Chapter 54 I'll never dare to do it again.
When Xu Guolin received the report, the caller said that a fight was about to break out at the vegetable market, specifically at a braised meat stall.
Upon hearing that it involved street vendors, my colleague immediately said, "Transfer it to the Industry and Commerce Bureau and let them handle it."
In cases involving food stalls, either the buyer feels the quality is poor and wants to return the goods, but the seller doesn't want to; or the food causes problems, and the buyer and seller are arguing...
The police station frequently receives such reports, especially on market days, but there's not much they can do. Most of these people's actions don't involve breaking the law. They can't just arrest everyone and give the area peace and quiet, as the people say. They also have to act according to the law.
Cases involving the buying and selling of goods are generally handled by the Administration for Industry and Commerce.
But upon hearing this, Xu Guolin immediately said, "Xiao Liu, let's go take a look."
Xu Guolin was one of the more righteous people in the police station. Whenever he encountered such situations, he would go and see what was going on. He said that just by standing there in his uniform without saying anything, he could provide psychological help and comfort to the vulnerable, and the troublemakers would not dare to go too far.
Xiao Liu hesitated for a moment; he wanted to rest a bit more.
Xu Guolin added, "I have a friend who sells braised meat at the market. I'm going to see what's going on."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Liu stood up and said, "Okay, Brother Xu, let's go together."
The two hurried over, and before they got close, they saw a large group of people gathered together. From a distance, they could hear cries and wails, the gist of which was that people had eaten their food and gotten sick, and they needed to pay compensation.
Just from these few words, Xiao Liu could guess what had happened, especially since there was an old man crying, which made Xiao Liu's scalp tingle.
The elderly are the most troublesome. You can't scold them or say anything to them. Even asking them to come back to the police station requires careful consideration. If an elderly person collapses on the way to the police station or has an accident there, then all the police officers in the station will be in trouble, and the officers involved will be severely punished.
Xiao Liu's heart skipped a beat. He looked up at Xu Guolin beside him and felt more at ease seeing his upright and dignified appearance. It's okay, Brother Xu is here.
Xu Guolin was also very anxious. He had heard from Yuanyuan that Song Xinran sold braised meat at the market and only set up her stall on market days.
Xu Guolin's mouth watered whenever he thought of the taste of braised meat, but he was too embarrassed to buy it. The two families were quite close, and Song Xinran would definitely not accept money from him. He also couldn't keep eating free things.
So sometimes, getting too close to someone can be a source of distress.
However, Yuanyuan doesn't have such worries. She's only four years old and runs around everywhere every day, visiting all her friends' houses. She never used to go to other people's houses for meals, but since she made a friend, Song Yu, she's been eating with more joy than ever.
In their family, Yuanyuan is the one who eats the most braised meat.
Lost in thought, Xu Guolin walked into the crowd.
The onlookers immediately made way, whispering, "The police are here; they'll definitely find out the truth."
An elderly voice said, "Your Honor, you must uphold justice for the boss! These two people on the ground are just trying to extort money!"
Xiao Liu suppressed a laugh when he heard the voice; when wearing a uniform, one should always present a serious and dignified appearance.
Xu Guolin said, "Don't worry, sir, we will definitely handle things impartially."
As Xu Guolin walked into the crowd, he spotted Song Xinran at a glance and felt a sense of unease.
He had been in this line of work for several years and had seen all sorts of people and things. There weren't many criminal cases in the small town, but there were always trivial matters. If business was too good, it would attract envy.
Before Xu Guolin could utter a sound, the two men on the ground started howling, taking the initiative to strike first.
The middle-aged man in the black cotton-padded jacket wiped his face and quickly complained, "You've finally arrived! The braised meat sold at this shop is bad; it's ruined my mother's health, and they still want to deny it! They have to make her pay up!"
The old woman on the ground groaned appropriately, wiping away tears with her frail, skin-covered hands: "You must stand up for this old woman! I've been bedridden for days just because I ate this braised meat from this shop. All the money in the house went to the doctor, and the owner is still refusing to pay. I think I might as well just die..."
Upon hearing the word "death," Xiao Liu immediately said, "Auntie, please explain things clearly. Don't keep talking about death. There are so many people here; it would be embarrassing if this got out. Where are your family members? Is this your only son? Call the others over."
Upon hearing this, the old woman cried even harder: "It's just me and my son left in my family. My husband is dead, and my daughter-in-law ran away with my grandson. Why is my life so miserable!"
Xiao Liu glanced at the braised meat stall and sensed something was amiss: "Auntie, your family is so poor, how can you afford to buy braised chicken feet?"
Poor families rarely eat meat at this time of year; they usually buy fresh pork, and often more fatty cuts.
