From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

He's been in the black market for so many years, relying on his audacity. Tonight, his deal, which he thought was foolproof, was caught red-handed by us.

The moment the siren sounded, the black minivan panicked completely, hastily reversed, scraped its rear end hard against the wall by the alley, and forced its way to a U-turn.

But it was too late.

Two police cars have blocked the main road at the entrance of the alley, completely blocking the evacuation route.

The car headlights illuminated the dark alleyway, and the police quickly got out of the car, holding body cameras, and surrounded the area.

"Don't move! Everyone stop right there!"

The commercial vehicle was forced to shut down and stop.

The car door was opened, and a man in black inside was immediately apprehended.

Guo Pangzi's legs went weak and he couldn't even stand up. He surrendered on the spot.

Su Qing and I stepped forward, proactively showed our identities to the police officers on duty, reported the situation, submitted complete video evidence, and presented the original pawn and mortgage contract, payment records, and proof of ownership of the items.

After watching the video and verifying all the materials, the police officers instantly understood the cause and effect.

The case is simple and straightforward.

Privately owned legally mortgaged items can be redeemed normally upon maturity. However, the shop owner maliciously withheld them, arbitrarily raised prices, and transferred them to a third party without authorization, which is suspected of being black market selling of stolen goods and malicious misappropriation of private property.

Ironclad evidence.

At the interrogation, Fatty Guo initially tried to deny it, arguing that it was a normal business negotiation and that the other party was willing to pay more to redeem the property, and that there was no detention involved.

It wasn't until the police played a video of a late-night black market transaction that the situation came to light.

It wasn't until the police produced long-term, large-sum financial records and evidence of a black market chain for laundering stolen goods that the truth came out.

Guo Pangzi instantly broke out in a cold sweat and could no longer hold back, confessing everything.

But he never mentioned Fang Heng once.

Su Qing even asked him a specific question: "Tell me, did Fang Heng instruct you to do these things?"

Fatty Guo paused for a moment, looking completely bewildered, and said, "What Fang Heng? I don't know him."

He's lying; you can tell just by looking at his shifty eyes.

But he certainly wouldn't dare admit to such a thing. If he really implicated Fang Heng, he might not even know how he died.

Su Qing and I didn't pursue the matter any further; once the bracelet was found, everything was fine.

I handed the bracelet to Su Qing and said to her, "Take this carefully, and don't make this kind of mistake again!"

Su Qing took the family heirloom she had lost and found. Her eyes were red, but she didn't shed a tear. She just let out a long breath.

Looking at her, all the pent-up frustration in my heart dissipated at that moment.

It was worth all the trouble.

The bracelet was saved.

Guo Pangzi was taken away for investigation in accordance with the law, and all those involved in the case were detained.

The subsequent uncovering of financial transactions and black market chains, along with malicious commercial suppression, have all been transferred to the Economic Crime Investigation Department for further investigation.

It was past 2 a.m. when I left the police station.

The city fell completely silent.

The cool evening breeze caressed my face, instantly waking me up.

Su Qing carefully slipped the bracelet back onto her wrist, turned to look at me, smiled slightly, and then said very solemnly:

"Lin Ye, thank you!"

I took out a cigarette, lit it, took a puff, and said:

"Why are you thanking me? I should be the one thanking you."

After a pause, I added, "Don't be so serious, it makes me uncomfortable."

She rolled her eyes at me and said, "You only feel satisfied when others make fun of you, don't you?"

I laughed instantly: "It's mainly because you've been teasing me all along since we met, haven't you? I'm used to it."

"Then I won't tease you today. I'll help you find my bracelet, and I'll treat you to dinner."

"It's so late, what kind of food can we possibly have?"

Su Qing then asked, "Is Brother Luo's barbecue restaurant open yet?"

I shook my head and said, "I don't think so. He said he would send me a message when he opened, and if he hasn't sent one yet, he probably hasn't opened yet."

Su Qing tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said, "Let's buy some braised dishes or something and eat them when we get back."

I nodded and didn't refuse again.

I've been busy with meetings and tinkering with her bracelet these past few days, so it's good for me to relax a bit.

