Chapter 444: Don

Liuyqiao Township, Qianjin Village, village committee.

Liu Zhimin lifted the kettle, bubbling with steam, off the stove, brewed himself a cup of fresh tea, then slammed the kettle back onto the stove with a resentful clatter.

It was already the end of the twelfth lunar month; every household in the village was busy preparing for the New Year, but Liu Zhimin had been assigned to guard duty at the village committee, so since this morning, a simmering resentment had filled his heart.

I'm an outsider on regular days, but now I'm the backbone when it's my turn to be on duty? Should I feel honored?

What made him angrier was that today, a family in the village hosted a banquet and invited everyone at the village committee—except him, who was left with this "important responsibility." Shouldn't he be furious?

"Ring-ring~ ring-ring~"

The phone on the desk suddenly rang, startling Liu Zhimin, who had been warming his hands around his teacup—and instantly filled him with wild joy.

But she hadn't expected that Lu Zixue had already run into trouble.

"My daughter's doing great—earning foreign exchange over there!"

Liu Zhimin looked: it was Lu Tao, Lu Ruichang's cousin.

"Old Lu, Principal Lu, I've got news for you! Just now someone from the county called saying that Gao Xiaoyan is kneeling at Li Ye's front door! They said you've got one hour to get there, or Li Ye's taking Gao Xiaoyan to the police station!"

It wasn't anything serious—Liu Zhimin was just stating facts—but in just two years, things had changed.

Only Lu Jingyao hadn't touched her chopsticks; she sat quietly, out of place among everyone else.

Liu Zhimin picked up the phone and said: "May I ask who's calling?"

Liu Zhimin instantly felt immense pressure.

A few minutes later, the phone rang again.

Liu Zhimin scowled: "That's exactly what they said on the phone—I didn't make up a single word. They named names, specifically asking for your Lu family. Why are you blaming me?"

The call ended, leaving Liu Zhimin baffled—but Li Ye's words, "It involves a life," carried too much weight for him to ignore.

The phone hung up again, but Liu Zhimin didn't get angry—he sneered instead.

"Then, Liu comrade, I'll trouble you once more: tell Lu Ruichang his son Liu Meng's crimes are about to surface. I'm giving him one hour. If he doesn't appear before me in that time, I'll file formal charges against Lu Zixue."

"."

Liu Zhimin slipped the pack of cigarettes Lu Tao had left into his pocket and strolled toward the Lu household.

"Xiao Yao, you're graduating this year, right? Will you be assigned to Beijing or our provincial capital after graduation?"

More than ten minutes later, Liu Zhimin from the village committee arrived at the door.

"I'm Li Ye. If Lu Jingyao's back, tell her two words: San Tiao Police Station, Guan Yueming."

"."

The village phone was essentially a public line—any incoming call was almost certainly an official instruction.

Just as the grandmother's birthday banquet was halfway through, the village loudspeaker blared out, and Uncle Liu Tao rushed out in a panic.

"Hum~"

Fawning over the powerful and trampling the weak wasn't just a workplace vice—it thrived in villages too.

"Liu, what are you talking nonsense for?"

Lu Tao muttered irritably, tossed a pack of cigarettes onto the desk, and turned to leave.

"."

Lu Jingyao, who had remained calm until now, froze in shock—she never imagined Li Ye would use this again to blackmail her.

One minute later, the loudspeaker in Qianjin Village blared to life.

"Are you causing trouble?" Liu Zhimin snapped. "Who are you? What unit are you from? What's your business? Do you think you can just order the loudspeaker around?"

As the saying goes, leave a little room when dealing with people—you, Liu Zhimin, how could you—

Isn't it just because we didn't invite you for drinks?

Five minutes later, someone rushed into the Qianjin Village committee.

"Hehe~"

Then came silence—cringingly awkward silence.

