Chapter 56: Redeeming Crimes with Meritorious Service

Seeing Yi Zhonghai so persistent, and then looking at the disheveled old woman next door, First Aunt, who was naturally warm-hearted, felt a surge of compassion.

She reluctantly agreed to Yi Zhonghai's request.

"Sigh, Old Yi, I've left the things for you. I have to head back now," First Aunt said, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes before turning to leave.

After First Aunt left, Yi Zhonghai opened the dinner she had brought; it was full of things he loved to eat: a small basin of stewed pork with potatoes, cucumber with dipping sauce, and several steamed white flour buns.

This aroma caused the old woman sleeping next door to sit straight up, reach out toward Yi Zhonghai, and call out:

"Child, let me have some too. Consider it my last meal before execution..."

At this moment, the Deaf Old Lady was in poor condition, having not eaten anything for several days, and she looked as ferocious as an evil ghost crawling out of hell.

Yi Zhonghai looked at the food in front of him, hesitated for a moment, and finally pushed it toward the old woman, saying, "Godmother! I'll call you Godmother one last time; from now on, we have no more ties!"

The Deaf Old Lady was still devouring the food like a wolf or a tiger; hearing Yi Zhonghai's words, she paused noticeably, then continued to wolf it down.

Soon, everything First Aunt had brought was swallowed into her belly.

Yi Zhonghai was dumbfounded. She didn't leave a single bite for me?

This Kameda Meiko is truly not a good thing!

It was a waste for me to have raised this old thing for so many years.

Before Yi Zhonghai could open his mouth to curse, the Deaf Old Lady spoke first, "Child, I have one more way to get you out early..."

"After all, we have been mother and son for a time. Come, come closer, and I will tell you slowly..."

"..."

Yi Zhonghai remained silent for a long time after listening.

Finally, he called over the guards watching outside and said slowly, "Call your leader here. I want to redeem my crimes with meritorious service!"

As for how he would redeem his crimes, it was a secret told to him by the Deaf Old Lady, and after the authorities received the news, they immediately brought Yi Zhonghai out.

"Yi Zhonghai, what is it you want to report?"

In the interrogation room, they were interrogating Yi Zhonghai once again.

Yi Zhonghai: "It is about Kameda Meiko. I want to report her. I want to redeem my crimes with meritorious service!"

A flash of hesitation crossed Yi Zhonghai's eyes, but he still spoke the matter out, telling the leader in front of him the secret the old woman had told him.

The other party did not hesitate and soon led people to the place Yi Zhonghai described.

There, they found a small box containing all the intelligence Kameda Meiko had collected over the years, including some very critical items.

If these things had flowed abroad, there is no telling what kind of chaos it would have caused!

It could be said that Yi Zhonghai's report this time was very meaningful!

It could indeed redeem his crimes!

However, the Deaf Old Lady was different; she was originally scheduled to be executed by firing squad in six months, but now that such favorable evidence had been found, it was pushed back to one month later!

"Godmother! Child will surely work like an ox or a horse in the next life to repay you!"

Yi Zhonghai found a deserted corner, held his head, and wept bitterly.

His heart was filled with immense grief.

He never expected that at this moment, the Deaf Old Lady would still have this trick up her sleeve, instantly transforming him, Yi Zhonghai, from a criminal everyone wanted to beat, into a righteous "Chaoyang masses" member.

He even received commendations while in prison.

His original ten-year fixed-term imprisonment was directly commuted to two years.

After this news broke, the Deaf Old Lady no longer lived in the cell next to Yi Zhonghai; she was taken directly to a special cell for death row inmates.

She would be executed by firing squad in a few days.

On the other side, after returning home, First Aunt began pulling strings and finding ways, taking out all the family's assets just to clear a path for Yi Zhonghai.

There was also the subsidy of several hundred yuan that Yi Zhonghai had embezzled from the Zhao Family; First Aunt gave double that amount to Zhao Gangzi, just to get Zhao Gangzi to loosen his stance.

After all, Zhao Gangzi was the actual victim, and since Zhao Gangzi owed First Aunt a favor, seeing so much cash in his hand, his heart couldn't help but soften.

"First Aunt, it's not that this can't be done, but that old thing Yi Zhonghai is truly too detestable. Releasing him is just a disaster for others!" Zhao Gangzi's will was not firm enough.

First Aunt: "Gangzi, don't worry. Once Old Yi is out, I will definitely keep an eye on him and will absolutely not cause you any more trouble!"

"Take these ten 'Great Unities'!"

First Aunt gave Zhao Gangzi another 100 yuan.

Seeing First Aunt's sincerity, Zhao Gangzi reluctantly agreed to the matter.

Yi Zhonghai's actions in prison soon spread throughout the entire Siheyuan, and even these few hutongs knew about it.

Yi Zhonghai betrayed his mother for glory; the old woman was about to be executed, and he still had to report her one more time.

What kind of "great filial son" is that? It was all just an act!

Even the Street Office was crowded with people.

Everyone was denouncing Yi Zhonghai, demanding that he not return to the Siheyuan after his release; even the glass in Yi Zhonghai's house was smashed to pieces, and half the door was unhinged.

The leader of this was none other than the new First Uncle of the Siheyuan, Liu Haizhong, who even specifically hung up a banner right across from the Street Office.

If Yi Zhonghai were allowed to return, there is no telling what tricks he would come up with to take revenge on them.

That Zhao Gangzi is the same; why not just let that old black dog rot in there until he dies, instead of letting him out?

As for First Aunt, having cleared the way, the commuted two-year sentence was soon reduced further, and he was to be released in a couple of days.

But this reduction came with requirements: it was equivalent to serving the sentence at home, and he could not step one foot outside Sijiucheng for five years, otherwise he would be locked back up.

"Down with Yi Zhonghai! Down with Yi Zhonghai!"

"Down with Yi Zhonghai! Down with Yi Zhonghai!"

"Down with Yi Zhonghai! Down with Yi Zhonghai!"

The masses were extremely angry, while in the distance, Yi Zhonghai covered his face, terrified of being recognized by others.

Otherwise, who knows how many people would hit him with a black club.

With his old bones, he had nearly fallen apart last time after Xu Damao messed with him, and now there were at least a hundred people at the scene; wouldn't he be beaten to death?

"Old Yi, let's go!"

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, the First Aunt hurriedly pulled Yi Zhonghai far away; the current Yi Zhonghai was a street rat that everyone wanted to beat.

He had already been publicized as a vicious and heinous criminal.

He had even become a typical negative example at Hongxingxiaoxue, and no one in the Rolling Mill dared to mention this name for fear of getting involved in something.

Yi Zhonghai really had no other choice.

Rather than being like this, he might as well go back in and squat for another two years; at least he could avoid the limelight.

"It's all that damn Zhao Gangzi's fault. Why did he have to pardon me for no reason? And he even spent so much money!"

Yi Zhonghai was so angry that he gritted his teeth.

In his heart, he believed that Zhao Gangzi was not helping him, but was trying to harm him in devious ways; the Deaf Old Lady was harmed by this kid!

Now it was even worse; Zhao Gangzi had become the object of praise for the entire neighborhood, and over at the Rolling Mill, he was receiving both rewards and a salary increase.

The public security bureau even gave him a big red flower; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it brought honor to his ancestors.