Chapter 31: The Dust Settles

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Everyone was stunned, but Xia Ruofei did not stop. He walked forward and grabbed Zheng Xiaodong’s collar. He slapped him twice again and said.

“The first one was for Hu Zi. The other two were for Auntie and Qiao’er!”

“You… you… are too arrogant… too arrogant!” Zheng Xiaodong was in pain and angry as he trembled.

Xia Ruofei looked at Zheng Xiaodong disdainfully and said.

“I’m arrogant? Deputy Chief Zheng was so impressive just now! He even wanted to kill a weak woman on the spot! I’ve said many times that they’re from the family of martyrs and are victims. They have nothing to do with what happened today. What did you do? Huh?”

Niu Tao originally wanted to stop Xia Ruofei. After all, it was still inappropriate to hit Zheng Xiaodong in front of the leaders of Three Mountain City. Even if Zheng Xiaodong’s political career was probably over, he was still a civil servant.

However, when he heard Xia Ruofei mention the word “family of martyrs,” his expression immediately turned serious. He strode over to Hu Zi’s mother and Lin Qiao and asked.

“Are you the family of Comrade Lin Hu?”

Hu Zi’s mother nodded. Niu Tao immediately saluted them both and said.

“Hello, Auntie! I’m sorry, we didn’t do our job well and made you suffer…”

“No, no, it’s okay…” Hu Zi’s mother quickly waved her hand and said.

Niu Tao was in his thirties and was almost forty years old. Furthermore, he was a lieutenant colonel. She really felt a little at a loss as to what to do when he directly called her Auntie.

Niu Tao said with a smile.

“Auntie, although I’ve never worked with Comrade Lin Hu before, Hu Zi’s unit is my old unit. We’re all brothers and sisters in the unit. Now that Hu Zi is gone, we’re your family! I’m working in Three Mountain City now. If your family has any difficulties in the future, feel free to look for me!”

“Okay, okay… thank you…” Hu Zi’s mother said with red-rimmed eyes.

Lin Qiao also thanked Niu Tao obediently.

After exchanging pleasantries with Hu Zi’s mother, Niu Tao walked up to Xia Ruofei and asked.

“Ruofei, who else insulted the martyrs?”

Xia Ruofei’s gaze swept across the uneasy Li Zhengyi, and a cold smile appeared on his lips. He pointed at him and said.

“And this Deputy Director Li. He was the one who arrested Auntie and Qiao’er!”

Niu Tao’s eyes turned cold. He turned to Tian Huilan and said.

“Mayor Tian, I’m sorry. I’ll reflect on today’s matter and report to the military chief when I get back.”

“Director Niu, what… do you mean?” Tian Huilan asked with a slight frown.

Just now, Xia Ruofei had directly taught Zheng Xiaodong a lesson, which had already made Tian Huilan a little unhappy. She was a member of the system, and what she paid the most attention to were rules. And Xia Ruofei’s rash behavior just now made her very unhappy.

Even though she knew that Xia Ruofei had been wronged that day and even if Secretary Lin from the Provincial Committee personally paid attention to him, it still could not change Tian Huilan’s opinion of Xia Ruofei.

Now that Niu Tao was obviously going to “make trouble”, Tian Huilan felt a little aggrieved as someone who was supposed to settle the matter.

Niu Tao smiled and did not answer Tian Huilan. Instead, he strode towards Li Zhengyi.

Li Zhengyi was also holding a gun in his hand—he was the most proactive when Zheng Xiaodong commanded the attack just now.

Now that he saw Niu Tao striding towards him, he retreated in fear and said.

“What … what do you want?”

Niu Tao came forward and grabbed Li Zhengyi’s wrist, neatly removing his gun.

Seeing this, Xia Ruofei grinned and said.

“Fire Wolf, not bad! You didn’t fall behind in your skills!”

