Chapter 316: Eat or Not—Not Feeding the Dog?

"Damn it, if this pregnancy gives birth to another girl, I'll sell you off elsewhere, a loss‑making burden, wasting the family's grain!"

"Our old Li family has been cursed with bad luck for eight lifetimes; we spent money to buy a misfortune like you, and I think those soldiers are exactly the ones you attracted!"

"You say, if you could be like the party secretary's daughter‑in‑law, giving birth to three boys at once, could our family let you starve?"

"Even if we let you eat eggs every day and buy you a nice set of clothes each year, what good would that do? Yet your belly just won't cooperate!"

On a small path up Hou Shan, an old man roughly dragged a heavily pregnant, listless woman toward the back of the mountain, cursing as he went.

The woman seemed already numb; being shoved around she barely reacted, like a soulless shell.

Along the way, the old man even, without paying attention, grabbed at the woman's body.

From that lewd look it was clear it wasn't his first time doing this.

"That woman was definitely kidnapped..."

"Shh!"

Before LiMin could finish speaking, Lu Yang made a hand gesture, indicating to follow.

He wanted to see where the old man intended to hide the woman.

And also to see if he could trace the trail and find other victims who had been moved and hidden.

But after not walking far, LiMin, not paying attention, stepped on a protruding stone and twisted his ankle, yet he dared not utter a word.

Meanwhile, at the local county bus station, crowds of travelers with large bags came and went.

Several police dog units under the Zhencha Daitui were cooperating with officers to search inside and outside the station.

Brigade Leader Yang Yong personally led a military dog, patrolling back and forth on the square in front of the bus station, screening for suspicious individuals.

"Stop, don't run!"

Suddenly, a man in a leather jacket burst out of the waiting hall in a panicked rush.

He was quickly pursued by a young Non‑commissioned Officer with sword‑like eyebrows, who delivered a flying kick that sent him flying.

The man landed on the cement floor, his ribs aching as if about to break; just as he tried to get up, he was pressed down hard, unable to move.

"What's going on?"

Yang Yong, leading the police dog, quickly moved his men to surround them.

Two officers, overly nervous, actually drew their pistols and chambered a round.

The young Non‑commissioned Officer searched the man on the ground, found three wallets, and succinctly said, "Thief."

Soon, a woman and a man hurried over, claimed their wallets: "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, comrade soldiers; otherwise we wouldn't have known our wallets were lost!"

After confirming it was a false alarm, the officers finally holstered their pistols.

The suspect and the stolen goods were captured; there was nothing more to say, just take the thief away.

"Damn, I thought we caught an armed thug, and you make such a big scene?"

A veteran from the second phase rolled his eyes and made a teasing remark.

Yang Yong shot a glare, silencing the man, then patted the young Non‑commissioned Officer on the arm.

"Lan Li, well done."

"Brigade Leader."

"What's the matter?"

"I think our patrol here is probably useless."

"Why do you say that?"

"A criminal wouldn't be so foolish to openly brandish a gun at a bus station or train station. If I were him, the moment the incident happened I'd take the gun and hide in the mountains to avoid pursuit."

As soon as Lan Li finished speaking, it provoked discontent among several other veterans.

"You think it's useless, who do you think you represent, the Brigade Leader or the Chief of Staff?"

"With your ability, your cleverness, your education, you think of something the regular police and armed police haven't?"

"And you hide in the mountains? You know the paths in deep forests are hard to navigate; to escape quickly you'd have to take transport. You don't even understand Mao, yet you're Acting Platoon Leader?"

Lan Li ignored the veterans' mockery, staring straight at the Brigade Leader, waiting for his reply.

Yang Yong also thought his point was reasonable, but unfortunately the lead on this mission wasn't them.

The Zhencha Daitui's orders were to assist in the search, not to be the main arrest force.

"Come with me for a moment."

Yang Yong pulled him aside and said: "I know, your thinking is correct, but sometimes, especially when there are many people, you shouldn't be so straightforward in speech and action."

