The Red Era: Living in Seclusion in a Siheyuan as a Boss

Chapter 535 "Dumpling Shop (revised)!"

Liu Zhiye and his wife felt that it was a "big family event" that their daughter's boyfriend was the first to come to their house!
It was the first time the couple met their "future son-in-law" and also the first time Zhong Xingguo accepted this "family test".

Liu Zhiye feels that as an elder, when receiving the "future son-in-law", one must be both enthusiastic and tactful, making the other party feel the warmth of home, while also demonstrating one's own grace and wisdom.

As a father, this was the first time he had faced such a situation in this life and the previous one.

However, Liu Zhiye also had the experience of being a "prospective son-in-law" for the first time, so he followed suit.

Zhong Xingguo sat on the sofa opposite him, looking a little uneasy.

Liu Zhiye looked at him, smiled slightly, and said, "Xiao Zhong, I'm not a leader in this family. I'm just Shuxian's father. Just call me Uncle Liu. Don't be so restrained."

"Okay, Uncle Liu!" Zhong Xingguo nodded in response, and nodded nervously at the same time.

Liu Zhiye did not ask Zhong Xingguo where he was from, who were the people there, and other questions like that like others did. Instead, he asked calmly, "Can you tell me how you and Shuxian met?"

Zhong Xingguo thought to himself, “Here it comes, here it comes…”, and then he slowly told the story of four years ago: “At that time, I had just returned from southern Xinjiang and was going home to visit my relatives and my younger brother who was studying at Yan University…”

After hearing this, Liu Zhiye's eyes lit up and he said, "Oh, you actually have a younger brother, and he is a top student at Yan University after the college entrance examination was resumed. Your parents are really amazing. It's not easy to train both of you brothers into talents!"

"Are your parents in good health? How is the situation at home..."

"Uncle Liu, Aunt Gan, to be honest, my family is from the countryside, and my parents are simple farmers. Our family was very poor back then, and only one of my brother and I could go to college. My younger brother was better at studying than me, so he went to Yan University, while I chose to join the army..." Zhong Xingguo narrated slowly.

"I know this clearly. Back then, when Xiao Zhong, a college student, came to join the army, it caused quite a stir in our military region..." Liu Zhiye said to Gan Ning with a smile on his face.

Gan Ning smiled and responded, "Xiao Zhong is indeed very outstanding. Although he was not able to go to college, he was admitted to the military academy after making meritorious contributions in the army. He is already a battalion-level cadre at a young age."

At first, Gan Ning was opposed to their affairs.

However, when she gradually understood Zhong Xingguo's situation, her attitude changed and she gradually became satisfied.

Zhong Xingguo came from a mountain village, but even in such an environment, this family actually raised two outstanding college students, which is truly not easy.

One of them graduated from Yan University and successfully got a job in a certain unit; the other became an officer.

It is conceivable that such a family is also honest, hardworking and motivated.

After chatting for a while and learning about Zhong Xingguo's family situation.

The couple looked at each other and noticed the satisfaction in each other's eyes.

Liu Zhiye looked at Zhong Xingguo, and was serious for a while, then showed a kind smile: "I know you have performed very well in the army, I won't say much about your work, now I hand my daughter to you, I hope you can be responsible for her."

Zhong Xingguo stood up straight, saluted solemnly, and answered loudly: "Please rest assured, I will definitely treat Xiaoxian well!"

Liu Zhiye smiled cheerfully and said happily, "Okay, let's eat and talk while we eat!"

Then, he looked at Zhong Xingguo and asked, "Xiao Zhong, can you drink?"

Since his future father-in-law had asked him this, even though Zhong Xingguo could not drink much, he had no choice but to answer, "I can drink."

Liu Shuxian, who was standing by, quietly tugged at his shirt and whispered, "I'm telling you not to be stubborn. My dad drinks a lot, no one can beat him."

"Dad, Zhong Xingguo can't drink, don't force him to drink!"

He was helpless with his own daughter, so he vented his anger on Zhong Xingguo, "Xiao Zhong, as a soldier, how can you not drink? I have a few bottles of internal supply here, let's get rid of them today!"

