I Have a Friend

After receiving Shao Mingbao's report over the phone, Zhou Yi became even more convinced of his earlier decision: for the time being, he would leave Cai Xiaobo, Shao Mingbao, and the others alone.

After all, even a pair of underwear or a sheet of toilet paper had its uses.

And at this stage, he really did need a few "minions" to charge into battle for him.

Zhou Yi understood perfectly well that, given Dongji County's dangerous and complicated situation, anyone who tried to launch a swift, uncompromising, all-or-nothing crackdown on organized crime without the full support of the municipal Party committee and government would fail.

County Magistrate Yan Xiangyu couldn't do it. Public Security Bureau Director Lei Ming couldn't do it. A mere captain of the Public Security Management Brigade like him wasn't even qualified to try.

Drawing on the lessons summed up in the years to come, he analyzed the current situation and arrived at a clear conclusion-the time wasn't ripe yet. He had to consolidate each step and proceed gradually.

Specifically, he needed to win some over, divide others, and strike at the rest.

He would recruit those with potential, the dark horses, and the solid prospects, forging alliances with Jiang Xinting, Zheng Yifan, Han Qiuyan, Old Dong, and others.

He would guide and split off low-level cannon fodder like Cai Xiaobo and Shao Mingbao, who straddled the line between black and white, still occupied a gray area, and had yet to turn truly evil, making them useful to him.

Finally, he would seize the right opportunities, leverage circumstances, and devise plans to take down rotten apples like Tao Guozheng one by one-people with no convictions, no reverence, and no loyalty or honesty toward the Party.

Zhou Yi believed that, with his second chance at life, he would surely restore justice and order to his hometown of Dongji County in the near future!

And if he picked up a promotion or two along the way, that was perfectly reasonable, right?

Time: seven in the evening.

Location: Gold Room No. 2 at the Jade Gold Restaurant.

Present: Song Chengquan, executive deputy director of the County Public Security Bureau; Deputy Director Zhang Liping; Deputy Political Commissar Feng Jinshan; Office Director Li Wenli; Political Work Office Director Luo Daxiang; Public Security Management Brigade Captain Zhou Yi; and Criminal Investigation Brigade Captain Lu Yaohua.

Activities: eating, drinking, and shooting the breeze.

Of the seven people present, only one was a woman: Director Li.

Director Li was in her forties, attractive and tastefully dressed, with a captivating maturity and elegance in her bearing.

Zhou Yi didn't know whether anyone else found her attractive, but Deputy Director Song certainly did.

Back in Chapter 7, Zhou Yi had mentioned the bureau leaders' interests. Among them, Director Li liked singing, while Deputy Director Song liked Director Li.

Unfortunately, both were married, so nothing good was destined to come of it.

Several rounds of drinks and dishes later.

Director Li came over to Zhou Yi with her glass in hand, casting a brief glance at Lu Yaohua beside him.

Captain Lu immediately took the hint and headed for the restroom.

"Xiao Zhou, a friend asked me to put in a word. It's about your mom..." At that, Director Li and Zhou Yi both froze.

Director Li gave an embarrassed cough and hurriedly corrected herself. "It's about the female student in your mother's class. Right, the girl named Shen Mo. My friend's daughter is in the same grade as Shen Mo, and she did bully him. After he jumped off the building, her daughter was frightened and remorseful, so my friend wondered whether her daughter could apologize to Shen Mo in person and ask for his forgiveness."

Zhou Yi gave her a surprised look. "What's your friend's surname?"

"Yang. Ahem, her husband's surname is Zhu," Director Li said hastily.

Zhou Yi understood now. He smiled. "Then I'll ask Shen Mo tomorrow and see what he thinks."

"Thank you for taking the trouble." Director Li clinked glasses with Zhou Yi, took a sip, and left.

No sooner had she left than Song Chengquan came over with his glass.

"Xiao Zhou, a friend asked me to put in a word..."

The almost identical opening made Zhou Yi wonder whether the two of them had planned this in bed beforehand.

"Director Jin Min's husband and I were classmates. Xiao Zhou, could you help out and mediate?"

