Chapter 23: Being poor is not a crime

The man kept sizing up Zhou Andong: "Are you... really a reporter from Jingcheng?"

Zhou Andong smiled, pulling Jiang Yuyue beside him to the front: "She is, I am just her assistant."

Zhou Andong had self-knowledge and pulled Jiang Yuyue to the front. He was wearing work clothes inside and a military coat that he had worn for several years outside. This image made it difficult to associate him with a reporter from the capital.

Sure enough, as soon as Jiang Yuyue stood in front of Zhou Andong, a little light appeared in the man's turbid and godless eyes, his lips trembling a bit: "I accept the interview, can it really be reported?"

Jiang Yuyue had already understood Zhou Andong's plan, and she had unconditional trust in Zhou Andong, so she said decisively: "Yes!"

Zhou Andong said: "Gambling harms others and oneself, seriously affecting family harmony and happiness, seriously corrupting urban and rural civilization, and seriously affecting social stability, so the country has always held a zero-tolerance attitude. Believe us, tell everything that happened in your family. As long as it is reported and attracts the attention of law enforcement departments, they will definitely investigate, remove the tumor of the game hall, and bring the criminals to justice. Purify the social environment and maintain social harmony and stability."

The man nodded heavily: "Good, I accept your interview, ask whatever you want to know."

"Let's just chat casually." Zhou Andong took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it for the man. "Let's talk about your son's matter, how did he get addicted to gambling."

The man squatted on the ground, lowering his head and smoking, Zhou Andong squatted beside the man, not in a hurry, waiting for the man to speak. And Jiang Yuyue held the video camera, filming the two people.

"Chen Liang used to be a good child, his academic performance was also good, and he was in the top ten of the grade every time he took an exam..."

The man told in a low voice, Zhou Andong didn't interrupt, just listened quietly, Jiang Yuyue was responsible for recording, and this talk lasted for more than half an hour.

In the distance, a thin figure appeared, stumbling, walking only a dozen steps, falling twice, then climbing up and continuing to walk, just looking at his blank look around, he seemed very helpless.

The thin figure got closer and closer, Jiang Yuyue was the first to discover: "Dongzi, it's... Chen Liang!"

The man raised his head abruptly, watching his son walk over, covered in mud, not knowing how many times he had fallen. His eyes also lost focus, looking blankly in the direction of home, stumbling past them.

The man got up, reached out and grabbed a handful, but didn't catch his son, hurriedly chasing after him, his face full of worry. No matter how big a mistake he made, no matter how he beat or scolded him, he was his son after all. Not worrying was fake.

"Go and see!" Zhou Andong threw the half-smoked cigarette on the ground and stepped on it.

Jiang Yuyue nodded, followed Zhou Andong to the man's house. Before entering the courtyard, they heard the funeral music and angry scolding coming from the ordinary residential house.

Arriving at the door, Jiang Yuyue suddenly grabbed Zhou Andong's hand, and very hard.

Zhou Andong stopped: "Scared?"

Jiang Yuyue proudly puffed out her chest: "Who... who is scared." Saying so, she grabbed Zhou Andong's hand even harder.

Zhou Andong's mouth twitched: "Or, you wait for me here?"

Jiang Yuyue shook her head stubbornly: "I said, I'm not afraid."

Zhou Andong pressed down Jiang Yuyue's hand holding the video camera: "Don't film the deceased, after going in, follow me and bow to the deceased."

Entering the outer room, Jiang Yuyue's body suddenly tensed, her legs became a bit stiff, and she was dragged by Zhou Andong to the door of the room. The deceased was lying on a door panel with her head facing west, supported by four stools underneath, covered with yellow cloth.

"Hoo!"

Jiang Yuyue let out a long breath, and her tense mood relaxed immediately. She obediently followed Zhou Andong and bowed three times to the deceased.

The man didn't expect Zhou Andong and Jiang Yuyue to come. Several women who were cursing Chen Liang also stopped cursing and turned to look at the two.

Zhou Andong said: "Since we are here, let's pay respects to Sister-in-law, and then chat with Chen Liang."

The man hesitated, and said to Chen Liang: "They are reporters from Jingcheng, whether to accept the interview or not, you decide for yourself."

Chen Liang looked at Zhou Andong with godless eyes, nodded after a long while, and walked out with his head lowered.

Arriving in the courtyard, Chen Liang said in a hoarse voice: "Do you have cigarettes?"

Zhou Andong took out a cigarette and handed it to Chen Liang: "Say whatever comes to mind, you don't have to say what you don't want to say."