At this moment, Liu Tielin walked in in a hurry, "Hey! Why didn't you call me when you had good wine? You are so unkind!"

Liu Tielin greeted with a smile on his face: "Brother! Sister-in-law!"

"Hey, Tielin is here!" Gan Ning stood up to greet him.

As soon as Liu Shuxian saw her uncle Liu Tielin, she quickly pulled Zhong Xingguo up and introduced him, "Second Uncle, you are here. This is my boyfriend Zhong Xingguo."

Seeing that her second uncle was quite dignified, Zhong Xingguo thought to himself that this man was no ordinary person, so he hurriedly greeted him: "Hello, uncle!"

Liu Tielin nodded slightly: "It's Xiao Zhong, welcome!"

Liu Zhiye said with a smile: "You came at the right time. The banquet is about to start. Let's have a meal together."

Liu Tielin didn't make any formalities with his brother and sat down next to Zhong Xingguo casually.

"Brother, I only eat and don't drink. I'm busy with a big case recently and I have to go back in the afternoon."

Zhong Xingguo asked from the side: "Second uncle is a police officer?"

Liu Shuxian nodded slightly and replied softly: "Well, my second uncle is now in the Municipal Bureau..."

Zhong Xingguo's heart sank suddenly, and he wondered to himself, what kind of family is this?

"Will I be a gigolo from now on?"

Liu Zhiye frowned, "What case is it that requires you to go in person?" He had worked in this system for several years and was quite familiar with the ins and outs of it.

Liu Tielin sighed, "Hey, have you ever heard of a major case in West D..."

Liu Shuxian, who was a reporter, was very interested in this kind of major news event and said hurriedly, "Hey, Uncle, please tell us what kind of case this is!"

When Gan Ning heard the word “baozi”, he felt disgusted and said, “We’re eating right now, can’t you guys talk about something else?

Liu Tielin quickly said, "Yes, yes, let's talk about it after we finish eating, otherwise no one will be able to eat this meal!"

After dinner, Liu Shuxian eagerly asked her second uncle to talk about the case.

The case was about to be closed and the confidentiality requirements were not so strict, so Liu Tielin talked about what he could.

It turns out that this matter has to start with Guo Kai, an old subordinate of Liu Tielin...

After the reform and opening up, there was a delicious steamed bun shop in Xidan.
"Boss, your meat buns are so special, so delicious!"

Customers who have eaten there have praised the food highly, and the shop's business is booming.

In the bustling area of ​​West D, Guo Kailai's home is like a small safe haven, and he himself is a highly respected forensic expert in the area.

Every morning, when the first ray of sunshine fills the street, Lao Guo's life begins his unique rhythm.

On this day, Lao Guo's wife had to attend an urgent morning meeting at the company, so she gently told him to take care of his own breakfast and then hurried out.

Lao Guo has long been accustomed to such arrangements, and his heart is full of understanding and support for his wife.

Looking back on the first few years when he became a forensic pathologist, Lao Guo’s breakfast time was always full of challenges.

At that time, faced with the pungent stench of corpses in the dissection room, he found it difficult to eat even the most delicious breakfast, and often gave up after just a few bites.

However, as the years passed and experience accumulated, Lao Guo gradually got used to the particularity of this job, and could even enjoy a leisurely breakfast next to the dissection room, enjoying that unique smell.

That morning, Lao Guo heard that there was a steamed bun shop nearby, which was so famous that it had spread throughout Xidan.

So he decided to give himself a chance to taste this legendary delicacy.

The streets in the early morning have not yet fully woken up, but a long queue has already formed in front of the steamed bun shop.

Seeing this scene, Lao Guo secretly thanked God that he did not come to the wrong place.

He stood at the end of the line, waiting patiently.

During this time, he heard the conversation between the two uncles in front of him.

One of the uncles curiously asked another: "Old Wang, I see you come to this bun shop every day. Are the buns here really that delicious?"

After hearing this, Lao Wang laughed out loud and said proudly, "My grandson has very picky tastes, but he has a special liking for this bun shop.

To be honest, the buns here have thin skin, large fillings and delicious taste. They are definitely worth a try.”

