Chapter 55: A Good Omen

By the time the three of them returned to the Li household, it was already 7:30 p.m., and there was only half an hour left before dark.

After entering the house, Li Yi asked Li Na to go to the vegetable garden to pick some greens, while he peeled a few potatoes.

Meanwhile, he began kneading the dough!

Tang Xue wanted to help, but Li Yi stopped her, telling her to just sit beside him and watch.

This greatly annoyed Li Na, who bluntly accused Li Yi of being an ungrateful wretch who’d forgotten his older sister now that he had a wife!

To this, Li Yi merely responded with a dismissive “Haha”!

His sister was great, but could she really compare to his wife?

Today, Li Yi was making Qishan Sausage Noodles, one of the famous local delicacies of Qin Province.

The most crucial part of Sausage Noodles is the sausage broth—it’s the soul of the dish.

So, after kneading the dough, while waiting for it to rise, Li Yi started simmering the sauce.

Li Yi hadn’t bought any meat today, but he had some marinated pork at home. He took out a few pieces, rendered the lard on top, and then diced the meat.

He then scooped out a large spoonful of lard, heated the oil in a wok, added the cured pork, and continuously stirred and stir-fried it, adding a generous amount of minced ginger to remove any gamey odor.

Since the cured pork was already quite salty, no additional salt was needed. However, when the meat was about 60% cooked, he added aged vinegar and continued stir-frying. When it reached 70% doneness, he added soy sauce, Sichuan peppercorns, and other seasonings. Just before serving, he added a suitable amount of red chili powder and stirred it in.

Simmer briefly, then remove from heat.

In no time, half a pot of braised pork soup is ready.

The served meat is fresh, tender, and fragrant, while the oil is a bright, glossy red—and not overly spicy.

Once the meat was ready, Li Yi began kneading and rolling out the dough. The characteristic of this dish is that the noodles are long and thin, with a uniform thickness.

For Li Yi, kneading and rolling out the dough was no trouble at all; in no time, a whole cutting board full of noodles was ready.

By then, Li Na had washed the pot and brought the water to a boil, so Li Yi immediately began adding the noodles.

Once the noodles were cooked, he scooped them out and topped them with the sauce, and a bowl of authentic Qishan sauce noodles was ready.

The sauce Li Yi prepared was fragrant and savory, and the broth was glossy and reddish, with a rich, savory flavor that wasn’t at all greasy.

Li Yi had also blanched some fresh vegetables in the broth, and the flavor was truly—absolutely delicious!

Tang Xue truly never expected that she would be able to enjoy a bowl of authentic Qishan sauce noodles from her hometown in this remote mountain village; she was surprised, but more than anything, she was deeply moved.

Before this, she hadn’t quite believed what Li Na had told her—that Li Yi would go out of his way to learn how to make liangpi just for her!

But now she believed it, because Qingshan County is located in northern China, near Shanxi Province, where the locals most commonly eat knife-cut noodles and pan-fried noodles.

As for Qishan-style noodles with minced pork, most people here had never even seen them, let alone tasted them.

If it weren’t for her, or to accommodate her, Li Yi would have had absolutely no reason to make these noodles.

Realizing this, Tang Xue’s gaze toward Li Yi grew even more tender.

Li Yi had no idea what was going on in Tang Xue’s mind; if he did, he would surely say that this was truly a beautiful misunderstanding.

The main reason he made Qishan saozi noodles wasn’t because Tang Xue was from Qin Province and he was trying to accommodate her, but because Qishan saozi noodles were the only noodles he knew how to make.

Just like liangpi, Li Yi had learned to make Qishan saozi noodles in Tang Xue’s hometown.

In his previous life, it was only when he went to sweep Tang Xue’s grave each year that Li Yi would set aside all his pretenses and masks, spending time there in the most relaxed state.

Li Yi felt he had already shown Tang Xue his most unflattering side; what was there left to hide from her, even if it was just a gravestone!

Every year at that time, he would cook by himself, light the fire by himself, and spend an hour or two at Tang Xue’s grave every day.

It was during that time that he learned to make liangpi, roujiamo, Qishan saozi noodles, and several other local delicacies from Qin Province.

As for the local Ge Guo Mian and the Dao Xiao Mian from the neighboring province, he could manage to make them if he tried, but the flavor certainly wouldn’t be as authentic as Qishan Saozi Mian.

Although he had no idea that Tang Xue’s mind was quietly conjuring up a flood of images, Li Yi could sense the change in her.

The way Tang Xue looked at him a short while ago was very different from how she looked at him now—in fact, it was completely different.

Before, they had been distant, cold, and even tinged with a hint of disgust.

Later, while the aversion had faded, there was still no real emotion; she looked at him more like a stranger.

But now—whether it was just his imagination or not—Li Yi noticed that the look in Tang Xue’s eyes had gained a hint of curiosity, a touch of admiration, and a faint, barely perceptible fondness.

This discovery made Li Yi feel a subtle surge of excitement!

He actually knew that there had always been one person in Tang Xue’s heart—a man named Tan Cheng, who, in his previous life, had eventually become Tang Xue’s brother-in-law.

According to the findings from Li Yi’s previous life, after Tang Xue returned to the city from here back then, she discovered that Tan Cheng—the man she had always loved—was about to marry her younger sister, Tang Bing.

In fact, they had already been engaged for two years!

The entire Tang family knew about this, yet they had kept it from her.

On top of that, Tang Xue suddenly discovered she was pregnant. When her parents found out, instead of helping her, they accused her of being promiscuous and tried to force her to have an abortion.

Recalling the ordeal she had endured at the Nianzi Mountain Brigade and seeing her family’s attitude, the cumulative weight of these blows ultimately drove Tang Xue to the brink of despair.

That’s why, ever since his rebirth, Li Yi had actually been feeling a bit uneasy. He was genuinely worried that Tang Xue couldn’t let go of that man in her heart.

If that were the case, all he would have won back would be an empty shell.

He would have her body, but not her heart!

But it seems that, after all, that man doesn’t mean as much to Tang Xue as she had imagined, and she isn’t completely indifferent to him either.

This is definitely a good sign!

Li Yi was convinced that as long as Tang Xue had even the slightest feeling for him, she would be his for life.

After all, he was Tang Xue’s first man; for that reason alone, someone as traditional as her couldn’t just ignore him.

Secondly, barring any surprises, Tang Xue was already carrying a little life inside her.

Given that Tang Xue is such a gentle and kind woman, as long as there is even a sliver of hope, she would never let the child suffer.

In her past life, she would rather die than have an abortion—which shows just how important this child is to her.

Since she’s accepted the child, accepting the child’s father is just a matter of time.

In high spirits, Li Yi paid no heed to the strange looks from his parents and sister. During the meal, he kept serving Tang Xue food and piling noodles onto her plate—his enthusiasm was so intense it was downright infuriating!

Tang Xue was also taken somewhat by surprise by Li Yi’s enthusiasm; her pretty face couldn’t help but flush, and her heartbeat quickened slightly. dxmbang

Although she felt a bit shy, this time she didn’t refuse Li Yi as she had in the past; instead, she gladly accepted his attentions.

Seeing this, Li Shankui and his wife smiled with relief, while Li Na looked as if she’d seen a ghost.

No wonder Li Na was so surprised—the Tang Xue she knew was a real high-and-mighty type. Though she had a cute side, she was also incredibly aloof.

Not to mention a second-rate ne’er-do-well like her own younger brother—even when faced with the advances of the most famous figures at the educated youth commune back in the day, such as Song Wenzhi and Zhang Hanxiang, she had never given them the time of day.

She’d sent back every single gift they’d given her and refused their offers to bring her meals or fetch water—she was incredibly stubborn!

And now she’s actually accepting such an intimate gesture as her younger brother serving her food? It’s as if the sun has risen in the west.

Or is it that once a woman has slept with a man, all other intimate gestures seem like child’s play?

As they left the educated youth commune, Li Na looked at her younger brother with some surprise and said, “You’re something else, kid. You beat someone up and still got them to pay you back. You’ve got all the good things in life!”

Tang Xue, however, remarked, “That’s the least of it. Ten yuan isn’t a small sum, but Xu Hong could still scrape it together if he really had to. What’s truly terrifying are those last few words he said!”

Li Na clearly hadn’t thought as deeply as Tang Xue had, and immediately asked, “What’s wrong with those words? I thought they were pretty good!”

“They were fine, but for Xu Hong, they probably won’t end well!”

“So it’s bad for us?”

“Unless something unexpected happens, Xu Hong is going to become the village’s number one pariah—everyone will avoid him like the plague. That’s what you call a psychological knockout!”

Li Na wasn’t stupid; she just hadn’t thought that far ahead.

After Tang Xue’s reminder, she suddenly grasped the crux of the matter and looked at Li Yi in astonishment, saying, “Are you still my little Yi?”

Li Yi smiled and said, “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“My Little Yi isn’t this clever. Tell me, who are you really?”

Even though he knew his third sister was just joking with him, Li Yi’s heart still skipped a beat.

Having lived two lifetimes, even though he was still himself, there were still some differences.

He hadn’t expected Third Sister to figure it out so quickly!

“What’s the matter? Is it not okay for your little brother to have improved a bit? You’re even saying I’m not your brother. Do you want me to tell you all about your embarrassing childhood moments?”

“What embarrassing stories do I have?” Li Na retorted defiantly.

“Haha, remember when we played house with your older brother Dajun and the others? You insisted on being Dajun’s wife—he wouldn’t take you, but you wouldn’t let it go, and you even went home crying…”

Before he could finish, Li Na shouted angrily, “Are you trying to get yourself killed, you little brat?!”

She lunged forward to teach Li Yi a lesson, but Tang Xue stopped her!

Li Yi continued, “And then there was when you were 14. You suddenly ran home crying, saying you were going to die. Your mom asked what was wrong and found out it was your first period…”

At that, even Tang Xue couldn’t bear to listen anymore and immediately snapped, “Stop it!”

Li Na’s blood pressure skyrocketed at Li Yi’s words, and she grabbed a random twig off the ground to whack him with it.

But Li Yi pushed his bike a few steps forward, dodging her in an instant, and burst out laughing, “Sis, remember this for the future: if you’re going to hit your little brother, you’ve got to do it early!”

Although she was furious, Li Na’s doubts were put to rest.

That brat really is her younger brother—otherwise, no one would know about those childhood incidents.

