Chapter 120: Verified Personally

Ning Weidong was also startled when he received the call.

This situation was something he had not anticipated.

Logically, a struggle at this level should be nowhere near the point of life or death.

Situations that can involve human lives are generally at the two extremes; either they are very high-level, or some unlucky souls get caught in the middle and lose their lives for no apparent reason.

Then there are those at the bottom, like Xu Jinshan; these people are at a low level, have not truly entered the system, do not follow the rules themselves, and their opponents do not follow the rules either, making it easier for incidents to occur.

Logically, in Wang Kaifeng's situation, at most he would go in for two years, shoulder the things he ought to shoulder, forget the things he ought to forget, and then find an opportunity to be released; there is no reason for him to die.

According to the situation reported by Zhang Dajun, the sudden problem with Wang Kaifeng's body was clearly abnormal; if someone said there was no foul play behind the scenes, Ning Weidong certainly would not believe it.

Ning Weidong could not help but fall into deep thought, and after about half a minute, he said, "Zhang, it seems we have picked up a hot potato!"

Zhang Dajun gave a helpless, bitter smile; he was quite lucky this time that Wang Kaifeng did not die.

Otherwise, a huge black pot would have landed right on his head.

Ning Weidong continued, "Hurry, hand the person over according to procedure."

Zhang Dajun felt a sense of relief; he was now terrified that Ning Weidong might have other ideas and insist on holding onto Wang Kaifeng, which would truly be fatal.

Seeing that Ning Weidong had no such intention, he could finally toss away this bomb that could explode at any moment.

He immediately said, "I understand, I'll go handle it now~"

Ning Weidong hung up the phone and could not help but start pondering.

This matter with Wang Kaifeng served as a reminder to him.

It seems that there must be some unknown circumstances hidden within Wang Kaifeng, and these circumstances are quite important to some people; they might even go so far as to silence him to be safe.

"Wang Kaifeng~ Wang Guoqiang~"

Ning Weidong muttered these two names to himself, knowing full well that there was definitely something to dig into with these two people.

It was very likely that a "big melon" could be unearthed.

However, Ning Weidong did not want to continue; having lived for several decades before he transmigrated, and having struggled through government offices and enterprises, he knew best how important knowing one's limits was.

To what extent a matter can be pursued, and to what extent it should be pursued.

If one cannot grasp that, some things are better left undone.

Just like this matter with Wang Kaifeng, even if he discovered some clues, he should play dumb.

If he really dug deep, there would be no benefit for Ning Weidong, and it would instead land him in an even more difficult situation.

The best method was to toss this pot of Wang Kaifeng away.

As for what happens next, whether Wang Kaifeng lives or dies, that is no longer Ning Weidong's business.

That evening, Ning Weidong got off work and went home.

Having spoken to Ning Weidong on the phone during the day, Zhang Dajun had already made arrangements on his end.

According to procedure, he quickly transferred Wang Kaifeng out.

Ning Weidong returned home, and just as he pushed his bicycle into the front yard of the Dazayuan, he ran into a man in his thirties.

Seeing Ning Weidong, the man immediately put on a fawning smile and called out, "Section Chief Ning."

Ning Weidong smiled and nodded, "Zhang, just getting off work? ~"

This man also worked at the Red Star Factory and was a worker in the Second Workshop.

Previously, relying on being a State-owned Worker, he had not taken this young man Ning Weidong seriously at all; he had not expected that the Ning Family would now have two Section Chiefs.

Not to mention in the courtyard, one could not find a second family like this in the entire alley.

After exchanging greetings, Zhang stepped aside to let Ning Weidong pass first.

Ning Weidong did not stand on ceremony, and seeing Lu Daye and Lu Dama, he greeted them as well, his address and attitude even more respectful than usual.

Once finished, he was about to turn toward the East Cross Courtyard, but was stopped by Lu Daye, who seemed to have something to say but hesitated.

Ning Weidong said with a chuckle, "Lu Daye, is there something you need?"

Lu Daye sighed and said, "Sigh~ it's about the old Wang family in the room across..." As he spoke, he gestured with his chin toward Wang Kai's house opposite.

The room over there was pitch black; ever since Wang Kai had gone out with a kitchen knife last time, although he did not hack anyone on the street, the impact was very bad, and he was caught on the spot.

It had been five or six days now, and he still had not been released.

Ning Weidong was too lazy to meddle in other people's business, especially regarding this Wang Kai.

Although his heart was not bad, he was a muddle-headed fool, and one must keep a distance from such people.

Being muddle-headed meant not understanding the situation; when his head got hot, he could not control himself and never considered the consequences.