Braised meat is much more expensive than fresh meat, so very few poor people would choose braised meat.
Secondly, even if they want to treat themselves to braised meat, they will buy pig's head meat. Pig's head meat is cheaper by weight, and it has no bones, so there is no head to lose. It is more cost-effective and more suitable for the elderly.
Unexpectedly, this remark struck a nerve with the middle-aged man: "Just because my family is poor doesn't mean I can't buy braised chicken feet. What rule says I can't buy them? You're a ridiculous cop; you don't care about what you should be doing."
Xiao Liu was furious. His suspicions were justified. This family's behavior was strange to begin with, and no one was allowed to say anything about it.
He shouted sternly, "Speak properly! Do you have any evidence that the braised meat you bought from this store caused you problems?"
The man in the black cotton-padded jacket glanced at Song Xinran, and seeing that she was silent, he became smug: "Of course I have evidence, my mother is the best evidence! I bought braised meat around eight or nine o'clock on the morning of the 29th, and when I gave it to my mother at home, her stomach hurt, and she had to go get some medicine later."
Song Xinran found it amusing, cleared her throat, and spoke in a clear and calm voice: "You just said you were coming to buy braised meat around nine or ten o'clock, how come you've changed your mind now?"
The onlookers said, "That's right, I heard it all clearly just now."
The middle-aged man was annoyed: "Who remembers things from the past few days so clearly? Anyway, I bought it from this braised meat stall, and nobody can deny it!"
The female customer watching nearby now knew perfectly well that the mother and son were working together to extort money, and that there was nothing wrong with the braised meat. She shouted, "The police are here now, and you still dare to cheat people? We'll arrest you and lock you all up!"
Upon hearing this, the old man on the ground, in a fit of desperation, said, "Nobody believes me when I tell the truth. If you're so capable, then arrest me and put me in jail so the state can feed me. Anyway, my family is poor, and I might even eat better in jail!"
Xiao Liu was thoroughly exasperated by these arguments, which is why he least wanted to deal with these unruly elderly people. He could only try to reason with them verbally, but they wouldn't listen at all because of their age.
Xu Guolin spoke up then, his voice deep and thunderous: "Grandma, we won't put you in jail, but your son won't get away. Come with us to the police station to find out the truth."
Upon hearing this, the old woman's previously arrogant expression immediately turned panicked: "You can't arrest my son! My son hasn't done anything wrong!"
The man in the black cotton-padded jacket became somewhat nervous upon hearing that they were going to the police station: "Why are you arresting me instead of the boss? Are you saying I can't even speak the truth?"
As he spoke, he rallied the onlookers: "Look, everyone, these are the town's police officers. They're actually threatening me, the victim!"
However, based on the confrontation between Song Xinran and the man, the onlookers had already concluded that the man was trying to extort money, and they applauded, saying, "People like that should be locked up; we shouldn't let them corrupt social morals!"
Xu Guolin spoke again, each word carrying an undeniable authority: "You must take responsibility for what you said. Come with us to the police station and explain what happened. If you fabricated facts and extorted money, you'll at least have to spend two or three years in jail."
Xu Guolin was obviously trying to trick the man in the black cotton-padded jacket. There was definitely extortion involved, but probably not in the next two or three years.
However, this person definitely doesn't understand the law, otherwise how could they do such a thing in broad daylight? They probably just rely on having an old mother to do whatever they want.
Wait a minute... Xu Guolin felt like this sounded familiar.
He carefully examined the man in the black cotton-padded coat, his expression dignified and serious, remaining expressionless.
The man in the black cotton-padded jacket was terrified. He and his mother had done similar things many times before and were quite experienced in this. They would often change locations after committing the crime.
The reason I approached the braised meat stall was through an introduction. Someone said that the braised meat stall was a good business and made a lot of money, and there were only two women working there. They had only been in town for a short time and had no established foothold.
The man in the black cotton-padded jacket thought he had it all figured out, not only to get a "referral fee" but also to extort money from the braised meat stall owner.
But to everyone's surprise, the braised meat stall owner had some tricks up his sleeve, managing to swindle them out with just a few words and directly seize the moral high ground.
Unexpectedly, the police arrived and were going to take him back to the police station and put him in jail. The man in the black cotton-padded jacket panicked completely. He no longer spoke with the arrogance he had at the beginning and even stammered, "I'm not going to the police station. You're all in cahoots, just bullying ordinary people like me!"
Song Xinran spoke in a loud and clear voice, reiterating, "I'll say it again, there's nothing wrong with my braised meat. If you're going to the police station, I'll go with you. You must clear my name. I've been running a stall in town for so long, and I've never caused trouble, but I'm not afraid of trouble either."