After hearing this, Lao Guo became even more interested in this steamed bun shop.

He imagined the steaming buns with soft crust and juicy filling, and couldn't help swallowing.

Finally it was Lao Guo's turn. He walked to the counter and said to the boss, "Two meat buns, please."

The boss looked up at him and said with a smile: "Brother, you look unfamiliar. Is this your first time eating at our restaurant? If you think the food is delicious, you are welcome to come again next time!"

Lao Guo went out in a hurry early this morning, with an empty stomach. He just wanted to get to the office quickly so that he could take out the delicious food hidden in his bag - buns from XiD Bun Shop.

He suppressed his hunger and carefully protected the breakfast, fearing that he would be tempted by the gluttony on the way.

When Lao Guo sat down at the office, his apprentice Xiao Li came over, his eyes lit up, pointed at the buns in Lao Huang's hand and said, "Master, do you also like the buns from the Xidan store? I always have to wait until the break and sneak out to buy them, for fear of being discovered by the boss!"

Old Guo smiled and nodded, thinking to himself, this kid is really greedy.

He took a light bite of the bun, and the delicious soup instantly burst in his mouth, filling the air with fragrance, making him want to take another bite.

However, Lao Guo frowned. The filling tasted a little unusual. He tried to identify it, but couldn't guess what kind of meat it was made of. "Why is this meat filling so strange?" Lao Guo said to himself.

Out of curiosity about food and responsibility for his health, he decided to explore it further.

So he carefully tore open the bun, revealing the meat filling inside.

After seeing this, Lao Guo was even more surprised. The owner of this bun shop was really honest. He gave so much meat, and the skin was thin and the filling was big. Just looking at it made people's appetite increase.

However, the greasy look on the meat filling made him hesitate.

Lao Guo leaned in and smelled the meat filling. A familiar yet strange smell entered his nostrils.

He tried hard to recall where he had smelled this scent before, but he just couldn't remember.

He took another bite of the bun, and the greasy feeling lingered in his mouth for a long time, making him feel more and more that something was wrong the more he ate.

"There's something wrong with this bun!" Lao Guo, who had many years of forensic experience, was shocked and quickly put down the bun in his hand.

He didn't dare to take the risk again, so he decided to send the bun to the laboratory for testing.

The next day, the test results came out.

Lao Guo took the report nervously and saw the shocking number at a glance - 80% of the ingredients in the bun filling are!

"Eighty percent... doesn't that mean I'm eating..." Lao Guo couldn't imagine that he almost swallowed something like this.

He felt nauseous and his stomach was churning, as if he was about to vomit out the bite of bun he had just eaten.

With trembling hands, he held the test report tightly in his hand, his heart filled with fear and anger.

Lao Guo suppressed his inner discomfort and reported the shocking discovery in detail to his colleagues.

This matter was of great importance and soon alarmed the leaders of the branch office.

The three of them acted quickly, worked overtime to organize all the relevant information, and then submitted it to their superiors in a hurry.

As soon as Liu Tielin saw the information, he immediately realized the seriousness of the case. He made a prompt decision and set up a special task force to specifically handle this matter.

The members of the task force were fully aware that time was running out, so they held an emergency meeting overnight to discuss countermeasures.

In order to prevent the murderer from committing crimes again, their first task is to determine whether the murderer acted alone or in a gang.

If the murderer is alone, then they must immediately launch a capture operation.

Therefore, the members of the task force began to secretly stake out around the bun shop, closely monitoring any suspicious movements.

One day, Li Xiaoman, the owner of the steamed bun shop, suddenly closed the door and left in a hurry.

Seeing this, the members of the task force were extremely anxious, but in order not to alert the other party, they remained silent and continued to wait patiently.

It was not until sunset that Li Xiaoman, the owner of the steamed bun shop, finally came back, but there was a young man beside him.

This made the members of the task force feel a little nervous. Who is this person?

Everyone's mood suddenly became complicated.

As the night deepened, the entire city was immersed in tranquility, but the members of the task force did not dare to let their guard down.

They know that the best opportunity to catch someone may come at the next second.

