Privately, these people all said that although people had come to cause trouble in the past two years, those people were not indiscriminate and did not act rashly.
The fact that these hooligans were now so brazen was absolutely not without reason!
Some people began to speculate if there was some unspeakable story behind it.
Others, who were near the police station at the time, heard news that the police were not responding.
When such news spread, many people indeed believed it to be true.
When faced with rumors, people generally chose to believe what they wanted to hear.
The sensational topic of the police not responding quickly spread through the streets and alleys.
From one to ten, and then to a hundred, almost everyone believed it to be the truth.
By the time Director Duan discovered it, the rumors were already out of control.
He had been busy all night and hadn't rested in the morning, working non-stop to get a handle on the situation.
He was now planning to go home to change his clothes and then report to his superiors.
Unexpectedly, as he rode his bicycle, he heard several versions of the story.
The stories varied, but the core issue was the same.
Simply put, it was a story of the underworld and the authorities colluding, leaving ordinary citizens with no recourse.
Some even said that he, the director, was corrupt, took bribes, and was derelict in his duty.
Others said that he was the umbrella protecting those hooligans.
Still others said that without someone backing them, those hooligans would not dare to be so brazen.
Director Duan felt incredibly wronged, but no matter how wronged he felt, it was useless.
These rumors would not disappear just because he felt wronged.
When Director Duan, with a dejected look, returned home, he could still feel the strange glances from his neighbors.
The Duan family lived in a large compound, which, besides their three rooms, housed many other neighbors.
Clearly, even the neighbors around their home had heard about the incident.
Some neighbors with whom they had a distant relationship merely looked at him meaningfully, even with a hint of disdain.
Some who were closer spoke a few words to him.
"Jialiang, you mustn't do anything that betrays the country or the people!"
"Jialiang, I believe you are not that kind of person, but people can weave lies into truth!"
Duan Jialiang could only offer a forced smile and explain.
However, such explanations could work for one or two people, but when there were more, it became impossible to explain.
Duan Jialiang returned home feeling very dejected, only to find his son and daughter both at home.
"Why are you two so well-behaved today?" Duan Jialiang asked curiously.
Both children were teenagers and would disappear after breakfast.
During the entire holiday, the siblings would not return until meal times.
"Dad, are you really like what people outside are saying?" his daughter asked, staring at Duan Jialiang.
She didn't believe her father was the kind of person others described, but now everyone outside was saying it.
The little girl felt very sad, after all, her father held a very high position in her heart; her father was a police officer, someone who caught bad guys.
But now, many people said her father was a bad person!
Duan Jialiang didn't know how to answer his younger daughter.
Unable to answer his daughter, he turned to his son.
It was then that Duan Jialiang noticed that his son's lip was broken.
The obvious wound on his lip was clearly the result of a fight.
"Xiao An, did you get into a fight?" Duan Jialiang asked.
Although his son was mischievous, he had never gotten into a fight with anyone before.
As a result, his son Duan Ruian simply turned his head away, ignoring his father's concern.
"Dad, the other children said you're not a good person, and big brother got into a fight with them!" his daughter said obediently and sadly.
She was willing to believe her father, but others didn't, and even though she explained, they didn't listen.
Her brother had also tried to explain, but after being insulted, he got into a fight with those who insulted them and their father.
Duan Jialiang hadn't expected that this incident would have such a significant impact in just one day.
He had initially thought that he would have some time to handle the matter slowly.
Now, it seemed he had no time at all.
If he didn't take decisive action soon, the situation might continue to escalate.
Moreover, this matter was too sensitive, and a single misstep could ruin his reputation for half a lifetime.
Duan Jialiang asked his daughter to look after his son, quickly changed into clean clothes, and went to see his superior.
In the time it took him to go and come back, the rumors had continued to ferment and become increasingly exaggerated, almost to the point of saying that Duan Jialiang had led people to smash and loot the Yimingge restaurant.
This made him even more troubled.
Fortunately, his superior was not yet aware of how much of a commotion was happening outside.
Duan Jialiang explained the general situation, speaking very reasonably. He took full responsibility for the problems on his side and also revealed what the hooligans had confessed.
Finally, he lowered his head and voluntarily admitted his mistake.
"I was wrong. It was my error in judgment that led to such serious consequences. I am willing to accept any disciplinary action from the organization, but I hope you can give me an opportunity to redeem myself!"
Duan Jialiang apologized sincerely and clearly stated his request.
If this matter could not be resolved under his purview, he might carry this stigma for the rest of his life.
It might be enough for him alone, but perhaps even his two children would not be able to hold their heads high.
He could disregard himself, but he could not disregard the future of his two children.
Although the leader was annoyed, he still trusted Duan Jialiang.
He knew what kind of person Duan Jialiang was and believed that Duan Jialiang would not do such a thing.
However, the incident was ultimately due to Duan Jialiang's poor judgment of character and his failure to manage his subordinates, so he could not escape blame.
"This matter is entirely entrusted to you to handle. You must provide an explanation to the victims and also investigate how many people, besides the Su family, are victims."
When Duan Jialiang heard these words, he knew that his superior was giving him an opportunity.
He quickly promised to complete the task.
He also guaranteed that if these hooligans had any other bad habits, they would be dealt with accordingly, restoring a clean and upright atmosphere for the citizens!
That evening, the people of Beijing heard news that, starting immediately, a city-wide crackdown on thugs and hooligans would be carried out, and anyone who had been bullied by them could report it.
Duan Jialiang had been in his position for several months. He had initially believed that "water that is too clear has no fish."
No matter what kind of person, one had to leave them a way out. For these petty hooligans, as long as they didn't do anything too outrageous, he would turn a blind eye.
After all, those people had no special skills, and finding work was very difficult now. If they were pushed too far, they might resort to desperate measures.
He hadn't expected that these people would dare to smash and loot directly, and even run into a hard obstacle.
Since they were asking for trouble, it wouldn't hurt to oblige!