Chapter 628: Black Material

Early the next morning, just as He Yuzhu entered the office, the phone rang.

He picked up the phone, and Li Xiangxiu's voice came from the other end.

"How about it, are you planning to go to the cold storage to get fish?"

Li Xiangxiu giggled on the other end of the line: "I'm not asking you for fish today; I'm here to pass you some intelligence. Yesterday, Dan and I went to Hongbinlou to treat some leaders from out of town to dinner, and guess what? I saw Xu Damao sneak into a private room. I had someone ask around, and he was actually meeting Zhou Hao! I suspect he's putting together some black material on you."

"What? This Zhou Hao still isn't finished?" He Yuzhu stood up abruptly.

"Zhou Hao hasn't been doing anything good lately; he even sent people to the Municipal Bureau to find his former subordinates, trying to dig up information on Dan. But that group is still angry about how he acted at the Bureau before, so no one gave him a pleasant look this time. It looks like this kid is looking for Xu Damao because he wants to target you first!"

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu slammed his hand on the desk: "Damn him! Does he really think I'm afraid of him? He keeps looking for trouble again and again; one of these days I'm going to finish him off!"

Li Xiangxiu hurriedly advised: "Don't be too impulsive. I've thought of a way for you. You need to ruin Xu Damao's reputation first, otherwise, if he jumps out to be a witness one day, even if you're innocent, he could still falsely accuse you. As the saying goes, a rumor takes only a mouth, but debunking it takes running your legs off."

After listening, He Yuzhu felt this made sense and smiled: "Xiangxiu, I understand. By the way, I've saved some good things for you recently. When you go to the East Suburb Warehouse to pick up fish from the freezer, just look for Xiao Li who watches the Warehouse."

Li Xiangxiu asked curiously: "What kind of things?"

He Yuzhu chuckled: "Heh, it's all stuff brought over from Hong Kong. You'll see when you get there."

After hanging up the phone, He Yuzhu sat in his chair and fell into deep thought.

He hadn't paid much attention to Xu Damao over the years, but he hadn't expected this kid to still be stirring up trouble behind his back; truly, the tree desires stillness but the wind will not cease.

He pondered for a while and decided to first feel out Xu Damao's current situation.

When it was time to get off work, He Yuzhu had just walked to the entrance of the No. 95 Siheyuan when he saw Bang Geng carrying his schoolbag, practicing wrestling with a group of neighborhood kids on a woodpile outside the courtyard.

As soon as Bang Geng saw him, he immediately ran over eagerly: "Siqiang, why are you off work so early?"

He Yuzhu thought about it; it would be convenient to get information from Bang Geng, so he said: "Let's go, Siqiang will take you out to eat."

Upon hearing this, Bang Geng's eyes lit up, and he turned his head to shout at Liu Guangfu nearby: "Liu Guangfu, go back and tell my mom that I'm not coming home for dinner tonight!"

Liu Guangfu curled his lips and replied: "Got it!"

He Yuzhu took Bang Geng to the barbecue restaurant, ordered two plates of Zhizi Barbecue, and asked for a few cold dishes.

While waiting for the food, he asked casually: "Bang Geng, tell me, what's this about Xu Damao looking for widows?"

Bang Geng scratched his head and smiled: "There's a Xie Guafu in Qinghe Zhang Village. I heard people say he even got a fake marriage certificate with that Xie Guafu..."

He Yuzhu was also shocked and asked: "Is this true?"

Bang Geng nodded vigorously: "Liu Guangfu told me."

"This kid really has guts!" He Yuzhu said.

Bang Geng's eyes rolled: "Siqiang, are you planning to deal with Xu Damao?"

He Yuzhu nodded: "This kid has been helping an enemy of mine at the Labor Bureau to compile black material on me. I have to give him a taste of his own medicine, or at least ruin his reputation first."

