"Personnel!"
The Director called for someone.
Old Liu hurriedly pushed open the large door, and the Chief walked in first.
Several people quickly stood up and saluted, "Hello, Chief!"
The Chief nodded, and Old Liu and the personnel followed in and closed the door.
They stood right behind the Chief.
The Chief sat down. Weng Jiefang had just seen three leaders suddenly stand up and salute, and he understood that an even higher official had arrived. However, upon seeing Old Liu, he was startled and jumped straight up from his chair, hiding behind the Director, pointing at Old Liu and shouting, "It’s him, it’s him who hit me. You guys arrest him."
The Director, annoyed, freed his sleeve from Weng Jiefang’s grip, took a few steps forward to distance himself from Weng Jiefang, mainly because the body odor emanating from Weng Jiefang was unbearable. Now that it’s summer, this smell mixed with the scent of Weng Jiefang not having bathed for who knows how long really made one feel like vomiting up their meals.
He walked over and opened the glass window.
Finally, he took a breath.
Turning back to look at Old Liu, the Chief had arrived, clearly knowing that the old Chief protected his people. He must have heard the news and came over.
"Old Liu, tell us what’s going on. We can’t just listen to one side of the story, so explain yourself. We don’t want to wrong any soldier, especially a battle hero." This was said for Weng Jiefang to hear, as protecting one’s team wasn’t solely the Chief’s responsibility; the whole unit’s reputation was in their considerations too.
Most importantly, Old Liu and his folks couldn’t be clearer. Upright and selfless, he’s the type who would roar at injustices along the road.
But definitely would not bully civilians. No one would believe it even if you said it was true.
The consequences of slander are very serious.
Moreover, looking at this person standing here with his attire and evasive gaze, it’s evident he’s not a decent person.
They’re very firm in sticking to their own opinions, being very responsible and not judging by appearances.
Old Liu chuckled and spoke, "You dare e here? This Weng Jiefang, when Bai Na gave birth to a baby, insisted on abandoning it in the mountains to the wolves due to its frail health. Bai Na divorced him and returned home with the baby, saying that going forward, the child and Bai Na would have nothing to do with him.
The entire village could testify to it back then. Now he es here asking for the child just because Bai Na is earning money and he wants to get money from her. To say I hit him, I wouldn’t even bother hitting him. You leaders, look at his behavior.
If I really laid a hand on him, he wouldn’t be sitting here whole, without a broken arm or leg. That’s unworthy of my surname, is it?"
Saying this, he clenched his fist for everyone to see.
The leaders, of course, knew Old Liu’s skills; don’t be fooled by his crippled leg. Even if he had two crippled legs, he’d still be able to handle him.
They fought enemies on the front lines, and even crawling, they’d bite the enemy dead right there.
Besides, the man standing before them crawled out from heaps of corpses and sea of blood on the battlefield; if he genuinely wanted to beat you, could you evade it?
Weng Jiefang glared, noticing the three leaders who were amiable to him earlier now had stern expressions, and he sensed things weren’t going well.
He promptly sat on the ground, imitating the manner of women from the village when they threw tantrums, kicking vigorously on the ground, slapping it with his hands, his eyes devoid of tears, yet crying out.
"Oh my heavens, you’re bullying people. Is there no place to reason? You’re officials, and yet you protect your soldiers. Even if I didn’t want my son back then, he still carries my blood, saying the sky’s the limit, he shouldn’t deny me.
How is it wrong for me to ask for my son? You’re being unreasonable. You’re bullying the civilians."
This accusation caused them to glance at each other.
This rogue behavior clearly showed he wasn’t a good person, and everyone’s mental balance immediately tilted towards Old Liu.
Even those who hadn’t thought of siding with Old Liu earlier now felt he was right to hit him; for such a person, not hitting him felt like a disservice to oneself.
"Shut up!"
A sharp shout frightened Weng Jiefang into silence.
Mainly because all the people around him looked like they could beat him up like young calves, and if they really did, he’d have nowhere to turn.
"What ... what are you going to do?"
"We’re not doing anything. Having reason isn’t about who speaks louder; if you have things to say, explain properly. What does lying on the ground mean, throwing a tantrum like a woman? We’re a disciplinary unit here; if you really act like this, we can only hand you over to the court.
Disrupting order is a serious offense; you might end up with a three-year or five-year stint.
We’re not trying to scare you either; our Chief is here, and such behavior won’t get you anywhere with us."
The Director’s heart was also aflame.
He thought they were pushovers, but they’d dealt with unruly rural folks before and had no psychological barrier in handling them.
Weng Jiefang stood up sheepishly, patting the dirt off himself, visibly more subdued now.
"Standing up, fine."
"We’ve understood the situation you’ve described here, but matters like this aren’t within our jurisdiction. What we can deal with is whether this person hit you. Old Liu, did you hit him?"
Could this question possibly be asked more shamelessly?
Old Liu raised his head, "I didn’t hit him, how could I hit him?"
This was speaking blatant lies with eyes wide open.
Weng Jiefang was so angry his stomach hurt, and he lifted his shirt to show the leaders the injuries on his body. Indeed, there was a bruise on his stomach.
"You didn’t hit me? So I hit myself on the stomach to bruise it, and as for the dirt on my clothes, that’s all from you kicking me to the ground many times, these clothes are filthy. You think not admitting it means I have no options, I’ll tell you, I remember clearly."
"Don’t be absurd now. Who knows who caused the bruise on your stomach, but regarding the dirt on your clothes, I really don’t admit it. Leaders, everyone saw what he was doing earlier, without a word he lay down, and rolled and beat the ground; back at our chicken farm, without a word, he asked Bai Na for money, and when she refused, he laid down and rolled around. How could we stop him?
You got yourself covered in dirt and then falsely accused us of hitting you, you’re not an honest person."
Weng Jiefang was livid; no matter what he’d say, it made no sense, seeing that these leaders were obviously standing by Old Liu.
"Even if hitting me lacks evidence, he’s corrupting good women and ruining morale, surely you can’t ignore that? I witnessed him protecting Bai Na firsthand, these two are certainly colluding, are you just going to ignore that too?"
User Comments
0 comments from readers