蒋立春 didn't show any mercy after being called away from home right after getting back, especially since the target of the attack was Gu Xingdong and Wang Kuo. He cuffed the perpetrators after subduing them.
“These scoundrels are getting bolder and bolder. Separate them for interrogation. It’s fine to use some… special methods if necessary. I want their mouths pried open. Tell them it’s my order: anyone who provides a useful clue about Zhu Changgui will have this incident overlooked tonight. Otherwise, they’ll be charged with attempted murder and sent to a place where they can only eat the wind.”
蒋立春 ordered sternly as soon as he returned to the police station.
“Yes!” The officers under his command immediately went to carry out the orders.
“How are you two? Are you alright?”蒋立春’s tone softened considerably as he looked at the two sitting on the bench. He poured each of them a glass of water by the table.
Gu Xingdong and Wang Kuo took the glasses. “We’re okay, nothing major. We were just surprised that this Zhu fellow was so bold.”
蒋立春: “It’s my fault for not warning you earlier. Who knew he would make a move so quickly? It will probably take a long time to get results from the interrogation. You’ve been through enough for today, you two should go back. I’ll let you know if there are any developments tomorrow.”
Gu Xingdong glanced at his watch; it was already past eleven at night. He patted Wang Kuo’s shoulder and stood up. “Then we’ll leave it to you, Old Jiang. We’re heading back.”
After an all-night interrogation, 蒋立春’s efforts yielded significant results.
Not only was Zhu Changgui involved in buying and selling substandard steel bars, but one of the suspects also confessed to having contact with someone named Qiu Peng, suggesting potential involvement in human trafficking.
“He himself is tight-lipped and won’t say anything, but we’ve already sent people to investigate thoroughly. Once we have concrete evidence, let’s see if he can remain as composed as he is now.”
Just thinking about Zhu Changgui’s arrogant attitude even while in custody fueled 蒋立春’s anger. He was determined to convict him, even without a confession.
“Qiu Peng?” Gu Xingdong mused, the name sounding familiar.
He had undergone special training in the military and possessed his own memory methods. Based on the limited clues, he carefully sifted through his memories, and his fingers, resting on his knees, suddenly twitched.
“Old Jiang, I recall this person you mentioned. If I remember correctly, he’s currently in prison in our province.”
What had Yang Shuang told them back then?
Qiu Peng had taken two children from S Province. At the time, they thought they would find Ruirui’s biological parents, but that wasn’t the case.
Could this matter be related to Zhu Changgui?
“Really?” 蒋立春 was surprised by this unexpected development and quickly got up. “Old Gu, Old Wang, I’ll go back and contact the police on that end immediately. Human trafficking is no small matter. This time, Zhu Changgui won’t be getting out.”
Soon, a response came back from the provincial capital. According to Qiu Peng’s confession, he had indeed had dealings with Zhu Changgui years ago. However, Zhu Changgui had not used his real name back then, and they had lost contact for many years, which was why Zhu Changgui had not been traced at the time.
“I advise you to confess honestly. We’ve already found Qiu Peng, and your actions have severely violated the law. Tell us which children you handled back then and where you sold them.”
Zhu Changgui’s cuffed hand tightened involuntarily. He then raised his eyelids and said with a forced smile, “Aren’t you very capable? If you already know everything, why are you still asking me?”
“You motherf***er!”
To be so arrogant even after committing crimes! 蒋立春 flew into a rage and grabbed a stool nearby, swinging it at him.
“Boss, please don’t lose your temper.” His subordinate quickly intervened. The stool grazed Zhu Changgui’s scalp and hit the wall behind him with a crack, shattering into several pieces. The force of the throw clearly indicated 蒋立春’s extreme anger.
“How many families have been torn apart because of scum like you? Human trafficking, selling substandard steel bars… when all charges are combined, you’ll be repenting in jail for the rest of your life.”
蒋立春 pointed at him threateningly. “Fine, if you have the nerve to stay silent, I have plenty of ways to make you talk, believe it or not? It doesn’t matter what happens to you in here, but your wife and children are still out there, aren’t they?”
“Xiao Xing, is his son in middle school or high school?”
“You, what do you want to do? I warn you, don’t do anything rash.” Zhu Changgui’s expression changed upon hearing this. His son was his lifeblood; otherwise, he wouldn’t have taken all the blame on himself.
“What can we do? We are all law-abiding citizens. It’s just that sometimes, disaster strikes unpredictably.”
蒋立春 leaned in and whispered something into Zhu Changgui’s ear that only they could hear. Zhu Changgui’s head shot up, his gaze fixed on 蒋立春 for a long moment before he finally slumped, saying, “Alright, I’ll tell you whatever you want to know…”
Gu Xingdong sat on a stool in the office, waiting for the results. He sat upright, his back straight, legs slightly apart, his hands loosely clasped on his knees.
If one looked closely, they could see his shoulders were a little tense, and his thumbs and index fingers would occasionally rub together.
He stood up as 蒋立春 approached.
“It’s been too long. Some of the children, he himself can’t remember them. I showed him the photograph you gave me, and he had no recollection.”
蒋立春 said, handing back the small black-and-white family photo, about two inches in size.
Gu Xingdong carefully put the photo into his wallet. “Thanks.”
Meanwhile, Chen Lishu and Zhao Qiuyue were preparing ingredients for dinner.
“We have chicken, fish, eggs, and meat. Xiao Yue Jie, I remember there’s a bottle of Maotai on the cupboard. I don’t know if Doctor He drinks liquor, but perhaps you could buy some beer later?”
Zhao Qiuyue, who was washing vegetables, replied, “Okay, I’ll go after I finish washing these.”
In the living room, Gu Shoufu and Gu Xingye looked somewhat stiff in the presence of He Ziyu, who was sitting on the sofa.
“How old is Doctor He this year?” Gu Shoufu, racking his brain, finally managed to ask.
If it were an ordinary person, they might have chatted for a bit. But He Ziyu was the doctor who had saved Li Xiulan’s life, a professor, and, according to their third daughter-in-law, had studied abroad. Such a person was vastly different from Gu Shoufu, an old man who tilled the soil. He didn’t know what to say to him.
“Twenty-eight.”
“Are you married?”
He Ziyu shook his head.
Silence fell over the living room once more.
He Ziyu got up and walked over to Ruirui. Noticing what Ruirui was holding, his eyebrows twitched. “Nine Rings?”
Ruirui looked up. “Yes, I’ve been trying to solve it for days and haven’t succeeded. Uncle He, do you know how to play?”
He Ziyu replied truthfully, “This is too simple. I haven’t touched it since I was five.”
Ruirui: “……” Was it embarrassing that he, at eight years old, still couldn’t solve it?