Chapter 071 There is a new case
Hearing Yuan Jianshe's words, even in the dark, Sun Qiaolian couldn't help but twitch her lips. How could Yuan Dali be so desperate to give the job to this seemingly unreliable nephew?
Jiang Nan scratched his head, also extremely shocked.
How outrageous is Yuan Jianshe? How can he say such things as if it were a matter of course?
I don’t understand. I don’t understand. I can’t comprehend it at all.
"What are you looking at? Stop scratching it, it's become a mess."
A whisper rang out in his ears. Jiang Nan rubbed his ears, shushed them, and whispered, "Stop it! Look, it's Sun Qiaolian and Yuan Jianshe."
Zhou Zhixing twitched his lips. Jiang Nan had a gossipy nature, but he quickly moved behind Jiang Nan, watching with great interest. Having been bound to 1.0 before, he was no less curious than Jiang Nan, 2.0.
Up ahead, Sun Qiaolian finally found her voice again. It wasn't her slow reaction; it was simply Yuan Jianshe's eccentricity. Even someone as experienced as Sun Qiaolian was at a loss for words.
Sun Qiaolian, finding her voice, cleared her throat and complimented, "I knew it! You're so talented, how could you not be accepted? So you did it on purpose. You're just too soft-hearted. Don't do that again. You should think about yourself more and not always be so selfless."
Even Sun Qiaolian admired herself. Look, she was so good at talking.
God, please let her stick to this meal ticket considering how difficult her situation is.
Perhaps God heard her prayers, Yuan Jianshe finally said, "I know you're doing this for my own good, so I'm reluctantly agreeing to it. I'll seriously consider it. Also, I've done so much for others, so I have to consider myself, too."
He sighed softly and asked casually, "Sister Qiaolian, why are you out so late at night?"
Sun Qiaolian thought to herself that she had finally asked, thankfully, having spent so much time with him, saying nice things. She sighed expertly, her voice tinged with both tenderness and strength. Yes, it was such a contradiction. Fragile, she felt like a small white flower swaying in the wind. Strong, she said, referring to what she was about to say: a weak yet self-reliant widow.
"Jianshe, you know me. I'm a widow. My family has had problems before, and I have a bad reputation. I know that. But I'm not that kind of person. I'm so miserable, I can't even express my pain. But you know, I'm not the kind of person who complains. I have to survive. I have two boys at home waiting for me to raise. Nanshan works so hard, and I can't ask for too much money. I'm just thinking about whether I can find Director Sun from the neighborhood committee and ask him to give me some work pasting matchboxes."
She wiped away her tears. "It's not easy for Nanshan either. He works alone and has to support a family like us. It's very hard. I don't want to be a burden to her either. After all, I'm not too old and I'm not someone who can't do work. I went there during the day, but Director Sun didn't give me a definite answer. So I thought I'd go to her house again in the evening. After all, I'll put down my face and ask for help. I can get a job to supplement the family income."
She added fuel to the fire: "Ah, I'm overthinking it. How can a widow like me have any dignity?"
Yuan Jianshe pursed his lips. He had heard of Sun Qiaolian's reputation, but after a few encounters, he realized she wasn't the real deal. He said in a rather patriarchal manner, "Don't say that. After a few encounters, I kind of understand you. You're not what the rumors say. Besides, as a woman, you don't need to go out and find work. Here are two dollars. Take them."
He pulled two banknotes from his trouser pocket, stuffed them into Sun Qiaolian's pocket, and said in a resounding voice, "If you have any problems in the future, just come to me. You know my abilities, I can definitely help you solve them. Besides, I have a say in Second Uncle's family. I won't let you suffer."
Sun Qiaolian scoffed inwardly. It was just two yuan, and you're bragging here. But even a fly, no matter how small, is still meat. She pulled her hand back without much force, refusing, "How can that be? I can't take it. I'm not that kind of person. I'm not asking you for money. Who do you think I am? I'm just feeling bad, and I'm just talking to you. Jianshe, take it back quickly. Although I really need the money, I'm not the kind of person who asks for money..."
