Chapter 14
Tong Yufei swapped shifts with his colleagues and took the bus back to the Xu family estate. Tong Jianzhong and Zhao Weimin had already finished breakfast and were bored in the courtyard, looking at the stone carvings. Tong Wan had persuaded them to come. After their last meeting, Tong Yufei had been hesitant, so Tong Wan suggested his father come to meet the in-laws. Firstly, his father and Director Mo were of the same generation, and Director Mo wouldn't be able to refuse. He would definitely give him some face. Saving his brother wasn't a big deal. Secondly, he should spend more time with the in-laws. In-laws are like family. Only when two families become one will my younger sister not be alone and be bullied at will. He could also ask about my brother-in-law's return date. He couldn't just go with the Mo family. Did he want my younger sister to be a widow?
When Zhao Weimin met Tong Yufei, he explained the whole process in a few words, focusing on the prologue of the cause. He and Tong Jianzhong were almost rejected by Aunt Lin. He was indignant and wanted Tong Yufei to vent their anger so that he could verify her status in the family. In the end, he was greatly disappointed. Tong Yufei did not help them, nor did she blame them. She even washed their dishes. Her skillful movements showed that she had accumulated knowledge over many years, and she did not have the majesty of a young lady who was the head of the family at all.
This was a difficult situation. Director Mo and his wife were away, and her brother-in-law, whom she had just met, had returned to the company. After all the twists and turns, he was still trying to make things difficult for her. What kind of situation was this? Zhao Weimin had thought of this, and Tong Jianzhong had also thought of it. He pretended to be here to buy New Year's goods and came to see her. Since he had seen her, he didn't stay long. The cows at home hadn't been fed yet.
Tong Yufei exposed him: "You are here just for your son, why are you pretending?"
They thought she was ungrateful, but she had been running between the detention center and the police station six or seven times in the past few days. She went to the detention center to give Tong Yi money and clothes, and went to the police station to ask the police officers in charge of the case, and found that things were not what they said at all, that Tong Yi was bewitched by the movie and did something stupid on a whim. The fact was that he went to the restaurant deliberately to find trouble and used his numbers to bully the minority. It involved a criminal offense. Whether he would be sentenced or how many days he would be sentenced depended on the injuries and attitude of the injured person.
Tong Jianzhong said in panic, "You don't think we're colluding to deceive you, do you? How could Dad be so shameless? Since we can't see the person, the information is all pieced together, so there are naturally omissions. Don't be picky about words. Find the injured, pay the money, apologize, and save people. The most important thing is to save them."
"That's easy to say, but you're going to go find it?"
The injured person did not think about mediation at the beginning, and asked the police to keep her personal information confidential. An old policeman felt sorry for her and was worried about her brother while working, so he pretended to let the cat out of the bag and told her the address. She got her surname from one of Tong Yi's accomplices. He was present on the day of the fight but did not participate. During the fight, he heard someone calling the other person "Brother Liu". It is not known whether Liu is a surname or a character in the name.
She rubbed her swollen head and said, "I'll ask again after I'm done with this."
Tong Jianzhong was impatient: "Strike while the iron is hot. Don't wait any longer. Your brother won't be able to celebrate the New Year. I'll go with you. Parents are pitiful. What if they soften their hearts? Oh, I'll regret it as soon as my son-in-law leaves. What could be more important than your brother? Why can't I lose face? Mo Daoyan doesn't look like a flatterer, but he has better connections than you, right?"
It's a pity he could think of that. People would be even more angry if they saw him as a foolish father. Tong Yufei said coldly, "I said I would ask, and I will ask. I can't guarantee whether the result will be good or bad. Good is his luck, bad is his lesson. Don't always have unrealistic thoughts. An imperial envoy will grant him amnesty. If you think someone is more dedicated than me, just ask. I don't bother to deal with these trivial matters."
Zhao Weimin tried to smooth things over: "Since my second sister has agreed, let her try."
She sent the two of them to the station and gave Tong Jianzhong the two hundred yuan that Mo Daoyan had given her. She did not tell him Mo Daoyan's original intention, but only said that it was a gift from Mo Daoyan to him. Tong Jianzhong refused to accept it, but took out more than thirty yuan in change from his cotton-padded jacket pocket and stuffed it into her hand, saying that it would cost money to apologize to the injured person, and he would raise more money when he returned and have someone send it to her.
Tong Yufei stuffed the money back in his pocket: "Just take it if I tell you to. Are you annoying?"
The second daughter was worried and did more than she said. Tong Jianzhong was moved and said, "When he comes out, I will let him repay you well."