From the very beginning of the extortion incident, she remained calm and composed. Whether it was asking the onlookers to stay or confronting the man in the black cotton-padded jacket, she always outshone him with her imposing presence.
Everyone has their own judgment. At first, some people were worried that there was something wrong with the braised meat, but after seeing this, they all understood that the man in the black cotton-padded jacket was just slandering them. Everyone even thought that the braised meat owner was really unlucky, as his business was doing well and suddenly someone came to extort money from him.
Immediately, people started pointing and whispering about the man in black, saying he was making a fool of himself by bringing his mother into the street in broad daylight.
The man in the black cotton-padded jacket was now extremely panicked. Neither public opinion nor the facts were on his side. He refused to go to the police station no matter what, his eyes darting around as he tried to figure out how to escape from the crowd.
The old man lying on the ground suddenly grabbed his hand and sat up: "Officer, we made a mistake. We didn't buy the braised meat here. We won't trouble you any further."
As the old man was speaking, he tried to leave with his son. Usually, people would let them pass, but they would point at their backs and curse at them.
But the old man and the man in the black cotton-padded coat won't lose anything; they're not from Lingde Town anyway, they can just not come here again.
However, Xu Guolin reached out and stopped the man in the black cotton-padded jacket, saying with certainty, "You are Feng Changjian."
The man in the black cotton-padded jacket turned deathly pale, his lips trembling.
The old man quickly grabbed his arm, his expression somewhat flustered: "No, my son doesn't have that name!"
Xu Guolin understood immediately upon seeing this reaction: "Feng Changjian, come with me. You've extorted money from shop owners in Fengtong Town several times, and now you dare to commit crimes in Lingde Town."
Feng Changjian's legs went weak, and he stammered, "No, no, I didn't..."
Xu Guolin said, "You'll know the answer if you just ask at the police station."
Song Xinran said, "I'll go with you."
He turned to Chen Jingfang and said, "You stay here and watch the stall. I'll go find out what's going on and come back."
He then addressed the onlookers, saying, "Everyone sees clearly now. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the food at our braised meat stall. These two are repeat offenders; they're here to extort money from us."
The onlookers cheered, and it was clear to everyone that the braised meat stall was completely innocent.
The female customer said, "Boss, make more next time. Your braised meat is so delicious, it even brought me conjunctivitis."
Song Xinran smiled and said, "Thank you everyone for your support and trust. Our family's braised meat is the safest, cleanest, and most delicious."
After saying that, he followed Xu Guolin and the mother and son who were trying to extort money to the police station.
As soon as the group left, the braised meat stall became incredibly lively, with onlookers swarming around it, shouting excitedly, "I want to buy! I want ten chicken wings!"
"Weigh them for me first, I want ten of everything!"
Everyone was holding money and stretching it out as they crowded around, as if they were afraid they wouldn't be able to buy anything.
Chen Jingfang was startled by the sudden surge of enthusiastic customers surrounding her, and quickly said, "Everyone, please line up! Everyone can buy something!"
Her thoughts were very complicated. One moment she was worried about Song Xinran, the next she wished those two damned extortionists were both in jail, and then she wondered why everyone was crowding around; business was booming.
Actually, everyone's thinking was very simple: the two aggressive mother and son who came to extort money didn't scare the boss at all. On the contrary, the boss's clear logic, firm words, and eloquent arguments scared the two away.
In the end, the police confirmed that the mother and son were repeat offenders who came specifically to extort money.
Isn't this a test in itself? The braised meat stall owner's response proves that the shop is clean and hygienic. People with guilty consciences usually become afraid when they hear that the food they sell has caused stomach upset.
This is actually a very effective reverse advertisement.
Song Xinran initially asked everyone not to leave for this reason; in a small place, reputation is the most important thing when setting up a stall to sell things.
If everyone hears that there's something wrong with the braised meat she sells, even if she handles the matter herself, the two people who tried to extort money will also be punished, and the reputation of the braised meat stall will definitely be affected.
She understands better than anyone the saying that good news doesn't travel far, but bad news travels fast; she'll be running herself ragged trying to refute the rumors.
The best solution is to have everyone stay and see for themselves whether the problem lies with the braised meat or with the mother and son trying to extort money.
The results are great. The two people who were extorted ended up in the police station, and everyone understands whose fault it was. It also gave the braised meat stall free publicity.
Because of this incident, even more people lined up at the braised meat stall. Whether they liked braised food or not, after hearing about such an exciting story, they all wanted to try this amazing braised meat.
The female guest was now refreshed and clear-headed. She could tell at a glance that the mother and son were no good people, and they deserved it!
