Chapter 633: A Desperate Scheme

Xu Damao's verdict has come down—seven years.

The day the news arrived, he was completely stunned.

Once he came to his senses, he cursed like a madman in the cell, swearing at He Yuzhu's ancestors for eighteen generations hundreds of times over, until his throat went hoarse.

He had always believed Zhou Hao would bail him out. That was a man with connections to the heavens, who had promised him in person that he would make him the Director of the Logistics Department. Yet, even after the sentencing, he hadn't even caught a glimpse of the man.

Liu Weidong had come once, but thinking about it now, that was just to keep him steady.

What Xu Damao didn't know was that Zhou Hao had been dismissed from his post, and Liu Weidong had fallen right along with him, becoming an ordinary clerk. Who still remembered who Xu Damao was?

Xu Damao finally understood: he was just a pathetic tool, and now he had been discarded!

He began to panic, turning over every bit of social connection in his mind, but he couldn't find a single person he could count on.

With no other options, he asked Cui Xiu to beg He Yuzhu, but He Yuzhu wouldn't even see her.

His Siqiang, Hu Yunbin, did run around for him, but as soon as the case was mentioned, people dodged faster than rabbits.

When Hu Yunbin came to visit him in prison, he looked at him and sighed, "Damao, oh Damao, what do you want me to say? He Yuzhu has treated us master and apprentice well and even saved my life twice. Of all people to provoke, why did you have to provoke him?"

Xu Damao's guts were green with regret now. But back then, when Zhou Hao stood before him, he felt he was a true Buddha, while he had treated He Yuzhu, who hovered before his eyes every day, as mere common folk.

"Siqiang, I know I was wrong!" Xu Damao looked at Hu Yunbin longingly through the glass. "Can you do me one more favor? Go to Qinghe Zhang Village and call Xie Xiaolan for me."

Hu Yunbin nodded, then couldn't help but add, "It's not for me to say, but Xiaomei was so good; why didn't you know how to cherish her?"

"Siqiang, don't say any more." Xu Damao gave a bitter smile. "She is Yan Jiefang's wife now."

Hu Yunbin sighed, shook his head, and left.

When Xie Xiaolan arrived and saw Xu Damao's disheveled state through the glass, her eyes turned red instantly.

Xu Damao looked at her, his tone softening for once: "Xiaolan, I've been sentenced to seven years. Seven years isn't short; don't waste your life, find someone else to marry."

Who would have thought that Xie Xiaolan would bite her lip, tears welling in her eyes, with a look of absolute determination: "Damao, never mind seven years, even if it were seventeen, I would wait for you."

Xu Damao froze.

He opened his mouth, his eyes suddenly burning, and two lines of tears fell just like that.

He quickly wiped them with his hand, his voice choking: "Xiaolan... I really didn't expect this. I, Xu Damao, have lived this many years, and when I really hit trouble, the one who treats me best is actually you."

Xie Xiaolan's tears fell too: "I don't ask for much. I felt bad about the things you did, too. But I know that during those famine years, if it weren't for you, our mother and child would have starved to death long ago. I remember this kindness."

Xu Damao looked at her crying, her face like rain-drenched pear blossoms, and his heart softened for once.

He leaned close to the glass and lowered his voice: "Go to my courtyard in Qianmen and dig under the old locust tree. There are five hundred yuan buried inside; it's not much, but it's enough for you and the child to live on for a few years. If you're still willing to wait for me in a few years, maybe... I can find you some more money."

Xie Xiaolan wept as she listened and immediately swore a solemn oath: "Damao, even if you didn't give us money, I would still wait for you. Don't worry, if I betray you, may I be struck by lightning!"

Xu Damao nodded, but his eyes suddenly turned sharp: "Xiaolan, I was set up this time. That bastard Zhou Hao promised to make me the Director of the Logistics Department, and I really believed him. But when I actually got into trouble, he didn't even lift a finger. Xiaolan, do one thing for me."

"What thing?"

"Go find Liu Weidong. He planned everything. Go to his house and find him, and make him transfer you into the city. If he won't transfer you, go to his workplace and make a scene every day. If he doesn't do it for you, fight him until you both perish."

Xie Xiaolan felt a bit nervous: "Damao... if he gets desperate, will he kill us mother and child?"

