Bai Yulong and Li Lan's wedding was set for October 1st, National Day. The weather was neither too hot nor too cold, the autumn harvest was almost over, and relatives and friends were all free.

Zhou Hongsong was depressed for a few days, but he gradually cheered himself up.

Xiang Dong is right. There are plenty of fish in the sea, why insist on looking for someone else?

Time flies, and May Day has arrived in the blink of an eye. This day is not only a holiday for people all over the country, but also the day of the opening ceremony of Baiyanghe Food Factory's branch factory in the capital of Zhao Province.

Although Liu Donglai was no longer serving in Zhao Province, he was promoted to Yanjing, so the new leadership still attached great importance to Baiyanghe Food Factory.

Director He of the Industry and Commerce Bureau, Deputy Director Li of the Light Industry Bureau, and Miao Chengyuan, the Vice Mayor of the Provincial Capital, all personally attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Li Tang has been stationed in the provincial capital for the past year and a half, and he has maintained a good relationship with Director He and Deputy Director Li, as evidenced by his ability to communicate with the two directors with ease and comfort.

He never expected Vice Mayor Miao to come, and for a moment he was caught off guard and flustered.

Vice Mayor Miao was a very modest person. He had his hair slicked back, his face was ruddy, and he had a protruding belly, which gave him a very imposing presence.

He shook hands with Li Tang and said with a smile, "I've wanted to come and see for a long time, but I haven't had the time. I've come to share in your joy at your opening ceremony today."

Li Tang nodded and bowed, smiling obsequiously, "I really didn't expect you to come! I really didn't expect that you could take time out of your busy schedule to attend our inauguration ceremony. It's truly our honor! Our honor!"

Vice Mayor Miao chuckled and withdrew his hand. He casually responded, but his eyes involuntarily darted around the crowd, as if he were looking for someone.

Li Tang was completely focused on the deputy mayor in front of him. He was so nervous that he didn't notice Deputy Mayor Miao's expression at all.

Liu Lancao, who was standing behind him, was quite clever and immediately understood Miao Chengyuan's meaning. She whispered to Li Tang, "Uncle, Mayor Miao seems to be looking for someone."

Li Tang was taken aback at first, then realized what was happening.

If there's anyone among them worth the deputy mayor making a special trip to meet, it's definitely Li Xiangdong.

However, Li Xiangdong did say he would come with Li Jin and the others to participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony, but it's unclear why they haven't arrived yet.

Sure enough, Miao Chengyuan was furious at the manager's lack of tact. He glanced at the secretary next to him and then looked up at Li Tang to signal.

Vice Mayor Miao's secretary coughed, walked over to Li Tang, and asked in a low voice, "Manager Li, didn't your village chief and his son come?"

Upon hearing this, Li Tang immediately replied, "They said they would arrive at 8:30, but I don't know why they haven't come yet!"

I glanced at my watch; it was exactly nine o'clock.

The inauguration ceremony will be held at 9:39.

He looked up and said with a forced smile, "How about we have Director Li and Director He accompany Mayor Miao to visit our factory first? Lan Cao, Xiang Qian, you two introduce it to the leaders!"

Miao Chengyuan didn't want to leave anyway, so he went along with them to visit the new factory equipment.

Li Tang anxiously called Li Xiangchao over and asked, "Have you sent someone to the train station to pick up Xiangdong and Sixth Brother?"

Li Xiangchao nodded, "Hong Jun and Pan Di went there. They left at seven o'clock this morning, and they should be back by now!"

Li Tang rubbed his temples. "Quickly, find someone else to check if something has happened!"

"Then I'll go!"

"Okay! Let's hurry up!"

The provincial capital's railway station.

Li Jin, Li Xiangdong, Guo Yuxi, Li Xiangjie, and Li Guoqing were surrounded by a group of people.

The others kept their distance, spontaneously forming a circle, pointing and watching the spectacle.

"You bunch of old bastards, you broke my priceless vase, and you think you can just walk away after paying two hundred bucks?"

The middle-aged man in the lead sneered repeatedly, and then gave a wink to his brothers who were holding daggers or butcher knives.

The small circle surrounding Li Jin and his group of five continued to close in, the knives in their hands gleaming blindingly in the sunlight.

Li Jin said with a stern face, "In broad daylight, under the clear sky, there are police officers at the station ahead, how dare you rob money so blatantly?"

A skinny young man, who looked like a bean sprout—let's call him Bean Sprout for now—pressed the sharp tip of a knife directly at Li Xiangjie's lower back. "What do you mean by robbing me? This little brat broke Brother Hui's blue and white porcelain vase. You'll have to pay him five thousand yuan, that's not enough!"

A short, chubby young man who looked like a winter melon, standing next to the bean sprouts, continued, "That's a treasure from the Eastern Zhou Dynasty! We didn't ask for much money. Even if the police came, or even the Heavenly King himself, it wouldn't be able to stop us!"

Guo Yuxi scoffed, "What Eastern Zhou treasure? I think it's from last week!"

"fart!"

"Brother Hui, stop wasting your time talking to them!"

The bandits were getting restless, drawing their knives and closing in closer and closer.

Li Xiangdong has good eyesight; while the group was arguing, his gaze was constantly scanning the crowd.

Finally, he saw two familiar figures hurrying past outside the crowd of onlookers.

He shouted at the top of his lungs, "Brother Hongjun—Sister Pandi—hurry up and go to the train station to find the police!"

Li Xiangdong's sudden move greatly boosted the morale of Li Jin and the others, who thought the robbers would surely be scared away.

Li Xiangjie, his face pale, said smugly, "The police are coming, you'd better run!"

Guo Yuxi and Li Guoqing both breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the group would definitely scatter before the police arrived.

But.

Hui-ge calmly twirled the dagger in his hand in the air, the snow-white blade drawing circles in the air before the hilt returned to his hand with perfect accuracy.

A faint smile appeared on Hui Ge's lips. "Oh? Are you sure that if the police come, you won't have to pay compensation?"

Li Xiangdong's heart skipped a beat. Oh no!

This is a case of local bullies colluding with the local police.

Judging from their practiced way of ripping people off, they must have done this kind of thing many times before. They probably bought the broken Eastern Zhou blue and white porcelain vase in bulk!

Besides, they were making such a big fuss, and this place isn't far from the train station, so how come the patrolling police didn't notice anything unusual?

The fact that they haven't come yet speaks volumes.

Sure enough, Zhao Hongjun and Wang Zhaodi rushed to the train station and found the police. The two policemen glanced at them casually and said indifferently, "It's only right to pay for the damages!"

A square-faced policeman looked at Brother Hui and said in a familiar tone, "Zhao Hui, don't be so ruthless, that's enough!"

Another policeman with a long face waved to the onlookers, saying, "Alright, alright, everyone disperse! What's so interesting about this!"

Li Jin was so frustrated that his eyebrows were furrowed in anger.

"Officers! How could you handle this situation like this?"

The long-faced policeman glanced at him nonchalantly and said, "So tell me, how should we handle this?"