Free Web NovelChapter 79: Chapter 72: Now That’s a Real Prince of Love Letters
"Hm?" Zhu Liqiang paused, looking at the two officers beside him.
The two officers were also a bit surprised. ’How did Zhou Yan know?’
It was true that Wang Qi had ratted out the Zhou Yan Restaurant. He had sworn up and down that Zhou Yan was a long-term customer of his.
However, when they checked Wang Qi’s books, they found no purchase records from the Zhou Yan Restaurant. Wang Qi’s explanation was that he hadn’t recorded every transaction, and he stuck to his story that Zhou Yan often bought tainted pork from him.
The incident with Wang the Fifth’s noodle stall had caused quite a stir, and several textile factory workers who were long-time customers were still raising a fuss.
The Zhou Yan Restaurant was located right at the entrance of the textile factory. After Wang Qi made his report from the detention center, the authorities took it very seriously. They immediately contacted the health station to investigate. The routine inspection was just a cover.
"Zhou Yan, how did you know it was Wang Qi who reported you? Could it be that you really did buy tainted pork from him?" Zhu Liqiang said in a low voice.
The two officers also stared at Zhou Yan, flanking him and blocking his escape.
"Zhou Yan isn’t actually using tainted pork, is he?"
"Oh no, it’s so rare to find a restaurant this good!"
The customers all began to worry.
"I have never bought tainted pork from Wang Qi. Quite the opposite, in fact. I was the one who discovered he was selling it and reported him." Zhou Yan pulled his collar up to cover his nose and mouth, looked at Zhu Liqiang, and said, "Because I am a vigilant member of the public!"
"Ah! You! It was you!" Zhu Liqiang’s eyes widened in shock as he stared at Zhou Yan.
"Director Zhu, what’s wrong?" The two health inspectors and the two officers looked at him, confused.
Gao Tianlei had just finished explaining things outside and walked into the restaurant. Seeing Zhou Yan pull up his collar and utter that phrase, he too exclaimed in surprise, "It’s you!"
The Wang Qi tainted pork case was cracked precisely because of a report from that "vigilant member of the public," which allowed them to successfully dismantle the illegal operation headed by Wang Qi.
The case was handled beautifully, and their epidemic prevention station had even received a commendation for it.
He had always wanted to thank this citizen. He never expected to run into him here.
Wait a minute...
Isn’t this Zhou Yan Restaurant the very place Wang Qi accused of using tainted pork?
What in the world is going on?
The customers were also a bit dazed now.
Did Zhou Yan say he was the one who reported Wang Qi?
Then why would Wang Qi turn around and report him?
"I get it! This is retaliation! Wang Qi is deliberately framing Zhou Yan and the Zhou Yan Restaurant!"
A customer exclaimed, slapping the table.
Hearing this, everyone suddenly understood.
That made perfect sense.
Mrs. Zhao had just worked herself up into a fury, ready to raise hell, but now she had to bottle it all back up. She stared blankly at Zhou Yan, still a little stunned.
Zhou Yan lowered his collar and smiled at Gao Tianlei. "Station Chief Gao, I reported Wang Qi and got him put away. Can he really turn around and bite me back to get me put away too? Don’t I have reasonable grounds to suspect that Wang Qi is acting under someone else’s orders, with the intent to retaliate against me and frame the Zhou Yan Restaurant?"
One of the two officers, team leader and Deputy Director Xia Ji, looked at Gao Tianlei and asked, "Station Chief Gao, what’s going on here?"
"This young comrade is the concerned citizen who reported Wang Qi for selling tainted pork last week. That’s how we were able to bring Wang Qi, Wang the Fifth, and the others to justice. Although, last time he..." Gao Tianlei quickly explained the whole story to Xia Ji.
The situation naturally became crystal clear.
Zhou Yan was the concerned citizen who reported the tainted pork peddler. Now, he was being falsely accused by Wang Qi in retaliation. The situation was self-evident.
Wang Qi couldn’t produce any actual evidence. His empty words insisted that the Zhou Yan Restaurant used tainted pork, making his intent to retaliate obvious.
He was trying to drag the fledgling Zhou Yan Restaurant under and drown it just as it was starting to take off!
Zhu Liqiang was already starting to feel regret. Such a clean and hygienic restaurant, with such a righteous young owner, had nearly had its hard-earned reputation and goodwill destroyed by the slander of a criminal! frёewebηovel.cѳm
"So it was Zhou Yan who reported Wang Qi! That guy had been selling tainted pork for so long, he’s done so much harm to us folks in Suji."
"Wang the Fifth was exposed because of this too. If it weren’t for Zhou Yan, we might still be eating noodles with tainted pork sauce from Wang the Fifth!"
The customers in the restaurant burst into applause, looking at Zhou Yan with admiration.
Mrs. Zhao let out a sigh of relief. She turned her head to wipe a tear from the corner of her eye and said with a laugh, "I knew it! It was just that good-for-nothing Wang Qi spouting nonsense. His heart is as black as gutter oil."
Things were simple after that.
