Courtyard house: Just the right amount of pressure, leaving you bewildered but not brain-damaged.

Seeing Gao Xiaosheng walk into the crowd, Yi Zhonghai's eyes lit up. He took two steps forward, ready to try and get closer to him.

I've already thought of my explanation: a close neighbor is worse than a distant relative.

Although Gao Xiaosheng had some misunderstandings with Yan Bugui and Jia Zhangshi on the first day of his stay, those were minor issues, and things have been peaceful these past few days.

"Xiao Gao, what are you dawdling for? Hurry up and come here. I've been helping you so much that I'm practically the main character, and you don't do anything all day."

Li Shuguo shoved Jia Dongxu hard, and continued to berate Gao Xiaosheng without stopping.

"Here he comes! I knew Brother Li was capable, really good."

Gao Xiaosheng jogged a few steps and led Jia Dongxu outside.

Yi Zhonghai shook his head, the light in his eyes dimming once more.

Xiao Gao is nobody, but he acts all high and mighty in the courtyard. He calls himself a security officer, and he thinks he can handle everything the police station is supposed to handle.

As a result, this is it?

What's the difference between this and himself?

They're all just showing off in front of the neighbors, but when they actually get to the factory, a mid-level fitter in the logistics workshop is nothing.

After Li Shuguo and Gao Xiaosheng left the gate, they both turned around and looked back at each other. Seeing that no one was around, they smiled at each other.

Li Shuguo raised his chin at Gao Xiaosheng and blinked repeatedly, conveying a clear message—wasn't your acting amazing just now?

Gao Xiaosheng nodded silently, and the hand that was holding Jia Dongxu's arm subtly gave a thumbs up.

"Go inside and think carefully about how you're going to explain yourself later. If you dare to try anything funny, see how I deal with you!"

Upon arriving at the detention cell, Li Shuguo opened the door and gave Jia Dongxu a hard shove in the back.

Jia Dongxu stumbled and fell over the threshold. Afraid of getting his foot caught in the door, he had to roll on the ground.

"We'll have a smoke while we go in and interrogate you. Just stay put."

Before closing the gate, Li Shuguo left a message.

Jia Dongxu shakily got up, turned around in place, and scanned the simple detention cell.

Behind a desk were two chairs, and opposite was an interrogation chair for prisoners. Sunlight streamed through the only small window, shining onto the desk.

The entire detention cell was divided into two halves by sunlight, one bright and one dark.

"Hehe, Xiao Gao, no, Brother Sheng."

As soon as the door closed, Li Shuguo seemed like a different person. With a fawning expression, he took out a Daqianmen cigarette from his pocket, first handing one to Gao Xiaosheng, and then respectfully lit it for him with a match.

"Brother Sheng, you've set the stage for me to perform a one-man show today, so I'm not saying anything more. From now on, your business is my business, and I, Old Li, won't even flinch!"

Li Shuguo thumped his chest loudly, speaking more openly. Despite being three years older than Gao Xiaosheng, he addressed him as "Brother Sheng" quite naturally.

"Old Li, you said it yourself. If I ever have a case, you'll be the first person I ask for help with."

With a cigarette dangling from his mouth, Gao Xiaosheng tilted his head and patted Li Shuguo on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, Brother Sheng. A real man keeps his word. Besides, it's a good thing to have a case. I'm too busy fighting for it to back down."

Gao Xiaosheng nodded in satisfaction. The factory's first iron-willed underling had been successfully recruited.

Since Li Shuguo likes to show off, let's indulge him to the fullest.

Gao Xiaosheng is all too aware of the price of being "capable".

As long as the case can be solved, there will be endless cases to solve. Even if the steel mill is calm, there are still police stations and public security bureaus. They can issue a temporary transfer order, and the security department will dare not release the person.

This is exactly the same as the saying that those who can endure hardship have endless hardships, and those who can work have endless work.