The customer, who had just bought the braised meat, was a little impatient. He immediately untied the plastic bag, took a bite of the chicken leg, and exclaimed, "No wonder this braised meat stall is envied; the food is so delicious!"
One customer chimed in, "That's right! This owner is truly amazing. He speaks clearly and eloquently, is incredibly bold, and makes such delicious food. He's truly admirable!"
Many customers bought the braised food and ate it on the spot, eating it one by one without making a sound, only silently giving a thumbs up.
Seeing that everyone was enjoying their meal, the female customer recommended, "If you like it, come early in the morning to buy braised pig's trotters. This place has the best braised pig's trotters, but they don't have many available."
It wasn't that we didn't prepare enough, but the sales were too good. They sold out before 8:30. No other stall in the town could do that.
The customer who listened to the mother and son's words and was tricked into throwing the braised food on the ground is now filled with deep regret.
He rushed over and saw that the plastic bag had broken due to the force of the fall, and the braised meat inside had fallen out. It was covered in a greasy, dark brown sauce, and the braised pig's trotters were smashed, revealing the collagen and tendons inside. Just by looking at it, you could tell how soft and delicious it must be.
The guest sniffed it, as if he could smell the fragrance, and suddenly felt a sharp pain in his heart, which was even worse than losing money for no reason.
He finally managed to queue up and buy some braised meat, which included two braised pig's trotters. It was his first time buying it, and he didn't know how precious these braised pig's trotters were, and how people who wanted to eat them couldn't buy them.
It's all the fault of that mother and son who tried to extort money. If they hadn't been lying, how could he have been misled into throwing away the braised meat? They are so hateful!
The customer decided to come early to buy! Those mother and son who tried to extort money should be locked up in jail for a few days; they've ruined people's lives!
*
Song Xinran followed the group to the police station.
Upon arriving at the police station, Xu Guolin ignored the mother and child for a moment, then spoke to Song Xinran with a gentle tone, "Xinran, were you frightened today?"
Song Xinran smiled and said, "It's alright. These two are obviously here to extort money. My family makes our own braised food, so there's no way it could cause any problems."
Xu Guolin laughed and said, "I think so too. When we arrived, this mother and son were already no longer a threat."
Song Xinran said, "I only used my own method. If they really want to be scared, the police will have to step in. Brother Xu, thank you so much for today."
The mother and son, who were already terrified and distraught at the prospect of going to jail, started trembling when they heard Song Xinran and Xu Guolin's conversation.
This...this is actually related!
Not only have they lost all their leverage over each other, but they've also gotten themselves into trouble. They're definitely going to suffer a lot now.
Feng Changjian's legs went weak on the spot, and he shouted, "I was wrong, I was wrong! I didn't buy braised meat! I shouldn't have extorted money from people! Officer, please don't arrest me and lock me up!"
The old man also shouted, "My son didn't do it on purpose. We're just so poor that we can't even afford to cook. He did it to get some money to buy rice. He didn't do it on purpose."
Xu Guolin winked at Xiao Liu, signaling him to write down what he said, implying that they wouldn't need to use conventional methods to deal with an old fox like Feng Changjian.
Xu Guolin said with a serious face: "If your family is poor, go work and farm! You have hands and feet, why can't you do something else? Why do you have to do illegal and criminal things!"
Xu Guolin's features were already rather stern, and now with his face stern, he looked even fiercer and more ruthless. Feng Changjian was quite frightened: "I won't do this anymore, I'll never do it again!"
"We did this because someone invited us!"
Xu Guolin's body trembled slightly. He had only intended to scare Feng Changjian, but he hadn't expected to trick the mastermind into revealing himself as well. He asked sternly, "Who sent you?"
*
Wang Ling was getting impatient waiting at home when she saw her neighbor returning from the market. She quickly went over and asked, "Sister, did something happen in town today? I saw a lot of people gathered at the market."
Wang Ling went to the street today and saw that there was a commotion at the vegetable market. She came back happily, but she didn't dare to look too closely, for fear that she would laugh out loud and be recognized by Song Xinran, and that Song Xinran would drag her into it.
She just couldn't suppress the joy in her heart and wanted to hear what was going on, especially what had happened at the braised meat stall. She would only feel at ease if Song Xinran couldn't keep the stall going and went back to the countryside to farm.
A man who used to work under her quit his job and started a stall in town. His business was booming, and he even hired people from the factory as helpers.
What's most infuriating is that someone she already disliked stole Wang Hai's business, forcing her to return to Shipo Town, where she will never have free braised meat again!
Since she couldn't get anything for free herself, she was determined to make sure Song Xinran couldn't earn any money either.
Wang Ling even gave the mother and son who were trying to extort money to come over, feeling extremely distressed.