Bang Geng thought for a moment: "Siqiang, you don't know this, but the person in our courtyard who hates Xu Damao the most is actually Guangqi. I heard from Liu Guangfu that Guangqi once went to catch him in the act, but that Xie Guafu's house had a tunnel, so he didn't catch him that time."

He Yuzhu warned: "Bang Geng, don't tell anyone else about these things."

Bang Geng nodded vigorously: "I understand, Siqiang!"

At this moment, the food arrived. When Bang Geng saw the barbecue, his eyes lit up, and he swept the two plates clean like a whirlwind.

He Yuzhu only ate a little and smiled as he signaled the waiter to bring two more plates.

In the end, Bang Geng finished three plates by himself, and He Yuzhu joked: "Truly a growing boy, eating me out of house and home."

Bang Geng giggled for a while, then suddenly added: "Siqiang, I think we can team up with Guangqi. I heard that Guangqi's wife's second brother works at the Office for Cracking Down on Speculation and Profiteering. Yan Jiefang has said before that Xu Damao goes back and forth speculating and profiteering, selling village goods to the black market and then buying things from the black market to sell in the village."

He Yuzhu said with difficulty: "It's not really appropriate for me to come forward on this matter."

Bang Geng grinned: "Siqiang, leave this to me; I'll definitely get it done for you."

He Yuzhu asked: "How do you plan to do it, kid?"

Bang Geng blurted out: "Did you forget what my mom does?"

He Yuzhu understood immediately; Zhao Yingzi was in the labor union and had a legitimate reason to investigate Xu Damao's affairs.

He reached into his pocket, took out some money, and handed it to Bang Geng: "Take this money and buy something Liu Guangfu likes, tell him to notify Guangqi, and we'll join forces to take Xu Damao down."

Bang Geng took the money and stuffed it into his pocket.

After eating, Bang Geng went to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative and bought three sets of comic books in one go—*Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, *Chicken Feather Letter*, and *Little Soldier Zhang Ga*—spending nearly twenty yuan.

He packed them in a cloth bag and walked toward the courtyard. Just as he reached the entrance, he saw Liu Guangfu still squatting there, playing marbles with a few kids from the neighboring courtyard.

Bang Geng kicked him in the butt.

Liu Guangfu let out an "Ow!" and jumped up, chasing after Bang Geng to hit him.

In the past, Bang Geng would have had to take a detour when he saw him, but ever since he started practicing Kung Fu with He Yuzhu, Liu Guangfu was no longer his match.

The two chased each other for a few laps, both exhausted. Liu Guangfu panted and cursed: "You little brat, I just finished passing a message for you, and you kick me? You really have no conscience."

Bang Geng chuckled and opened the cloth bag.

Liu Guangfu leaned in to look, and his eyes almost popped out—they were all brand-new comic books. He slapped Bang Geng hard: "Grandson, where did you steal these from?"

Bang Geng curled his lips: "Screw you, my Siqiang bought them for me."

Liu Guangfu immediately changed his expression, leaning in with a cheeky smile: "Hey, how about... let me see them first, can you?"

Bang Geng was straightforward and handed the books over: "Sure, but you have to help me do something."

Liu Guangfu was stunned: "What kind of business could you possibly have?"

Bang Geng lowered his voice and said: "Xu Damao hasn't been doing the right thing lately; he's helping outsiders investigate my Siqiang. Doesn't your older brother hate him? Go back and tell him that we'll join forces to expose everything about him and those widows in the countryside, and get him paraded through the streets."

Upon hearing this, Liu Guangfu clapped his hands happily: "Great! My brother has been wanting to deal with him for a long time and has even collected quite a bit of evidence."

Bang Geng stuffed *Chicken Feather Letter* and *Little Soldier Zhang Ga* into his hands: "You can look at these first. Once we get this done, we'll be able to buy comic books whenever we want."

Liu Guangfu sucked his teeth in envy: "You're lucky. Back then, I'd give you a piece of candy and you'd be all over me, but now, I have to look at your face."

Bang Geng giggled: "Hey, who told you my Siqiang has money?"