Urban Crisis [Full Text] - 18

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

Chapter Forty-Eight: Counterfeit Dollars First Encounter with a Mystery; Black Notebook Sparks Another Dispute.

Jiao Xiaoyu entered Director Zhou Senlin's office. Zhou Senlin was talking to the deputy director of the finance department.

"Director Zhou, I need to talk to you about something."

"Xiaoyu, please have a seat." Zhou Senlin signed the finance department's report. "Lin, you can go back now.
We'll arrange a time to discuss it further."

The deputy director of the finance department took the report signed by the director and left. Zhou Senlin stood up, walked to Jiao Xiaoyu,
and pressed her shoulder, saying,

"Sit down. You're not fully recovered yet, don't overexert yourself."

Jiao Xiaoyu sat on the sofa. Zhou Senlin didn't mention that she had forced herself to meet with Jiao Pengyuan, causing
strong dissatisfaction from relevant parties. He waited for her to bring it up herself.

"Director Zhou," Jiao Xiaoyu handed Zhou Senlin the envelope she was holding, "the hospital sent me a notice asking
me to be hospitalized for a follow-up examination. What do you think we should do?"

"Really?" Zhou Senlin took the notice from the envelope. "Of course, you should get treatment promptly when you're sick. Actually, you
shouldn't been discharged so early." "

Zhou Senlin knew about the hospital's notice for a follow-up examination without even looking at it. It was after he and Fang Hao discussed it that they decided
to send Jiao Xiaoyu back to the hospital for treatment and rest. After consultation with the hospital, they issued the notice. He felt that
having Jiao Xiaoyu hospitalized was the best way to help her get rid of the pressure of reality and avoid gossip from the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

"Okay, since the hospital requires you to be hospitalized for a follow-up examination, I think that's good. This time, you might as well stay
for a while and be discharged when you're fully recovered. When do you plan to go in? I'll have Chen Hu drive you."

"No need. Director Chen is very busy, and I don't want him to drive me. I can go by myself."

"Xiaoyu, do you have some misunderstanding about Chen Hu? He cares about you a lot. This guy is like a
thermos , warm inside but cold outside."

"I don't care if he's a thermos or a mineral water bottle, it's none of my business. Director Zhou, I want to ask you something."

"What is it? You used to be very straightforward, go ahead and ask."

"Is the dormitory for the procuratorate about to start construction?" “

You’re asking about this?” Zhou Senlin slapped his forehead. “You want a house, don’t you? I’d completely forgotten you
didn’t have one. Are you still living with your classmate?”

“Yes, still living there.”

“Yeah, the two-bedroom apartment Jiao Dongfang originally got for you, you insisted on returning it to the property owner.
Actually they never intended to take it back; not returning it wasn’t illegal. Back then, you hadn’t even come to the procuratorate yet, so it wasn’t a case of
abusing your power. That’s right, the procuratorate dormitory starts construction this month, and you can move in in a year. You’ll have no problem getting a
60- square-meter two-bedroom apartment; I guarantee it.”

Jiao Xiaoyu sneered,

“It’s that piece of land Qianzhong allocated to the procuratorate, right?”

“That’s the land. Convenient transportation, good location. Just wait to move into your nice house.”

“Then I don’t understand. Director Zhou, Qianzhong just wrote a stroke of his pen and allocated the land to the procuratorate; did he just buy
you all off?” Zhou

Senlin's head went blank. He hadn't expected Jiao Xiaoyu to launch such a surprise attack,
and specifically at him.

"Xiaoyu, are you running a fever?"

"I'm not running a fever. I'm perfectly calm. The procuratorate has been applying for this land for many years, but it's never been approved.
Then the municipal party committee ran into trouble, and when Qian Zhong's true colors came out, he came knocking with the approval document. You
all know perfectly well that Qian Zhong is making a deal: he approves the land for the procuratorate, and the procuratorate will go easy on him.
But none of you dare to expose this fact. The real benefit is that you get to live in the houses. Is that really approval?
That's a freebie. Qian Zhong symbolically collected a small land use fee, less than one-thirtieth of the normal fee. Qian Zhong
is using state funds, and the procuratorate is embezzling state interests. And that's how you two made your deal! Director Zhou, am I
right?" Zhou

Senlin felt a chill run down his spine. He now truly understood Jiao Xiaoyu. Beneath her beautiful exterior lay
a fierce, masculine spirit, an untamable wild horse. She held a firm, unwavering legal compass; no wonder she had managed to send
his uncle and brother to prison. Perhaps it wasn't just that; was she harboring resentment
towards the procuratorate because of their ordeal? Zhou Senlin felt he had to suppress Jiao Xiaoyu's arrogance and force her to retract her plan.
Otherwise, Jiao Xiaoyu would become the target of the entire procuratorate; she would
destroy , and people would rather destroy Jiao Xiaoyu than the houses. That would be extremely
disadvantageous for Jiao Xiaoyu.

"Jiao Xiaoyu, your words are outrageous. Qian Zhong's land approval wasn't his personal act; it was a government action.
How portray this as a deal between Qian Zhong and the procuratorate? This land should have been approved for the procuratorate long ago! Just
because a few leaders of the municipal party committee and government have problems doesn't mean their daily work is completely useless!" "Yes,
the land use fee for the procuratorate is lower than normal. This is probably because the municipal government considers the procuratorate to be a low-income department with
limited funds, so they've given it preferential treatment in terms of policy. Building dormitories involves the specific
interests . You should quickly retract your idea and absolutely not spread it around. If word gets out, people won't understand you,
and they'll tear you apart piece by piece."

Jiao Xiaoyu stood up from the sofa, walked to Zhou Senlin, and braced her hands on the office desk, saying,

"Then let them tear me apart piece by piece. Hmph, can you cover up the transactional nature of
this matter ? Yes, you can.
How many acts of corruption have occurred under the fig leaf of 'government action'? When investigated, a collective discussion, a government action, a report and
approval are all it takes to cover it all up. Director Zhou, don't you understand that many major cases
occur in the name of the government? Does the government have the right to abuse its power? I know you don't want to investigate the matter of Qianzhong's sudden low-price land approval for
the procuratorate , and you don't want to miss the last train of welfare housing allocation." " Not only have they not filed a case against Qian Zhong, but now
quite a few people are saying good things about him. What is this if not a deal? It's just a deal disguised as legality."

"Jiao Xiaoyu," Zhou Senlin slammed his fist on the table, "you'll be held legally responsible for defaming a state organ.
What evidence do you have to prove this is a deal between the procuratorate and Qian Zhong? How do you know they won't file a case against Qian Zhong?"

Jiao Xiaoyu slammed her fist on the table again, shouting,

"Go ahead and sue me! Do you dare? If this continues, find a newspaper, paste the '
anti' in 'Anti-Corruption and Bribery Bureau' over it, and just make the Anti-Corruption and Bribery Bureau legitimate!"

Zhou Senlin was speechless. He admitted to himself that although Jiao Xiaoyu's words were extreme,
stemming from her emotional instability, they were not entirely unreasonable given her public-spiritedness. However, Jiao Xiaoyu couldn't win this case.
Even if she reported the situation to higher authorities, they would never believe there was any transaction involved; at most, it would just result in an
additional land occupation fee. Ultimately, it was the state taking money from one pocket and putting it into another
. There was no exchange of power and money between individuals or legal entities. But Xiaoyu's outburst would inevitably make her a black sheep in
the procuratorate , and how could she withstand the pressure from everyone?

"Xiaoyu, my attitude was bad; I shouldn't have slammed my fist on the table at you. You have strong principles, which is good. But
you're too young and immature. Don't you know it's difficult to defy public opinion? Besides, regardless of Qianzhong's motives for approving the land,
the procuratorate didn't promise not to file a case against him. A few individuals speaking well of him don't represent the organization. Therefore, we
don't have the deal you're talking about with Qianzhong. Some people might want to let Qianzhong off the hook. In China, many things are
left unsaid , and you can't find any evidence. As far as I know, Qianzhong is very active in exposing wrongdoings now, allowing
comrades who have made mistakes..." Correcting mistakes is the Party's policy. It's hard to say how far this major case will develop.
To be honest, we grassroots investigators can only learn as we go, adjusting our tune as we go. Let's leave it at that for today. You
didn't say it, and I didn't hear it. If the truth is in your hands, but your truth isn't mature yet, wait for it
to mature. Society is complex, and some things are beyond our control. Perhaps you'll understand when you're a few years older.
Come on, I'll take you to the hospital right away, I'm going now.”

Zhou Senlin grabbed Jiao Xiaoyu's hand, a chill running through him.

“Xiaoyu, your hand is like ice. Child, you have no one to care for you. There's an old saying, 'A child without care has
cold hands.'”

Jiao Xiaoyu leaned on Zhou Senlin's shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Director Zhou… I feel so suffocated, so uncomfortable…”

“I know, child, I know your heart… is so bitter…”

Zhou Senlin personally took Jiao Xiaoyu to the hospital. He handed the inpatient department a blank check from the procuratorate,
repeatedly instructing the attending physician not to discharge Jiao Xiaoyu within three months. He hoped to minimize the
damage the Jiao He case had caused Jiao Xiaoyu, and not let things get any worse. Temporarily removing her from the picture was the most
practical .

Chen Hu dialed He Kedai's cell phone.