"Can't you hire two people to follow you?" Xu Damao glared at her. "There are plenty of idle people in the village; give them two yuan and they'll go with you. People like him care most about their reputation. If he doesn't agree to get you a job, have Abao hug his leg and call him 'Daddy'..."

Xie Xiaolan glared at him: "You really are despicable."

Xu Damao looked indifferent and gave a sinister laugh: "To deal with people like this, you have to take the most shameless path."

Xie Xiaolan gritted her teeth: "Fine! I'll listen to you! Consider it getting revenge for you!"

The visitation time was up.

Xie Xiaolan took Abao back to Zhang Village, but this time it was different.

She had a plan in her heart, having been shown that path by Xu Damao.

She first hired two strong laborers, both of whom were the type in the village who could fight.

Now that the busy farming season was over, people in the village were idle, and Xie Xiaolan offered one yuan a day, including food and lodging, so the two of them followed her happily.

Once they entered the city and stayed in Xu Damao's small courtyard in Qianmen, Xie Xiaolan stood in the room and suddenly felt that the past few decades had been lived in vain.

This courtyard, this house, the bustle of this city—she was determined to be a city dweller for the rest of her life, even if it killed her.

She made up her mind that she must make that Liu Weidong get her and Abao's household registration into Si Jiu Cheng and arrange a proper job. Otherwise, she would die at his doorstep.

The next morning, just as the sky was turning light, Xie Xiaolan led the men to Hepingli and knocked open the door to Liu Weidong's house.

Liu Weidong lived on the fourth floor in a three-bedroom apartment, which counted as a decent home at the time.

He opened the door and saw four people standing there—a woman, a child, and two burly men, none of whom he recognized.

His face darkened, and he asked coldly: "Who are you looking for?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xie Xiaolan erupted like a lit firecracker: "You murderous Liu Weidong! You've ruined my husband! He's been sentenced to seven years! You bastards, you promised the moon and the stars, but not a single promise was kept! If you don't get him out today, I'll die at your doorstep!"

Liu Weidong's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately understood—Xu Damao's wife had come knocking.

He lowered his voice and waved his hand impatiently: "What's the use of yelling at me here? I've been dismissed from my post; I can't manage anything."

"Then why did you tell Damao you could get him into the Labor Bureau as a section chief?" Xie Xiaolan shouted at the top of her lungs. "Aren't you just cheating people! He was doing just fine as a Projectionist, and our family could get by. How are we supposed to live after you did this?"

Liu Weidong decided to be shameless: "I'll say it again, I was cheated by Zhou Hao too. He even promised to make me a Section Chief. I don't have the ability to manage Xu Damao's affairs. If you want to find someone, go find Zhou Hao."

Xie Xiaolan wouldn't let it go: "You've been dismissed, but you still have a job, don't you? What about our Damao? He went straight to prison and can't earn a cent! If you don't give us an explanation today, we aren't leaving; we're staying right here!"

Liu Weidong was so angry his face turned green: "Unreasonable!"

But Xie Xiaolan just wouldn't leave.

When the courtyard security came to persuade her, she shouted about all the things Liu Weidong had done, loud enough for the whole building to hear.

Liu Weidong had no other choice and had to let the few of them into the room.

He had a son and a daughter at home, who were terrified by the scene and hid in the room, not daring to come out.

His wife, Duan Xiaojie, was washing her hair in the room, and hearing the outrageous noise outside, she came out with her hair dripping wet.

Seeing the situation, she fired directly at Liu Weidong: "Liu Weidong! I told you long ago not to mess around with Zhou Hao, but you wouldn't listen! Now look, people have blocked our door, and you've made me lose all face! Hurry up and call Zhou Hao and tell him to come handle this!"

Xie Xiaolan was a sharp person; as soon as she heard this, she knew this woman had a say in the household.

Without a word, she plopped down onto the ground, grabbed Duan Xiaojie's thigh, and wailed miserably: "Madam Liu! Please, have mercy and save us mother and child! In the village, we aren't strong laborers and can't earn many work points at all; the child is barely surviving! Xu Damao gives the family fifteen yuan every month, and that's how we've barely managed to hold on. Now, we truly can't go on living!"

Duan Xiaojie looked down at the woman who was clutching her thigh tightly, and struggled twice but couldn't break free.

She said with a cold face: "State your request clearly. I will help if I can, but if you keep making a scene like this, I will have you arrested!"