But how on earth had he suddenly become so formidable? It was just too strange!

Just then, her gaze suddenly fixed on Tang Xue.

The reason her little brother had changed so much was because he’d slept with Xiao Xue—afterward, it seemed like he’d grown up overnight.

That’s right—he’d matured, transforming from a boy into a man!

As if she’d uncovered some earth-shattering secret, Li Na’s gaze toward Tang Xue shifted once again!

Her best friend really was the Li family’s lucky charm. Just one night with her had transformed her little brother from a good-for-nothing into a money-making whiz.

If they did it a few more times, who knows—he might even become a true millionaire someday.

For a moment, the look in Li Na’s eyes as she gazed at Tang Xue grew even more intense!

Tang Xue felt a bit uneasy under Li Na’s gaze and asked nervously, “Sis Na, why are you looking at me like that?”

“Xiao Xue, I really had no idea you were this charming!”

“What charm? I don’t get it,” Tang Xue asked, puzzled.

“Haven’t you noticed? Ever since the two of you… well, you know… Yi has changed so much.”

“Well…”

“You know exactly what he used to be like. Look at him now—not only has he become smarter and more hardworking, but he’s also gotten his life back on track! If I’d known you had this kind of influence, I would’ve tied you to Xiao Yi’s bed even if I had to drag you there!” Li Na said with a laugh.

“Sis Na, are you saying he’s turned out so well all because of me?” Tang Xue asked, somewhat surprised.

“Hmm, I honestly can’t think of any other reason!”

“That… that can’t be possible…”

Before she could finish her sentence, Tang Xue realized that what Li Na said actually made a certain amount of sense.

She knew exactly what Li Yi was like before that incident.

Back then, Li Yi was a complete slacker—either off in the neighboring village playing cards and gambling, or sneaking around the back mountain to satisfy his cravings. And if he came home for even a week in a month, that was considered a good month.

More importantly, back then, he had his eyes set solely on Wang Xuemei from the neighboring village and didn’t give anyone else a second glance.

But after that incident, he had completely changed—so much so that she found herself looking at him with newfound respect, even willing to give him a chance to pursue her.

Thinking of this, Tang Xue suddenly felt a flicker of sweetness in her heart.

She’d heard people say that when a man is willing to make certain changes for you, it usually means he’s truly fallen for you.

When you willingly make certain changes for someone, it also means you’ve fallen in love with them.

Before, she hadn’t really understood this saying; in fact, she’d even thought it was wrong, because many people are stubborn and hard to change by outside forces—just like herself.

But now, not only did she understand it, she also felt that the saying was true.

Li Yi was a living example of this—and wasn’t she herself just as much?

Before that incident, she had always fantasized about returning to the city to find Tan Cheng, the man she longed for.

But after that incident, she gave up on returning to the city and took her first step toward change.

At first, she believed she was acting out of necessity, driven by both the circumstances of losing her virginity to Li Yi and the pressure from her family.

Although she ultimately stayed, her heart was filled with despair. She didn’t believe there was any hope left for her life, had not a shred of expectation for the impending marriage, and hadn’t even considered truly accepting Li Yi.

But after spending the past month and a half with him, she now felt that Li Yi wasn’t as bad as she had imagined; on the contrary, she found him to be quite a fine person.

Now, not only is she willing to give him a chance, but she has also developed a glimmer of hope for her marriage—this marks Tang Xue’s second step of change.

No one makes all sorts of changes or compromises for another person without reason, unless they have fallen deeply in love.

The thought that she might have fallen in love with Li Yi left Tang Xue completely speechless!

Just as Tang Xue was lost in her thoughts, Li Yi’s voice suddenly rang out from ahead: “Can you two hurry up? I still have to go back and cook something delicious for you!”

Li Na replied first, then turned to Tang Xue and said, “See that? This guy really cares about you. Whenever you come over, he cooks for you himself—and he rarely cooks at home otherwise!”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I think this guy’s had his eye on you for a while!” Li Na said, dropping another bombshell.

“No way. Didn’t he… didn’t he used to like Wang Xuemei from the neighboring village?” Tang Xue asked in surprise.

“What’s Wang Xuemei? Aside from those two big mounds on her chest, what does she have that compares to you, Xue?”

Li Na continued, “I’m not lying to you. You want liangpi—don’t you have any other thoughts?”

“What does that have to do with liangpi?”

“My silly sister-in-law, haven’t you figured out that Xiao Yi learned how to make liangpi just for you? That’s a specialty from your home province of Qin—nobody around here eats that stuff.”

Li Na continued, “And the people from Qin Province that Xiao Yi knows? You could count them on one hand. Aside from being somewhat familiar with you, the rest aren’t even acquaintances—they’re barely nodding-knowing. If it weren’t for you, why on earth would he go to the trouble of learning how to make that stuff!”

Hearing this, Tang Xue was truly stunned!

Could it be true? Had Li Yi really had feelings for her all along?

For some reason, Tang Xue suddenly felt a bit happier!

Upon hearing Li Yi’s words, everyone looked at Xu Hong with anger in their eyes.

It wasn’t just that snitching on others was wrong; more importantly, this kid was completely cutting off their source of income!

Right now, the children from more than half the families in the village were working for Li Yi. Calling it “working” wasn’t quite accurate, though, because Li Yi didn’t actually want those kids in the first place—he was worried about problems arising—it was the villagers who had begged him to take them on.

So, in the eyes of many villagers, it was entirely Li Yi who was making money off their children.

Just think—even for kids as young as seven or eight, Li Yi paid them one or two yuan a day, and older children could earn as much as five yuan a day. That was far more than the work points they earned working in the fields.

If Li Yi were arrested, the mushroom business would go under, and their source of income would dry up.

Just then, a deep voice rang out: “Xu, the educated youth, is what Little Yi said true? Did you really go to the county to report him?”

Everyone turned to look and discovered that Feng Kai, the village Party branch secretary, had arrived at some point.

Feng Kai had originally come over that evening to remind the kids at the educated youth camp to close their doors and windows tightly because a heavy rain was expected.

He hadn’t expected to find this crowd gathered here watching the commotion. After catching a few snippets of the conversation, he immediately realized that rascal Li Yi had been in a fight again.

He was quite angry at first and was about to step in to stop it, but then he heard Li Yi’s explanation and finally understood what had happened.

Xu Hong lay on the ground, groaning, but didn’t answer Feng Kai.

He wanted to deny it, but he was worried Li Yi might drag him to the police station for a confrontation.

At the same time, he was a bit baffled. He’d clearly seen with his own eyes that the police had arrested him—how could they have let him go so quickly? Did that mean street vending was allowed now?

Seeing him looking like a beaten dog, everyone could tell right away that they hadn’t wronged him at all.

“Xu, I’m not trying to criticize you, but the way you handled this was really under the belt!”

After setting the tone, Secretary Feng continued, “Even if you and Xiao Yi have a conflict, that’s a difference of opinion between comrades—something that can be mediated within the organization. Going behind people’s backs to report them like this—at best, it undermines revolutionary comradeship; at worst, it’s retaliation!”

“More importantly, even if you found something amiss in Xiao Yi’s behavior, your first thought should have been to report it to the production team and the village Party branch, and secondly to the commune—not to go straight to the county Public Security Bureau.”

“You must understand that if Xiao Yi is arrested, he won’t be the only one implicated. The production team leader, myself as the village Party branch secretary, and even the commune leaders could all be dragged into this!”

As soon as he said this, the looks the crowd gave Xu Hong grew even more furious.

“Secretary Feng is right—this kid is out to ruin people!”

“Exactly, exactly! If those commune officials get the short end of the stick, they’ll take it out on our brigade. In the end, won’t it be us ordinary members who suffer?”

“You shouldn’t be doing this. You’re clearly making things hard for yourself and don’t want us to have it easy either. You’re so sneaky and malicious…”

These members were locals after all, and deep down, their sympathies naturally lay with Li Yi.

Never mind that Li Yi had turned over a new leaf; even back in the days when he was up to no good and constantly pilfering things, no one had ever thought of turning him in to the police. So who was this out-of-town educated youth to be running his mouth?

At that moment, Secretary Feng motioned for everyone to quiet down, then turned to Zhou Guangya and said, “Zhou, as the leader of the educated youth group, you tell us—how should we resolve this?”

Zhou Guangya was also at a loss. He wanted to suggest letting it go, given how badly Xu Hong had been beaten.

But seeing the angry expressions on the other villagers’ faces, he knew that even if such a suggestion were to be made, it certainly shouldn’t come from him.

With that in mind, he could only turn to Tang Xue, who was standing nearby.

He reasoned that since Tang Xue was Li Yi’s fiancée, if she pleaded on Xu Hong’s behalf, Li Yi would surely listen.

However, to his dismay, Tang Xue showed no reaction to his pleading glance, as if she hadn’t understood at all.

Seeing this, Li Yi couldn’t help but chuckle to himself.

His wife, though she usually seemed cute and a bit clueless, knew exactly where she stood when it really mattered.

If she’d actually pleaded for Xu Hong just now, Li Yi would’ve been truly disappointed in her. When someone’s trying to ruin your husband, and you still plead for them—what else would that make you but a sanctimonious hypocrite?

When Tang Xue noticed Li Yi watching her, her face flushed slightly, and she immediately lowered her head.

Although she hadn’t known Li Yi for very long, she knew he was a man of deep loyalty and honor, with a certain swagger of the underworld about him.

If she had actually pleaded on Xu Hong’s behalf just now, he might not have said anything on the surface, but he would certainly have felt uncomfortable inside.

She wasn’t crazy enough to make her man feel bad over some backstabbing, bullying little scoundrel.

Seeing that no one was coming to her aid, Zhou Guangya gritted her teeth and said, “How about this, then? Let Xu Hong apologize to Brother Li Yi.”

Before Li Yi could say a word, Li Na spoke up loudly, “What’s an apology worth? It’s a good thing my brother wasn’t sentenced to prison; otherwise, even flaying him alive would be too lenient!”

Feng Kai also said in a stern voice, “Just an apology is indeed a bit too lenient. Let him pay Li Yi 10 yuan as well—that’ll serve as a lesson for him!”

Zhou Guangya glanced at Xu Hong and asked, “Xu Hong, do you agree?”

“I… don’t have any money!”

