Courtyard House: Drunk and tipsy, the whole courtyard exposed at the start.

Old Mo and the others reprimanded in deep voices, their fingertips already on the trigger safety.

Zhang Dabiao shrank back in fright, quickly raising his hands above his head, a fawning smile plastered on his face, his slyness instantly vanishing: "No, no, no! I was just joking! I was just checking for omissions and giving you a heads-up!"

"I'll shut up, I'll shut up completely!"

He glanced furtively at the muzzle of the gun, cold sweat dripping down his back—thankfully, these three were veteran police officers who knew their limits; if it had been a hothead, it might have gone off accidentally.

Then you die right there, your body disappears back to your "little nest" and you suddenly come back to life. After being resurrected, you can only go to Hong Kong to make a living...

That's completely hard to explain.

Chen Guangliang's temples throbbed with anger. He glared at him through gritted teeth and said, "Don't try to play tricks on me!"

But Zhang Dabiao's words, though rough, made sense. Escorting someone on the back of a bicycle is inherently unstable. If something really went wrong, not only would he not be able to earn merit, but he would also be removed from his position as the station chief.

He exchanged a glance with Lao Mo and Xiao Li, and the three of them instantly reached a tacit understanding: "Go first! On foot!"

In the end, Zhang Dabiao was ordered to walk in front, his hands cuffed in front of him. Chen Guangliang and the other two rode on their old-fashioned bicycles, flanking him. Although they had put away their pistols, their hands never left their holsters, and their eyes were like those of hawks, watching his every move. This procession was even more grand than that of a serious criminal being escorted to execution. Many neighbors along the way were attracted and pointed at them.

"My goodness! What kind of big shot have they caught? Three policemen are surrounding and escorting him!"

"Judging by his appearance, he's definitely a murderer!"

"If someone so young doesn't learn good habits, they might get shot!"

"Serves him right! Let him do it! Life's tough for everyone these days, and he still dares to break the law; he deserves to die!"

The whispers pierced Zhang Dabiao's ears like needles. He hung his head, secretly annoyed—this was something he really couldn't explain away.

Before he could feel depressed for long, an old voice suddenly came from the crowd: "Wait a minute! Isn't that Zhang Dabiao from Nanluoguxiang? That's the philanthropist Zhang who donated remittance certificates to us! How could he be arrested?"

The speaker was Old Lady Wang, who lived at the entrance of the alley. Last winter, during the worst of the food shortage, her family was starving and only managed to survive thanks to the remittance certificates Zhang Dabiao donated to the neighborhood office. Upon hearing this, the crowd erupted in excitement, with many craning their necks to identify her.

"That's right! It really is Zhang Dabiao! Last year, my son had a fever, and we didn't have money to buy fever reducers. It was thanks to him that we were able to buy imported medicine at the Overseas Chinese Store using our remittance coupons!"

"Chief Chen! Have you arrested the wrong person? How could Zhang, the philanthropist, have broken the law?"

"That's right! How many families were saved by the remittance certificates he donated? Grandpa Li from the military dependents' home and Aunt Zhang, a family member of a martyr, both survived the winter thanks to his certificates!"

The crowd grew larger and larger, with men, women, and children crowding into the alley, blocking the road completely. Most of them were military dependents, martyrs' families, and impoverished households who had benefited from Da Biao's kindness. These people were either key beneficiaries of government preferential treatment or had connections with the military. Chen Guangliang and his two companions instantly broke out in a cold sweat, their palms clenched until they turned white.

What they feared most was this kind of scene—once the crowd lost control and rushed up to snatch people, it would constitute a mass incident, a responsibility that even the city bureau leaders couldn't bear, let alone the three of them!

"Everyone calm down! Calm down!" Chen Guangliang quickly jumped out of the car, spread his arms to maintain order, and tried to appear calm. "We're just asking Comrade Zhang Dabiao to go back and assist with the investigation, not to convict him. Please don't misunderstand!"

"Handcuffs for assisting in an investigation? Pointing a gun at someone who hasn't been convicted?" An old man with a cane took a step forward, jabbing the cane hard into Chen Guangliang's shoulder. This was none other than Grandpa Li, a military dependent.