Because of Zhou Yan’s status as the one who reported the tainted pork, and because Wang Qi had no real evidence, no proof related to tainted pork was found at the Zhou Yan Restaurant.
Furthermore, Zhou Yan had a stable pork supplier in Zhang the Third the Knife Maker, all of which could be verified.
Therefore, the health station announced on the spot that the Zhou Yan Restaurant was not using tainted pork. This not only cleared Zhou Yan’s name but also served as a public endorsement.
"Comrade Zhou Yan, your report protected the lives and safety of the people. When I get back, I will apply for a commendation for you." Gao Tianlei shook Zhou Yan’s hand and left with Zhu Liqiang.
Deputy Director Xia Ji and the other officer asked Zhou Yan a few brief questions, had him sign a statement, and prepared to leave.
"Zhou Yan, the bill," Zhou Weiguo said as he walked over to Zhou Yan.
Xia Ji noticed his empty left sleeve, his slightly limping left leg, and the gleaming medal on his chest. A thought suddenly struck him, and he asked tentatively, "Are you Comrade Weiguo?"
"I am." Zhou Weiguo nodded, pulling out sixty cents and handing it to Zhou Yan.
"Uncle, you don’t have to pay. We’re family, you don’t need to pay for a bowl of noodles," Zhou Yan said with a smile.
"Even family has to pay. If you don’t take it, I won’t come back next time." Zhou Weiguo pushed the money into his hand and said with a smile, "Protecting the lives and safety of the people—well done."
"It’s what I should do." Zhou Yan straightened his back.
"I’m off." Zhou Weiguo turned and left.
"Take care now," Zhou Yan called after his retreating figure.
Xia Ji gave Zhou Yan a couple of glances, then followed toward the door.
"Director Xia, who is he?" a subordinate asked in a low voice.
"A new member of the town party committee took office today, who is also the head of the armed forces department. His name is Zhou Weiguo." Xia Ji watched the figure who, despite steering with one hand, rode the bicycle smoothly and quickly. He said softly, "A first-class merit recipient from the war. A living legend."
"It’s him!" The subordinate’s eyes also filled with respect.
The two health inspectors who followed them out also showed looks of admiration upon hearing this.
"Then the owner of the Erwa Restaurant is his nephew?" one of them muttered.
The other three heard this and all looked back at the restaurant’s sign, remaining silent.
But they all knew that from this day forward, this small, privately-owned restaurant was not a place just anyone could step on.
...
The factory workers started their shift at eight, so the customers in the shop quickly finished their meals and left for work.
"Zhou Yan, you’re amazing," Zhao Hong said, looking at him with admiration. So many officials had surrounded him today, but Zhou Yan hadn’t panicked in the slightest. He had resolved the situation all by himself, and they even had to thank him in the end.
"It was nothing." Zhou Yan waved his hand dismissively.
"You kid, when did you report Wang Qi? You reported Wang the Fifth too? How come we never heard you mention it?" Mrs. Zhao pressed Zhou Yan for answers.
"I just happened to see it when I was out one day. I thought his meat looked off, and I ran into the deputy chief of the epidemic prevention station, so I reported him on the spot. I reported Wang the Fifth, too." Zhou Yan grinned. "You could say I was ridding the public of a pest."
Mrs. Zhao nodded. "You really did the right thing. You have to live and act with integrity, otherwise people will curse you behind your back! Just look at Wang Qi and Wang the Fifth—they’ll be cursed as good-for-nothings for the rest of their lives."
"You’re right, Mrs. Zhao. I learned it from you. I can’t tolerate the slightest bit of wrongdoing, so I can only be an upright person." Zhou Yan nodded in deep agreement.
"That’s right." Mrs. Zhao lifted her chin, looking a little smug.
"When Momo wakes up, could you tear off a few pieces from the leftover dough in the bowl and boil them for her? I’m heading out for a bit," Zhou Yan said, pushing his bicycle out.
"Where are you going?"
"To find Grandma. I still don’t know what kind of official my uncle became."
Zhou Yan answered without turning his head, hopped on his bike, and rode off.
...
「The Town Library.」
At the entrance, an old man in a Zhongshan suit sitting behind a desk pushed up his reading glasses and shook his head with a smile. "Are you a silly goose? You’re writing a love letter and you’re looking for *Letter to My Wife*? Are you planning to jump into the Qingyi River, or hang yourself from a southeastern branch? ’The paper is short, but my feelings are long.’ You young people wouldn’t understand it, nor do you need to."
"Sir, that’s not quite it..."
The old man continued:
"Instead of just saying ’hello,’ you should say: ’Long have I missed your noble presence, and often do my thoughts drift to you.’"
"When you receive a letter from her, say: ’The joy of receiving your letter is as great as seeing you again.’"
"And at the end, don’t say ’goodbye.’ Say: ’The paper is short, but my feelings are long; my words have ended, but my longing remains.’"
Zhou Yan immediately sat down on the stool by the desk, pulled a fountain pen from his breast pocket, and took out a notebook. "Grandmaster, please, continue."
’Now *this* is the goddamn king of love letters!’