Yuan Jianshe was very overbearing. He said, "Sister Qiaolian, take this. This is something I give you. It's different from others. And I'm attracted to you as a person. Nothing else matters. If you refuse, you're looking down on me."
Sun Qiaolian hesitated: "How could I look down on you? You are so nice, I like you... No, I admire you so much. Since..."
She raised her eyelids and looked at Yuan Jianshe lovingly, then shyly lowered her eyelids and held the money awkwardly: "Since you said so, then I'll take it. Don't do this again in the future. You are a good person, I know, and I don't want to cause you any trouble."
Yuan Jianshe raised his lips. That's what he said. Sun Qiaolian liked him so much, she must be keeping an eye on him all the time. Seeing him come back from outside, she hurried over to find him, saying she was going to find Director Sun from the neighborhood committee. Liing, this woman was obviously lying. She must love him so much that she said this on purpose to attract his attention.
However, no matter how strong Sun Qiaolian's feelings are, he will not agree easily.
He would have to stretch her again.
Jiang Nan felt so disgusted that he couldn't bear to watch it any longer. He made a gesture and quietly retreated with Zhou Zhixing.
Why are there so many things going on in Courtyard No. 1 every day?
Jiang Nan frowned, feeling completely bewildered. Zhou Zhixing found this amusing. "Well, just have fun with this kind of thing. Why bother thinking about it? You're just asking for trouble, aren't you?"
"Is it your business?"
Jiang Nan bristled, snorted, and turned to continue running. She had come out to exercise, and after just a short warm-up, watching the excitement, her warmed-up body cooled down.
Zhou Zhixing quickly followed: "I mean well, you can't be angry."
Jiang Nan snorted again. She wasn't that petty. She just felt strange. "Do you think it's because I'm tied to the system? I always feel like there are so many strange things happening around me?"
Zhou Zhixing nodded: "Of course, when I was bound to 1.0, there were many strange things around me."
Jiang Nan nodded hesitantly: "I see."
Seeing that she really believed him, Zhou Zhixing felt amused and changed the subject, "Why are you thinking about exercising? Didn't you get lazy and stop practicing recently?"
"No," Jiang Nan said stubbornly, "I was too busy recently. I came here today because I had some free time."
"Okay, okay, I'm not slacking off." Zhou Zhixing said, "Want to box today? I have a set of boxing techniques, do you want to learn?"
Zhou Zhixing had hired many martial arts masters in ancient times, so Jiang Nan would never let him go. She nodded and said, "Let's run a lap and then practice boxing."
The two of them were sweating profusely as they made love. Yuan Jianshe, who had finished his conversation in the public restroom, came out and saw them, his head held high. He hadn't lost. Jiang Nan was nothing. He would find someone better later and piss off this clueless, foolish woman to death.
It was a chilly October night, and while there weren't many people strolling around the courtyard, there were quite a few peeking in from upstairs. Grandma Cao was pleased with the relationship between her grandson and Jiang Nan, but some people were unhappy.
That's right, I'm talking about Qiu Pan'er. As a rival, she's not happy when Jiang Nan is doing well.
Although she is living a good life now, she just can't bear to see Jiang Nan having an easy time.
That Zhou Zhixing is just blind. He has such good conditions, why would he fall for that bitch Jiang Nan?
Seeing Yuan Jianshe going upstairs with his head held high, Qiu Paner pooh-poohed him. "What a coward! If you think the exam's unfair, just make a scene. So many people from Jiang Nan's family got in, there must be something wrong, and yet he doesn't even dare to make a scene. He's such a coward! He's a man who only dares to bully his own family and destroy everyone else. He's despicable."
There were little flames rising in Qiu Paner's eyes, and she was cursing under her breath.
This direct gaze made Jiang Nan downstairs feel something.
Just think about it, no one would be indifferent to being stared at like that. Qiu Paner was now not trying to hide her jealousy.
Jiang Nan frowned, following Zhou Zhixing's gestures and whispering, "Why is Qiu Pan'er still staring at me? She's married and has children. Shouldn't she be staring at other people?"
