Restarting life by going to the countryside to support medical work

Chapter 357 Face to Face

"How do you know it's a son? Did you go to the hospital for a checkup? Is that thing accurate?"

Upon hearing that his son's wife might be in trouble, Jin Zhihai immediately became anxious.

"We didn't go to the hospital. I found out by feeling my wife's pulse myself."

"Uh... you can tell the boy or girl by feeling the pulse? What are you bragging about! Come on."

After being stunned for a moment, a look of disbelief immediately appeared on Jin Zhihai's face.

"Really? I'm at least 70% to 80% sure."

Looking at his good brother's calm expression and bright eyes, Jin Zhihai had to believe it. He grinned and raised his hand to pat Li Yancheng's arm several times.

"A son is even better. Congratulations, brother. Your Li family has a successor. When the time comes, teach your son to me and I will teach our two boys how to box.

Let me make it clear first, I am the child’s godfather, uh…”

Just when he mentioned godfather, Jin Zhihai suddenly stopped, and soon he said with a chuckle: "There's no rush for godfather, no rush, you can go back and ask Xiaomin and the child's grandparents for their opinions, there will be no problem teaching him boxing."

"Stop talking nonsense." Li Yancheng raised his hand and punched his good brother in the chest.

"There's not so much to be careful about. If you're not my son's godfather, then who is? Xiao Min agreed. Her family doesn't have so many rules. They're all from humble backgrounds. Why do you think there's a gap or that one person looks down on the other?"

"Hey, let's not talk about this, Dacheng. Let's wait until your son is born. What if you are wrong and it's a daughter, right? Let me tell you, if it's a daughter, I will definitely make her my daughter-in-law."

"That's a must, that goes without saying."

"Come on, go to the bathroom."

"Let's go. When will we have a toilet in our yard? It's really too much suffering in this winter."

“Think beautifully”

As the two were talking, they just stepped out of the gate and walked down the steps, when they saw a strange tall and thin middle-aged man who had just walked past Courtyard No. 19 and was walking towards them.

"Who are you looking for, comrade?"

Seeing a stranger in the alley, Jin Zhihai asked directly.

"Uh... I want to go to Hengzhalan Hutong. I heard it's in this area."

"We've passed by." Jin Zhihai raised his hand and pointed to the east, which was the direction the tall and thin man came from.

"Go back and turn north from the intersection in front. It's Hengzhalan Hutong, which is a north-south alley."

"Thank you, thank you comrade. It's cold and there's no one outside, so I just wanted to ask someone for directions." The tall and thin man smiled and nodded, then turned around and walked back the way he came.

After watching the man turn around and walk away, the two of them also walked towards the east.

Just after walking a few steps, when Li Yancheng was about to say something, Jin Zhihai suddenly said, "Hey, Dacheng, wait for me, I forgot to bring some paper, so I'll go back and get some."

Ok?
Seeing the look in his good brother's eyes, Li Yancheng glanced at the tall and thin middle-aged man walking not far ahead without leaving a trace.

"Take more. I forgot to bring paper too."

"okay"

Watching his good brother quickly walk up the stairs and return to the yard, Li Yancheng glanced again with some confusion at the tall and thin man who was almost reaching the intersection ahead.

He knew that there must be something wrong with this man that caught Jin Zhihai's attention, otherwise he wouldn't suddenly wink and turn back to the yard.

But what should I do when I go back?
Just as he was wondering, a figure suddenly jumped out from the yard.

As soon as the figure came out, he looked to the east. Coincidentally, the tall and thin middle-aged man had already walked to the small intersection in front and turned north according to Jin Zhihai's instructions.

"Brother Dacheng, that's the guy, right?"

"what?"

The figure that suddenly jumped out from the yard was Xiao Ningning. Although she asked a question, she obviously did not intend to wait for an answer. Instead, after asking, she spread her long legs and ran to the west.

Li Yancheng was stunned by this scene. He saw Ningning running to the west. Just as he opened his mouth to call her, Jin Zhihai came out and asked hurriedly.

"Zhi Hai, what are you doing? Why did you call Ning Ning out?"

"The guy just now was a martial artist. I asked Ning Ning to go over and see who he was looking for."

Jin Zhihai's face looked a little solemn. After walking down the steps at the door, he took out a cigarette and threw it over.

"Martial artist?" Hearing his good brother's words, Li Yancheng turned his head to the east with some surprise, but of course he couldn't see anything.

He turned back and asked, "How do you know he is a martial artist?"

"Hands, walking posture, the rest is just a feeling. I can't explain it clearly even if you ask me to. Let's see who he is looking for first."

Jin Zhihai successfully aroused Li Yancheng's interest in this way. Without even talking about going to the bathroom, the two of them just stood at the door waiting.