Just like last time, hearing that Shi Xiaonan was walking with a man, his head got hot and he grabbed a kitchen knife and went out.

As it turned out, there were four people, and they were not just a couple strolling down the street at all.

Ning Weidong said, "Lu Daye, you are really overestimating me. My position as Deputy Section Chief only carries some weight in the factory; once I'm outside, who even knows who I am~"

Lu Daye's mouth twitched, feeling a bit embarrassed.

He was at his wit's end; Wang Kai's mother was crying and making a scene all day, and with such an incident happening in the courtyard, he, as the former Courtyard Elder, also felt it was not a good look.

Lu Dama, however, was blunt: "Weidong, Dama heard that you are quite familiar with a Police Sergeant Zhang at the Police Station; could you please ask him to inquire about it?"

Ning Weidong raised an eyebrow; he had not expected that the couple, Lu Daye and Lu Dama, were so well-informed.

But upon second thought, it was not surprising.

Lu Daye had been the Courtyard Elder for over twenty years and had good relations with the Street Office and the Neighborhood Committee.

The last time he got Bai Fengyu a job at the Neighborhood Committee, it was through Zhang Dajun's connections, and that was no secret.

Ning Weidong said, "Lu Dama, we have been neighbors for over ten years; there is certainly no problem with helping to ask around, but... the nature of Wang Kai's case this time is not light..."

Lu Daye quickly said, "I understand, I understand, Weidong~ don't you feel troubled; if it's not possible, don't force it."

Ning Weidong replied, "Then let's wait until work tomorrow. Lu Daye, Lu Dama, I'll head back first."

Watching Ning Weidong enter the Moon Gate, Lu Dama couldn't help but glare at Lu Daye and whispered, "Old thing, why didn't you strike while the iron was hot just now? The Ning Family boy has quite a lot of ability; as long as he is willing to put in the effort..."

Before she could finish, Lu Daye glared, "What are you shouting about! Go home!" As he spoke, he pulled Lu Dama back into the room: "Put in the effort, why should he? What kind of friendship does he have with Wang Kai, or are they related by blood or marriage? Besides, do we have the final say on how this matter is handled? Ning Weidong already warned us just now that the nature of this incident is not light; it's not something that can be solved just by flapping your lips and begging someone..."

Lu Dama wasn't stupid either; she realized what he meant and whispered, "You mean, we have to offer a bribe?"

Lu Daye curled his lip and said, "What else did you think? Are you going to pay the money?"

Lu Dama shrank her neck and hurriedly shook her head.

Lu Daye said, "Exactly~ In any case, we helped by asking."

Lu Dama nodded in agreement: "Right, then tomorrow I'll find Old Wang's wife and talk to Shi Xiaonan to see what they think."

After finishing, she sighed with emotion: "Tell me, why couldn't they just live a good life? Why go through all this trouble~ Now it's fine, the person is inside, and everyone is stunned."

Lu Daye didn't like hearing that: "What kind of talk is that! Was it Shi Xiaonan who caused the trouble? Wasn't it Wang Kai courting his own death~ He drank a couple of ounces of cat piss and lost his sense of direction. Once inside, he cried and howled and regretted it. You just watch, even if he gets released this time, it's hard to say what will happen to his job~"

Lu Dama gasped: "Could he actually get fired?"

Lu Daye said, "What do you think~ If he really can't be fished out and leaves a criminal record at the Police Station, do you think the Manager won't know?"

Lu Dama clicked her tongue and shook her head, saying, "What a sin~ If he loses his job, what will he do in the future!"

……

Ning Weidong returned to the side courtyard and parked his bicycle.

Ning Weiguo had already finished work and returned; a "sizzle" sound just came from the room, not knowing what dish was being stir-fried, as the scallions, ginger, and garlic hit the hot oil.

Ning Weidong trotted up the steps and said with a smile, "What are we eating today? It smells so good."

Wang Yuzhen wasn't in the room; Ning Weiguo, wearing an apron, poked his head out of the small kitchen and said, "Weidong is back~ I'm stir-frying shredded potatoes~"

Ning Weidong hung up his overcoat, stretched his neck to look into the inner room, and asked, "Brother, where is my sister-in-law?"

Ning Weiguo said, "They have an activity at her school today, so she'll be late."

Ning Weidong gave an "oh" and turned to bring up the matter of Wang Kaifeng almost dying at Zhang Dajun's place during the day.

Ning Weiguo reacted quite sharply; while holding the spatula, he frowned and said, "Tsk~ There's something going on here! This Wang Kaifeng cannot be kept; you must get rid of him quickly."

