Chapter 53: Dogs Bite Dogs, a Mouthful of Fur

Everyone has their own bottom line.

Lin Dongfan's bottom line is rather unconventional: just one principle—if you piss me off, I'll mess you up! Who said mixing in officialdom means you have to pretend to be a modest gentleman?

I'll just treat you as a punching bag to practice on!

Upon seeing injustice, I shout—no matter if the great river flows east or west, I'll act first and talk later.

First he kicked Li Hengbo to the ground, then in the next second Lin Dongfan grabbed Li Hengbo's collar, yanked him up, and punched him in the face.

The fighting power of a street‑style boxer is more than enough to beat a newbie.

That punch sent Li Hengbo's head tilting, with a grunt he fell back to the ground, blood streaming from the corner of his mouth.

I guess his head is also dazed.

Li Hengbo only came to after shaking his head hard.

He felt as suppressed as a grandson.

He glared at Lin Dongfan with angry eyes: "You fucking took the wrong medicine, right? You just came up and started messing without asking right from wrong! Liu Hong clung to my clothes and wouldn't let go, I had no choice but to knock her down! I didn't even hit her..."

"You didn't hit her???"

Lin Dongfan stared in shock, turned his head and looked toward village chief Yang Shouli.

Just now Yang Shouli was flung by Lin Dongfan grabbing his arm, he fell at the wall's base and hadn't gotten up. Now seeing Lin Dongfan look over with anger, Yang Shouli trembled with fear, his old limbs shaking.

He shrank back timidly: "What… what do you want? I warn you! Don't mess around..."

"Is the blood on Liu Hong's head from you hitting her?"

Lin Dongfan glared angrily at Yang Shouli.

Yang Shouli looked guilty, not daring to answer the question.

Seeing son‑in‑law Luo Qiang stride in, Yang Shouli instantly felt like he'd met a savior of the apocalypse, urgently calling: "Luo Qiang, Lin hit me, are you blind?!"

The meaning is: your father‑in‑law is being bullied now; if you don't show some spine, you're not fit to be human.

This sudden, implicative summon left Luo Qiang feeling depressed, unable to voice his bitterness.

He didn't expect to walk in and run into this mess; he actually wanted to roll up his sleeves and fight Lin Dongfan, but the problem is who will bear the consequences? Besides, his leverage is still held by Lin Dongfan.

Before Luo Qiang could figure out how to clean up this mess,

Lin Dongfan again lashed out at Yang Shouli with a cold, stern question: "You don't understand human speech, huh? I'm asking you—was the injury on Liu Hong's head caused by you?!"

"Luo Qiang!!!"

Yang Shouli again roared loudly at Luo Qiang, his eyes almost popping out.

Luo Qiang, gritting his teeth, pulled Lin Dongfan: "Captain Lin, give me some face—since the situation is already fully under control, let's just drop this…"

"A village chief and a resident village first secretary teaming up to bully an orphan and widow—just beat them and call it a day?!" Lin Dongfan flicked his hand angrily, sending Luo Qiang stumbling back two steps.

This angry move, although it made Luo Qiang feel embarrassed,

but after carefully considering Lin Dongfan's words, Luo Qiang also fully understood Lin Dongfan's feelings—human hearts are made of flesh, and he felt his father‑in‑law and Li Hengbo had indeed gone too far.

A great fire left Liu Hong's family ruined and destitute.

Looking over the whole Qingzhu Village, there is no woman more ill‑fated than Liu Hong. People can barely get by, yet they still bully her, an orphan and widow.

Anyone with a bit of conscience, upon encountering this, would flare up in rage.

Luo Qiang, caught in the middle, torn between advancing and retreating, wanted to support Lin Dongfan in seeking justice for Liu Hong, but couldn't bear to watch his father‑in‑law be dealt with.

After going back and forth, Luo Qiang turned his head to look at the party involved, Liu Hong.

Liu Hong, her tear tracks not yet dry, had just been helped up by Jian Sining; blood flowed heavily from the back of her head, and her white down jacket was stained blotchy.

She looked utterly exhausted, hardly human.

Luo Qiang sincerely apologized to Liu Hong: "Sister‑in‑law, today's matter, I stand in for my father‑in‑law to apologize to you—I truly feel sorry!"

Saying that, Luo Qiang bowed to Liu Hong.

Straightening up, he continued: "Your medical expenses—whatever amount is due later, I'll pay it. If my father‑in‑law doesn't pay, come find me. You think today's matter can…"

"No!"

Afraid Liu Hong would soften and compromise, Lin Dongfan directly cut off Luo Qiang's words.

Today, before coming here, Lin Dongfan hadn't expected Yang Shouli and Li Hengbo to bully people so badly; he had thought of letting Luo Qiang do some ideological work on Yang Shouli.

Now that the situation has changed,

Lin Dongfan no longer hopes to succeed in anyone's ideological work.