Just over ten minutes later, Ningning came running over from the east, panting.

"Brother, Brother Dacheng, that man...that man didn't even stop at Hengzhalan Hutong. He just left."

"You followed him and watched?"

"No, he wasn't walking fast. I ran past him and entered the Feng family's yard. I watched him walk through the crack in the door."

Hearing his sister say this, Jin Zhihai narrowed his eyes.

Li Yancheng now understood that there was something fishy about the man just now. At least he didn't seem to be going to Hengzhalan Hutong to look for someone as he said.

So why did he come here on a snowy day? And why did he lie?

"Is it a thief? Want to steal something? Or is he here to scout the place?"

"It's impossible for someone to steal things at this time. Today is Sunday and most people are home. It's also unlikely for someone to come and scout the house at this time. Whether there's anyone in the house or not, the lights are basically off and it's impossible to tell at all from the outside.

I think that guy came here for something else.

And judging from the way he walked just now, his leg skills should be average, and his main skill is his hands.

Okay, Ningning, go inside quickly. You've been sweating a lot, don't catch a cold."

After refuting Li Yancheng's point of view, Jin Zhihai raised his hand and rubbed his sister's head, letting her go back first.

"Okay, Brother Dacheng, I'll go back first."

"Come in quickly."

While I was standing outside, it was already getting dark.

Under normal circumstances, the sun sets around five o'clock in Beijing in winter, and it becomes dark about half an hour after the sun sets.

It was snowing today and the sky was very gloomy, so it was dark at just before five o'clock.

After his sister went back, Jin Zhihai said, "Dacheng, I want to go to the main road over there to take a look. I am a little worried about that person just now."

"I'll accompany you."

"No, I mean we should both go back and change our clothes first, and it would be best if we put on a hat to cover it up, so that even if we run into that guy face to face we won't be recognized right away.

I'll go to the road over there and look, you go to the east and keep an eye out."

"no problem"

"Take your gun with you and be careful. Even if you see someone, you don't have to follow them. Just take a quick look. Don't be too deliberate. Maybe they're fine and I'm just being overly suspicious."

"I know"

As for tracking and stalking, even though he has been working in the Social Affairs Bureau for more than a year, Li Yancheng has never tried it.

Jin Zhihai was different. He had done all these when he worked in the police station. After he moved to criminal investigation, he often did surveillance and tracking, and he knew very well what to do.

Li Yancheng did not change his clothes after returning home. He put on the coat he was issued when he was in the army, and then put on a cotton hat with earmuffs on his head. Then he put his hands into his sleeves and bent his back. His image immediately changed.

The two men said something to their wives, then followed the direction they had just arranged, walked out of the courtyard and quickly disappeared into the snowy night.

……

The tall and thin middle-aged man just now was Niu Weiping who came to explore the way in advance.

He also didn't expect that he would meet the target person face to face.

Although Lao Tian told him that there was an expert next to the target and that close combat would not lead to any consequences, and he had already decided to shoot and kill the target from a distance, he still had some hope, which led to what happened today.

The main reason why he didn't give up was that he didn't want to make things worse.

Shooting in Beijing was not a good option, so he tried his best to make as little noise as possible.

Although he didn't know Jin Mingyang's son, he was certain from the quick encounter that the person talking to him must be the criminal investigator Jin Zhihai that Lao Tian mentioned.

He could tell at a glance that he had the aura of someone who had practiced martial arts.

He did not dare to stay there any longer. He turned into Hengzhalan Hutong and walked north all the way to Nafu Hutong. He then continued north along Nafu Hutong to Huanghuamen Street, and then walked west to Di'anmennei Street before slowing down his pace.

Niu Weiping felt a little annoyed at this time.

He knew that his exploration today was too reckless.

He had just met the real boss and Jin Mingyang's son. He didn't know whether the real boss could see anything, but he was sure that Jin Mingyang's son could also feel the aura of martial arts training on him.

But it's too late to regret now. Let's just meet them. Even if the other party is suspicious of him, it's impossible for him to judge what he really wants to do.

He thought so, and walked north along the main road. Since it was unlikely that he could attack at close range, he would find a suitable place on the target's way to and from get off work and shoot from a distance.

As he walked along, he carefully looked around, looking for something he liked while also finding a place that would be convenient for him to retreat.

On the other hand, Old Tian, ​​Tian Sanbao, who brought the task to Niu Weiping yesterday, was a little surprised and confused at this time.

He had done a lot for that person over the years and had quietly accumulated a lot of wealth. If he were to die without even enjoying it, he felt that he would be at a great loss.

So he decided to give it a try no matter what.

