Free Web NovelChapter 429: Chapter 427: Something’s Not Right
After Lin Lan’s family finished their meal, Little Douzi grabbed his toy gun and ran off.
Just as they finished washing the dishes, Yao Xiuyun arrived. She told them there was a new development in the theft and stolen goods case. She’d heard from a colleague that Xu Huan had confessed, claiming Shen Hao had instructed her to receive and sell the stolen property. Xu Huan also said Shen Hao was involved in it himself.
The case also ended up implicating members of the civil patrol team, who had been extorting street vendors. The patrol team was now investigating the corrupt elements in their ranks and was planning to fire a group of temporary hires.
Old Li cursed, "These punks nowadays, all they do when they get together is scheme up petty crimes. Once they get some money, they’re all buddies, wining and dining. But the moment they’re exposed, they start turning on each other. It’s a real dog-eat-dog mess."
Yao Xiuyun asked, "Uncle Li, were the old gangs in society like that too?"
Old Li laughed. "What kind of gang do you call them! The biggest gang back in the day was called the Brotherhood—the Pao Ge, as we called them. Before Liberation, everyone from dockworkers and farmers to people in all sorts of trades were Pao Ge. I heard that at its peak, the Brotherhood had hundreds of thousands of members."
Lin Lan smiled. "They say Pao Ge are men of their word."
Li Xiangyang looked at her and laughed. "You know that saying too!"
"What Sichuan native doesn’t!"
Yao Xiuyun nodded, grinning at Old Li. "Uncle Li, why did so many people join the Brotherhood?"
"Sigh," Old Li lamented. "Before Liberation, the warlords were always fighting. Some of them carved out their own territories and imposed heavy taxes on passing merchants. Bandits in the mountains would also take advantage of the chaos, making the trade routes very unsafe."
"So, a lot of businessmen joined the Brotherhood. The organization would give its members a token. With their token, most bandits would show the Brotherhood some respect, and even the minor warlords wouldn’t dare go too far."
Yao Xiuyun’s eyes widened in understanding. "So that’s how it was! I heard that Uncle Da’s family used to be Pao Ge."
Old Li nodded. "I heard Liu Da’s grandfather was the boss of the East Market. But in all his years in the East Market, he never used his power to bully anyone. If someone came to him for help, he’d do it if he could."
"During the War of Resistance, I heard he even emptied his family’s coffers to help the government. That’s why his family lived peacefully after Liberation. Good deeds bring blessings upon a family, while evil deeds bring disaster. The reason Liu Da’s smuggling business has gone so smoothly all these years is that he’s still benefiting from his grandfather’s reputation."
Li Xiangyang nodded. "Uncle Da has said so himself. He said there were several close calls within the province, but every time, people backed off as soon as he brought up Mr. Liu’s name."
Yao Xiuyun looked at him. "Xiangyang, you all have to be careful when you go out. They said in a meeting at the station that the public security situation is very serious right now."
Li Xiangyang glanced at Lin Lan. "Don’t worry, we never travel at night. On our way back last time, we traveled with a group of other guys running goods from the provincial capital. Uncle Da said we’ve arranged to do the same this time."
Hearing this, Lin Lan and Old Li still felt a little worried.
"As long as you have a plan." Yao Xiuyun said, standing up. "I should get back too. Qiaoling is home alone."
"I’ll walk out with you. I need to call Little Douzi back for his bath."
Lin Lan and Yao Xiuyun left the courtyard together and saw a group of children, some with wooden guns and others with wooden swords, darting back and forth in the alley.
"Little Douzi, Dandan, Little Hai, it’s getting dark! Time to come home!"
Dandan glanced back at them. "Just a minute! The battle’s almost over!"
Lin Lan and Yao Xiuyun both laughed. "’The battle’s almost over,’ indeed," Lin Lan said. "When did they get so friendly with the other kids in the alley?"
Yao Xiuyun laughed. "It doesn’t even take kids two hours to become friends. Not like adults. My next-door neighbors and I just nod when we see each other, and that’s it."
Lin Lan glanced at the blooming roses on the neighboring wall. "We’ve been here for so long, and I don’t even know who lives next door to us."
"Dongzi said their family name is Chen. The husband works for the city government, and he’s apparently a pretty big deal," Yao Xiuyun said in a low voice.
Lin Lan suddenly remembered Old Chen’s nephew, but she quickly dismissed the thought. She said, "I see the family that owned the empty house at the end of the alley has moved back in too."
"Mhm. Now only those two courtyards of yours are still empty."
"Xiangyang said he wants to keep them for the children to live in someday."
Yao Xiuyun nudged her with her elbow. "Any news yet?"
Lin Lan laughed. "It hasn’t been that long!"
"That’s true. It’s only been a little over a month. Trying again in the second half of the year isn’t too late."
The two women stood there for a little while longer before the three children came running back, their heads covered in sweat.
Dandan looked at them and said triumphantly, "We won!"
Lin Lan shot them a playful glare. "You’re all covered in sweat. Your clothes are soaked."
"Hehe!" Dandan gave a silly grin and waved to them. "Auntie, I’m going home to take a bath."
"Go on, go on. We’ll take this little brother back for his bath too."
Lin Lan and Yao Xiuyun each took one of the children and headed back.
Little Douzi grabbed Lin Lan’s arm to show her his hand. "Mama, look! They’re such cheaters! They snuck up and ambushed us from behind, which made me fall. I scraped my hand right here."
Lin Lan saw that he had scraped his palm and also had a small scratch on his knee. "There’s fine sand in the cut on your palm. We’ll put some iodine on it when we get back to disinfect it so it heals faster. Run a little slower next time, okay? What if you’d hit your head?"
Little Douzi shook his hand. "It’s okay. Last time Cousin Jun fell, he scraped a whole chunk of skin off his knee, and it was fine after a few days."
Lin Lan ruffled his hair. "Did you cry when you fell?"
Little Douzi shook his head. "I didn’t cry. It just hurt a little."
"Here, let Mama blow on it." Lin Lan took his hand and blew gently on the scrape. "We’ll wash it, put some iodine on it, and it’ll be all better by morning."
"Okay!" Little Douzi looked up at her. "Mama, can I go to Shilian with Uncle Xiangyang tomorrow?"
"No, you can’t. The cab only seats three people. With Uncle Shi Tou, Uncle Da Shu, and your Uncle Xiangyang, it’ll be a perfect fit."
Little Douzi just said, "Oh," and ran inside. "I’m back!"
Watching him go, Lin Lan felt that something wasn’t right, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was. frёewebηovel.cѳm
Old Li gave him a light smack on the bottom. "Look at you, you’re soaked in sweat. Your uncle is taking a bath, so hurry up and get washed."
"Okay!" Little Douzi ran upstairs.
Lin Lan came in behind him and saw Old Li watching TV by himself. "Dad, where’s Little Douzi?"
Old Li pointed upstairs. "Gone to take a bath."
"No wonder he ran so fast. He was afraid I was going to put medicine on him." Lin Lan shook her head and hurried upstairs to catch Little Dou Ding and apply the medicine. "You can only have a sponge bath today. Wait until it scabs over before you take a real bath."
"Oh," Little Douzi nodded. "Mama, Dandan said he wants to have a sleepover with me tonight."
Lin Lan turned to look at him. "Didn’t you say Dandan kicks in his sleep and that you didn’t want to sleep with him anymore? What made you change your mind?"
Little Douzi scratched his head. "He said if he sleeps over at our house, he won’t kick."
Lin Lan still felt something was a little off with the little guy, but she nodded. "Alright, then. Take off your dirty clothes. Mama will get some water for you to wipe yourself down."