Chen Liang took a heavy puff of the cigarette, then looked up, his eyes looking at the sky in a void.

"The first time I entered the game hall was the summer vacation of the second year of junior high, I went with a classmate's brother..."

Chen Liang's narration was much more detailed than his father's, after all, it was his own personal experience.

Zhou Andong patted Chen Liang on the shoulder: "Of all the things that ruin a family, nothing is faster than gambling. Of all the things that ruin virtue, nothing is worse than gambling. There are always people who hold a fluke mentality, dreaming of achieving overnight wealth through gambling, not knowing that nine out of ten bets are lost, and long-term gambling will definitely lose."

Chen Liang squatted on the ground, covering his face with both hands and crying loudly: "My mom was killed by me, I'm sorry for her, I'm sorry for her..."

Zhou Andong sighed: "Child, knowing mistakes and correcting them is the best. Mistakes are not terrible, what is terrible is knowing mistakes and not correcting them. Mom is watching you in Heaven, as long as you don't gamble in the future and study well, she will definitely not blame you, and will be very happy."...

When Zhou Andong and Jiang Yuyue returned to the city, it was almost dark.

Jiang Yuyue asked: "Where to now?"

Zhou Andong said: "Chen Liang mentioned a woman named Du Jie, working in a public institution, with a pair of twin children, her husband is the manager of the municipal aquatic products company, which can be said to be a happy family. But because she became addicted to slot machines, she lost everything, lost her job, her husband divorced her, transferred her job to another place, and took the children away. She also owed huge usury and was forced to engage in flesh trade."

Jiang Yuyue said: "We go find her?"

"Right!" Zhou Andong said with a solemn face: "I have a question in my heart, only by finding her can I get confirmation."

"What question?" Jiang Yuyue asked curiously.

Zhou Andong said: "Chen Liang said he was taken into the game hall by his classmate's brother. When he had no money to play, it was also his classmate's brother who lent him money. And it wasn't just him, many of his peers around him were taken into the game hall by his classmate's brother. I suspect that there is a black interest chain hidden inside."

Jiang Yuyue frowned: "A black interest chain?"

Zhou Andong nodded: "Pulling the line, in layman's terms, is an intermediary. They pull people into the game hall to gamble, or draw water or lend usury."

Jiang Yuyue said: "You suspect that Du Jie was also pulled there?"

Zhou Andong said: "Very likely, she works in a public institution, and her husband is the manager of the aquatic products company, with money and status, which is the target of some people."

Jiang Yuyue looked at Zhou Andong with little stars in her eyes: "Let's go find her right now."

Zhou Andong said: "Haven't eaten all day, let's eat first."

The two found a place to fill their stomachs, and then came to the Longting Nightclub.

Jiang Yuyue said: "This is also Zhao Jianlong's business."

Because it was still early, it hadn't started yet, and there weren't many guests inside, sparse and scattered.

Zhou Andong and Jiang Yuyue found a place to sit down, a waiter came over: "Sir, Madam, what would you like to drink?"

Zhou Andong waved his hand: "We are waiting for someone, we'll order later."

"Good!" The waiter turned and left.

Jiang Yuyue said: "Why don't you ask the waiter?"

"The waiter may not necessarily know Du Jie." Zhou Andong gestured toward a woman not far away who was dressed revealingly and wearing heavy makeup. "See that? That woman might know where Du Jie is."

Jiang Yuyue said: "I'll go ask."

Zhou Andong said: "How will you ask?"

Jiang Yuyue was stunned: "How else to ask, just ask her where Du Jie is, when she will come."

Zhou Andong smiled: "If you ask like that, she will definitely answer you that she doesn't know. Because people like them have high vigilance and protect their privacy very much. So, you have to tell her that we are friends of Du Jie's ex-husband, the child is sick, and very seriously, missing mom, and we found our way here after many inquiries."

"Will it work?" Jiang Yuyue asked suspiciously.

Zhou Andong shrugged: "Don't know, let's try."

Jiang Yuyue gave Zhou Andong a sanitary eye, got up and walked toward the woman.

Don't know what was said, the woman dressed revealingly left, entered a door, and didn't come out again. Jiang Yuyue, her expression was a bit wrong, sat on the chair and didn't speak.

Zhou Andong blinked and asked with a smile: "What's wrong?"

Jiang Yuyue took a deep breath, then sighed: "Du Jie is dead, half a year ago, jumped into the river."

Zhou Andong patted his thigh lightly, saying regretfully: "A wasted trip, but this clue might be used in the future." After speaking, he got up: "Let's go!"

The two walked out of the nightclub, Zhou Andong said: "The calendar will come out tomorrow."

