Chapter 844: Operation

The Deputy Department Head said, "Ma Rui, I can't control you anymore, is that it? Fine, go ahead and report me, I'll be waiting for you."

Ma Rui turned and walked away directly: "You said it yourself, so I'm taking today's class as leave; I'm not going."

The five people on the side looked at Ma Rui, staring at each other in dismay.

The Deputy Department Head slammed the table: "Lawless! Simply lawless! All of you, go back to class!"

Ma Rui did not go to the Ministry of Education to file a complaint, but instead headed straight to the hospital; he wanted to see for himself exactly how Zhao Weiguo was doing.

Upon arriving at the hospital, he first ran into Jiang Mei.

Seeing Ma Rui, Jiang Mei smiled and said, "Ma Rui, your classmate's physical condition is truly excellent. Most people would be half-dead after this kind of surgery. But he's fine; after I finished the surgery, all his indicators returned to normal very quickly."

Ma Rui said hurriedly, "Thank you, Aunt Jiang."

Jiang Mei waved her hand: "Why be so polite with me? Go and see him, his mood doesn't seem very good."

Ma Rui walked into the ward and saw Yu Zhiwei sitting by Zhao Weiguo's bed talking to him.

The moment Zhao Weiguo saw Ma Rui, his eyes suddenly turned red. His first words were: "Ma Rui, I treated you so badly before, yet you're still willing to help me like this? From now on, whenever you have any use for me, I will surely do anything for you, and I will definitely get it done."

Ma Rui patted his shoulder gently: "Brother Zhao, don't take it so seriously. It was just a small favor; I couldn't just watch someone from our dormitory get bullied, right?" — Ma Rui had always been good with words.

Yu Zhiwei was also very tactful and said, "Ma Rui, you've completely fallen out with your classmates this time, haven't you?"

Ma Rui forced a bitter smile: "You can say that again; now the Deputy Department Head even wants to give me a disciplinary record."

Zhao Weiguo was full of guilt: "I'm sorry, brother."

Ma Rui said, "Brother Zhao, I came here today because I actually want to ask you for a favor. I know you are the true victim this time, but then again, you were indeed in the wrong for hitting the girl from our class first. I want to ask you to reconcile with Chen Jiadong and try your best not to let him be sentenced, otherwise his life will be completely ruined."

Zhao Weiguo immediately glared: "I don't agree."

Ma Rui sighed: "I'm begging you as a friend. To tell you the truth, our Deputy Department Head is currently hounding me, saying I also participated in the fight. But you know the situation at the scene; there were only two people who saw the whole process, one is Liu Wei from our class, and the other is Lao Yu. But Lao Yu is not from our school, so the school will likely assume he is in cahoots with you and cannot serve as a valid witness. I want to facilitate a reconciliation between you and Chen Jiadong so that Chen Jiadong can come forward and testify for me—the school is currently insisting that I participated in the fight and was on your side."

Zhao Weiguo pondered with a dark face for a long time before slowly speaking: "Ma Rui, if it's for this, I'm willing to help you. But he must cover all medical expenses, my nutritional expenses, and all other losses; I want fifty thousand yuan."

Ma Rui smiled: "Fine, I'll try my best to communicate it. But Chen Jiadong is just a poor student, he might not be able to come up with that much money at once. Can I have him write you an IOU? Is that okay?"

Zhao Weiguo nodded reluctantly.

Ma Rui said, "Then rest well and recover. Lao Yu, buy him some more nutritional supplements and take good care of him. If you need anything, call me or Aunt Jiang at any time."

Yu Zhiwei nodded in agreement: "Don't worry, I'm here."

Afterwards, Ma Rui arrived at the Public Security Bureau office and found Deputy Bureau Chief Li.

As soon as Li Xiangxiu saw her son arrive, she immediately brought out a pile of snacks—cookies, mung bean cakes, honey twists—filling the table.

Ma Rui picked up a cookie and stuffed it into his mouth, eating without any restraint.

Li Xiangxiu leaned back on the sofa, looking at him with a smile: "What's the matter, coming to see me today?"

Ma Rui chewed the cookie, his speech muffled: "Mom, my uncle said that although Chen Jiadong stabbed Zhao Weiguo, Zhao Weiguo was also at fault in the first place."

"Where was he at fault?"