This is a perfect chance to properly deal with the village bully Yang Shouli, who preys on the good and fears the evil.

Lin Dongfan told Liu Hong: "Liu Hong, go with Jian Sining to treat your wound first; I'll handle things here. From now on, if anyone bullies you again, just give me a call."

Saying that, Lin Dongfan handed Liu Hong a business card.

Liu Hong has always been a strong woman; now these tears keep flowing. Since the fire broke out on Qingzhu Mountain, the officials have all wanted her dead.

Unexpectedly, when she was at her wit's end, someone still cared about her life or death.

She could tell Lin Dongfan differed from those hypocrites. She didn't know how many people Lin Dongfan would offend by speaking up for her; she only knew Lin Dongfan is someone trustworthy.

"Thank you…"

Liu Hong's voice choked, tears in her eyes as she wanted to kneel.

Jian Sining quickly supported her arm, softly urging: "Red Sister, don't do that—you'll make our Captain Lin look bad. Come on, I'll first take you to the clinic."

"Mm."

Liu Hong wiped her tears.

Before turning to leave, she again bowed deeply to Lin Dongfan to express her gratitude.

After Liu Hong left.

Lin Dongfan swept his gaze over everyone present, finally locking onto Yang Shouli: "Old fool, you injured someone with your hand! Now it's either you go to the police station to turn yourself in, or I'll call the cops to arrest you."

"I hit Liu Hong, you also hit me!" Yang Shouli glared at Lin Dongfan, righteous and bold: "You think I fear your police report? When the police come, you won't be able to run either!"

"Law-blind, that's what I call stopping crime!"

Lin Dongfan couldn't be bothered to say more nonsense, he dialed 110 on the spot and explained the situation here.

Just then Li Hengbo also climbed up from the ground.

He wiped the blood at the corner of his mouth, angrily laughed at Lin Dongfan: "You call this punch of yours stopping crime? It doesn't seem to conform to the judicial interpretation of Article 20 of the Criminal Law."

"Xiao Li zi, you're a Xiao Li zi who knows the law." Lin Dongfan laughed and patted Li Hengbo's shoulder: "You also want to get a criminal record, don't you?"

"I didn't say anything, please go ahead."

Upon hearing the two words 'criminal record', Li Hengbo immediately gave in.

The open and covert struggles in Nanzhou's officialdom are mainly the conflict between the Executive faction and the Political and Legal Affairs faction.

Li Hengbo used to be a member of the Political and Legal Affairs faction, so of course he knows the law.

Not only does he know the law, he also knows who holds the final interpretive authority over the judiciary.

He certainly won't be so foolish as to strike a rock with an egg.

If a criminal record were left, he could at any time be dismissed from public office. Compared to this serious consequence, what's taking this punch today?

He currently advocates being able to yield and to stand firm.

Since being kicked out of the Political and Legal Affairs faction's circle, he has been striving to get close to Bai Wentong, hoping to squeeze into the Executive faction's circle through Bai Wentong's channels.

For this purpose, no matter what Bai Wentong asks him to do, he has never refused.

Earlier he brought two native chickens to the hospital to visit Lin Dongfan, saying he wanted to resolve past grievances and saying he wanted to be transferred to the Political and Legal Affairs Commission office as a secretary, but none of that was his true intention.

That was Bai Wentong's arrangement.

The person surnamed Bai hopes he will return to the Political and Legal Affairs Commission to stir up some small moves and take down Chu Jinsong.

Therefore he threw caution to the wind and went to beg Lin Dongfan, only he didn't expect Lin Dongfan to be on guard, ultimately causing Bai Wentong's plan to die in the womb.

He still hasn't truly managed to squeeze into the core circle of the Executive faction.

If something happens to him, Bai Wentong will surely discard him like a pawn. Right now no one will cover for him, so he certainly won't be foolish enough to confront Lin Dongfan head-on.

Let me clarify: just now Liu Hong was clutching my clothes and wouldn't let go, I had no choice but to knock her to the ground; from start to finish, I never struck her.

Speaking, Li Hengbo dragged a chair to sit at the doorway, putting on the air of an outsider.

At this moment Yang Shouli became flushed with anger: "Secretary Li, according to what you just said, is it all my fault? Earlier you said to take down Liu Hong and send her to a mental hospital—that was your idea!"

Liu Hong's emotions have been unstable lately; I'm worried she might have mental issues, so I suggested sending her to the hospital for a check-up—what's wrong with that?

Li Hengbo lit a cigarette.

He added another sentence: "I did say something akin to 'take her down,' but I didn't tell you to beat her with a pole, let alone hit her on the head."

Secretary Li, how can you change your face just like that!" Yang Shouli was fuming.

Lin Dongfan watched the two bickering like dogs biting dogs over a mouthful of fur, couldn't help but sneer, thinking: "What a self-inflicted disaster, an old fool who can't live!" With your measly wit, you dare to play with Li Hengbo—you've lived sixty years in vain.