Chapter 31 031 Reward
Living in a hutong, no one doesn't hate thieves, kidnappers, hooligans, and spies.
Hearing that someone was being a hooligan late at night, every household lit kerosene lamps or flashlights, grabbed sticks and stones, and rushed out, determined to teach the blind hooligans who dared to cause trouble in their Ginkgo Alley a lesson!
Police Officer Song lived in Courtyard No. 2, which was close to the alley entrance. He was also very alert and acted the fastest.
Outside the alley, Guan Yuehe, who had just finished shouting at the thug who was firmly under her feet, looked down and found the thug staring at her menacingly.
That look sent a chill down her spine; it was as if a venomous snake had been watching her, poised to bite.
Guan Yuehe disliked being stared at like that. She thought to herself, "You're in my hands now, and you still dare to mess with me?" Without saying a word, she punched the thug, turning his face to the side. He groaned in pain and had no time to stare at her anymore.
Hearing the sounds of people talking and running in the alley, Guan Yuehe felt relieved.
Looking down, she noticed something was off about the black cloth wrapped around the person. She shone her flashlight over it and discovered that it wasn't a black cloth at all! It was a white cloth that looked like it had been smeared with coal!
Guan Yuehe suddenly felt a chill run down her spine and nervously swallowed. The person under her feet moved, and in a panic, she kicked him hard again. With the person letting out another "ow," Guan Yuehe quickly put the flashlight on the ground, then twisted the person's hands behind their back and pressed her elbows firmly against his back.
"I have no grudge against you!" The person being held down said hoarsely, gritting his teeth as he said each word clearly, "I'm not a thug!"
Guan Yuehe snorted and didn't reply.
"Xiao Guan!" Officer Song was the first to rush over. He saw that she was perfectly fine, while the thug who had been arrested was still trying to struggle but couldn't break free.
Song Gong'an breathed a sigh of relief, and looked at Guan Yuehe with more admiration.
She could easily subdue a grown man; no wonder Grandpa Lin from Courtyard No. 3 always asked her for help to separate the fighting aunties.
"Xiao Guan, release him first. What exactly happened?" Just as Officer Song was about to go to the scene, Guan Yuehe shook her head violently and said seriously, "Officer Song, search him to see if he is carrying a gun."
"I already said I'm not a thug! It's all a misunderstanding!" His accent was quite obvious, and Officer Song immediately suspected the wanted criminal was from a southern province...
Police Officer Song's eyes narrowed, and he immediately reached out to search the man who was pinned to the ground. Seeing that he was struggling fiercely, Guan Yuehe felt that her guess was very likely true.
While helping Guan Yuehe hold him down, Song Gong'an reached into his clothes and soon found something that looked like a gun!
The neighbors from Ginkgo Alley had already run closer, and Officer Song quickly stopped them, saying, "It's dangerous! Don't go any closer!"
The noisy crowd suddenly stopped, standing three meters away, and blocking those behind them from going forward.
No one knows who spread the rumor, but when the people behind arrived, the news they heard was: "Officer Song said we can't get too close, that thug is carrying a grenade!"
It really scared people, and they even asked worriedly if they should notify the neighborhood office to evacuate the crowd, otherwise, what would happen if they were bombed?
Jiang Guiying and the others arrived a little late. Upon hearing the news, they thought they shouldn't join in the fun and were about to go back when someone at the front of the group brought more news: "That fierce girl Yuehe beat the thug to the ground in no time!"
"I told you this girl is stronger than Zhou Hongqi, right? You insisted I was faking it, but she pulled me down so easily..."
Guan Canghai and Jiang Guiying were both in a daze, their faces were ashen, and when they tried to speak, their mouths trembled.
Guan Yuehua, who was standing next to her, quickly regained her composure and pushed her way through the crowd to the front.
Fortunately, Guan Jianguo, who had rushed out early with a stick, brought back accurate information. He said with lingering fear, "Yuehe ran into that armed fugitive when she went to the toilet. She mistook her for a thug and arrested her. Luckily, Yuehe is strong. If the fugitive had managed to break free, I really don't want to think about what would have happened!"
"Is that the fugitive from before?!"
"right!"
"Didn't they say they escaped to another district? How come they've come back to our alley? Oh my god, thank goodness Yuehe caught them!"
