The entire courtyard is full of villains

With his reputation at stake, Yan Bugui was willing to risk everything. He understood that if Liu Qian was indeed a pawn used to frame him, then Liu Qian was the easiest link to break—even with Zhang Guowei present, he couldn't care less.

Liu Qian turned pale with fright at his words. Big Dog, standing nearby, sensed something was wrong and kicked Yan Bugui hard in the waist!

"I'll fucking beat you to death, you son of a bitch! Is there no justice in this world?! You dare threaten my sister in front of the police?! Who framed you? You deny the dirty deeds you committed, and now you're trying to pin the blame on my sister?!"

Yan Bugui was kicked to the ground and before he could get up, Big Dog pounced on him and slapped him twice across the face, then straddled him and started punching him!

"Bang! Bang!"

Zhang Guowei then realized what was happening and shouted, "Grab him!" Two young policemen rushed forward and struggled to pull Big Dog away from Yan Bugui.

"Liu Pan! What do you want to do?!" Zhang Guowei's face turned ashen.

"Hey Zhang, I'm about to ask you what you're doing!" Big Dog Bro completely lost his temper, yelling as he struggled with his arms, "You just stood by and watched this beast surnamed Yan threaten my sister without saying a word?! You're going to arrest me if I hit him? You're just wasting your time wearing that uniform, come on! Arrest me! If you arrest me today, I'll have someone report you tomorrow! Someone like you is the police chief? Bah, you're protecting a beast!"

He abruptly shook off the policeman who was holding him and grabbed Liu Qian, saying, "Girl, let's go! We're not going to waste time here! Let's go find the Xicheng Branch! Let's go find the Municipal Bureau! I refuse to believe that all police forces are the same!"

"Stop!" Zhang Guowei also stood up. The whole thing had an inexplicable awkwardness about it, but he couldn't quite grasp the underlying issue. "Liu Pan, who said I wasn't going to handle this?"

"Then handle it! Handle it fairly and justly! Letting Yan Bugui frame and scare my sister, is that what you call handling it? I, Liu Pan, have been in jail, but my sister is an honest person! So honest people deserve to be bullied?!" Big Dog Brother, convinced of his point, became increasingly agitated. "Zhang Guowei, if you can handle things, then do it. If you can't, there are plenty of other places that can!"

"Alright!" Zhang Guowei rubbed his temples, gesturing for his men to help the bruised and swollen Yan Bugui up. "Yan Bugui, watch your mouth! If you dare threaten anyone in public again, I'll arrest you immediately!"

Yan Bugui, having been beaten, lost his arrogance and covered his face, groaning, "Chief Zhang... I really didn't do it..."

Zhang Guowei let out a long breath, turned to Liu Qian, and said in a gentler tone, "Liu Qian, then think back to the situation carefully and try to be as specific as possible."

Liu Qian timidly raised her eyes, her voice barely audible: "Director Zhang... I was so scared back then... I can't remember many things... He kept scaring me afterwards, so..."

"Well, another messy account!"

Zhang Guowei rubbed his throbbing temples, feeling like his head was about to explode—he couldn't help but mutter to himself that he should really listen to his old superior's advice and be transferred to the municipal bureau. Working at the Jiaodaokou Subdistrict Office every day, he'd eventually go bald from all this headaches.

He could be transferred to the municipal bureau later; for now, he had to clean up the mess himself. He composed himself, then turned to Liu Qian and patiently asked, "Think again, does Yan Bugui have any distinctive features? Like birthmarks or scars?"

A glint of light suddenly flashed in Liu Qian's bewildered eyes, as if she had remembered something. Her cheeks flushed instantly, and her voice was barely audible: "Director Zhang... I remember, Yan Bugui has three moles on the inside of his thigh."

"Which big brother?" Zhang Guowei pressed.

"Right, right thigh." Liu Qian lowered her head even further.

"you sure?"

“I’m sure!” She suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with certainty. “I was in utter despair at that time. I saw it by accident, so I can’t forget it to this day.”

Zhang Guowei immediately called out to the side, "Xiao Li, Xiao Yu! Take Yan Bugui to the next room and check if he has three moles on the inside of his right thigh!"

"Understood, Chief!" Two policemen responded and roughly dragged the trembling Yan Bugui towards the next room. Yan Bugui struggled and shouted, "What are you doing? I didn't do anything like that! Why are you checking me?"

No one paid any attention to his explanation, and the door slammed shut. Not long after, Xiao Li and Xiao Yu came out and nodded to Zhang Guowei: "Chief, it's confirmed. Yan Bugui does indeed have three moles on the inside of his right thigh, and they're arranged quite neatly."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Yan Bugui scrambled in, his face ashen, and collapsed to the ground, wailing, "Chief Zhang! I really didn't! I really didn't do that!"

"Never done it?" Zhang Guowei stared at him, his tone laced with sarcasm. "Then how did she know you had three moles on your inner thigh?"

Yan Bugui was completely dumbfounded, muttering to himself, "I don't know either... Only my parents and family know about this mole, I've never told anyone else..." He couldn't understand how Liu Qian knew such a private matter.

