Chief of Staff Duan sat on the sofa, calming himself down. "Lijiang, you've told me all this, what do you want me to do?"

"Dad, you taught me from a young age that I should take responsibility for my actions. I understand that."

Can we please not involve Uncle Yang in this matter?

"Do you think it's possible? Is it possible that this matter doesn't involve him? At this point, the relevant departments will definitely investigate. Can it be kept secret?"

Yang Shengyou has become arrogant in recent years after gaining some real power. He'll do anything you ask him for help!

Lijiang, we wouldn't say our family is wealthy these days, but my rank is what it is!

Your mother and I support you sisters with our salaries, and I don't think I've ever let you suffer.

You actually tried to rob me!

And they're robbing veterans of their money!

Duan Lijiang immediately retorted, "No! Those veterans were also working for others."

I'll pay anyone who hires them, and I plan to pay even more.

"Besides, I feel that with your influence, if I were to get involved, it would make their lives more secure."

Chief of Staff Duan couldn't hold back any longer and slapped his son across the face. "According to you, if you hire thugs to smash up someone's place and try to steal their business, they should be thanking you!"

"Dad! I heard that people who do this kind of business need to have powerful backers."

Their business is so successful, sooner or later someone will try to take advantage of them!

"I intend to cooperate with him properly in the future, and I have no intention of letting them suffer losses!" Duan Lijiang said.

Chief of Staff Duan tried hard to suppress his anger; losing his temper wouldn't solve anything. But he couldn't control it. "Enough with the high-sounding words. Since ancient times, a gentleman loves wealth, but he acquires it in a proper way."

Is it fair and square to use such coercive methods? You're simply robbing and extorting!

If you actually have the ability, I won't approve of it, but I have to admit you're capable. The result is that you're trying to use my name to intimidate others.

I earned my position through countless battles and through hard work, and this is how you expect me to use it? Aren't you ashamed?

You heard that they don't have any powerful connections?

So what's going on now? You can't figure out their background, but they're trying to wipe you out!

Tell me the truth, how did you come to want their business? Who connected you with them, or who gave you the idea?

Duan Lijiang's voice was trembling with tears. "Dad, no one is going to help me find a match."

Aunt Shen always goes out for a stroll when she has nothing to do, and the things she buys are always really good. My wife wanted to buy some too, so she went out with her a few times.

There were too many things to carry, so I went to help carry them. The first time, I went to the places that sold goods. The second time I went, Aunt Shen found the wholesale warehouse. Sometimes you can get things at a slightly lower price there.

I went there twice more, and I found that their business was particularly good.

As long as you control the distribution channels for the goods, this business is guaranteed to make a profit.

Now that economic development is being encouraged, I'm tempted!

"You were all so nice just now, but now you're telling the truth: you were tempted by money! If you're capable of doing it, I won't say anything to you."

As a result, you went to find thugs to cause trouble and bully veterans!

Look at your dad, he's still wearing a military uniform!

"You've always regretted not being able to join the army, but look at what you're doing now, do you deserve it?" Chief of Staff Duan wanted to curse again, but he held back. Things had come to this point, and cursing was useless.

"Dad, I was wrong!"

Aunt Shen saw with her own eyes that they had received several thousand yuan in payments, and I..." Duan Lijiang couldn't continue; he was truly bewitched at the time.

Chief of Staff Duan turned to look at his son, who had mentioned Shen Hongxiang several times already. His mouth moved faster than his thoughts. "What did Shen Hongxiang say to you?"

Duan Lijiang shook his head. "Didn't Aunt Shen say anything?"

Old Duan had thrown such a tantrum; his son must have gotten into serious trouble. Wang Guiqin was very anxious, but she didn't interrupt. Hearing the words "veteran," she immediately thought of the news in the newspaper.

She kept denying it in her mind; it couldn't be such a coincidence, how could that matter have anything to do with her family?

Chief of Staff Duan's emotions were much more stable now. He could tell from his wife's bewildered expression that she knew nothing about it. Seeing her pale face… "Your wife knows what you did?"

When Duan Lijiang saw that his father was about to take his anger out on his wife, he immediately said, "I didn't tell her anything before. I've been feeling uneasy since yesterday, and she asked me, so I told her."

Chief of Staff Duan's youngest son, Duan Lihai, couldn't help but ask, "What exactly did my brother do?"

Chief of Staff Duan pointed at his eldest son and said, "Didn't you just say something very high-sounding? Say it again in front of your mother and brother, and see if you're still so self-righteous? Do you still think you're right?"

Duan Lijiang stammered out the details of what had happened.

At first, Duan Lijiang felt there was nothing wrong with what he was doing. If his former boss could hire veterans, so could he, and the wages would only be higher, not lower. He figured it was perfectly reasonable for him to provide them with protection and take a cut in the process. But now, he found himself unable to bring himself to say it.

Wang Guilan and Duan Lihai looked at Duan Lijiang in surprise.

This is outright robbery!

Wang Guilan cried. "Lijiang, how could you do such a thing?"

Chief of Staff Duan was no longer in a state of rage as before. "When did you have this idea? What are the details of what kind of person you found out? Tell me everything!"

Tell me everything you said back then, everything you can remember.

Duan Lijiang started talking about it from the first time he and his wife accompanied Shen Hongxiang shopping.

"...I saw them counting money. One of them took the goods, probably four or five hundred yuan."

Aunt Shen noticed me staring at them and said that this was nothing; last time I saw them fill a whole bag!

Indeed, the person collecting the money was carrying a bag, and after receiving the money, he put it into the bag.

…Those who do this kind of business all have powerful connections. Aunt Shen heard that they have connections with the local police station. With the police protecting them, no one bothers them.

This business is small; any bigger and a single police station definitely couldn't cover it…