Tong Yufei didn't even raise his head: "Don't try to hurt me in the future, I'll be thankful."
Tong Yufei couldn't get along well with them because the roots were severed, but Tong Jianzhong was her biological father, and she couldn't ignore his life or death. She helped Tong Yiyi not out of sibling love, but out of pity for the poor woman who had been her mother. He was given by her mother's life, and she just regarded it as paying off a debt.
---
Tong Yufei didn't expect that Mo Daoyan would take the initiative to offer to accompany her to see the injured. He also bought a big bag full of canned fruits, orange powder, malted milk, two cans of Lego and boxed candies, two large pieces of pork belly and beef. She didn't know where he got the news from. Was it Tong Jianzhong who didn't trust her very much and couldn't wait to find reinforcements, or was it Zhao Weimin who couldn't keep secrets?
Mo Daoyan said frankly, "Mr. Zhao waited for me specifically because he wanted someone to share your worries. More people will help."
The implication is that she is a woman and has to face the victim. If others get emotional, it will be bad if innocent people are affected.
Mo Daoyan tied the gift bag with nylon rope inside the basket of the 28-bar bike and asked, "Which neighborhood does the other party live in?"
She used a pencil to draw the routes on the map one by one: "Rhine Garden, take Yunchu Road, turn onto Renmin Avenue..."
"Please put away the map. I know the way."
Between the city's Workers' Cultural Palace and the old landmark People's Square, there is a new high-end European-style building called Rhine Garden. Fifty or sixty duplex villas are scattered in an orderly manner in the garden. There is also a high-end club and an open-air swimming pool, which complement the landscape of rockery and streams. It is a well-known wealthy area. There is a security guard in blue and white uniform at the door. Outsiders are not allowed to enter without the visitor's consent. Qiao Zhuocheng's home is here.
Mo Daoyan had been here several times and had become familiar with the face. He was allowed in smoothly without having to introduce Qiao Zhuocheng's name. With the social expert Qiao Zhuocheng around, Mo Daoyan gave up the idea of getting information from the security guard and went straight to the Qiao family compound at No. 36. He was welcomed in by the nanny. Qiao Zhuocheng was half lying on the leather sofa, talking business with someone on his mobile phone.
Qiao's father started his business by processing agricultural tools and hardware products. Over the past decade, he has ate up small fish and acquired dozens of low-voltage electrical appliance companies of various sizes. Today, his unique electromechanical control factory is one of the best in the industry. The three siblings of the Qiao family, the eldest sister Qiao Zhuoqun and the eldest brother Qiao Zhuoyuan inherited their father's business and worked together to manage the family business. Only the third brother Qiao was very interested in the service industry of food, drink and entertainment, and was very well-informed about business opportunities. In 1988, the first karaoke opened in Guangdong, and he immediately opened a Blue Ocean KTV in Xicheng. After the rise of local textile foreign trade companies, they attracted many foreign guests to come frequently. He made a special trip to Sanlitun, Beijing to investigate, and came back to open the city's first music western restaurant. If it were not for the obstruction of old man Qiao, he originally planned to open a nightclub on the pedestrian street modeled after the Ocean Palace in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.
This year, the legendary Asia Mall emerged, its incredibly hot sales scene attracting some trendsetters. Qiao Zhuocheng was one of them, and he praised the Asia Mall's helmsman endlessly: "Old Wang is a prodigy. His hand-crafted female sales staff is his greatest business secret. The era of relying solely on merchandise will soon be over."
Mo Daoyan disagreed. In any era, products are the main focus, with marketing as a supplement. Unless one doesn't want to last forever and only wants to be a short-lived phenomenon, the future of Asia remains to be seen. It's far from the time to make a definitive conclusion. The proposition of industry development is too vast to be fully discussed in ten days or half a month. He stopped Qiao Zhuocheng's suggestion that he should check and find a female salesperson: "Let's talk about this later. I want to talk to you about something else today."
Only then did Qiao Zhuocheng notice Tong Yufei behind Mo Daoyan. Her facial features were not three-dimensional, but they were all exquisite and arranged just right. Unlike Chen Jueyao's bright and flamboyant appearance, she was more elegant and introverted, and somewhat similar to Taiwanese actress Ye Quanzhen who starred in "Pili Police Beauty".
If she were willing to come to the store and show off, the sales would definitely be even better. Qiao Zhuocheng looked fascinated: "In just a few days, you have an exclusive collection?"
Mo Daoyan picked up the half-empty bottle of wine on the coffee table and said, "If you don't have any social events, drink less. Alcohol is bad for your brain. This is Miss Tong Yufei. You should call her sister-in-law..."