But I know in my heart that Fang Heng's willingness to use resources so recklessly to suppress others shows that he has a dirty past, uses dark methods, and is very bold.

Having destroyed one black market channel this time, he will definitely not stop there.

He'll only get more anxious and frantic in his next attack on me.

I used to hide, I used to endure, I used to avoid conflict.

From having my package confiscated at the courier station to having my store disrupted, and then having my bracelet maliciously seized and held hostage, I have been passively dealing with everything.

But starting tonight, I don't want to put up with it anymore.

It's time to settle old scores.

That night, Su Qing and I didn't go to bed until after 4 a.m.

When I woke up, it was already noon the next day, and the sun was shining brightly.

As I was cleaning up the mess I left behind last night in the yard, I heard someone knock twice on the gate from the outside.

I immediately became alert and asked outside, "Who is it?"

"I am Lao Wang."

I breathed a sigh of relief, quickly threw the trash I had collected into the trash can, and went to open the door.

Old Wang stood at the door, holding a red plastic bag that was bulging inside.

Behind him was another person, an elderly woman with gray hair, wearing a simple floral top and carrying a woven bag.

"This is my wife," Old Wang gestured to the old lady, "She insisted on coming to see you and bring some vegetables she grew herself."

I quickly stepped aside from the doorway: "Hello, Auntie, please come in and sit down."

The old lady walked in with a smile, and as soon as she entered the courtyard, she looked around and muttered to herself:

"Oh dear, the weeds have grown again. This orange tree needs pruning."

As she spoke, she placed the woven bag on the stone table and took out a bunch of bright green scallions, a few cucumbers, and a bundle of spinach covered in soil.

Hearing the noise, Su Qing came out of the house, still wearing her pajamas, clearly having just gotten up.

When she saw Old Wang and his wife, she was taken aback for a moment, then quickly reacted and greeted them with a smile:

"Uncle and Aunt, why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

Old Wang waved his hand: "Just passing by. You guys go about your business, we'll just take a look."

As he spoke, he walked around the yard with his hands behind his back, looking around as he went. Finally, he stopped under the window, reached out and touched the dust on the windowsill, and then looked at the soil under the orange tree in the corner of the yard, as if he were inspecting something.

I watched the two of them from the side, and I had a pretty good idea of ​​what was going on.

Old Wang said he was just stopping by, but I guess he wanted to confirm whether we were still living together as we had agreed.

Ultimately, he only charges 500 yuan a month for this house because he wants peace of mind.

As I was thinking this, Su Qing, having changed out of her pajamas, came to my side and whispered:

"When did they arrive?"

"I just arrived. I guess I'm here to see if we're really living together," I replied in a low voice.

As we were talking, Old Wang turned and glanced at Su Qing and me, then slowly asked:

"Young man, how's life going for you?"

"It's alright, just a bit troublesome."

Old Wang nodded, glanced at the kitchen again, and asked, "Are you two living a proper life together?"

I paused for a moment, then nodded: "That's good."

He looked at me for a few seconds, then said, "I've lived most of my life, and I can tell at a glance who's sincere and who's not. You, young man, aren't the kind of person who would do anything reckless. That girl seems like a decent person too. But since you're living in the same courtyard, you need to think things through carefully and not act blindly."

Without waiting for my reply, he stood up, put his hands behind his back, and wandered around the yard again.

I stood by the stone table, suddenly unsure of what to say.

Old Wang then said to me, "If you want to live here long-term, you can clear out that empty plot of land next door and plant something there."

Before I could reply, his wife had already pulled him by the arm and led him outside.

"Alright, alright, stop nagging and let the kid get busy."

After they walked away, I closed the gate and went back into the yard.

Su Qing was sitting at the stone table, putting the dishes that Old Wang's wife had brought into the refrigerator one by one.

I leaned against the door frame watching her busy herself, and suddenly the scene felt a little unreal.

Two weeks ago, I was staying in a hotel with my last pack of cigarettes in my pocket, not knowing where I would get the money for my next meal.

But now, I am standing in a house with a yard, and inside the house is a woman as beautiful as an angel.