Chapter 16

Shenhai Municipal Party Committee Building

Yang Yuanbing walked towards the main entrance with a smile. During this period, he had successfully handled several matters for his superiors, who were quite satisfied. This time, not only did he represent the First Prison of Shenhai City to attend a meeting at the Justice Bureau, but he also received an opportunity to study at the Party School after the meeting.

Everyone knows that once you go to study at the Party School, it might mean that you are about to be promoted.

“Section Chief Yang, you look radiant! Did something good happen again?!”

A charming voice came from behind. Yang Yuanbing turned his head and saw that it was Sun Jianchun, the secretary of Vice Mayor Liu.

“Secretary Sun, long time no see, you’re getting more and more youthful and beautiful!” Yang Yuanbing chuckled, but secretly couldn’t help swallowing.

This Secretary Sun is really too alluring, but her intentions are not something he can handle—those who understand, understand.

“Hehe, such a sweet little mouth!” Secretary Sun gave Yang Yuanbing a sideways glance, making him feel flustered. “I heard you got the spot to study at the Party School this time.”

“Secretary Sun, you’re joking. I owe my opportunity to study to Mayor Liu’s promotion. I’ve been thinking of finding a chance to visit Mayor Liu to listen to his teachings in person, but I don’t know when Mayor Liu will be available?”

Liu Ming, the Vice Mayor of Shenhai City, is in charge of political and legal affairs. Sun Jianchun is his secretary.

Originally, as a junior section chief of the First Prison of Shenhai City, it would definitely be inappropriate for Yang Yuanbing to visit the Vice Mayor abruptly, as there are too many layers of hierarchy between them.

However, since Secretary Sun took the initiative to stop him and steered the conversation towards this topic, how could Yang Yuanbing not understand what it meant?

“Mayor Liu is available right now. He just mentioned you, saying that your work is doing quite well. If you want to visit him, now is a good opportunity.”

“That’s great, I’ll go right away!” Yang Yuanbing’s eyes lit up.

“Go ahead, I have other matters to attend to, I won’t accompany you!” Secretary Sun said, then twisted her waist and left unsteadily, leaving Yang Yuanbing feeling parched and tongue-tied.

“Never mind, important matters first…” Yang Yuanbing quickly withdrew his gaze and turned to walk towards the elevator in the hall.

The Shenhai Municipal Party Committee Building was not too tall, only eight floors. The city leaders all worked on the top floor. Yang Yuanbing quickly found Vice Mayor Liu’s office.

After straightening his attire, Yang Yuanbing lightly knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

Vice Mayor Liu Ming’s voice came from inside the office. Yang Yuanbing immediately put on a smiling face and cautiously pushed the door open to enter.

—

An Xiaohai lay on the bed, carefully recalling the entire process of his recent meeting with Wang Tiejun, ensuring that he had no omissions.

Regarding the robbery at Shenhai City Precision Instruments Factory, An Xiaohai certainly did not inquire about it, but saw it on the news broadcast in his previous life.

According to the normal timeline, the bandits not only successfully robbed but also killed several financial and accounting personnel. This incident caused a great uproar and was directly reported on the news broadcast.

An Xiaohai remembers many similar cases.

Unfortunately, there are very few drug-related cases in the news.

Even if such cases are solved, they are rarely broadcasted in the news. If they are, no details are provided; only the amount of drugs seized and the number of drug traffickers arrested are mentioned.

All other information is blurred.

If a drug enforcement officer appears in the news or in newspapers, it can only indicate one thing: that the officer has been killed, and likely there is no one left in their family. Otherwise, their identity must not be exposed.

That’s how cruel it is!

Going after Wang Tiejun can be said to be a path of no return.

But to save his life, An Xiaohai had to associate himself with Wang Tiejun, which was the only path they could think of. Precisely because of this, An Xiaohai also had to find a way to prepare a way out for himself.

If he couldn’t find a reliable way to retreat unscathed, An Xiaohai’s life might not be any more comfortable than in his previous life.

He could only take it step by step.

Meanwhile, Yang Yuanbing was leaving Vice Mayor Liu Ming’s office, nodding and bowing while waving goodbye, and gently closing the office door.

The moment the door closed, Yang Yuanbing couldn’t help but let out a deep breath, and at the same time took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

Liu Ming chatted with him a lot, but what Yang Yuanbing didn’t expect was that the topic eventually, after going around and around, came to An Xiaohai!

Liu Ming said that because An Xiaohai’s identity was quite special, he had been paying more attention. However, Yang Yuanbing didn’t believe this explanation at all.

Come on! There are many criminals with special identities, and Mayor Liu hasn’t shown concern for any of them. This is 100% abnormal!

Although puzzled, Yang Yuanbing had no hesitation and quickly gave Vice Mayor Liu a detailed report on An Xiaohai’s situation.

After listening, Liu Ming asked many questions, and in the end, he even hinted that Yang Yuanbing should also confine Xu Tianyou to cell 232.

That was interesting.