Qiao Zhuocheng on the other side was bewildered: "Sister-in-law, which sister-in-law?"
"Just follow the path and call."
“Daoxing’s sister-in-law, oh, your wife!”
Qiao Zhuocheng's eyes were full of disbelief, but it was not entirely his fault that he did not recognize his friend's wife. Mo Daoyan's wedding was run like an underground operation, and not even an invitation was sent to old friends. Since Mo Daoyan went abroad, the number of times he went to the Mo family decreased sharply. He only visited the elders during the New Year and almost never met Tong Yufei. In his limited memory, the new Mrs. Mo was either pruning flowers in the garden or busy in the kitchen, like a vague background board.
Seeing this today, Qiao Zhuocheng was in a trance for a moment, and his pity for Mo Daoyan's inability to decide his own marriage suddenly disappeared. He didn't want a woman like this, wasting a gift and being too picky! He poured them both some red tea and said, "You brought Miss Tong here today. Are you here for no reason?"
Mo Daoyan explained his purpose: "To inquire about someone."
After listening to Mo Daoyan's account of the dispute between Tong Yi and "Brother Liu," Qiao Zhuocheng lazily said, "So you're looking for him. I know him very well, and so do you."
Tong Yufei, who was sitting upright, stood up from his chair and asked, "Excuse me, which courtyard does Mr. Liu live in?"
"Number thirty-six."
"Number 36...lives with you?"
"Not only do we live together, we share the same roots and origins. The unfortunate person your brother beat up... is none other than me!"
Mo Daoyan instantly recalled some past events in middle school. Qiao Zhuocheng was a boy with a girlish appearance. He liked to play with guns and swords, play the flute and the zither. His dandy temperament was somewhat similar to that of Liu Xianglian in "Dream of Red Mansions". One was the cold-faced Erlang and the other was the hot-faced talkative one. Therefore, the class teacher gave him the nickname of "Liu Sanlang", the younger brother of Liu Xianglian.
Qiao Zhuocheng, having never read "Dream of Red Mansions," mistakenly believed the nickname was a disparagement of his effeminacy. His sister, however, debunked the rumor, saying that if Liu Xianglian had emerged from the book alive, Tang Guoqiang would have been the epitome of the "cream boy"—it would have been none other than Liu Xianglian. This shift in his perspective shifted to joy. Tang Guoqiang was his mother's idol, so how could he surpass him? In other words, he was a celebrity, certainly not Mo Daoyan, who was constantly courted by girls. Qiao Zhuocheng, his ego inflated, happily embraced the new nickname and completed two years of high school under the name Liu Sanlang. After entering university, he became obsessed with making money, charging even a nickel for bringing food and water to people. This was a far cry from the generous Liu Xianglian, and his reputation gradually faded.
Mo Daoyan was surprised that Qiao Zhuocheng had actually been shot in the head. It was unbelievable: "You had a head injury, why didn't you mention it?"
Qiao Zhuocheng dreamed of the miserable experience he had just had half a month ago and touched his NBA baseball cap. "Is it glorious to be beaten? And you're so foolish as to go and publicize it? Miss Tong's brother was born at the wrong time. He's a fierce general who's as fierce as Zhang Fei in the Three Kingdoms."
Tong Yufei sensed a hint of bitterness in Qiao Zhuocheng's playful tone, and guessed that Tong Yi would not go easy on him. She said devoutly, "Tong Yi was rude and impolite. I apologize to Mr. Qiao on his behalf. How much did your medical expenses cost? And any other losses, please also calculate them, and I will compensate you for them all."
Qiao Zhuocheng waved his hand: "Lao Mo and I grew up together. You are his wife, your affairs are his affairs, and his affairs are my affairs. Regardless of right or wrong, the grudge between Tong Yi and I is wiped out. There is no problem going to the police station to complain, but the letter of apology... I am afraid that my letter alone is not enough. To be honest, this is not the first time Tong Yi and I have fought in the restaurant. It was the second time. The first time was at the Sogo Cinema, about twenty days ago. He was sitting in the back row and spilled his unfinished soda on my friend during the movie. If the theater staff hadn't stopped us, we might have been taken to the police station long ago... My friend was a girl wearing a high-waisted skirt. The two cases are combined, and we also need to obtain my friend's forgiveness to reduce the sentence."
Mo Daoyan guessed about the girl accompanying Qiao Zhuocheng: "Was the one splashed with soda Chen Jueyao?"
Qiao Zhuocheng nodded and asked in confusion, "Miss Tong, do you have any grudge against Jueyao?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