Zhou Zhixing had already stopped and was instructing Jiang Nan on her movements. He whispered, "Who knows what she's thinking? Leave her alone. Since we're already exercising, let's just focus."
Jiang Nan curled her lips. It wasn't that she wasn't concentrating, she was just talking.
The next day, the autumn weather was clear and crisp.
Last night, Chen Jinhua and Jiang Mancheng, who had been out "haunting" the previous night, returned very late. This morning, both of them were feeling rather listless. To refresh herself, she bought coffee, a life-saving drink for migrant workers, from the system store and gave it to her parents.
Jiang Mancheng took it, frowning. But he still drank it resignedly: "It's bitter, like a medicinal soup. If it weren't for the refreshing effect, I would never drink this stuff."
I don’t understand. The eunuchs from ancient times to the present day don’t understand deeply.
Chen Jinhua also frowned from drinking.
Jiang Nan didn't really like drinking this stuff, but it worked. She said, "As long as it works. Dad, was Wan Hu scared last night?"
Jiang Mancheng put down his cup, his eyebrows about to fly up: "When has your father ever failed in his actions? Don't worry, that old guy will be safe for at least a week."
Jiang Nan didn't believe it: "Last time, the four of us only kept him safe for two days. This time, it's just you and my mom. How can the effect be so good?"
Chen Jinhua chuckled, "It's better that you're not here. You two are police officers, so some tactics won't work with you two. Your dad and I are the only ones here. Wan Hu was so scared that he peed his pants. He'll definitely be safe for a week."
Jiang Nan was skeptical, but it was almost time for work, so she ate her breakfast quickly. Seeing this, Chen Jinhua couldn't help but nag, "Okay, don't rush, eat slowly. You got up early today, so you won't be late."
"Oh, okay." Jiang Nan was quite obedient and drank the porridge in small sips.
Jiang Mancheng finished breakfast, got up, went to the living room, and looked out the window: "It's getting cold later this year. It usually snows at this time of year. But it's dry and cold today. Xiaonan, dress warmly, don't get cold."
Jiang Nan happily agreed: "I know, I'm wearing woolen pants, I'm not that clueless. Dad, you can trust me when I'm doing things."
"Just brag."
Jiang Nan chuckled. She was in a good mood so early in the morning. She quickly finished her breakfast, went downstairs to meet Zhou Zhixing, and together they rode their bicycles to the police station.
The police station was incredibly busy early in the morning. It seemed like a lot of people were reporting crimes today, and they all seemed to know each other. The police station hall was buzzing with activity from the morning onwards, a scene of unrelenting chatter.
Lan Qingshan, who was always the first to arrive, waved to the two of them and said, "Come, you two greet this older sister, and I'll go greet the other older sister."
Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing trotted over to their workstations, pens and notebooks in hand. Jiang Nan smiled at the newcomer and said, "Hello, sister. I'm Jiang Nan, a field officer from the police station. Do you have a case to report?"
The older sister looked no more than forty years old, and her face was filled with anxiety. She grabbed Jiang Nan's hand and said quickly, "Comrade police, there's a thief in the oil field. My husband's salary was just stolen, and all the savings we've had over the years are gone."
As she spoke, the eldest sister burst into tears. She wiped her tears and said, "You damn thief, why would you steal from anyone else but a poor family like ours? We don't even have rice to cook at home. What should we do? What should we do?"
On the other hand, the old lady kept saying that there was a thief who stole all the money in the house.
Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing's faces turned serious. Jiang Nan asked, "Sister, what's your last name? What does your husband do for a living? Where do you live?"
The woman answered with red eyes: "My last name is Hong. My husband is a well repair team member. He usually works in Shan'aozi Brigade. My home is No. 929, Fiberglass Residential Complex. My parents-in-law are still at home. Do you want to go and take a look? All the money in the house is gone. You must catch the thief..."
Jiang Nan held the woman's hand and comforted her, "Sister Hong, don't worry. Did you come to call the police by yourself, or with someone else? Where is your husband?"
Sister Hong was anxious and quickly pointed at the two people next to her and said, "I came here with my neighbors. Their house was also robbed. My husband has to work. He went to work with the well repair team early in the morning."