The neighbor woman perked up immediately upon hearing this: "Wang Ling, didn't you go check? It's quite a scene over there! A mother and child bought some braised meat and got sick from eating it, and they're making a fuss about it!"
Wang Ling's eyebrows lifted in delight, and she said, "There are too many people, I don't want to squeeze in. And then what, will it cause a big commotion? These days, the vendors are so unscrupulous, selling such problematic meat!"
She put on an indignant look, which caught the attention of her neighbor. The neighbor was a little puzzled. Wang Ling loved to join in the fun, and usually she would squeeze in as many people as possible. Why was she acting differently today?
"There's no problem with that meat! That braised meat stall is perfectly safe, and the taste is good too. Now they're famous!"
Wang Ling couldn't believe it: "Huh?"
"Yes," said the neighbor, "that mother and son were just trying to extort money. The braised meat was perfectly good, and in the end, the police had to come and take them all to the police station!"
The neighbor lady spoke with great enthusiasm, waving the plastic bag in her hand: "I was right there watching, and it was so hard to buy the last bit of braised chicken feet. Look how beautiful the color of this braised food is!"
"Wang Ling, why do you look so pale? Why don't you go back inside and lie down?" The neighbor lady was also taken aback, thinking that Wang Ling was probably going to try to extort money from people like that. Why did she look so pale and like she was about to faint?
Wang Ling forced a smile: "Okay, okay, I'll go home and lie down."
The neighbor lady quickly asked, "Do you need me to help you up?"
Wang Ling waved her hand: "No need."
As soon as they turned around, sirens blared behind them, and police cars drove toward them.
Wang Ling's face turned deathly pale, her lips trembled, and she already knew what was going to happen; her legs were going weak.
The older woman next door craned her neck, looking on with anticipation: "Why are the police here? Did something happen over there?"
As the police car pulled up in front of them, the village chief got out first, pointed at Wang Ling, and said, "Officer, this is Wang Ling."
Two uniformed police officers stepped forward: "Wang Ling, right? Someone said you instigated someone to commit extortion. Come with us to the police station."
The neighbor's eyes widened in surprise. What was going on?!
This was the first time she had ever seen the police call someone away right in front of her.
Wang Ling's legs went weak: "It's none of my business! I didn't do anything!"
The police officer said, "After you go to the police station and find out the details, we'll decide whether or not it concerns you."
After Wang Ling left, the neighbor lady's mouth was slightly agape, as if she had just heard some juicy gossip.
The police came to her doorstep to arrest her—this was unprecedented in their village! She hurriedly asked, "Village chief, what happened to Wang Ling?"
The village chief said, "I don't know either. Wasn't it supposed to be related to extortion?"
Suddenly, a thought struck the neighbor lady. She remembered what Wang Ling had asked earlier. Could the extortion incident at the market entrance today be related to Wang Ling?
What's she after?
*
Song Xinran never expected to see Wang Ling again, especially not in a police station.
She sat on the stool and saw Wang Ling collapse to the ground as soon as she was brought into the police station, unable to get up, and kept saying, "Officer, I didn't do anything!"
The police patiently said, "We need to find out whether you did it or not. Right now, Feng Changjian is saying that you instigated him to extort money from people."
Wang Ling said, "I don't know that person at all!"
As soon as Wang Ling saw Feng Changjian, she chickened out.
Feng Changjian was also very scared. He felt that if he implicated Wang Ling, his responsibility would be lighter. He pointed at Wang Ling and said, "It was her. She instigated me to extort money from people. She even said that this braised meat stall was new and had no foundation to make money!"
Feng Changjian is now filled with remorse that his heart, liver, spleen, and lungs are trembling. He shouldn't have believed this woman's evil words. If he didn't have connections, how could he have built such a big business!
Wang Ling jumped to her feet: "I didn't! I never did such a thing! He's slandering me!"
Song Xinran sat on the sidelines watching them fight like dogs, finding it more exciting than watching a play. When Feng Changjian's mother heard this, she pounced on them, yelling that she wanted to beat Wang Ling for corrupting her precious son.
An elderly person who used to be frail and easily collapsed on the street now looks energetic and healthy.
Finally, two police officers pulled them apart, threatening that fighting in the police station would result in an even more serious crime, and only then did the two sides stop.
Wang Ling's hair was disheveled, a pile of loose hair on the ground, and she was sitting on a stool, panting heavily.
Song Xinran then walked over, exclaimed "Huh?" and deliberately asked, "Isn't this Squad Leader Wang? What are you doing at the police station? I heard that you instigated Feng Changjian to cause trouble at my stall. You're supposed to be an educated person, don't you know that's illegal?"