But at the same time, he was still full of doubts about the task that was suddenly assigned to him.

It's been quite a while since I've been doing the dirty work for that guy.

Although there have been such clearing missions before, the people who needed to be eliminated were completely different from this time.

Anyway, he felt that this mission was quite risky.

In his impression, that person's personality didn't seem like someone who would like to do something with such huge risks.

And as far as he knew, the target person to be eliminated this time should have almost no intersection with that person.

Could it be that that person had done something that made him a target of the Social Affairs Bureau, so they wanted to eliminate this target person with incredible special abilities?
From the moment he received the task, Tian Sanbao felt that it was a little unbelievable and there was something weird about the matter.

As I said, he has been following Tan Guangming for quite some time. He started working for him right after liberation and did a lot of dirty and tiring work. Although people like him are not considered presentable, he has not even seen that person in the past ten years.

Every time he took a mission, he acted like an underground worker meeting someone, taking the mission in a fixed secret place. But to be honest, in terms of the level of understanding, he might be more knowledgeable than the staff around him.

Tian Sanbao paced around the room feeling somewhat melancholy.

Although he was ready to run away, to be honest, he really didn't want to leave here unless it was absolutely necessary.

Having lived here for more than 40 years, he is familiar with everything here and doesn't know if he has the ability to survive in an unfamiliar place.

"cha"

After letting out a long sigh, he turned around and sat by the stove, struck a match and lit a cigarette.

As soon as the cigarette was lit, there was a rustling sound coming from the inner room. Soon the door of the inner room opened, and a woman with slightly messy hair and a flowered cotton jacket with the buttons unbuttoned walked out. She looked to be in her early thirties and had a pretty appearance.

After the woman came out of the house, she saw Tian Sanbao sitting by the stove, frowning and smoking. She was slightly startled, but did not say anything. Instead, she walked to the table in the outer room, took out the thermos and filled the teacup on the table with some water, then walked over with the teacup.

"Third brother, drink some water."

The woman's voice woke Lao Tian up from his thoughts. He didn't say anything, but just waved his hand to indicate that he didn't want to drink.

Seeing this, the woman turned around and put the enamel teacup in her hand back on the table, then pulled out a small stool and sat down beside the stove, stretching out her hands and placing them on Lao Tian's knees.

"Third brother, you seem to be worried these past two days. Did something unpleasant happen to you?"

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." Old Tian shook his head, put the cigarette in his right hand to his lips, took out a stack of money and food coupons from his pocket, and stuffed them into the woman's hand on his knees without even counting.

Looking at the stack of money that amounted to at least two or three hundred yuan and an unknown number of food coupons, the woman's expression was obviously a little dazed. After several seconds, she raised her eyes and looked at Tian Sanbao.

"Third brother, what do you mean?"

"It's nothing. Today is the eleventh day of the twelfth lunar month, and the New Year is just around the corner. I need to buy some New Year's goods for the family. It doesn't matter whether the adults wear new clothes or not, but I have to make new clothes for the children. There are some cloth and cotton coupons in there. You can buy some cloth to make clothes for your two daughters.

There are not many meat coupons, but they are enough for your family to make dumplings for the New Year, or you can use the grain coupons to find someone to exchange for some meat coupons.

Don't come over during this period. I have some things to deal with here. I won't be home these days. I will say hello to you when I am done. "

Having said that, Tian Sanbao raised his left hand and placed it on the woman's face, rubbing it twice with his thumb.

"Okay, it's getting late, you should go back now. It's not snowing heavily yet."

After saying this, he withdrew his hand and gently patted the woman's hand on his knee twice.

No matter how slow the woman's reaction was, she realized that something was wrong.

"Third brother, I know I shouldn't ask. I've been with you for five years and I've never asked you what you did, but this time I really can't help it. What happened to you this time? Is there any danger in what you are going to do?"

Looking at the anxious look on the woman's face, Tian Sanbao smiled faintly and patted the hand on his knee again.

"Okay, Xiaoru, you know I won't answer your question. What I have to do this time is very important, and I probably won't have time until the New Year.

As for your question about whether it is dangerous, everything I do is dangerous, including being with you, isn't there the risk of being caught by the police?

Hehe...Okay, don't think too much, I'll find you when I'm done. "

Looking at this woman who had to follow him for various reasons and has been with him for five years now, and who is not his wife but is better than his wife, Tian Sanbao felt a sense of reluctance in his heart.

But he soon regained control, stood up, pulled the woman up, reached out to help her button up her cotton jacket, took a blue striped cotton coat from the clothes hook behind the door and put it on her, then put on her scarf and mask and handed her the gloves.

"Go back, it's getting late."

