At this time, a major drug trafficking case was solved, and the Cixian County Public Security Bureau became famous throughout the country. All personnel involved in the case received commendations and awards from the provincial, municipal, and even Ministry of Public Security departments.
From the top of a hundred-foot pole, he was suddenly pushed to an even higher place, but it was the eye of the storm.
The contents of the whistleblower report were shocking and unbelievable.
However, at the same time, under the instigation of certain individuals, the municipal political and legal committee's discipline inspection and anti-corruption department notified the provincial authorities, and then... a special task force was sent down to investigate and question Zhao Qing and Zhong Shan, the county public security bureau chiefs.
As the saying goes, "the tallest tree in the forest is bound to be felled by the wind," and the moment when one is at the height of one's fame is the one most likely to attract attention from all sides.
Even those who believe in and support Zhao Qing and Zhong Shan would prefer a thorough investigation into the facts of these whistleblower reports to clear the names of these two great contributors.
This is one.
The accusation letter also included allegations that Zhao Qingzhong and Shan abused their power for personal gain, retaliated against others, and protected evildoers.
Zhong Shan and Tian Baotun, the former director of the Nancheng Township Police Station, already had a conflict. Zhong Shan and Zhao Qing were old comrades-in-arms with an excellent relationship. Zhong Shan's full authority over the investigation of the major drug trafficking case and his promotion to head of the county's criminal investigation team were both strongly advocated by Zhao Qing, the county's public security bureau chief. However, Tian Baotun was suddenly dismissed from his post, and two of his subordinate police officers were simply stripped of their positions and reduced to ordinary citizens.
This easily arouses suspicion. They are retaliating.
There's also the fact that what actually happened was that Xu Zhengyang and Chen Chaojiang maliciously assaulted Shen Haobing and a member of the joint defense and security team from the police station, causing them injuries. As a result, not only were Xu Zhengyang and Chen Chaojiang not criminally detained and fined, but the victims were detained and punished instead.
Anyone unaware of the details of that fight would immediately side with Shen Haobing and the joint security guard named Han Biao.
Because they were both injured, they are the victims.
A strong wind is rising, and a torrential rain is imminent!
Undercurrents are surging, and waves are rolling!
Meanwhile, Xu Zhengyang remained completely unaware of the situation, calmly sitting under the grape trellis at home, reading and drinking tea, like a reclusive scholar leisurely enjoying the view of the southern mountains while picking chrysanthemums by the eastern fence. He was enjoying a peaceful and contented life.
Volume Two, Chapter 86: Women Are Terrifying
Outside the window, a light autumn rain was pattering down, not at all annoying, but carrying a slight chill that made people feel exceptionally refreshed.
Inside, Xu Zhengyang, dressed casually, lay reclining on the bed, leaning against the folded blankets, flipping through "Investiture of the Gods".
The window was open, and a gentle breeze occasionally blew in the slightly damp, refreshing air, which was particularly invigorating. Xu Zhengyang held a book slightly in front of his eyes with one hand, and placed a cigarette between his fingers on a stool beside the bed. On the stool was an ashtray woven by his mother from cigarette boxes, colorful and exquisite.
There was no one else at home; the parents had gone to the new house site. Although construction wouldn't start on rainy days, Xu Neng and Yuan Suqin liked to sit in the small, makeshift shed next to the house site, chatting and watching their new house being built little by little.
Looking at the messy construction site, with bricks, ash, and half-built walls, the couple would feel much happier and have many more dreams.
Perhaps in their impoverished past, they had countless times harbored this hope in conversations or dreams. Now, it has finally come true, and happiness has arrived so quickly and suddenly that it feels somewhat unreal, like a dream. Therefore, they need to constantly appreciate the very realities of their life and their family circumstances; to savor this happiness…
Suddenly, the creaking sound of an old wooden gate closing came from outside. Xu Zhengyang put down his book and turned to look out the window with a slight surprise.
Leaning against the bed, Qin naturally couldn't see the scene in the yard through the window.
However, Xu Zhengyang wasn't worried about anything; he was just a little curious as to why his parents would close the gate when they came back. As we mentioned before, rural families rarely close their gates during the day when someone is home.
"Zhengyang, are you home?"
A clear and melodious sound rang out in the courtyard, very pleasant to hear.
Xu Zhengyang narrowed his eyes. Why was Liu Xiuyan here? But he still answered aloud, "She's here."