Niu Tao ignored Xia Ruofei’s nonsense and directly kneed Li Zhengyi in the stomach. Li Zhengyi immediately held his stomach and squatted down in pain. Niu Tao followed up with a heavy elbow strike, and Li Zhengyi immediately fell to the ground.

Niu Tao stepped forward and stepped on Li Zhengyi’s face. He said coldly.

“How dare a coward like you insult a martyr? Compared to Hu Zi, you’re not even a piece of shit! If I hear you being rude again, I’ll shoot you!”

Tian Huilan watched from the side and could not help but frown, feeling increasingly unhappy.

At this moment, Wu Liqian whispered in Tian Huilan’s ear.

Tian Huilan asked in surprise.

“Are you sure?”

“Mayor, I’ve seen the surveillance videos. I’m sure there’s no mistake. And he did take the bus to Changping County today…” Wu Liqian quickly said.

Tian Huilan couldn’t help but look at Xia Ruofei a few more times before nodding.

“I understand. Little Wu, it’s been hard on you…”

After Niu Tao taught Li Zhengyi a lesson, his anger was finally vented. Then, he walked to Tian Huilan and said.

“Mayor Tian, I’m really sorry. I couldn’t control my emotions. I’ll take the initiative to report this to the military chief. The organization will deal with me as it should. I definitely won’t complain.”

Tian Huilan looked thoughtfully at Xia Ruofei who was not far away before saying.

“Director Niu, I didn’t see anything just now. Director Chen, Commissar Wu, what about you?”

Chen Bo and Wu Huai smiled wryly and agreed. Even the mayor had said so, what else could they say?

Niu Tao was also quite surprised. He did not expect this female mayor, who was known for being strict, to let them go so easily. He was prepared to be punished.

Tian Huilan nodded and walked over to Xia Ruofei. Her expression became friendly as she asked.

“Little Xia, please tell us in detail what happened today. Our comrades from the army are also here. We will definitely uphold justice for you.”

Originally, Tian Huilan had some displeasure regarding Xia Ruofei’s rashness, but now that she knew that this young man was her father’s savior, that little bit of unhappiness had long flown out of her mind.

Xia Ruofei nodded and said.

“Dear leaders, I’ve really troubled everyone today. Here’s what happened…”

Xia Ruofei told them everything that had happened after he arrived at Little Island Village.

Tian Huilan listened attentively, and her expression grew uglier.

Under her rule, the deputy director of the police station had actually colluded with local hooligans and tyrants to run rampant in the countryside. The deputy director of the Public Security Bureau did not distinguish between right and wrong and enforced the law violently. No leader would be happy after knowing this.

Especially after hearing Xia Ruofei say that Li Zhengyi and Zheng Xiaodong had insulted the martyrs and their families, Tian Huilan was even more furious. She even lost her usual composure and directly showed her anger on her face.

Because in fact, Tian Huilan was also a family of the martyr.

Her husband had been a police officer. The year her daughter had been born, her husband had been killed in the pursuit of a fugitive. All these years, Tian Huilan had not started a family again. She knew how difficult it was for a family without a pillar. And to this day, she missed her husband deeply.

Now that she heard Li Zhengyi, who was also a police officer, say such insulting words, how could Tian Huilan endure her anger?

She said angrily.

“This is simply nonsense! Chief Chen, we have to investigate this matter thoroughly! Also, the village hooligans from Little Island Village are so rampant. You have to establish a special task force to deal with them severely!

“In addition, I think it’s necessary for your Public Security Bureau to conduct an in-depth reorganization. Those who have problems should be removed from their positions, those who should leave should go, and those who have problems should be transferred to the judiciary immediately!”

“Yes!” Chen Bo replied immediately.

Zheng Xiaodong, Li Zhengyi, and the others’ faces were pale and their hearts were dead. None of them were free from these involvements. Now that such a thing had happened, they would definitely be severely punished by the law.

