Side Story 5: Saving the World in the 1950s (Part 4)
The investigation was swift. The bigwigs in the committee, who had been trying to make money through this scheme, were exposed before they even began their plan. The Public Security Bureau, unusually assertive, tried to bring them all to justice, but their strength was insufficient. Director Liao nearly died in the line of duty.
Yun Wangshu helped them out; Xiao Hua took the letter and evidence directly to Beijing and reported the matter to the central government.
It happened to coincide with the initial implementation of the policy, and the higher authorities used this case as a typical example to severely crack down on a wave of corrupt practices that used public funds to amass wealth.
At the same time, the waste recycling station underwent a major overhaul, with all staff members, including the station manager, being replaced.
Apart from Yun Wangshu, she was frighteningly composed.
The new station chief is named Zheng Guotao. He is a veteran who was reportedly discharged due to injury. Just a month ago, he was on the front lines defending the country.
As soon as he arrived at the scrap yard, he called Yun Wangshu over. Despite being a tough guy with a menacing aura, he pretended to be friendly. "Comrade Yun Wangshu, I've heard that you are an extremely meticulous and responsible person. I hope you can tell me about the situation at this scrap yard."
Yun Wangshu's lips twitched: "...Comrade Station Master, if you don't want to laugh, you don't have to." Her distorted features looked really ugly.
Zheng Guotao froze for a moment, unsure of what expression to make. He had no experience communicating with young girls, so he could only force a smile and keep a blank expression. "Sorry, I'm not used to it yet, but don't worry, I'll get used to it as soon as possible."
Yun Wangshu understood him. After fighting for so many years, he had long been out of touch with normal life. When she was first reborn from the underworld, she was also not used to contacting people.
Considering that all staff were new, she wrote a detailed document that fully introduced the workflow and current status of the scrap yard. A week later, the scrap yard began to operate stably.
After the New Year in 1958, Yun Wangshu was twenty-one years old. Although she tried her best to minimize contact with people, it was inevitable that there would be communication between neighbors. Sure enough, she was stopped by Chen Erhua next door again.
Chen Erhua smiled broadly: "Yun girl, why don't you meet the young man I told you about last time?"
Yun Wangshu resolutely refused: "No, Auntie next door, my marriage is none of your business."
Chen Erhua couldn't stand her cold attitude the most, and earnestly advised, "Auntie knows you have your own ideas, but you are a young girl who will eventually get married. If you choose early, you can find someone you like. Dragging it out like this will only delay things."
Yun Wangshu immediately came up with a reason: "I'm engaged, and my fiancé is still at war. I'll get married when he comes back."
Chen Erhua opened her mouth wide in surprise: "Huh? You're engaged? How come I've never heard you mention it before?"
Yun Wangshu gave her a strange look: "Why should I tell you?"
Chen Erhua choked for a moment, annoyed by her attitude, yet also somewhat unwilling. It would be a real pity to let go of such a beautiful girl with a house and a job. She couldn't help but say, "He hasn't come looking for you all these years, maybe he's already... Can you wait for him your whole life?"
Yun Wangshu's eyes instantly turned cold: "How do you know he didn't come looking for me? Were you lying in wait at my door?"
Chen Erhua felt a chill run down her spine from her gaze, and only after the person left did she realize that she was being insulted as a dog.
She was furious and went home cursing. She was thinking that she should ask her nephew to come over. Maybe the two of them would hit it off when they met. As for that soldier fiancé, who knows if he even exists.
Yun Wangshu was also thinking about this. It was only 1958, and there were still twenty years until the reform and opening up. Her unmarried status was too conspicuous, especially during those ten years. Someone would definitely make a fuss about it. She didn't want to cause trouble for herself. She wanted to live a good life.
We need to find a legitimate reason.
For example, a woman has a fiancé in the military who makes a high-profile appearance and then sacrifices himself in a high-profile manner. She is heartbroken and shuts her heart and love away from then on. Who can say that she is wrong?
"Xiaohua, keep an eye out for any passing soldiers, the kind that look expensive."
Little Flower didn't understand but obeyed: "Yes, Master, have you found it? Shall we tie it up and bring it here?"
Yun Wangshu took out a basket of plump shumai and handed one to it: "Take this, knock it out before tying it up."
Xiaohua: ……
It hesitantly took the shumai and stuck it on its own branch. It felt silly doing that, and it was a little worried. Its owner always gave it strange things, all out of love, but it really didn't need them.
At night, Yun Wangshu was sleeping soundly when a muffled thud came from the courtyard. She woke up instantly, staring at the door with a cold gaze. Soon, Xiao Hua dragged a human-shaped object tied up like a dumpling into the house.
Xiao Hua kicked and cursed, "Master, this scoundrel climbed over our wall in the middle of the night, he must be up to something bad!"
Yun Wangshu had it loosen the person's head and discovered that it was a thug from the east of the city. With a wave of its hand, it brought the person into the space.
She kicked him awake and asked, "Speak, what do you want?"
Huang Damao's head was buzzing with pain. He flailed twice involuntarily, then froze completely.
Who is he? Where is he? Why is he tied up?
Yun Wangshu raised an eyebrow. "Looks like you're still half asleep."
She kicked him again: "Are you awake now?"
Huang Damao: "Holy crap...%￥%#%￥!!"
Xiao Hua lashed out with her whip, breaking both of his legs, and then swiftly gagged him.
"Ughhhhh!!!!"
Huang Damao was writhing in pain, shaking wildly on the ground for more than ten minutes before finally calming down.
Seeing that he had become obedient, Yun Wangshu asked again, "What do you want to do?"
Huang Damao, tears streaming down his face, cried out, "I didn't do anything! You tied me up and broke my legs! What do you want to do?!"
Yun Wangshu sneered: "I hit you because you climbed over the wall in the middle of the night. Did you climb over the wall because your bones were itching in the middle of the night?"
As if remembering something, Huang Damao flinched and gasped in pain. He said somewhat guiltily, "I didn't climb over your wall, I... I took the wrong turn."
Yun Wangshu pulled out a kitchen knife and was about to chop it on his head, which terrified Huang Damao so much that he almost wet himself: "Ahhhhh, I just wanted to take advantage of you. You have a job, a house, and you're pretty. I didn't mean to hurt anyone, please don't kill me!!"
Yun Wangshu didn't believe it: "There are plenty of people who are rich and own houses, why did you choose me?"
Huang Damao, trembling, finally peed, tears streaming down his face: "I know someone at the police station who knows you're an orphan, sob sob sob, I was wrong..."
Yun Wangshu disdainfully stomped on his neck and broke it. "You don't know you're wrong, you're just afraid of dying."
Xiao Hua angrily added with two more kicks: "That's right, they realized they were wrong when they couldn't beat them, but it was too late!"
Yun Wangshu: "Drag him back to your own home and bury him under his bed."
All dangers are nipped in the bud; protecting yourself is protecting the world.
Xiaohua thought for a moment and gave a better suggestion: "I'll go and see. If his parents aren't good people either, then bury them under their bed."
Yun Wangshu: ...
She lost to this flower many times.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