The two older sisters next to them also nodded, saying that their homes had also been robbed, and the men were all working for the well repair team of the Shan'aozi Brigade.
After listening to the four informants' accounts, Lan Qingshan's brow furrowed so tightly that a fly could be caught. He waved his hand, telling the four members of Group 6 to follow. The accident involved the well repair team from the Shan'aozi Brigade, so this was likely a serious matter.
Five field officers, riding bicycles, accompanied the four women who had reported the crime, quickly arrived at the fiberglass residential complex where the crime occurred. They first visited Sister Hong's home. A large crowd had gathered outside the fiberglass structure, their footsteps chaotic. The area within five meters of the scene was deemed unreliable for investigation. There were no signs of broken windows or broken locks. While the interior was in disarray, it was clear the thieves hadn't damaged anything. Several glasses, bowls, and dishes were neatly stored in the cabinets, showing no signs of rummaging. It seemed the thieves had headed straight for the hidden money.
The same was true for the other three houses. There were no signs of violent damage to the door locks. The houses were messy but not damaged. The thieves seemed to be particularly familiar with places where money could be hidden in the house.
Lan Qingshan comforted the four people who reported the case, inquired about the elderly and children at home, and claimed that he would find the suspect as soon as possible. Because he was an experienced police officer, everyone was convinced of his power, and the five people were able to leave.
When they left, the outside was already crowded with onlookers. Lan Qingshan and Zhou Zhixing were all worried. Judging from the scene, it was almost certain that it was done by an insider. But what would the insider do with the money they stole from the family?
Lan Qingshan: "Put the bicycle back at the police station first, and then we'll take a bus directly to the Shan'aozi Brigade."
Everyone in Group 6 had no objection. The families whose items were robbed were all related to the Shan'aozi Brigade, so they had to go there to take a look.
In the car, Jiang Nan whispered, "I remember Fang Nanshan's well repair team was recently stationed at the Shan'aozi Brigade, right?"
Zhou Zhixing nodded and said softly, "It's probably related to... You should keep an eye on it."
Although his words were vague, Jiang Nan immediately understood what he meant and nodded cautiously.
The car was much faster than the bicycle, and in the blink of an eye, the Shan'aozi Brigade appeared in front of everyone.
The five of them went straight to the well repair team. Lan Qingshan found Captain Ma and said, "The police station has received a report that four members of Well Repair Team 7 have had their homes burglarized. We've come to the team to investigate and understand the situation. Captain Ma, please call in Hong Na's husband Bai Shun, Sun Yan's husband Wang Liu... We have something to ask them."
Captain Ma's eyes twitched. He had some guesses about the situation in the team. Now that the police had arrived, he had no time to make any arrangements. He just called the deputy captain with a grim face: "Call the four of you, the straight, the six...!"
After learning that his wife and parents had reported the case, the four people who were brought in did not feel relieved, but instead showed a moment of panic. Although they quickly concealed it, as an old policeman, Lan Qingshan did not miss the subtle changes in the four people's expressions.
Lan Qingshan's heart sank. He beckoned Zhou Zhixing and Zou Li over and instructed the other two, "Qiangzi, Xiaonan, you two watch over them. Xiaozhou, Xiaozou, and I will question them one by one. Be careful not to talk casually. Understand?"
Wen Qiang and Jiang Nan said with serious expressions: "I know."
On the side, Captain Ma was glaring at the four team members who had been brought in with a look of dismay. When Bai Shun was called out, he didn't say a word. It was embarrassing, but it was better than losing his job.
Bai Shun lowered his head, and his expression had returned to normal when he was called out.
Lan Qingshan stared at him and asked, "Bai Shun, right? How long have you been working in the well repair team? How much is your monthly salary?"
Bai Shun frowned and replied, "My name is Bai Shun. I've worked in the well repair team for six years, and my monthly salary is 78.2 yuan."
Lan Qingshan: "Your salary is not low. I, the deputy director, only make 80 yuan a month. What do you do?"
Bai Shun lowered his head and said, "I'm a welder. I'm mainly responsible for repairing and inspecting the kowtow machine."
