Chapter 1 The Next Day

The next morning.

After having breakfast, Gu Baisun sat in his living room and called Zhang Ming, the vice president of the dockworkers' association.

"Hello, Baisun!"

"Uncle Zhang, are you busy?" Gu Baisun asked politely.

"At the association. What's up? Something you need?"

"Yes, I have something to discuss with you."

"Alright, come over then." Zhang Ming replied softly, "I'll be waiting for you at the association headquarters!"

After ending the call, Gu Baisun immediately picked up a black leather suitcase and walked out of the house.

…

Today, the sky was clear, without a cloud in sight. The streets were bustling with people, a lively scene.

Gu Baisun drove to the dockworkers' association and headed to Zhang Ming's office. When he entered, Lao He and others from the elders' council were also there. Some of them had gauze on their mouths and visible injuries.

It seemed Wei Xiangzuo was a man of his word. He said he'd cut their mouths off, and he actually did it.

Seeing so many elders present, Gu Baisun didn't speak. He greeted everyone and sat down in a corner.

Inside the room, Lao He was grumbling, "Wei Xiangzuo is going too far! Forget that he and the Yu family killed Lao Gu, just the fact that he caused infighting in Zha Nan and beat us is unacceptable! Since the dockworkers' association was established, who would dare touch the elders' council? There's no discipline anymore!"

"That's right! If he wants to be the boss of Zha Nan, I'll be the first to disagree!"

"Use our connections to get him sentenced to death in prison!"

"…!"

The elders' council stuck together, unanimously blasting Wei Xiangzuo, who wasn't even there.

Vice President Zhang Ming only exchanged pleasantries and comforted everyone, but didn't make any promises.

Gu Baisun sat to the side, unable to interject, and just listened quietly.

Seeing that Zhang Ming wasn't reacting much, Lao He immediately turned to Gu Baisun and asked, "Xiao Shun, tell us, can you agree to Wei Xiangzuo being the leader? He's the one who killed your father!"

Gu Baisun's eyes dimmed. He paused for a moment and replied, "I… I don't really understand these things. You all can make the decisions for me. I'll listen to you."

"See, Xiao Shun also said he'll listen to us. I'm telling you, Lao Zhang, when the president returns, you have to take the lead on this!"

"Alright, alright, don't argue. I promise you, when the president returns, I'll talk to him!" Zhang Ming replied dismissively, then stood up and said to everyone, "I have a lot to do today. The police department is holding a press conference, and they've arrested a bunch of our people. I have to go to the city. Alright, don't stay here. Let's talk later!"

The elders' council lingered and talked to Zhang Ming for a few more words, forcing him to repeatedly express his stance before they left together.

After seeing everyone off, Zhang Ming leaned back on the sofa, poured tea, and looked at Gu Baisun with a smile. "Baisun, what do you think about this?"

Gu Baisun blinked. "I believe in Brother Wei. I support him being the leader!"

Zhang Ming was visibly taken aback by this answer. "Baisun, everyone is saying that Wei Xiangzuo and the Yu family conspired to harm your father! I don't quite understand why you support him."

"I said, I believe Brother Wei isn't that kind of person, and Xu Hu threatened us before." Gu Baisun, with his simple mind, replied honestly, "He even asked my mom for money."

"Asked for money?" Zhang Ming frowned. "What money?"

"Just the little bit of property my dad saved before he died." Gu Baisun didn't avoid the topic of his family's wealth and replied very directly.

"Ah, it's hard for you and your mom now that Lao Gu is gone." Zhang Ming pushed the tea to Gu Baisun and asked again, "But do you really support Wei Xiangzuo?"

"Yes, I support him." Gu Baisun replied immediately, "I believe in Brother Wei's character."

Zhang Ming nodded slowly. "Then are you willing to say this at the meeting after the president returns?"

"I'm willing!" Gu Baisun replied with clear eyes, "I can say that."

"Alright." Zhang Ming took a sip of tea. "Then I understand. Oh, right, is that all you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Besides supporting Brother Wei, I… I also want to…!" Gu Baisun hesitantly pushed the black leather suitcase from under the table. "Uncle Zhang, I don't know what to say! But when my dad was alive, he often told me that you two were good friends, good brothers, working together since the Great Migration. So, I beg you, please take care of our family in the future."

