"Stop! Stop!" Three policemen stepped forward, grabbed Chen Chaojiang's arms, and held him down tightly.
It is certain that if Chen Chaojiang wanted to break free, the three policemen would not be able to hold him down.
When the men saw the police arrest Chen Chaojiang, who was like a ghost, they felt a sense of relief, but their anger surged. They struggled to get up and fight back against Chen Chaojiang, but they found that their legs were as if they were broken and they couldn't muster any strength.
Xu Zhengyang flicked the half-smoked cigarette butt into a nearby trash can, stepped forward, and without looking at Chen Chaojiang who was being held down by the police, stared calmly at the several young men slumped on the ground, their faces contorted in pain. He said softly, "Remember, when you return to your villages, kneel facing outwards at your door for two hours and repent for disgracing your parents and the people of the countryside!"
After saying that, ignoring the astonishment and fear on their faces, he turned to the three police officers and said, "I'm sorry, those guys bullied my sister just now, so my friend had a little argument with them. As you all saw, they took advantage of their numbers and swarmed up and beat my friend."
...
The onlookers, the victim, the assailant, and the police were all stunned by those words.
For the first time, they finally understood what it truly meant to lie through one's teeth.
"Officer, let's talk at the station," Xu Zhengyang continued.
The three police officers then came to their senses, wondering who this young man was. Driving a nice car meant he was rich, yet he was completely relaxed, his expression and tone were so calm, and he had such a generous friend. What did that mean?
So the three policemen, feeling completely bewildered, released their grip on Chen Chaojiang's hand and yelled at the young men to get up and go to the station!
Xu Rouyue had already stepped out of the car, looking nervously at the scene unfolding before her. She watched her thin, not particularly tall brother standing calmly in the crowd, yet he appeared as aloof and imposing as Qingfeng!
Three or four more police officers ran over, briefly inquired about their colleague's situation, and then looked at Chen Chaojiang and Xu Zhengyang with some surprise and disbelief. They then ordered the young men to get up and head to the station.
After sitting on the cold ground for a while, the young people finally felt some relief in their legs. Under the reprimands of the police and with the help of several middle-aged people who were with them, they struggled to stand up and then walked helplessly and somewhat timidly toward the police station north of the station.
Chen Chaojiang was symbolically held by the arm by a policeman and followed behind the crowd, while Xu Zhengyang held his sister's hand and smiled as he explained the situation to the policeman beside him...
The onlookers were still watching this scene in astonishment.
Suddenly, someone who knew the whole story shouted "Good!" and clapped enthusiastically.
So even more people cheered.
The crowd erupted in cheers, as if a pot had been boiled over.
Those who didn't know what was going on asked the people next to them in surprise. After hearing a brief explanation, they all clapped and cheered.
Everyone has seen fights, but a one-on-one brawl with six or seven people is truly rare. That's why the onlookers were surprised, astonished, puzzled, and excited... Suddenly, someone said, "Hey, doesn't that young man look like the guy who bravely apprehended a child snatcher at the intersection of South Ring Road and Huamao Street last month?"
"It really does look like it!"
"It's not just a resemblance, it's him. Look at his car, a white Audi A4. Wasn't that the car the person who did the heroic act was driving?"
"Yes, yes, his name is Xu, Xu Zhengyang, right?"
"Ah, that young man who did the fighting must be the other injured person from back then, right? Wasn't he supposed to be badly injured? He's recovered so quickly..."
"No wonder the two of them dared to fight the knife-wielding thugs head-on and even caught them. It's good that they were able to help!"
"A special forces soldier, retired?"
"Wow, how old is he? He must come from a family of martial arts masters."
"Nonsense, you've been reading too many martial arts novels."
"Damn it, what do you mean...?"
Amidst the crackling and chattering, another brawl erupted between the two in the crowd, before they were quickly separated by the others.
...
An hour later, at the train station police station.
Xu Zhengyang smiled and paid the 1,000 yuan fine. Then, with a slightly apologetic smile from the head of the train station police station, he turned to look at the young men squatting on the ground and gently reminded them again: "Remember what I told you before. When you return to the village, you must kneel down outside the gate and repent. Learn from this! Otherwise, you will regret it for the rest of your lives."
After saying this, Xu Zhengyang took his sister's hand, smiled and said goodbye to the police, then walked out of the police station, with Chen Chaojiang following behind him.
The three of them walked away.
Just as some onlookers recognized Xu Zhengyang, some police officers at the local station naturally recognized him as well. This brave young man was quite famous. They'd heard he was related to a leader in the city bureau; how could they not make an exception for him?
