Chapter 629: Caught Profiteering

Early in the morning, Xu Damao packed thirty jin of brown sugar into a film canister, covered the top with a small quilt, and then arranged the film reels neatly.

He pedaled his bicycle toward Qinghe, feeling quite pleased with himself.

His mood had been exceptionally good these past few days; he felt that He Yuzhu was definitely done for this time.

He had said quite a lot to Zhou Hao that day—not only about the things He Yuzhu might have done, but he also embellished it by saying the entire He Family lived a decadent lifestyle; in short, he spewed out every vicious thing he could think of.

In the end, Zhou Hao dropped the word that if he could topple He Yuzhu, he would promote him, and perhaps even transfer him to the Labor Bureau.

The more Xu Damao thought about it, the better he felt, believing he was about to become an official.

He rode his bicycle at full speed, but just as he reached the intersection of Qinghe Commune, he sensed something was wrong.

The people responsible for inspections in front had all been replaced; he didn't recognize a single one.

He turned his bike around to run, but just as he turned, two people lunged out of the ditch and pinned him down.

Xu Damao shouted at the top of his lungs: "I'm here to show a movie! I'm very familiar with the Commune Secretary here; are you trying to rob me in broad daylight?"

Those two didn't pay him any mind; one was responsible for holding him down, while the other opened the film box directly.

The thirty jin of brown sugar was quickly unearthed, and the person in charge of the inspection shouted: "Director Liu, come over and take a look, this kid is profiteering in brown sugar, there's a full few dozen jin!"

Xu Damao clearly saw the face of the person walking over; that person had inspected him before and had even gone to Xie Guafu's house to catch him.

His heart went cold in an instant; he knew this was Liu Guangqi's doing.

Just then, a group of people came bustling out of the commune, and Xu Damao caught sight of Zhao Yingzi; he shouted as if he had seen a lifeline: "Sister Yingzi! Save me, quick!"

Zhao Yingzi didn't make a sound, and didn't even spare him a glance.

Xu Damao understood immediately, his face turning bright red, and he started cursing at the top of his lungs: "Zhao Yingzi! You damn woman, you're framing me, aren't you? Is this something you did behind my back? Did you collude with Liu Guangqi to set me up?"

Zhao Yingzi walked over and stood in front of him: "Xu Damao, stop your nonsense. You were indeed good to our family years ago, but what have you done these past few years? Bullying Bang Geng every day, making him call you 'Dad', and inciting him to do those wicked things. We have no ties left."

Once Xu Damao heard this, he became even more agitated: "Zhao Yingzi, did He Yuzhu send you here?"

Zhao Yingzi glared at him: "Does Factory Director He have the leisure to deal with your pathetic affairs? You committed a crime by profiteering. If you don't want people to know, you shouldn't have done it. You were dallying with four widows and using money from profiteering to support them? This time, the Office for Striking Down Profiteering and our Rolling Mill joined forces to catch you; it's legal and compliant."

Xu Damao stiffened his neck: "I'm a single man! Can you damn people even control that?"

Zhao Yingzi sneered: "Your lifestyle has issues, and that alone might not get you sentenced. But for your crime of profiteering, you'll definitely get a few years. The people at the commune said you haven't been peddling goods for just a day or two."

Xu Damao's expression shifted, and he suddenly softened, lowering his voice: "Zhao Yingzi, I admit defeat this time. But can I ask you for a favor? Xie Guafu... she's a good person, don't make things hard for her and the child."

Zhao Yingzi glanced at him: "Stop pretending to be a good person here. You and that Xie Guafu, along with those other three widows—what kind of lovesick fool are you trying to play now?"

Xu Damao muttered: "It's not that I insisted on being with them, it's that they were the ones who seduced me..."

Zhao Yingzi couldn't be bothered to deal with him anymore and turned to leave.

Not many days later, the whole sordid mess of Xu Damao and the four widows, along with the matter of the fake marriage certificates, was turned inside out.

Ultimately, because his profiteering involved a large amount and spanned a long time, he was directly locked into the temporary Detention Center of the Office for Striking Down Profiteering.

What Xu Damao didn't expect was that the first person to come to the detention center to see him wasn't his mother, nor his gang of fair-weather friends, but Liu Guangqi.

Liu Guangqi brought a box of almond crisps and pushed it toward him.

As soon as Xu Damao saw it, he understood—this was revenge.

Back then, Liu Guangqi failed his technical school entrance exam precisely because he ate a few almond crisps and got an upset stomach, which delayed his exam.

But it could be considered a blessing in disguise; he didn't get into technical school, but after finishing high school, he actually got into university, and now that he had graduated and been assigned to the Commercial Bureau, it could be considered a success.

Of course, his ability to enter that unit was inseparable from his connections with his father-in-law's family.

Xu Damao picked up an almond crisp and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing and laughing: "Liu Guangqi, I dare to eat your almond crisps because I know you're a hypocrite; you wouldn't dare to poison me. You came today just to ask if I was the one who instigated your brother to drug you back then, right? I'll tell you clearly: it was me. But you can't blame it all on me; it's because you were too damn cruel to your two younger brothers. You kept all the money your parents left behind for yourself, and your two brothers couldn't even get a bite to eat—is that something a human would do? Even if I'm a lowlife, I'm not as wicked as you. Look at how I treat my own sister?"

Liu Guangqi didn't get angry and sighed: "I was young then, and I certainly didn't do the right thing. But you were already an adult at the time; don't you think it was wicked to induce my brother to drug me?"

Xu Damao curled his lip: "You're a hypocrite, and I'm a genuine lowlife. Neither of us should judge the other; neither of us is any good. But you're smarter than me; you latched onto a powerful and influential family. You won, I admit defeat!"

Liu Guangqi looked at him: "I came over today to tell you one thing—toppling you really wasn't just my own doing. Your downfall was caused by you going to report He Yuzhu's black materials. You should know what kind of person he is; his connections are much broader than mine. You had just finished compiling the black materials, and he already knew about it, and turned around to deal with you."

Xu Damao cursed: "I should have known it was that bastard! But you just wait and see the show; He Yuzhu won't live for two more days, there are big shots who want to take him down!"

Liu Guangqi was unimpressed: "I don't care about the affairs between you two. Xu Damao, I came today just to tell you that what I did to you was retaliation for you ruining my exam. If you're willing, we'll stay out of each other's way from now on. If you're not, I can still make you sit in jail for a few more years!"

As soon as Xu Damao heard this, he caught the drift—this kid didn't want to completely burn bridges with him either. After all, for his crime, he'd be sentenced to five or six years at most. If he were to retaliate once he got out, it wouldn't be worth it.

He put on a smile, and his tone softened: "Guangqi, we grew up in the same courtyard; why don't you talk to Section Chief Liu and get my sentence reduced by two years? I'll give you some money..."

Liu Guangqi sneered: "Hmph, Xu Damao, I wouldn't dare take your money, and I certainly won't plead for you. I came to see you this time just to tell you that our business is settled. If you still want to harm me, then we'll see."

Seeing that Liu Guangqi had offered a way out, Xu Damao quickly took it: "Guangqi, we don't actually have that much of a grudge. Grievances should be resolved, not deepened; from today on, we'll call it even. However, I'll remind you that the reason your brother wanted to harm you was mainly because Yan Jiefang instigated him."

Xu Damao was indeed a villain; even at this moment, he didn't forget to drag Yan Jiefang into the water.

One truly cannot underestimate Zhou Hao's capabilities. Three days after the black materials were submitted, the Discipline Inspection Commission of the Ministry of Heavy Industry arrived, took He Yuzhu away directly, and his position was temporarily suspended.