Lan Qingshan: "Oh, so, do you need to be on duty for a long time? Your wife said that you have been on duty almost every day in the past six months. Doesn't the Well Repair Team 7 have anyone else to take over?"
Bai Shun's eyes flickered as he said, "I'm the only level six welder in the team. No one else can do my job. I volunteer to work on duty. I'm old and have a heavy family burden, so working more shifts will earn me more overtime pay."
Lan Qingshan nodded and continued, "Then, including overtime pay, holiday benefits, etc., it should be close to a hundred a month. Your wife said that you always take home only the salary, so where is the rest of the money?"
Bai Shun was stunned for a moment, then said vaguely, "Does this...does this have anything to do with the thief? My salary...I can distribute it freely. I...I have other uses for it."
Lan Qingshan frowned and said seriously, "When the police are investigating a case, you answer whatever they ask you. You can't bargain with them. Tell me, what did you do with your overtime pay?"
Bai Shun's face turned red and he stammered, unable to answer.
Lan Qingshan said angrily, "Bai Shun, you can't just hide a police case if you want to. You'd better think it through. If we find any problems in the end, we will have to report it to the oil field. By then, it's hard to say whether you can keep your job!"
Bai Shun lowered his head, staring at the ground. After a while, he said, "If I...if I tell you, can you not let the oil field fire me? I...I can't be without a job. I have elderly parents and young children at home. I can't be without a job..."
Lan Qingshan said sternly, "I'm not the oilfield leader, so I can't promise you anything. But you must tell me clearly what you did. Don't take chances. Based on your confession, we can intercede with the oilfield leaders, but their decisions are not something we police officers can interfere with. It's up to you to decide whether to tell or not. After all, we're going to question four people this time, and whoever speaks first will get the greatest credit."
Bai Shun's lips moved and a look of struggle appeared on his face.
The big stick had taken effect, and Lan Qingshan began to offer sweet dates. He softened his expression and said, "Whoever speaks first and provides the most and most comprehensive clues will be recorded truthfully in the final case report. I believe the oilfield leaders will see it, and it will be beneficial to your final handling."
At this point, his face hardened and he said forcefully, "But anyone who speaks last, or refuses to speak, will definitely be punished! Think it over carefully."
Bai Shun's lips trembled as he looked up. Seeing the three officers all with stern expressions, showing no mercy at all, he felt a chill run down his spine. He stammered and told the truth, "East of the Shan'aozi Brigade, near the black market, there's... there's a gambling house. Liu Tiao, Danengzi, and I would occasionally go there to play a few games."
He swallowed and added with a pale face: "Really, at the beginning I only went there occasionally, and I even won money."
As if thinking of some bad experience, Bai Shun's voice began to weaken. He said: "In the past few months, I... I lost six
"I'm only a hundred yuan. The village scoundrels come to the well every day to block me. I... I really have no other choice but to use the family savings to pay off my gambling debts."
Seeing the police's eyes widen, he argued cunningly: "Really, I didn't mean to do it, and I'm not a thief. The money in the house is all earned by me, and it's nothing for me to spend it. We won't report it. Comrade police, you...you don't have to investigate the thief anymore."
Lan Qingshan hadn't expected the 'thief case' to be linked to something as serious as gambling. He asked gravely, "Putting aside the theft, let me ask you, who in Well Repair Team 7 has participated in gambling? Have you seen other oilfield workers in the gambling house? Who's in charge of the gambling house? And who's that idiot you mentioned earlier?"
Bai Shun shook his head. "I only know a few people from Team Seven, maybe five or six. Besides the four who reported the case today, there are also the newcomers Fang Nanshan and Wang Ercai. Fang Nanshan is my apprentice, and Wang Ercai is Wang Liu's apprentice. They were both brought in to see the world, and haven't seen any action yet."
Jiang Nan's heart moved. She didn't expect that Fang Nanshan had actually been to a gambling house.
Bai Shun continued, "I really don't know the person in charge of the gambling house. I've only met a few young men from the Shan'aozi Brigade. They're all the village scoundrels. Er Laizi is their leader. I think his last name is Lin. He's a thug for the gambling house and often plays a few rounds there. He doesn't seem like the person in charge."