Besides, it was just a regular fight, and no one was seriously injured. It's just a routine fine.
As for these migrant workers who caused trouble, it's not worth detaining them during the Chinese New Year.
It's just a pity for those few young men who can't earn much money working away from home. Here, each of them will be fined 1,000 yuan.
They regret it too late, and... it's not necessarily over yet.
Of course, if they could genuinely feel fear and remorse, and then, in a bizarre and astonishing way, return to the village and kneel outside their own courtyard gates for two hours, the matter would be over. But let alone them, even Xu Zhengyang simply didn't believe they would do something so outlandish.
Therefore, they need to be severely punished.
Sigh, it's the Lunar New Year, and their families are suffering.
The winter sun finally rose lazily from below the horizon, radiating a faint warmth and light, gradually dispelling the fog.
A white Audi A4 was driving slowly along the central road of Fuhe City, where the fog had not yet dissipated.
In the back seat of the car, Xu Rouyue linked arms with her brother, leaned on his shoulder, and said with a giggle, "Brother, you're so cool!"
Xu Zhengyang smiled, reached out and stroked his younger sister's smooth, black hair, and said with a smile, "Silly girl, how could your brother not teach them a lesson when they dared to bully you?"
"But you still say such high-sounding things, as if you are so great."
"I'm teaching them how to be human!" Xu Zhengyang said earnestly.
"Hehe..." Xu Rouyue laughed and playfully punched her brother's arm, saying, "Brother, you sound like an old man in his seventies or eighties, always meddling in other people's business."
Xu Zhengyang paused for a moment, then laughed, saying nothing more. In his heart, however, he was thinking: Was I just meddling in other people's business?
Volume 3, Judge, Chapter 141: Righteousness or Selfishness?
After each snowfall, when the weather clears, the villagers would sweep the snow from their own front yards, houses, and courtyards. Then, they would spontaneously work together to clear the snow from the main streets, pile it up, and haul it away in carts to the abandoned kiln pits outside the village.
Of course, this excludes light snow that doesn't affect travel.
Therefore, the streets and alleys of the village were not muddy or blocked by snow.
Only on the walls of each household's courtyard or on the trees will some snow remain for a long time, white walls, trees like big cotton balls... In the freezing cold of winter, with few people on the streets, the small village appears even more desolate, quiet, and peaceful. Entering the village or looking at it from afar always gives people a pleasing feeling.
As soon as the car entered the village, Xu Rouyue said, "Every time I come back, I get very excited and a little sad when I get to the village entrance."
"Missing home, huh?" Xu Zhengyang smiled.
"Mmm." Xu Rouyue's face was filled with joy and happiness. "I want to go for a walk and walk home."
"Chaojiang. Stop for a moment, go for a walk." Xu Zhengyang greeted him with a smile, his eyes calm and gentle.
The car stopped on the street paved with black slag. Xu Zhengyang and his sister got out from either side of the car, then walked to the front and slowly headed towards the village. The cold air was biting, and Xu Rouyue shivered a little, raising her small hands to clutch the fur collar of her down jacket to shield her face.
"Are you cold? Why don't you go back to the car..." Xu Zhengyang said with a smile.
"It's alright, it's just a few steps. I really enjoy walking around the village like this; it makes me feel very grounded," Xu Rouyue said happily, her steps becoming much lighter and more cheerful. Her white sneakers clicked softly on the frozen, hard street surface.
Then, Xu Rouyue jumped up excitedly, her arms sometimes opening and sometimes closing.
Wearing a white down jacket, dark blue skinny jeans, and a neat ponytail that swayed gently, Xu Zhengyang smiled, seemingly recalling the time when he and his younger sister would run and play in the snow when they were little. Back then, his sister was just as joyful and carefree.
A pure white Audi A4 sedan followed the brother and sister slowly.
Villagers occasionally passing by on the street would greet the brother and sister warmly with smiles. In the autumn, because of the troubles at Liu Xiuyan's house, Xu Zhengyang eventually left home to avoid the gossip. He even used his supernatural powers to exorcise ghosts and cause trouble in the homes of several gossipy women in the village, truly frightening the villagers. After much thought, the villagers developed a vague sense of fear and rejection towards Xu Zhengyang and his family.
However, after the fire during the rice harvest in late autumn, the villagers' attitude towards Xu Zhengyang's family returned to normal, or even improved. They knew that Xu Neng was an honest and kind man, and while Yuan Suqin was somewhat fiery and unruly, she had a very good heart. And Xu Zhengyang… this kid didn't seem to have done anything wrong to the villagers.