At that moment, Wang Ling was both anxious and scared. Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice, looked up, and was shocked to see that it was Song Xinran.
Wang Ling knew Song Xinran very well. Song Xinran had worked under her for two years and was a pushover who was easy to bully.
But this same person suddenly resigned from his job and started setting up a stall in town, asking former factory workers to help him.
When Wang Ling looked at Song Xinran this time, she found that she had completely become someone she didn't recognize.
She used to be skinny and bony, always with her head down, speaking softly, and even her hair looked malnourished. Now her hair has grown quite a bit longer and is jet black, she has gained some weight and her figure looks much more balanced, her skin has become much fairer, and her complexion is much better.
He spoke clearly, with a calm expression, showing no fear of people.
After learning about Wang Hai's situation, Wang Ling went to the entrance of the vegetable market to check on him. At that time, Song Xinran was busy with her business, and there were many people queuing up.
After recognizing the person, Wang Ling felt a mix of emotions, both bitter and resentful. She didn't even take a good look before hurriedly walking away, only thinking about getting rid of the person.
Unexpectedly, their next meeting was at the police station. Wang Ling looked down at her fallen hair, her imposing aura inexplicably faltering, and her voice became much softer: "It has nothing to do with me! This has nothing to do with me!"
Song Xinran said, "I never expected to see Squad Leader Wang again after the glass factory collapsed. It's really fate."
Wang Ling lowered her head, cursing Song Xinran hundreds of times in her heart, but for some reason, she didn't dare to speak as recklessly as before.
"But the glass factory is still pretty good; even employees like me who resigned can get their back wages," she said casually.
Wang Ling immediately looked up, her eyes filled with disbelief: "You got your salary? Don't lie to me!"
Song Xinran just smiled and didn't say anything.
Wang Ling, however, seemed to be under some kind of spell, repeatedly saying "impossible, absolutely impossible."
Song Xinran sat to the side, watching Wang Ling talk to herself with a bored expression. On the other side, Feng Changjian and his mother were putting on a show of their deep mother-son affection. Feng Changjian said that he had been deceived, while the old woman said that her son had always been an obedient child.
Song Xinran thought to herself, "This is the kind of brilliance that even TV dramas can't portray."
A short while later, Wang Ling's husband arrived. Upon seeing her, his face flushed with embarrassment. He strode over and started arguing with Wang Ling: "What can you do at home? The whole village knows you've been arrested by the police. How are you going to face people when you go back?"
Wang Ling swayed and almost fell to the ground. She was a very proud person. She used to work as a foreman in a glass factory, and the villagers would always flatter her.
Seeing this, Feng Changjian tried to shift the blame onto Wang Ling.
Xu Guolin said sternly, "An'an, you two are both in the wrong. Now confess everything you did and try to get the victim's forgiveness and leniency!"
Feng Changjian was already quite frightened, and upon hearing this, he spilled everything out, including when Wang Ling came to find him, how much money she gave him, and what she asked him to do.
In short, according to Feng Changjian's description, he was completely someone who was lured by fifty yuan, and the culprit was Wang Ling, who also portrayed himself as a victim.
Upon hearing his twisted story, Wang Ling refused to back down and immediately rattled off everything, claiming that Feng Changjian had taken her money to do the job and that she was clearly trying to extort money from him.
This time, the two were completely uninhibited, and their bickering intensified. Even the police officers who were tidying up at the nearby desk overheard them and joined the crowd of onlookers.
Wang Ling's husband blushed with embarrassment, wishing he could disappear into the ground. He was so ashamed that he had brought the shame to the police station, and now the whole village knew about it. How could they ever face the village again?
Song Xinran found it increasingly amusing. Wang Ling was really generous, even spending fifty yuan to hire someone to extort money from her. And that fifty yuan wasn't even hers; the glass factory had collapsed, and the employees' wages were still in arrears, waiting for everyone to go to court together.
This fifty yuan was the money Wang Ling's husband gave her to buy groceries.
Ultimately, both parties had to apologize to Song Xinran at Xu Guolin's insistence. Xu Guolin spoke very harshly, and failing to gain the victim's, Song Xinran's, forgiveness, could very well lead to his detention.
Feng Changjian was a man of flexibility and adaptability. He immediately burst into tears and said to Song Xinran, "Boss, I'm so sorry. I was bewitched. I swear I'll never do this again!"
He cried so sincerely that people who didn't know the truth would think he had really changed.
Song Xinran raised an eyebrow slightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Wang Ling blushed with embarrassment. Song Xinran used to be her worker, and now she actually had to apologize to her. Wang Ling felt like she had her pride rubbed into the ground.
