Chapter 2178

The shift bell at the distillery rang, and workers poured out of the workshop in groups, then boarded the commuter buses parked in the yard.

Due to flood prevention, all veteran factory workers demanded to work upstairs, and since it was summer vacation, two more commuter buses were added.

However, many young people still preferred cycling to work, first because Dongfang Yipin was not far from the old distillery—just a ten-odd-minute bike ride.

Second, young people liked to have fun; after work, they could easily do something by bike, and it was still summer, so it wasn't cold.

Of course, there was one more thing that couldn't be ignored: this year, many workers at the old distillery had bought motorcycles.

Workers held shares; if both spouses worked, their wages and bonuses plus share dividends could amount to nearly twenty thousand a year.

Now they had apartments, and colour TVs, refrigerators, and fans were standard—many even had home theatres—so what else could they lack?

Naturally, motorcycles. While TVs, refrigerators, and home theatres stayed hidden at home, motorcycles could be ridden everywhere, visible to everyone on the street.

Moreover, visiting relatives during holidays was convenient, so once the first person bought a motorcycle, within months, many old distillery workers had done the same.

Now, the old distillery's parking lot, aside from the commuter buses and bicycles, was filled with rows of motorcycles—about sixty or seventy in total.

From imported 125cc models costing over ten thousand yuan down to domestic women's scooters priced at three or four thousand, they stood in neat rows, quite a sight.

At shift change, you'd see it: motorcycles puttering out one after another at the gate, drawing plenty of attention.

"Brother Wang, the fat sister's bun shop across the street—I'll treat today."

"No problem, but I won't drink baijiu—just beer."

"No problem!"

Two big men swung onto their motorcycles, kicked the starters to life.

By then, the open space beside the fat sister's bun shop already had many bicycles and motorcycles parked, with over half the customers already seated.

The fat sister had composed herself and was busy at work; Zhou Anlei was warmly greeting customers, while Zhao Mingming held a small notebook, taking orders.

It looked no different from usual, but Zhou Anlei's inner anger remained tightly suppressed.

Around seven o'clock, work nearly done, Zhou Anlei had a cigarette in his mouth and strode toward the police station.

It was only seven or eight hundred meters away; Zhou Anlei pushed open the door, entered, and went to the duty room, greeting the officer on duty.

"Old Huang, you're on duty today?"

After speaking, he pulled a pack of Yuxi cigarettes from his pocket and tossed it onto the table in front of Old Huang.

Old Huang didn't stand on ceremony, opened the pack, lit one, then smiled and asked: "Did your parents come?"

Zhou Andong sighed, sat opposite Old Huang: "Old Huang, what should we do if we run into parents like this?"

Old Huang gave a wry smile, as the saying goes: there are no bad parents in the world. But applied to Zhou Anlei, that saying was completely off the mark.

Zhou Xiaode and Zhao Guifen this couple were truly too bizarre. Old Huang had served as a grassroots officer for nearly twenty years, didn't dare boast of having seen countless people, but he had indeed encountered many oddballs.

Yet compared to Zhou Xiaode and Zhao Guifen, those so-called oddballs were mere petty witches facing a great witch—utterly incomparable, not even on the same level.

Let alone Zhou Anlei feeling overwhelmed by having such parents—if it were him, he'd likely be dazed and confused too, so he truly didn't know what to say about this.

Zhou Anlei sighed heavily again, face full of worry: "Old Huang, I'm really sorry for causing you all this trouble."

Old Huang took a drag, also wearing a look of helplessness: "Lei zi, this is your family matter; by rights, as an outsider, I really shouldn't say more.

But you and Zhou Dong are cousins, and our relationship has always been good. So, as a brother, I still ought to advise you a few words: you must find a way to properly handle this—dragging it on like this definitely won't do."

If Zhou Anlei had no relation to Zhou Andong, the police station wouldn't bother with these messy trifles. You think the police station is your family's, where you can detain whoever you want?

"I came precisely to resolve this." Zhou Anlei stood up: "Take me to see them."

"Alright!" Old Huang laughed, rose, and walked out.

The two arrived outside the detention room door and heard Zhou Xiaode and Zhao Guifen talking.

"Child, you mom, this time you really messed up."

"Indeed, this time I did something truly wrong."

Zhao Guifen was actually reflecting, which made Old Huang, key in hand and about to open the door, startle, look up at Zhou Anlei, and whisper:

"Your parents aren't beyond help—when you go in later, you must communicate well with them."

Zhou Anlei pursed his lips, pointed to his ear, signaling him to keep listening.

Then came Zhao Guifen's voice: "We really should eat first, wait until we're full and satisfied before scolding that slut—otherwise we'd end up here with empty stomachs."

Old Huang's expression froze instantly; his gaze toward Zhou Anlei shifted from pity to sorrow, then he silently opened the door.

Zhou Xiaode and Zhao Guifen's treatment differed from others', as the room had two folding wire beds, on which they now lay, regretting. When the detention room door rang, they instantly sat up.

"Er Lei?" Zhou Xiaode laughed, looking at Zhao Guifen: "I just knew my old son would definitely come to pick us up."

"Er Biao Danzi, you really came to pick us up?"

Zhao Guifen eyed Zhou Anlei suspiciously, because her own old son had sent her here several times before, but this was the first time she'd seen him here.

Actually, Zhou Anlei's mood was very complex, because his mother still doted on him.

For example, when the fake liquor factory was investigated, he fled, and Zhao Guifen gave him several thousand.

If it were another matter, he might compromise, but on the issue of the fat sister, he would never yield.

"If you want to leave, you must agree to my being with the fat sister."

"Damn your mother's stinking fart." Zhao Guifen's flanks twitched: "Er Biao Danzi, what love potion did that slut give you, that you insist on marrying her?"

Zhou Anlei frowned: "Besides her being a remarried woman with a child, what else is wrong with her?"

"Don't listen to elders, or you'll suffer the loss!" Zhao Guifen gritted her teeth: "Being with you, she's definitely after your money. Once she drains you dry, you'll know regret."

"Er Lei!" Zhou Xiaode followed with earnest advice: "You're too young, easily deceived. But I and your mother aren't like that—we've crossed more bridges than you've walked roads, so how could that rotten thing's intentions escape us?"

"You have two choices." Zhou Anlei, tired of arguing: "One, agree to my being with the fat sister—I'll give you a hundred yuan monthly living expenses.

Two, we sever all parent-child ties; from now on, bridge is bridge, road is road—I'm no longer your son, Zhou Xiaode and Zhao Guifen's. In your old age, let Zhou Anbin in prison take care of you."