Light footsteps entered the outer room from the courtyard and then walked towards Xu Zhengyang's room.
Xu Zhengyang lazily put down "Investiture of the Gods," sat up straight, picked up the teacup on his desk and took a sip of water, but was too lazy to even get out of bed, remaining half-sitting against the covers. He really didn't have a good impression of Liu Xiuyan; she came and she went as she pleased, it didn't matter to him.
It wasn't for that reason that Xu Zhengyang didn't get out of bed to greet them with basic courtesy. Rather, it's because that's how it's always been in the countryside; generally, when acquaintances come to visit, there's no need to be overly polite and go out to greet them. That would seem pretentious.
The floral curtain was lifted, and Liu Xiuyan walked in with a faint smile: "Zhengyang, I knew you'd be home."
"Hmm, have a seat." Xu Zhengyang responded lazily, then said casually, "Did you need something?"
"It's nothing, I just wanted to chat with you." Liu Xiuyan didn't sit on the stool next to the desk. Instead, she walked straight to the bed, sat down on the edge of the bed, and was only a little over a foot away from Xu Zhengyang's feet on the bed.
Liu Xiuyan's slightly damp, long, flowing black hair was smooth and silky. Her delicate and graceful face, adorned with light makeup, appeared even more tender and fair, with a slight blush and a faint smile. Such a beautiful and charming face, radiating with a smile, would never bore anyone who saw it.
She wore a dark green fitted long-sleeved bodycon t-shirt on top and light blue skinny jeans on the bottom, which accentuated her beautiful and alluring figure. Her black mid-heeled leather shoes were still stained with some mud.
"I heard from Auntie that you were home, so I came over," Liu Xiuyan said with a smile, without a trace of embarrassment on her face, as if coming to see Xu Zhengyang was a perfectly normal thing.
Xu Zhengyang nodded slightly, his expression calm, but a sense of doubt lingered in his heart. His mother and father were both at the new house site, and it was drizzling today. What had Liu Xiuyan been doing at the east end of the village? How did she run into my mother? However, Xu Zhengyang wasn't about to use his mind to investigate just because of this doubt. So he gave a slightly forced smile and said, "What? Haven't you been to work lately?"
"Okay, I won't go," Liu Xiuyan said with a smile.
"Why did you suddenly decide not to go?" Xu Zhengyang casually replied. After all, a girl had come to his door to say a few words; he couldn't just kick her out, could he? Besides, "Hmm, Liu Xiuyan really looks beautiful today. Girls who have lived in the city for a while are different!"
Liu Xiuyan hesitated for a moment, then bit her lip and said, "Gu Lin, he, he always has those kinds of feelings for me, I don't want to, so... so I won't go."
"Oh." Xu Zhengyang leaned forward, stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, picked up "Investiture of the Gods," flipped through a few pages, and said casually without looking at Liu Xiuyan, "Gu Lin? He's good-looking and his family is rich."
“But I don’t like him.” Liu Xiuyan looked up at Xu Zhengyang, then realized that Xu Zhengyang hadn’t even looked at her. A hint of annoyance flashed in her eyes. She then bit her lip lightly and said with a hint of grievance, “Zhengyang, do you really hate me that much?”
"Hehe, no." Xu Zhengyang squinted, looked up at Liu Xiuyan, and said with a smile.
"You've really misunderstood me." Liu Xiuyan's eyes welled up with tears, and she said, her voice choked with emotion, "I know I was wrong that time, but... but... Gu Lin is the boss's son, I... I don't want to lose that job."
Xu Zhengyang shook his head calmly and said nothing.
Liu Xiuyan, also known as "Zhengyang," moved closer to Xu Zhengyang, reached out her delicate hands, and grasped Xu Zhengyang's hand resting on the edge of the bed, gently squeezing it. "Please forgive me, okay?"
"Xiuyan." Xu Zhengyang withdrew his hand, his expression still calm. He squinted at Liu Xiuyan's beautiful face and said softly, "This isn't right." In reality, he felt a sense of comfort, savoring the feeling of those soft, smooth hands holding his own. He knew in his heart that if his circumstances hadn't improved so much, and perhaps even excessively so, Liu Xiuyan would never have come to him, much less have said those words.
"Zhengyang, I know it's all my fault, please forgive me." Liu Xiuyan looked anxious, her eyes filled with tears, and she pouted, saying with a hint of coquetry, "I've already apologized to you, you haven't forgotten our fight, have you?"