"Ke Dai, this is Chen Hu."

"Director Chen, long time no see. Your official hat hasn't been taken away yet, has it?"

"I'm still wearing it."

"Find a rope and tie the hat wings securely. Be careful the wind doesn't blow it away."

"How do you know my official hat won't last much longer?"

"Didn't I tell you? My father told me this in a dream. 'When the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked; when the birds are all gone,
the good bow is put away.' Have you forgotten this wise saying of our ancestors? The Jiao family father and son are both in jail, the big case is successfully closed. Keeping
you around is only a nuisance. Go into business with me. I'll give you a hand."

"Stop talking nonsense. Do me a favor."

"What is it? Do you need to come to me, Director Chen?"

"You'll know when we meet. Where do I find you?"

"Is it urgent?"

"Urgent. We should meet immediately."

“I’m afraid you won’t dare to come. I’m driving to the cemetery, the public cemetery, to sweep my dad’s grave. If you’re in a hurry,
come and find me. If not, we can talk tomorrow or the day after.”

This was something new; Chen Hu had never heard that He Qizhang’s body had been cremated and buried. The body had been frozen at the hospital for a long time
to determine whether it was homicide or suicide. It seemed
He Qizhang’s cremation occurred while I was abroad apprehending Hao Xiangshou. Now that
the conclusion , there was no need to preserve the body any longer.

“Okay, I’ll come over. I’ll contact you by phone when I get there.”

“Alright, come right now. Damn, I don’t even have time to ask my dad for permission. Even if you dare to come, he
might not be willing to see you.”

Chen Hu hung up his phone and cursed, “Let’s see

how long you can keep up this cocky.” In the cemetery parking lot, Chen Hu spotted He Kedai’s Honda King. He parked his Cherokee next to the Honda King.

Looking at the rows of tombstones rising up the hillside, his heart ached. Tao Suling's grave lay
quietly on the hillside. The horrific scene of the 2020 Jeep rolling down the hillside from the road flashed before his eyes; a vibrant
body had turned into ashes, forever resting beneath the cold tombstone. The case of He Qizhang had taken her life.

Now, He Qizhang's ashes also lay quietly here. Death leveled the noble and the lowly,
the good and the bad. He Qizhang had committed suicide and was no longer subject to legal prosecution. Thinking of this, Chen Hu
felt indignant; he felt that placing He Qizhang's grave here was a desecration of Tao Suling's spirit. But
what could he do? This was a cemetery; even those who deserved to die had the right to be buried here.

The cemetery shop sold incense, flowers, mineral water, and alcohol. Chen Hu bought a bouquet of white calla lilies,
a bottle of Erguotou liquor, and a bottle of mineral water.

He walked heavily to Tao Suling's gravestone.

Withered pine branches, fallen leaves, and scraps of paper covered the tombstone, its surface stained with rainwater and windblown sand.
Clearly , no one had visited Tao Suzhen's grave in a long time.

Chen Hu knelt beside the tombstone and whispered, "Lingling, I've come to see you. I've missed you so much."

He took out a handkerchief and brushed away the withered branches and leaves, then used mineral water to wash the tombstone from top to bottom. After cleaning
it , he opened a bottle of Erguotou (a

type of Chinese liquor) and poured the liquor onto the tombstone, leaving not a drop. A white calla lily with yellow stamens was placed before the tombstone.

"Lingling," Chen Hu gently stroked the tombstone, "you might be angry to hear this, but He Qizhang's grave is also in
this cemetery. I will definitely fight for your martyr's title and move you to the Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery. Goodbye, I will
come to see you again."

Chen Hu took out his phone and dialed He Kedai's number.

"I'm here. Where are you, kid?"

"Go all the way up, there'll be a stone pavilion, you'll find me there."

Chen Hu walked from Tao Suling's tombstone to the stone steps leading up the mountain, climbing more than thirty steps to reach
the top.

He Ke was waving at him from a square stone pavilion. Chen Hu had assumed the pavilion was a place for tomb sweepers to rest and
enjoy the view , but upon reaching it, he discovered that it was actually an auxiliary structure of He Qizhang's tomb, a two-meter-high, one-and-a-half-meter-wide stone.
A tall, wide white marble tombstone, engraved with He Qizhang's name, stood in the center of the square stone pavilion!

Chen Hu gasped. He had thought death had leveled the playing field between good and bad, but it seemed that wasn't the case.
The city's number one corrupt official's towering tombstone and granite pavilion still proclaimed his prominence and dignity to society. More
than thirty steps below was Tao Suling's two-foot tombstone.

Dozens of bouquets of flowers, along with apples, peaches, and other offerings, were piled at the foot of He Qizhang's tombstone. It was impeccably clean,
practically spotless.

Chen Hu sneered,

"What can you do? Your father's prestige hasn't diminished in the slightest since he was alive. Did you, this filial son, erect the monument? And even build
a pavilion?"

"The law can govern the living, not the dead. Whoever has money can choose the best feng shui
spot in this cemetery for burial. As long as you're willing to spend money, no one will care if your monument is taller than the Monument to the People's Heroes,
let alone building a stone pavilion."

"So how much did you spend on the monument and pavilion?"

"I'm sorry, that's purely a private matter, I can't disclose that. Ten or twenty thousand, it's bound to be some. Director Chen,
you should watch your words in front of the deceased. Even the judiciary doesn't hold the deceased responsible, so don't say
anything unlucky that might make me lose my temper."

"All these flowers, did you send them all by yourself?"

“No, that’s not it. I only brought a bunch of violets today. The other flowers weren’t brought by me, and
neither were those tribute fruits. If you don’t believe me, ask the old man who looks after the graves. I’ve heard a lot of things from him.”

He Ke called out to the old man who was weeding next to a gravestone, “Grandpa, could you come over
here for a moment ?”

A rural old man in his sixties, carrying a hoe, came over.

“Grandpa, my friend wants to know who sent these flowers?”

The old man pointed to the violets and said, “This bunch of flowers is what you just brought. That bunch of forget-me-nots, I put it up this
morning the other flowers, I don’t know who sent them. It seems like a few people came this morning, and
the apples were probably left by them.”

Chen Hu said kindly,

“Grandpa, what do you do for a living?”

“I’m an old farmer. Ever since this place was turned into a cemetery, I’ve been looking after the graves. Whoever pays, I’ll clean their
gravestone more often. Those who don’t pay, I just sweep it with a broom and that’s it.” "

Then why are you, a cemetery caretaker, sending flowers to this tombstone? Do you know the deceased, He Qizhang?" "

No. One day, a woman, quite pretty, came. She gave me two thousand yuan and asked me
to send a bouquet of flowers to this tombstone every day. She specifically asked me to send one. She also instructed me to clean the tombstone and the surrounding area every day.
I was just doing her a favor; besides buying flowers, I could earn more than half of the two thousand yuan."

"Sir, do many people come to sweep this tombstone?"

"Every few days. They're all very respectable people. They know I'm a cemetery caretaker, and they all slip money into my
hand , asking me to keep the tomb clean, and they even leave a lot of money for incense and candles. I figure this deceased
must have helped many people in his life. That's why his incense continues to burn after he's dead. It seems that people should do good deeds in life
to ." "Look, even I, this old man who looks after the grave, had never met him before, but now that he's
dead, I'm benefiting from his good fortune. What a blessing! Please, both of you, don't dirty the stone pavilion. If there's nothing else,
I'm going to weed."

After the old man left, He Ke said softly,

"I didn't dare tell him who I was. I was afraid that if he knew I was the son of the deceased, he would kowtow to me in gratitude.
How could I accept his bow? I subtly asked him twice, and he must
have received at least ten thousand yuan from the people who came to sweep my father's grave."

"So, you don't know who comes to sweep the grave?"

"No. I've never encountered them. They don't leave their names for old men who look after graves. But I can
guess what they're thinking. My father's death saved them all. You forgot what I told you? My father appeared to me
in a dream, saying that his death saved over a thousand officials above the bureau level." "These people are grateful for my father's
kindness and saving their lives. They must have come here secretly, afraid of being exposed. They
're seeking psychological balance because of their conscience. Maybe they're praying that my father's spirit in heaven will protect them."

"Hmm. Your analysis makes sense. These people must have taken a lot of benefits from your father."

"Otherwise, why would my father have the nickname 'Timely Rain Arrives at Jiang'? I've always wondered
who that young woman was who gave the old man two thousand yuan and always brought him forget-me-nots? I can't remember her no matter how hard I try.
There really are romantics in this world, rare indeed. My father had such a confidante even in death; he did
n't live in vain."

