Chapter 228: Yi Zhonghai Got Beaten

Detention center.

A long time passed.

Yi Zhonghai also stared blankly at the night sky for a long time.

Until a soft call flew into Yi Zhonghai's ears, and his wandering soul returned to his body.

He turned his head.

He looked in the direction of the sound.

He saw a somewhat familiar person calling out to him.

Instinctively, he turned his head away.

He deliberately ignored that person.

He had been defeated.

He was no longer the Level 8 Technician at Yagangchang, nor the Head Steward of the Siheyuan; he was the murderer who killed Jia Dongxu and Long Laotaitai, a villain who went against Qin Huairu's wishes.

Such a reputation.

It was shameful to be seen.

He acted like an ostrich.

He felt embarrassed.

He never expected to see someone familiar in the detention center.

Bitterness welled up in his heart.

When he first arrived,

Because of his notorious reputation, the people around treated Yi Zhonghai like an elder, some massaging his feet, some beating his legs, and others telling jokes to relieve his boredom.

If this damn truth were exposed, everyone here would treat Yi Zhonghai like a punching bag.

Two fists can't fight four hands.

Even a hero can't withstand many people.

Yi Zhonghai was sure to have no good outcome.

He didn't want to suffer any physical pain before leaving.

"Master Yi, it really is you."

The one who had rushed up to chase him.

He carefully examined Yi Zhonghai.

A hint of astonishment rose in his mouth.

Especially when he saw Yi Zhonghai's clothes, unlike anyone else's, his shock was understandable; he truly didn't know what had happened, why the Yagangchang foreman, a Level 8 worker, had ended up in handcuffs, and seemed to have only a few days left to live.

"Master Yi, what's this? I remember you were the Level 8 Technician at Yagangchang and the Head Steward of the Siheyuan—how did you end up here?"

Seeing Yi Zhonghai still ignoring him,

He mistakenly thought Yi Zhonghai didn't recognize him because they were old acquaintances.

He spat a few times into his hand, wiped his face with the saliva, and, facing the moonlight, pressed his big cheek as close to Yi Zhonghai as possible.

"Master Yi, do you recognize me? I'm Er Gouzi."

Er Gouzi.

The name sounded somewhat familiar.

Yet he couldn't recall who this person was.

"Master Yi, you really are a noble who forgets things—Er Gouzi from the Second Workshop, my full name is Liang Mancang. I was caught several times stealing scrap from Yagangchang, fired by the Security Section, and you once had me bring you meals. Do you remember?"

"It's you! What's going on?"

"That day I was craving meat, I messed up a neighbor's old hen, the owner was startled, and I was sent here. Master Yi, what happened to you?"

Yi Zhonghai said nothing.

He truly couldn't tell Er Gouzi the scandal.

"Ah!"

A sigh.

It showed Yi Zhonghai's unspeakable suffering.

Er Gouzi imagined the scene.

He looked at Yi Zhonghai with admiration and said, "Master Yi, I understand—you must have become like Wu Song. According to me, that kind of woman shouldn't be kept; she eats your food, drinks your water, spends your money, yet betrays you, putting a hat on your head. You should punish her; if it were me, I'd educate her the same way."

Yi Zhonghai felt like he had stepped barefoot in smelly dog feces.

He felt depressed.

Even an idiot could understand the meaning behind Er Gouzi's words.

This bastard.

He imagined a drama where an aunt had an affair and Yi Zhonghai furiously killed her.

Yi Zhonghai couldn't be bothered to explain.

Misunderstanding had its own benefits.

But when the guards outside heard Er Gouzi's description of Yi Zhonghai, they knocked on the iron door, warned him a few times, and then, seemingly unintentionally but actually on purpose, revealed the truth of Yi Zhonghai's arrest.

He killed Long Laotaitai.

He killed Jia Dongxu.

He also went against Qin Huairu's wishes.

Three major crimes.

Others didn't know the inner truth, but Er Gouzi knew a bit: he knew Jia Dongxu was Yi Zhonghai's disciple, and Qin Huairu was Jia Dongxu's wife.

He killed his disciple without a word, and even schemed with the disciple's wife, causing a scandal involving Huaihua.

Er Gouzi was frightened into becoming a complete idiot.

Looking at Yi Zhonghai's face, he doesn't seem like the kind of person who would do such a wicked deed.

The problem is that comrades cannot speak, especially regarding a matter of life and death, where solid evidence is even more required.

