Courtyard House: Railway Police at the Start

Chapter 36: Ventilation

"I'll go outside for a smoke."

After bringing Xu Fugui to the interrogation room, Lu Zhang made an excuse to leave the space for his apprentice to do his job.

Xu Fugui thought it was someone from his family visiting, but it turned out to be Tang Zhenghong. There were no chairs for him to sit on, so he awkwardly squatted down and shifted his legs. "It's Zhenghong. Ugh... squatting is really uncomfortable. Can I stand for a bit?"

Tang Zhenghong, his face grim, lit a cigarette and said, "How was Uncle Xu last night? Out of a sense of duty to help, I'm letting you reflect on your actions. Do you harbor any resentment?"

They didn't let him stand up, so Xu Fugui awkwardly squatted down and looked up, saying, "No, no, I understand. They're doing this for my own good. I don't dare to hold any resentment."

"Well, it's good that you think that way, which means there's still a chance to correct your mistakes."

"I will definitely correct it, I will definitely correct it. But as you know, I am not very educated, and my eyesight is not as good as it used to be. I took the wrong path this time, and I hope you will correct and criticize me for the sake of being my neighbor for so many years."

Tang Zhenghong put on a smile, stepped forward to help the other person up and sit down in a chair, then turned around and asked with a smile, "Are you truly repentant? Our job is to guide comrades who have made mistakes back to the right path, but I don't know how determined you are."

"Officer Tang, I, Xu Fugui, am truly repentant this time. Please give me a chance."

Tang Zhenghong handed him a cigarette, lit it, and suddenly asked, "Do you submit? I heard you used to know a lot of influential people. How about I give you some time to make some contact? My brother Da Mao and his mother are outside."

The other person had a smile on their face, but their eyes were staring at him like a wolf cub. Xu Fugui felt a chill run down his spine. They were the same kind of people!

"I admit defeat, I'm completely convinced. I was being foolish, I shouldn't have..."

"Shouldn't what?"

I shouldn't have schemed against you.

"Old man, when my grandfather was alive, he was always kind to others and would rather suffer a loss himself than ruin relations with his neighbors. I'm young, so it's nothing for me to suffer a little loss or hardship; consider it tuition. But you shouldn't have used his past to scheme against me."

At this point, Tang Zhenghong suddenly grabbed Xu Fugui by the neck and lifted him up: "If you dare to cause any more trouble with his affairs next time, just try it again, and we'll fight to the death!"

"Ugh...ugh...help..."

Tang Zhenghong snorted and tossed him back into his seat.

"Cough cough... I wouldn't dare, I absolutely wouldn't dare!"

"I saw you were locked up all night, and I was worried about the air circulation, so I opened it up for you. Why are you calling me? Let's get down to business, Uncle Xu. You can go back with my brother Da Mao in a little while, but just how determined are you?"

Xu Fugui, his hands cuffed, neck throbbing, cold sweat beading on his forehead, asked, "What's the plan? Tell me and I'll agree to anything."

"Liu Guangqi told me yesterday that he would apply to go to the border region after graduation."

Xu Fugui cursed the kid inwardly for being ruthless, knowing that he would have to spend a lot of money this time. He gritted his teeth and resignedly quoted a "high price": "I remember now, when my family was short of money before, I borrowed a hundred yuan from Grandpa Tang. I'll have Da Mao send it to you later."

"You've got it wrong."

Xu Fugui thought the other party was not satisfied and would ask for an exorbitant price, so he was thinking about how to negotiate.

Then Tang Zhenghong took out a piece of paper and a pen and started writing and drawing, saying, "Didn't you pay back fifty before?"

Xu Fugui thought he had misheard, and looked up in surprise, asking uncertainly, "Did you pay it back?"

"I returned it. My brother Mao returned it to me personally. Do you think someone with such a good relationship with him could make a mistake like this?"

Xu Fugui understood what the other party meant; they were waiving half the money because of his son. He was now completely convinced and, after a long pause, whispered, "Thank you."

"I'm afraid you'll remember it wrong next time. Here, put your fingerprint on it."

