Chapter 524

Wei Ting, cut the act—I've been fighting corruption for over ten years; I've seen every kind of fox. I dare to crack open your safe, and I'm not afraid I won't find a little stash.

Translation: "Wei Bureau chief, stop acting—I, Old Peng, have been anti-corruption for over ten years; what kind of fox haven't I seen? I dare cut open your home safe, and I'm not afraid I won't find a little stash!"

Need to keep quotes? The Chinese includes quotation marks. Should we keep them? Probably keep as is: include the quotes. Use English quotes. So output: 【1】 "Wei Bureau chief, stop acting—I, Old Peng, have been anti-corruption for over ten years; what kind of fox haven't I seen? I dare cut open your home safe, and I'm not afraid I won't find a little stash!"

The more Wei Shouqin puts on airs pretending to be an upright official, the more excited Peng Tianhua gets—quite the opposite of Lin Dongfan's calm and composed manner.

Translation: "The more Wei Shouqin put on airs pretending to be an honest official, the more excited Peng Tianhua became, completely unlike Lin Dongfan's calm and composed demeanor."

Scrape—!

Translation: "Screech—!"

The metal cutter's noise rang nonstop in Wei Shouqin's luxurious study—probably only Peng Tianhua didn't find it grating.

Note: The phrase likely meant "kept ringing"; we'll translate it as "kept ringing".

Translation: "The sound of the metal cutter rang nonstop in Wei Shouqin's luxurious study, and probably only Peng Tianhua didn't find the noise grating."

All for a Porsche, so I can go home and be the big boss!

Translation: "For the Porsche, for going home to be a big shot!"

Peng Tianhua was really going all out, cutting while counting: "1302! 1303 strokes! 1304! This safe is damn tough—open it, old man!"

Translation: "Peng Tianhua really risked his life, cutting while counting: '1302! 1303 strokes! 1304! This safe is damn sturdy, open it for me!'"

With Peng Tianhua's trembling roar—mostly from exhaustion, a bit of excitement—the rock‑hard inner safe finally gave way with a large opening.

Translation: "With Peng Tianhua's trembling shout (mainly from exhaustion, also a bit excited), the extremely hard inner safe was finally cut open a big gap!"

Are we cutting open a corrupt official's safe?

Translation: "Are we cutting open a corrupt official's safe?"

No!

Translation: "No!"

For Old Peng, this cut is the gateway to happiness.

Translation: "For Old Peng, this cut is the door to happiness."

At a rate of $1,000 per stroke, over 1,300 strokes comes to over $1.3 million—the car is secured, and back home I can lounge in a rocking chair as the big boss.

Translation: "At a rate of a thousand per stroke, over thirteen hundred strokes means over 1.3 million! The car is secured; after going home I can lounge in a rocking chair as a big shot."

This moment.

Translation: "At this moment."

He was already calculating whether to buy his wife a fully loaded BMW 7 Series or a base‑model Porsche Cayenne.

Translation: "He was already calculating in his head whether to give his wife a high-spec BMW 7 Series or a low-spec Porsche Cayenne."

Phew—!

Translation: "Whoosh—!"

Peng Tianhua tossed the cutter aside, pulled off his goggles, panting, his face beaming like a farmer after a harvest: "Mom… we finally cut it open…"

Translation: "Peng Tianhua flung the cutter to the ground, took off his goggles puffing and panting, his face beaming with the joy of a harvest farmer: 'Mom… finally cut it open…'"

He waited to catch his breath.

Translation: "After catching his breath for two breaths."

He chuckled at Lin Dongfang: "Old Lin, we've done 1,304 strokes—since I'm risking my life for you brothers, let's make it auspicious and call it 1,314 strokes, meaning 'forever together'; point anywhere and I'll cut there."

Translation: "He then chuckled and looked at Lin Dongfan: 'Brother Lin, 1304 strokes—since I risked my life for you brothers, let's make it auspicious and call it 1314 strokes, meaning forever together; point anywhere and I'll cut there.'"

Hearing this, Lin Dongfang furrowed his brow slightly and pointed at Peng Tianhua's pants.

Translation: "Hearing that, Lin Dongfan furrowed his brow slightly and pointed at Peng Tianhua's crotch."

Peng Tianhua lowered his head and stared at his own pants.

Translation: "Peng Tianhua lowered his head and stared at his own crotch."

He pondered for several seconds.

Translation: "He pondered for several seconds."

He voiced a deep feeling: "I love this job deeply; you can take everything from my life, but you cannot take my work enthusiasm. According to the principle that 'the body is the capital of revolution,' I must not harm my body—that's the mindset a public servant should have."

Translation: "He uttered a heavy realization: 'I love this job deeply; you can take everything from my life, but you cannot take my work enthusiasm. According to the principle that 'the body is the capital of revolution,' I cannot harm my body—that is the ideological awareness a public servant should have.'"

