Chapter 204: Contacting Shi Yong

I laughed on the phone,

Then I spoke to Xiao Wu in the Lanling dialect: "Xiao Wu, mainly your name is too well-known; even the mobile company knows it. This time, did you figure out who I am."

Xiao Wu was stunned on the phone for a moment,

It seems he still couldn't tell, because I drank herbal tea and my voice changed as well.

Xiao Wu asked on the phone: "Who exactly are you? Don't mess with me; I, Xiao Wu, know many people. Tell me who you are quickly."

I then slowly said: "I am Zhao Jianqiang. Did you recognize me?"

"Ah, Zhao Jianqiang, is it really you? It doesn't seem like it; how did your voice change? I heard you were arrested by the higher-ups." Xiao Wu said urgently.

"Hmph, they can't arrest me that easily. Xiao Wu, rest assured, it's really me; my voice changed because of a throat inflammation.

It hasn't recovered yet.

I feel the outside situation isn't as tense now, so I contacted you to ask about the circumstances."

"It's great that it's really you, Zhao Jianqiang; where are you now.

Xiao Wu and Shi Yong both thought you had been arrested.

We've been inquiring everywhere about your whereabouts, but we couldn't find out.

Shi Yong even went to Lanling to look for you, but he couldn't find you at all.

A friend of mine works there; I contacted him to inquire, and he told me you had already been arrested.

Shi Yong is currently planning to bring people to the detention center to rescue you."

Upon hearing Xiao Wu say that,

I then said: "You don't need to inquire where I am. Tell Shi Yong I'm safe now; don't cause trouble. I suspect the information you gathered is false, deliberately spread to confuse people.

Don't believe it; I currently can't go to Shanghu to see you.

You and Shi Yong should stay put in Shanghu honestly; if I have anything, I'll contact you right away.

Then we'll do things together again."

Upon hearing me say that,

Xiao Wu happily said: "Jianqiang, that's great; I'm about to go crazy from boredom, I love stirring things up—this dull life is really uninteresting. Whenever you want to act, just give me a call; I have plenty of people."

"We'll talk about that later; I now need to ask an important matter: do you know where Lao Wai is?" I asked.

"Lao Wai, which Lao Wai?" Xiao Wu said.

"It's the Lao Wai from Qi He, my sworn elder brother from before; he was released from prison two years ago, came to Shanghu looking for you, wanting to hang out with you, and I told you about it." I reminded Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu let out an "oh" and said: "I remember now, that lame Lao Wai; I despise him for being lame and didn't want to bring him,

he used your name as a banner, going around swindling and deceiving.

you even had me give him a sum of money.

what do you want to find him for?" Xiao Wu suddenly realized.

"I want to ask him about some old matters, prison affairs." I didn't want to tell Xiao Wu outright.

"I haven't been in contact with him either; after leaving here, I heard he's been hanging out with someone named Ding Li in Zaocheng's old city district."

"Are you familiar with Ding Li?" I asked.

"Ding Li isn't familiar to me; he's close to Mao Hai of Zaocheng. Shi Yong has a good relationship with Mao Hai. You can ask Shi Yong." Xiao Wu said.

"Great, how is Shi Yong now? Is he with you?"

"No, he's staying at the Rixin Guesthouse. Shi Yong misses you a lot. Knowing you weren't arrested, he must be overjoyed." Xiao Wu said with a laugh.

"Alright, hurry to the guesthouse and find Shi Yong, have him call me on this line. By the way, how much money do I have left at the guesthouse?" I asked Xiao Wu.

Since I have no money on hand now, nothing can be done; I must have money to do anything. I suddenly remembered that the profit-sharing money from my Rixin Guesthouse in Shanghu has remained untouched. Now is a good time to take it out for Xiao Fang's cosmetic surgery money. I can't let others spend money for me.

The profit-sharing at the Rixin Guesthouse has always been split among three people: me, Xiao Wu, and the prison official Jiang Ling. Jiang Ling has also retired long ago.

The guesthouse's accountant has always been Jiang Ling's younger sister-in-law.

"I'm not sure either; you should ask the guesthouse's accountant Ding. She's been keeping it saved; I estimate it's over a million." Xiao Wu said on the phone.

"Alright, I'll ask then; you hurry to find Shi Yong, I have urgent business with him." I arranged.

"Okay, Jianqiang, I'm going now." Xiao Wu said and then hung up the phone.

"How is it, can you find that person called Lao Wai?" At this moment, Director Shangguan asked.

I said: "It should be about right. People from the martial world are easy to find once they show up."

"No matter who, don't reveal that you live here, understand? Safety first. Xiao Fang, drive and take Jianqiang out for a spin.

"Answer calls outside." Director Shangguan's safety awareness is truly high.

Xiao Fang said to me: "Let's go, let's drive around the old city district."

I got into Xiao Fang's car,

and then we began driving around Zaocheng's old city district.

Soon we arrived at the landmark building of the old city district, Central Benefit Building.

I had Xiao Fang stop the car, and I rolled down the window to look at Central Benefit Building.

More than twenty years ago, this place was the most prosperous area of Zaocheng.

It had a large mall and countless office buildings. Back when I had just gotten out of prison, feeling lost about life,

I saw Section Chief Xu here and met Xiao Feng,

then, through Section Chief Xu's connection, I did labor protection business with Zaocheng Mining Group, earning my first fortune.

I arranged Zhou Wei to work at Central Benefit Building.

I also encountered Bai Lang in the elevator; scene after scene flashed like a movie in my memory.

Who would have thought that more than twenty years later, I would come back here.

My current status is not as good as before; in the past I dared to reveal my identity openly.

Now I'm a fugitive, hiding in the car, afraid to come out.

When can I get my name back?

Let me live under the sun.

Xiao Fang looked at me and said, "Brother Jianqiang, why are you staring off like that here?"

I smiled, saying nothing.

I pulled a cigarette out of my pocket.

Just then, Xiao Fang's phone rang.

Xiao Fang answered, "Hello, who is this?"

Shi Yong's voice came from the phone,

"Brother, where are you? I'm Shi Yong—I miss you to death. Are you still alive? Brother, say something—I'm Shi Yong. Brother, why has your voice turned into a woman's?"

Xiao Fang quickly handed the phone to me,

After I took the phone,

My eyes welled up,

This is the longest time Shi Yong and I have been apart,

"Shi Yong, I'm Zhao Jianqiang—I'm still alive. Are you okay?"

"Brother, why has your voice changed? What happened? After we split, seeing nothing wrong, I went back to Lanling to look for you, but you weren't there. I don't know where you went."

"I miss you. I'm afraid those bad guys will catch you."

"I had Xiao Wu ask about you; he said you've been arrested. It's got me drinking every day out of worry. I think, you've been caught—but what can I do? After this, we're really done."

"I'm now thinking of finding someone to break you out of the detention center."

"Brother, it's great you didn't get locked up."

Hearing Shi Yong say that, I understood his feelings toward me.

I said, "Shi Yong, what era is this? Don't get involved in all that nonsense. I'm fine—my throat is inflamed and hasn't recovered."

Stay put in Shanghu, don't move around—wait for us to do something big, got it?