"Exactly! Maybe he's lurking in the restroom to catch any lone women. He's even carrying a gun; how could any woman possibly escape?!"
After saying that, he once again marveled at how incredibly brave the second daughter of the Guan family was.
Guan Canghai finally came to his senses and gripped his eldest son's arm tightly. "Is your sister alright?"
“It’s alright. The gun on the fugitive was confiscated by Officer Song, and he’s been tied up and is being taken to the police station. Yuehe will have to go with him to give a statement.” After Guan Jianguo finished speaking, he said, “Dad, Mom, you go back first. I’ll go to the police station with Yuehe.”
Guan Canghai wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, relieved that he hadn't heard what his eldest son said afterward. "It's alright, it's alright."
Jiang Guiying was relieved, but her limbs suddenly went weak. Luckily, Lin Yufeng caught her quickly, otherwise she would have fallen.
Just as Guan Jianguo pushed through the crowd to move forward, Guan Yuehua returned with a grim face. She had been terrified when she rushed out, but now that she knew everything was alright, she was furious.
Besides Guan Jianguo, many other people in the alley went to the police station with him.
The fugitive who had caused everyone to live in fear was caught by the people of Ginkgo Alley, and they absolutely couldn't miss this excitement!
Guan Yuehe, the person involved, couldn't help but join in the fun.
Guan Jianguo noticed that she frowned after walking only a short distance, and was alarmed, thinking she might be injured somewhere. He spun her around like a top twice, asking, "Where are you hurt?"
"Yuehe, are you hurt? No, you need to go to the hospital first, and then give your statement later." As he spoke, Grandpa Lin tried to stop Officer Song to explain the situation.
"No, no!" Guan Yuehe quickly said that she was not injured at all.
At most, his knees hit the ground while he was holding the fugitive down as he struggled desperately.
Guan Jianguo's mood fluctuated wildly throughout the night, and he felt he was about to reach his breaking point. "Then what's bothering you?"
"It's nothing." Guan Yuehe sighed. What did she go out for tonight? To go to the toilet! She spent almost half an hour in there. She didn't feel anything before, but now that she's fine, she just feels really uncomfortable.
Changhu Police Station isn't far from Yinxing Hutong; otherwise, the local police wouldn't be so familiar with the elderly residents there. Since it's close by, people often come here to report incidents to the police.
The police officer on duty was able to greet several "acquaintances" in one go.
I heard that the armed fugitive who was wanted by the police has been caught, and even the police chief rushed over at night.
The police station was filled with people from Ginkgo Hutong. When the police came to ask them about the situation, they all perked up and started telling stories with great enthusiasm, even pulling their neighbors to reenact the scene they had witnessed.
The police officer taking the statement: "..."
Guan Yuehe was called in separately to give a statement, and she recounted the events of the evening in a very formal and methodical manner.
The police officer taking her statement listened and asked questions as he finished taking notes. After that, the police station chief came over, shook her hand, and thanked her repeatedly, saying, "Comrade Guan Yuehe, you have rid the people of a great scourge tonight! We will apply for a reward for you after we close the case here."
Guan Yuehe's eyes lit up instantly, and she said modestly, "Serving the people is what I should do!"
Before leaving, Guan Yuehe didn't forget what she was supposed to do that night. She went to the backyard of the police station to use the restroom, and when she came back, she wanted to call her brother home, but then she got beaten up.
Beating someone up outside the police station in front of the police? And it's Guan Yuehe, tonight's hero? This is outrageous!
But the ones wielding the bamboo sticks are Comrade Guan Yuehe's parents? Oh, those are hard to manage.
After calming down, Guan Canghai and Jiang Guiying did not listen to Guan Jianguo's advice to go home and wait, but instead went to Changhu Police Station.
Seeing his second daughter emerge unharmed, he was first relieved, then furious. Extremely furious.
The eldest daughter said she would deal with that audacious guy when they got home, but they couldn't hold back any longer, so they went up to twist his ear and give him a good beating!
Guan Yuehe felt guilty, knowing that she had acted impulsively tonight. If the fugitive's first reaction hadn't been to run instead of drawing his gun, she probably would have been meeting her grandparents.
But she wasn't going to just stand there and take the beating. With a nimble twist, she dodged it. And she was fast; none of her family members could catch her.