"Alright, take him away and bring him back to the police station for further investigation!" Zhang Guowei waved his hand, no longer looking at him. Although there was no direct physical evidence at the moment, Liu Qian's ability to describe such subtle characteristics made Yan Bugui a prime suspect. They would gradually gather more evidence to verify this later.

He turned to Big Dog Brother: "Liu Pan, considering you had a reason for what happened today, we won't pursue the matter of blocking the school gate and assaulting someone. After you get out, live a good life and stop causing trouble, understand?"

"I heard you, Chief Zhang!" Big Dog felt a great weight lifted from his shoulders when he saw Yan Bugui being taken away, and his expression softened considerably.

Zhang Guowei then looked at Liu Qian: "Liu Qian, don't leave Beijing during this time. Once we have investigated thoroughly, we will definitely give you a fair answer."

"Thank you, Director Zhang," Liu Qian replied softly.

After Big Dog left with Liu Qian, Zhang Guowei turned to Principal Cheng, "Principal Cheng?"

"Director Zhang, I'm here."

Zhang Guowei wanted to instruct the school not to publicize the matter for the time being, but then he suddenly remembered that so many people had gathered at the school gate today, and the news must have already spread. He could only sigh.

Principal Chen asked in a low voice, "Director Zhang, you're saying this... really was Yan Bugui who did it? If it really was him, then I have to report to the Education Bureau and have him dismissed."

"Let's wait and see." Zhang Guowei rubbed his temples. "Although Liu Qian has identified the suspect, the case still needs further investigation."

"Okay, I understand."

Zhang Guowei said nothing more and waved for someone to take Yan Bugui away. A crowd had gathered at the school gate, and when they saw Yan Bugui being led out, a commotion immediately broke out.

"Kill Yan Bugui! Castrate that bastard!"

"You beast! He's already ruining girls who are so young!"

Yan Bugui was now like a rat in the street; if it weren't for the police escorting him, he would probably have been beaten badly long ago. He hunched his shoulders, half-closed his eyes, dodging the debris thrown at him and the insults hurled at him. Several busybodies had already run off to report the incident to the courtyard house at No. 95.

Just as he was about to walk out of the street corner, Yan Bugui suddenly looked up and vaguely saw a man in the distance staring coldly at him—the man raised his hand and slowly drew a line across his neck.

Although he couldn't see her face clearly, Yan Bugui trembled, and he was already certain in his heart:

That's Zhang Erhe.

Chapter 133 Scholars Know How to Have Fun

In the courtyard, Yang Ruihua had prepared lunch. It was called lunch, but it was really just two steamed buns. Yan Bugui, for the sake of face, always claimed that Yang Ruihua was a good cook and that he liked to eat at home. But today, as it was almost one o'clock, the steamed buns were cold and then reheated, then cold again, but Yan Bugui still didn't show up!

"Old Yan is really something. He didn't even say he wasn't coming back for dinner, what a waste of firewood." Yang Ruihua looked at the two steamed buns left for Yan Bugui and couldn't help but swallow. Food was scarce, and she had only had a bowl of thin cornmeal porridge for breakfast!

"No, I can't eat that. If I do, Lao Yan will take it out of my dinner when he gets back." Yang Ruihua simply put the cornbread in the bowl, got up, and sat outside the door, out of sight, out of mind.

She chatted casually with the other women in the courtyard. Many of them worked at the steel mill or nearby and usually didn't come home for lunch, so they were all free at this time. Just as they were getting into a lively conversation, a figure suddenly rushed in from outside.

Yang Ruihua looked up and saw it was Wang Lao Er's wife from the next courtyard.

"Second son's wife, what's wrong with you?"

"Hey! Sister-in-law Yan, you're still chatting here! Your husband, Old Yan, has been cornered at the school gate and is about to be arrested. And you're still stirring up trouble here? Go and check on him!"

Yang Ruihua didn't take it seriously: "Second son's wife, what nonsense are you spouting? Our Lao Yan is a teacher, why would anyone block him?"

"Hey Yang Ruihua, I'm so ashamed of what your husband Yan did! Now they've come to our door with banners, and when I ran back I saw the police were there! If you don't go soon, your husband Yan might really be taken away!"

"Ruihua, go and take a look. Maybe it's a misunderstanding," Liu Haizhong's wife chimed in, though she couldn't hide the schadenfreude in her eyes.

"Hmph, my old Yan would never do that!" Yang Ruihua's heart was pounding, but she still tried to remain calm on the surface.

Just then, Yan Jiekuang came running back, crying, "Mom! What do we do... Dad's been arrested by the police!"

"What?! Your dad's been arrested by the police?!" Yang Ruihua couldn't take it anymore. Others might lie to her, but her own son wouldn't lie to her.

"Jie Kuang, what did your dad do? Why was he taken away?"

