In the courtyard, Xu Ningyan's dishes were almost finished. As they entered, he poured the last bit of hot oil over the pickled fish, sizzling and releasing the spiciness and numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns.
Sun Zhou sneezed several times in a row, and couldn't help but exclaim, "This smell is absolutely amazing!"
I sat down at the table and waited for the dishes to be served; the table was overflowing with food.
Sun Zhou's eyes widened in disbelief!
I picked up my chopsticks and first grabbed a piece of stir-fried young rooster with chili peppers. The chicken was tender and juicy, with the spiciness of the peppers, leaving a lingering aftertaste.
The pickled fish is spicy, fresh, and tender, melting in your mouth with the salty, sour, and crisp pickled cabbage that whets your appetite.
Stir-fried pork with green peppers and fermented black beans is savory, flavorful, spicy, and fragrant.
Sun Zhou praised every single dish.
I felt that soda was hardly worthy of this table of delicious food, so I asked for wine instead.
Gu Zhiyuan took out the bottle he hadn't finished last time and tossed it to him, while he and Xu Ningyan just drank soda to keep him company.
After a couple of drinks, Sun Zhou became very talkative and started talking about Deputy Director Qin.
He was well-informed and said that in addition to the Revolutionary Committee, the police were also looking for things that Deputy Director Qin had hidden. They had even dug up the rat hole in Qin's house, but they hadn't found anything.
The situation has reached a stalemate. Deputy Director Qin is not without backing; those people have already put pressure on him, saying that if they can't find Deputy Director Qin's ledger and the bribes he received in the next few days, they might have to release him.
Speaking of Lu Kai's matter, Lu's father couldn't hold on any longer. He had been running around for the past two days, giving away most of his connections and relationships before the Revolutionary Committee agreed to bring Lu Kai, Lu's mother, and Meng Ruyi back into the spotlight.
Lu Kai, Meng Ruyi, and Lu's mother all lost their jobs. Only Lu's father managed to retain his position as deputy factory director, but his power was almost completely reduced.
Moreover, this deputy factory director position is only temporarily reserved. Once the successor arrives, Mr. Lu will be transferred to a quiet, powerless position to retire.
After saying that, he grinned at Gu Zhiyuan and said, "Old Gu, you've put in so much effort and finally dealt with the Lu family. You don't have to worry about Comrade Xu's safety anymore—"
Upon hearing this, Xu Ningyan looked at Gu Zhiyuan.
Gu Zhiyuan's ears burned. Avoiding Xu Ningyan's gaze, he kicked Sun Zhou and changed the subject: "Has Qin Yiping found anything yet?"
Speaking of this, Sun Zhou angrily downed the wine in his glass in one gulp, then filled his glass again. "Where do you think Qin Yiping hid the stuff? Putting everything else aside, his office has nothing but a few bottles of good wine, a few packs of good cigarettes, and a few cans of good tea."
"They tore down the walls of his house, removed the roof tiles, pried up and checked the bricks on the ground, and even searched every single mouse hole, but they found absolutely nothing!"
"Even his hometown sent people to investigate, and they said that he hasn't returned home since his parents died. Do you think those things can grow wings and fly away?"
Gu Zhiyuan pondered for a moment: "There seems to be a pond behind his house, have you searched it?"
"Of course we searched it. We drained the pond, and we sifted through the mud three times like we'd used a sieve, but there was nothing there!"
"What about his close friends? His family?"
Sun Zhou was even more frustrated: "Besides confiscating property and arresting people, he doesn't have any hobbies or friends. He does have a son, but the son is still young. His father-in-law's family also investigated, but I heard that they think he is immoral and have long since cut off all contact with him, so naturally they didn't find anything."
Even Gu Zhiyuan found this situation troublesome.
I don't go to places I frequent, like my workplace, home, relatives, friends, or hometown. So where can I hide?
After listening for a while, Xu Ningyan saw their worried expressions and tentatively raised her hand: "Well, didn't you guys think about looking in places that have special significance for Qin Yiping? Also, is this the only place Qin Yiping lives now? Have you searched the places he used to work? Have you searched his family's ancestral graves?"
Gu Zhiyuan and Sun Zhou's eyes lit up. Those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly.
They all fell into a misconception, thinking that Qin Yiping would hide the item nearby.
But what if Qin Yiping did the opposite and hid the things far away?
Sun Zhou perked up, stopped drinking, put the bottle aside, and with a flourish, downed three large bowls of rice and finished off all the dishes on the table before heading home, clutching his belly.
Gu Zhiyuan was left to clean up the mess. "You've really given me a wake-up call. If we really find where Qin Yiping is hiding things, Sun Zhou will give you a reward!"
Xu Ningyan, keeping his merits hidden, nodded with a smile: "Good! The reward can't be too small!"
The two chatted and laughed as they finished packing up, then returned to their room to begin their resumed lecture.
Gu Zhiyuan felt that Xu Ningyan seemed to be in a particularly good mood today. Although she tried her best to control herself, the corners of her mouth would secretly curl up again after a while.
After thinking about it, the only reason Xu Ningyan is so happy is that the entire Lu family has been dealt with and will no longer pose a threat to them.
Because of the Lu family, not only was he in a cold war with the little girl, but her daily activities, including going to and from get off work, were indeed restricted. Now that she is finally free, how could she not be happy?
Even he himself was in a rare state of ease and joy.
Moving against the Lu family isn't just about the little girl; it's also about something more important. Hopefully, it will go as smoothly as the Lu family's situation!
Thanks to Xu Ningyan's reminder, good news soon followed.
Qin Yiping's account books and the bribes he received were found in his parents' graves at Tuanshan Cemetery.
It was said to be his parents' grave, but in reality, there were only two empty coffins containing money and account books. His parents' remains were placed in two jars and buried casually in a small pit next to the grave.
The ledgers and other items have been found, and the evidence is conclusive. There's no point in Qin Yiping clinging to this claim any longer.
They confessed everything quite smoothly.
The upper echelons of Jingshan County were thrown into turmoil; countless people were demoted and just as many were reinstated.
The lives of ordinary people remained as calm as still water, and no one knew how many undercurrents lurked beneath this tranquil surface.
Sun Zhou probably took advantage of finding evidence of Qin Yiping's crimes to infiltrate the Revolutionary Committee and even become a minor leader.
He's so full of vigor and high spirits, a true winner in life!
Lu Kai, his mother, and Meng Ruyi were finally released. They had been detained in the Revolutionary Committee for more than ten days, and the pampered group of people looked extremely haggard.
Their hair was a mess, their clothes hadn't been changed, and all three of them reeked of a sour smell. Where was their former radiance?
Even if a familiar person stands right in front of them, they won't recognize them!
Lu's father did not come to pick them up. After the three of them came out, they stood on the side of the street, looking somewhat lost.
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