Chapter 35.2

As she spoke, she prepared to leave. There were plenty of people around Xu Hongbing, but this guy was the most suitable. However, his hesitation meant she had to push him.

Watching the thirty yuan slip away, the man ground his teeth in frustration. “Fine, I’ll do it.”

“This is ten yuan as a deposit. The remaining will be paid once the job is done.”

“What if you back out?”

“A promise is a promise. As long as you do your part, I’ll never go back on my word.”

“I also keep my promises. How about you give me the money first?”

“Or we could just walk away from this.”

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll go report you to Xu Hongbing?”

“Do you really think he’ll give you thirty yuan?” You think you’re some kind of loyal servant? Someone who resorts to shady tactics and opportunism like you wouldn’t turn your back without a benefit. If Xu Hongbing found out you tried to stab him in the back, he’d make sure you were finished.

The man scoffed, “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to follow through. I understand the rules. You can’t eat from both sides.”

So he understood that, huh? Luo Lan didn’t say more. They parted ways in the woods. The next morning, she woke up particularly early and started cooking in the kitchen. By the time her mother-in-law and Zhou Junfang returned from the hospital, breakfast was ready.

“Did the doctor say you could be discharged?”

“Yeah, they said it’s fine now.”

“Let’s eat. Afterward, I’ll take you to a place where there’s a good show.”

Her mother-in-law asked, “What kind of show?”

Luo Lan smiled, “You’ll find out when we get there.”

Meanwhile, Xu Hongbing was preparing for the inspection, eager to show his superiors his capability. He had already scheduled several places to visit, determined to impress his leaders.

However, before they even set out that morning, one of his men rushed out. “Boss, I have something serious to report!” 

He hadn’t yet realized the report was directed at him. In this era, he welcomed reports from others, but this guy hadn’t said anything to him before. Now, in front of the leaders, he seemed to want to make an impression. Clever little thief.

“Xiao Huang, if there’s something to discuss, let the leader eat first. We can talk after the meal.”

His intention was to flatter the leader, and he was annoyed with this Xiao Huang’s attitude. What is this? You dare to report me directly? Trying to ride over my head?

His displeasure stemmed from a subordinate bypassing the chain of command. He thought he’d teach him a lesson, but little did he expect that the subordinate would be so persistent and fearless. What came next made his annoyance turn into outright rage.

“Leader, Xu Hongbing is a foreign spy. I accidentally discovered he has been communicating with foreigners.”

Xu Hongbing was stunned at first, then exploded in anger. He was usually cold and indifferent, but today he was like a fireball, angrily pointing at Little Huang and cursing.

“Shut your mouth! I have no foreign connections at all. Who would I be corresponding with?”

Xiao Huang stepped back a couple of paces, looking for an escape route. “Of course, you won’t admit it. I happened to see it by chance. As for how you got in touch with them, I have no idea. I don’t even recognize foreign languages.”

“You little weasel,” Xu Hongbing shouted, furious and ready to grab him. “How dare you slander me? Today, I’ll—”

“Stop!”

This was a matter involving espionage, a major issue that the top authorities were currently investigating. The leaders perked up at once, and Ma Tianliang rushed over with his team to restrain Xu Hongbing. After a moment of struggling, Xu Hongbing stopped, trying hard to defend himself.

“Leader, this is absolutely slander! It’s a frame-up!”

“Whether it’s slander will be clear after the search.”

Xu Hongbing froze for a moment, realizing that he had fallen into a trap. Just a second ago, he was livid, trying to stop the informant, but now he was showing signs of guilt and fear. The leaders could tell he was hiding something.

“Which room is Xu Hongbing’s?”

The little weasel’s flunky led the way. “Leader, it’s over there. I’ll guide you.”

“Let’s go.”

The little weasel took the lead, and Ma Tianliang, as the second-in-command, personally led the search team. He didn’t need Luo Lan to signal him this time. Seeing someone cooperating only stoked the flames of his anger. This guy dared to come forward with accusations. He must have evidence. As long as they found something in that room, he was confident that everything would be fine.

The search began. The team went in and started rummaging. Soon, the room was in disarray—clothes, bedding from the bed, and even small items from drawers were thrown onto the floor.

Onlookers were gathering, some bold enough to enter the courtyard, while others lingered outside. Some climbed onto the courtyard walls. Luo Lan also brought her mother-in-law and two sisters-in-law to the scene.

Mother Zhou, always timid, hid behind the crowd. “Lan’er, what if they find nothing? Xu Hongbing won’t let him off the hook, will he?”

“Not a chance. It’s already become a matter of vengeance. After all this effort, neither side will let the other go unpunished if they fail.”

“They’ve always been the kind to repay grievances with vengeance. The struggle is everywhere.”