Guan Canghai and Jiang Guiying were already quite angry, but when she dodged them, they were so angry that they ran after her all the way back.
The neighbors behind them were all trying to persuade them: "Old Guan, Old Jiang, couldn't you talk to him nicely? The kid didn't know that man was a fugitive, he just thought he was a thug. Yuehe, what you did was also wrong. Even if he was just a thug, it's so dangerous for you to go and arrest someone alone so late at night!"
It's good to be a hero, but you can't just rush in and act recklessly based on your bravado. What if something goes wrong?
So, although everyone admired Guan Yuehe for ridding the people of a scourge tonight, they still went home and taught their own sons and daughters: "You mustn't follow her example!"
The person being educated: "..."
They may have the heart to rid the people of harm, but they don't have the ability to do so like Guan Yuehe!
The second courtyard was lively for most of the night, but Guan Yuehe was still slapped twice by the ear in the end.
She suspected that if her mother didn't give her those two slaps, she would have fainted from anger.
This was a very fulfilling night.
First, I was too excited to sleep, then I found the fugitive and got scolded so much that I couldn't sleep. In the end, I only slept for less than four hours.
When the people in Ginkgo Alley woke up, they were even more terrified: Who could have imagined that the fugitive would run away and then come back? What if he encountered someone who was too weak to resist? For example, a skinny guy like Chang Zhengyi, would he have any chance of survival?
Before going to the toilet in the morning, a group of people walked around the toilet twice, but they couldn't find anything special about it. Why did the fugitive like to hide here?
Jiang Guiying also said she felt uneasy when she woke up in the morning. She ran to the No. 2 courtyard and saw her second daughter getting ready to go to work as if nothing was wrong.
"Why don't you skip work today?"
"No way!" Guan Yuehe refused without even thinking. "I'm not injured, it won't affect my work."
She's a model employee who's never taken a day off! She just received her university recommendation yesterday, and now she's taking leave today? What will the factory workers and managers think? Besides, what if the manager calls her in for a talk today?
Thinking of this, Guan Yuehe quickened her packing time. "Mom, I have to go out."
As soon as she stepped outside, she came face to face with Chang Zhengyi, who was pushing his bicycle out. Chang Zhengyi quickly greeted him, "Good morning, Sister Yuehe."
"Good morning, Comrade Chang Zhengyi."
Passing by the front yard again, Grandpa and Grandma Sun, who usually looked at people with a sidelong glance, were unusually kind today. "Yuehe, going to work?"
We can't be unfriendly. Guan Yuehe is a ruthless woman who dares to fight armed criminals with her bare hands. These two old bones dare to cause her trouble? Dealing with them will be as easy as drinking water for her!
Guan Yuehe knew exactly how to deal with scoundrels like Grandpa Sun and Grandma Sun. In short, you can't give them a friendly face, otherwise they'll take advantage of you.
He gave a curt reply and stepped out of courtyard number two without looking to the side.
"Comrade Xiao Guan, I heard you found that fugitive in your alley?" The old gatekeeper poked his head out from the guardhouse.
"Yes! I caught it!"
After everyone had gone in a flash, the gatekeeper finally came to his senses and excitedly slapped his thigh: "I didn't vote wrong yesterday!"
Zhuoyue Garment Factory is not far from Ginkgo Hutong, so news spreads quickly. Within a day, everyone in the factory knew that Comrade Xiao Guan from the factory office had made a great contribution the night before.
However, Comrade Xiao Guan was poked twice on the head by Comrade Xie Dongxue, who told her that she must think twice before taking action in the future.
Xu Cheng, standing nearby, nodded in agreement, "If I were Uncle Guan, you'd definitely get a beating."
Guan Yuehe laughed and said, "They wanted to fight, but I can run fast, haha."
Xu Chengcai: "...You still have the nerve to laugh!" This smug look of hers makes her glad she's not Uncle Lin's child, otherwise she would definitely have gotten a few beatings like Lin Yiku.
After the criticism, Xie Dongxue could only think of another question: "You've done a great service, won't it be easier for the school to review your case?"
"Should?" Guan Yuehe was also unsure.
After Tsinghua and Peking Universities conducted pilot programs, they are now officially enrolling students. There are no precedents to refer to. We only know that the school review may require them to take an exam, but it is not said that if they fail the exam, they will not be allowed to attend school.