After his hands were freed, Xu Fugui rubbed his neck, pressed his fingerprint on the IOU, and replied firmly, "I won't make a mistake again, I won't."

"Just remember that, not everyone is as easy to talk to as me. By the way, when is my brother Mao getting married? If he still considers me his brother after I return this hundred yuan, I'll include it in his wedding gift."

Xu Fugui was a seasoned veteran; seeing that the other party was meticulous in his actions, he quickly reassured him, "Don't worry, I won't say anything out of line when I get back. Could you do me the honor of treating me to a meal as an apology?"

"We're from different generations, so let's skip the meal. By the way, I'm here to visit you on behalf of Brother Da Mao. I'll go and take care of the formalities as he instructed."

Xu Fugui bowed and scraped, just like his son: "Yes, you just advised me to correct my mistakes, you didn't say anything else."

Tang Zhenghong corrected him, "It's 'help,' to help you get on the right path. Be careful next time, don't go astray again."

After Tang Zhenghong left, Xu Fugui kept repeating to himself, "Yes, it was helping...helping to correct mistakes."

After Xu Fugui saw the light of day again, he felt as if he had rediscovered the world and people all over again.

On the way home, the family of three remained silent.

Xu's mother tried to speak several times, but looking at Old Xu's expression, she couldn't bring herself to say anything.

Xu Damao, however, was still immersed in his understanding of power.

Seeing that they had arrived home, Mrs. Xu could no longer hold back. Wiping her eyes, she asked, "Husband, did that boy really just let you come back like that?"

"What else can I do? We're neighbors, and I've already apologized to him and endured the hardships he deserved. Alright, hurry up and get me some food, and some snacks to go with my drinks. I want to have a drink."

Seeing that she couldn't get any information out of her, Xu's mother could only grumble as she went to cook.

Xu Damao only came to his senses when he heard about drinking. Watching his mother walk away, he asked in a low voice, "Dad, I ran around all night yesterday because of your matter, and then bought two packs of cigarettes to find Zheng Hong. Look at the mess you made, I don't even know what to say to you."

Seeing that Xu's father remained silent, Xu Damao slammed the ten yuan that Xu's mother had given him that morning on the table: "I forgot to hand this money over, so I won't return it to you. Take it back and treat someone to a meal; consider it you cleaning up my mess."

Xu Fugui couldn't help but glare at his son: "How dare you talk like that?"

"Alright, I misspoke. But you really handled things poorly this time. It's inconvenient for you, as an elder, to apologize, but is it alright for me to go and make the trip for you?"

Xu Fugui's expression softened. He went inside and soon came out with fifty yuan, handing it to his son: "This is what I borrowed from Old Man Tang before. Pay that kid back for me. Oh, and remember to get the IOU back."

Xu Damao counted the money and put it in his pocket, raising his eyebrows: "This price isn't low, it's almost two months' salary for me. Has he really calmed down?"

"I told him I borrowed a hundred before, and he said I misremembered and that I should pay back fifty for him. Who would turn down money? He was clearly giving us a way out, and he didn't seem like the type to hold a grudge. Fifty it is, I'll just keep it to myself."

"Dad, what about you? This is the first time in my life I've seen you suffer such a huge loss. Are you still angry?"

Xu Fugui remained silent for a long time, neither agreeing nor disagreeing: "The road ahead is long, I admit defeat this time."

"Please stop interfering in our hospital's affairs, okay? I'm begging you."

"My business is none of your concern. By the way, this kid is weird. You should get along with him and don't even think about avenging me. You're no match for him."

Xu Damao pointed with his hand, showing no sign of loyalty in seeking revenge for his father: "Who would be foolish enough to make trouble for themselves if there's no benefit in it?"

"Then why are you holding out your hand?"

"Here's the money. It's for the cigarettes last night, the money for the steamed buns this morning, and the money I missed going to work today because of you, which cost me a day's wages."

Xu Fugui had been planning to have a drink with his son later and teach him how to be as meticulous as the Tang family boy, but now he was in no mood for it: "Get lost! You've already pocketed ten yuan, and you still want money from me?"

"Fine, I guess I'll take the loss. After all, you're my dad."