Cat-Ear Alley was a remote, run-down alley.
Most of its residents had already moved to the new district planned by the government.
Those who remained were mostly idle layabouts and drifters with no ambition.
Station Chief Wang led the way. They had not gone far before they saw a tightly packed crowd ahead, with sounds of crying and shouting coming from within.
Only when a police officer spotted Station Chief Wang approaching did he call out for the onlookers to disperse, barely clearing a path for them.
Gu Zheng's face was thunderous.
After squeezing through the crowd, they found a woman sitting on the ground ahead, blocking their way completely.
She was slapping her thighs and wailing, "That shameless little slut! A born seductress! She even tried to seduce my useless old geezer! What did I ever do to deserve this? She's trying to tear my family apart! If she doesn't pay me three or five hundred today, I won't let her off!"
An onlooker laughed. "Auntie Yindi! That old geezer of yours sure is worth a lot! You've got the nerve to ask for three or five hundred!"
"Her man got caught red-handed this time. He'll probably end up facing a firing squad!"
"Exactly! Looks like Yindi's little scheme won't pay off!"
But the woman on the ground roared, "Bullshit! That woman seduced my husband! A fair-skinned, clean-looking woman like her came crawling into our poor alley on her own. Obviously, my husband's the victim! If anyone should be shot, it's her!"
The crowd burst into laughter again.
"Shut up!"
Station Chief Wang roared, "Mao Yindi! Get up right now! We haven't even finished investigating the case. What are you wailing about? You're obstructing police work, do you understand?"
"Station Chief Wang! Our family's the victim here! Unless you