Lu Tao entered, displeased: "Liu Zhimin, what the hell were you yelling on the loudspeaker? Gao Xiaoyan, Li Xiaoyan—what's that got to do with my nephew? Why are you blabbering nonsense?"

Liu Zhimin hurriedly replied: "They said they'll call back soon—your fourth brother needs to answer the phone!"

Lu Jingyao rose from the table and walked calmly to Liu Zhimin.

She just wanted quiet, but others kept approaching her.

Liu Zhimin looked at the scene before him and couldn't suppress a cold sneer.

She never wanted to come back—since returning once before leaving the country, she hadn't set foot in Qingshui County again. Even this summer, when she came to handle Lu Zixue's matter, she only went to Beijing and didn't even return home.

But this time, she got a call from home saying her mother was seriously ill, heartbroken with longing.

Lu Jingyao didn't dare delay—she flew back immediately.

Liu Zhimin watched Lu Tao hurry out of the committee office and sneered: "Of course you recognize it—you're the type who looks down on people. How can you blame me for yelling?"

"."

【How? He's not the type to blackmail people!】

But she hadn't been back an hour before her younger brother came again, asking for foreign exchange, saying he needed to cultivate connections at school.

"Hehehe, heaven watches what men do. Do you really think you can betray your conscience without consequences?"

Liu Zhimin nodded: "Big niece, I'm just delivering a message. They told me it's a matter of life and death—I asked for details, but they wouldn't say."

But Li Ye said, if you know 'San Tiao Police Station' and 'Guan Yueming,' you'll understand what's going on."

"Alright, alright, I'll tell my daughter later—see if she still has some spare."

Liu Zhimin shoved Lu Tao aside, equally furious: "Who's going with you? I'm just the guy answering the phone here—I came to pass on a message. They said if you don't show up, they'll report Lu Zixue's crimes. Whether you go or not is none of my damn business."

"Huh? You're Li Ye? Hello? Hello?"

Today, the Lu household was very lively.

"Auntie, undergraduate programs in Britain are three years—I've already graduated, but I'm doing a master's. I might not be back for a few more years."

"Lu Ruichang, Lu Ruichang, someone called about your son and Gao Xiaoyan—come quickly to take the call, Lu Ruichang—"

"."

"D beeping beeping beeping~"

Since the Lu family rose to prominence, they'd shown off constantly in front of him. Just days ago, Lu Zixue had sneered at him with a haughty chin.

So you think you've forgotten so quickly that you offended me?

People shouldn't be so arrogant.

Today was the old lady's birthday—the entire village committee was invited to the banquet, except Liu Zhimin, who was stuck on duty. That was because, years ago, when Lu Jingyao's matter happened, he'd spoken a few "fair words."

"Oh, I'm not blaming you," Lu Tao grumbled. "Someone's just causing trouble. Today my big niece is back, and my fourth brother's hosting a banquet—people from the township are here. Don't blabber on the loudspeaker. If you offend the township folks, you won't get off easy."

The voice on the other end said: "I need to speak to Lu Ruichang. Please have him answer the phone."

"D beeping beeping beeping~"

"You want Principal Lu? Who are you? What unit? What do you want?"

Lu Ruichang, seated at the main table, froze.

He couldn't fathom how this had anything to do with Li Ye—and now Liu Zhimin had blurted it out right in front of everyone.

"Hello, I'm Liu Zhimin. May I ask who's calling?"

Lu Jingyao smiled but said nothing more.

Lu Jingyao was puzzled and asked her brother Lu Zixue—but he stammered and couldn't explain anything.

When Liu Zhimin heard a young man's voice on the other end, and realized it was a call for someone, his enthusiasm drained instantly—he spoke with a completely different tone.

But she'd rushed back all the way, arriving this morning, only to feel her mother's illness was just an excuse—what they really wanted was for her to come home and "add face" to the family.

Liu Zhimin lazily replied: "They said they won't take your call, and they don't know any Gao Xiaoyan or Li Xiaoyan."