Feng Kai glanced at him and said coldly, “If that’s the case, don’t blame the unit for withholding your personnel files later. Plus, you’ll need a certificate from the unit to return to the city!”

The threat was clear.

Xu Hong gritted his teeth and said, “Fine, I’ll pay the ten yuan, but I’ll have to give it to you next month. I really don’t have any money right now!”

Feng Kai glanced at Li Yi and asked, “What do you think, Yi?”

“I don’t have any objections!”

But then Li Yi changed his tone and added, “I’ve always believed that whether we’re villagers or friends, we should at least be comrades in the revolution. It’s normal to have disagreements—we should voice them openly so everyone can judge who’s right and who’s wrong. What kind of person stabs others in the back like this?”

“If Xu Hong can betray me behind my back today, then tomorrow he might betray any one of you—or even go so far as to harm the entire village. A man like that sends a chill down my spine!”

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of everyone present changed—including the educated youth—and their gazes toward Xu Hong were filled with wariness.

That’s right—if Xu Hong could harm Li Yi today, he could harm them too!

This man is simply too dangerous. From now on, we should avoid him whenever possible. We don’t need more friends, but we certainly don’t want to accidentally make an enemy out of him.

Having someone secretly sabotage you every now and then would be absolutely miserable!

There’s nothing more devastating than that!

Seeing that he had achieved his goal, Li Yi didn’t linger any longer. He immediately went over to join Tang Xue and Li Na, ready to head home!

And so, the storm subsided!

Watching Li Yi close in step by step, Xu Hong was filled with fear!

Xu Hong knew better than anyone what kind of person Li Yi was—he was the village’s most notorious troublemaker, for whom brawls and fights were a daily occurrence.

On top of that, he was tall and burly, with astonishing fighting prowess; usually, three or four people weren’t a match for him.

Just seeing how easily he’d sent Zhou Guangya flying moments ago made it clear that he and Li Yi were in completely different leagues.

“You… don’t come any closer! I’m going to call for help!” Xu Hong said, his voice trembling.

“Go ahead and scream. Don’t you see where you are? Even if you scream yourself hoarse, it won’t do you any good!”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Li Yi realized something was off about what he’d just said—it made him sound like some thug preying on innocent women.

What Li Yi didn’t realize was that, in the eyes of these educated youth, he really was no different from a bully.

“Li Yi, if you dare hit me today, I’ll definitely report you to the commune tomorrow!” Xu Hong shouted angrily.

But what met him was a resounding slap that sent blood streaming from the corner of Xu Hong’s mouth.

“The commune is nothing! Haven’t you forgotten? You went to the county public security bureau for days on end, trying to get the cops to arrest me, but I still got out!” Li Yi shouted.

At those words, all the educated youths present froze in shock.

So the fact that Li Jia, that good-for-nothing, had been taken away by the police was actually connected to Xu Hong. No wonder he was the first to hear the news.

“You… what are you talking about? I don’t understand!” Xu Hong’s heart skipped a beat as he hurriedly replied.

He couldn’t possibly admit to this. After all, snitching on someone behind their back wasn’t something to be proud of; if word got out, people would be pointing fingers at him.

In those days, the villagers generally had limited education. They preferred to resolve issues behind closed doors; even with major matters, they were reluctant to bring them to the commune, let alone the county.

The common folk’s simplest logic was that once a matter reached the county level, it would be impossible to resolve—one misstep could ruin a person, or even an entire family.

That’s why everyone despised those who snitched on others behind their backs; in the eyes of the community, that was the behavior of a scoundrel.

Li Yi knew this guy would deny it, so he immediately retorted coldly, “If you hadn’t reported me, how would you have known I was arrested by the police? And why are you spreading rumors here, claiming I was arrested for profiteering and that I’ll be sentenced?”

“You dare say that because you’re the bastard who pinned this ‘speculation and profiteering’ charge on me. What’s the matter? You did it but won’t admit it? You coward!”

Provoked by Li Yi’s words, Xu Hong flew into a rage and shouted, “You’re the one who dares to do it but won’t admit it! Didn’t you sell mushrooms in the county town? Didn’t you set up a stall near the sugar factory to do business? Isn’t that profiteering?”

“If you’re bold enough to do such things, why are you so afraid of being reported?”

Upon hearing this, all the educated youths present froze. They had originally thought Li Yi’s earlier words were just a deliberate attempt to frame and slander Xu Hong!

But hearing this, perhaps Xu Hong really had done it. After all, as fellow educated youths, they knew nothing about these matters.

Yet Xu Hong seemed to know all this so clearly—it was clearly impossible unless he’d conducted a thorough investigation.

Thinking deeper, why would Xu Hong investigate these matters? What were his intentions? The answer became crystal clear!

Once they realized this, the way everyone looked at Xu Hong changed. Their sympathy vanished, replaced by a hint of disgust.

“Haha, you’ve investigated this quite thoroughly—you really have been scheming all along!”

With that, Li Yi kicked Xu Hong squarely in the stomach. He wouldn’t show any mercy to someone like this.

First, he lusted after and bullied his wife, and then he reported him. A scumbag like this had to be taught a lesson; otherwise, people would think Li Yi was a pushover!

“Ah!”

The kick sent Xu Hong crashing to the ground. He curled up into a ball, looking just like a boiled shrimp.

“Go ahead, hit me! Beat me to death!” Xu Hong roared furiously.

At this point, he knew begging for mercy was useless, so he might as well go all out.

Since this beating was inevitable, he might as well provoke this thug into hitting him harder so he could report him to the commune.

He refused to believe that the Public Security Bureau—run by the Li family—could really have such absolute power!

But Li Yi wasn’t the type to fall for such a trick.

He had seen through Xu Hong’s scheme long ago. A cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth as he unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks on Xu Hong.

But Li Yi made sure to strike only non-vital areas—it hurt like hell, but it wouldn’t leave any serious scars. Even if he went to the hospital for an examination, it would be hard to classify it as a minor injury.

In an instant, Xu Hong’s pitiful screams echoed throughout the entire educated youth commune.

The commotion had drawn the attention of others—including the female educated youth and nearby villagers—who all rushed over to gawk.

Everyone stood there watching Li Yi “assault” Xu Hong, yet no one dared to step in and stop him.

On the one hand, Li Yi’s reputation as a thug was well-known, and no one dared to stop him—after all, Zhou Guangya’s fate served as a cautionary tale.

On the other hand, although no one was sure exactly what was happening, they noticed that the male educated youths at the settlement weren’t stepping in to help; instead, the looks they cast at Xu Hong were filled with disgust.

Clearly, the situation wasn’t as simple as it seemed, so no one stepped in to stop it.

Just then, two figures ran up from outside the camp.

Seeing the crowd gathered here, they knew something was wrong and immediately ran over!

“Stop!”

Li Yi turned around and saw that it was Tang Xue and his third older sister, Li Na, so he stopped immediately!

Tang Xue looked at Xu Hong, who was writhing on the ground and wailing in pain, and felt a sudden pang of unease. She hurriedly said, “You… how could you hit someone like that!”

Li Yi said in a low, stern voice, “That bastard deserved it!”

Then, Li Yi turned to the other educated youth members standing nearby and said, “What happened today isn’t me, Li Yi, bullying an outsider just because I’m from this village. It’s because this kid really deserved a beating.”

“This kid was jealous that I was delivering mushrooms to the county seat and doing a little side business on the side. He actually snuck off to the county Public Security Bureau to report me, and even went so far as to pin the charge of ‘speculation and profiteering’ on me—he was clearly trying to ruin me.”

Li Yi continued, “The police didn’t think my actions were anything out of the ordinary, so they didn’t pay him any mind at first. But that kid just got more worked up—he went to the police station time and again to cause a scene, forcing them to arrest me.”

“With no other choice, the police had to take me in for questioning—they just wanted to get to the bottom of things. But that bastard went back to the village and started spreading rumors about me, saying I’d been arrested by the police for profiteering and was facing a prison sentence. Tell me, doesn’t that bastard deserve a good beating?”

As soon as he said this, the crowd erupted in an uproar!

Chapter 51:

When Li Yi heard Tang Xue say she had something important to discuss, he immediately asked, “What’s so important?”

Tang Xue gave Li Yi a once-over but didn’t see any injuries on him. His clothes were a bit dirty, but they were still intact—he didn’t look like he’d been beaten up.

Li Yi felt a bit uneasy under Tang Xue’s gaze and asked again, “What exactly happened? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“People are saying you were arrested by the police and are going to be sentenced!” Tang Xue said.

Li Yi hadn’t expected the news to reach the village so quickly. He immediately replied, “It’s true I was arrested, but the part about being sentenced is pure nonsense!”

“Oh my, so you really were arrested. Then… you didn’t just walk out on your own, did you?” Tang Xue asked, sounding a bit flustered.

“What are you talking about? Do you think the police station is some kind of place where you can come and go as you please? And ‘escape’ on your own? You’ve been watching too many movies!” Li Yi said, covering his forehead with his hand.

“Then how did you get out?”

“Of course they let me go!”

“But didn’t they say you were involved in profiteering? Why would the police let you go? I heard that even though it’s not a serious offense, you’d still have to serve some time, right?”

Li Yi chuckled. “That’s other people. I’ve got the police station’s approval for this little business, so of course they wouldn’t lock me up!”

“Ah, how is that possible…”

“Nothing’s impossible. After all, I’m your husband!” Li Yi said with a smile.

“You…”

Li Na, standing nearby, saw that Tang Xue had been completely taken in by her younger brother in no time. She hurried over and said, “Xiao Xue is just worried about you. Don’t talk nonsense!”

“How am I talking nonsense? You guys don’t even believe me when I tell you the truth. Fine, tomorrow I’ll take you into town so you can see for yourselves if what I’m saying is true!”

“I… I have to go to work!” Tang Xue said softly.

“You’re not going. I’ll go ask for a day off for you. Besides, you’ll need to buy some things for the wedding, won’t you?” Li Yi said.

“Get what?”

Tang Xue was a bit confused too. These days, getting married was just a matter of the two of them pooling their belongings and moving in together, wasn’t it?

If you can afford it, you throw a banquet; if not, you can skip the banquet—what else is there to buy?

Li Yi ruffled her hair affectionately and said with a smile, “How can you get married without buying anything? At the very least, you need a few new outfits, and you’ll have to get new shoes, socks, and underwear too!”