After questioning the families of the four people who reported the case, Lan Qingshan felt a surge of anger in his chest. He said angrily, "We've been doing so well for so long! So many people are so idle! With such high salaries, they're actually thinking about gambling!"
He paced back and forth, and when he was no longer so angry, he went into the house and continued to negotiate with Captain Ma: "Captain Ma, please call Fang Nanshan and Wang Ercai. We need to confirm something with them."
Ma's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He hadn't expected his team members to be so bold. He knew that some of his team members had been sneaking out at night, but he had assumed that the workers were dishonest and were fooling around with the young widows in the village. He had never imagined that they were gambling! He nodded and called Fang Nanshan and Wang Ercai over with a sullen face.
Since he started working, Fang Nanshan has always regarded himself as a young talent in the No. 1 Courtyard. He never thought that one day he would be interrogated as a criminal and watched from head to toe by two young policemen in the building. He felt as if his face was peeled off, thrown to the ground and stepped on hard, and his heart, liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys were all affected. He lost all his face and dignity.
Facing Lan Qingshan's harsh questioning, Fang Nanshan's face turned ashen and he emphasized, "I didn't gamble. Bai Shun is my master. I just saw that he went out every night these days and I was worried, so I followed him. I haven't been to the gambling table. You can ask other people. I'm telling the truth and I have a clear conscience!"
Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing exchanged glances, knowing he was telling the truth. But what if this case hadn't been exposed? Could Fang Nanshan really resist the temptation and avoid gambling if it happened a few more times? If he fell into the trap, he'd be facing hundreds, even thousands, of dollars in debt. He was getting married soon, his father-in-law was the captain of a well-repair team, and his mother was Sun Qiaolian, a businessman...
Jiang Nan silently checked the explosion probability in the system. It remained unchanged at 62%. The gambling den's owner hadn't been apprehended yet. Once the news of the case died down, there was no guarantee it wouldn't resurface. This crisis might recur.
After spending most of the day at the Well Repair Team 7, Lan Qingshan and the four members of Team 6 didn't even bother to eat before heading to the home of the Shan'aozi team leader. On the way, Lan Qingshan told his juniors, "When you go to the team to handle a case, the first person you should look for is the team leader. Don't just go to the villagers' homes, okay? The team leader must be present for any questioning or arrests."
He lowered his voice and said, "Especially in some remote brigades, the villagers generally stick together. If you rashly go to someone's house to arrest someone, the villagers will beat you out, or even kill you in serious cases! It's different when the team leader is here. The team leader is a cadre, has more contact with the commune, knows the rules outside, and has some experience in the village. With him around, things will be much easier."
Lan Qingshan warned: "Don't think that people will be afraid of you just because you're wearing a police uniform. You must remember this, okay?"
Seeing everyone nod, Lan Qingshan quickened his pace and went to the captain's house to inquire about the situation of several members who participated in gambling.
Perhaps the inquiry with the well repair team had tipped off a few village scoundrels to the danger. When the five men, led by the team leader, went to the villagers' homes, they found nothing. Even when the militia was mobilized to look for them, they couldn't find anyone.
Lan Qingshan was furious, but he could do nothing. After leaving the gathering point, he whispered to the four of them, "Remember, when handling a case in the village, you must not act separately. There are only five of us, and there are hundreds of villagers. Any mistake could put their lives in danger. Do you understand?"
The four of them nodded and returned to the oil field with the five workers from Well Repair Team 7 who had participated in the gambling. The sun was setting, and it was almost time to get off work.
Lan Qingshan had a gloomy face. After sending the five parties to the detention room, he went straight to report to Director Shen Mingguang.
Discovering a gambling den on the grounds of the operations office was a serious matter, and the oilfield leadership would definitely have to be notified. Furthermore, it was clear that these gambling dens were set up specifically for oilfield employees, and there might be more than one. The oilfield must take this matter seriously.
Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing were just small soldiers, and they were outside with Wen Qiang, Zou Li, and others. Whether they would conduct interrogations and raids on the gambling houses of the Shan'aozi Brigade overnight depended on the director's orders.