"It seems your father was indeed a romantic even in death." "Don't curse here. Watch your mouth; when you die, someone will send you flowers. Don't make my father unhappy

here. Let's talk about it down the mountain." He Kedai bowed deeply three times to his father's tombstone, then followed Chen Hu down the mountain. Back in the parking lot, He Kedai leaned against the door of the Toyota King and said,
" What do you need me to do for you?" "I have a thousand US dollars. You have connections, so exchange it for RMB for me. I'm only asking you to compare exchange rates." "Just a thousand US dollars? That's a bit low." "I'll have more later, exchange a thousand for now." He Kedai smiled knowingly: "Director Chen, you've finally figured it out. Okay, that's right." Chen Hu took out ten hundred-dollar bills from his pocket. He had picked . He wasn't worried about He Kedai recognizing the numbers; since the numbers weren't consecutive, He Kedai couldn't possibly have such a good memory. He Kedai took the dollars, put them in his bag without even looking at them. "I'll give you an answer tomorrow, Director Chen. From today onwards, we're friends." He Kedai and Chen Hu got into their respective cars and drove into the city. The next afternoon, He Kedai called Chen Hu's cell phone and summoned him to the company office. He Kedai took 10,000 RMB from the boss's desk drawer, placed it on the table, and pushed it to Chen Hu's side. "I've exchanged it for you. 1,000 US dollars for 10,000 RMB, not bad, right?" "Thank you." Chen Hu was very disappointed. This meant that neither He Kedai nor the person who handled the currency exchange had discovered that the US dollars were counterfeit. He still had to find a way to get those 1,000 counterfeit US dollars back and prevent them from circulating in the market;

He said it was evidence and couldn't be lost.

He Kedai took out ten hundred-dollar bills from his handbag and pushed them towards Chen Hu.

"Here's yours too. Returning it to you as is."

Chen Hu feigned surprise and said,

"Kedai, what do you mean by this?"

He Kedai lit a cigarette and took a couple of easy puffs.

"Except for Director Chen, from now on, if you need money, just tell me. Don't deal with counterfeit money; it'll cause serious trouble. Take it
back ; your thousand US dollars are fake."

"Fake? Are you sure?"

"A friend of mine has been in the forex business for over ten years. I'm a bit short on cash lately, otherwise I would have exchanged it for you then and there.
Actually, I could have just given you some money. That guy in the forex business can tell it's fake just by looking at it; he said I was dishonest
and wouldn't exchange it. Director Chen, you've embarrassed me this time. I don't blame you; you're new to this,
you must have been scammed."

"Then… I'm sorry, the US dollars are fake, so I can't take this ten thousand RMB."

"Don't try that on me. The money is mine; you can keep it. Ten thousand RMB is nothing; once my
cash flow improves, you can take whatever you need from me."

“Thank you,” Chen Hu pushed the 10,000 RMB into He Kedai’s hands. “You take back your money.
I take back my money. Since you’ve proven that this thousand US dollars is counterfeit, let’s change the subject. Mr. He, do you remember
the US dollars stolen from your safe, one of them had consecutive serial numbers?”

“Yes, that’s right. Director Chen, Brother Chen, are you setting me up, framing me, trying to frame me? Trying to
arrest me for currency embezzlement?”

“This thousand US dollars, I picked out from the 30,000 counterfeit US dollars, skipping the serial numbers. The Bank of China
has confirmed it’s a counterfeit dollar. You’ve also confirmed that.”

“Director Chen, my Brother Chen, judging by this, are you really trying to set me up?”

Chen Hu stood up and tapped the table with his fingers.

“If I wanted to set you up, I wouldn’t have used this method. However, you are highly suspicious. The counterfeit money
was stolen from your father’s safe, that’s an undeniable fact. To clear your name, you have to explain where this counterfeit money
came from.”

After a moment of panic, He Ke calmed down and poured himself and Chen Hu each a glass of foreign liquor.

"Damn, I'm too honest. I can't compare to Jiao Dongfang's cunning. Yesterday, you asked
me to exchange US dollars. I was a little suspicious then, wondering why the fair and selfless Chen Hu was suddenly involved in currency exchange.
But I still fell for your trap. From now on, I'll have to be more cautious about what you say. You're not a friend I can be; you only know how to
set traps for others, you have no sense of human kindness whatsoever. Take the Jiao family case, for example. How much did I help you?
How many merits did I earn for you? To put it bluntly, half of your achievements are mine. Now that you've finished the big case, you
're starting to look down on me, this nobody?"

"But wait, I'm helping you now. Because there's fake yarn in your safe, the police will immediately have grounds to detain
you. I won't even need to get involved. Have you thought it through? Where did you get these 30,000 fake US dollars?"

“Director Chen, Brother Chen. Think about it, I can't even spend all the real money, why would I deal in counterfeit money? Besides, that
's my dad's safe; only he knows where the money came from. But I guarantee my dad doesn't
know the dollars are counterfeit. If he did, he would have wiped his own ass long ago; he wouldn't be keeping them in the safe like that.”

“Do you have any more counterfeit dollars at home?”

“Then come with a search warrant. Our family has been evicted from the municipal party committee's high-ranking cadre compound. The building you
searched was taken back by the municipal party committee long ago, including the furniture and antiques. My mother has to live with me now.
There's nothing left. I'm afraid there won't be any room for you to search now.”

Chen Hu knew he wouldn't get anything out of He Ke. He Ke's admission that the counterfeit dollars came from his father's
safe laid the foundation for a legal interrogation later.

"Alright. This isn't over. The origin of these counterfeit dollars must be investigated. You should think carefully and
try to take the initiative. I'll contact you again. If your attitude isn't good, I'll have to change my approach. Goodbye."

On the way back to the anti-corruption bureau, Chen Hu kept hearing
the phrase, "My dad wouldn't know the dollars were counterfeit. If he did, he would have cleaned up the mess long ago, not kept them in a safe." He felt that
the connection between He Kedai and the counterfeit dollars could be ruled out. He even foolishly tried to exchange the counterfeit dollars with his friend,
drawing ridicule from his accomplices. But did He Qizhang really not know these dollars were counterfeit? He had worked in finance for decades,
handling all kinds of foreign currencies; he should be able to distinguish between real and counterfeit currency. How could he not notice?
He Kedai's friend, who dealt with foreign exchange, could tell it was fake just by squeezing it! If He Qizhang knew these dollars
were counterfeit, and deliberately kept them in a safe, what did that mean? Chen Hu's spirits lifted.
His intuition told him that this hypothesis... He Qizhang deliberately locked the counterfeit dollars in
a safe because he knew they were counterfeit—he was getting close to the essence of the matter, meaning He Qizhang possessed
the secret . Chen Hu sighed. Alas, He Qizhang committed suicide carrying too many secrets. Everyone
who visits He Qizhang's tall tombstone carries a secret; each secret is a crime; his sudden death
severed ; countless corrupt officials have escaped, still brazenly entering and leaving government agencies at all levels,
even issuing anti-corruption directives and representing the government at important meetings.

Yes, find He Qizhang's black notebook. This executive vice mayor was cunning, recording many secrets in his
black notebook. Although he used coded language, once he got his hands on the notebook, deciphering it shouldn't be difficult. Hao Xiangshou has
been apprehended; he confessed to having a copy of the black notebook. Perhaps, clues to the counterfeit dollars can be found in the notebook
. "Yes, report to Director Zhou immediately and request an interrogation of Hao Xiangshou."

Chen Hu drove back to the Anti-Corruption Bureau. The people in the director's office told him that Director Zhou had accompanied comrades from the Central Committee to Anling
Prison.

Anling Prison is a high-level prison for high-ranking officials and serious criminals who have violated criminal law. Its security and anti-violence
measures are extremely strict, effectively preventing ground and air raids. Even if a raider came in a helicopter,
it would be futile.

Should he wait for Director Zhou to return from prison? No, it's more convenient for me to go see him.

Chen Hu firmly believed that Hei Pi's innate ability could solve the mystery of the counterfeit dollars. He Kedai confessed to Jiao Xiaoyu that he had memorized the serial numbers on the dollars
. This in itself was strange; without a special motive, why would he memorize the numbers on the bills?
Writing down the numbers and then depositing the money—isn't that too tiring? Too abnormal? So, who wrote down the numbers, He Kedai
or He Qizhang? He Qizhang is the most likely candidate. To figure out which number was hard to remember, it seems
we need to summon He Kedai.

Chen Hu left the bureau chief's office, hurried downstairs, and headed for his Cherokee.

Since returning from Cambodia, he had repeatedly requested Zhou Senlin to interrogate Hao Xiangshou, but all requests had been denied.
Could it really be as He Kedai mocked me—a case of "the rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked; the birds are gone, the good bow is put away"?

He got into the car, but couldn't start it after several attempts. "Damn it, this piece of junk, like me, should be scrapped by
now!"

After a mental bout of cursing, Chen Hu's Cherokee tamed itself and sped towards Anling Prison on the outskirts of the city, where high-ranking criminals were held
.

There were far fewer cars on the highway than in the city, but Chen Hu still felt blocked by the cars in front of him. He attached the police lights
to the roof of the car and overtook one car after another. He suddenly didn't want to quit smoking anymore. He found a
dry pack of
cigarettes under his seat , only to realize he hadn't brought a lighter. He opened the glove compartment in front of the passenger seat and reached in to check for a lighter. His fingers touched a small object; he pulled it out and saw it was a woman's metal hairpin.

The hairpin was an exquisite silver violin. Chen Hu's heart clenched.

This was Jiao Xiaoyu's hairpin, forgotten in the glove compartment sometime during the day.

He held the hairpin to his nose and sniffed it, seemingly smelling the fragrance of Jiao Xiaoyu's hair.

Not-so-distant memories resurfaced.

Investigating He Qizhang's suicide case, Tao Suling's death in a car accident—this was the first woman he had lost. Jiao Xiaoyu
had taken Tao Suling's place at work, but for a long time, she couldn't replace Tao Suling's emotional place in Chen Hu's heart.
He preferred conservative, middle-class women, and he
always felt intimidated and wary of Jiao Xiaoyu, who had the air of a modern urban girl. Moreover, he had always felt guilty for neglecting his duties regarding Tao Suling's death.