"Master Yi." Er Gouzi decisively switched his address, directly calling Yi Zhonghai: "I say, Yi Zhonghai, you damn it, you're actually a jack-of-all-trades, making you do all the wicked deeds. Jia Dongxu is your disciple—aren't you hoping he'd help support you in old age? How could you kill Jia Dongxu and still bully his wife, you..."

Enthusiastic vigor.

Visibly grew distant.

I originally thought Yi Zhonghai was a good guy, tried to get close, relying on his righteous conduct to suffer less bullying.

Turned out to be a piece of shit.

Got stained.

No good outcome.

The farther away, the better to stay away.

So that when Yi Zhonghai meets disaster, I won't be the innocent fish caught in the fire at the city gate.

Yi Zhonghai looked at Er Gouzi,

Suddenly wanted to cry.

The words that the elder lady just said to him, combined with the scene before his eyes, struck him like a heavy hammer, shattering his unrealistic thoughts.

The elder lady was right.

Someone will deal with you, Yi Zhonghai; those who dislike your actions will act on behalf of the elder lady.

During this period in the place.

Yi Zhonghai sometimes, in the dead of night, thinks of Qin Huairu.

On one hand, it's reminiscing, thinking of the bits and pieces with Qin Huairu.

On the other hand, it's pondering the true reason for his arrest.

He has figured out the true reason for his arrest these past few days, but he simply refuses to admit it.

As a level-eight worker.

As the Head Steward.

Yi Zhonghai has his own pride.

What can pride do?

Er Gouzi smashed Yi Zhonghai's so-called pride with his actions; he is now a despicable piece of shit condemned for eternity, just like Ximen Qing, being stabbed in the spine by countless people.

"Hey!"

A faint hint of bitterness welled up on Yi Zhonghai's face.

The few guys nearby felt an itch in their hearts.

They're all sharp people.

Er Gouzi's reaction shows that this newcomer has a secret they don't know.

There was basically no entertainment here; everyone was idle and bored, so the reasons the various folks came in became their means of amusement and killing time.

The reason you came in determines your status here; when Yi Zhonghai first entered, his clothes became his protection, and everyone sharing his room was frightened—no matter how formidable you are, how good you fight, or how many subordinates you have, you won't be treated like someone about to die.

Times have changed.

The comrades exposed the truth of Yi Zhonghai's arrival; the timid, wind‑following Er Gouzi again adopts this attitude.

A big bald head.

He gave Er Gouzi a look.

The lackey beside him.

He dragged Er Gouzi over.

Er Gouzi looked at the bald head before him, his face full of apologetic smiles.

The bald head is the big boss here; it's said he was locked up after breaking several people's arms and legs, leaving them disabled for life.

A ruthless person.

"Big Brother, you're looking for me?"

Er Gouzi's voice.

All were tinged with caution.

Worried about being hit.

"Do you know that person?"

"I know, I know."

"Tell me."

"Big Brother, here's the situation: he's Yi Zhonghai, has no children; to support his old age, he took a man named Jia Dongxu from their Dayuan as a disciple and even found a wife named Qin Huairu for him; his reason for coming here is that he killed Jia Dongxu and bullied Qin Huairu..."

Er Gouzi turned into a storytelling teacher.

He assumed a stance.

With vivid gestures and words, he recounted the rights and wrongs of Yi Zhonghai, Jia Dongxu, Qin Huairu, and Long Laotaitai, embellishing the tale.

The matter between Yi Zhonghai and Qin Huairu was described by him in detail, his words lively, as if he, Er Gouzi, were right there when they were doing their intimate thing.

It's better not to say.

This explanation.

Like the fuse of an explosive pack, it was ignited in an instant.

It was also a coincidence.

Using the idiom 'enemies meet on a narrow road' to describe.

Not excessive at all.

Baldy is a Jia Dongxu who isn't the real Jia Dongxu; he also has a wife, his wife being like Qin Huairu, I don't know what's going on, she got mixed up with Baldy's master, spending Baldy's money while cuckolding him. Upon learning this, Baldy flew into a rage and broke both of their hands and feet, leaving them bedridden for life.

Upon hearing that Yi Zhonghai had done these despicable things,

He immediately placed himself in it, and the grievance he felt erupted like a volcano.

He gestured to one of his subordinate brothers.

That brother stepped up to Yi Zhonghai.

Everyone here knew that Yi Zhonghai had gone out earlier to meet with an aunt; no matter what they were doing, in their eyes this was someone coming to visit.

Come over.

One can't show up empty-handed.

One must bring something.

Actually, it's also deliberately picking a fight.

It's mainly because of Yi Zhonghai's affair; it really spoils their appetite.

He killed his own disciple and even caused a death involving the disciple's wife.