Song Chengquan asked pleasantly, without putting on any airs as a superior.

"Don't worry, Director Song. I'll have a proper talk with Shen Mo." Zhou Yi smiled and nodded.

Song Chengquan also took a sip of his drink and left, apparently satisfied.

Zhang Liping came next.

"Director Zhang, don't tell me you have a friend too?"

Zhou Yi looked at his former superior with mixed feelings. If Zhang asked him to smooth things over for Tao Guozheng, he really wouldn't have the heart to turn him down.

"What are you talking about? I have something serious to discuss with you. I have a friend..."

Zhang Liping suddenly paused.

Huh? I really do have a friend.

"I have a friend whose daughter is twenty-three this year. She just graduated from university, she's gorgeous, and she has a lovely personality. You're not seeing anyone right now, are you? Make some time in the next few days, and I'll take you to meet her."

Zhou Yi breathed a sigh of relief. So he was playing matchmaker.

"Thank you, Director Zhang, but right now I'm not looking to-"

"Not looking, my ass. It's settled. Wait for my call."

"Of course, of course."

Faced with his overbearing former superior, Zhou Yi could only nod helplessly.

Dinner was almost over, but the leaders seemed inclined to go out for some entertainment afterward. Zhou Yi quickly used a trip to the restroom as a chance to call home.

"Zhou Yi?"

A soft, lovely voice came from ahead.

Zhou Yi looked up in surprise and saw Dongji's police beauty standing outside another private room in a pale purple dress, her clear, luminous eyes filled with delighted surprise.

"Xinting, what a coincidence."

Zhou Yi smiled. They had only eaten together two days ago, and now they had run into each other again tonight.

"I'm getting together with friends. What about you?"

"Having dinner with the bureau leaders. Song, Zhang, Feng, Li, Luo, and Lu. You know how it is."

Of course Jiang Xinting knew. Not only did she understand, she knew all those people well.

"Wait for me. I'll go over and offer them a toast..."

Before Jiang Xinting could finish, the private room's door opened.

A young man with arrogance written all over his face stepped out. Seeing Jiang Xinting and Zhou Yi, he frowned and said snidely, "Xin Ting, you really don't give a damn about me, do you? You wouldn't drink when I offered you a toast, but you sneak out here to have a cozy little chat with someone else!"

"You've got the wrong idea, Brother Xie. This is my colleague. Let me introduce you..." Jiang Xinting hurriedly explained.

However much she disliked the man, she would still avoid offending him if at all possible.

"Oh? A colleague? Municipal bureau or county bureau?" Brother Xie asked carelessly, without even giving Zhou Yi a proper look.

"County bureau," Zhou Yi replied politely.

"Did I fucking ask you?" Brother Xie instantly flew into a rage.

His voice was loud enough to alert everyone in the private room.

"Brother Xie, Brother Xie, is there really any need to get so angry?"

"Exactly, Brother Xie. Let's go back inside and keep drinking."

"Xin Ting, talk some sense into Brother Xie."

Several men and women came out. They all looked old enough to have ID cards, but every one of them was clearly somewhat afraid of the man they called Brother Xie.

"Nobody's talking me down today!"

With more people watching, Brother Xie only grew bolder. He stepped forward and roughly grabbed Zhou Yi by his shirt collar.

"Just looking at you fucking pisses me off..."

Just then, a short man took a couple of careful looks at Zhou Yi. His expression abruptly changed, and he immediately stepped up and whispered a few words into Brother Xie's ear.

Brother Xie's body went rigid.

He looked at the other man's impassive face.

Then he looked at his own hands gripping the man's collar.

"Um, Captain Zhou, I'm sorry. I had a couple too many tonight." Brother Xie forced a smile uglier than a grimace. Releasing his grip, he smoothed the creases in Zhou Yi's shirt with trembling hands.

Zhou Yi smiled faintly, reached out, and gave Brother Xie two sharp pats on the cheek. "Actually, I rather liked that defiant attitude you had a moment ago."

At the sight, Jiang Xinting and her friends were stunned.