However, we have already alerted the enemy, and even if we search, we will not find anything.
After hearing the report, Shen Mingguang sighed, "Take Team 4 and Team 6 and raid the gambling house. Lock them up for a day without visitors. We'll interrogate them tomorrow. Let them think carefully about who they've seen in the gambling house and whether there's anyone suspicious. The owner of the gambling house must be apprehended, otherwise, after this period, the crime will surely revive."
Lan Qingshan nodded, went out and called Groups 4 and 6, and rode their bikes to seal up the gambling house. As expected, the place was deserted, empty, without even a table.
It was almost ten o'clock in the evening when they returned to the police station. Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing changed their clothes, said goodbye to Wen Qiang and Zou Li, and pushed the cart home.
On the way, Jiang Nan whispered, "If Fang Nanshan loses money, will he pressure Sun Qiaolian to continue doing business?"
Zhou Zhixing scoffed, "He's the most selfish person in the building. If he owes her money, Sun Qiaolian will definitely be squeezed dry, sinking deeper and deeper into debt, and she might even end up half-opening the door. What do you think? When Sun Qiaolian is no longer useful, will Fang Nanshan abandon her? Will Sun Qiaolian turn evil?"
Jiang Nan nodded in agreement. "Let's go to the Shan'aozi Brigade tomorrow and investigate further. The probability hasn't changed, probably because the mastermind hasn't been caught yet."
The four of them were originally planning to go to the Shan'aozi Brigade, and this time they had an even greater reason to go.
On the way, Jiang Mancheng and Chen Jinhua heard about Fang Nanshan and were very surprised. Especially Chen Jinhua, she really didn't expect Fang Nanshan to gamble.
Jiang Mancheng explained: "Fang Nanshan is a person who has an extremely suppressed nature. He always appears to be a considerate and well-behaved child in front of others. Perhaps it is only at the gambling table that he can let himself go."
As he spoke, he murmured in the back seat: "Bai Shun, Wang Liu... I seem to have seen these names somewhere..."
As he passed the mountain between the black market and the Shan'aozi Brigade, his eyes suddenly lit up and he shouted, "I know! Xiaonan, do you remember the account book we found on the mountain? The names Shunzi and Liutiao were on it. Do you think it could be the account book for this gambling house?"
Jiang Nan exclaimed, quickly pulling over. It was the weekend, and many people were heading to the oil fields, not so many heading to the suburbs. The four of them stopped, making sure no one was around. Then Jiang Nan pulled the account book out of her space. Seeing that the names matched those of the husbands of the four people who had reported the crime, she exclaimed in surprise, "I didn't expect this gambling house to have existed this long ago!"
Zhou Zhixing's eyes flickered as he said, "Let's go to the Third Concubine's house. This matter is probably related to her family."
Yes, if they hadn't understood the reason when Wan Hu set his sights on this family before, what would they have understood now? The Third Concubine used the funds she brought back from the Shao family to open a gambling parlor with her adopted husband, earning money that allowed her to afford the large courtyard. The fact that they were able to survive in the village despite its small population was due to the support of the village's scoundrels. Those scoundrels worked as thugs in the gambling parlor, essentially acting as accomplices for the Third Concubine's family.
In order not to attract attention, the four of them took a detour to the back mountain and decided to observe the third concubine's compound from the back mountain.
The mountain road was difficult to navigate, so the four abandoned their bikes, hid, and hiked up. The snow had melted below, but scattered patches of snow could still be seen on the mountain. Just as Jiang Nan, bored and about to crunch through the snow, came towards them: three people—two men and one woman, carrying large and small bags. The young man's face was filled with resentment, while the middle-aged woman and man had fierce expressions.
The four of them couldn't dodge and ran into each other head-on. Jiang Nan whispered a warning: "Third concubine."
Indeed, across from them were the three startled venomous snakes, the Third Concubine's family. As Lan Qingshan and Group 6 entered the Shan'aozi Brigade, they received the news and immediately retreated to the mountains. Fortunately, the Third Concubine was cunning and had never appeared at the gambling house. It was the village scoundrel who was responsible. Having evaded this, the two returned home before dawn and, along with their son, who was home for the weekend, prepared to go into hiding for a while.
Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing had appeared at the Shan'aozi Brigade before, and Third Auntie recognized them immediately. She giggled so hard that her body shook.
This was a very charming woman, in her forties, still radiant. After she had finished laughing, she said, "Why, the police don't have a day off on Sundays, are they working overtime to arrest people?"
Seeing that the woman was not hiding anything, Jiang Nan tentatively said, "We are just out for fun, but we never mentioned arresting anyone. I don't know what you mean by that."
The woman snorted, "Why so much nonsense? I'm sure you know everything about my past. I heard Officer Jiang's words about the 'third concubine' clearly."
She pointed to her ears and said confidently, "My ears can hear many things you wouldn't expect. Let's be frank and honest. How much do you want to let us go?"
Jiang Nan's heart trembled, and he recalled whether he had mentioned anything about the system just now.
Seeing the four people silent, the third concubine showed contempt in her eyes and said disdainfully: "I saw a lot of people like you before liberation. I didn't expect that in the new society, there are still parasites like you. Tell me, how much money do you want?"
Jiang Mancheng echoed her words, "As expected of someone who dares to open a casino, Third Wife is truly a clever woman. In that case, I won't hide it anymore. My wife and I are Officer Jiang's parents, and we have the final say on her affairs. The child is ignorant and has ruined your livelihood. I've already told her about it."
He chuckled twice and continued, "I guess your family has been doing business for quite some time, right? Look, my daughter and son-in-law are both police officers. If I let you go like this and your superiors find out, you'll be fired and maybe even go to jail, right? This amount of money is too little, and I don't think you can afford it. I won't say anything empty, just one thousand yuan. Let's pretend we didn't see anything today, how about that?"
After saying that, he carefully observed the woman's expression. One thousand yuan was basically all the money in the account book. He didn't believe that the woman couldn't come up with it.
Sure enough, the woman narrowed her eyes, exchanged glances with the middle-aged man next to her, and bargained, "You're asking for such a high price, you don't want to talk."
The middle-aged man quietly leaned aside and reached into his bag with his right hand. At this critical moment, the young man, who had been silent until then, said impatiently, "Dad, Mom, are you guys leaving or not? Just give them the money if they want it. Is a thousand yuan a lot? It's only a month's interest. It's just two police officers. I'll give it to them. Why are you nagging me? If you don't hurry up, you'll miss the train."
He cursed, "I've been hired as an oil worker, and it's a civilian job, so I don't have to do any manual labor. I'm no longer a capitalist's bastard, but you guys messed this up, and I have to hide from you. I won't say anything, but what are you trying to do by dawdling? It's so annoying!"
The woman no longer had the tension she had just had. She understood what her son meant. The other side had more people and they were young and strong. They were no match for them in a one-on-one fight, but she had guns at home, so what was there to be afraid of?
Thinking of this, the woman comforted him softly, "Son, it's not the same as giving as much as others ask for..."
The young man waved his hand: "Okay, why are you talking so much nonsense. Dad, take the money, let's..."
The middle-aged man hesitated for a moment, but was kicked to the ground by Erlaizi who rushed out from the side with a sweeping kick. The fallen leaves on the ground were swept up and fell down by the wind from the kick.
Er Laizi's face flushed purple, and he fiercely kicked the man's legs, cursing in Chinese: "You want to leave me and run away, right? Am I, Lin Er, so easy to deal with?"
He waved to the back, and three strong men rushed out, obviously they were all acquaintances of the Third Wife's family. The young man was scared and immediately hid behind the Third Wife.
The Third Concubine cursed inwardly, but smiled as she said, "Lin Er, the gambling house's gambling money for the past month is all left to you. What else do you want?"
Lin Er snorted and laughed, "This gambling house has been open for more than half a year, and you think you can get rid of us with just one month's gambling money? Third Wife, you don't think sleeping with me for a night can be worth two or three months' dividends, do you? You're not that worthless!"
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