dtnovels Chapter 335 Zhao Weiguo in Trouble
Chapter 335 Zhao Weiguo in Trouble
February 24, 1998, 12 PM.
When Ling Yun pushed open the door, the aroma of braised pork wafted through the house. An Shiyu stood in the kitchen doorway, holding a spatula. She smiled when she saw him come in.
"I came back early today," she said.
"Um."
Ling Yun changed his shoes and came in. The living room was warm and cozy, with a plate of sliced fruit on the coffee table. He sat down on the sofa, picked up a slice of apple, and took a bite.
An Shiyu walked over and sat down next to him.
"Is everything going smoothly in the US?" she asked.
"smoothly."
"Is the board meeting over?"
"It's finished."
She nodded and leaned on his shoulder.
"You're due next month," she said. "And you're still out there running around."
Ling Yun looked down at her.
"I'm not running around anymore," he said. "I'll stay home before the Lunar New Year."
She smiled but didn't say anything.
The aroma wafting from the kitchen grew even stronger. An Shiyu stood up, went back to the kitchen, and continued cooking. The sound of the spatula hitting the pan, the sizzling of the pan, and the hum of the range hood filled the air.
Ling Yun leaned back on the sofa with her eyes closed.
The phone rang.
He took it out and glanced at it; it was Chen Lingling.
Connect it.
"President Ling." Chen Lingling's voice was urgent and trembling.
Ling Yun sat up straight. "What's wrong?"
"The State of Wei...something has happened to the State of Wei."
Ling Yun paused for a moment.
"What is it?"
"He..." Chen Lingling's voice trailed off, "...He hit someone. He was arrested by the police."
"Where?"
"Nanjing."
Ling Yun stood up and walked to the window.
"Who were you hit?"
There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.
"My stepfather," Chen Lingling said in a low voice.
Ling Yun didn't speak.
"Mr. Ling," Chen Lingling's voice trembled, "he hit someone because of me. He... he heard my stepfather was harassing me again, so he drove straight from Jinan to see him. I don't know how he found him, he..."
Where are you?
"I'm at the entrance of the police station."
"You wait for me in Nanjing, I'm heading there now."
Lingyun hung up the phone.
An Shiyu peeked out from the kitchen.
"What's wrong?"
"Zhao Weiguo is in trouble," he said. "I have to go to Nanjing."
An Shiyu was stunned for a moment.
"Now?"
"Um."
"Be careful on the road."
Ling Yun picked up his coat and walked out. At the door, he turned back and glanced at her again.
She stood in the kitchen doorway, still holding the spatula, looking at him.
"Don't worry," he said.
She nodded.
Downstairs, Zhao Hu had already driven his car over. He stood beside the car, saw Ling Yun come out, and opened the car door.
"Mr. Ling," he said, "directly to Nanjing?"
"Um."
The car started and drove out of the residential area.
The street outside the window slowly receded into the distance. The breakfast stalls had already closed, leaving only a few empty oil pans. People were waiting for the bus by the roadside, hunching their shoulders and stamping their feet.
Ling Yun leaned back in his seat, looking out the window.
Zhao Hu glanced at him in the rearview mirror.
"Mr. Ling," he said, "I know Wei Guo. He's not the kind of person who causes trouble."
"Something must have happened," Zhao Hu continued, "otherwise he wouldn't have made a move."
Lingyun looked out the window.
"Chen Lingling's stepfather," he said.
Zhao Hu was stunned for a moment. "That beast?" Zhao Hu's expression changed.
"He deserves to be hit," he said.
Ling Yun glanced at him.
Zhao Hu didn't say anything more.
As the car entered the highway, the sky gradually darkened, and the streetlights came on, receding one by one. Oncoming headlights shone, a blinding white flash that passed by in an instant.
Ling Yun closed his eyes.
Zhao Weiguo's face flashed into his mind. His bunkmate in college. After graduation, he worked for him, rising from internet cafe manager to group vice president. He knew everything about Chen Lingling. He also knew what kind of person that stepfather was.
Four hours later, at nine o'clock in the evening.
Nanjing, Xuanwu District.