When he was eating dumplings at Jiao Xiaoyu's house and learned that Jiao Xiaoyu was Jiao Pengyuan's niece and Jiao Dongfang's cousin,
he was instantly stunned.

He had never considered associating with the powerful and wealthy. In the corruption cases involving the powerful and wealthy that the anti-corruption bureau had handled, he
felt a deep . This might stem from his commoner complex; after all, he was the son of an ordinary worker.

In elementary school, middle school, and even university, he was often bullied by the children of high-ranking officials, perhaps sowing the seeds of hatred then
. He harbored a feeling he had never revealed to anyone: whenever
he saw the powerful and wealthy brought to justice, a great sense of pleasure welled up inside him, even a touch of schadenfreude. What

he couldn't forgive himself for most was letting Jiao Xiaoyu down, like riding a bicycle and the chain
falling off, leaving him seething with anger.

That night, Jiao Xiaoyu, carrying a suitcase, knocked on Chen Hu's door. Damn it, I actually said I was going to move to someone else's house
to sleep, and then I said I'd play checkers all night with Jiao Xiaoyu, and even pretended to be confused, saying, "So what do you really want?" Bastard,
I'm such a scoundrel! I know Xiaoyu needs more than just my bed; she needs my love.

Why am I afraid to sleep with Xiaoyu? Isn't it because I care too much about my reputation? I'm afraid it'll sound bad if word gets out,
afraid of giving people something to hold against me .

I just watched helplessly as Xiaoyu left me in disappointment.

Chen Hu, Chen Hu, you're a real bastard, the number one bastard in the world! You said so many
insincere , completely disregarding a girl's feelings.

In the moment before arresting Jiao Dongfang, he watched Jiao Dongfang calmly taking wedding photos with Tian Congying,
carefree and oblivious to everyone else. He was jealous of Jiao Dongfang; this guy was living like a real man. He quickly thought:
Maybe only bad people live carefree lives; good people live too tiring lives. The difference between being carefree and being reserved lies in
the former's disregard for all rules and the latter's cautiousness!

When will I be able to walk as freely as Jiao Dongfang?

The most awkward moment was when he proposed to Jiao Xiaoyu in this Cherokee and was coldly rejected.
Every word Xiaoyu said was like a nail driven into his heart:

"I will not marry you, Comrade Chen Hu, Director Chen. My refusal to marry you
has nothing to do with your character. It's purely my personal reason. My brother is in prison, I love him, and our sibling bond will not be
severed. My uncle… I won't go into that. But please remember, there will be no more emotional
connection , let alone marriage. I have betrayed my family, and they will always be my shadow. Living in this shadow,
living with the person who destroyed them, we can find no happiness. In time, perhaps I will even
hate you."

Shadow? Yes, there is a shadow. Chen Hu stepped on the gas and overtook another car. The investigation of He Qizhang's case
cost me two women, and I am also in this shadow. After bringing Hao Xiangshou back to China from Cambodia, Chen Hu visited Jiao Xiaoyu
twice at the hospital, only to be refused entry by the nurses. The nurses said, "The patient doesn't want to see you. Please go back and don't
disturb her rest." He heard she was hospitalized again.

Was what was lost forever? Chen Hu's entire body was fueled by anger, and the Cherokee in his
hand surged forward like a mad bull.

The Cherokee stopped in the parking lot outside the high walls of Anling Prison. The surrounding open area was also off-limits to
unauthorized personnel.

Chen Hu showed his prosecutor's office ID, received permission from the armed guards, and walked towards

the prison gate. A few dozen steps away, he saw Director Zhou Senlin and four strangers emerge from the prison gate and head towards the parking lot.

Who were these four people? From Zhou Senlin's obsequious demeanor, Chen Hu knew they were
no ordinary . The two alert young men on either side, Chen Hu immediately recognized from experience as plainclothes
guards with concealed firearms; the two middle-aged men in the middle carrying briefcases must be staff members of some important department.

Zhou Senlin seemed not to see Chen Hu as he brushed past him, giving him no glance or introduction. One of the two middle-aged men,
however , nodded at Chen Hu with a half-smile, seemingly aware of his identity.

Zhou Senlin escorted the four men to two Audis. A police car already parked in the parking lot served as the lead
vehicle, and the three cars sped away from the parking lot, heading onto the highway back to the city.

Zhou Senlin watched the three cars disappear onto the highway.

"Who are they?" Chen Hu walked up to Zhou Senlin and asked softly.

"It's not something you should know, so don't pry," Zhou Senlin's voice was icy, radiating a chill.

"Director Zhou, even if you don't tell me, I know they're here to interrogate Hao Xiangshou, right?"

Zhou Senlin finally turned his gaze to Chen Hu.

"You Hu, what are you doing here?"

"Me? Requesting an interrogation of Hao Xiangshou."

"I didn't assign you this task. What is your purpose in interrogating him? Don't you know the
approval ?"

"Looking for He Qizhang's black notebook. I suspect He Qizhang recorded
something related to counterfeit US dollars in it." "

I don't see the need for that. Hao Xiangshou kept a copy of the black notebook
in a personal safe deposit box at a bank in Hong Kong. I don't know if someone retrieved it. Go back to the city."

"Go back to the city? I won't go back until I see Hao Xiangshou today. Director, why won't you let me participate in the interrogation of Hao
Xiangshou? I'm the one who brought him back from overseas. I know his case best. That black notebook he has is crucial evidence
for us to expand our investigation and bring all the corrupt officials to justice. Tell me, why won't you let me participate?" Zhou Senlin fell silent. How could he explain this to Chen Hu? Chen Hu 's name

was on the Hao Xiangshou special task force drafted by Fang Hao , but when the list was returned from higher authorities, Chen Hu's name was crossed out with a black pencil. Why? No one explained, and Fang Hao didn't press for an answer. The investigative authority over the cases of He Qizhang and Jiao Pengyuan had clearly shifted to direct command from higher levels, and no one was allowed to act arbitrarily under any pretext. During the interrogation of Hao Xiangshou, his confession was immediately put into a kraft paper bag, sealed with red sealing wax and a steel stamp, and placed in the briefcase carried by the messenger. Zhou Senlin knew he would never see Hao Xiangshou's confessions and exposés again . All that remained for him was one thing: strict secrecy. He was forbidden from leaking Hao Xiangshou's confessions to anyone— this was ironclad investigative discipline. He couldn't . "Such a significant weakness—I really won't let him take over," Zhou Senlin decided, deciding to solve the most complex problem with the simplest methods. He said sarcastically, "..." "Chen Hu, look at your head, how big is it? And think about how many bowls of rice you 're ? I'm the donkey in the mill, I obey orders. You're the millstone, you obey the donkey. I tell you how to turn, and you turn..." Chen Hu interrupted Zhou Senlin, retorting, "Director Zhou, what you're saying is completely baffling to me. You're the director, how did you become a donkey? I'm a living , breathing person, how did I become a millstone?" "Stop your nonsense. If I can be a good donkey and you can be a good millstone, that's good fortune for both of us. " " Go back to the city! Go back to Guangming! " Zhou Senlin sneered. " In the 'Several Guidelines on Intra-Party Relationships,' there's no such thing as a donkey or a millstone; there are only comrade relationships. Today, I 'm going to interrogate Hao Xiangshou. If I don't see him, I won't go back." Zhou Senlin sneered. "Fine, go ahead. Go and break through the prison gates. I bet a burst of bullets will send you to the King of Hell. Without approval, even I can't interrogate Hao Xiangshou." At the cemetery, Chen Hu recalled what Hao Xiangshou had said when he was being put on the plane at the Cambodian airport: "You can't kill me . You haven't even gotten your black leather book yet. My achievements will be far greater than yours, and I'm still your superior." Feeling insulted, Chen Hu yanked open the car door and yelled at Zhou Senlin: "I'm leaving, and I'm never coming back!" Zhou Senlin was taken aback by Chen Hu's fury. "Jiao Xiaoyu and Chen Hu are both using me as a punching bag. What kind of bureau chief am I!" The Cherokee sped onto the highway back to the city. Zhou Senlin watched the car disappear into the distance, lost in thought. If Jiao Xiaoyu and Chen Hu really became a couple, they'd be fighting every day. Zhou Senlin turned and entered the prison gate. Fifteen minutes later, he was to accompany Ge Mengmeng's special task force to interrogate her. In all his years of handling cases, this was the first time he'd encountered such a fragmented investigation. The suspects involved in He Qizhang's suicide case were handled by separate special task forces dispatched by higher authorities , one by one. Although it was essentially a case involving a single group, the different task forces did not overlap or review each other's files . All task forces were directly commanded by the decision-making level. Zhou Senlin didn't even know who ultimately received the suspects' confessions, but he keenly sensed that this unusual practice meant the case was exceptionally serious, so serious that even he was terrified. Chapter Forty-Nine: A shimmering river appeared before the car window, winding its way past a castle-like gray building into the distance. Jiao Pengyuan painfully realized that this was the end of his career, his life, and his destiny. He knew Anling Prison all too well; even when the riverbanks were still covered in endless golden wheat fields, he knew a high-security prison would be built there. At that time, he was still young, serving as the county party secretary. Anling Prison was to be built within his jurisdiction, and as the head of the administrative division, he actively cooperated in its construction . Besides allocating building space, he also requisitioned surrounding farmland and villages as a restricted area to ensure the prison's security. The construction required a large workforce, and he specifically instructed that over two thousand politically reliable site. He also personally wrote a large banner to inspire the morale of the soldiers and civilians: "Long live the dictatorship of the proletariat!" After the prison was completed on schedule, he visited it at the invitation of the prison authorities. He accepted a banner presented by the prison's superiors on behalf of the county party committee and government. Embroidered on the banner was a golden quote from Chairman Mao: "When the army and the people are who in the world can defeat us!" At the time, he could never have imagined that decades later he would become the most important criminal imprisoned here. What he didn't expect, history did. Early this morning, while half-awake, he was announced to be under arrest and immediately transferred from the villa to Anling Prison. No one told him where he was going, but the river he saw through the car window told him that they had arrived at Anling Prison. Two police cars remained in the parking lot after completing their escort mission, while his Audi and another Audi drove through the prison's gates. The two cars stopped in front of a U-shaped building. The escort in his car got out first, opened the door, and helped Jiao Pengyuan out. Another escort unlocked the handcuffs on his wrists with a key. He was taken to a room near the entrance on the first floor, where he underwent a thorough body search. Two uniformed policemen, around fifty years old, had stern faces and low voices. "Take out your watch, lighter, pen, and all metal objects. Also, cigarettes."