Lin Dongfang: "……!!!"

Translation: "Lin Dongfan: '……!!!'"

Wei Shouqin: "……!!!"

Translation: "Wei Shouqin: '……!!!'"

Everyone fell silent; the whole world seemed to have died, the venue was dead silent, even the myriad grievances in everyone's hearts were left unspoken.

Translation: "Everyone fell silent; the whole world seemed to have died, the venue was dead silent, even the myriad criticisms in everyone's hearts fell mute."

At that moment, Jian Sining walked over and saw everyone staring at Peng Tianhua in silence.

Translation: "Just then Jian Sining walked over, seeing everyone staring at Peng Tianhua without speaking."

She puzzledly asked, "What's wrong, Section Chief Peng? Are you hurt? Where did you cut?" Her bright eyes scanned him up and down.

Translation: "She asked puzzledly: 'What's wrong, Section Chief Peng? Injured? Where did you cut?' Her bright eyes scanned him up and down."

"Injured? Impossible—my body is the capital of revolution." Peng Tianhua smiled at Lin Dongfang: "Old Lin, you just say whether I'm right or not."

Translation: "'Injured? Impossible—my body is the means of revolution.' Peng Tianhua smiled at Lin Dongfan: 'Boss Lin, you just say whether I'm right or not.'"

「！！！」

Translation: "……!!!"

Lin Dongfang felt he had been hasty, overestimating Old Peng's integrity.

Translation: "Lin Dongfan felt he had been hasty, overestimating Old Peng's integrity."

"People need face, trees need bark"—that's a life attitude humans have summed up, but Old Peng isn't human; he's an eagle in the desert.

Translation: "People need face, trees need bark—that's a life attitude summed up by humanity—but Old Peng isn't human; he's an eagle in the desert."

Such a solemn anti‑corruption scene, he's turned it into a circus.

Translation: "At such a solemn anti-corruption scene, he turned it into a circus."

Lin Dongfang assumed a solemn posture: "When working, one must address by title!"

Translation: "Lin Dongfan assumed a solemn posture: 'When working, address by title!'"

Wei Shouqin suddenly chuckled: "I see now—you're forming cliques for personal gain. Director Lin, is this how your anti‑corruption bureau usually operates?"

Translation: "Wei Shouqin suddenly chuckled: 'I see now—you're forming cliques for personal gain. Director Lin, is this how your anti-corruption bureau usually operates?'"

Without waiting for Lin Dongfang to reply.

Translation: "Without waiting for Lin Dongfan to reply."

Peng Tianhua went all out: "You're right—we belong to the same party, but you're a traitor within it! Traitor, you have no say—go sit over there!"

Translation: "Peng Tianhua already fired up: 'You're right—we belong to the same party, but you're a traitor within it! Traitor, you have no say—go squat over there!'"

As he spoke, Peng Tianhua's right hand was already pointing at the wall.

Translation: "Saying that, Peng Tianhua's right hand already pointed to the wall."

Wei Shouqin replied dismissively: "I've been cooperating with your investigation; so far you've found nothing illicit in my home—why should I go sit by the wall?"

Translation: "Wei Shouqin replied unconvinced: 'I've been cooperating with your investigation; so far you've found nothing illicit in my home—why should I go squat by the wall?'"

"Stubborn mouth—wait until I find the gold, then see what you have to say!"

Translation: "'Hard‑mouthed, wait till I dig out gold, then see what you have to say!'"

Peng Tianhua put on cut‑resistant gloves and eagerly thrust his hand into the safe's opening.

Translation: "Peng Tianhua put on cut‑resistant gloves and eagerly thrust his hand into the safe's opening."

The safe's volume is about that of a drum washing machine, but the opening is tiny, neat and square—about the size of a mouse pad.

Translation: "The safe's volume is about that of a drum washing machine, but the opening is tiny, square, about the size of a mouse pad."

It's not that Old Peng doesn't want to make the opening a bit bigger.

Translation: "It's not that Old Peng doesn't want to make the opening a bit bigger."

The inner safe's metal walls are indeed thick and tough to cut; if we tried to cut open the whole face, it would likely take until two or three in the morning, and without several thousand strokes it wouldn't open.

Translation: "The metal walls of the inner cabinet are indeed thick and hard to cut; if we tried to cut open the whole cabinet, we'd likely be at it until two or three a. m., and without several thousand strokes we couldn't open it."

Just scrape together enough money for the car.

Translation: "As long as we scrape together enough money for the car."

You can't really treat Old Lin like a landlord's foolish son and keep squeezing him alone. As Yang Qing said, whoever treats Old Lin as a fool is the real big idiot.

Translation: "We can't really treat Brother Lin like a landlord's foolish son and fleece him alone. Yang Qing once said, whoever treats Brother Lin as a fool is the real big idiot."