“We’ve already moved into a new place, so we’ll need new bedding, pillows, pillowcases, and all that too. All in all, there’s quite a lot to buy!”

Tang Xue blurted out instinctively, “That’s going to cost a lot of money!”

“Hahaha, don’t worry about the money—I’ve got it covered!”

Hearing Li Yi’s words, Tang Xue felt strangely reassured for some reason.

“Okay, then I’ll go into town with you tomorrow!”

“Alright! By the way, how did you guys find out I’d been arrested? Who told you?” Li Yi asked again.

“The news came from those male educated youths at the re-education camp. I don’t know exactly who said it!” Tang Xue replied.

“The re-education camp? The male students?”

Li Yi began to see the picture. If there was anyone among his acquaintances who couldn’t stand to see him do well, it was undoubtedly that bunch of bored-out-of-their-minds male educated youths.

If any of them had schemed relentlessly, undeterred and unrelenting, to report him, Li Yi would have believed it.

“Honey, let me ask you something. Who’s been taking a lot of sick days at your sent-down youth camp lately?”

Li Yi knew that the educated youths had always worked together; if someone didn’t show up for work, was sick, or took a day off, everyone else knew about it.

“I think it’s Xu Hong. Everyone else has been working as usual!” Tang Xue replied.

“I see! Let’s have dinner at home tonight. I’ll walk you back after we finish!”

Without waiting for Tang Xue’s reply, Li Yi turned to Li Na and said, “Sis, could you help me carry everything from the car into the house, and then give the mule some hay and water?”

With that, Li Yi went inside, pushed his bike out, and hurried out the door!

“Where are you going?” Li Na called after him.

“To the educated youth commune—to beat someone up!”

Li Yi said without looking back, leaving Li Na and Tang Xue, the two best friends, standing there bewildered in the wind.

……..

The educated youth camp. Under the big poplar tree!

A few educated youths were sitting around a millstone under the big poplar tree, shooting the breeze. This was the only thing they could do after work, and they never got tired of it.

In reality, the educated youth were divided into different tiers. The top-tier ones never gave up their studies even after being sent down to the countryside, so most of them left as soon as the college entrance exams were reinstated.

Second-tier educated youths came from wealthy or well-connected families; if they couldn’t get into college, they relied on their families to secure jobs in the city, then transferred back to the city.

Others simply applied for early retirement on medical grounds; though they had no job waiting for them back home, at least they didn’t have to stay in the countryside and suffer.

And the rest? Those with neither money nor connections—lazy, dim-witted losers!

With a bunch of people like that gathered together, all they could do was brag, shoot the breeze, and gossip.

And today’s gossip master was none other than Xu Hong!

Since he’d witnessed Li Yi’s arrest with his own eyes today, his account was incredibly vivid.

To ruin Li Yi’s reputation, Xu Hong inevitably embellished his story as he shared the gossip—take, for instance, the details of the police arrest he was currently recounting.

“You guys didn’t see it, but those cops were ruthless. They kicked over that good-for-nothing’s cart with a single kick—spilling oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar all over the place. When the good-for-nothing saw things were going south, he immediately abandoned his cart and tried to run. But the cops weren’t about to let him get away. A few of them flanked him from both sides, pinned him down in no time, and then the whole group started punching and kicking him…”

Just as Xu Hong was getting into his stride, a sudden, screeching screech of tires on the ground echoed through the air, and Li Yi came to a stop on his bicycle right in front of the group of educated youths!

Then, Li Yi spoke coldly: “How come I didn’t know I’d been beaten up so badly?”

Upon seeing Li Yi, Xu Hong looked as if he’d seen a ghost and exclaimed in terror, “You… how did you get out?”

“Hmph. If I hadn’t come out, I’d never have known you, you bastard, were dragging my name through the mud like this!”

“No… it’s a misunderstanding… a misunderstanding!” Xu Hong hurriedly said.

Li Yi hopped off his bike and strode straight toward Xu Hong!

Seeing Li Yi’s menacing demeanor, the other educated youths knew he hadn’t come to chat idly. Immediately, someone stood up.

“Li Yi, are you trying to cause trouble? This is the educated youth camp—you can’t just run wild here!”

Li Yi recognized this man. His name was Zhou Guangya, the current group leader of the sent-down youth camp—essentially the head of this group.

“Are you sticking up for that bastard?” Li Yi said coldly.

“So what if I am…”

Before he could finish, Li Yi lunged forward and delivered a devastating elbow strike to Zhou Guangya’s chest, sending him flying five or six meters.

Li Yi’s piercing gaze then swept over every educated youth present as he said in a cold tone, “Is there anyone else who wants to stand up for that Xu guy?”

Everyone whose gaze met Li Yi’s instinctively looked away; no one dared to hold his gaze!

Li Yi’s clean, decisive move and fierce glare had truly frightened them.

Add to that the fact that Li Yi was the village’s notorious troublemaker—someone who truly wasn’t afraid to use force—and the group was completely cowed by him.

Seeing that no one was stepping forward to play the hero, Li Yi walked step by step toward Xu Hong!

The appeal of liangpi is astonishing. These police officers from the county bureau were tasting this delicacy from the Shaanxi region for the first time, and they were instantly won over.

Add to that the fact that they were genuinely hungry today, and forty-plus of them polished off over a hundred servings of liangpi and over a hundred white-skinned pancakes in one sitting. Their appetite truly astonished Li Yi.

Afterward, Wang Anguo tried to give Li Yi some money, but he refused.

For one thing, Li Yi didn’t really care about the money—taking it wouldn’t make him rich, and refusing it wouldn’t make him poor.

Secondly, he knew these police officers had just returned from the front lines of a human trafficking bust. He couldn’t offer much help, but providing them with a meal was the least he could do—considering it a gesture of gratitude on behalf of the local residents!

By the time he left the county bureau, it was already past 4:00 p.m.—a full two and a half hours later than usual.

But Li Yi was in high spirits!

Although his liangpi business hadn’t made a penny today—in fact, he’d lost quite a bit—some things simply couldn’t be measured in money.

First, thanks to his intervention, not only were all the human traffickers rounded up, but he also restored peace and order for the local residents.

More importantly, he had successfully rescued over a dozen abducted children—a truly meritorious deed!

Second, he had now cleared the hurdle with the police. With Wang Anguo backing him up, not only could he continue setting up his stall at the sugar factory gate, but even if he set up shop on the busiest street in the county seat, no one would dare to touch him.

Of course, Li Yi isn’t the type to draw attention to himself, so he wouldn’t do something like that.

As the saying goes, pride comes before a fall; in business, the worst thing you can do is flaunt your success so brazenly—you never know when someone might take a dim view of you.

Making a fortune quietly is the way to go!

Take this recent incident where he was reported, for example. Although Li Yi ultimately didn’t ask Wang Anguo who had reported him, he could roughly guess the likely culprit.

Anyone who would be so persistent as to go to the county bureau time and time again must be someone he knows. A stranger would have to be out of their mind to do something so self-defeating.

But why would an acquaintance want to harm him?

It must be because he’s been a bit too flashy lately!

First he was paying a dowry to marry a girl, then buying a bicycle, and now he’s building a brick house—who wouldn’t be envious and jealous seeing that!

So, even though he’d been given a “get-out-of-jail-free card,” Li Yi didn’t want to cause a huge stir.

In short, stay low-key—don’t go overboard!

However, with Wang Anguo as his powerful backer, Li Yi has developed a new perspective on the liangpi business!

Although he couldn’t set up street stalls to sell liangpi everywhere, he could certainly wholesale it to state-run restaurants!

Given liangpi’s appeal, it’s bound to become a signature dish at the state-run restaurant.

Besides, state-run restaurants are currently the only dining establishments in the county open to the public, and business there is absolutely booming every day.

Once he secures this channel, his sales volume is bound to be off the charts!

Although the wholesale price to the state-run restaurant certainly wouldn’t match what he’d make from his own street stall, if the volume was high enough, his earnings wouldn’t be any less than running his own stall.

With that in mind, Li Yi decided to make a bigger batch tomorrow and take it to the state-run restaurant to give it a try!

If it didn’t work out, it didn’t matter—worst-case scenario, he could just give the unsold stock to Wang Anguo and the others!

However, what Li Yi didn’t know was that just as he was happily planning his future business ventures, the village was in an uproar!

Once Xu Hong confirmed that Li Yi had finally been arrested, he felt a surge of satisfaction. He immediately returned home and spread the news!

Before long, the entire Nianzishan Brigade knew that Li Yi had been arrested by the police for profiteering!

Since Tang Xue lived at the educated youth commune—and the news had first spread from there—she found out about the situation almost immediately.

Although she didn’t know if it was true, she rushed over to the Li family home and told Li Na and Li Shankui the news.

This terrified the Li family—speculation and profiteering were no small matter in those days; one misstep could land you in prison!

Li Shankui immediately wanted to go into town to find his son!

But Li Na stopped him. She knew her younger brother well; though he had a bit of a rebellious streak, he never did anything without being sure of the outcome.

Since he had sworn up and down that day that he had connections in high places, he must have had a solid plan—he would never deceive them.

So Li Na told her father to wait a while; if he really couldn’t wait any longer, then they’d go into town!

Yet, no matter how long they waited, Li Yi didn’t return, and even Li Na began to grow anxious.

At 6:30 p.m., just as Li Na was beginning to think it necessary to go into town to gather some information, a clear jingle of a bell suddenly rang out from outside the courtyard!

Everyone looked out the window, and the towering figure of the big red mule came into view!

Li Na’s face lit up with joy, and she immediately ran out of the house in excitement.

As soon as she stepped outside, she saw Li Yi driving the mule cart into the courtyard and beginning to unload it.

“Yi!”

Li Yi looked up and saw his third older sister running toward him like a gust of wind, apparently intending to hug him.

He instinctively reached out his hand and shouted, “Stop!”

Li Na was taken aback by his sudden movement and stopped in her tracks.

“Is this brat rejecting me?”

Once she came to her senses, Li Na flew into a rage. She stormed over, grabbed Li Yi by the ear, and snapped, “You little brat! You think you’re too big for your britches now, daring to reject your own sister? Just wait until I teach you a lesson!”

Li Yi quickly begged for mercy, “Sis… my dear sister, it hurts, it hurts…”

“So you’re not rejecting me?” Li Na demanded loudly.