“Ah,” Mother Zhou sighed. “I’m sweating for him.”

Zhou Junhui whispered, “It’s just dogs biting dogs. Mom, why are you worrying about such people? Regardless of who wins or loses, they both deserve it.”

Zhou Junfang, hiding behind her sister-in-law, covered herself as much as possible. Her gaze fell on the man.

He was looking particularly sharp today, his hard features appearing chiseled from the side. Such looks might be favored in later times, but they sent chills down her spine every time she saw him. His strength was intimidating.

Xu Hongbing was entirely focused on the chaos in the room. His apartment was a suite, with an outer room that served as a reception area and a bedroom inside. The bed had already been stripped of all its contents.

Ma Tianliang had been working with him for a long time. When did he start wanting to resist him? He always seemed obedient, but it turned out he was just putting on a facade.

The man’s eyes were cold and distant, like the biting chill of winter. The little weasel, who had avoided entering with the inspection team, was also keeping a close eye on him, his gaze equally frigid.

His older brother had been beaten to the point of incontinence, his sister-in-law had taken the children and left, and their mother was in the hospital due to stress. He had been waiting for a chance to take revenge.

“I found it.”

The item was hidden very well, fitting the psychology of concealing important things. They hadn’t even checked under the bed. Ma Tianliang was sweating bullets, fearing he’d been duped. If this confrontation ended poorly for him, he knew the consequences would be dire.

Xu Hongbing was a ruthless man. If he couldn’t crush his opponent at once, he wouldn’t make a move. If he were to alert his enemy, he knew it would backfire. He understood this logic, so when he emerged from the room holding the letter, he felt as if he’d just been doused in cold water.

“Leader, take a look.”

The envelope bore Xu Hongbing’s real name, along with a short phrase in a foreign language. Everyone present couldn’t read it. As the leader opened the envelope, he found letters in a foreign language inside.

Xu Hongbing was dumbfounded, but he quickly realized that he had fallen into a trap today. All this time, he had been hunting others, and today, he had been outsmarted.

“This is slander! It’s absolutely slander! I—”

He struggled to find a flaw in the accusation but couldn’t figure out where to counter. He graduated high school, and he had studied Russian in school.

“Leader, I assure you, I have never done anything against my country. I only studied foreign languages because the school required it, but I didn’t do well. I absolutely cannot understand this.”

The leader had already finished reading the first letter and turned to look at him. The weasel leaned in to see as well, sneering.

“Playing dumb? Isn’t that an old trick?”

“Weasel,”

Xu Hongbing was furious, gritting his teeth as he glared at him. With so many people surrounding them, the little weasel was emboldened, mimicking Xu Hongbing’s usual arrogance. He coldly smiled, and just that one action made Xu Hongbing’s anger flare even more.

“Xu Hongbing, I didn’t expect you to put on a show in front while secretly making connections behind our backs. Tell me, how much have you sold out?”

“Leader, I didn’t! I really didn’t!”

What era was this? In a time when having a foreign novel at home could land you in trouble, how could he deny the existence of this clearly named letter with complete content? Regardless of whether it was real or not, no one dared to speak up for him. In a situation like this, one had to clearly distance themselves from any potential trouble, or else it could lead to significant issues.

“Arrest him and take him back to the provincial capital. Report this.”

Usually, it was he who had the power to arrest others, but today it was his turn to be bound and taken away. Xu Hongbing could hardly believe that someone could set up such a situation against him—perhaps it wasn’t just one person but a whole group working against him.

He glared angrily at the little weasel, his expression as if he wanted to bite him. However, the little weasel wasn’t afraid at all and silently taunted him.

“You’re finished. It’s all over.”

As Xu Hongbing was led away, he looked back at the two who were grinding their teeth in anger. His hatred boiled over, and the inspection team’s words felt like the last straw, deflating him like a punctured balloon.

“Ma Tianliang, you will temporarily take over the work of the Revolutionary Committee.”

“Yes, yes!” Ma Tianliang was so delighted he could barely contain his grin. “Don’t worry, Leader. I’ll do a great job!”

With Ma Tianliang taking over his position, Xu Hongbing realized that he was being replaced. At that moment, he finally came to grips with his anger, realizing that he might never return to this land that had nurtured him.

Zhou Junfang hid behind her sister-in-law, watching as the nightmare that had plagued her was taken away. As the vehicle drove off, she felt a weight lift from her heart, and her beautiful face emerged from behind her sister-in-law, her petal-like lips slightly curling into a smile, her eyes sparkling like water—truly, she was more beautiful than flowers.

“Sister-in-law, he’s finally gone! Haha!”

Zhou Junhui then asked, “Now that he’s gone, does that mean Big Brother can be released?”

Mother Zhou, coming to her senses, asked anxiously, “Lan’er?”