Chengguan, Experimental Middle School.
Just after the third class ended, Lu Yao habitually took out her phone as she walked out of the classroom, checking for missed calls or messages, as she had silenced her phone during class.
Yang Jian had called her last night saying he would come over for dinner tonight, and it should be about time for him to arrive.
Seeing over a dozen missed calls, all from her cousin Jing Yongli, Lu Yao was puzzled and immediately called back.
"Yongli, why so many calls?"
"Yaoyao jie, I'm at your school gate, come out quickly. Jian ge is in trouble."
Lu Yao's mind went blank as if her blood had rushed to her head. She almost dropped her phone. It wasn't until a student called her name that she snapped back to reality and then ran frantically towards the school gate.
"Yongli, what's going on? What happened to Jian ge?"
After exiting the school, she saw Jing Yongli pacing anxiously at the entrance. Lu Yao rushed over and asked.
"Yaoyao jie, Jian ge is wanted, and his Cayenne was confiscated."
"Wanted? Where is Jian ge?"
"Jian ge ran."
"Ran? Where did he run? Explain it to me, what exactly happened?"
Lu Yao was going crazy, and Jing Yongli was still answering her questions as if squeezing toothpaste.
"Around three in the afternoon, Jian ge and I came out of the law firm. As soon as we got into the car, Jian ge received a call. The other party said a few words and hung up. Jian ge immediately threw his phone and car keys to me, told me someone was coming to arrest him, and then jumped out of the car, hailed a motorcycle, and left. It all happened in less than a minute.
I took out the SIM card, threw it in a nearby trash can, and then drove off, planning to go to Chunfeng Lou. I hadn't gone three minutes before I was intercepted by two police cars.
Then, the police officers questioned me, asking where Jian ge had gone. I didn't dare say Jian ge wasn't with me because they arrived too quickly. So, I said Jian ge was going to Hancheng to take a train to Xichuan, and I had just taken him to the bus station.
The officers asked me what Jian ge was going to Xichuan for. I said Jian ge had done some engineering work there last year and still had some matters to handle.
Seeing that my story was coherent, they said Jian ge was wanted nationwide due to the enormous impact of operating a casino. His bank accounts were frozen, and his cars were to be seized. They asked me to contact them immediately if I had any information about Jian ge and advised him to surrender.
They drove away with the car, so I came to find you to see if you had any acquaintances in the police station to understand the case better."
Jing Yongli had initially intended to find his cousin Yang Hui first, but thinking she didn't have many connections, Lu Yao's family had more avenues.
Lu Yao was a bit stunned. "Wanted nationwide? How could it be so serious?"
"A while ago, I was chatting with Biao Biao, and I heard him say that Li Jin's people forced someone to death with gambling debts. I suspect it's related to this."
"I'll ask Lin Nan first."
Lu Yao was now at a loss, her hands trembling as she dialed Lin Nan's number, but no one answered.
With no other choice, Lu Yao had to run back to school, drive her car out, and take Jing Yongli directly to the police station.
As soon as they arrived at the entrance, Lin Nan called back and came out to meet them.
"Yaoyao, what's so urgent that you have to come to the police station to find me?"
Lin Nan was very confused.
Lu Yao was even more surprised. "Nan ge, you don't know Yang Jian is wanted?"
"Yang Jian is wanted? Who told you? How come I don't know?"
"Just ten minutes ago, two police cars were apprehending Jian ge."
Jing Yongli recounted the incident again, but this time his story was that he had taken Yang Jian to the bus station before being intercepted by the police, omitting the details of Yang Jian receiving the phone call. After all, he wasn't familiar with Lin Nan and couldn't tell the truth.
Lin Nan frowned. "I really don't know about this, nor have I received any wanted notices. It's likely an operation by the Municipal Bureau or Provincial Department. I told him long ago that if he expanded the casino too much, it would attract the attention of the Municipal Bureau, and he should withdraw early. He just wouldn't listen, and now it's all happened."
Lu Yao was about to cry. "Nan ge, what should we do?"
"Don't worry, I'll go back to the bureau to find out and call you later."
Lin Nan said and went inside.
Waiting here wasn't an option. Lu Yao decided to pick up Yang Hui first and then return to Yang Li Village together. The elders at home needed comfort even more.
Yang Hui's health had basically recovered. Upon hearing that her brother was wanted, she became very panicked and quickly got into the car with Lu Yao to return to her maiden home.
On the way back, Jing Yongli called Biao Biao and Liang Liang separately, but both phones were switched off. He knew then that they had also been apprehended.
Then he tried calling Ah Feng's phone, and it actually went through. "Feng ge, what's the situation on your end?"
"Yongli, Biao Biao and Liang Liang were arrested. Of our people, only Ah Nan, Jun Jun, and I, Xiao Zeng, managed to escape. The rest have probably been arrested. How about Jian ge?"
"Jian ge ran. His accounts and car have been seized, and he didn't take his phone, so we can't contact him."
"It's good that he ran. Yongli, the few of us will have to lie low for a while. We'll come over once the situation calms down a bit."
"Okay, Feng ge. I hope you come back soon. With Jian ge gone, I'm afraid someone might target his businesses. Also, we're like headless flies now, not knowing what to do. You have experience, give us some advice."
"Try to contact Lu Hao. He has strong connections in Hancheng. Have him pull some strings and see if he can smooth over Jian ge's case. We are willing to pay."
"That's right! I forgot about such an important person. I'll contact him later. You guys be careful."
After hanging up, Jing Yongli didn't immediately ask Lu Yao to contact Lu Hao. She was driving and was already emotionally unstable. She couldn't be distracted at this moment.
Upon arriving at Yang Li Village, they found Wu Wangchun's car parked in front of Yang Jian's house.
Yang Hui entered the house first and saw her mother and grandmother crying. She quickly ran over and held their hands. "Mom, Grandma, why are you crying?"
"The police just came to the house and the factory to search, saying your brother is wanted. Your Uncle Wang said your brother's casino was raided by the police, and many people were arrested. Your brother's phone is unreachable, and he must have been arrested now."
After the family became wealthy, Liu Xingzhi's health improved, and her complexion was much better, but now her face was filled with panic.
"Mom, the second child ran away, he wasn't caught, don't worry."
"How can we not worry? He's wanted nationwide, how can he hide? And he can't hide forever, can he? He'll have to go to jail sooner or later."
Yang Hui had no response to this statement. The reality was that a person wanted nationwide would either hide in a corner, change their name, and never return.
Or they would surrender and accept legal punishment. This was clearly a major case. Once they surrendered, they would be sentenced to at least ten or eight years, or even longer, and their prime youth would be spent in prison.
Yang Shuanglin seemed to have aged more than ten years in an instant. He was listless, likely filled with immense regret. He had strictly disciplined his son since childhood, but in the end, he couldn't stop his son from going further and further down the wrong path, leading to this irreversible consequence.