“I’m not looking down on you! You said we’re both adults now, and you suddenly pull a stunt like this on me—how am I supposed to handle that?” Li Yi hurriedly explained.

“What do you mean, adults? You’re just looking down on me…”

Just then, Tang Xue, who had followed them out of the room, watched the siblings bickering, her eyes filled with envy!

Although she also had a brother and a sister, her brother looked down on her, and her sister wasn’t close to her—they never played around with her so affectionately like this!

Just then, Li Yi spotted Tang Xue and hurriedly said, “Sis, let go! My wife is watching!”

Tang Xue heard this, and her face instantly turned bright red!

Li Na, however, grew even more “angry” and retorted immediately, “Way to go, Li Yi! Now that you have a wife, you’ve forgotten your sister. So what if Xiao Xue is watching? Does that mean I can’t teach you a lesson anymore?”

Li Yi wrenched his arm free from Li Na’s grip and ran straight over to Tang Xue, feigning a pitiful expression as he pleaded, “Honey, save me!”

Although Tang Xue didn’t want to get involved in the sibling feud, for some reason, she couldn’t help but say, “Sis Na, just let him off. We’ve got more important things to ask him!”

Li Na stared at her best friend in astonishment, her face a picture of disbelief!

She knew full well that Tang Xue didn’t actually like her good-for-nothing younger brother; she’d only agreed to marry him out of necessity. That’s why, during those first few days, she’d been constantly worried that Tang Xue might take her own life.

But just now, when she’d heard her brother call her “wife,” Tang Xue hadn’t objected—in fact, she’d looked downright bashful!

This wasn’t right—it was very, very wrong!

And Tang Xue had even pleaded on her brother’s behalf—had the sun risen in the west?

With Wang Anguo’s orders, the young police officer naturally didn’t dare to delay and immediately unlocked the handcuffs on Li Yi.

At the same time, the young officer couldn’t help but say, “You really should’ve told me sooner—since you know Captain Wang, why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Li Yi smiled and said, “I was just worried about getting him into trouble!”

“Are you and Captain Wang related? I heard him call you ‘brother’!”

“We’re not related, but we’re definitely on good terms!”

…….

The two chatted as they walked, and before long they arrived at Wang Anguo’s office.

The young man poured Li Yi a glass of water and then left, and soon Li Yi was alone in the office!

With nothing else to do, Li Yi began to take in the furnishings of Wang Anguo’s office!

The office wasn’t very large, and the layout was fairly simple. Aside from a desk and a small sofa set, there was only a wooden cabinet for books and documents.

Suddenly, Li Yi’s attention was drawn to a photograph on the desk.

It was a group photo of three people—two adults and a child—presumably Wang Anguo and his family.

It wasn’t Wang Anguo who caught Li Yi’s attention, but the woman in the photo—he actually recognized her!

Her name was An Hong. In Li Yi’s previous life, she had been a formidable business rival; the two had battled each other for over a decade, yet neither had managed to defeat the other.

Li Yi had once sent people to investigate An Hong’s background and knew she was the widow of a martyr, raising her son alone after her husband died in the line of duty.

Later, when the company she worked for struggled financially, she was forced to go into business for herself. Through her own efforts, she gradually rose to become a billionaire.

But Li Yi never could have imagined that An Hong was actually Wang Anguo’s wife—what a small world!

And the man he had inadvertently saved turned out to be the husband of his old rival—what a mess!

At the same time, Li Yi realized a very serious problem!

In his previous life, An Hong had been laid off after her husband’s line-of-duty death because her company was struggling, and she was subsequently forced to go into business.

But in this life, not only had Wang Anguo not died in the line of duty, but judging by the current situation, he was likely to rise even higher. If that were the case, even if An Hong were laid off, she wouldn’t be forced into business by financial necessity.

In that case, would she still go into business like she did in her previous life?

Moreover, there seem to be strict regulations regarding business activities by the spouses and family members of public officials. Given An Hong’s current status, engaging in business is indeed inappropriate!

Could I have just eliminated my biggest future competitor?

If that were the case, things would get really interesting!

Just as Li Yi was deep in thought, the office door suddenly swung open, and Wang Anguo strode in with purpose.

Upon seeing Li Yi, he immediately smiled and said, “Brother Li Yi, sorry to keep you waiting!”

“Haha, no problem. If it weren’t for you, Captain Wang, I might already be locked up in the interrogation room right now!” Li Yi replied with a smile.

After they sat down across from each other at the desk, Wang Anguo said gratefully, “Brother Li Yi, I really can’t thank you enough for this. If it weren’t for you, not only would I be in trouble, but everyone at the county bureau would be facing reprimands from higher-ups!”

“This has nothing to do with me. I just provided you with a new angle—it’s all thanks to your hard work!”

Hearing this, Wang Anguo immediately got the hint and burst out laughing. “Got it, got it!”

Then, Wang Anguo added, “By the way, Brother Li Yi, I just spoke with Old Zhao about your situation. It’s a minor matter! I’ve already told him to let it go.”

“Thank you so much!” Li Yi said.

“Brother Li Yi, there’s one thing I don’t quite understand. With your abilities, you could easily find a proper job at a reputable company. Why bother with small-scale business?”

Li Yi smiled and said, “Do you look down on businesspeople?”

“Not at all, but you know how things are these days—it really isn’t the right time for business!”

“Haha, do you believe the government will soon lift restrictions in this area—and even encourage the private sector?” Li Yi asked.

“There are rumors about that, but still…”

Before Wang Anguo could finish, Li Yi cut him off: “Captain Wang, you know what I’m capable of. If I say the government will lift restrictions on the private sector, it will happen. When that time comes, going into business will become the trend of the times!”

“And I’m simply just one step ahead of everyone else, preparing for the business boom in advance—that’s all!”

Wang Anguo had intended to object, but upon reflecting on Li Yi’s unfathomable abilities, the words on the tip of his tongue ultimately remained unsaid!

“Brother Li Yi, will the higher-ups really issue an order allowing private enterprise to exist?”

“They will, and it’ll be implemented very soon. We just need to wait for the news!” Li Yi said.

“Hmm, I see!”

Then Wang Anguo added, “I’ve already spoken to the Public Security Brigade. I told them you’re an informant for our Criminal Investigation Team, and that you’re running this small stall to gather intelligence. They’ve been instructed not to give you any trouble in the future!”

Hearing this, Li Yi almost burst out laughing. That excuse was, in a word—ridiculous!

If someone had said that a decade or so later, it would have made perfect sense.

After all, back then the streets were packed with street vendors, so blending in with that crowd to gather basic intel would have made perfect sense.

But now? There were hardly any street vendors left in the whole city, and every single one stood out like a sore thumb. How could he possibly call himself a “secret intelligence operative” under these circumstances!

“Is that okay?”

“Of course it’ll work. Besides, you’ve actually helped us crack two major cases, so I’m not wrong to say that!”

“If you say it’s fine, then it’s fine. Just don’t keep dragging me in for questioning all the time!” Li Yi said with a laugh.

“Hahaha, no way. That won’t happen again!”

“By the way, have they caught all those human traffickers yet?” Li Yi suddenly asked.

“They’ve all been caught—not a single one got away!”

“What about the children?”

“They’ve all been rescued. Aside from a few who were sent to the hospital for treatment due to illness, the rest were just a little shaken up—nothing serious!” Wang Anguo replied.

“That’s good!”

Li Yi then added, “As for those human traffickers, you’d better dig deep into their backgrounds. Every single one of them is a despicable monster. Interrogate them thoroughly—you might just uncover some unexpected surprises!”

Li Yi knew full well that many of these men were desperate criminals with murder on their hands, and some were even on the Ministry of Public Security’s wanted list.

If they could dig all that up, it would be a major achievement!

Hearing this, Wang Anguo’s face lit up instantly. “Hahaha,” he said, “We’ll definitely dig deep—we can’t let those bastards get away with it!”

“Alright then. If there’s nothing else, I’m heading back. I still have half a batch of liangpi left to sell today—I can’t let that go to waste!” Li Yi said with a smile.

“Hahaha, no way it’ll go to waste. My brothers and I have been so busy rounding up suspects today that we haven’t even had lunch yet. We’ll gladly polish it all off for you!”

“That’s great, hahaha!”

……..

While Wang Anguo was leading a team to apprehend human traffickers at the Kang’an Coal Mine, Li Yi encountered trouble on his end!

At 12:30 p.m., Li Yi drove his bright red mule cart back to the sugar factory gate and began today’s business!

With his exclusive offerings, business was as brisk as ever!

But just as he had sold half of the cold noodles on his cart, he saw a small 212 jeep approaching from the distance, eventually pulling up in front of Li Yi’s stall.

The next moment, several uniformed police officers got out of the vehicle and quickly surrounded Li Yi.

Seeing this scene, Li Yi knew he was in trouble!

Sure enough, before he could say a word, the officers pinned him down and slapped handcuffs on him.

The workers waiting to buy cold noodles nearby saw the scene and scattered in all directions to avoid getting caught up in the trouble.

These days, when it comes to business, it’s not just the seller who faces punishment—the buyer is also held responsible.

This situation was just like child trafficking in later times—both buyer and seller are equally guilty!

At that moment, an older police officer who appeared to be the squad leader shouted, “Everyone, disperse! Don’t ever do business with private vendors again—or we’ll arrest all of you!”

The police clearly didn’t want to make things difficult for these ordinary workers; after all, they were just trying to improve their meals and hadn’t committed any major offense.

As for Li Yi, they would need to take him back for further investigation before deciding on his punishment!

Typically, this would result in the confiscation of illegal proceeds, and at most, a short stint in a detention center; it was highly unlikely he would be sentenced to prison.

After all, times are tough for everyone these days, and ordinary people like this are forced to take risks with small-scale trading out of necessity—there’s little malicious intent involved.

Without waiting for the workers to say anything, the police officers led Li Yi to the car and then drove his mule cart to the county public security bureau.

In the small jeep, the veteran officer looked at Li Yi, who remained calm, and asked in a deep voice, “How long have you been doing this?”

“About ten days,” Li Yi answered honestly.

“Ten days or so is fine, but if it had been going on longer, you really could have faced a prison sentence!”

To be honest, they didn’t really want to arrest anyone over this.

“You’re so young—why didn’t you do something else instead of engaging in profiteering? Don’t you know that’s against the law?” the older officer said with a hint of exasperation.

“I know, but I’m short on cash!”