Gao Xiaosheng has no intention of being a hardworking, selfless workhorse. He wants to accumulate lottery chances and have a rich and colorful life. He can't just throw himself into work all day. That's what life is all about.

"Let's go in and interrogate that pretty boy. Old Li, you handle the questioning, I'll take care of the physical work, okay?"

After stubbing out his cigarette, Gao Xiaosheng was the first to walk towards the detention room.

"Brother Sheng, I'm fine with anything, I'll do whatever you say."

Li Shuguo was still basking in the glory of his public display of skill, his heart bubbling with happiness, and his smile was harder to suppress than an AK.

"Okay, you go first."

Upon reaching the door, Gao Xiaosheng moved aside and stood behind Li Shuguo like a follower.

To make the act convincing, Jia Dongxu and everyone in the compound had to believe that he was just a nobody in the security department.

Otherwise, those beasts wouldn't dare create opportunities for him to stage accidents to accumulate lottery winnings.

"Snap"

"Jia Dongxu, have you thought it through? Will you honestly confess or continue to resist?"

Entering the detention cell, Li Shuguo sat down in a chair with an air of authority, slammed his notebook on the table, and asked sternly.

"Confess, confess, I'll confess everything." Jia Dongxu trembled like a leaf, nodding repeatedly.

Gao Xiaosheng stood in front of Jia Dongxu, turned his head to look at Li Shuguo, and as if receiving some instruction, grabbed Jia Dongxu's arm and dragged him back, forcibly pressing him onto the interrogation chair.

"Tell me, when did you start smuggling scrap metal to sell for money?"

"I stole a total of 18 kilograms of cigarettes in three separate incidents since a week ago. I sold them at the scrap yard for 7,200 yuan and bought a pack of economy cigarettes and two packs of Daqianmen cigarettes."

"..."

Li Shuguo only asked one question, but Jia Dongxu wanted to tell him everything that had happened this week.

How did they deceive Master Yi Zhonghai into applying for scrap materials? How much did they polish during the day? And how did they take it out after get off work?

Everything, big or small, was explained clearly and in detail.

"Hmm..." Li Shuguo nodded, letting out a long nasal sound.

Jia Dongxu talked so much that he didn't know what to ask next.

"Slap slap."

Standing next to Jia Dongxu, Gao Xiaosheng heard Li Shuguo's voice and, without a second's delay, slapped him twice across the face.

"Hey, Gao Xiaosheng, why did you hit me!"

Jia Dongxu was terrified of Li Shuguo, but Gao Xiaosheng was his neighbor whom he saw every day, so he wasn't afraid of him at all.

"Jia Dongxu, don't try to fool me. Tell the truth, when exactly did this start?"

Gao Xiaosheng's acting skills are definitely not a problem. He first exchanged glances with Li Shuguo before taking on the role of "mouth double".

Well, actually he was just looking for opportunities to accumulate lottery chances.

"Jia Dongxu, let me tell you, you'd better put away those petty thoughts of avoiding the important issues and tell the truth. Don't wait until we have to use our methods against you before you regret it."

Although Li Shuguo didn't fully understand Gao Xiaosheng's intentions, he reacted quickly and followed up with some harsh words.

"Don't, don't resort to such methods."

Jia Dongxu was so anxious he was about to cry. He squeezed his legs together, as if he would lose control of his bladder if he relaxed even slightly.

"I...I'm not lying to you, I really only stole three times."

"Oh, right, I didn't explain clearly. I did have money to buy cigarettes, but I gave it to Officer Zhang from the neighborhood office. Gao Xiaosheng can testify for me."

"..."

"I really didn't have any money to buy cigarettes, so I decided to turn to waste materials."

"Waaaaah."

Jia Dongxu finally couldn't hold back and covered his face, crying uncontrollably.

He had embarrassed himself before, such as being chased and beaten by He Yuzhu in the courtyard.

But I've never made such a fool of myself in the factory.

Now not only have they completely lost face, but they also have to beg Gao Xiaosheng to testify for them. They're so humiliated.