Name: My father is Zhao Dehan, and I hope he will become a dragon!

Qi Tongwei sighed, remembering Gao Yuliang's instructions. His voice was icy: "I can't help you with this. What time is it now?!"

Qi Tongjiang was stunned: "When?"

"Why!"

Qi Tongwei sighed and said helplessly, "Did I just get sidelined today? Do you know Zhao Donglai is going to take over the Economic Crime Investigation Department tomorrow? And you want me to suppress a rape case at this time?!"

Qi Tongjiang froze, then his face fell: "But...but they're our own people! If you don't help, they'll go to jail!"

"Our own people?" Qi Tongwei sneered, his eyes bloodshot. "I can't even protect myself now, how can I protect you?!"

Qi Tongjiang said, "But no matter what, you are still the Director of the Public Security Bureau!"

As for Qi Tongjiang, he really didn't know the intricacies of officialdom.

He only knows one thing.

Qi Tongwei is the director of the Public Security Bureau, and in the entire public security system of Handong, Qi Tongwei is the only one who can be trusted.

Qi Tongwei was speechless at this moment.

It really feels like Gao Yuliang has found his own style.

"I can't help you, the timing isn't right!" Qi Tongwei shook his head.

"elder brother!"

Qi Tongjiang's voice trembled, and his eyes were red-rimmed. "Qi Tonghai is in there!"

Qi Tongwei remained silent.

Then he heard his younger brother continue, "Have you forgotten? Back when you got into Han University, your family couldn't afford the tuition. It was Dahai—he was only thirteen! He ran all over the village borrowing grain, and finally went to work in a black brick kiln in Shanxi with some people. He worked there for three months, and two of his toes were frostbitten, all to scrape together that eight hundred yuan for you!"

Qi Tongwei closed his eyes.

But in his mind, he saw a series of images: a skinny boy squatting beside a coal pile, barefoot and wrapped in rags, clutching a wad of crumpled coins, grinning and revealing a gap in his mouth where a front tooth was missing.

I was able to attend Handong University thanks to the money pooled together by my fellow villagers.

Qi Tonghai, the little cousin who always followed him around shouting "Viagra," later returned to the village due to an injury and started farming with a limp. He still hasn't gotten married...

It's painful, it really is painful.

But Gao Yuliang's words still echoed in my ears:

"If you act impulsively again... then really, no one can save you."

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, his eyes were frozen.

Tongjiang.

Qi Tongwei's voice was hoarse, yet unusually firm. "I'm barely able to protect myself right now. Zhao Donglai will take over the Economic Crime Investigation Department tomorrow, Sha Ruijin is keeping an eye on me, and the National Security Bureau has listed me as a key monitoring target—to suppress a rape case at this time? That would be suicide!"

Qi Tongjiang froze, his lips trembling: "But...but Dahai, he..."

"I can do it!"

Qi Tongwei interrupted him, saying each word clearly: "After the case entered the trial stage, we asked the court to consider factors such as 'active compensation, first offense, and rural background' in order to try to get a lighter sentence—at most three years, or even probation."

"But there's a prerequisite!"

He stared at Qi Tongjiang, his gaze hard as iron. "You must confess, you must pay compensation, and you must obtain a letter of forgiveness from the victim! If you still want to use connections to smooth things over, then no one can save them!"

Qi Tongjiang stood there, his face turning from red to white, and finally he slumped down in despair.

He knew that Qi Tongwei's words were the limit.

"……good."

Qi Tongjiang sighed, "Brother, I don't blame you. I just hope... when Dahai emerges, you'll still remember who he is."

The door closed.

……

……

Qi Tongjiang returned to Lüzhou late at night.

In the back alley of the "Blues" bar in the east of the city, neon lights crackled and the cheap sound system made the glass vibrate.

He pushed open the door to the private room, and a stench of cigarettes, alcohol, perfume, and sweat hit him.

In a corner booth, a man was slowly and methodically peeling an apple with a dagger.

Qi Tonghai.

He limped on his left leg, yet sat arrogantly with one foot on the sofa, his black leather jacket open, revealing the blue dragon tattoo coiled on his chest.

Now, his face is covered with thick, fleshy muscles, the scar on his brow bone is dark red under the ultraviolet light, and his eyes are as sinister as a wolf—there is not a trace of the toothless boy by the coal pile back then.

"How is it?"

Without even looking up, Qi Tonghai flicked the fruit peel off with the tip of his knife. "Has Viagra given up yet?"

Qi Tongjiang wiped his sweat and sat down next to him: "Brother Wei... It's tough. The higher-ups are watching closely now. He said he's been sidelined and even handed over the Economic Crime Investigation Department. They said that suppressing cases now is like walking into the line of fire."

Qi Tonghai sneered and plunged the apple deep into the knife tip: "So, it didn't work out?"

"No, not really..."

Qi Tongjiang licked his chapped lips. "He said we have to go through procedures: plead guilty, pay compensation, and get a letter of forgiveness in order to get a lighter sentence."

"Bullshit!" Qi Tonghai slammed the knife into the table, sending wood chips flying. "I'd go to jail for some girl from out of town? So what if a few guys fucked her? She was having a good time, wasn't she?"

"There's no way around it, it's tough, Dahai. Why don't you go in for a few days?" Qi Tongjiang said.

"fart!"

Qi Tonghai snapped his fingers toward the bar, and a waiter immediately brought over a black suitcase.

"Snapped!"

The lid pops open—

Five bundles of 100-yuan bills, brand new and crisp, with the bank seal still intact.

"Five hundred thousand." Qi Tonghai stared at Qi Tongjiang and said, "I'm just asking you, can this matter be accomplished? This money is a gift for Brother Wei, go and see if you can find it again!"

Qi Tongjiang's Adam's apple bobbed, a glint of greed flashing in his eyes, but he feigned hesitation: "This... the money is considerable, but things are too tense right now, I need to think of a way..."

"Don't even think about it!"

Qi Tonghai said, "A little girl, several people serving her, and she's still not happy? I'm asking you, 500,000, can this matter be settled? If not, I'll add more money!"

"Oh, Da Hai, you're rich now!"

Qi Tongjiang laughed and then said, "Don't worry, it can be done. We just need to give that little brat another 300,000 yuan to persuade them to drop the charges. I'll go see Chen Guodong, the director of the Luzhou Public Security Bureau, tomorrow! I'll say it's Wei Ge's idea, and have him handle it 'technically'!"

Qi Tonghai laughed and said, "That's right, that's right, it's no big deal!"

Qi Tongjiang said, "I know Chen Guodong very well. You also need to make arrangements for Dahai. Leave this to me! I guarantee I'll handle it perfectly, without anyone noticing. I'll be doing all this work for you, brother, so please take a look at this..."

Qi Tonghai handed Qi Tongjiang a glass of wine: "Good brother! I'll give you another two hundred thousand after this is done!"

The two clinked glasses and downed their cheap whiskey in one gulp.

Qi Tongjiang chuckled, "Arrange two more girls for me, I want to relax tonight!"

Qi Tonghai laughed heartily and said, "Okay, I'll arrange it right away!"

Vulgar laughter echoed in the private room; there was not a trace of hometown sentiment.

Only naked transactions.