The streetlights cast a dim yellow glow outside the police station. Chen Lingling stood there, her shoulders hunched, hands in her pockets. She wore a black down jacket, her hair was slightly disheveled by the wind, and her eyes were red.
Seeing Lingyun's car stop, she quickly walked over.
Lingyun got off the bus.
Chen Lingling stood in front of him, her lips moved, but she didn't say anything.
"Where is he?" Ling Yun asked.
"It's still inside." Chen Lingling's voice was hoarse. "I...I can't get in."
"What did you find out?"
"He..." Chen Lingling took a deep breath, "He injured someone. Two ribs were broken, and he needed eight stitches in his head. He's in the hospital now, and they say it's a minor injury, level two."
Ling Yun didn't speak.
"The police said," Chen Lingling continued, "that if the other party doesn't forgive, they might face imprisonment."
"What was their attitude?"
Chen Lingling lowered her head.
"He...he's going to sue."
Ling Yun looked at her.
"Your stepfather?"
Chen Lingling nodded.
Zhao Hu stood to the side, his face grim.
"That beast," he said, "still has the nerve to sue?"
Chen Lingling did not speak.
Ling Yun turned and walked into the police station.
Zhao Hu and Chen Lingling followed behind.
The police station was brightly lit. A young policeman in the duty room was looking down at documents when he heard footsteps and looked up.
"Who should I look for?"
"Zhao Weiguo," Ling Yun said, "the one I brought in this afternoon."
The policeman glanced at him.
"Who are you to him?"
"friend."
The police officer shook his head. "It's not visiting hours now. Come back tomorrow."
Ling Yun looked at him.
"May I ask about the situation?"
The police officer hesitated for a moment.
"Wait a moment." He stood up and went into the office inside.
After a while, a middle-aged policeman came out. He was in his forties, with a square face and sharp eyes. He looked Ling Yun up and down.
"Are you Zhao Weiguo's friend?"
"Um."
"Come with me."
He led them into a small office. The room was very simple, with a table, a few chairs, and various rules and regulations posted on the walls. He pointed to the chairs and sat down behind the table.
"Please sit down."
Ling Yun sat down, while Zhao Hu and Chen Lingling stood at the door.
The middle-aged policeman picked up a document and flipped through it.
"Zhao Weiguo, male, 26 years old, from Jinan, Shandong." He read aloud, "This afternoon at 2 PM, in a residential area in Xuanwu District, he punched a 53-year-old man, causing two broken ribs and head injuries requiring eight stitches. The injury was assessed as minor injury level two."
He closed the file and looked at Ling Yun.
That's the basic situation.
Ling Yun nodded.
"What's the name of the person who got beaten up?" he asked.
"Liu Jian".
"What's his background?"
The middle-aged policeman glanced at him.
Why are you asking this?
"Let me know."
The middle-aged policeman stared at him for a few seconds.
"A laid-off worker," he said. "I don't have a stable job. I used to farm in my hometown, but later I came to Nanjing to stay with my daughter. My daughter doesn't acknowledge me, so I live alone."
Ling Yun didn't speak.
"Do you know him?" the middle-aged policeman asked.
"I don't know him."
The middle-aged policeman nodded.
"So what's your relationship with him?" he asked. "With Zhao Weiguo."
"College classmate, colleague."
The middle-aged policeman glanced at him again.
What do you do?
"Start a small business."
The middle-aged policeman nodded and didn't ask any more questions.
Ling Yun stood up.
"Can I see him?"
"Not now," the middle-aged policeman said. "Visiting time is tomorrow morning at nine o'clock."
Ling Yun nodded.
"When will he come out?" He pointed to the door.
The middle-aged policeman looked at him.
"It depends on the other party's attitude," he said. "If they are willing to forgive, bail can be granted. If they insist on pursuing the matter, then legal proceedings will follow. For minor injuries, the sentence is less than three years."
Ling Yun nodded.
"Thanks."
He turned and walked out.
As they reached the door, the middle-aged policeman suddenly spoke.
"Wait a moment."
Lingyun stopped.
The middle-aged policeman walked over and handed him a note.
"This is Liu Jian's address," he said. "He's currently in the inpatient department of Gulou Hospital, on the third floor, in room 309."
Lingyun took the note.
"Thanks."