“Being short on money isn’t an excuse for breaking the law. By your logic, everyone’s short on money—does that mean everyone should just go break the law?”

Seeing that the police officer was a decent guy, Li Yi smiled and said, “Of course not. But doing business is fine—after all, the higher-ups have already said they want to restore and develop the private economy!”

The veteran police officer was naturally aware of this news, but since the policy hadn’t been fully implemented yet—with reports changing back and forth—they were still unsure how to proceed.

Under these circumstances, they naturally couldn’t just turn a blind eye to those running businesses.

However, when it came to penalties, they were much more lenient.

“You know quite a bit, young man, but since the policy hasn’t been implemented at the county level yet, what you’re doing is still illegal!” the veteran police officer said.

“Hmm, so how do you usually handle someone like me?” Li Yi asked again.

“That depends on how much money you’ve made in total,”

“All told, it’s only a few dozen yuan,” Li Yi replied, not daring to exaggerate.

“That’s not too bad. Usually, we just confiscate the illegal proceeds and the tools used in the crime, and detain the person for about two weeks,” the veteran police officer said.

“You can take the money, but can you please not detain me? I don’t want my wife and parents to worry!” Li Yi said.

“I’ll be honest with you—we didn’t want to get involved in this case, but people keep reporting you, and some have even come to the station specifically to follow up on it. We have no choice but to detain you!”

Hearing this, Li Yi immediately furrowed his brow. He had originally thought these police officers had simply spotted him during a routine patrol, or that someone had reported him out of jealousy.

But he hadn’t expected them to be so persistent—just how deep must the grudge be?

Still, Li Yi didn’t ask who had reported him; he knew they wouldn’t tell him anyway.

After all, if they did, and he went back to take revenge on the informant, the police officer who leaked the information would be held responsible.

After that, silence fell inside the car!

…….

Soon, the small jeep arrived at the county public security bureau!

Upon arrival, the older police officer got out first and said to a young man standing beside him, “Take him to the interrogation room first. I’ll be there to question him in a moment!”

“Yes, sir!”

The young officer then had Li Yi get out of the car and began leading him toward the interrogation room.

But just then, the roar of car engines echoed from outside the county bureau’s gates, and immediately afterward, a convoy of vehicles burst through the entrance, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The vehicles came to a stop near the interrogation section, and a large contingent of armed police escorted several disheveled figures out of the cars.

Immediately after, a dozen or so children got out of another vehicle!

Upon seeing the children, the police officers in charge of arresting Li Yi let out a deafening cheer.

The older officer even ran straight over to them, his face brimming with excitement—so much so that he completely forgot Li Yi, the “suspect,” was still standing right there.

Just then, another jeep pulled up outside the door, and Wang Anguo and Li Gang stepped out.

Both men looked somewhat disheveled, especially Wang Anguo, who appeared to be injured; the sleeve of his right arm had been torn off and was wrapped in gauze.

However, their expressions were cheerful; they chatted and laughed as they got out of the car, clearly in high spirits.

It was easy to imagine why: successfully solving the case, apprehending all the suspects, and rescuing every single missing child without exception was undoubtedly a major achievement.

Compared to that, a few minor injuries were nothing!

However, just as the two were talking, Wang Anguo casually glanced to his right and spotted a familiar figure.

At first glance, Wang Anguo thought he was seeing things.

But upon closer inspection, it really was him!

Without paying any attention to the human traffickers, he immediately walked over toward Li Yi, instantly drawing the attention of quite a few people.

Li Yi hadn’t expected to see Wang Anguo here, especially in such a state, and he felt a bit embarrassed!

As soon as Wang Anguo reached Li Yi’s side, he asked, “Brother Li Yi, what are you doing here?”

Li Yi smiled and said, “Speculating and profiteering!”

“What? How is that profiteering?” Wang Anguo asked, furrowing his brow.

He’d done a bit of background on Li Yi and knew that Li Yi delivered mushrooms and mountain produce to the state-run restaurant every day—hardly what you’d call profiteering!

“I was running a little side business, and someone reported me!” Li Yi explained.

The young officer in charge of guarding Li Yi quickly interjected, “Captain Wang, someone reported that someone was selling snacks at the entrance to the sugar factory. We went to check it out and happened to run into this… comrade, so we brought him in for questioning!”

Wang Anguo immediately breathed a sigh of relief; it was just a small street stall—no big deal.

“Take off the handcuffs and bring him to my office!”

“Yes, sir!”

Then Wang Anguo turned to Li Yi again and said, “Brother Li Yi, go wait in my office for a bit. I’ll be right over once I’ve taken care of those human traffickers!”

“Alright!”

……

“What’s that for?” Wang Anguo suddenly asked.

Mine Manager An’s heart skipped a beat when he saw Wang Anguo suddenly notice it, and a flicker of panic crossed his eyes.

But he still put on a calm front and said, “That’s an abandoned mine shaft we closed down a while back!”

“Let’s go take a look!”

“Comrade Police Officer, it’s already half-buried—there’s nothing to see there!” Mine Manager An hurriedly said.

“No problem. We’re just doing a routine search to make sure we haven’t missed anything!”

With that, Wang Anguo led his men over to the site.

It was clear that the mine shaft was very deep; the entrance alone was three or four meters high.

However, likely because it had been abandoned, the entrance was piled high with all sorts of dirt, sand, gravel, and coal gangue.

Abandoned mines and pits like this were all too common in the mining area, so it didn’t attract anyone else’s attention.

After looking around the entrance for a while and finding nothing out of the ordinary, Li Gang sighed and said, “Team Leader Wang, it looks like we won’t find what we’re looking for here. Why don’t we call it a day?”

But Wang Anguo shook his head and said, “Wait a moment!”

Then, as Li Gang stared in astonishment, Wang Anguo turned to the team members behind him and ordered, “Dig this open!”

“Dig… dig it open?”

Before Li Gang could voice any doubts, Wang Anguo said firmly, “Dig!”

Hearing that Wang Anguo intended to reopen the abandoned mine shaft, Mine Manager An’s heart leapt into his throat. He hurriedly said, “Comrade, this shaft is huge and deep. If you dig it open, you’ll have to help us fill it back in. Otherwise, just the few of us won’t be able to handle it!”

Wang Anguo ignored him and turned to the men beside him, ordering, “Get digging! Dig deep!”

Hearing the phrase “dig deep,” Li Gang suddenly recalled what that charlatan had said that morning: “Dig deep in this direction, and you’re sure to find what you’re looking for!”

Could that be what he meant by “dig deep”?

Though he didn’t quite believe it, he fell silent!

Soon, the partially buried entrance to the mine shaft was uncovered.

The moment the opening was cleared, the experienced Wang Anguo noticed something unusual.

Logically speaking, this mine had been abandoned for many years, and from the outside, it looked as though no one had been there in a long time. Yet, right at the entrance, they found human footprints—very distinct ones.

In other words, someone had been inside this mine—and not just once!

This discovery immediately put Wang Anguo, Li Gang, and the others on high alert. While the rest of the team continued clearing debris from the entrance, Wang Anguo took Li Gang and the others to question Mine Manager An once more.

However, when he turned to look for the man, he found that he was already gone.

“Where is he?” Wang Anguo hurriedly asked Director Zhou, who was standing beside him.

“He said he was going back to tidy up the dining area and feed the dogs!”

“Which way did he go?”

“That way!” Director Zhou pointed in the direction where the workers had been eating earlier.

Wang Anguo looked closely and indeed spotted a figure walking in that direction. Realizing the man might be trying to escape, he immediately ordered, “Give chase! There’s something fishy about this guy!”

At Wang Anguo’s command, the public security officers and armed police officers at his side immediately gave chase.

Seeing someone chasing after him, Mine Manager An immediately took off running.

A similar scene unfolded where the coal miners had gathered; those workers also scattered in all directions.

Wang Anguo immediately shouted, “Catch them! Don’t let them get away!”

Although he had brought over two hundred people this time, they were spread out quite thinly; in reality, only about thirty people had come with him to inspect the Kang’an Coal Mine.

Excluding those digging in the abandoned mine, there weren’t actually many people stationed in the surrounding area.

Now that these guys were scattering in all directions, Wang Anguo suddenly felt a sense of urgency.

At the same time, he felt a surge of excitement. Although they hadn’t found the children yet, the way these men were fleeing made it clear they were definitely up to no good.

Li Gang was also a bit dazed; the situation had turned on its head so quickly that he hadn’t even had time to react.

Although it was still unclear why those people were running, professional instinct kicked in, and he led his men in pursuit while simultaneously signaling for reinforcements from the nearby militia!

Upon seeing the signal flares and hearing the warning shots fired by Wang Anguo and his team, the surrounding armed police and militia immediately converged from all directions.

While they joined forces to apprehend the fleeing miners, the search of the abandoned mine shaft also yielded a breakthrough.

As the mine entrance was cleared, several public security officers immediately descended into the shaft with flashlights to search.

Although it was pitch black underground, the officers grew increasingly excited the further they went. After penetrating several dozen meters, they discovered signs of human habitation—such as the ubiquitous “Oli Gei” snacks.

This indicated that there were people down there—and quite a few of them.

When they had gone more than a hundred meters underground, they discovered a large iron gate ahead of them.

The iron gate was embedded directly into the stone wall of the mine, with a large padlock hanging on it; it looked extremely sturdy.

Without a key, the police officers first tried hitting it with stones a few times, but found that the lock didn’t budge an inch.

They had no choice but to go back up to fetch a hammer and a crowbar!

Soon, the tools were lowered into the shaft.

With the combined efforts of several police officers, the lock on the massive iron gate was finally knocked off.

Then, with a mix of excitement and trepidation, they pushed open the massive iron door.

The moment the gate swung open, everyone was stunned by the scene before them.

In the cold, dim mine, a putrid stench mingled with the foul odor of human waste filled the air. Even before anyone had stepped inside, the acrid smell was enough to make them retch.

By the light of their flashlights, the soldiers in charge of the search finally made out the scene inside the mine.

In the deep yet narrow mine shaft, several tattered straw mats were laid out, and curled up on them were a dozen or so tiny figures.

These were the abducted children!

The children were clad in tattered, flimsy clothing. This wouldn’t have been a problem outside—after all, it was June, and even wearing nothing but a pair of shorts wouldn’t have made them feel cold.