These days, family background is crucial, and whether an individual has made meritorious contributions or outstanding achievements is also very important.
In the afternoon, when I went to the broadcasting station to deliver a new notice from the factory, I ran into He Shuangshuang.
If everything goes smoothly, she and He Shuangshuang will go to Peking University together.
He Shuangshuang was more confident than her. Before she even received her admission notice, she asked her what major she wanted to study.
Guan Yuehe hasn't decided yet between the two openings at the factory, which are either literature or foreign languages.
She is definitely not interested in literature, but the foreign language major is a bit sensitive.
Last May, on her way to Xie Dongxue's house, she witnessed a public denunciation meeting. The person being denounced was a translator who had returned from studying abroad, and the foreign language books found in his house became evidence.
Sometimes she feels that some things are far away from her, but other times she feels that they are right beside her.
Now, faced with two majors to choose from, she has to consider them carefully.
But if we don't have to consider anything else, she would definitely choose to learn a foreign language.
He Shuangshuang has a father-in-law who is the head of the housing management department, and several of her husband's relatives also hold positions in important organizations, so she is quite well-informed.
Now, there was no hiding anything. "The country needs to make its voice heard internationally, and it's in dire need of foreign language professionals. We're working class, with clean family backgrounds and no overseas connections, so you don't need to worry about anything else. But there's no rush to make a decision right now; you can go back and think about it slowly."
Fearing she might overthink things, He Shuangshuang didn't shy away from her thoughts: "I just want to get a spot in university, I don't care what major it is. We work in the same factory, so we can help each other out when we go to school."
"By the way," He Shuangshuang reminded her, "you'd better stay at the factory for the next couple of days, a reporter from the Daily News might want to interview you."
Having received several messages at once, Guan Yuehe said gratefully, "Thank you, Comrade He."
How come I never realized before that Comrade He Shuangshuang was such an easy-going woman?!
"Of course, we're all from the same Zhuoyue Garment Factory, we're in the same boat."
As Shuangshuang had predicted, the reporter from the Daily News indeed found the Zhuoyue Garment Factory and specifically asked to interview Comrade Guan Yuehe from their factory.
Accompanying them was the director of Changhu Police Station, who brought a letter of thanks and a certificate of merit for his act of bravery and saving the people from harm.
Guan Yuehe prefers certificates of merit to money, coupons, or grains and oils. She has already decided to put them in the most conspicuous place in the living room.
What was originally news that only a few people knew about became known to the entire factory as soon as the police station chief and the daily newspaper reporter arrived.
The head of the publicity department smiled so much that his eye wrinkles deepened. Before Guan Yuehe was interviewed, he whispered to her, "Be sure to mention our factory's sportswear and sports shoes a lot!"
If they're lucky, their Zhuoyue Garment Factory will be on the front page of the daily newspaper along with Comrade Xiao Guan!
After the interview, the reporter from the Daily News took a picture of the police station chief presenting the certificate to Guan Yuehe and said that he would send her a copy of the photo later.
Well, the most conspicuous place in the living room now holds the brightest certificate. If anyone who comes to her house questions the authenticity of the certificate, there will soon be photographic evidence to prove it!
Guan Yuehe is now so arrogant that she can catch a few more fugitives!
After being scolded by her older sister for most of the day when she got home, Guan Yuehe didn't dare to get arrogant anymore. She even took out the award certificate and put it up after her sister left.
She noticed that her neighbors in the alley were much more polite to her.
People used to greet her with a smile, only to whisper behind her back to others. Now? Not at all.
After she appeared on the front page of the daily newspaper, all the neighbors' politeness turned into praise.
Guan Canghai suddenly received praise from the factory leaders, who said that his second daughter, as the child of a factory worker, had rid the people of a scourge, greatly bringing honor to the automobile factory and letting people from other factories witness the excellence of the children of the Five Star Automobile Factory...
They completely ignored the fact that his second daughter was a worker at the Zhuoyue Garment Factory.
Holding the freshly printed daily newspaper, Guan Canghai and Jiang Guiying were both angry and proud.
But what's done is done, and those who deserved to be hit and scolded have already done so.
Guan Canghai and Jiang Guiying went to spread the word with newspapers. If even one person in Ginkgo Alley and Wuxing Automobile Factory didn't know about their daughter's deeds, then they hadn't done a good job of publicizing her!