Previously, when he flew, he would enter the waiting hall through a special channel, or his car would drive directly onto the tarmac
, never undergoing routine boarding checks. Here, though he felt insulted, he had no choice but
to comply.

Another policeman registered the items Jiao Pengyuan had taken out.

The policeman used a metal detector to scan Jiao Pengyuan's gray hair down to his feet. The detector
beeped .

"What's in here?"

Jiao Pengyuan said with a wry smile,

"Probably shrapnel. A souvenir from a Kuomintang bomb in 1948. It doesn't hurt, so I
never took it out; it's a remnant of the Kuomintang, I guess."

The policeman inserted a small wooden stick used by dentists into Jiao Pengyuan's mouth to check for foreign objects.

"Take everything out of your shirt pocket and socks."

Jiao Pengyuan took a small pack of tissues from his shirt pocket and placed it on a plastic tray; nothing else was there.

"Where's your money? Don't you have any cash with you?"

"No. I don't have the habit of carrying money. My personal secretary buys what I need."

"Unbutton your coat. Unbutton your shirt too."

One button, two buttons, Jiao Pengyuan reluctantly unbuttoned his coat and shirt. Only then
did he realize that in the process of being taken into custody, he was no different from a thief or a hooligan.

A policeman pinched his fingers along the seams of his coat collar, shirt collar, and center seam. He pinched the hem seam, all
the seams where notes or foreign objects might be hidden.

All the pockets were turned inside out, and even the seams of the pockets were pinched. Then, Jiao Pengyuan was told to loosen his belt, and
the policeman 's hand pinched along the seams of his trousers, center seam, and cuffs.

What Jiao Pengyuan found most unbearable was that the policeman used scissors to cut a small opening in his trousers and then pulled out
the elastic band. He felt that his last shred of dignity, along with the elastic band of his trousers, had been taken away.

"Take off your shoes."

The policeman took a pair of plastic slippers and placed them at Jiao Pengyuan's feet.

Jiao Pengyuan was wearing a pair of soft-soled sneakers. He loosened the laces, pulled out his left foot, then his right, and
put on the slippers.

The policeman pulled out the insoles, carefully squeezed them, then reached into the shoes and
squeezed again, then squeezed the uppers, and finally pulled out the laces.

"Take off your socks."

Jiao Pengyuan sat down in the chair and took off both socks. The policeman took them, turned them inside out, and
handed them back to him.

"Put them on."

He put on his socks. His hands trembled slightly with anger.

He put his feet into the shoes where the laces had been removed. The policeman unbuckled the buttons on Jiao Pengyuan's trousers, moved the buttonhole forward one notch, fastened it, and then pulled out his
belt.

Another policeman neatly laid out two new shirts, two new vests, two pairs of buttoned trousers, two towels, and two pairs of
socks together. All of them were printed with red words: Anling Prison.

The police then placed a tube of toothpaste in a plastic tube, two small plastic lunchboxes, a child's plastic spoon, a roll of toilet paper, and
a bar of soap on top of his clothes.

Jiao Pengyuan stared blankly at the assigned necessities, saying in a daze, "Where's the toothbrush? Why isn't there a toothbrush?"

"We won't give you a toothbrush for now. When you brush your teeth, put the toothpaste on your fingers and brush with your fingers, it's the same."

"Are you afraid I'll commit suicide with a toothbrush? Don't worry, I won't commit suicide. Even though this is a political injustice,
I won't commit suicide. I need a toothbrush."

Previously, Jiao Pengyuan had heard reports from the city prison many times about tax collectors
committing suicide the throat with toothbrushes, some swallowing stainless steel spoons; inmates in labor camps swallowing nails; and some
drinking industrial acid. He remembered that he had written instructions on the prison's report: adopt effective measures to prevent prisoners from committing suicide and
self-harm.

The police placed the clothes in Jiao Pengyuan's arms.

"Hold these things and come with me."

This routine body search was purely a prison security measure and had no intention of psychological coercion. But
Jiao Pengyuan felt deeply that his entire life had been flattened, compressed into a thin sheet of paper.

The escorts produced a document for the guards to sign; it was probably a receipt, proving that the prison authorities had
verified Jiao Pengyuan's identity and accepted him. The two escorts didn't speak to Jiao Pengyuan, but left the room to report back.

Jin Cha unlocked the iron gate with a key and went inside first. Jiao Pengyuan followed, carrying his clothes in both hands.
The policeman behind him came in last and locked the iron gate again.

As the iron bars slammed shut, Jiao Pengyuan's heart pounded. He knew that from this moment
on, he had been separated from the Party system; he
had ; what awaited him was another system—the criminal law!

The corridor was narrow. Here, corridors weren't called corridors, but "tunnels." Depending on the location on the street, they were divided into
different areas: one section, two sections, three sections… He was taken to the end of the first section, a four-room room—number 8 in the first section.

The policeman used a key to open the outer door of cell number 8. Two armed police officers approached and stood on either side of the door.

The outer door was a heavy solid wood door. There was a small hole at eye level; if you pressed your eye against it, you could see
everything inside the cell clearly, with no blind spots. Below the outer door was a small opening large enough to fit a hand—the food slit.
After opening the outer door, there was an inner iron gate. Below the iron gate was another food slit. This
iron gate was never opened except for interrogation. When guards reprimanded prisoners, they could only open the outer
wooden door and speak through the iron gate, but had no right to open it.

The policeman opened the iron gate, tilted his head, indicating that he should go in.

Jiao Pengyuan, carrying his clothes, had just entered when the iron gate closed, followed by the outer wooden door. "

This is my office," Jiao Pengyuan thought quickly. Like a tiger, his eyes scanned the concrete
cage. It was a little over three meters long and less than two meters wide; but the space was considerable, over three meters high from the ground to the ceiling,
shaped like an upright matchbox. There was a window at eye level, letting in slanted sunlight; to look out, one
had to grip the windowsill and pull themselves up. The so-called bed was a raised platform about three centimeters off the cement floor, almost taking up
the entire floor space. The platform was spotlessly clean, and neatly folded military blankets were arranged against the wall.
He understood this; when he inspected the city prison before, he was very satisfied with the prisoners' neatly folded blankets, resembling a military camp
. Now it was his turn, and he knew that even if he exerted all his strength to fold the blankets, he wouldn't meet the prison authorities' standards.
The requirements were clear. A ceramic toilet sat right next to the foot of the bed. The toilet lid was removed intentionally to prevent prisoners from using
it for self-harm or hiding things inside. Next to the toilet was a porcelain washbasin, its faucet
gleaming. There was no table, no chair, no lamp. He knew that number 8 on First Street wasn't the most luxurious
cell in the prison, but it wasn't the worst either.

It was incredibly quiet; so quiet he could hear his own heartbeat.

He walked from one end of the room to the other—exactly seven steps. He had read Julius Fu?ík's
report ; Fu?ík's cell, measured by footsteps, was also seven steps. Cao Zhi's poem about seven steps under the threat of death also consisted of seven steps.
Seven—was it the number leading to death? Perhaps, very likely; the number seven and the character for dagger (匕) were only slightly different
. He felt he had discovered the secret of the number seven.

Suddenly, he noticed an eye staring intently at him through a hole in the door.

He angrily walked to the iron gate, pounded on it, and shouted,

"Go tell your boss, I want a sofa!"

In his impulse, he forgot that even if they brought him a sofa, there was nowhere to put it; he couldn't just put it
on the floor.

The armed police officers monitoring him outside were puzzled; they didn't know who the old man in cell number eight was.
The prisoners here had made all sorts of requests, but no one had ever asked for a sofa. This old man
was really strange; did he think he was staying in a guesthouse?

It was already midnight, and Chen Hu was still at the table, making a miniature violin, six centimeters long. On
the table were pieces of wood, glue, sandpaper, razor blades, wooden bells, and other odds and ends.

