Chapter 949: The Corrupt Official Even Yang Qing Fears

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye a month had passed.

The new party secretary of Wuzhou hasn't taken office yet, but the case against Zheng Congwen and his associates for violating laws and discipline is progressing rapidly, about to enter the prosecution stage.

That weekend afternoon.

Lin Dongfan had a rare day off, staying home to play checkers with his wife, when he got a pleasant surprise.

But…

This surprise didn't come from his sweet-but-silly wife, but from Yang Sansui, whom he hadn't seen in Along time.

Yang Qing showed up at the door carrying a red plastic bucket full of seafood—shrimp, crab, and sea cucumber, with the shrimp jumping about inside the bucket.

"Zhuangbian Fan, these steps at your door are really high; they've worn me out."

Yang Qing set the bucket down, shook water off his hands, just like a fisherman returning from gathering seafood, still wearing his waterproof boots.

Lin Dongfan lowered his head to look at the seafood in the bucket. "Where did you get this?"

"Authentic seaside catch, just off the boat—I specially saved a bucket for you to try." Yang Qing glanced inside the house: "Where's Chu teacher? Hurry up and get her to cook."

"Old Yang's here."

Chu Lingxi came out of the washroom.

Upon closer inspection, seeing the seafood jumping about in the bucket, Chu Lingxi's eyes lit up: "Wow, such a big king crab! Old Yang, you're amazing."

"Of course."

Yang Qing gave a hehe laugh, puffing up with pride: "Chu teacher, I'll trouble you—I prefer it steamed."

Before Chu Lingxi could respond,

Lin Dongfan bluntly retorted: "Who are you bothering? You come to my house and ask my wife to cook for you? What nonsense! If you want to eat, make it yourself."

"Zhuangbian Fan, I didn't ask you to cook—what's it to you?" Yang Qing gave a sideways glance, then instantly put on a pleading smile at Chu Lingxi: "Chu teacher, thanks for the trouble."

"No problem, I'll do it."

Although Chu Lingxi's cooking skills aren't great, she eagerly took on the task.

Just as she lifted the plastic bucket,

Lin Dongfan immediately took it back: "Why indulge him? Go rest." Saying that, he set the bucket back in front of Yang Qing: "If you want to eat, make it yourself."

"Damn, fine, I'll do it myself—acting like nobody's got culinary talent." Yang Qing grabbed the bucket and headed straight for the kitchen, radiating a stubborn refusal to lose.

This scene instead left Chu Lingxi feeling embarrassed.

Chu Lingxi tugged lightly at Lin Dongfan's sleeve.

She whispered, "Honey, how can you treat your future son-in-law like this? Watch out—he'll someday open his lion's mouth and demand hundreds of millions as a bride price."

"He dares!"

Lin Dongfan showed no hesitation, his voice ringing out strong and clear.

Soon.

From the kitchen came Yang Qing's retort: "What dare not dare? If you want to eat sea cucumber, hurry up and help, or I'll flush the sea cucumber down the drain—see if I dare."

"You dare!!!"

Lin Dongfan bellowed back, his actions honest as ever—within a second he rolled up his sleeves and ran to the kitchen, mainly because he didn't believe Yang Sansui had any culinary talent and feared he'd waste the ingredients.

In the kitchen, the sound of splashing water and scrubbing soon arose.

Shabaitian, bored, went back to the room to video-call her mother, sharing the good news that she'd been awarded senior professor status—now she's a proper female professor.

In the kitchen.

Yang Qing pressed the huge king crab onto the cutting board and chopped off a leg with one blow, as if he'd severed Lin Dongfan's lifeline.

He chuckled happily: "Making your wife cook, you're feeling sorry for yourself! You insist I fend for myself—do you think you can stay out of it?"

"As long as you're around, I never thought of staying uninvolved."

Lin Dongfan was busy scrubbing the sea cucumbers; whether he could deliver quality and quantity on Chu teacher's assignment tonight depended entirely on how cooperative these sea cucumbers in the basin were.

Yang Qing chopped away, cutting off eight crab legs in quick succession, his movements remarkably swift.

It was no surprise.

During the days his wife wasn't around, Yang Sansui had plenty of experience fending for himself.

Lin Dongfan asked, "Is Zheng Congwen still clenching his teeth and refusing to talk?"

"He's a tough nut!"

Yang Qing struck again, splitting the king crab on the board in two, seemingly venting resentment with great force.

Lin Dongfan couldn't help but remark: "That's all you've got."

"If you've got the ability, you go ahead." Yang Qing said: "Zheng Congwen knows he'll be sentenced to death, yet none of the higher-ups will bite—why? Use your pigbrain and think about it."

"You're the one with the pigbrain."

Lin Dongfan blurted out: "He knows he won't survive; the only thing in this world worth his concern is probably his woman."

Hearing that, Yang Qing smiled and didn't interrupt.

Lin Dongfan turned the tap down a bit, rinsing the sea cucumbers while analyzing: "If he were to betray other officials, they'd all be in the same pot.

On the contrary, if he doesn't bite those people,

then that shows:

he's very likely to have handed over some crucial evidence to his children.

With that evidence, the Zheng family's descendants could later hold those officials over a barrel—no need to mention swapping riches; securing a comfortable livelihood is certainly doable.

Having heard Lin Dongfan's analysis up to this point,

Yang Qing couldn't help but curse: "Damn, that dog Zheng Congwen—after decades in officialdom, having done all the evil he could, he's still scheming on his deathbed."

"People who don't look out for themselves invite heavenly wrath and earthly annihilation—that's their creed." Lin Dongfan pondered, then added: "Have you summoned his son and daughter?"

"Already done." Yang Qing replied: "His son graduated from police academy and now works at the Huangxi Police Station as a deputy station chief—he knows the ropes, so you won't get anything out of him."

"Where is his daughter?" Lin Dongfan asked again.

Yang Qing furrowed their brows and thought for a moment.

Helplessly shaking their head, they said: "His daughter is a senior at Jianglan Zhengfa University; they all understand the stakes, and they also refuse to admit they have any leverage over officials."

"Heh, this Zheng Congwen really knows how to arrange things—the whole family is on the political-legal track." Lin Dongfan set aside the washed sea cucumber and started heating the pot.

Yang Qing said helplessly: "Let's leave it at that for now; Zheng Congwen's case can't be delayed any further—first we send him to the execution ground, then we'll talk, to hand in the report to the province."

"A few years ago your house was burned down, you were forced to pretend amnesia for several years—what case were you investigating back then? Did it involve people from the province?" This question had been bottled up in Lin Dongfan's heart for years; out of respect for Yang Qing's professional integrity, he had never dared to ask for the truth.

Yang Qing placed the chopped crab meat in a basin and began scrubbing the cutting board: "Don't bring up old wounds; keep your curiosity to yourself."

"Damn, are there still people my Lin family can't suppress?" Lin Dongfan furrowed their brows: "Tell me the truth—will you die, or what will happen to you?"

"Your Lin family follows the law, but others don't—what about my dead son?" Yang Qing said solemnly: "Don't forget how Su Yuhong died back then; I don't want to see tragedy repeat itself on you."

!!!

Lin Dongfan was left speechless by the retort.

He had to admit this objective fact—no matter how great the Lin family's power, if they encounter a reckless official, it's truly uncertain who will win.