After swiftly arranging the work, Tian Huilan turned to Xia Ruofei and the others. Before she could speak, Xia Ruofei suddenly called out.

“Zhong Qiang! Where are you going?”

With that, he strode over and grabbed Zhong Qiang, who was about to slip away.

Xia Ruofei carried Zhong Qiang back to the yard of the police station like he was carrying a chicken. He threw him on the ground and said.

“Chief Chen, this is Zhong Qiang, the bully from Little Island Village. He’s also Li Zhengyi’s nephew. When Li Zhengyi captured us just now, Zhong Qiang was sitting in a police car!”

When Chen Bo heard this, he no longer hesitated. He immediately waved his hand and instructed the Changping County Police Force to capture Zhong Qiang.

Although these police officers had followed Zheng Xiaodong here, Chen Bo was the head of the city bureau, so they naturally had to obey his orders.

Tian Huilan then said.

“Comrade Xia Ruofei and two ladies, it’s our fault that the Public Security Bureau did not manage the internal department strictly. A black sheep has appeared and made you suffer. On behalf of the Three Mountains City Council, I apologize to you!”

“Mayor, please don’t say that. If you hadn’t arrived in time, Ruofei and we wouldn’t know what to do…” Hu Zi’s mother said quickly.

Although the middle-aged woman had suffered, she harbored no resentment.

“I heard that your family is in a very difficult financial situation? This is because I didn’t do my job as the mayor well! You’re the family of a martyr, so you should receive the government’s care and help,” Tian Huilan said guiltily. Then, she asked in confusion, “By the way, our city has always had a comprehensive financial support scheme. There’s a monthly allowance for the families of martyrs. You…”

Hu Zi’s mother said in a startled voice.

“Mayor Tian, I didn’t receive any subsidies… After Hu Zi died, the leaders of the army only sent a pension… There hasn’t been any since.”

Xia Ruofei pursed his lips and said.

“Auntie! It must be the village police who are secretly embezzling money! Isn’t Zhong Qiang’s father the village director? He’s definitely not a good person!”

Tian Huilan said angrily when she heard this.

“Investigate! We must investigate thoroughly! They even dare to embezzle the money for the families of the martyrs. They’re simply crazy!”

Tian Huilan’s words also decided that the Zhong family, which had dominated Little Island Village for many years, was about to face a calamity.

The storm was over.

Chen Bo, the director of the City Public Security Bureau, stayed behind to clean up the mess while Tian Huilan and the others prepared to return to Three Mountain City. After learning that Xia Ruofei and the other two were also returning to Three Mountain City, they naturally invited them to go with them.

Niu Tao was prepared to let Xia Ruofei and the others take his car. They could also reminisce about the troop on the way.

But before he could speak, Tian Huilan said.

“Little Xia, come with me to the car! I have something to ask you…”

“Uh…” Xia Ruofei was a little stunned, but he immediately replied, “Okay…”

He was indeed a little confused. He didn’t know why Tian Huilan was looking for him, but since the mayor had already asked, he naturally couldn’t refuse.

Niu Tao was also a smart person. Seeing this, he quickly said.

“Auntie, Lin Qiao, take my car! My SUV is spacious…”

Thus, the group separately got into the cars and left.

As soon as the car drove out of the gate of Linhai Police Station, Tian Huilan said.

“Thank you, Little Xia!”

“Huh?” Xia Ruofei was even more confused. “Mayor Tian, why are you thanking me for no reason? I should be the one thanking you…”

Strictly speaking, he had caused quite a bit of trouble for Tian Huilan that day. Even if he had the right reasons, there was no need for Tian Huilan to thank him!

Tian Huilan turned to look at Xia Ruofei with a grateful expression.

‘Did you save an old man with a sudden heart attack this morning at South Station?’

“I did.” Xia Ruofei was surprised, but he nodded. “How did you know?”

Tian Huilan smiled and said.

“That old man is my father.”