Yesterday, on his way to Anling Prison, while looking for a lighter, he found a
silver violin hairpin that Jiao Xiaoyu had forgotten sometime during a storage box. After returning home, he had the idea to make a miniature wooden violin hairpin.

He was very skillful. Although it was a miniature violin, he had everything: a rib, a soundboard, and a bow. Because it was
hollow , it could actually make a sound.

The flowing curves and smooth, raised soundboard were simply exquisite works of art. He gently applied lacquer,
making it even more refined. The lacquer dried quickly, and he set up five thin steel wires. Even he himself couldn't believe
his own magical skill. The bow was made from bamboo chopsticks, only two millimeters thick, but very flexible.
The bowstring was also made of thin steel wire, gleaming brightly. He carefully pulled the bow, producing a clear, crisp sound.

His annoyance and anger vanished while working on this miniature violin hairpin. A sacred emotion obscured
the ugly reality before him; his greatest desire in life seemed to be condensed in this violin hairpin. For the first
time knew that love could create a completely new soul, something no other force could do.

He gently kissed the violin hairpin, as if kissing Jiao Xiaoyu's hair. He

plucked the strings, held the violin hairpin to his ear, and seemed to hear the heartbeat of his beloved girl.

By the time he felt the miniature violin was finished, the orange-yellow morning sea had already illuminated
the glass windows .

Chen Hu drove to the Public Security Hospital. He had been admitted to this hospital twice. The first time was during the investigation of Yi Xin's
fraudulent foreign exchange , when he was knocked unconscious by a motorcycle and suffered severe cuts to his face. The second time was on the way back from Yoshino Hills, when Yue
's Jeep's brakes were damaged, causing him to roll down the slope and suffer a head injury; Tao Suling died on the spot in the accident.
Now, Jiao Xiaoyu was hospitalized. In each round of the battle, the investigators paid
a heavy price, both mentally and physically, but what did this dedication and sacrifice bring? Chen Hu had doubts, because he saw
corruption spreading even more rampantly, corrupt officials growing back like weeds after being cut down; one
He Qizhang fell, and hundreds more He Qizhangs rose up. He wondered if simply increasing the intensity of anti-corruption efforts could really stop
corruption from spreading like a plague. A flawless egg doesn't breed maggots. The system is like a big egg, a cracked egg,
from which maggots hatch. Why did the egg crack? The thought of this disheartened him; this fundamental
problem was far beyond the reach of a mere section chief. He knew he was, at best, a
sickle , not the hand wielding it; what leeks could be harvested, and what couldn't, wasn't decided by his sickle,
but by the hand holding it; but even the hand's decision often didn't count,
the brain was the one that truly mattered. The brain needed softening, neither the hand nor the sickle could. He recalled Zhou Senlin's analogy of the system: Director Zhou
was like a donkey in a mill obeying commands, while he, Chen Hu, was like the millstone in a mill obeying the donkey. Chen Hu smiled bitterly as he climbed the steps. Whether
he was the millstone or the sickle harvesting leeks, today he would be a person, be himself
; if things continued like this, he wouldn't even know who he was anymore.

What was going on? Before Chen Hu, carrying several bouquets of flowers, even reached Jiao Xiaoyu's ward, he saw
a young man standing outside the door. His professional experience immediately told him that although the man was dressed casually, he was
definitely a policeman. What had happened to Jiao Xiaoyu that there were no plainclothes guards outside her ward?

Chen Hu pretended not to know and walked to the door to knock.

The young man reached out and brushed Chen Hu's hand away. He was even more certain that the other man was a well-trained policeman;
the movement was small, but the force was great.

"Who are you looking for?" the man asked coldly.

"To see a patient."

"Patient's name?"

"Jiao Xiaoyu.

" "Excuse me, please wait a moment. You can't come in now."

"Huh, what reason do you have to stop me?"

"What are you doing?" the man asked curtly.

"And what are you doing?" Chen Hu retorted.

The door opened, and Jiao Xiaoyu poked her head out.

"What's going on? Director Chen? What brings you here?"

"Hello, Xiaoyu. This gentleman won't let me in."

Jiao Xiaoyu nodded and said,

"Let me introduce you. This is Zhang, Vice Minister Ji's bodyguard, and this is my superior, Director Chen. I
think you should let him in."

The bodyguard stepped aside, and Chen Hu said "Thank you."

Chen Hu saw a man in his fifties sitting in a chair, wearing a striped hospital uniform.

"Xiaoyu, where should we put the flowers?"

"Give them to me. Director Chen, you should try being romantic too."

Jiao Xiaoyu put the flowers in a glass. Turning around, she said,

"You don't know each other, do you? This is Vice Minister Ji. This is Chen Hu from the Anti-Corruption Bureau."

Chen Hu extended his hand.

"Hello, Vice Minister Ji."

“Hello, Comrade Chen Hu. I won’t bother you any longer; the doctor will be making rounds soon, I’ll go upstairs.”

“I’m sorry,” Chen Hu smiled apologetically, “I’m sorry to have disturbed you. Perhaps I could come back later?”

“You’re welcome. I’m also hospitalized here, but I’m not really sick. The routine checkups are quite annoying.
Xiaoyu , you two talk. Goodbye, Comrade Chen Hu.”

After another warm handshake, Vice Minister Ji left.

"Xiaoyu, you're really resourceful. Even the deputy minister came to see you as soon as you were hospitalized."

"He didn't come specifically to see me. We bumped into each other by chance in the hospital garden. Of course, we knew each other before."

"Are you feeling better?"

"I think I'm much better. You're so busy, yet you still came to see me?"

"No matter how busy I am, nothing is more important than you. You're the most important thing; everything else takes a backseat. Xiaoyu, you look much better
."

"Really? I didn't notice. Chen Hu, when did you learn to fawn over women?"

"I'm speaking from the heart. But maybe there's been a change; I'm not
as intimidated by you as I used to be. Since returning from Cambodia, I've thought a lot. The less I see you, the clearer you become in my mind.
Our life can't be ruined by work. All I do is bend over and harvest chives, one crop after another, neglecting our own
little plot of land. Xiaoyu, give me a chance, let's start over."

Jiao Xiaoyu sneered,

"You say I'm your little plot of land?"

"That's the idea. Just indulging in a bit of refinement, you're my spiritual home."

"Hmm, a bit better than before. Some grass and flowers have sprouted on my little plot, and I've even put up a fence—it's become
a vegetable garden ."

"Xiaoyu, I have something for you."

Chen Hu took out a red silk package from his briefcase, opened it, and inside was
a violin .

"Here you go, do you like it?"

Jiao Xiaoyu examined the miniature violin in her hands. She exclaimed in surprise, "It even has a bow!"

"Try playing it; it makes a sound. I'll play it for Xu."

Chen Hu held the miniature bow between two fingers, rubbing it back and forth on the wire.

"It really makes a sound. Give it to me quickly, don't break it."

Jiao Xiaoyu turned the violin hair clip over and over, admiring it.

"It's a hair clip. Where did you buy it?"

"Buy it? You can't buy one anywhere in the world. I made it myself, it took me two nights."

"You're bragging, I don't believe you. Are you that skillful?"

"Even I don't believe it myself. I was thinking of you while I was making it. Wow, I actually made it."

"Really?"

"One hundred percent true."

Chen Hu took out a silver hair clip from his pocket.

"I don't know when you forgot this hair clip in my car. I made it based on this. Here,
take this back."

Jiao Xiaoyu was deeply moved. She turned away, afraid that Chen Hu would see her tears.

She wasn't surprised by Chen Hu's appearance; she knew he would come to the hospital to see her. But
she never expected him to make such a beautiful hair clip by hand. For such a rugged man to make such an exquisite
thing, it must have taken immense patience and love.

"Xiaoyu, why don't you try it on? If it doesn't work, I'll modify it."

Jiao Xiaoyu wiped away her tears and turned away.

“I can’t bear to see it fall and break. It would be such a waste. I want to cherish it forever.” She
placed Chen Hu’s hand. “This is for you. Maybe it can inspire you.”

Chen Hu hugged Jiao Xiaoyu, wanting to kiss her. It was the sky’s longing for the earth; it was the tide’s embrace of the beach
; it was the wind’s call sweeping through the treetops; it was the gentle rain’s nourishment of the flower buds.

Just as their lips were about to touch, unable to contain their thirst, Jiao Xiaoyu pulled away.

“No, don’t do this. Chen Hu, you were right about something earlier. Work has ruined our lives. I’m
like a snail now, hiding in my shell, which is better. I don’t dare to stick my body out anymore. Maybe this is my
fate.”

Chen Hu placed his hands on Jiao Xiaoyu’s shoulders. He felt that if he let go, it would be like releasing a lovebird
, and she would never come back.

“I’ve said it before, you are the most important. Let work take a backseat. We can’t let work ruin us.”

Jiao Xiaoyu shook her head.

“Can you? My uncle has been arrested, and the Dongfang case is still under investigation. The clockwork is wound tight; it can't be stopped.
You are part of that clockwork; you have no choice. Nor do I. We both have to let our work be ruined.
Chen Hu, you have no place to belong. As for me, I have nothing at all. You want me to love someone who continues to handle our family's case
? I'm sorry, I can't do it.”

Chen Hu released his grip. Jiao Xiaoyu curled up on the bed like a cat, looking pitiful.