"Surname Wei, don't panic—I've dug out a gold brick!" he laughed, then frowned, "What is this feel like? It feels like my daughter's wet diaper…"

Translation: "'Surname Wei, don't tense up—I've dug out a gold brick, hah… huh? What's this feel like? It's like my daughter's wet diaper…'"

Peng Tianhua's smile froze for a moment.

Translation: "Peng Tianhua's smile froze for a moment."

What he felt wasn't the expected cold, hard gold brick nor a bundle of cash, but a smooth, cloth‑like texture.

Translation: "What he felt was neither the imagined cold, hard gold brick nor bundles of cash, but a smooth, slippery cloth texture."

He pulled it out, puzzled, to have a look.

Translation: "He pulled it out dubiously to have a look."

With a rustle, a large red banner unfurled itself.

Translation: "With a rustle, a large red banner unfurled naturally."

Across it, three rows of shining gold letters were especially striking: "Presented to: Divine Doctor Wei Shouqin, whose skillful hands bring spring back to life, with benevolent heart and art—Thank you from patient Luo Renjing."

Translation: "Three rows of shining gold characters on it were especially eye‑catching: 'Presented to Divine Doctor Wei Shouqin, skillful hands that bring spring back, benevolent heart and art—Thank you, patient Luo Renjing!'"

The air instantly froze.

Translation: "The air instantly froze."

Peng Tianhua: "……???"

Translation: "Peng Tianhua: '……???'"

Lin Dongfang, Jian Sining, and the two other prosecutors were all bewildered, feeling like they'd walked onto the wrong set.

Translation: "Lin Dongfan, Jian Sining, and the two other prosecutors also looked bewildered, as if they'd walked onto the wrong set."

Wei Shouqin lifted his chin slightly, his face showing an indescribable pride, as if silently saying, "See? I didn't lie to you—I really am an honest official."

Translation: "Wei Shouqin, meanwhile, lifted his chin slightly, his face showing an indescribable pride, silently seeming to say, 'See? I didn't lie to you—I really am an honest official.'"

"Uh… an accident, definitely an accident!" Peng Tianhua gave a dry laugh, then plunged his hand back into the safe: "The banner's covering it, diverting attention—the gold bars must be underneath!"

Translation: "'Uh… accident, definitely an accident!' Peng Tianhua gave a dry laugh, then thrust his hand back into the safe: 'The banner's covering it, hiding the truth—gold bars must be underneath!'"

Another round of vigorous digging, his enthusiasm matching that of a child rummaging through a snake hole for eggs.

Note: The likely intended word was "childhood"; we'll translate it as "childhood".

Translation: "Another round of frantic digging, his enthusiasm no less than when as a child he'd straddle an anthill digging out snake eggs."

His hand shrank back.

Translation: "His hand shrank back,"

Another banner!

Translation: "another banner!"

"Reborn as Hua Tuo, grace renewed—family member Wang Cuihua"

Translation: "'Reborn as Hua Tuo, grace equal to rebirth—family member Wang Cuihua'"

Peng Tianhua's forehead already began to sweat, but he stubbornly refused to believe this evil, his hand reached into the safe again, frantically pulling things out as if digging for treasure.

Bian Que's successor, virtuous medicine double fragrance——retired teacher Liu Yuan

Contemporary Bai Qiu'en, people's good doctor——Yuezhou City Steel Plant Workers' Union

A doctor's heart is like that of parents, warm as a father——Yuezhou Orphanage

……

One red banner after another, velvet-faced, satin, all kinds of styles, a dazzling array of commendatory phrases, leaving one dazzled!

The banners quickly piled up to cover the study's floor.

This time, Peng Tianhua couldn't help but believe it—the safe was full of banners, damn it, no gold bars or cash!

A glance at the ground, and it felt as cold as water.

"Is there something wrong with your brain?" Peng Tianhua asked Wei Shouqin in disbelief: "Shouldn't banners be hung on the wall? Who would hide them in a safe?"

"It's you who's sick, not me."

Wei Shouqin adopted a solemn, stern posture, sweeping his gaze across Peng Tianhua, Lin Dongfan, and the others.

He explained at length: "Back when I practiced medicine, I always reminded myself that I was a doctor. A doctor's duty is to heal and save lives, not to hang banners on the wall to show off, understand? But these banners also represent the patients' recognition of my work and medical skill; they are the source that motivates me to work hard, and I can't just toss them away carelessly. So I've stored them in the safe—ask me, is there anything wrong with what I'm doing?"

No problem!

I can't find a single fault!

Peng Tianhua, Lin Dongfan, Jian Sining, and the others stared at each other, damn it—what was supposed to be an anti-corruption scene turned into Wei Shouqin's grand show‑off spectacle; where exactly did things go wrong?