I Was the One Who Hit Him

"I never meant to mess with him!"

"Wang Tao wasn't watching where he was driving and nearly hit him."

"Then he came over and beat the crap out of me without even asking what happened. He clearly recognized me, too, but he still hit me so fucking hard he knocked out my front teeth!"

"I didn't know he was Zhou Yi at first. I'd never met him. It wasn't until I heard the cops under him call him captain that I figured it out, but by then, the guys Big Lin called had already arrived. Besides, he beat me up in front of all those people. If I hadn't fought back a little, how was I supposed to show my face in Dongji again?"

"Little brother, hurry up and get me out of here. It's stinging down there. I need to get to a hospital..."

Zeng Yuqiang whined, looking for all the world like a bitter, aggrieved wife.

The two officers beside him seemed to maintain solemn expressions throughout, though the corners of their mouths occasionally twitched.

They had undergone rigorous training. No matter how funny something was, they wouldn't laugh-unless they couldn't help it.

Zeng Xuedong put down his phone, his face dark with anger.

Zhou Yi again!

Xie Zhaolong had personally admitted that the report against Tao Guozheng, executive deputy head of the county's Organization Department, had been made at Zhou Yi's direction.

And now, the man who had beaten his elder brother and hauled him into the station was Zhou Yi again.

Was this a coincidence?

Or had they been enemies in a past life?

After frowning in thought for a moment, Zeng Xuedong called his younger brother, Zeng Xuehua.

"Go tell Song Chengquan to step in and get our elder brother released."

Zeng Xuehua hesitated on the other end. He wanted to remind his second brother that Xie Zhaolong had spent half a month in the detention center, and that their elder brother's case was far more serious by comparison.

He had heard that if Zhou Yi hadn't dodged quickly enough, he might have been run over and killed.

Actually, it would have been better if he'd been killed...

The problem was that the car hadn't hit him.

And given how forceful Zhou Yi had always been, he certainly wasn't going to let this go.

But just as the words reached his lips, Zeng Xuehua swallowed them.

His second brother wouldn't listen. Even if he did, he couldn't stand up to their father.

He could already picture their father glaring furiously, spittle flying.

"You two little bastards have no conscience! Back then, the family was struggling. We had no choice but to let your uncle adopt your eldest brother. Your brother went out to work before he even finished middle school. Everything you ate, wore, and used-even your school fees-which of it didn't come from the money he earned? Huh?"

Zeng Xuehua's prediction was spot-on. Shortly after he finished speaking to Zeng Xuedong, their father, Zeng Liang, stormed into the deputy county head's office.

"I don't care what kind of bastard that Zhou Yi is. You're getting your eldest brother out right now, do you hear me? You heartless little bastard! Back then, the family was struggling..."

Zeng Xuedong hurriedly shut the door and assured him, deeply embarrassed, "Dad, don't worry. I've already told Xuehua to take care of it. Our elder brother will be out soon."

Would Zeng Yuqiang really be out soon?

Brother Long's answer was, I don't believe it!

"Zeng Yuqiang, oh, Zeng Yuqiang. Why did you have to go and mess with Zhou Yi?"

The smile on Xie Zhaolong's face grew broader until he finally burst out laughing.

Now he, Xie Zhaolong, wasn't the only one who had lost face!

See? I told you Zhou Yi's backing was unfathomable. Even I didn't dare cross him, but you wouldn't believe me. Well, now Third Son Zeng's been locked up too.

Something suddenly occurred to Xie Zhaolong, and he immediately called Executive Deputy Director Song Chengquan.

"I'm warning you, Song. If you dare let Third Son Zeng out, don't blame me for what happens!"

He, Xie Zhaolong, had been locked in the detention center for more than half a month.

Now that it was Zeng Yuqiang's turn, he had to spend at least twenty days inside.

It was all about fairness!

Would Zeng Yuqiang really be out soon?

Zhou Yi's answer was, I don't believe it either!

First Tao Guozheng, then Zeng Yuqiang—two perfect opportunities had been placed before County Head Yan Xiangyu. If Old Yan still couldn't seize them, he might as well retire early and go fishing.

After completing the statement, Zhou Yi gave a full account of what had happened to his supervising officer, Deputy Director Zhang Liping.

Zhang Liping was about to go see Executive Deputy Director Song Chengquan, but Deputy Director Song, who had already heard the news, came to him first.

Would Zeng Yuqiang really be out soon?

Song Chengquan's answer was, I believed it at first.

Executive Deputy County Head Zeng Xuedong oversaw the County Public Security Bureau, after all. Song had to oblige him.

But now he no longer believed it.

He couldn't afford to offend Brother Long. And the director had also called to tell him not to release anyone.

Deputy Director Song was now so overwhelmed and torn that he almost wanted to find a block of tofu and bash himself to death against it.

What could he do?

He could only take things one step at a time.

At 5:50 p.m.

Executive Deputy County Head Zeng Xuedong's car drove into the County Public Security Bureau.

Deputy County Magistrate Zeng was furious.

His father kept hounding him, while Song Chengquan said Director Lei Ming had assigned the case to another deputy director, Zhang Liping.

He had never met Zhang Liping, so he simply called Lei Ming directly.

Lei Ming tactfully explained that, because the incident could have an extremely damaging social impact, the county head had expressly instructed them to handle it strictly in accordance with the law.

Hah. Have you all gotten too big for your britches, or do you think I can't wield a knife anymore?

"Bring Zeng Yuqiang here."

Deputy County Magistrate Zeng's icy gaze slowly swept across every face as he issued the forceful order.

"I'm sorry, County Head, but Zeng Yuqiang is being interrogated. Visits aren't permitted under the regulations," Zhang Liping replied, neither servile nor overbearing.

Song Chengquan had gone to the hospital, claiming his hemorrhoids were acting up. Political Commissar Gao was nowhere to be found and had turned off his phone. The director said he was reporting to the county head...

That left only Zhang Liping, two other deputy directors, Political Work Office Director Luo Daxiang, and Office Director Li Wenli to face Deputy County Magistrate Zeng's fury together.

The word "interrogated" immediately changed Zeng Xuedong's expression. He had assumed the worst possible outcome would be a few days of administrative detention. Never had he imagined that certain people intended to destroy his brother.

He nodded and said grimly, "In that case, as the county official responsible for overseeing the public security bureau, I'll inspect your work. Come along, Deputy Director Zhang. Lead the way."

With no other choice, Zhang Liping took Deputy County Magistrate Zeng to the interrogation room.

Inside, the interrogation had long since reached an impasse.

Zeng Yuqiang had not said a single word from beginning to end. He merely swept his venomous gaze over the investigators questioning him.

The threat was unmistakable.

The two detectives dared neither hit him nor curse at him. After asking a few stiff questions and receiving no cooperation whatsoever, they had been forced to suspend the interrogation.

Just then, Zhang Liping arrived with Deputy County Magistrate Zeng.

Seeing his elder brother's battered, swollen face, Deputy County Magistrate Zeng was both shocked and furious. He pointed at the two detectives and shouted, "How dare you! You actually tortured him to extract a confession!"

Both detectives recognized Zeng Xuedong. They hurriedly stood and explained, "No, no, County Magistrate Zeng. You've misunderstood. His injuries were from earlier, when... when..."

"I was the one who hit him!"

A clear, resonant voice came from the doorway, rescuing the two detectives at just the right moment.

Zeng Xuedong turned and saw a young police officer stride into the interrogation room, his right arm wrapped in gauze.