Xu Zhengyang was stunned. He was at a loss for words.
In most cases, it's very difficult for men to reject women; they don't know how to bring it up. Of course, I'm only saying "most cases." There are exceptions. This is actually similar to the old saying, "It's like climbing a mountain for a man to pursue a woman, but like piercing a thin sheet of paper for a woman to pursue a man."
A pair of delicate hands reached out again, tightly grasping Xu Zhengyang's hand, as if afraid he would break free again, and she moved closer. Two clear tear tracks streamed down Liu Xiuyan's beautiful face as she pitifully sobbed, "Zhengyang, it's all my fault, it's all my fault, please forgive me? My parents have been scolding me these past few days, saying I've been cold to you." And they said I shouldn't have been friends with you before. You know, everyone in our village knows about our relationship. If you really don't forgive me, how will I face anyone in the future? I'll just have to marry a fool, sob sob.
Liu Xiuyan threw herself onto Xu Zhengyang, wrapped her arms around him, pressed her cheeks tightly against his shoulder, and sobbed softly.
Xu Zhengyang frantically tried to push Liu Xiuyan away, inwardly crying out, "This isn't my fault! It can't be my fault! If someone sees this, I won't be able to explain myself!"
Ugh, if there's someone on the roof of the neighbor's house in the front yard, they can see inside through the window. Good heavens, a man and a woman alone in a room, hugging and cuddling, and you're even crying and whining. Who am I supposed to complain to?
What frustrated Xu Zhengyang the most was that, smelling the fragrance in her hair and feeling the soft, full curves of her breasts, he regretted using his mental power to try and understand Liu Xiuyan's thoughts.
If he hadn't considered Liu Xiuyan's intentions, he might have been tempted to embrace her, at least offering her gentle comfort and then indulging in some groping and caressing. Of course, whether Xu Zhengyang would dare to cross the line was another matter entirely. But once he knew Liu Xiuyan's thoughts, Xu Zhengyang was thrown into disarray. He resolutely resisted her, yet felt a pang of tenderness, and his body began to feel hot and agitated.
Liu Xiuyan can't be entirely blamed; after all, she's a girl, and it's not wrong for her to yearn for a better future. Although she was undeniably a bit too materialistic. But whatever her motives, she genuinely regrets it now, and she's also carrying a sense of unwillingness to accept defeat, as if she'd lose face and her whole life if she didn't win Xu Zhengyang over.
Women are terrifying! Xu Zhengyang finally managed to break free from Liu Xiuyan's grasp with great effort. His heart was pounding, but his expression remained calm as he squinted at Liu Xiuyan, who sat beside him pitifully, clutching his hand again. He sighed softly and said, "Xiuyan, don't do this."
"I don't care, I just like you, Zhengyang." Liu Xiuyan hugged Xu Zhengyang again, looked up and kissed Xu Zhengyang's chin before he could dodge, just like two years ago when she suddenly kissed Xu Zhengyang's cheek while they were playing together.
Xu Zhengyang was furious. Wasn't this forcing me to make a mistake?
Just then, as if on cue, the phone on the desk rang.
Liu Xiuyan was stunned for a moment. Xu Zhengyang took the opportunity to push Liu Xiuyan away, turned his legs over and sat on the edge of the bed. While putting on his shoes, he picked up the phone and answered the call: "Hello, Uncle Zhongshan."
"Yes, Zhengyang, come to the county bureau now."
"Is there something you need?" Xu Zhengyang asked.
"Someone from above has come to inquire about the process of our interrogation of Tian Qing and Xie Yufen last time."
"Isn't the case closed?"
"Who knows what the hell happened? Xie Yufen went insane in the Zehe City Detention Center. Apparently, she's been insane for almost a month. Her family reported her to higher authorities, and the blame is being shifted to our county bureau. They suspect us of using torture to extract confessions and forcing them to confess to crimes through abnormal means."
Xu Zhengyang frowned slightly. Before he could say anything, Zhong Shan's nonchalant voice came from the phone: "But it's alright, you don't need to worry about anything. This case is already irrefutable, a done deal. The higher-ups are just doing their job. If someone reports it, they will naturally come to investigate."
"Oh, I'll head over now."
"Okay, hurry up." Zhong Shan hung up the phone.