"Chen Guangliang, don't try to fool us! Everyone in Jiaodaokou knows who Zhang Dabiao is! You're not getting past us until you've explained yourself!"

"Take off the handcuffs! Quickly remove them from Zhang the Great Philanthropist!"

"If they dare to wrong an innocent person, we'll report them to the municipal bureau! We'll demand an explanation from the district committee!"

"Zhang the Great Philanthropist, were you framed and coerced by them? If so, blink! We'll go to the army and find someone to stand up for you!"

"..."

Several elderly women had already crowded around to the front, reaching out to push Chen Guangliang while chanting, "Release Zhang Dabiao." Lao Mo and Xiao Li quickly stepped in front of Chen Guangliang, but dared not fight back—these neighbors were either military dependents or families in need, so they could neither hit nor scold them.

Zhang Dabiao leaned against the wall, watching the disheveled Chen Guangliang with a half-smile. His slyness resurfaced, and he slowly added insult to injury: "Chief Chen, I warned you before, these handcuffs are hard to put on. Now you're in trouble, aren't you?"

Chen Guangliang really wanted to shut him up!

You think you're the only one with a mouth?

As the crowd grew larger, Chen Guangliang had no choice but to step forward and remove Zhang Dabiao's handcuffs, but Zhang Dabiao dodged him.

Chen Guangliang gritted his teeth and threatened in a low voice, "Zhang Dabiao, don't go too far! Know when to stop!"

"Am I going too far?" Zhang Dabiao's smile vanished, his eyes instantly turning cold, his tone icy.

"You barged into the school without any explanation, handcuffed me in front of my entire class, and before I've even been convicted, you paraded me through the streets like a murderer. I pointed out that the procedures were improper, but you ignored me. Now that the neighbors have surrounded us, you're saying I went too far?"

"Don't I, Zhang Dabiao, have any pride?"

"When to put these handcuffs on is up to you, Chief Chen."

"But when it will be taken off is not up to you."

Originally, Zhang Dabiao and Chen Guangliang had no grudges, but this time Chen Guangliang went too far, so you must bear the responsibility and consequences.

Chen Guangliang panicked completely.

He knew that if Zhang Dabiao shouted "I'm innocent!", these emotionally charged neighbors would tear him apart on the spot.

He didn't dare to fight back!

Chen Guangliang swallowed hard, completely lowering his stance, his voice tinged with pleading: "Zhang Dabiao, I'm begging you, just name your conditions, as long as they don't cross the line, I'll agree to anything!"

Zhang Dabiao narrowed his eyes, a calculating smile playing on his lips—his goal had been achieved. He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but clearly carrying throughout the alley: "It's simple. I need the Municipal Bureau, the court, the street office, the steel mill, and even my school's principal and homeroom teacher—all of them to be present."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Chen Guangliang's pale face, and said, word by word, "I want a public trial! I want everyone to know that I, Zhang Dabiao, am innocent!"

He never wanted a simple innocence. The Jia family dared to falsely accuse him of murder using witchcraft, and Chen Guangliang dared to disregard procedures and be eager to claim credit, so they would have to pay the price—he would expose the hypocrisy of the Jia family, the scheming of Yi Zhonghai, and the recklessness of Chen Guangliang in front of everyone!

Zhang Dabiao wants—

Murder and kill!

As for Chen Guangliang... well, let's just leave him some face during the public trial. We'll report it to the municipal bureau later, and there will be plenty of opportunities to settle scores afterward.

Looking at the tightly packed crowd and then at Zhang Dabiao's resolute expression, Chen Guangliang could only grit his teeth and nod: "Fine! I agree!"

Cheers erupted from the crowd. Old Mrs. Wang, holding Zhang Dabiao's arm, tenderly touched his wrist, red from the handcuffs: "Dabiao, don't worry, the neighbors are all here to testify for you. We won't let you suffer any injustice!" Zhang Dabiao nodded with a smile, but his eyes held no warmth—

This show has only just begun.