I ate a big bowl of hot rice noodles with lots of chili oil, and sweated a lot. I felt much better.

At this moment, Chu Jianguo wanted to eat steamed buns. The big steamed buns in the north were the size of a fist. When he was hungry, he could eat four or five of them. They were really filling!

After finishing the last sip of soup, Zhang Qiang said, "I'm full. I'm finally alive again. Let's go, let's get to work."

Upon entering the ward, several educated youths shared a room.

When Wang Wen saw Director Chu and Director Zhang enter, he quickly stood up.

"Is everything alright? Is everything alright?" Chu Jianguo asked.

I don't know if it's because the effects of the medicine haven't worn off or because they're exhausted, but none of the educated youth have woken up.

Wang Wen also replied, "It's nothing. We've divided into shifts and are watching over things for the first and second half of the night."

"Okay, wake up Qian Weiguo and the others, go to the cafeteria for lunch, and come back to give statements."

"Zhang and I will keep an eye on things here for now," Chu Jianguo instructed.

Director Zhang also said, "Go quickly, the canteen has hot rice noodles. Eat a bowl, work up a sweat, and feel great."

At this moment, Director Zhang was no longer serious; he was rather endearing.

Qian Weiguo and the others woke up one after another, greeted each other, and went to the cafeteria together.

After they finished eating and brought back food for the sick, the educated youth woke up.

One of the older, square-faced educated youths was the first to react and thanked Chu Jianguo and the others, saying, "Thank you for saving us, otherwise... Anyway, thank you!"

The other educated youth also came to their senses and said "thank you!"

"Thanks!"

"Thanks!"

...

The room was filled with cries of gratitude, one after another.

Director Zhang, dressed in a police uniform, said, "No need to thank me, it's what we should do. You guys take a break, have something to eat later, and then we'll explain the whole story."

The first educated youth to speak nodded and quickly added, "Understood, we will answer truthfully."

At this moment, Wang Wenye and the others came in with their lunchboxes.

"Let's eat first, we'll talk later."

After Director Zhang finished speaking, he and Chu Jianguo went out.

A little while later, the doctor went in to make rounds and examined each patient.

"Director Chu, Director Zhang, you can take the statement now. There's nothing seriously wrong."

The bald male doctor walked out of the ward and spoke to the two people waiting outside.

"Thank you, you've all worked hard too." Chu Jianguo thanked them, and watching the doctor walk away, he unconsciously touched his hair, realizing he needed to be more careful.

In the ward, several of the former educated youths were in better spirits, having eaten their fill and regained their energy.

Director Zhang cut to the chase, saying directly, "Let's begin. Who among you will speak?"

It was the same educated youth who spoke first. He raised his hand and said, "Let me speak. I arrived earlier."

Director Zhang nodded, indicating that he could speak.

Wang Wen also brought over two chairs for Director Zhang and Director Chu to sit down and listen.

Lu Shuqi and a police officer from the Public Security Bureau were preparing to take notes.

The male educated youth began, “My name is Sun Yang. I was sent to Yunlin Brigade in 1971. There were four of us in the same batch. At first, nothing happened, but later the brigade ostracized us, making us do the hardest work and get the fewest work points.”

Seemingly feeling aggrieved, he paused before continuing, "Later, the packages and letters sent from home were all confiscated. Last year, six new educated youths came, and they received the same treatment as us."

"The relationship between the educated youth settlement and the team was very tense, but we couldn't resist. We thought that there would be a day when we would have to leave."

"But Hao Dabao, the brigade leader's son, always loiters around the educated youth settlement and stares at the female comrades. We feel that something is wrong."

Perhaps sensing that sense of urgency again, Sun Yang's tone became a little anxious.

"A few days later, he came over and said he wanted to date Xiao Ping. Xiao Ping disagreed, but he acted like he couldn't hear her. The brigade leader's family even arranged to hold a banquet and kept watch near the educated youth settlement."

"That's outrageous!"

“They’re spying on us.”

"hateful!"

Other educated youth couldn't help but chime in, expressing their indignation.

The room was filled with chatter, and Wang Wen quickly spoke up to stop them, saying, "Everyone, calm down. I know you feel wronged. Let Sun Zhiqing finish speaking first."

After hearing Wang Wenye's words, the others fell silent.

Sun Yang continued, "That night, while they were asleep, we escorted He Xiaolan and Wei Hong away to seek help. The men stayed behind to protect the remaining two women."

"Unexpectedly, they found us the next morning, surrounded us, and went to chase after us. They probably didn't catch up, and in the middle of the night, seven or eight villagers broke into the educated youth settlement. We fought back fiercely, but Xiao Ping was still kidnapped. We were beaten so badly that we couldn't get up. We watched as they smashed up the educated youth settlement, took the things from our boxes, and nailed the courtyard gate shut."

After saying this long speech, Sun Yang took a breath. His voice trembled with tears as he said, "Hearing the sound of nails being hammered on the door outside, we were all in despair, thinking we were going to die there."

"Waaah..."

The other educated youth couldn't hold back anymore and started sobbing.

Chu Jianguo and the others didn't stop it; it was better to let it all out. They were all young people who had recently graduated, leaving their hometowns to come here, and then this happened...sigh...

After taking their statements, Director Zhang told them to get proper treatment and to rest assured that they would investigate thoroughly.

Wang Wenye and the others were left to take care of him at the hospital, while Zhang Qiang and Chu Jianguo went to the Public Security Bureau.

When asked again, Hao Wanlin continued to deny it, refusing to admit it.

Director Zhang and his team didn't want to question him anymore. The facts spoke for themselves. They would search his house, arrest the villagers who assaulted him, and the matter would become clear.

After confirming the list of villagers involved in the beating with Xiao Ping and the others, Director Zhang and Director Chu drove to Yunlin Brigade with their men.

The team was in a state of panic, and no one went to work. Instead, they gathered in twos and threes to gossip.

Seeing that Chu Jianguo and the others had arrived again, they all gathered around and asked in unison, "Where is our captain? When will he be back?"

"Where's Da Bao? Why hasn't he come back yet?"

"Won't they really get arrested?"

"I heard there's some kind of crime called hooliganism, which involves..."

Chu Jianguo, his head aching from the noise, yelled, "Shut up, all of you!"

The scene quieted down, and no one kept talking.

"Now, when I call out your names, do not think of hiding, and do not cut off your descendants' future."

Chu Jianguo had a stern face, which was quite intimidating.

"Hao Wancai, Hao Laoliu, Hao Daqiang, Jin Laowu..."

Chu Jianguo read out eight names in a row, and six people stood up, leaving two short.

Just then, a middle-aged man came over carrying a hunting rifle, looking menacing. He was the same man who had led the commotion last time.

"Damn it, if you want to take people away from our Yunlin Brigade, you'd better ask if I'll let you with my hunting rifle first."

With his bulky body and arrogant demeanor, he's unmatched.

Chu Weiguo calmly took the gun from the armed police officer and pointed it at the fat man's forehead.

"Clang."

The fat man dropped his hunting rifle, and the group of people collapsed.

"Tie them all up and take them away. Qian Weiguo, take some men to Hao Wanlin's house to search for evidence," Chu Jianguo said, putting away his gun and handing it back to the armed police officer.

Before long, a box of valuables and an account book were found in Hao Wanlin's house, a truly unexpected find.

They arrived suddenly and left quickly; in the blink of an eye, the roar of the car was gone.