At this moment, a scream suddenly came from the bun shop, which sounded extremely harsh in the quiet night.

The task force leader Liu Tielin immediately realized that the situation was not good and decisively ordered an arrest.

The arrest team acted quickly. They broke into the house. Although they were mentally prepared, the scene before them still made them stand there in shock, and their scalps began to tingle...

Li Xiaoman was seen standing there with a rolling pin in his hand, looking terrified.

The young man had already fallen to the ground, with blood all over the ground...

Two investigators from the task force quickly stepped forward, subdued the bun shop owner Li Xiaoman, and brought him back to the police station for interrogation.

At the same time, the task force also found a small amount of human tissue in the refrigerator of the steamed bun shop, and dug out key evidence such as skulls from the pile of earth in the middle of the yard.

All this shows that the bun shop owner is inextricably linked to a series of vicious cases.

As the investigation by the task force deepened, the owner of the bun shop finally confessed his crimes.

All of this started from a seemingly ordinary morning.

That day, a young man walked into the store and shouted for four buns.

Li Xiaoman was quite happy, thinking that business was finally coming to him.

But unexpectedly, this young man had a quirk. He didn't like to eat the bun skin. He would just peel it off and eat the stuffing inside, then throw the skin away.

Li Xiaoman saw it and was worried.

He thought, these crops were grown with great effort, how could they be wasted like this?

So, he kindly advised the young man not to waste it and to eat the skin as well.

But the young man not only didn't appreciate it, but also said rudely, "Look at your bun skin, it's ugly and hard, how can you eat it?"

This sentence hit Li Xiaoman's sore spot.

His steamed buns have not been selling well because they don’t look good.

When the young man said this, Li Xiaoman became furious.

In a fit of impulse, Li Xiaoman picked up the rolling pin at hand and hit the young man on the head.

The young man didn't dodge and took the blow head-on, then fell to the ground with a thump.

Li Xiaoman thought he had just fainted, so he helped him into the store, intending to give him a good lecture after he woke up.

But this wait lasted for two hours.

When Li Xiaoman finished his work and went to see the young man, he found that he was still lying on the table, motionless.

Li Xiaoman's heart skipped a beat and he quickly went forward to feel his breath, only to find that the young man had stopped breathing.

At this point, Li Xiaoman panicked. "I... I killed someone..."

He knew that he had caused a big disaster. In order to cover up his crime and save his own life, he made a crazy decision - to kill the young man completely...

However, what Li Xiaoman never expected was that the steamed buns he launched unexpectedly became a hit in the market, attracting a large number of diners.

This sudden success made him gradually lose himself and be consumed by greed and desire.

As demand surged, the "main ingredients" originally prepared were quickly consumed.

In order to meet the growing sales, Li Xiaoman began to turn his attention to more dangerous areas.

He noticed an old couple who made a living by beating cotton. They were outsiders and were unknown in this place. Even if they disappeared, it would not attract much attention.

So, Li Xiaoman lured the innocent old couple into the bun shop on the pretext of needing to fluff cotton, and brutally killed them, committing the crime...

At the same time, the cruel Li Xiaoman did not stop his evil steps.

He became obsessed with researching and developing ways to make buns more delicious to satisfy diners' increasingly discerning tastes.

After repeated attempts, he found that boiling... into oil and then adding it to the fillings in batches could give the buns an indescribable delicious taste.

This discovery made him ecstatic, and also made him continue his evil deeds even more unscrupulously.

As the bun shop's business becomes more and more prosperous, more and more people come to buy buns.

However, this also gradually exposed Li Xiaoman's true colors.

His behavior became more and more rampant, and he even began to blatantly lure thin young people from other places into his bun shop under the pretext of recruiting workers.

However, the net of heaven is vast and nothing can escape it.

After receiving multiple reports of missing persons, the Municipal Bureau conducted careful investigations and checks and finally targeted this seemingly ordinary steamed bun shop.

In a late-night raid, Li Xiaoman was successfully captured and the young man who was about to become his next victim was rescued.

"Ah, this person is simply mentally perverted..." After listening to this, Liu Shuxian decided to report this case.

(End of this chapter)