He dared not meet Song Xinran's gaze, a fine layer of sweat beading on his forehead. He tried to force a smile, but his lips seemed glued shut, so he could only stammer, "Xinran, I... I misunderstood for a moment, please don't take it to heart, I... I..."
Seeing her like this, her husband, overcome with anger, quickly bowed to Song Xinran and apologized on her behalf: "Boss, you're so magnanimous, don't hold it against Wang Ling, she just hasn't thought things through!"
Song Xinran twitched the corner of her mouth but didn't say anything.
Upon seeing this, the man immediately began to lecture Wang Ling, looking fierce and telling her to stop doing stupid things or he would throw her in jail.
Song Xinran knew perfectly well that it was all an act, but she knew that was about it. Feng Changjian's extortion attempt had failed, and he still had his elderly mother at home. At most, the two of them would give him a verbal reprimand; they couldn't possibly arrest him. She was only able to get an apology because Xu Guolin had called these people to the police station.
Song Xinran approached Xu Guolin and told him that she had things to do at her stall and had to go back first, and that they could handle things here however was convenient for them.
Xu Guolin replied, "Xinran's business is always full of ups and downs, don't take it to heart. If you encounter something like this again, you can come to me."
Xu Guolin didn't want Song Xinran to quit because of this; he hadn't bought any braised food yet and hadn't had enough.
Song Xinran smiled and said, "I will continue to do business with you. Thank you for today, Brother Xu."
When she left the police station, she could still hear them arguing inside. Wang Ling's husband wanted to get the fifty yuan back, but Feng Changjian had already spent the money. The two sides were arguing fiercely.
Xu Guolin roared, "Do you think this is a public street? Making such a racket, if you keep this up, nobody's going home!"
...
Song Xinran returned to the wonton shop to see if business had been affected that day.
Before she even reached the door, Chen Jingfang, who had been peering out from the doorway, rushed over and asked anxiously, "Xinran, are you alright? Did you go to the police station to find out what happened? Were those two people arrested? Are you okay?"
Hearing the commotion, Deng Mei quickly followed: "Boss Song, you're finally back! We were all so worried!"
Song Xinran smiled gently: "I'm fine. I went to the police station on my own initiative. The police knew I was the victim and even made the mother and son apologize to me. By the way, how was business today?"
"Great!" Chen Jingfang clapped her hands, beaming with joy. "Excellent! You don't know, as soon as you left, all the people who were watching the show gathered around, wanting to buy braised meat, saying that the braised meat from our stall is definitely safe and hygienic!"
Deng Mei also laughed and said, "Boss Song, you've turned misfortune into blessing! This matter has become such a big deal, the whole town must know about it now. Everyone will know that your braised meat is clean and delicious, and you'll definitely have no shortage of customers! Our wonton shop can also benefit from your good fortune."
Song Xinran said sincerely, "Boss Deng, thank you for today. Usually, it's just Jingfang and me setting up our stall. I was a little worried when that mother and son came, but when I saw you come out, I felt much more at ease. More people means more help! I will definitely set up my stall in front of your house again in the future, and I will feel more confident then."
Upon being praised like that, Deng Mei couldn't stop smiling.
Thinking to herself what help she had actually given, she had second thoughts after seeing the old man arrive, and even doubted whether there was really something wrong with Song Xinran's braised meat.
Song Xinran remained calm and composed throughout the crisis.
She had only helped with a small favor, but Boss Song spoke so sincerely. Deng Mei was deeply moved; he was a smart man, worth befriending.
She said, "Mr. Song, I know your character better than anyone. That mother and son were obviously trying to scam us. But with such a big incident today, I reckon no one will try to extort you anymore. If you ever need any help, just let me know."
After thanking the couple who run the wonton shop, Song Xinran and Chen Jingfang pushed the cart home together.
Chen Jingfang clutched her chest, still shaken: "Xinran, today was terrifying! I never imagined I'd encounter something like this while running a stall! Thank goodness you were here..."
Afterwards, Chen Jingfang thought about it and realized that if she had been alone at the time, she would have been so frightened that she wouldn't have been able to speak clearly. The other party came prepared and aggressively, and she was lying on the ground as soon as they arrived. People's gossip is a powerful thing.
Song Xinran was not afraid at all. She spoke with conviction and acted in an orderly manner. She even went to the police station. Not only did she not damage the reputation of her business, but she also gained the support and trust of the masses.
Although it had been almost a month since she arrived, Chen Jingfang knew that Song Xinran was completely different from when she worked at the glass factory. But today was the first time she had truly and clearly seen how different Song Xinran was.
Song Xinran said, "Yes, it's rare to encounter something like this. If it weren't for Squad Leader Wang, our lives might not be this exciting."
Chen Jingfang asked in surprise, "Squad Leader Wang? Wang Ling? What does this have to do with her?"