"This time we're assisting the search, not the main force; the purpose of the lockdown is more to intimidate."

"As long as the criminal hasn't escaped, we can shrink the net and find the person."

Lan Li nodded: "I understand."

"Also, I mentioned before, I asked you to smooth things over with everyone a bit, have you done it?"

"Done."

"How did you do it?"

"I asked them whether it was because of jealousy that they dislike me?"

"????"

Yang Yong's eyes were about to pop out: "Did you really say that?"

Lan Li, expressionless, admitted: "You said that when dealing with people, one must be frank."

"And then?"

"Then they said, yes."

"What next?"

"Then I subdued them, but I think they pretended to submit outwardly while not truly accepting it inside, so they still speak ill of me behind my back, but I won't argue with them."

Yang Yong covered his face, truly a mix of crying and laughing: "Lan Li, Lan Li, you're good at everything except this, this…".

He pointed at his head, the words "emotional intelligence" stuck in his throat for a long time: "You know, last time I took you to the Division office to see the Iron Foot commendation ceremony, I asked you what you think of Lu Yang and what the purpose was, do you know?"

Lan Li: "Make me not arrogant, make me remember this person, and find a chance to defeat him."

Yang Yong: "That's only one reason; I more hope you learn others' strengths, learn their excellent qualities."

"I can't do it."

"Why?"

"I don't like lying, I don't have that thick skin."

"......"

Yang Yong, truly about to be beaten by him: "I didn't tell you to lie; I told you to, as much as possible, as much as possible lower your posture, don't always cause trouble with everyone. You are now Acting Platoon Leader, later you'll be confirmed, you need to be liked, you need to tone down a bit."

Lan Li asked: "For example?"

Yang Yong: "For example, smoke together, treat everyone to some food, tell some jokes, even if you speak ill of me behind my back, that's fine."

"I said it."

"How did you say it?"

"They say you're psychologically perverse, like to abuse people in training, shouting a lot; I say maybe because at your age you can't find a partner, blind‑dates fail, you get irritable."

"......"

Yang Yong slapped his own face, shook his head with a wry smile.

He tried deep breathing, silently repeating in his mind: "Don't get angry, don't get angry, I'm unintentional, I'm unintentional."

"Lan Li, you have education, ability, and talent—some old scouts aren't even as good as you. But in dealing with people and matters you can't be too direct; that makes people feel uncomfortable."

"Got it."

"Really?"

"Mm."

"Then go do it for me to see?"

"Okay."

Lan Li walked toward the small shop at the station entrance, pulled out money and bought a chicken‑leg bun, then turned and walked toward the veteran who had previously mocked him.

Yang Yong watched, nodded at him, and gave an encouraging look.

"Offering food is the first step to bridge relations, go for it."

"Eat?"

Lan Li walked to the veteran who had previously ridiculed him.

Without any preamble, he abruptly asked a question.

The veteran sized him up, snorted coldly: "Not eating, thanks!"

Lan Li pressed: "Really not eating, aren't you hungry? Chicken‑leg bun is delicious, kids love it."

The veteran immediately got a bit annoyed: "You kid, don't get cocky. Last time I was careless and unprepared, so you knocked me down. Next time in the arena, I'll beat you till you lose teeth on the ground."

"Don't think being Acting Platoon Leader makes you great; to us old veterans, you're just a kid who hasn't even grown all his hair!"

Lan Li didn't get angry at his harsh words, but continued to press: "So, you really don't eat?"

"Not eating!"

"Really not eating?"

"Are you freaking annoying?"

"Fine, not eating, I'll feed the dog."

Lan Li, right there, stuffed the chicken‑leg bun into the dog's mouth.

Then, amid the shocked gazes of the military dog and a crowd of companions, expressionless, he walked toward Yang Yong.

"Tried it, he wouldn't eat, so I gave it to the dog, the dog ate."

"......"