"You're…!" Zhang Ming was a little surprised.

"…This is a set of vases that my dad bought from someone when he was alive. It was taken from Feng Chengzhang's house by the Chuan Army when the Shen warlord was eliminated and they entered the Ninth District, and then it was scattered outside." Gu Baisun said in a low voice, "My dad said you also liked these things, so I brought it out and gave it to you."

"Hey, you mustn't do these things." Zhang Ming waved his hand immediately. "I'm so old, how can I accept your things? Be good, take it back! And, whether you say anything or not, I will take care of your family in the future. Don't worry, with me here, no one will dare to mess around!"

"Uncle Zhang, please accept it…!"

"No, absolutely not. Take it back quickly, I'm going to the city for a meeting." Zhang Ming said and stood up.

…

A dozen minutes later, Gu Baisun left the association headquarters and was about to get into his car.

"Hey, wait, Baisun!" Zhang Ming's secretary suddenly chased after him.

Gu Baisun turned around. "What's wrong, Brother?"

"Get in the car and I'll tell you!" Zhang Ming's secretary got into the car, closed the door, and asked the bewildered Gu Baisun, "You want to give your Uncle Zhang a gift?"

"Yes, I brought it out, but he won't accept it!"

"You, you just don't have any social experience!" The secretary replied speechlessly, "You carried the suitcase into his office with so many people watching, how could your Uncle Zhang accept it?"

"Ah! I forgot, I thought…!"

"Hey, you've just been in school for too long, you don't have any social experience." The secretary said in a low voice, "Actually, your Uncle Zhang really likes antiques!"

"Ah, then I'll send it to him later!" Gu Baisun replied with a smile.

The secretary looked at him in exasperation. "Are you stupid?! What am I here for? Did I have to say it so clearly?"

"Ah, ah, ah, right, right, right!" Gu Baisun finally realized and handed the suitcase over. "Please take it to Uncle Zhang for me!"

Half an hour later, Zhang Ming sat in his office, looking at a pair of vases, and suddenly said with a smile, "In Longkou District, one gang leader is dead, and one enforcer is in jail. We're missing someone!"

The secretary didn't understand for a moment. "Do you want to plant a flag in Longkou District?"

Zhang Ming looked up at him. "What do you think of the vases?"

The secretary was stunned.

…

In the interrogation room of the city police department, it was already completely full. Many people who didn't have enough rank were thrown into the warehouse for temporary detention.

Lu Feng sat in his cell, humming a tune, watching a TV show with the police officer guarding him.

In the corridor, a sound of footsteps rang out. Li Hongze, who had just been interrogated, happened to be walking back from the office area.

Lu Feng looked up and saw him, and Li Hongze also saw him when he turned around.

The two stared at each other for a long time, sparks flying!

Li Hongze looked at this bastard and gritted his teeth secretly. He walked to the cell door and asked in a low voice, "I just don't understand?! How did you get in?! Du Shengming ran away at Tonglin Bridge, and Li Xing ran away from the scene too. Those two in the center are fine, but you, someone wandering around the periphery, how could you get into trouble?"

Lu Feng immediately got up and came to the bars, frowning and asking, "…I'm also wondering, how did you get in? They both ran away, how did you…!"

"If you hadn't gotten in, would I have gotten in?!" Li Hongze gritted his teeth. "Are you setting me up?!"

"What did I set you up for? I came in and didn't say anything, President!" Lu Feng replied.

Li Hongze pointed to his temple. "You better use your brain! Don't talk nonsense!"

"I definitely won't talk nonsense! I'm not like you, I didn't do much, just assaulted the police." Lu Feng replied in a low voice, "I'll get at most a criminal detention! What about you? What crime did you commit!"

Li Hongze's mentality didn't collapse when Wang Daolin arrested him, but hearing Lu Feng's reply now, he suddenly cursed angrily, "I'll go to your mother!! Are you messing with me? You remember this, if I get sentenced to ten years, you'll get at least eight!"

"If you say that, I'll just confess everything!" Lu Feng replied immediately, "I was originally surrendering myself, I can turn from criminal detention to a tainted witness…!"

"I fuck your mother!" Li Hongze reached out and grabbed Lu Feng's neck.