Yan Jiekuang, being young and shy, stammered and couldn't bring himself to say it. Wang Lao Er's wife, standing nearby, then spoke up:

"Yang Ruihua, I really didn't expect that... You can never judge a book by its cover! Your son Yan Bugui actually has this kind of hobby! It's a good thing our child has never been in his class!"

Yang Ruihua shoved her anxiously: "Second daughter-in-law, what nonsense are you spouting! What exactly did Lao Yan do?!"

"How embarrassing!" Wang Lao Er's wife exclaimed with disgust. Several people nearby gathered around, urging her to explain. Jia Zhangshi rushed forward in a flash:

"Second son's wife, tell me, what exactly did Yan Laokou do that was so heinous?"

Wang Lao Er's wife put on an embarrassed expression, but her words didn't falter at all:

"Old Yan... Ugh! That bastard Yan Bugui actually... slept with one of the girls in the class! That girl was only 14 years old, what a beast! He's a father too, how could he do such a despicable thing?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the entire courtyard fell silent. Everyone held their breath, their minds replaying only the words: Yan Bugui had slept with the female student.

"Good heavens!" It was Jia Zhangshi who was the first to react. "Second daughter-in-law, are you serious?"

"Of course it's true! When I arrived, the school gate was packed with people, holding up banners... I saw that girl kneeling at the school gate! The banner read—'Even a beast is worse than Yan Bugui!'"

Yang Ruihua was still somewhat suspicious: "Second son's wife, you...you're illiterate, aren't you?"

Wang Lao Er's wife blushed: "I can't read, but I had someone else read it for me, and they said it said 'Beasts are not as good as Yan Bu Gui'! If you don't believe me, ask your Jie Kuang!"

Yang Ruihua quickly looked over, and Yan Jiekuang nodded with difficulty.

With a loud crash, Yang Ruihua felt dizzy and then collapsed to the ground, slapping her thighs and wailing:

"Oh dear! Yan Bugui! You've ruined our family! ...Have I ever wronged you or what? Why did you have to mess with that female student! Now that things have turned out like this, how are we going to live? Yan Bugui, you bastard!"

The women in the courtyard, having recovered from their shock, now had excited, gossipy glints in their eyes. Liu Haizhong's wife quickly stepped forward:

“Ruihua, don’t cry. What if you ruin your health? Now that Lao Yan is in jail, the family will have to rely on you. Listen to me, you have to stand up for yourself!”

Tan Saihua came over and pretended to wipe away her tears: "Ruihua, let's not talk about anything else. It's just that we women have such a hard life... Get up quickly, the ground is cold, don't cry yourself sick."

Everyone else gathered around, offering their advice. Only Jia Zhangshi's eyes lit up, and she took off running out of the courtyard—listening wasn't enough; she had to see for herself how Yan Bugui was taken away from the school.

To her great disappointment, the crowd had already dispersed by the time she reached the school gate. Somewhat dumbfounded, she saw a few people still gathered in the distance, discussing something, so she went over to them. She overheard them saying:

"This school is absolutely rotten! It produced a beast like Yan Bugui! We'll transfer our child there right away. It'll be farther away, but at least it'll be safe!"

Another chimed in, "Exactly!"

Jia Zhangshi quickly squeezed in: "Hey, gentlemen, I have a question—did someone cause trouble at the school gate today? Did a teacher named Yan Bugui...?"

“Absolutely!” an older man immediately chimed in. “Young lady, you came here because of what you heard, right? Take my advice, transfer your child out of school right now! There are beasts in this school!”

Madam Jia listened with great interest and even went to Old Sun's place at the school gate to ask him a few more questions, but Old Sun chased her out. She didn't care at all and ran back to the courtyard house.

By this time, Yang Ruihua was too ashamed to stay outside and had retreated back inside. Jia Zhangshi rushed to the middle of the courtyard, shouting at the top of her lungs:

"Big news! I just came back from the school gate, and guess what?"

As soon as she said that, a group of women swarmed around her again.

"Sister-in-law Jia, hurry up and tell us!"

"Exactly, stop teasing us!"

"Guess—" Jia Zhangshi lowered her voice, her eyes darting around, "How old is the female student Yan Bugui slept with?"

"Hey, stop keeping me in suspense!"

"Only fourteen? Good heavens!" Madam Jia slapped her thigh. "No wonder people say that old scholars are all perverts who only like young and tender girls! That girl was only fourteen when he took advantage of her, and he kept threatening her not to tell anyone... That girl had a hard life. She finally made it to eighteen and got engaged, but on their wedding night... the man saw something was wrong and immediately broke off the engagement!"

She took a breath and continued, "After the girl came back, her mother cried herself blind. Luckily, her brother's good friend was righteous and helped her seek justice, otherwise this matter would have just passed by quietly... I really didn't realize that Yan Bugui, who is usually so polite, was actually such a playboy in private!"

At this point, even Jia Zhangshi herself couldn't help but shudder. Those in the courtyard, upon hearing this, widened their eyes and shook their heads in disapproval.

A woman murmured, "Those who study really know how to have fun..."

Another quickly chimed in, "Exactly! My man may not be very educated, but he's not that perverted."