Chapter 181: Following Xiao Fang

In the evening, Xiao Fang arrived.

She came by car alone.

After entering the door,

She hurriedly glanced outside first,

Then she said to me, "Chairman Zhao, this place is really hard to find."

I said, "Xiao Fang, I'm really sorry not to let you come, but you insisted; if others find out and implicate you, that would be trouble."

Xiao Fang laughed,

"Chairman Zhao, there's no time now to talk about this; since I've come, I'm not afraid of being implicated."

"If you trust me, just follow me."

"I'll take you to meet someone."

"Who?" I asked.

"When we get there, you'll know. Dare to go?" Xiao Fang asked.

I laughed,

"Of course I dare. I trust you, Miss Xiao Fang." I said.

"Okay, then I'll do your makeup. If we run into a vehicle check when we go out, it'll be trouble." After saying that, Xiao Fang took out a makeup kit from her bag and started doing my makeup.

Xiao Fang pointed at my forehead and asked, "Chairman Zhao, what's wrong with your forehead? It's so bluish."

I smiled helplessly and said, "I bumped into a wall. I'm worried and have nowhere to vent."

Xiao Fang also laughed,

"'Does it mean you hit the south wall and won't turn back?'"

"'Maybe a bit like that—I've got nowhere left to retreat.'" I said.

Xiao Fang quickly began applying makeup to my face.

Soon she made me look like an old man,

with wrinkles, dark spots, and a white beard.

My hair didn't need dyeing—it was almost completely white.

Xiao Fang looked over and was very satisfied,

"Your forehead is a bit bluish; this fits the look of an old man quite well."

"I'd prepared in advance—I knew you'd make me up as an old man." I laughed.

Then she fetched a set of old people's clothes,

After I put them on,

she had me walk a few steps,

My leg is bad, so my walk now resembles that of an old man even more.

Thus, I followed Xiao Fang downstairs.

Whenever we met someone, I deliberately coughed twice.

Xiao Fang opened the car door, and I got in.

By then the sky had completely darkened.

Xiao Fang started the car and drove us out.

Along the way we encountered no one questioning us.

As we were about to reach Xin Cheng Bright Road,

Only then did I ask Xiao Fang, "Miss Xiao Fang, where are we going? We're not heading to Xin Cheng, are we?"

Xiao Fang laughed, "Don't worry, I won't take you to turn yourself in. We're going to Zaocheng Old City District."

I then sat in the car and said nothing more.

After we got onto Bright Road, having just passed two traffic lights, we ran into a checkpoint.

I was very nervous.

After the staff checked Xiao Fang's driver's license, they then had her open the rear window and trunk for inspection.

They shone a flashlight on my face,

and asked Xiao Fang, "Who is this person?"

Xiao Fang replied, "He's my grandfather. I just picked him up from Lanling and am taking him back to the old city."

"Your grandfather, produce his ID." the staff said.

Xiao Fang froze,

then she deliberately shouted loudly, "Grandfather, take out your ID—someone's checking!"

Hearing Xiao Fang shout like that, I immediately understood,

I at once pretended to be deaf, cupping my ears and shouting at Xiao Fang in a strained voice, "What did you say? Money—what money do you want?"

Then I made a motion as if to pull money from my pocket.

That staff member glanced at me again, then waved at Xiao Fang,

telling her to drive on.

We made it through the patrol checkpoint with a scare but no harm.

To avoid another checkpoint, Xiao Fang left Bright Road and took a side road toward the Old City District.

This Bright Road is the expressway linking Xin Cheng and the Old City.

Taking the lower road requires a detour, and the road surface is poor.

Xiao Fang's driving skills are mediocre; I watched anxiously.

I said from behind: "Xiao Fang, get out, I'll drive; if you keep driving like this, we'll only reach the old city in the Year of the Monkey and Month of the Horse."

Xiao Fang smiled awkwardly.

"Chairman Zhao, you know how to drive."

"What nonsense, I've always known how to drive; just that opportunities to drive are few now."

Xiao Fang got out of the driver's seat.

I then opened the car door and sat in the driver's seat.

Then I pressed the accelerator, and the car roared like a bull.

The car quickly darted out.

Xiao Fang screamed in fright from behind.

I drove the car and soon arrived at Zaocheng's old city.

Zaocheng's old city is like an elderly person.

Dilapidated residential area, dilapidated roads, dim night sky.

Everything indicates that this city has grown old.

Under Xiao Fang's directions, we finally reached a residential area after many turns.

This residential area should be at the urban-rural fringe.

Above there are messy wires; below, the sound of sewage flowing.

I looked at this place.

I thought, what place is this? I'm not familiar with it.

After Xiao Fang got out of the car, she saw my nervous look.

She laughed: "Don't be nervous, Chairman Zhao; this place is definitely not where you'd be detained."

I also laughed.

"The place where I've been detained is the Octagonal Tower; I've been held there."

"Oh, you also know Zaocheng's Octagonal Tower; did you really stay there?" Xiao Fang asked curiously.

"Hehe, really, it's almost been twenty years. This time I almost got locked up again. That place isn't good; once you're there, people only become worse." I said.

Xiao Fang looked at me and said: "I never expected Chairman Zhao's experience to be so rich. I thought your entrepreneurship would be very tough; I didn't expect it to be this hard. What got you locked up back then?"

"Back then, sigh, I took the blame for someone. Sigh, who could have thought this matter wasn't over? It's come back to haunt me again." I sighed. I was talking about Zhang Zong's affair.

Xiao Fang didn't understand.

"What again came to our door? Let's go this way." Xiao Fang said, pointing at the alley.

I then followed behind Xiao Fang.

We walked into the alley.

"Xiao Fang, how should I tell you? In this society, wanting to rise above others is too hard; for ordinary people like us, to turn things around, we must go through eighty-one trials." I said.

"What you say is like seeking the scriptures,"

When I was at the provincial station, I could clearly feel that those with background succeed as easily as walking on flat ground, while those without background find success as hard as climbing to heaven.

Often it's not about comparing education, nor ability,

but about comparing background.

A person's fate is decided from birth.

Xiao Fang and I walked in the alley for about two minutes; a corner had a street lamp lit.

This street lamp has been on for a long time, emitting a dim light.

After entering the corner,

Xiao Fang pointed at a black gate and said: "We've arrived."

I thought: Who will I meet today? The residence is so hard to find.

Not like a big shot; big shots wouldn't live in such a place.

Xiao Fang walked up to that building and knocked on the black iron gate.

As soon as she knocked, we heard the dog barking in the courtyard.

Then we heard someone's footsteps.

The footsteps were very vigorous, making one feel that the person is strong.

The big iron gate opened quickly.

An old man with completely white hair walked out from the iron gate.

The old man's eyes were like torches, looking at us.

The old man asked Xiao Fang: "Xiao Fang, Chairman Zhao has been brought."

Xiao Fang laughed: "Dad, I've brought him, fully completing your task; I'm exhausted."

I looked up at the old man and recognized him; it was him.