"Today, Lu Ruichang's daughter has returned from overseas, and the family is hosting a banquet—people from the township are here. If you cause trouble, you'll regret it."

The lazy Liu Zhimin suddenly perked up: "Who are you? You can't just say things like that!"

It was the end of the twelfth lunar month—yet the higher-ups had assigned something else. It must be important. And now, someone who'd never been allowed to answer the phone before could finally say his name.

Although Lu Jingyao spoke softly, her words carried an unmistakable threat.

"Now Gao Xiaoyan is kneeling at my front door, begging me to testify. I'm giving them one hour. After that, I'm taking Gao Xiaoyan to the police station."

The Lu family matriarch was eighty this year. Her six sons and three daughters had all gathered in Qianjin Village to celebrate her birthday. Even township officials came. Seven tables of lavish food were laid out, and everyone ate and drank happily.

"Oh my, so you'll be studying till you're twenty-four or twenty-five? Won't that delay your marriage? Tell Auntie—do you have a boyfriend at school? If not, I'll find you one—also a college graduate."

Lu Jingyao had made big money overseas, Lu Ruichang became a primary school principal, and Lu Zixue got into university. The Lu family had become the top household in Qianjin Village. Everyone fawned over them and quietly suppressed Liu Zhimin, who'd spoken up years ago.

Liu Zhimin didn't lower his voice. The dozens of people eating and drinking in the Lu courtyard and house had ignored him at first—but by the end, they'd all clearly heard his words.

【People from overseas really are different.】

She realized she needed to have a serious talk with her family—everyone had become too reckless these past two years, especially her brother Lu Zixue. If he wasn't properly guided, disaster was inevitable.

"Uncle Liu, I've been away these past two years and don't know if I or my family ever offended you. If we did, I apologize on behalf of my father and my brother."

But in front of everyone here, you must clarify your words—this concerns my brother's reputation."

Lu Tao stood up angrily, shoved Liu Zhimin, and dragged him toward the door: "I told you not to cause trouble, didn't I? You think it's fun to come here and pick a fight on my mother's eightieth birthday?"

Lu Tao didn't turn around: "We won't take the call. We don't know any Gao Xiaoyan or Ma Xiaoyan. Liu Zhimin, stop causing trouble! Today's my mother's birthday—don't ruin it."

After a few seconds of silence, the voice on the other end said: "I have something urgent to discuss with Lu Ruichang. Please use the loudspeaker to call him—he must come immediately to answer the phone."

"."

San Tiao Police Station was the unit that had arrested Lu Zixue and Gao Xiaoyan. Guan Yueming was the person who reported the incident after hearing Gao Xiaoyan's screams.

"."

The voice on the other end fell silent for four or five seconds, then a chilling tone drifted through.

The Lu family exploded in shock; dozens of relatives and friends all stared at Lu Ruichang and Lu Zixue, whispering all sorts of things.

Lu Jingyao was so furious she nearly snapped, but suppressed it out of respect for her grandmother's eightieth birthday.

Who could have imagined that fortune turns—back then, Li Ye, the one whose engagement was broken, came to demand an explanation, and the Lu family wouldn't even let him through the door; now, he's come back for revenge.

「. 」

"I'm calling for Lu Ruichang because his son Lu Zixue is involved with Gao Xiaoyan. Comrade Liu, take this matter seriously—it involves a life. I'll call back in ten minutes; make sure Lu Ruichang answers."

"I need to speak with Lu Ruichang. Please call him to the phone."

Thanks to Lu Jingyao's foreign exchange, the family's fortunes improved over the past two years—they rebuilt their large house, Li Ye's father was transferred from the rural middle school to become principal of a primary school, and his grandmother moved in to live with him.

So how could the family's "brightest star" not return for her eightieth birthday?

"Clang clang clang~"

Lu Zixue, seated with the younger generation, turned pale; he accidentally knocked his soup bowl to the floor, spilling broth everywhere.

(End of Chapter)