But in this damp, chilly mine, it was bitterly cold, so the children huddled together for warmth.

Most of them were covered in grime, and none looked well—they had clearly suffered greatly during their ordeal.

A few of them lay motionless on the ground—it was impossible to tell if they were alive or dead!

Perhaps startled by the noise of the lock being forced open moments ago, the children huddled together in terror, their bodies still trembling uncontrollably—a sight that broke the hearts of the police officers.

The officers immediately went over to check on the children!

They found that while most of the children were not in the best condition, they were uninjured and would be fine with some rest.

However, a few children were ill and running high fevers; their condition was very serious.

Without delay, the officers carried the children out of the mine one by one…

As he stepped out of the State-Owned Hotel, Li Yi was in high spirits!

It wasn’t just because he’d made a few hundred yuan today; more importantly, thanks to his intervention, those dozen or so children had finally been rescued by the police—which was tantamount to saving a dozen families.

Furthermore, the human traffickers’ hideout would be raided, and those demons roaming the earth would finally receive their just punishment—indirectly saving countless other families from being victimized.

Human nature is imbued with a strong altruistic instinct; our emotions inherently carry an impulse to do good.

This is what Mencius once said: “Human nature is good, just as water flows downward,” meaning that people tend toward goodness as naturally as water flows downward.

And when anyone does something beneficial for others or society, they feel a sense of joy—this is in line with human nature.

Li Yi was no exception. After secretly doing a good deed, he felt incredibly happy, and it seemed as though he was walking with a cool aura around him.

Little did Li Yi know, however, that as he hummed a tune on his way out of the state-run restaurant, Xu Hong was watching him from a shadowy corner nearby.

It had been several days since he’d submitted his tip-off letter, yet there had been no response from the police. That good-for-nothing Li Yi was still going about his business as usual.

Xu Hong felt as if a cat were clawing at his heart, so he decided to head back into town to see what was going on!

He’d arrived in the county town early that morning to wait for Li Yi, and sure enough, before long he saw him pulling up to the state-run restaurant in his bright red mule-drawn cart. Then Xu Hong witnessed a scene that filled him with delight.

As soon as Li Yi arrived, he was led inside by several public security officers who had been waiting at the restaurant entrance. This made Xu Hong feel as good as eating an ice pop on a hot June day—dxmbang—absolutely wonderful!

However, his good mood didn’t last long. In less than ten minutes, the police left without taking Li Yi with them.

Shortly after the officers left, that guy acted as if nothing had happened, driving his mule cart on to the supply and marketing cooperative, and then setting up his stall!

Seeing this, Xu Hong nearly exploded right on the spot!

Furious, he decided to head straight back to the police station to file another report. This time, he was determined to make sure the police arrested the man!

Unaware that he was already being watched, Li Yi went about his usual routine of buying supplies and setting up his stall at the sugar factory gate!

What he didn’t know was that today was destined to be anything but ordinary!

…….

Dahongshan Commune, Mining District!

Wang Anguo suddenly arrived here with a dozen or so experienced members of the Criminal Investigation Team, plus more than twenty Armed Police officers.

They first went to the local commune, where they instructed the commune director to assemble all the local militia, who would then accompany them on the operation.

After all, they were about to search a mining area spanning over 100 square kilometers, home to more than 10 mining enterprises of varying sizes—there was no way their own numbers alone would be sufficient.

Soon, more than 200 militia members from Dahongshan Commune were assembled, and under Wang Anguo’s leadership, they headed straight for the various mining sites.

Wang Anguo did not immediately search the Hongxing Iron Mine, the largest operation in Dahongshan Commune. After all, the Hongxing Iron Mine was the largest iron mine in all of Qingshan County, employing four to five hundred workers alone. It would be extremely difficult for the suspects to hide a dozen or so children under the noses of so many people.

Therefore, Wang Anguo focused the search on smaller mines that were not very profitable or had even been abandoned.

However, after a whole morning had passed, they had searched two iron mines and four quarries with no results. Everyone, including Li Gang, was deeply discouraged.

Yet Wang Anguo remained confident in his judgment. He turned to Chief Zhou of the Dahongshan Police Station, who was assisting with the investigation, and asked, “Old Zhou, how many mines have we not searched yet?”

“Just two left,” replied Chief Zhou. “One is the Hongxing Iron Mine, and the other is a coal mine called Kang’an!”

“I know about the Hongxing Iron Mine, but what’s the story with that Kang’an Coal Mine? Do you know anything about it?” Wang Anguo asked again.

“Not very well. That coal mine used to be a collective enterprise owned by Kang’an Village, but due to mismanagement in recent years, it’s been on the verge of collapse.”

“Is anyone at the mine?”

Chief Zhou replied immediately, “Yes. We sent people there to investigate a couple of days ago and found seven or eight workers there, but we didn’t notice anything unusual!”

Wang Anguo said immediately, “Let’s go take a look at that Kang’an Coal Mine!”

The group then headed straight for the nearby coal mine!

When Wang Anguo and the others arrived, the workers happened to be having lunch.

While Li Gang was explaining the situation to the site supervisor, Wang Anguo quickly counted the workers present and found there were only seven of them—and they all seemed a bit off.

First, the way they looked at them was off—their eyes betrayed not only fear but also intense wariness, which was clearly not the normal reaction one would expect from ordinary people seeing them.

Second, although their clothes were plain, they were still relatively clean.

In most places, this wouldn’t be noteworthy, but in a coal mine, it was suspicious.

Anyone who has been to a coal mine knows that coal mining creates a cloud of smoke and dust; workers emerging from the mine shaft simply couldn’t be this clean.

Immediately, Wang Anguo became on high alert.

After Li Gang had explained the situation to the person in charge there, Wang Anguo walked up to the mine manager, whose surname was An, and asked, “Manager An, how many people are currently at your mine?”

“Eight in total!”

“Why so few? Normally, a coal mine employs anywhere from a few dozen to several thousand people. Is this small crew enough for you?” Wang Anguo asked, frowning.

“I won’t hide the truth from you, Comrade Public Security Officer. We have no choice. The coal here is of poor quality, and the reserves aren’t large, so the coal we mine can only be sold to the local villagers. The profits are simply too low!”

Mine Manager An continued, “Because profits are so low, we can’t afford much equipment. That means every time we go down the shaft, everyone is on edge. As a result, not many people from the village are willing to work here!”

“So, these are all people from your village?”

“They’re… all from here!”

“Alright then. We’re just conducting a routine search. We’re inspecting not only your mine but all the mines in the vicinity. We ask for your cooperation!” said Wang Anguo.

“Alright, alright, we’ll fully cooperate!” Mine Manager An said, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Immediately, Wang Anguo led his team in searching the small coal mine.

However, after searching the entire place, they found nothing.

Just then, a hole half-buried in rocks and dirt caught Wang Anguo’s attention!

County Town. State-Owned Hotel!

Due to a fairly heavy thunderstorm last night, the road leading to the county seat had become quite muddy, and the mule cart was moving rather slowly, so Li Yi arrived later than usual.

As soon as he arrived at the hotel entrance, Li Yi saw several men in olive-green uniforms coming out of the building.

Upon closer inspection, he was startled to discover that the man leading the group was none other than Wang Anguo.

Li Yi was hesitating whether to say hello; after all, he didn’t know if Wang Anguo was here on official business, and he worried that greeting him out of the blue might interfere with his duties.

Just then, Wang Anguo walked toward him with a smile, saying, “Brother Li Yi, we’ve been waiting for you for over an hour!”

“Huh, Captain Wang, were you here specifically waiting for me?” Li Yi said with a smile.

“Yep!”

“Then hold on a moment—I’ll chat with you after I’ve delivered the goods!”

Before he could finish, Liu Jingshan chimed in from the side, “Brother Li Yi, Captain Wang must have something urgent to discuss with you. I’ll go weigh your shipment—you two go ahead and talk!”

Li Yi didn’t refuse, but simply said with a smile, “Brother Liu, there’s half a basket of monkey head mushrooms in there—don’t weigh them as if they were ordinary mushrooms!”

“Don’t worry, you won’t lose out!”

“Hahaha!”

Amid the banter, Li Yi followed Wang Anguo and another police officer into the restaurant, where they found a relatively quiet spot to sit down.

Once they were seated, Wang Anguo looked at Li Yi and said, “Brother Li Yi, was what you said the other day true?”

“What words?” Li Yi asked, feigning ignorance.

“You said that if we couldn’t handle that big problem, we should come to you!” Wang Anguo said earnestly.

Li Yi didn’t answer him, but instead glanced at the other police officer sitting nearby.

Wang Anguo immediately said, “Let me introduce you. His name is Li Gang. He’s my deputy and a brother I grew up with. His grandfather is Li Yunfei, the most famous veteran hero of the War of Resistance in our county. You can trust him completely!”

Hearing Wang Anguo say that the young man standing before him was actually the grandson of the veteran hero Li Yunfei, Li Yi took a closer look at Li Gang. He looked just like the photo Li Yi had seen in the newspaper—a real short-lived fellow!

“Hello, I’m Li Gang. If we go back a few generations, we might even be related!” Li Gang said with a smile.

Li Yi glanced at him, then nodded and said, “It’s an honor to be related to the legendary hero Li Yunfei!”

Then, Li Yi looked at Wang Anguo and said, “I know what you want to ask. You’re from the Southeast, aren’t you?”

“The southeast?”

“Yes. Trust me and dig deep in that direction—you’re sure to find what you’re looking for!”

With that, Li Yi ignored Wang Anguo, stood up, and headed over to find Liu Jingshan!

Just then, Li Gang suddenly spoke up, “Brother Li Yi, for the sake of our family ties, could you read my face for me?”

Li Yi looked at him and said, “You want a reading?”

“Yeah!”

“500 yuan!”

“Hey, why is it free for him but you’re charging me? We’re even from the same clan!” Li Gang complained.

“Because I offered to read his face, but I didn’t offer to read yours!”

“Is there a difference?”

“Yes!”

“What’s the difference?”

“You have to pay!”

“I’m willing to pay, but 500 yuan is really too much. Can you knock a little off?”

Li Yi smiled and said, “I’m not asking for the money right now. If you think my prediction is accurate, you can pay me later! Just don’t get upset when I tell you what I’m going to say!”

“I won’t be. Go ahead! If you really hit the mark, I’ll sell everything I own to pay you!” Li Gang said.

