Qi Tongwei at the start: Not relying on Liang Lu, but winning by a single move against Heaven.

"Li Haili?"

Qi Tongwei repeated the name, looked at Li Haili, and seemed somewhat puzzled.

Li Haili nodded in affirmation and continued speaking.

"Yes, Li Haili. Li Youcai, who was buried underground in the 83 mining accident, was my father."

Qi Tongwei was taken aback, his breath caught in his throat, and he immediately gestured for her to continue.

Li Haili took a deep breath and revealed the secret she had kept buried in her heart for eight years.

"The accident at Dayou Township Coal Mine on August 13, 1983, was not a roof collapse, but a fire."

My dad was on duty the day the fire broke out, and there were ten workers trapped underground at the time.

He received the news and, along with two other on-duty personnel, went down the well to extinguish the fire and rescue people...

Qi Tongwei frowned slightly and asked softly, "The accountant went down the well to rescue people?"

Li Haili sighed and gave a bitter smile.

"In a small coal mine, there aren't so many rules. Whoever's on duty has to work..."

Besides, we're all from the same village; no one can just stand by and watch someone die..."

Qi Tongwei nodded and didn't say anything more, signaling her to continue.

Li Haili's eyes welled up with tears, and her voice trembled slightly.

"The fire was huge... Zhang Wei, Li Dayou, and their group also arrived..."

At the time, Zhang Wei was the township head. Fearing a gas explosion, he ordered Li Dayou to seal the well...

At this point, Li Haili was already sobbing uncontrollably and could no longer continue.

Qi Tongwei frowned and asked in a deep voice.

"Sealed the well? There are still people down there... They actually forcibly sealed the well!?"

Li Haili bit her lip, forcing herself to calm down, and nodded.

"Yes, the well was sealed... Including my father... There were thirteen people in total below... They were killed alive..."

As soon as she finished speaking, Li Haili broke down again, burying her face in her legs and her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

Qi Tongwei fell silent. He tried to light a cigarette, but the lighter failed to ignite two or three times in a row.

It was Zalta who lit the cigarette in his mouth for him.

Having lived two lives, Qi Tongwei had witnessed far too many filthy dealings: murder, drug trafficking, rape...

These are individual crimes, and although they are bloody, they are far less shocking than this mining disaster.

Thirteen precious lives were buried alive in the well...

What are they facing? Suffocating to death would be the best outcome... what if they were burned alive...?

He dared not think any further. He took a deep drag of his cigarette to calm himself and asked softly.

"The family wasn't aware of it? Why didn't the matter reach the county or city level?"

Li Haili stopped crying and spoke again.

"Family members? Zhang Wei has said...the person is already dead, making a fuss will only get you nothing...they died in vain."

Later, he gave the family 3,000 yuan as hush money and promised that the family's able-bodied members could continue working in the mine.

At first, some people protested, but they couldn't even leave the village before they were caught and beaten up...

She paused slightly, then her voice became incredibly mournful.

"That year was a time of crackdown, and he even labeled the families of those causing trouble..."

It was called disrupting production, and after that, nobody dared to cause trouble anymore... Everyone just paid up to settle things.

Qi Tongwei sighed, handed over a towel, and said softly.

"Wash your face... And then what? How did you become Li Chunli, how did you become a waitress?"

Li Haili paused for a moment, glanced at Zharta, and her gaze was somewhat complicated.

I was eighteen that year, just graduated from vocational school. My mother passed away early, leaving only my father and me at home.

After my father's accident, I received compensation, but I don't know what to do with it...

Zhang Wei knew I had only graduated from vocational school, so he got me a job as a clerk at the township government... and then..."

After saying those two words, Li Haili burst into tears again.

She covered her face with a towel, her shoulders twitching uncontrollably, as if resisting that memory.

Qi Tongwei was stunned for a moment, then gritted his teeth and cursed in a deep voice.

"He's a beast, worse than an animal! He doesn't deserve to be a Party member. No, he doesn't deserve to be a human being!"

As his cursing subsided, Zalta picked up the conversation, speaking with a wry smile.

"Zhang Wei failed. Seeing that Li Haili was young and beautiful, he harassed her repeatedly..."

Hailey was so scared of him that she stopped going to work and ran to town to find me...

Seeing Qi Tongwei's surprised expression, Zharta immediately began to explain.

"Hailie and I were classmates in vocational school. At that time, I hadn't started working yet and was waiting for job assignment at home."

After hearing her story, I had no choice but to suggest that she leave Fuyuan and go back to school.

Then Haili went to study at Bianxi Teachers College and stayed in Bianxi City for five years...

Qi Tongwei nodded, looked at Zharta, and asked softly.

"You knew all along?"

Zalta was taken aback, then gave a wry smile, his answer ambiguous.

"I wouldn't say I knew beforehand... I only truly understood the whole story in 88, after Hailey came back."

At that time, I was already working in the county party committee office, and Zhang Wei had also been transferred to the county to take charge of the work...

At the time, I suggested that Haili be patient and at least wait until Li Guofu retired before making any decisions..."

Qi Tongwei nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

He knew in his heart that Zhang Wei couldn't handle such a big matter without Li Guofu's support.

He hesitated for a moment, then asked again.

"How did Hailey become Chun-Li again? And how did she become a waitress?"

Zalta grinned, sighed, and his voice became somewhat melancholy.

"Secretary Qi, I apologize for this matter and am willing to accept disciplinary action from the organization..."

After Haili returned to Fuyuan, she knew she couldn't go back to Dayou Township. Zhang Wei kept looking for her...

I noticed that her figure and appearance had changed a lot... so I asked someone to make her a fake identity.

After changing his name, I arranged for him to work as a waiter at a guesthouse, so he would at least have a place to stay.

After he finished speaking, Qi Tongwei nodded and glanced at him.

"After I arrived in Fuyuan, were you afraid I'd be in cahoots with them, so you sent Hailey to get close to me?"

Zharta was taken aback and waved his hands repeatedly.

"No, that's not it. I know you're a top student, and I was worried that a regular waiter wouldn't be able to serve you well."

Haili is educated, that's why I arranged for her to serve you...

Qi Tongwei nodded without pressing further. He turned to Li Haili and asked softly.

"Hailey, you've been wronged. Don't worry, I'll take care of this."

I will never let your father die without knowing why...

He paused slightly, then continued to ask.

"Do you have any evidence? Or did your father leave behind anything?"

Li Haili wiped her face, looked up at Qi Tongwei, and said in a deep voice.

"Secretary Qi, there are still thirteen bodies buried underground in the old mine pit. That's the evidence!"

"If you just have someone dig up the old mine pit, the whole truth will come out..."

After saying that, she wanted to cry again, and Qi Tongwei quickly patted her shoulder and comforted her gently.

"Okay, okay, let's not talk about this anymore..."

Having learned the whole story, Qi Tongwei had a new plan in mind.

Zhang Wei can't cover this up, and neither can Li Guofu... He needs to think about it.

He lit another cigarette, took a deep drag, looked at Zalta, and said in a deep voice.

"Director Zharta, Li Haili can't stay at the guesthouse any longer. Call a car immediately."

Call my car and take him to the municipal discipline inspection commission's investigation site...

"Have the comrades from the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection protect Li Haili."

Zalta stood up immediately without hesitation and said in a deep voice.

"Okay, Secretary, don't worry, I will definitely protect Li Haili."

After saying that, he took Li Haili's hand and turned to walk towards the guesthouse lobby...