Song Xinran said, "These two people were brought here by Wang Ling today."
She briefly recounted what had happened at the police station, and Chen Jingfang was furious: "I only thought Wang Ling had character flaws, but I never imagined she would dare to do something illegal!"
Song Xinran said, "I also learned about the glass factory today; they haven't received their wages yet. I'll stop worrying about Wang Ling from now on. Her own family is a mess, and I can't be bothered to waste my energy on her."
Chen Jingfang was still indignant, feeling that someone like Wang Ling should be executed.
Song Xinran chuckled, realizing that Chen Jingfang's idea was unlikely to come true.
After pushing the cart home, Song Xinran went to the market and bought some chicken, duck, and beef shank, planning to braise them today and deliver them to Yuanyuan's house. Yuanyuan's father had helped her a lot today.
Song Xinran waited until Song Yu came home in the afternoon before bringing up the matter: "Xiao Yu, Mom will take you to Yuan Yuan's house to play."
Song Yu was extremely surprised: "Mom, do you want to play with us?"
Song Xinran said, "You play with Yuanyuan while Mom looks for Yuanyuan's parents."
Song Yu nodded, understanding. Children should play with other children, and adults should have their own things to do.
He was very happy: "Yuanyuan said that I have too many friends, and they have all squeezed her into a corner. If we go to her house to find her, she will definitely be very happy."
Song Xinran packed up the braised chicken, duck, and beef shank. When Song Yu saw this, he exclaimed, "Yuanyuan will be so happy to see so much food that she'll jump for joy!"
Song Yu was right. They went to Yuan Yuan's house, knocked on the door, and Song Yu called out to the door, "Yuan Yuan, it's me, Song Yu. My mom and I have come to play with you."
A muffled thumping sound came from behind the door, and two seconds later the door opened, and Yuanyuan stood in the doorway, her eyes bright: "Aunt Song, Song Yu!"
Then her gaze fell on the braised meat in Song Xinran's hand, and she immediately exclaimed "Ah!" with a delighted smile spreading across her face: "Wow, it's braised meat!"
The voice was much more excited than before.
Yuanyuan warmly welcomed the two of them and the braised meat in: "Mom and Dad, Song Yu, Aunt Song, and the braised meat are here!"
This is enough to show how much Yuanyuan loves braised meat; she even listed it separately.
Kang Zhilan had just heard her husband talk about what happened at the police station today, and when she saw Song Xinran bringing things to the door, she knew why.
Song Xinran briefly explained the situation: "Two habitual extortionists came to my stall today, but luckily Brother Xu came, and that's how the matter was resolved. I brought some braised dishes that I made this afternoon, you can try them."
Kang Zhilan and Xu Guolin declined together, with Xu Guolin saying, "Xinran, you're too kind. This is my job, and it's what I should do."
Song Xinran said sincerely, "Brother Xu, this is work for you, but it's a huge favor for me. I should thank you for everything. These are freshly braised dishes. Try them and see if you like them."
Yuanyuan quickly nodded and said, "Yes, yes, I like everything Aunt Song makes!"
Kang Zhilan gave her daughter a reproachful look. What did this have to do with her? She was so young, yet she knew how to interrupt. She called out, "Yuanyuan, take Xiaoyu to the room to play with her toys."
Yuanyuan immediately pointed to the braised meat on the table and said in her childish voice, "Mom and Dad, don't sneak some when I'm not here. Our family should eat together."
Kang Zhilan chuckled and said, "Don't worry, we're not as greedy as you."
Yuanyuan felt that her mother's statement was not quite right, since everyone clearly liked to eat it.
However, having received the assurance, she still took Song Yu with her, knowing that her mother wanted to talk to Aunt Song about adult matters.
As soon as the two children left, Xu Guolin's eyes lit up when he looked at the dining table, which was filled with several large boxes!
He used to eat braised meat infrequently, relying on Yuanyuan to bring it home. But later, Yuanyuan became too polite and stopped bringing it home, so he hasn't tasted it for a long time.
"Why did you bring so much? It must be so much trouble to cook this." Xu Guolin sighed. He was so hungry just thinking about it, as he hadn't even had time to eat when he got home.
Song Xinran said with a smile, "I packed two portions of each of these. One portion is for you to eat, and the other is for Brother Xu to take to the police station so that his colleagues can also try it. Thanks to everyone's help today."
Xu Guolin: "Hmm, they don't need it."
His first thought was, are they worthy?
He was clearly the one who put in the most effort, and when he asked Xiao Liu to go with him, Xiao Liu was a little reluctant.
His colleagues are truly fortunate to be able to enjoy such delicious braised meat.
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