Ning Weidong nodded secretly; no wonder he could be valued by the Wang Family, Ning Weiguo was indeed very sensitive to politics.

Almost without thinking, he instinctively arrived at the correct answer.

Ning Weidong said, "I have already told Zhang Dajun, and this afternoon I handed it over to the district along with the theft case."

Ning Weiguo nodded, revealing a smile, very satisfied with Ning Weidong's handling of the situation.

It wasn't to say that this was very difficult.

In fact, when facing this kind of situation, making the correct judgment is not difficult.

For most people who can be a small leader in an agency, they can all taste the trickery within it.

What is difficult is being fast! One must judge at the first moment and make a decision at the first moment.

There are many people who, when talking about something, open their mouths and say, "I saw it clearly long ago" or "I told you so," which doesn't quite count as hindsight.

The problem is, they have judgment but no decision-making.

This one sees it clearly, that one sees it clearly, but they just don't take measures.

The reason Ning Weiguo was satisfied this time was because Ning Weidong not only had a judgment in a short time, but more importantly, he made a decision instead of hesitating, dragging his feet, and wasting time.

A moment later, Ning Weiguo brought the stir-fried shredded potatoes out of the kitchen and shouted toward the inner room, "Xiao Lei, time to eat~"

Ning Lei responded and came out of the inner room.

I don't know if it was an illusion, but it seemed like since the winter break ended and he returned to school, the light in the eyes of this brat Ning Lei had dimmed.

"Third Uncle~" Ning Lei went to the washbasin stand to wash his hands and called out listlessly.

Ning Weidong laughed inwardly, wondering if he should go to the Xinhua Bookstore on Sunday to buy a few exercise books; who told this brat to call him "Third Uncle" so unenthusiastically.

If Ning Lei knew, he should be able to learn a new idiom—if you are determined to condemn someone, you can always find a pretext! After washing his hands and returning, seeing Ning Weiguo serving the rice directly, Ning Weidong asked, "Did you leave any food in the kitchen for my sister-in-law?"

Ning Weiguo said, "No need, she called this afternoon to say that after their activity is over, the school is having a dinner."

Ning Weidong realized, so there was no need to worry about Wang Yuzhen going hungry.

The two brothers sat at the table, and while eating, Ning Weiguo asked, "By the way, Weidong, how are things going with that girl from the Zhao Family?"

Ning Lei was listening with his ears pricked up on the side.

Ning Weidong said, "Pretty good."

Ning Weiguo said, "Really pretty good? Don't just report the good news and hide the bad."

Ning Weidong looked up and smiled: "Big Brother, what are you thinking~ She's just a little girl, what could she possibly do to me? What do I have to report good news and hide bad news about?"

Ning Weiguo was stunned for a moment, then smiled too: "Looking at it this way, you're quite satisfied with her?"

Ning Weidong said with a grin, "It's not that, Brother, what kind of family are we~ Even with this, I'm not satisfied? Her background, her appearance, her figure... no matter how you think about it, it's her picking us."

Ning Weiguo raised his eyebrows, seeing that the rumors about Zhao Ruyi hadn't had any impact on Ning Weidong.

He smiled and said, "If you think it's good, then it's good. By the way, your sister-in-law said, bring her over to sit for a while one day and get to know the place."

Ning Weidong responded: "Sure, then let's make it this Sunday."

Ning Weiguo was slightly surprised: "Don't you need to discuss it with her first?"

Ning Weidong curled his lip and said, "What's there to discuss? What could she possibly have to do that is more important than coming to our house."

Seeing his attitude, Ning Weiguo highly suspected that there was an element of insinuation in his words, only he had no evidence.

Back when Ning Weiguo and Wang Yuzhen first met, Ning's mother was still alive and asked Ning Weiguo to bring the girl home to see, and Ning Weiguo said at the time that he had to discuss it with her.

He then added: "By the way, Weidong, I have to remind you, although you won this time, remember that the tree that stands above the forest will be destroyed by the wind; you have already attracted the attention of some people. Next, you must keep a low profile. You are only twenty-one; if you can stay steady, the road ahead can be walked long and steadily."

Ning Weidong understood his meaning; this was a warning not to get carried away.

He nodded and said, "Big Brother, don't worry, I understand. At my age now, reaching Deputy Section Chief is the limit; next, my main energy will be put into studying, first to get the Correspondence Secondary Specialized School diploma..."

Ning Weiguo gave an "um," but felt a bit stifled inside.

He had prepared quite a few grand principles to lecture him with, but they hadn't been used at all!