After a long silence, Chen Hu blurted out, "I'll wait for you, until the shadows clear. Ten years,
twenty years, I'll wait for you."

"What if I get married? I mean, I marry someone else?"

"Someone else? Who?"

"Who knows? Let fate decide. I'm becoming more and more of a believer in fate. In 1991, someone told my uncle's fortune,
and he was a writer. He said my uncle would be in prison within four years, which made us all laugh. This time it really
came true ."

"Even if you marry someone else, I'll still wait for you."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"Waiting for you to divorce him, waiting for you to marry me."

Tears streamed down her face. Jiao Xiaoyu buried her face in her pillow, sobbing.

Chen Hu's nose stung, and tears also fell. He controlled himself, opened the door, and prepared to leave.

"Wait a minute." Jiao Xiaoyu sat up. She saw the tears clinging to Chen Hu's eyelashes. At that moment,
deep in her heart, she had already pledged herself to Chen Hu.

"Sit down, I want to discuss something with you."

Chen Hu returned to his chair and sat down.

"Don't tell anyone about this yet."

"Okay."

"I want to transfer jobs. Leave the Anti-Corruption Bureau, leave the Procuratorate. Continuing to participate in this case investigation is
torture for me. Actually, I just made this decision. You told me I married someone else, and you still waited for me, waited for me
to get a divorce, waited for me to marry you, and that's when I finally decided to transfer. Leaving the Anti-Corruption Bureau is better for me, and better for you too;
maybe our relationship can have a more relaxed environment. What do you think?"

"Which unit do you want to transfer to?"

“Before you came, I mentioned my desire to transfer to another job to Vice Minister Ji. He said that if I was really determined,
he would definitely help me. I want to transfer to the public security system. Vice Minister Ji is in charge of combating smuggling and is
the deputy leader of the anti-smuggling crime leading group. I want to transfer to his department. As long as he agrees to accept me, the transfer won't encounter any obstacles.”

“Your idea is too sudden. Let me think about it.”

Jiao Xiaoyu suddenly laughed.

“You're laughing at me? It is too sudden, it's practically a surprise attack.”

“I'm not laughing at you, I just find this funny. If I don't transfer and marry you, won't the anti-corruption bureau's investigation department
become a husband-and-wife shop? The kinship avoidance system doesn't allow that either. That's what I'm laughing at.”

Chen Hu, holding Scarface's arm, also laughed.

"I'm afraid it's not as simple as just transferring you. The bureau needs to approve it, and even if Comrade Fang Hao lets you go, it's not certain."

"So you agreed? You're the first hurdle." "

Out of public interest, I disagree. Out of personal interest, I agree. A couple can't work in the same department.
I'll also take advantage of my position for personal gain. We'll talk about it after you recover. Anti-smuggling is more tiring than anti-corruption, running around like crazy. If you transfer there
now , you'll be exhausted. You should focus on your treatment first. I'll talk to Director Zhou. You're right,
the work really doesn't stop. Do you remember the US dollars stolen from He Qizhang's safe? One of them had consecutive serial numbers, right?" "

I remember. He Kedai told me he wrote down the serial numbers."

"The Bank of China identified it as counterfeit. Director Zhou asked me to investigate this case. Think back carefully,
did He Kedai mention the details of writing down the serial numbers? Was it He Kedai or He Qizhang who wrote them down?"

"I didn't ask for such details at the time. What did you discover from it?"

"This is unusual. At the time, there were too many clues, so we didn't pay much attention. Now, thinking about it, there are many problems.
Normally, no one would deliberately write down the serial numbers of US dollars. The He family father and son did, so they must have had a special
motive. Why didn't they write down the serial numbers of other US dollars, only this one? I suspect that
He Qizhang knew at the time that these US dollars were counterfeit, which is why he specifically wrote down the serial numbers."

"If your reasoning is correct, then He Qizhang should also have had a special motive for locking the counterfeit money in the safe
."

"You've hit the nail on the head. This involves the source and destination of the counterfeit money. I suspect that He Qizhang might
have written down things related to the counterfeit money in his black notebook. You've flipped through this notebook too; can you recall any clues
?"

"I only skimmed through it; it seemed like some coded messages, but I didn't remember anything. Hao Xiangshou has been apprehended;
the notebook should be where it is now. Bring it here, let's decipher it properly."

“Sigh! The problem is we can’t even see the black book. Director Zhou said it’s not within our investigation scope.
I feel like we’ll just be doing some minor, peripheral tasks from now on. We won’t be involved in anything else. It’s like weeding
instead of harvesting leeks.”

Jiao Xiaoyu thought for a moment, resting her chin on her hand, and said,

“Should I go talk to He Kedai?”

“No need. Right now, besides recovering, don’t think about anything else. I talked to He Kedai once, but he wasn’t very
cooperative . That kid has built his dad’s tombstone almost like the Monument to the People’s Heroes, and even a pavilion for it.
It’s suffocating me; he’s showing off to us. Given his arrogance, I have to teach him a lesson.”

“Chen Hu, don’t abuse your power,” Jiao Xiaoyu shook her head. “Do you think the municipal party committee and government don’t know about He Qizhang’s
grand tombstone? Of course they do. They’ve turned a blind eye, so you certainly
don’t have the authority to do anything about it. Don’t be fooled by the newspapers saying He Qizhang deserved to die; there are plenty of people secretly burning incense for him. If you’re really
capable , bring Qian Zhong down. What bad things has the municipal party committee and government done without him? He’ll suddenly become a good
cadre. He’s even on TV every day. Even people in our procuratorate have a lot of good things to say about Qian Zhong, saying that if it weren’t for
Qian Zhong’s stroke of the pen, the procuratorate’s dormitory building would have been a waste. I had a fight with Director Zhou over this.”

What Chen Hu couldn’t do, Qian Zhong did, and he did it decisively, legally, and legitimately.

He Ke received a notice from the cemetery management office, ordering him to immediately negotiate the relocation of He Qizhang’s grave.

Upon arriving at the cemetery management office, he was informed that the city had requisitioned a portion of the cemetery's elevated land to construct a rural television
relay tower. He Qizhang's grave was within the requisition area and he had to dismantle it himself within a week. Failure to do so would result in forced
demolition.

He Qizhang argued that he had already paid ten years' worth of land use fees and refused to demolish the grave. The cemetery manager
told him that the state had the right to requisition any land, including land for which land use fees had already been paid and
land with existing buildings. He Qizhang was shown the documents regarding the construction of the television relay tower and a land boundary map. If
the grave owner dismantled the grave himself, a portion of the paid land use fees would be refunded; otherwise, he would bear the consequences.

He Kedai was furious. He pointed at the cemetery management office and cursed, "Which
bastard idea? I'll fucking kill him! I won't demolish it! Anyone who dares to demolish it, I'll fight them to the death!

" Just after midnight on the eighth day, the cranes and bulldozers, which had been prepared beforehand,
demolished the pavilion and the tombstone in less than twenty minutes after a whistle. The tombstone shattered into seven or eight pieces.

When He Kedai arrived at ten o'clock in the morning, the original site of the tombstone had become a construction site for an iron tower.

He Kedai, holding a broken piece of the tombstone, cried and cursed. A-Si pulled out a dagger he was carrying and stabbed a
worker in the stomach. He was immediately tackled and beaten by three workers. Seeing his henchman being bullied, He Kedai grabbed
a triangular iron and swung it around. The workers swarmed over, tied up A-Si and He Kedai, and took them to the police station.
The two, master and servant, were detained according to law.

Zhou Senlin told Chen Hu about the forced demolition of He Qizhang's tombstone. Zhou Senlin picked
his teeth said:

"Now you know how ruthless Qianzhong is, right? The officialdom is treacherous, chilling! He Qizhang's tombstone wasn't
saved , but Qianzhong's position was. Even Secretary Fang repeatedly said that Comrade Qianzhong's exposure was meritorious, and
that Comrade Qianzhong's mind was clear in the face of matters of principle. I order you to stop all investigations into Qianzhong. Any
files involving him must be removed and not included."

"Is this a decision from higher authorities?" "

This is my decision. You just need to execute it unconditionally. I'll be retiring in a few months. Fortunately, I
haven't committed any major offenses in my life, and I can face my conscience. Chen Hu, I'm worried about you. If you continue to act so recklessly, you'll fall into someone else
's trap sooner or later. By then, I'll be retired, and I won't be able to save you."

Chen Hu poured Zhou Senlin a full glass of wine. It was Zhou Senlin who insisted on going to Chen Hu's house for a drink after work.

"Director Zhou, tell me the truth. Since you became the head of the anti-corruption bureau, have there been any people you should have arrested but didn't? Any cases you
should have filed but didn't?"

Zhou Senlin was a little drunk, and he took another sip.

"You want me to tell the truth?"

"There are no outsiders here, of course I'll tell the truth."

"Then let me tell you, the number of people you should have arrested but didn't is more than the number I arrested. The number of cases you should have filed but didn't is more than the number I
filed . Otherwise, how could I have retired peacefully? When you take over my position in the future, you'll do the same."

Chen Hu also took a sip, put down his glass, and said:

"I've already followed in your footsteps, and I've stopped investigating Qianzhong."