Jiang Yuyue swept away her depressed mood and said happily: "Great, I'll come to your house to find you tomorrow morning."

"Good!" Zhou Andong reached out and stopped a yellow minibus: "Distillery."

By the time Zhou Andong got home, it was already past seven o'clock. After lighting the stove, he went to find Yao Jun without even locking the door.

Yao Jun's house was not far, right at the eastern end of the alley, and he arrived in a few minutes.

Zhou Andong entered the house and found that only Yao Jun was at home: "Where are Uncle and Auntie, and Yingzi and the others?"

Yao Jun said: "My cousin is getting married tomorrow, they all went to my maternal grandmother's house."

Zhou Andong said: "The calendar has already been printed, have the people been arranged?"

Hearing that the calendar had been printed, Yao Jun's spirit was lifted: "All arranged."

Zhou Andong said: "Tomorrow morning at eight o'clock, go directly to the printing factory, and then act according to the plan."...

Jiang Yuyue went upstairs, took out the key and opened the door. As soon as she entered the house, she found that the atmosphere was wrong. Jiang Yuhai, who hadn't been back for almost a month, was sitting on the sofa with a blue face. Her father was looking down at the newspaper, and her mother's face also didn't look too good.

"What's wrong?" Jiang Yuyue smiled and said: "Jiang Yuhai, did you make Mom angry again?"

Jiang Yuhai snorted coldly: "Jiang Yuyue, tell me, where did you go today?"

Jiang Yuyue's face sank: "Where I go, what does it have to do with you, managing too wide. With this time, it's better to go home and manage your wife and children well."

"Jiang Yuyue!" Zhao Yulan really couldn't hold it anymore, slapped the coffee table: "You came back so late, who were you with?"

Jiang Yuyue looked at this one, looked at that one, and suddenly understood, saying very frankly: "With brother-in-law."

"Your brother-in-law?" Zhao Yulan's anger rushed to the top of her head: "Your sister has already gone to America, where did you get a brother-in-law?"

Jiang Yuyue had a sudden realization: "Oh, right, my sister divorced, then I was with Zhou Andong."

"You..." Zhao Yulan covered her chest, gasping for air.

Jiang Zhengmin hurriedly threw away the newspaper, put his hand on Zhao Yulan's chest, smoothing her breath one by one: "Don't be angry, don't be angry."

Jiang Yuyue was also startled, hurriedly ran over: "Mom, Mom, how are you?"

Zhao Yulan let out a long breath, pointing at Jiang Yuyue, gritting her teeth and saying: "Dead girl, sooner or later I will be angered to death by you."

"Jiang Yuyue!" Jiang Yuhai said with a dark face: "Is your brain flooded? What kind of thing is Zhou Andong, you mix with him all day, aren't you afraid of others laughing at you?"

Jiang Yuyue roared: "You shut up for me, how is Zhou Andong not a good thing? When he hadn't divorced my sister, buying rice and flour, changing gas tanks, which time wasn't he carrying it upstairs? And you, what have you done for this family? Last year, Mom had a heart attack, in the middle of the night, it was still raining outside, couldn't even find a car, wasn't it Zhou Andong who held Mom and ran all the way to the hospital? What qualification do you have to look down on him? Just because he is an ordinary employee, and you are a big bureau chief?"

Jiang Zhengmin sighed: "Yuyue, actually, whether it's your brother or your mother, they are all for your own good. Think about it, your sister has already divorced Zhou Andong, you, this little sister-in-law, are still with your former brother-in-law all day, what does it look like. If the neighbors see it, it's not good to say, at that time, where will you put your mother's and my old face."

Zhao Yulan slapped the coffee table, tears streaming down: "What kind of sin did I commit, giving birth to you, this kind of thing. When I die in your hands, you will be happy."

"Look at how you angered Mom?" Jiang Yuhai's face was dark enough to drip water: "Jiang Yuyue, if you anger Mom into something bad, I won't spare you."

"I understand, you look down on Zhou Andong, look down on him, actually it's because he is poor. No matter how much he has paid for this family in the past, it's all as it should be. In your hearts, he will always be a poor ghost, unable to climb high to the Jiang family."

Jiang Yuyue suddenly smiled: "But is being poor wrong? Is it against the law? You guys, you are looking at him through a crack in the door, looking at him small, looking at him short, looking at him shriveled, looking at him out of shape. But I believe in him, one day he will grow to a look you dare not imagine."...

PS: Two-in-one chapter, also thanks to klok313 for the first gift to this book. ===== CHAPTER 24 =====