The discussions about catching the fugitive and publishing the news gradually subsided. Everyone had their own trivial matters to attend to, and there were new gossips in the alley and the factory. No one stared at Guan Yuehe like she was a monkey anymore.
When she received the award, Guan Yuehe was so happy that she almost laughed out loud in front of the deputy director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau and the factory director.
She had to retract her previous thought; the certificate was good, but the material reward was also very good.
After seeing off the deputy director of the municipal public security bureau, the factory leaders also spoke with her.
The newly built conference room is twice the size of the original one. There is a rectangular table in the middle, with several factory leaders sitting opposite each other. Guan Yuehe sits alone in the middle of this side, and can meet the factory director's face with just a glance.
He Shuangshuang had already been spoken to by her supervisor, who shared the content of the conversation with her, instructing her to be mindful of her responses on certain issues. Having prepared her answers in advance, she wasn't nervous at all.
But the leaders' conversations were a little different!
First, she was praised for her recent merit in apprehending a fugitive. Then, she was asked if she had any difficulties at work. Next, she was told that going to university was a rare opportunity and that she should cherish it, study hard at school, and return to help build the garment factory after graduation...
The deputy factory director kept talking, while Guan Yuehe sat upright, nodding in response from time to time.
"at last......"
Now that we've finally gotten to the point, Guan Yuehe stared expectantly at the deputy factory director with wide eyes.
"In view of Comrade Guan Yuehe's outstanding performance, the Municipal Revolutionary Committee, after discussion, has decided to recommend Comrade Guan Yuehe to study in the Department of Foreign Languages at Peking University..."
Guan Yuehe blinked, not understanding why it was the Municipal Revolutionary Committee that recommended her for admission, but one thing was certain: she had now passed the leadership's hurdle, and all that was left before she could go to university was the "school's review"!
Seeing that she didn't seem to understand the difference, the deputy factory director explained to her: "It means, Comrade Guan Yuehe, you have already secured a place in the Foreign Languages Department of Peking University. You just need to wait for the admission notice to be issued."
This is such a wonderful surprise!
Guan Yuehe felt that today was an exceptionally good day, with one good thing after another coming her way, leaving her feeling dizzy.
The next second, the factory manager directly opposite her stood up, extended his hand to her, and said with a smile, "Comrade Guan Yuehe, I hope you can gain something from your university studies. Zhuoyue Garment Factory is waiting for you to return after you have completed your studies."
Guan Yuehe felt a lump in her throat and quickly reached out to shake hands with the factory manager.
"Haha, look how excited our little Guan is."
"Oh my, Comrade Guan, you and our factory director will be alumni from now on!"
Comrade Xiao Guan's eyes shone even brighter.
Before leaving get off work, Guan Yuehe made a trip to the finance department to collect the bonus the factory had given her: ten yuan and a radio ticket!
Guan Yuehe couldn't hold back any longer. Since there were no leaders around, she grinned from ear to ear with joy.
She'll have the three turns and the sound soon!
Oh no, having tickets isn't enough for her; she also needs to keep saving money.
She didn't have much savings left to buy cotton to make cotton-padded coats.
She carefully placed the unexpected ten yuan, a bicycle ticket, and a radio ticket in the pocket inside her coat, picked up the Fuqiangfen (a type of rice noodle) in one hand, and headed home with her head held high and chest out.
As soon as she stepped out of the factory gate, Xie Dongxue chased after her from behind, panting heavily, her smile even more exaggerated than hers.
Guan Yuehe felt that today was an auspicious day, and Xie Dongxue was sure to bring her some great news, so she patiently waited for her to speak.
"Yuehe, I got a spot in college from the factory too! Ahhh, I really got it!" Laughing, he lunged at Guan Yuehe, causing her to stumble back two steps before regaining her balance. His laughter turned into sobs. "I really didn't expect this... Thank you, Yuehe, if it weren't for... hiccup, if it weren't for you, I definitely wouldn't have had this chance..."
"real?"
"real!"
Guan Yuehe also became excited, exclaiming "Ahhh!"
The two stood excitedly at the factory gate for a while, when Guan Yuehe suddenly remembered something, "Then I don't need to treat you to two meals at the state-run restaurant."
"......"
Xie Dongxue started crying and then laughed.
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