“The center of the forehead has sunken in, and the brow ridge connects to the bridge of the nose. Your gaze wanders, your energy is scattered and unfocused—you seem half-drunk, half-awake, and indecisive. Add to that the ‘three whites’ and ‘four whites’ in your eyes, and you breathe like a pig. You clearly have the face of a short-lived person!”

Li Yi continued, “Moreover, your Five Elements lack Water and are afflicted by Fire, and your name is too harsh. You must know that excessive rigidity leads to breakage. Therefore, your death will be related to fire!”

Li Gang was dumbfounded, and so was Wang Anguo!

Just yesterday, he had joked with Li Gang, saying that if Li Yi were to read his face, he might well tell him that his brow was dark and that he was in danger of bloodshed.

But he never expected Li Yi to come out and say Li Gang had the face of a short-lived man—and that his death would be linked to fire!

That was a pretty serious statement. Li Gang’s current sullen expression made it clear just how terrible he was feeling.

Li Yi didn’t bother responding; he simply walked over to Liu Jingshan on his own.

He’d given the warning he needed to give; as for whether the young man would heed his words, that was beyond his control.

After all, the Buddha saves those with karmic ties, and doctors cannot cure the incurable. All he could do was give him a heads-up—nothing more!

Watching Li Yi walk away like that, Li Gang was both furious and speechless. Fortune-telling was just for fun—you say something nice, I’m happy, and I give you some money.

How come with this kid, things had taken a turn? He’d actually pointed his finger at him and called him a short-lived ghost—what the hell was that all about!

If he hadn’t promised Wang Anguo last night not to lay a hand on him, he would’ve slapped the kid right then and there!

“Look at this kid…”

Before Li Gang could finish, Wang Anguo chimed in with a smile, “Come on, he was just talking. Don’t take it to heart. Besides, you don’t believe in that stuff anyway, do you?”

“I don’t believe in it, but hearing that just doesn’t sit right with me!”

“Never mind that. I was just thinking—the southeast is indeed our weak spot where we’ve pulled back…”

Before he could finish, Li Gang frowned and said, “You aren’t seriously listening to that kid’s nonsense, are you? Aside from that mining area, there’s absolutely nothing in the southeast—not a soul. Besides, our men searched the mining area on the very first day and found nothing!”

“The mining area—that’s it, the mining area!” Wang Anguo suddenly exclaimed, slapping his thigh.

“I’ve been thinking about this for the past few days. If I were a human trafficker, where would I hide those children to avoid detection by the police and armed police? After much consideration, any open-air location is out of the question—they’d be exposed. The only option is underground!”

Wang Anguo continued, “But with so many children, an ordinary cellar wouldn’t work—they’d suffocate from lack of oxygen in no time. Now it seems hiding them in mine shafts would be the perfect solution!”

“If you put it that way, a mountain cave would work too!” Li Gang said.

“Haha, mountain caves are far more likely to be discovered than mine shafts. After all, mountain caves are usually desolate, and it’s not easy to procure food and water there.”

Wang Anguo added, “But mine shafts are different. Since they’re connected to the mine, the workers have plenty of legitimate reasons to procure supplies.”

“That doesn’t make sense either. Wouldn’t the miners at the mine notice something was wrong?” Li Gang asked again.

“What if the kids were kidnapped by people from the mine itself?”

“That… is that even possible?” Li Gang said, sounding a bit incredulous.

“We’re public security officers—we need the mindset and courage to think boldly! Come on, let’s head back to the station, round up our people, and conduct a thorough search of those mines to the southeast right away!” Wang Anguo said in a deep voice.

“Is that really necessary?”

“Yes, it’s absolutely necessary. I have a feeling we might make a major discovery this time!”

With that, Wang Anguo grabbed Li Gang’s arm and hurriedly left the State-Run Hotel!

It was late at night, and the moonlight shone like water!

The county bureau’s office was once again packed with people, but just like before, the atmosphere remained heavy.

Not only were the captains and deputy captains of the Criminal Investigation Division present, but the county bureau’s director and deputy director, as well as the heads of the Armed Police and the militia, were all there. Everyone was troubled by the “June 15” major case.

“Comrade Anguo, please update us on the progress of your Criminal Investigation Team!” Director Zhang said in a deep voice from his seat at the head of the table.

Wang Anguo replied immediately: “Reporting to the Director, over the past few days, our Criminal Investigation Team, together with colleagues from the township police stations, has verified and compiled data on every village in all the townships and communes across the county. We have finally confirmed that the number of missing children has reached 19—11 boys and 8 girls!”

“Furthermore, we have confirmed that June 15 was not the date of the first incident. In fact, as early as June 11, a child went missing from a family in Daliu No. 6 Commune—they simply did not report it to the police in a timely manner!”

“Over the past few days, by analyzing the case details, we’ve essentially confirmed that this is an organized crime operation involving a gang of approximately 10 suspects. They likely have well-established channels for child trafficking. A significant portion of the gang likely consists of outsiders, and there must be local accomplices acting as lookouts—or perhaps local residents are involved in this case as well…”

At that moment, Director Zhang cut Wang Anguo off and asked again, “I don’t want to hear about how you’re solving the case. I just want to know if you’ve found those suspects yet?”

“No!”

“What about the children? Have you found them?”

“No!”

“Never mind if the children haven’t been found—what about leads? Do you have any?” Director Zhang asked again.

“No!” Wang Anguo replied, sounding somewhat dejected.

Director Zhang slumped back in his chair, sighed, and said, “Comrades, the county and city authorities have given us one week to solve this case, but we don’t have a single lead right now. Do you realize the consequences?”

Having worked in public security for so many years, how could they not know the consequences of this?

The situation had escalated to such a degree that it had sparked panic throughout the entire region. If they couldn’t quell the turmoil in time, someone would have to take responsibility.

At that moment, Deputy Director Ye spoke up: “This afternoon, Director Zhou from the Municipal Bureau called the County Bureau. If we haven’t made any breakthroughs by nightfall tomorrow, he’ll personally lead a team to Qing Shan County to oversee the investigation. At that point, whoever needs to be dismissed will be dismissed, and whoever needs to be investigated will be investigated!”

“Comrades, we’re all in this together now. If we fail to solve this case, every single one of us here will face disciplinary action!”

Director Zhang said in a heavy tone, “Whether we face disciplinary action or not is secondary. I’m just frustrated. We’ve mobilized so many people—not only top graduates from the police academy but also combat heroes who’ve transferred from the military. How is it that we still can’t find those children? Do you think they’ve become invisible?”

“Furthermore, the uniforms we wear represent our duty to protect the people. If we fail to solve this case, we will not only have failed the nation that trained us, but we will also have betrayed the trust the people have placed in us!”

Wang Anguo suddenly stood up and declared, “Director Zhang, Director Ye, I, Wang Anguo, will catch those human traffickers. If this case remains unsolved, I will resign in disgrace!”

“Good, that’s the spirit!”

Then Director Zhang spoke again: “But that doesn’t solve the problem. Our top priority right now is still to apprehend the traffickers and rescue the children. Does the Criminal Investigation Division have any suggestions?”

“Director Zhang, our military, police, and militia have already searched every possible hiding place, but we’ve still found nothing. Clearly, the location where they’re hiding the children is far too well-concealed. Rather than continuing this search, which is like looking for a needle in a haystack, why not mobilize the public to help us search?” Wang Anguo said.

Director Zhang frowned and said, “Mobilizing the public to help search? That’s tantamount to telling them that we, the police, are at a loss. It’s bound to cause even greater panic!”

Wang Anguo immediately replied, “This is our only option now. Only by enlisting the public can we possibly uncover more useful leads…”

“All right, I’ll think it over some more!”

Director Zhang cut Wang Anguo off, and the conference room fell silent once more!

…….

After returning from the conference room, Wang Anguo walked back to his office, looking exhausted.

He hadn’t slept a wink in three days; not only were his eyes dry and watery, but he also had a severe headache.

He knew this was caused by overwork; if it got serious, it could even lead to sudden death.

But he couldn’t sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he heard the traffickers’ maniacal laughter and the children’s terrified cries, which kept him from getting any rest.

“Knock, knock, knock…”

“Come in!”

The office door swung open, and his good friend Li Gang walked in carrying a large bowl.

“Where did these dumplings come from?” Wang Anguo asked in surprise.

“My wife brought them!”

“My wife came by? When was that?”

“While you were at the meeting! She knew you hadn’t been eating or sleeping well these past few days, so she made some dumplings and sent them over. I’m so jealous!” Li Gang said with a laugh.

“I’m jealous that you’re not married yet. Your dad even chased you down the street with a belt over this. Isn’t that embarrassing?” Wang Guo’an couldn’t help but tease.

His friend was great in every way, but for some reason, he just didn’t know how to get along with girls. He was already 24—other people’s kids were old enough to run errands—and he didn’t even have a girlfriend.

“Women are too much trouble. I can’t be bothered to look for one!”

“You…”

Before Wang Guoan could say anything, Li Gang cut him off and said, “I heard you made a pledge at the meeting—that if you can’t crack the case, you’ll resign in disgrace. Are you serious?”

“I’ve already made a solemn pledge—what’s there to be serious or not about!” Wang Anguo said, stuffing his face with dumplings.

“What are you thinking? This case is already quite difficult. How could it possibly be solved in just a few days? Do you really want to take off this uniform?” Li Gang said in a grave tone. dxmbang

“It’s not necessarily unsolvable!”

“Do you have a lead?” Li Gang asked urgently.

“No!”

“If you don’t have any leads, where does your confidence come from?”

“I plan to go see that person tomorrow!” Wang Anguo suddenly blurted out this baffling statement.

Li Gang was taken aback for a moment, then blurted out, “You… you don’t really think that charlatan can help you solve the case, do you?”

Wang Anguo smiled and said, “That’s not necessarily true. He can even predict whether I’ll live or die—he might just be able to help me solve the case. Besides, he warned me about this right from the start. There’s no harm in going to see him!”

“Well… then I’ll go with you tomorrow!” Li Gang said.

“Sounds good! Have him read your fortune while we’re at it. Who knows, maybe the guy will tell you you’re in for some bloodshed too!” Wang Anguo said with a laugh.

“If he really dares to say that, I’ll slap him right across the face!”

“Come on, even if he really did say that, you can’t lay a finger on him—he’s the man who saved my life!”

“Got it…”

…….