"That's right. If you go against your superiors, they'll transfer you to some remote mountain village under the guise of a normal
cadre exchange, leaving you with no choice but to obediently go. If they smear a crime on you and lock you up to be punished,
you'll be in even worse shape, with no chance of ever getting ahead. Old Bao died, but he was made a martyr, which is a good ending. Back then,
because of Wang Caifeng's case, Tao Suling was also involved in the investigation. Old Bao
went against . If I hadn't protected him, he would have been charged with drunkenness and disturbing public order, and thrown in jail.
Chen Hu, you're different from me. You don't lie. I've told a lot of lies in my life, but I've never harmed anyone."

"Director Zhou, you're a good person, everyone knows that."

"He Qizhang is guilty, and it's wrong to erect such a large monument for him. But I would never do something like Qian Zhong's
pretext of digging up graves. When He Qizhang was alive, Qian Zhong was his sworn brother,
sharing the same pants and complaining about how fat they were. Sigh, let's not talk about him. Cats have their ways, dogs have theirs. My order to stop
investigating Qian Zhong is a death order; if you understand it, you must obey, if you don't, you must obey. If Qian Zhong gets into
a car accident on the street, that's God's mercy. You're not allowed to fight him; you can't win. I'm afraid he'll sell you out, and you'll still
be helping him count the money!"

"Director Zhou, what about Jiao Xiaogong's transfer?"

"I agree. I've been worried about how to change Xiaoyu's environment and adjust her mood, but I just can't find
a good way. However, since we're transferring her, why bother with anti-smuggling? Anti-smuggling is no easier than anti-corruption,
and it's even more difficult. Now it's all about corporate smuggling, government agencies smuggling, and military smuggling. The cases involve a wider range of people and face greater
resistance . Let's think about it
some more. Maybe we can find her an easier job. The crime prevention department or the publicity department of the procuratorate would be more suitable for Xiaoyu. Internal transfers are my decision. Cross-system transfers require orders from above. This is
n't urgent. I have a purpose in arranging for Xiaoyu to stay in the hospital for three months, just to help her get through this most difficult period."

"Director Zhou, is there any news about the black notebook? Has the relevant department retrieved it from which bank in Hong Kong?"

Zhou Senlin squinted at Chen Hu for a while, pointing with his chopsticks as he spoke:

“Chen Hu, don’t think I’ve gone mad just because I had a few drinks with you. Let me tell you, if you mention that
black book again, no matter who you tell, I’ll immediately transfer you to the petition office, where you’ll be reading letters from the people all day long, and you won’t be allowed to handle
a single case.”

“Is it that serious?”

“You’re always bringing up things you shouldn’t know. If you shouldn’t know something, don’t ask. Do you really think I
’m just here for a drink because I’m greedy? Secretary Fang asked me to investigate you to see if you’re suitable to take over my job.”

Chen Hu laughed heartily.

"So you've come to a conclusion now. Obviously, I'm not suitable to take over; I'm better suited for the petition office."

Zhou Senlin put down his chopsticks, his expression somber.

"If you really get transferred to the petition office and read people's letters every day, that's truly a blessing for you. What I'm worried about is that
Secretary Fang has his eye on you and insists on making you take over. For someone like you who can't lie and only tells the truth, it's probably more of a curse than
a blessing."

"That's easy to handle. Just put in a good word for me with Secretary Fang, saying I'm immature and need more training. That'll
help me avoid this trouble."

Zhou Senlin rubbed his sleepy eyes.

"Chen Hu, remember this: even after I die, you must not forget it."

"That must be a profound truth."

"Stop being cheeky. Listen, five words—'Speak the truth in batches.' Got it?"

"It's easy to remember, but I don't quite understand. You speak in batches?"

"Because you're speaking the truth, you have to speak it in batches. If you blurt out the truth all at once, others won't accept it,
you won't be able to get what you want done, and you might even lose your job. Speaking the truth in batches means dividing the truth into batches based on the situation at the time
and place , and based on others' tolerance; after one batch is finished, see the effect;
if the effect is good, speak another batch of the truth; if the effect is bad, don't speak a second batch, wait until the conditions are right before speaking a second batch.
That's called speaking the truth in batches, it's the way of a good official."

"My goodness, Director Zhou, how many batches of the truth will it take to finish speaking it all?"

"Hmm, five years, ten years, twenty years, and it might not be enough to finish speaking all the truths."

"That's too tiring."

“Want to save trouble? Try it and see. If you tell all the truth at once, someone will come out and take away your
right to speak. Then all you'll be left with are lies; you won't be able to tell a single truth. Got it, Chen Hu?”

“Got it.”

“Recite it three times. No, three times isn't enough; you won't remember it well. Recite it eight times.”

“Tell the truth in batches. Tell the truth in batches. Tell the truth in batches. Tell the truth in batches. Tell the truth in batches.
Tell the truth in batches. Tell the truth in batches. Tell the truth in batches. Tell the truth in batches. Tell the truth in batches.”

Chen Hu recited it eight times and found Zhou Senlin's head leaning back in his chair; he had fallen asleep.

On the morning of the third day of He Ke's detention, Chen Hu found Tao Tieliang.

"Tieliang, release He Kedai. He's still useful to me."

Tao Tieliang smiled and said,

"You've shown some kindness."

"This has nothing to do with good or evil. He Kedai is involved in a counterfeit dollar deal, and I need his confession."

"Why don't you interrogate him? This kid beat someone up, and I got a tip from above to sentence him to two years of re-education through labor.
It's not easy to release him."

"Who brought you this job?"

"Director Jiang's instructions. I heard it was Qian Zhong who insisted on sending He Kedai to re-education through labor."

"Such a big deal? Fighting, it's just a small case, a little education should suffice."

"Hmph, a small matter? I don't think it's small at all. Small matters have big implications. He Qizhang's tombstone has become Qian Zhong's stepping
stone, his bootstrap. Chen Hu, now you know how deep the waters run in the municipal party committee and the municipal government."

Chen Hu said with a stern face:

“I don’t care how deep the water is. Release He Kedai, and I’ll owe you a favor. If you don’t,
and insist on fulfilling Qianzhong’s dream, our brotherhood is over.”

Tao Tieliang took out a cigarette, gave one to Chen Hu, lit it with a lighter, and smoked one himself.

“Don’t be hasty. This is a really despicable thing to do, we have to wipe them out completely. Release He Kedai, he didn’t hurt
anyone. But we can’t release A Si, we have to keep someone to take the fall.”

“When will you release him?”

“Can’t you do it in a couple of days?”

“No. Release him today. I urgently need his confession.
Only he can explain the counterfeit US dollars in He Qizhang’s safe. I’m worried someone might kill him to cover it up.”

“Okay, okay, you decide. I’ll call the detention center right away.” He Kedai walked out of the heavy iron gate of the detention center, looking dejected. He hadn’t shaved for three days, and he looked twenty years

older . Chen Hu’s Cherokee was parked in the parking lot outside the detention center, and he leaned against the car door smoking. Seeing He Kedai come out, he waved. He Kedai walked to Chen Hu's side, smiled awkwardly, and said, "Did you get me out?" "Stop talking nonsense, get in the car. I'll treat you to a meal." After getting in the car, He Kedai took a cigarette from Chen Hu's cigarette case and took two deep drags. "Damn it, not being allowed to smoke is too much." "Be careful not to die from smoking." "Alas, I, He Kedai, am like a tiger fallen to the plains, bullied by dogs." "I think you brought this on yourself. You erected such a high monument for your father, who are you showing off to? Are you dissatisfied with us?" "I'm really not dissatisfied with you. I'm showing those corrupt officials still in power that my father is watching them with his eyes wide open. Damn it, they embezzled and became corrupt together, so why are they I can't swallow this. I have no complaints about your anti-corruption bureau. Well, Director Chen, Brother Chen, I owe you a favor, and I will repay you handsomely in the future." "You're trying to harm me? You'd better keep a low profile from now on." “I’m not a monkey, I don’t have a tail, why should I tuck it in? I want to live an upright life. If I can’t make it in China, I’ll stomp my foot and go abroad. Ten years later, I’ll come back and see what happens to my dad’s gang of scoundrels.” Chen Hu drove He Kedai to his old office building, but He Kedai didn’t get out of the car. He smiled wryly and said , "You still remember my old place? Gone. The company's about to go bankrupt, I can't afford such a fancy office building anymore, I moved a long time ago." "Where did you move to?" "That place was too shabby, taking you there would damage my image. If I hadn't gone astray, why would you have exchanged those dollars last time, why would you have needed to find someone? I would have just given them to you." "You've gone astray too, that's called God has eyes." "God has eyes, but only one eye, otherwise why would it only bring bad luck to my family, and not see ?" "Then where should I take you? You won't be homeless, will you? I won't be able to find you when I arrest you ." "Find a park, get some sun, I'm afraid I'll get fleas. Director Chen, I know you're not that kind to bail me out, you're still thinking about those counterfeit dollars, aren't you? What goes around comes around, come with me to take a bath, I'll tell you everything." He Ke sat down in the driver's seat. "I'll take you somewhere—a sauna, a back scrub, a pedicure, a foot massage. I know you don't have , and I don't want to drag you into it. Don't worry, there won't be any problems." "Didn't you go to a prostitute? I didn't bring that much money. It'll cost five or six hundred yuan for two people!" "Going to a prostitute is fine, I have plenty of friends. I have nothing now, except for my high reputation."

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