Ever since a while ago, this younger brother had suddenly become enlightened; overnight, his thoughts became clear and his heart lucid, and he actually saw through many things more thoroughly than he did.

Ning Weiguo said, "The direction you've grasped is very correct. In the next few years, academic credentials will become increasingly important. A specialized secondary school diploma is only the first step; it would be best to obtain a college diploma to be more secure."

Ning Weidong nodded, but looked at Ning Lei with a bit of mischievous intent.

The brat, who was burying his head in his food, suddenly felt a sensation like needles pricking his back; he abruptly raised his head and met Ning Weidong's gaze exactly.

A thought suddenly popped into his mind: his third uncle was up to no good.

Ning Weidong said, "Big Brother, speaking of this, Xiao Lei needs to put his heart into his studies too. By the time he grows up, a college diploma might not even be enough."

Ning Lei hurriedly lowered his head, trying to minimize his presence.

Ning Weiguo, however, shot him a glance: "He does indeed need to be managed properly."

After finishing his meal, Ning Lei hurriedly scurried into the inner room to continue doing his homework.

After Ning Weiguo and Ning Weidong finished tidying up, they rarely brewed a pot of tea, and the brothers sat down to have a heart-to-heart.

Ning Weidong spoke about the situation at the Manager, while Ning Weiguo talked about the problems he had encountered at the Mechanical Bureau...

Before they knew it, they had finished the pot of tea, and the sound of a bicycle came from outside, followed immediately by Wang Yuzhen entering from outside, snowflakes still clinging to the shoulders of her wool coat.

Ning Weidong and Ning Weiguo both stood up, surprised, and said, "It's snowing?"

Wang Yuzhen was not one to be coy; she used her gloves to brush the thin layer of snow off her shoulders and said calmly, "It just started~"

As she spoke, she took off her coat, hung it on the coat rack, and looked toward the inner room: "Is Xiao Lei doing his homework?"

Hearing the commotion, Ning Lei shouted from inside: "Mom, I'll be done in a minute!"

Wang Yuzhen smiled, went to the kitchen faucet to wash her hands, and the first thing she said upon coming out was the same as what Ning Weiguo had just asked: "Weidong, how are things going with Zhao Ruyi?"

Ning Weidong glanced at Ning Weiguo and said with a smile, "Sister-in-law, you and my brother really are a married couple."

Wang Yuzhen sat down and said, "He asked about it just now, too?"

Ning Weidong nodded and said, "It's going quite well; there will definitely be no problems with living together."

Wang Yuzhen was slightly surprised; given Zhao Ruyi and Ning Weidong's looks and height, there would certainly be no problem between the two of them at the start.

But with Zhao Ruyi's foul temper, problems were bound to arise after a long time.

She hadn't expected Ning Weidong to actually say it was going quite well. Had Zhao Ruyi changed her temper? Wang Yuzhen asked curiously, "In such a long time, have you two never had any conflicts?"

Ning Weidong said, "What conflicts? Ruyi is quite gentle."

"Gentle?" Wang Yuzhen and Ning Weiguo looked at each other, suspecting that the person they were talking about with Ning Weidong was not the same person at all.

It was the first time they had heard that the girl Zhao Ruyi could be associated with being gentle.

Yet they did not know that Ning Weidong was truly not telling a lie.

He had just confirmed it in the Office during the day; Zhao Ruyi's body was indeed warm and soft—'warm' as in warm to the touch, and 'soft' as in supple—which he had verified with his own hands.

Although Wang Yuzhen felt something was not quite right, she did not ask in detail.

If the two of them felt it was good, then it was good; it would only be counterproductive for others to meddle blindly.

She simply changed the subject and said, "By the way, Weidong, a Section Chief in your big brother's unit is about to be transferred, and an apartment in the Office Building is just opening up..."

Ning Weidong knew that Ning Weiguo had mentioned it a few days ago while eating dinner.

Wang Yuzhen continued, "This matter has been decided. Before May Day, they will be able to vacate the place. By then, Weiguo and I will take Xiao Lei and move over there, and we'll vacate this place so you can fix it up properly for your wedding."

Ning Weidong said in surprise, "So fast! Sister-in-law, isn't it too rushed? Ruyi and I aren't getting married that quickly."

Wang Yuzhen said, "Being prepared in advance is better than being caught off guard when the time comes. Marriage is a major event; no matter what, the house must be provided by our family. It is our family taking in a daughter-in-law, not you marrying into the Zhao Family."