That's just now.

If this were ancient times.

It would definitely end with being drowned in a pig basket.

"Is that Yi Zhonghai?"

Yi Zhonghai felt his heart rise to his throat.

He wanted to rely on his status to intimidate a bit, but seeing Baldy's wolf-like vicious eyes, the idea of intimidation died out.

The current situation.

It's clear to see.

This beating is unavoidable.

Why did the patrol bring up the matter explicitly?

It's just because they dislike Yi Zhonghai and are playing the 'borrow a knife to kill' trick.

In just a few days.

The 'borrow a knife to kill' trick was repeatedly staged: Yi Zhonghai used it to kill Long Laotaitai, an aunt used it to kill Yi Zhonghai, and he himself was later killed by a comrade using the same trick.

Such a taste.

It cannot be described by just the word 'bitter'.

"I saw you just went out; this is someone coming to visit. You also know that business hasn't been good lately, so I'm asking you to borrow some money to buy a few packs of cigarettes to smoke. When my family sends money, I'll pay you back with interest."

Yi Zhonghai knew the other party was just looking for an excuse.

What a pretext.

You're even more Jia Zhangshi than Jia Zhangshi.

"Comrade, you got it wrong; there's no one visiting, I just said a few words to my wife."

"Old Yi, you're being a little dishonest, just as you said—you spoke a few words to your wife, and your wife doesn't even treat you as the head of the household anymore; coming to visit, you didn't even bring anything."

"Master Yi, you're an eighth-grade worker at the Yagangchang steel plant, earning a little over a hundred bucks a month including wages, bonuses, and subsidies." Seeing the situation was wrong, Ergouzi decisively sold out Yi Zhonghai, exposed his background, saying, "We were hoping to mooch off your glory, have a little feast, but we ended up with nothing and just got excited for nothing."

"Ergouzi, is what you're saying true?"

"Why would I lie to you?" Ergouzi patted his own chest, "I'm telling the truth—he earns at least twelve hundred a year."

Twelve hundred bucks.

That would take until the year of the monkey and horse—basically forever.

Everyone looked at Yi Zhonghai like a fat sheep.

"But we don't stand a chance." Ergouzi changed his tone, "You don't know that Yi Zhonghai periodically helps the Jia family; out of the twenty-odd households in the courtyard, he's good to the Jia family."

"Isn't it Qin Huairu? How did the Jia family come up again?"

"Qin Huairu is the Jia family; they even have a secret code: 'Has the donkey been fed?'"

"To come up with such a code, what talent."

"I just want to know what 'the donkey has been fed' means, and what 'the donkey hasn't been fed' means."

A bunch of guys, their eyes gleaming with lust, eager as if they were about to head west to the Pure Land.

They were so excited they didn't know how to wrap things up.

"Has the donkey been fed, brothers? Let me teach you."

Ergouzi is also talented.

Amidst the clamor of a bunch of guys.

He stood in the middle of the aisle.

On his head was tied a pair of big underpants of unknown origin, he wriggled and squirmed imitating some people's style, matching Ergouzi's appearance.

Definitely an eyesore.

Baldy couldn't stand it, kicked Ergouzi in the butt, sending him flying to the side.

Then he pointed to several of his subordinates toward Yi Zhonghai.

A bunch of people immediately surrounded Yi Zhonghai in the middle.

They had long disliked the hypocrite.

However, Baldy remained silent, so the crowd, though angry, could only endure it.

Now Baldy spoke up, and the crowd naturally responded eagerly to his call; in their eyes, Yi Zhonghai's affair was something that makes a man unable to hold his head up and brings him lifelong shame.

Just treat it as venting anger for all the men in the world.

Under the baldy's command, they went over to Yi Zhonghai one by one, speechless.

Hand rubbing the shoulder.

Foot stepping on the back.

Knee correcting the misaligned joint.

These bodily organs, under the added strength of their respective owners, continuously acted upon Yi Zhonghai's body, letting his body thoroughly undergo the work of force.

The massage on Yi Zhonghai lasted over ten minutes before it stopped.

Everyone felt a bit unsatisfied, wanting more.

It wasn't that they didn't want to help massage Yi Zhonghai, but the patrolling comrades came to their area.

Some things.

Even if they obtained someone's consent, they still had to let that person save face as much as possible.

Twenty-odd minutes later.

Those people continued doing Yi Zhonghai's work; Yi Zhonghai, having experienced it once, truly did not want to go through such hardship again.

Pulling a face.

Begged for mercy.

"I'm old; looking at my age being roughly the same as your parents', don't make things difficult for me."