Chapter 23: The Sun Will Rise as Usual Today

Reading could certainly change fate.

The premise is based on the situation where you study and others do not.

If everyone has completed nine years of compulsory education, and you are still the fish that slipped through the net.

Then to further ask God to change your fate would be a bit too much.

In this era, many people believe that studying is useless, or that you don't have the fate of the God of Literature, and studying is simply a waste of time.

Yet, besides that, they couldn't find anything else that was useful to themselves.

If the old man really possessed exquisite skills, why would he bother living in a bunkhouse at such an old age?

No matter what, Wang Yunxiao still insisted that he should lead this group of brothers to study diligently, to attend high school if they could pass the exams, and to go to university if they could get in.

In those days, educated people were still very valuable, even if you didn't become the top scholar, as long as you had knowledge and insight in your mind, you wouldn't have to worry about food and clothes.

If one could follow the righteous path, who would want to engage in petty thefts?

Only the fox that couldn't eat the grapes would say that the grapes were sour.

As for earning money and exercising, although they are also important, they should not interfere with one's studies.

The old man was very angry and didn't speak to Wang Yunxiao for the rest of the night.

By around five or six o'clock in the morning, when the sky was just beginning to lighten, Wang Yunxiao heard some familiar truck engine sounds outside the police station.

Director Sun hadn't gone home all night, sitting in the office until dawn, having smoked three whole packs of cigarettes, his eyes red from exhaustion.

In fact, he was very clear about the consequences of refusing Principal Zhou.

Hearing the noise outside, he slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

Someone knocked on the door.

"Come in."

The door opened, and two gun-carrying soldiers in grey military uniforms burst in expressionlessly, confirming that he had no intention to resist. One of them quickly walked to the window, pulled back the curtains, and opened the window to let the fresh morning air in, dispersing the thick smell of secondhand smoke in the room.

The other person picked up the phone, listened to the busy tone that came through, then deftly disconnected the telephone line.

After finishing, the two returned to the doorway, and only then did a young officer standing outside step inside.

Director Sun looked up and saw it wasn't a face he recognized.

It was normal that the middle management of the Special Service Bureau were young people, as the department was established only after the new government was formed. Besides the highly visible action team leader, Huo Qingyang, who often appeared in public, the other officers almost had no record of public social interactions.

One reason was the requirement for secrecy.

On the other hand, it was also because of the special nature of their work.

The young man before him, judging from the military rank on his shoulder, was only one level below Huo Qingyang, had pale skin, wore a pair of ebony glasses inlaid with silver, and covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief, seemingly unable to tolerate the smoke in the room, presenting a frail demeanor.

But Director Sun knew well that this was just an illusion, as everyone in the Special Service Bureau was a monster in human skin.

Only after his subordinate threw away an ashtray stuffed with cigarette butts did the young man sit down opposite Director Sun, opened the folder in his hands, coughed twice, and asked directly, "Name, Sun Youliang, current position, Director of the Nantong District Police Bureau in Tianmen City. You joined the city bureau four years ago in year Longyin, were promoted all the way to the Director of Logistics, and at the beginning of Ming Country, were transferred to your current post… Is that correct?"

Director Sun nodded weakly, a bitter smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.

"Let me introduce myself, my last name is Qiao, my name is Qiao Hongyi. Don't be nervous, today I'm here to understand some matters from you."

The young officer extended his right hand, smiling and making a friendly gesture, "We have received a report from the concerned public, suggesting that you have encountered some rather tricky troubles?"

Director Sun sighed and said, "Mr. Qiao, there's no need to be so elusive, I have often cooperated with Commander Huo from your agency on cases before. For instance, at the end of last year, the massacre that took place at 18 Liutai Street, Xing Mansion..."

Qiao Hongyi nodded and said, "I am aware of the situation then, which means you are now facing the same situation, someone is exploiting your personal privacy and blackmailing you, insisting that if you reveal certain information you will pay a price, right?"

Director Sun remained silent, he didn't even dare to nod.

But silence is also an attitude.

"No need to rush, let me see..."

Qiao Hongyi reopened Director Sun's file, his eyes quickly scanning over the various information, "You joined the police force and were promoted so quickly, you could not have done it without connections. And being assigned to a lucrative department like logistics shows you have a strong backer. Your wife's surname is Cao, what is the relationship between her and Director Cao of the city bureau? By age, they should be cousins… no, second cousins, it's not so obvious, otherwise it would be too conspicuous. You also have certain capabilities yourself, otherwise, just being lifted by others wouldn't keep you in this position, but you and your wife have no children to this date?"

Director Sun's face turned ashen, and sweat poured down like rain.

"You don't have the look of a childless man, which means you have kept a concubine elsewhere, who also bore you a son? How old is he? Just turned one? Someone is using your son to threaten you? Forcing you to detain students from Qinghe Middle School? And to speak rudely towards Principal Zhou? You really are bold, do you know who Principal Zhou is, when others might not?"

As Qiao Hongyi's tone gradually intensified, Director Sun's head grew heavier, and he was unable to lift it again.

"Alright, no need to be so nervous, your personal conduct is not our concern, someone will talk to you. Let's get back to the person who called to threaten you, think carefully about this, have you met any strangers lately?"

Qiao Hongyi pushed up the glasses on the bridge of his nose, coaxingly said, "He must have met you face to face, said a few words, you might not have a clear memory of him, but surely he chatted casually with you. For example, one day you were particularly happy, or particularly angry, emotions fluctuating significantly. There's an acquaintance, who just happened to be nearby and struck up a casual conversation, asking if there was something happening at home or if you encountered anything..."

How could I possibly recall that?

Director Sun looked utterly confused.

If he were confined at home all day, seeing hardly anyone, perhaps he could retain some memory.

At the police bureau, if not managing ten thousand tasks a day, it was still quite busy, seeing countless people and handling numerous affairs, how could he remember who he had casually chatted with?

However, speaking of strangers...

Qiao Hongyi silently observed the subtle expressions on Director Sun's face, and as his pupils dilated, he immediately said, "Remember something? Don't hesitate, speak up!"

Director Sun helplessly said, "I don't know if it counts as a stranger, after all, you know I usually work in the bureau, interact with colleagues, people we see on a daily basis… But a few days ago, because of something… I went to a gift shop and chatted casually with the shopkeeper."

Qiao Hongyi immediately asked, "Which gift shop? What's the owner's name?"