The woman stared blankly at the man in front of her doing something he had never done for her in the past five years, and the uneasiness in her heart became more and more intense.

She suddenly had a premonition that this separation might be forever.

Thinking of this, she suddenly threw herself into Tian Sanbao's arms, hugged him tightly with both arms, and let the money and tickets in her hands fall to the ground.

After a long time, the two separated. Lao Tian bent down and picked up the money and tickets that fell on the ground one by one, sorted them out, and stuffed them into the woman's coat pocket.

Without saying anything, he pushed her shoulders and walked out of the house. Just like that, the two of them walked to the door in silence.

"I will come to find you when I'm done with this. Before I find you, you are not allowed to come here. If you still have Third Brother in your heart, then listen to me.

Go back, be safe on the road and take good care of the children. "

After saying this, Lao Tian didn't care that the woman was still standing there staring at him blankly. He turned around and walked into the door, closing it behind him.

The woman standing outside looked at the closed door and couldn't help but burst into tears.

She clenched her teeth tightly to prevent herself from making any sound. After taking a deep look at the door, she turned and headed east.

Listening to the footsteps gradually fading away outside, Tian Sanbao, who was leaning against the door, let out a long sigh, bolted the door, and then walked into the house.

Soon, he came out of the house carrying a bag, reached out to turn off the light in the house, closed the door, walked to the front door, looked out through the crack for a while, and after making sure that there was no one outside, he unbolted the door, opened the door and walked out.

After going out, he first glanced at the empty east alley, then put down the bag in his hand, turned around and locked the door. Looking at the padlock, he sighed again, bent down to pick up the bag on the ground, and walked quickly in the opposite direction the woman had just left.

At this time, the woman had reached the entrance of the alley. When she got here, she stopped and looked back into the alley.

Unfortunately, the dim street lights did not allow her to see the small courtyard she had just come out of while standing here.

She raised her hand to wipe the tears from her face. As if she felt there were too many tears on her face, she took off her gloves and reached into her coat pocket to take out a handkerchief.

As soon as she put her hands in her pockets, the expression on her face changed, and then she lowered her head in surprise.

When her hand came out of her pocket, she took out not only a handkerchief, but also a square folded paper and a...

Is this a bank passbook?
Although she had never deposited money in a bank, she had seen other people's bank passbooks. She was very sure that the small red and white notebook with slightly hard paper in her hand was a bank passbook.

But where did this come from?

Before this question completely emerged in her mind, she realized what was going on.

Without bothering to look at the passbook, she hurriedly opened the folded square piece of paper.

Sure enough, just as she thought, the piece of paper was the message written by her third brother to her.

In the light of the street lamp, she scanned the familiar and messy handwriting and the content on the paper, and more tears welled up in her eyes.

She stuffed the things in her hands into her pockets, raised her hand and wiped it casually on her face, then turned and ran into the alley.

Maybe she didn't step firmly, or maybe the thin snow on the ground was a little slippery, and she stumbled and fell to the ground after just two steps.

As if she felt no pain, the woman climbed up using her hands and feet and continued to run forward.

However, the padlock on the yard gate reminded her that it was too late.

……

"Dacheng, who were you and Zhihai chasing after at that time?"

The night gradually deepened, and the snow outside was falling heavier and heavier, in the west wing of the main house in the backyard of No. 20 Meishan East Hutong.

Luo Min lay in the warm quilt, leaning comfortably in her man's broad arms. Suddenly she thought of what happened at around five o'clock, and asked curiously.

"We were about to go to the bathroom, and just as we were leaving the house, we ran into a strange middle-aged man..."

Li Yancheng told his wife what had happened before.

After the two of them went out and looked around, they couldn't find anyone. Worried that it might be a misjudgment, Jin Zhihai went to visit more than a dozen courtyards in Hengzhalan Hutong one by one.

After confirming that no residents had any guests at their homes today and that there was no tall, thin, middle-aged man, Jin Zhihai knew that his judgment was correct and that there was definitely something wrong with that man.

But he couldn't tell what the problem was exactly. After searching everywhere in vain, he could only call the neighborhood committee and the local police station.

Sitting in the bed, with one hand around his wife's soft body, Li Yancheng stretched out his left hand and picked up the cardboard clip, paper and pen that he had specially prepared before going to bed, placed them on her arched legs and slowly drew on them.

"Hey, Dacheng, you can also draw with your left hand?"

Luo Min seemed to have discovered a new world, and her big eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Li Yancheng definitely can't draw, but it's not that he can't, because he has never learned it. However, after traveling through time, he gained the traditional Chinese medicine heritage, which includes the skill of drawing herbs.

So, although he couldn't draw other things, he had no problem drawing Chinese herbal medicines.

(End of this chapter)