Chapter 56: It's All a Scheme

Seeing Li Xian, covered in mud and looking disheveled, and the aluminum ingots at the feet of the joint defense team, Zheng Weishi immediately sensed something was wrong!

Earlier this morning, Old Sun insisted on dragging him, Wu Shengli, and others to go fishing with a few fishing rods he had somehow acquired. Li Xian stayed at the retirement home, so he didn't think much of it.

But now, seeing the scene in front of him and the presence of Sun Dazhi in the yard, everything became clear to him.

Li Xian's catchphrase—how did it go again?

It's all a damn scheme!

Old Wu didn't think too much. Seeing Li Xian being bullied, he picked up a fishing rod without caring that it was still connected to the fishing line and started hitting the two joint defense team members.

"Damn it! Who's behind this? Get out here!"

After driving away the joint defense team members, Old Wu swung the fishing rod horizontally and stood in front of Li Xian like an angry guardian.

Old Wu was different from the others at the retirement home. Most of the old cadres were there because of the good medical conditions and environment, or because their children couldn't take care of them.

But Old Wu was a true loner.

He lost his spouse at a young age, and his only son, Wu Tianming, who worked in the municipal police's criminal investigation unit, died in the line of duty six years ago.

During his stay at the retirement home, Li Xian often entertained Old Wu and helped him deal with Zheng Weishi. Though he didn't say it, Wu Shengli felt particularly close to him.

Now that he saw Li Xian being mistreated, Old Wu was truly enraged.

Zheng Weishi was also genuinely upset. After Old Wu's "sweeping away the enemy" tactics, he put down his bicycle and walked over to Li Xian, wiping the mud from his face. He didn't speak but stared at Sun Dazhi with a cold, unwavering gaze.

Meanwhile, Xu Chaoyang looked at the trembling Liu Quanyou with a frosty expression.

"Captain Liu, I'm asking you, what's going on here?"

Liu Quanyou was stunned to encounter Xu Chaoyang today!

Facing Xu Chaoyang's interrogation, he bowed and said, "Director Xu, we're conducting fire hazard inspections of various units as per your request."

This excuse seemed too far-fetched to Xu Chaoyang.

Indeed, on September 30, the day before the official fire prevention period began, he had held a safety meeting at the bureau, emphasizing fire prevention. But why target the retirement home among so many production units?

What really irked him was that today was October 6.

The joint defense team was supposed to start work the day after tomorrow. Now these guys were not only in uniform but had even brought out the unit's inspection trucks, claiming that Zhou Quanyou planned to use his holiday to work overtime inspecting fire hazards. If Xu Chaoyang believed that, he might as well resign.

The flimsy excuse made him laugh in anger. "Liu Quanyou, Liu Quanyou, do you think I'm new to this job?"

Could Liu Quanyou admit to having received a thousand yuan to help his buddies resolve matters? If he did, it was uncertain whether he could keep his job!

Faced with Xu Chaoyang's questioning, Liu Quanyou could only wipe his sweat, lower his head, and remain silent.

Seeing the situation stalemate, Zheng Weishi finally shifted his gaze from the intimidating Sun Dazhi and targeted Old Sun: "Old Sun, your son wanted to buy that batch of aluminum ingots yesterday but couldn't agree on the price. Today he tricked you out for fishing and then came here to rob us. Do you and your son still have any shame?"

Zheng Weishi's words were quite tactical. Now that Liu Quanyou was caught red-handed by Director Xu, he would certainly be implicated.

By saying this, Zheng Weishi shifted everyone's attention directly to the Sun family.

Old Sun felt utterly wronged. "Zheng Weishi, speak reasonably! How would I know that this little rascal had such intentions when he tricked me into going fishing?"

Seeing everyone's eyes on him, Old Sun steeled himself and slapped his son on the head. "You little bastard! What methods will you use next? You've completely embarrassed me!"

At that moment, Li Xian, who had been observing silently, stepped in front of Old Sun and blocked his raised arm.

Looking at the shrinking Sun Dazhi, Li Xian spoke earnestly: "Old Sun, your health is not good. Although what your son did was disgraceful, please don't get too angry. If something were to happen to you, it would be really bad!"

Old Sun had usually only had a nodding acquaintance with Li Xian. Seeing how considerate and mature Li Xian was, he felt a pang of guilt.

"What a good kid! Dazhi, you're getting old! Learn from your younger brother Li Xian!"

Just as he was about to praise Li Xian, the latter said, "I'm young and strong. Let me handle this!"

With that, Li Xian delivered a solid kick to Sun Dazhi…

…

When Zheng Weishi, with a sore back, pulled Li Xian off Sun Dazhi, Sun Dazhi was already bruised and battered.

Old Sun, feeling heartbroken, couldn't bring himself to intervene due to his poor health. For the sake of pride, he only stood aside, gritting his teeth and saying that the beating was well-deserved. The frustration he felt was worse than being beaten himself.

Meanwhile, Xu Chaoyang had more or less figured out what had happened. He instructed the stunned Liu Quanyou and others to return the aluminum ingots and await further instructions.

As the aluminum ingots were being put back, the Sun family packed up and left the retirement home. After this incident, Old Sun felt he could no longer stay there.

With the father and son leaving with cold faces, the retirement home returned to its quiet state.

Li Xian washed his face and thanked Zheng Weishi and Wu Shengli.

After Li Xian had beaten Sun Dazhi, Zheng Weishi had kept a stern face and said nothing. Instead, Wu Shengli, feeling sorry, brushed off the dust and checked for injuries.

When Liu Quanyou and others left nervously, Zheng Weishi finally kicked Li Xian in frustration and scolded him loudly:

"Damn it, you couldn't even protect your own stuff!"

"During the day, your stuff got stolen and you got beaten up. What kind of mess can you make at the forestry bureau?"

"If you have no skills, just fight with them! If you can't win, grab a knife from the kitchen and fight to the death! If you're afraid of dying, how do you expect to make a fortune at the forestry bureau?"

"With your pathetic state, if it weren't for luck, would we have managed to save those aluminum ingots worth over sixty thousand?"

Although he was scolding Li Xian, Xu Chaoyang's face grew more troubled.

When Zheng Weishi nearly turned the forestry bureau into a den of wolves, Xu Chaoyang sighed and said, "Zheng Uncle… enough already. I'll handle this properly and give Li Xian an explanation. Is that alright?"

Hearing this, Zheng Weishi turned around with a silly smile. "Oh, Director Xu, you know I'm old and sometimes my words don't come out right. I didn't mean to offend you!"

Xu Chaoyang was left feeling both amused and exasperated.

Thinking to himself, Everyone at the forestry bureau knows what a cunning old fox you are!