated, he took out his mobile phone, wallet, and keys. He had only recently joined the County Party Committee, so his work ID hadn’t been issued yet. His wallet contained only his ID card.
Seeing the mobile phone, the civil patrol officer sneered, "You can afford a mobile phone? Did you steal or rob it?" He熟练ly checked the call log and saw the character "Shang." With a forced smile, he dialed the number.
All the numbers saved in Hou Weidong’s phone belonged to leaders. "Shang" and "Zhu" were rare surnames in Yiyang, with few duplicates. For convenience, Hou Weidong had only saved the surname, not the full name.
"Secretary Hou, there’s a new breakthrough in the case. I’m preparing—"
Over the past few days, Shang Guanghua had visited the Chengguan Town police station several times. His voice was hoarse and distinctive. The short civil patrol officer remembered it well. Hearing Director Shang’s voice suddenly come from the phone startled him.
As if the phone might bite him, the civil patrol officer quickly hung up and placed the phone back on the table. He leaned over and whispered something to the police officer.
The mobile phone rang again with a piercing tone.