Everyone has their own moral compass; the truth about right and wrong, and justice reside in the hearts of the people. While this may sound grand, it can be applied to an individual or a family, or even to small matters.
From afar, they saw their parents emerge from the alleyway, hands clasped behind their backs, their faces beaming with joy as they looked south. Upon seeing their son and daughter, the couple became even happier. Xu Rouyue excitedly called out, "Dad, Mom!" quickening her pace, like a child who never grew up, she skipped and jumped towards her parents.
Yuan Suqin hugged her daughter tightly, as if afraid that her daughter would leave again soon. She kept nagging about how her daughter didn't call home often enough, complaining that she didn't come back quickly during the holidays, and then pulling her daughter home with concern. While wiping away the tears streaming from the corners of her eyes, she said, "Your brother is such a brat. After he bought the car, I asked him to drive me to Beijing to see you, but he just wouldn't go..."
Xu Zhengyang smiled and walked over there at a leisurely pace.
Several villagers stopped and looked at them with knowing smiles, happy for them, and also envious of the family.
Xu Zhengyang suddenly felt a pang of emotion, thinking that perhaps... this world should be a better place.
Back home, Xu Rouyue went into her parents' bedroom and sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) with her mother, chattering and acting coquettishly. This made Yuan Suqin, who was originally crying tears of joy because she missed her daughter, unable to stop smiling.
In the east bedroom, Xu Zhengyang leaned against the bed and said with a smile, "Chaojiang, I think we should take a holiday too? It's almost the 20th today."
Chen Chaojiang sat in a chair at the table, nodded, and showed no expression.
"Master Gu is at the shop. We've been busy these past few days of the New Year, and if we go there, we'll only cause trouble." Xu Zhengyang chuckled, making excuses for himself. In reality, it was because his sister had returned, and he wanted the family to spend more time together at home.
"Zhengyang, you went a bit too far today," Chen Chaojiang suddenly said coldly.
"Hmm?" Xu Zhengyang paused slightly, then sat up, took out a cigarette and tossed one to Chen Chaojiang. He lit one for himself, took a deep drag, and the smile on his face vanished, replaced by a calm, still expression. He said softly, "There's nothing excessive about it..."
"Is it really not over yet?" Chen Chaojiang asked.
Xu Zhengyang didn't give a clear answer, but said, "Putting everything else aside, look at the people from our village who have left. Whether they're doing business or working outside, which one of them has made something of themselves? Aren't they all humble, low-key, kind, and hardworking? Have they ever been the subject of ridicule for their behavior? Maybe they were before, but what are they living like now? We don't know about the others, but Zhou Qiang is our buddy. How's he doing? He's doing well, isn't he? Nobody looks down on him, right?"
Chen Chaojiang didn't understand why Xu Zhengyang would say these things, and looked at him coldly.
"When a country person goes out and works hard, succeeds, people will say that he or his family is doing well."
"But if a country bumpkin goes out and doesn't strive, doesn't work hard, and instead shamelessly debases himself, people won't just say he's bad, they'll say... he's a farmer!"
Xu Zhengyang let out a long sigh and took a deep drag on his cigarette.
Chen Chaojiang was silent for a moment before giving his own assessment: "He's meddling too much and thinking too much."
“Chaojiang. Now that I’ve become a god… I have to do something.” Xu Zhengyang’s expression was calm and righteous.
"No good," Chen Chaojiang said directly.
Xu Zhengyang coughed twice to cover his guilty conscience. Actually, it wouldn't be accurate to say he had no sense of righteousness; at least half of it was. As for the other half… well, if you don't think too much about it, where would he accumulate more merit and faith, and how could he quickly get promoted?
From a selfish standpoint, this is something that must be done.
From a moral standpoint, even if one wants to accumulate merit and cultivate more faith, one must take the upright path, not resort to crooked ways that harm people.
"Besides, they were bullying Rouyue. Tell me... if I had your temper, wouldn't I have killed them all?"
“Killing him is better than making him kneel…”
“That’s from your perspective.” Xu Zhengyang smiled. “If those kinds of people would rather die than kneel when being punished, they wouldn’t be where they are today.”
Chen Chaojiang tilted his head, seemingly pondering the meaning of Xu Zhengyang's words.
Xu Zhengyang didn't want to talk about this anymore, so he got up and walked to the computer desk on the other side, turned on the computer, and said with a smile while the computer was running, "Chaojiang, do you want to go online? It's quite fun. I'll buy you a computer later and install an internet cable... You can go online and play too."
"I won't."
"It's not difficult, I don't know how either. Dong Wenqi explained it to me once, and I started playing. It's not complicated at all," Xu Zhengyang explained with a smile.