Yang Yuanbing arranged for An Xiaohai to be placed in his original prison cell, as the leader of the Shenhai City Prison Administration had secretly communicated. So when Vice Mayor Liu Ming mentioned An Xiaohai just now, Yang Yuanbing thought that Liu Ming was backing An Xiaohai.

But after listening for a long time, Yang Yuanbing found that Liu Ming was also subtly targeting An Xiaohai!

Xu Tianyou is no pushover. He is a somewhat neurotic and extremely ruthless drug trafficker! Moreover, he had just been sentenced to life imprisonment and was very emotionally unstable! Assigning him to the same cell as An Xiaohai, what good could come of that?

This was clearly meant to harm An Xiaohai.

“What exactly is An Xiaohai accused of?…”

Yang Yuanbing was sweating coldly, as even though Liu Ming was in charge of political and legal affairs, he was certainly not on the same line as the leader of the Prison Administration. Moreover, Liu Ming might have someone behind him; otherwise, there would be no need for Liu Ming to personally make this move.

However, thinking about how calm and composed An Xiaohai was, Yang Yuanbing’s worries eased somewhat.

So with so many big figures targeting An Xiaohai, yet he remains so calm, it indicates that the forces behind An Xiaohai are not to be underestimated!

The situation was becoming increasingly convoluted, and Yang Yuanbing even felt a bit discouraged.

“Never mind, it’s better to take it one step at a time!”

Yang Yuanbing actually had a pretty good impression of An Xiaohai.

Although An Xiaohai was young, he was incredibly composed. Most importantly, he knew how to deal with people, and seeing him so confident made it hard to predict who would come out on top in the end.

Maybe in the end, An Xiaohai wouldn’t necessarily fall into the hands of these big figures. The final outcome would still depend on the power struggle between the major players backing both sides.

Since that’s the case, it would also be difficult to offend An Xiaohai’s side. However, one should not get too close, lest innocent people get involved.

“Yes, that’s the way to do it!… As long as An Xiaohai is sensible enough, I’ll try to satisfy both sides’ demands as much as possible. This way, no matter which side wins, I can reap some benefits!

That’s right, exactly! At least this time, being able to attend the meeting and getting the opportunity to study was mostly thanks to An Xiaohai!

Moreover, An Xiaohai’s mother sent another 600 yuan to Wanshuxing this month. Although it’s not much, it shows good intent, considering that his family probably can’t even afford meals now…”

Yang Yuanbing thought about this as he left the Municipal Party Committee compound.

Yang Yuanbing felt that he was a good person, quite considerate of others, and he was moved himself!

—

Pan Zhuangzhuang’s Home

An Xiaohai’s mother, grandfather, and grandmother were all present.

To pay the compensation, An Xiaohai’s mother sold the family’s house and land. The grandfather, grandmother, and maternal grandparents did the same.

Now, with the whole family having nowhere to live, Pan Zhuangzhuang took them all in.

An Xiaohai’s maternal grandfather, who worked at a large shipbuilding company, had a small dormitory and did not come over. An Xiaohai’s maternal grandmother also moved there to live.

“Aunt, take this,” Pan Zhuangzhuang stuffed several banknotes into An Xiaohai’s mother, Chen Shuifen’s hand.

“You child, what are you doing? You let us live here, Aunt is already very grateful, why are you still offering your money?” Chen Shuifen hurriedly declined.

“Take it, Aunt. My parents passed away early. If you hadn’t been taking care of me like a biological son, I might have already died.

I’m now working in the city. If no one lives in this house, it would decay quickly. Consider it as helping me take care of the house.

Xiaohai is my good brother, a lifelong good brother! He’s in trouble now, and I must help.

Take the money, Aunt. I can’t use this much anyway. You’re in need of money right now. Take it.” Pan Zhuangzhuang said earnestly.

Pan Zhuangzhuang wasn’t lying. His father had passed away long ago, and his mother had been working away from home. When he was eight, Pan Zhuangzhuang had a high fever at home alone and became delirious.

If it weren’t for Chen Shuifen discovering him in time, and secretly walking over thirty li in the heavy rain to take him to the hospital overnight, he might have really died.

For so many years, Pan Zhuangzhuang had been eating at An Xiaohai’s home, and Chen Shuifen had never charged him for his meals.

Chen Shuifen knew Pan Zhuangzhuang very well. The boy was a bit stubborn, so she gritted her teeth, took the money, and accepted it. They indeed needed the money very much now.

“Aunt, can I go see Xiaohai next month? You all have already gone to see him, but I haven’t yet.”

“Alright, then next month you go to see him with Xiaohai’s grandmother. Grandmother is old and a bit confused, you need to take good care of her. If Xiaohai has anything to say, help me convey it.”

“Okay, I will definitely take good care of Grandmother and convey Xiaohai’s words. I’m off to work in the city now!”

Pan Zhuangzhuang was very happy. After saying that, he dashed away like a shot. He had finally completed the task that An Xiaohai had instructed him!