Chapter 540: Bangeng, Deserving of Everyone's Punishment

Bangeng, who in his sudden illness rushed to see a doctor.

To avoid going to jail.

He revealed the names of Jia Zhangshi, Qin Huairu, and himself.

He originally thought he could smooth this over.

He made big things small and small things settled.

Both sides were delighted.

To avoid jail, Bangeng declared he would take them back to the Siheyuan to get money from Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu, disregarding his own dignity.

But because Huaihua ran away from home and Jia Zhangshi schemed to exchange brides, Bangeng became the most talked-about person in the Capital City; even those who hadn't heard of Red Star Courtyard knew of this figure Bangeng, who went to the countryside to seduce widows, married a widow, and to return to the city ruthlessly abandoned the widow and her children, worthy of being called a modern Chen Shimei, people gave him the nickname "Jia is not human".

Back in the Capital City, with only one room at home, Bangeng schemed to drive away his own sister in order to marry a wife; his sister has since neither been seen alive nor found dead, and the Jia Family also fell apart because of this.

Many people were discussing, saying they had never seen such an unfeeling and unjust person as Bangeng, worthy of being called a representative of beasts in the new era; they openly said that seeing Bangeng, they would give him a harsh lesson.

Bangeng began to doubt his identity, wondering if he was a traitorous dog who had done something that aroused heaven's anger and people's resentment, yet still ended up with a fate where everyone could punish him.

A mouthful of thick phlegm landed on Bangeng's face.

He hated Qin Huairu, who had found him; he also resented Jia Zhangshi, for if Jia Zhangshi had found him a job, he wouldn't have come to the restaurant to eat for free.

Bangeng felt somewhat dizzy under their gazes, his scalp tingling; from their looks he faintly sensed a hint of unease.

Suddenly hearing the person before him admit that he was the Bangeng who abandoned the widow and drove away his sister, everyone felt as if a heavenly pie had smashed into them.

They became excited.

His eyes suddenly closed; he wished it were a dream, and upon opening his eyes he found himself in the Siheyuan.

Bangeng, lying on the ground still unwilling to give up and struggling desperately, was like a huge maggot writhing wildly in a cesspool, especially disgusting.

Disgusting.

He could not speak, could not move his legs, could not move his hands.

Also, the voice of the restaurant's manager reporting work sounded.

He listened to the other's report of seeking credit and rewards.

"Is the son of the person named Qin Huairu, who is nicknamed the Qiao Gua Fu of the Yagangchang?"

If Bangeng still can't see the situation clearly, he's truly an idiot.

From behind came a faint sound of excitement.

It was stuffed into Bangeng's mouth.

I am going to jail.

"My mother is Qin Huairu of the Yagangchang."

The one who struck out became angry.

The restaurant's manager directly ordered people to tie Bangeng up tightly with rope.

He opened his mouth and began to howl.

"Please, don't send me to the police station; I was wrong, I shouldn't have eaten for free; I said I would compensate, I agree to pay you, why won't you let up? Can't you give me a chance to mend my ways? I'll take you to the Siheyuan to get money, or send someone to get money from the Siheyuan; when the money is obtained, let me go."

But no one helped to wipe it.

If not for following Qin Huairu back to the Capital City, Huaihua would not have left, and I would not have ended up wandering the streets, subsequently staging the big show of eating for free, ultimately sending myself to the detention center.

It's bad.

Seeing Bangeng glaring at me.

Bangeng's face, already swollen like a pig's head, received another slap.

What a pity.

Not caring at all about my Bangeng's face.

A towel of indeterminate color.

"Pa!" a slap.

"Yes, yes, yes, they are our sisters."

"What do you want to do?"

"What are you looking at? What's there to see? We guys of the Capital City, a spit and a nail—you really disgrace the faces of the Capital City guys, I spit."

"Xiao Li, stuff his mouth."

Don't know how long passed.

Bangeng knew he was done for.

"Do you have two sisters, one named Jia Guo and the other Jia Huaihua?"

"I'm not doing anything, I just want to ask you, are you Bangeng?"

The scrutinizing gaze fell on Bangeng.

"I am Bangeng."

"To protect state assets, any hardship is deserved; he just tried to bribe us, saying he'd pay double compensation, we are people educated by the organization for years, how could we be defeated by his sugar-coated cannonball? We refused him; he said his name is Jia Guo, he lives in Red Star Courtyard, his mother Qin Huairu works at the Yagangchang, his grandmother Jia Zhangshi stays at home."

"Manager, will our superiors give us a reward for catching Bangeng this time?"

"Not only a reward, we might even have to receive an audience from the leadership; it would also make it easier for our families to find work—we have caught the fraudulent crime of swindling food and drink, Bangeng."

The one hitting him was not a restaurant worker.

"What are you looking at? People like you deserve to be punished by everyone. And your sister. I spit, the things you've done—what a brother should do? You're worse than a beast."

He became a stepping stone for these people's promotion.

M's.

Cannot tolerate Bangeng's pretense.

In my heart inexplicably rose a faint resentment; I merely ate a free dish at your restaurant, why are you so overbearing?

Facts are facts.

Bangeng stared at the one who had hit him, a surge of hatred welling up in his heart. The restaurant staff hit me because I wanted to eat someone else's free meal. You, a bastard who's just a diner, what right do you have to hit me?

Perhaps they saw Bangeng's doubt.

Bangeng thought to himself.

He felt hot-blooded.

But he was just a diner.

Accompanied by a sound, he was taken away.

"Thanks for your hard work, comrades."

Bangeng was taken out of the restaurant.

"You abandoned a widow, drove away your younger sister, ignored your mother's hard work, disregarded your grandmother being beaten—Bangeng, you're nothing but a human skin."

In his ears.

Anyway, when Bangeng heard the commotion and turned his gaze toward the direction of the sound, he first saw several pairs of black leather shoes, then several pairs of military trousers, and finally a public security comrade in a crisp uniform.

"Comrades, you've finally come. This person is the swindler who has been scamming free meals at the Capital City's state-owned restaurant recently. When he first came in, we didn't recognize him. After he finished his meal, he asked for another meat dish and said he had friends coming, that he'd wait at the door. Only then did we suspect something, realize he was that swindler, and, to protect state property from loss, we stopped him. Seeing his scheme exposed, he tried to flee—this is the hard work of all our staff, and we finally caught him."

By now.

Only when he was lifted off the ground by two public security comrades did he realize this wasn't a dream, and a hint of regret appeared on his face.

The customer who had hit Bangeng shouted a reprimand.

This was Bangeng's only thought upon seeing a few public security officers.

If I had known today would be unlucky, I wouldn't have come in to eat.

One misstep.

Every step a misstep.

From now on, I can only eat in prison.