Ning Weidong was caught between laughter and tears, but seeing that Wang Yuzhen cared about this, he knew it was genuine concern, and he felt a bit touched.

He did not push back any further; besides, the conditions for the three of them moving into the Office Building would certainly be better than here, and the distance was not particularly far.

Afterwards, the three of them talked about other things, and Ning Weidong returned to the earthquake shelter.

Left with the couple, Wang Yuzhen was still a bit skeptical and asked, "Weiguo, do you think Weidong and Zhao Ruyi... have they really taken a liking to each other?"

Ning Weiguo said, "How would I know~ Judging by Weidong's tone, it should be pretty good; he has no need to lie to us."

Wang Yuzhen thought about it and agreed, nodding: "That's true~ You know, it really is a case of one thing subduing another."

On the other side, Ning Weidong returned to his room and checked the time; it was already eight o'clock.

Just as he was preparing to spread out his bedding, there were two knocks on the door.

Ning Weidong was surprised; this sound was definitely not Ning Lei.

That brat Ning Lei wouldn't know how to knock at all; he would definitely just crash right in.

Could it be Bai Fengyu, unable to bear the loneliness and wanting to come over for a quick meal? Just as the thought arose in Ning Weidong's mind, a timid female voice came from outside: "Weidong~ Brother? Are you in the room?"

Ning Weidong was stunned; the person speaking was actually Shi Xiaonan. Why had she come?

Ning Weidong let out an "uh" and immediately said, "I'm in the room~"

Shi Xiaonan opened the door and entered, her face wearing a troubled and awkward expression; she managed a forced smile when she saw Ning Weidong.

Ning Weidong guessed that she had come suddenly, surely because of Wang Kai's business.

Although they had already broken up, Shi Xiaonan and Wang Kai were not yet divorced, and there were some things she wanted to avoid but couldn't.

Plus, having encountered Lu Daye and Lu Dama when he returned just now, it wasn't hard to guess her intent.

Ning Weidong smiled and said, "Sister Shi, there isn't really a place to stand in the room."

Shi Xiaonan entered, feeling slightly embarrassed.

Apart from the fact that she had come to ask for a favor, Ning Weidong's room was truly too small; once the bed and the stove were in, it was difficult even to turn around. Being in such a small space with a grown young man made her feel psychologically uncomfortable.

Shi Xiaonan pulled the door shut and stepped forward two paces, nearly brushing against Ning Weidong.

Ning Weidong moved a step to the other side of the bed: "Sister Shi, if there's something to discuss, have a seat."

Shi Xiaonan responded and sat on the edge of the bed.

In this era, due to housing limitations, every family's entrance led straight to a bed or a kang, so sitting on the bed to talk was quite common.

Shi Xiaonan kept her head lowered, yet she found it somewhat difficult to open her mouth.

Ning Weidong waited a few seconds, then simply took the initiative and said, "Sister Shi, is this about Wang Kai's matter?"

Shi Xiaonan gave an awkward smile; mentioning Wang Kai made her feelings quite complicated.

When the two of them first married, it wasn't as if there hadn't been sweet days; she had never imagined that she and Wang Kai would reach this point today.

Since she was here to beg for a favor, and Ning Weidong had already brought it up, she couldn't pretend to be ignorant any longer, so she hurriedly nodded and said, "Weidong... no, Section Chief Ning..."

Ning Weidong interrupted, "Sister Shi, what kind of talk is that? We are all old neighbors; if you call me that and it gets out, wouldn't people be poking at my spine?"

Shi Xiaonan choked on her words and hurriedly explained, "That's not what I meant."

Ning Weidong said, "You can just keep calling me Weidong."

Shi Xiaonan nodded: "Weidong, I'm not afraid of being a laughingstock; anyway, that business between me and Wang Kai... everyone inside and out already knows about it..."

Ning Weidong listened to her rambling, and since he had nothing else to do, he didn't rush her.

To be fair, Shi Xiaonan was not only beautiful in appearance, but her voice was also pleasant to hear.

Even when speaking normally, without adopting a singing tone, there was still a certain charm to it.

Speaking until the end, Shi Xiaonan sighed and said, "After all, a day as husband and wife brings a hundred days of grace. I don't care what he thinks of me in his heart, but now he..." Speaking to this point, Shi Xiaonan leaned forward: "Weidong, Sister knows you have wide connections; do you think you could... could you find a way to get him out of the police station?"

Ning Weidong had long guessed her intentions, and upon hearing this, it was just as he expected.

Shi Xiaonan continued, "Sister knows this matter is not easy to handle, and I certainly wouldn't want to put you in a difficult position..."

(End of chapter)