Xu Zhengyang stood up and turned to look at Liu Xiuyan. He said calmly, "I have something to do; I need to go to the county."
"Oh." Liu Xiuyan blushed as she stood up, lowering her head as if somewhat shy, and said, "Then, I'll come to see you whenever I have time."
"No!" Xu Zhengyang blurted out.
"Why? Why won't you forgive me?" Liu Xiuyan looked up at Xu Zhengyang pitifully, and crystal tears welled up in her eyes again.
Xu Zhengyang frowned, waved his hand, and said, "Never mind, what am I supposed to say? You... never mind, I have to go now."
"Okay, you go ahead and do your thing." Liu Xiuyan smiled as if she had succeeded, and walked out, swaying her pert bottom.
"Damn, what are you so smug about? Women are terrifying." Xu Zhengyang muttered to himself, changed into a pair of black pants, put on a light gray jacket, grabbed his car keys, and went out.
The light drizzle had turned into a misty drizzle. Xu Zhengyang was too lazy to put on a raincoat. He pushed his motorcycle out of the west room, started it in the yard, drove out of the gate, then got off, went back to lock the gate, and then drove the motorcycle out of the alley.
Liu Xiuyan stood at the alley entrance, gazing at Xu Zhengyang with deep affection.
Xu Zhengyang was a bit overwhelmed, secretly thinking how terrifying women were. Without even glancing at Liu Xiuyan, he drove his motorcycle straight down the main street towards the edge of the village.
In the misty rain, Liu Xiuyan stood at the entrance of Xu Zhengyang's alley, watching Xu Zhengyang disappear into the rain and around the bend of the village entrance. She gently shook her long hair, which was slightly damp from the drizzle, and a smile appeared on her delicate face. She was like a lotus just emerging from the water, infinitely charming.
Xu Zhengyang was also in a state of utter confusion. What to do? What to do? Liu Xiuyan was hateful, and too mercenary, but…
"Yes, just as my mother said, she's indeed quite good-looking and a nice person. And now that I have money and everything's in place, even though she's a bit pretentious and stubborn, at least she's genuinely interested in me and doesn't have any ulterior motives. Marrying her as a wife, hmm, I can keep her under control." But, but why does it feel so awkward? No, no, I can't marry her.
Damn, women are terrifying!
Xu Zhengyang muttered to himself, dismissing these thoughts from his mind, and hurried toward the county town.
At this point, neither Xu Zhengyang, nor Zhao Qing, the director of the county public security bureau, nor Zhong Shan, the captain of the criminal investigation team, took the matter of the visiting officials too seriously. Just as Zhong Shan had said, the case of Hao Peng's drug trafficking gang being dismantled was now an ironclad case, one that no one could overturn.
So his family's reports were basically useless.
How could such a sensational drug trafficking case, which shocked the whole country, possibly cause any more trouble because of such a small matter?
This case is completely different in nature and level from the cases of Chen Chaojiang and Liu Bin.
However, they did not know that these were just a few drops of rain that foreshadowed the coming storm, and soon a torrential downpour would follow.
Volume Two, Chapter 87: White Can Be Turned into Black
As Xu Zhengyang passed the grain depot at the border of Futou Town and Nancheng Township, which was the "New Moon Dog Meat Hot Pot Restaurant" where he had clashed with Shen Haotian that day, he only glanced at it out of the corner of his eye before driving past.
After driving past, Xu Zhengyang felt something was wrong and turned back to park in front of the dog meat hot pot restaurant.
The sign for "New Moon Dog Meat Hot Pot Restaurant" was still there, washed clean and gleaming from the rain. However, the glass door was tightly locked, with a "For Rent" notice posted on it. Through the glass, you could see that the tables, chairs, and front desk had all been removed, and some uncleaned trash was scattered throughout the empty room.
Business was doing well, so why did it have to close down? Xu Zhengyang frowned in confusion, but didn't think much of it and drove his motorcycle towards the county town.
After Xu Zhengyang arrived at the county public security bureau, Su Lu led him directly to the conference room on the second floor of the office building.
Inside the conference room, two people sat on the inside of the large conference table: a policeman and a middle-aged man wearing a white shirt and glasses.
Zhong Shan was sitting opposite them. When he saw Xu Zhengyang come in, he waved for Xu Zhengyang to sit next to him and then introduced him to the people opposite him: "This is Xu Zhengyang."