"It was just a girl from our class making a phone call, and Zhao Weiguo insisted on forcing her to hang up. The girl cursed at him twice, and he raised his hand and slapped her. That girl's boyfriend is Chen Jiadong; they were rehearsing at the time and happened to have a Japanese sword in his hand, so he rushed over in a moment of impulse..."

Li Xiangxiu listened without changing her expression and said slowly: "We've already investigated everything you've said. Speak plainly, don't beat around the bush with me."

Ma Rui chuckled: "Mom, nothing can be hidden from you."

He put down the cookie, wiped his hands, and his expression became serious: "To be honest, that Deputy Department Head of ours is hounding me. When Chen Jiadong and the others rushed in, only Yu Zhiwei saw the whole process. But he isn't a student at our school, he was just staying in our dormitory, so the school might not recognize his testimony. There is another witness, Liu Wei from our class; if she comes forward to testify for me, she will definitely be suppressed. I want to let Chen Jiadong tell the truth himself."

"Does he need to say it himself? Isn't it all explained clearly in the confession? If you take the confession to your Deputy Department Head, what else can he say?" Li Xiangxiu said.

"My uncle said that once Chen Jiadong is sentenced, my life at school won't be easy either."

After listening, Li Xiangxiu sighed softly: "I've met Chen Jiadong; his nature isn't bad, he's just too impulsive. If he doesn't spend two years in prison to temper himself, he'll eventually cause trouble again when he gets out."

Ma Rui hurriedly put on a smiling face: "Mom, have you ever thought that if he really spends two years in prison, his life will be completely ruined."

Li Xiangxiu pondered for a moment and asked: "Has Zhao Weiguo agreed to reconcile?"

"He agreed, but he demands fifty thousand yuan in compensation."

Li Xiangxiu saw through him at a glance: "Are you planning to pay this money yourself?"

Ma Rui scratched his head and didn't answer.

Li Xiangxiu continued: "Chen Jiadong's parents are both ordinary workers; where would they get fifty thousand yuan?"

Ma Rui thought for a moment and said: "I plan to borrow some money from my uncle to start a company and let Chen Jiadong come work for me to slowly earn money to pay off the debt."

Li Xiangxiu leaned back on the sofa and sighed helplessly: "I think Chen Jiadong already hates you in his heart. Even if he is released, he might not be willing to testify for you."

Ma Rui's eyes lit up, and he said with a smile: "If that's really the case, then I can't be bothered to care. I'm not Guanyin Bodhisattva; there's no need to make everything perfect."

Li Xiangxiu waved her hand: "Then go and try to persuade him."

Ma Rui hurriedly lowered his head, stuffed the cookie into his mouth, and gulped down a large cup of tea.

Li Xiangxiu picked up the phone and dialed a number. After hanging up, she said: "Go to the detention center near Yongdingmen. If you can convince him, I will try my best to help you work it out."

Before leaving, Ma Rui specifically took a detour to buy two braised pork knuckles. Wrapped in oil paper, they were piping hot, and the rich aroma of meat wafted out.

He calculated to himself: This kid has been locked up in the detention center for two days; he probably hasn't touched any meat. Regardless of whether the negotiation succeeds later, he had to maintain a generous attitude; they were classmates, after all.

Upon arriving at the detention center and explaining his purpose, the duty officer learned that he was sent by Deputy Bureau Chief Li and quickly processed the paperwork, allowing him to go in for the meeting.

Ma Rui sat at the meeting table, placed the braised pork knuckles on the table, and waited quietly.

The iron door opened with a "clatter."

Chen Jiadong walked out slowly.

Ma Rui almost didn't recognize him at first glance—the artist-like long hair from the past had been shaved into a buzz cut, and perhaps because of poor rest, his eye bags were very prominent.

Seeing Ma Rui, Chen Jiadong's footsteps stopped abruptly, and his face instantly darkened.

He turned to leave.

Two police officers behind him blocked him from left and right: "This is not a regular visit; it concerns a case, you must cooperate with the meeting."

Chen Jiadong was pressed back into his seat, leaning back against the chair with his arms crossed over his chest, looking like someone who had given up on himself and didn't care about the consequences.

Ma Rui pushed the braised pork knuckles forward, took out a Zhonghua cigarette, lit it, and handed it over.

Chen Jiadong stared at the cigarette for two seconds, but in the end, he couldn't resist; he reached out, took it, and took a deep, fierce drag.

As the smoke slowly puffed out from his nostrils, he finally spoke, his voice low and hoarse: "Speak your piece quickly, and spit out whatever you have to say."