Rebirth 77: From Beachcombing to Becoming a Tycoon and Spoiling My Wife

Yang Bai returned to the cabin, and since he was sailing his own boat, he picked up an enamel mug and started making tea.

He looked out of the ship and saw the militiamen asking questions of the other crew members while cracking peanuts.

Lin Qikun sat down next to Yang Bai, looked at the tea in his cup, and asked, "What kind of tea is this? It smells like Wuyi rock tea, not bad."

"Yes, eight yuan for rock tea, Director Lin, have a drink."

Yang Bai immediately got up, picked up a cup, rinsed it with boiling water, and then poured tea for him.

Lin Qikun smelled the rich aroma of the rock tea and nodded in satisfaction.

"Among these fishermen, you have the best taste. You don't seem like a fisherman to me, but rather like one of those capitalists. You really know how to enjoy life."

Yang Bai's expression changed instantly. If it were someone else, they might just laugh it off.

The other party was the director of the county public security bureau. In this day and age, the word "capitalist" was absolutely forbidden.

He's so rich now, he doesn't want to be unjustly imprisoned because of this at this critical juncture.

"Director Lin, I'm not a capitalist. I bought these rock teas to improve my quality of life."

"Look at that capitalist, he's still fishing on the front lines like me, and he almost lost his life."

"Capitalists are all bloodsuckers. If I were a capitalist, there would be no good people in the world."

Lin Qikun took a sip of tea and smiled.

"Why are you so nervous, Comrade Yang Bai? I was just joking with you."

"I think the government is becoming increasingly lenient in its attitude towards capital now."

"You ordinary people can't feel it, but we police officers feel it very clearly."

As the director of the Public Security Bureau, he personally approved the rehabilitation of many people who had been labeled as rightists.

He had a real feeling that there might be a major directional adjustment from above, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"You're a good comrade, as long as you don't commit any crimes, you won't be arrested."

Lin Qikun smiled.

Yang Bai's lips twitched slightly; he had truly been scared out of his wits just now.

Director Lin seemed quite relaxed; it seems that directors who come from the grassroots level can easily connect with ordinary people.

In his previous life, Lin Qikun served as the director of a municipal bureau before retiring. During that time, he naturally had many dealings with people, but they were all official matters.

"Director Lin, I'm going out for a walk. If you want some tea, ask Xiao Jun to pour it for you. Do you want a cigarette?"

Lin Qikun nodded. "Give me one."

Yang Bai took out a Daqianmen cigarette and personally served it to him.

Lin Qikun exhaled a wisp of pale blue smoke from his lips. Before the smoke could dissipate, he tightened his throat and inhaled the remaining smoke back into his lungs. The smoke slid down his throat and slowly circulated in his chest, allowing him to savor it.

After a moment, he let out a soft sigh and slowly exhaled a cloud of white mist.

"Not bad, good cigarette."

Yang Bai smiled and put the cigarette away. "Director Lin, I'll go out for a bit."

He stood on the deck, enjoying the sea breeze, when Liu Dade, having finished his questioning, came to Yang Bai's side.

"Xiao Yang, Linghai County Aquatic Products Company lost Wu Anshun and several boats. Are you planning to take this opportunity to plant someone inside?"

Liu Dade's intention was self-evident: he wanted to cultivate another obedient underling in Linghai County.

Just like when Wu Anshun recruited new people.

Yang Bai shook his head. "No, the situation in Linghai County is complicated."

He glanced at Wu Anshun sitting on the ground, then turned back and said.

"He was able to get the position and form a gang of thugs; people throughout Linghai County received money from him to varying degrees."

If I get involved, they will not only refuse to acknowledge it, but they will also be wary of me as an outsider.

If you really want to get involved, you have to bribe someone. Isn't that a crime?

The most important point is that he was able to subdue Jiang Xinmin because he had the military force to do so. Do you also want us to become a gang of thugs?

Without force, how could Jiang Xinmin possibly obey? He's not stupid.

The two were equals, and without the threat of force, Jiang Xinmin had long since broken free of control.

Liu Dade was taken aback. "I hadn't thought of that. We can't do anything illegal."

He hadn't expected it to be so complicated; he thought it would just be a simple matter of sending someone over to keep an eye on things.

"Yes, let's just focus on protecting this area and not think about anything else."

Yang Bai patted him on the shoulder.

Then a voice came.

"Yang Bai, can you hand me a cigarette?"

Wu Anshun looked up, his eyes glazed by the midday sun, and squinted as he asked Yang Bai for a cigarette.

Yang Bai glanced back at him and said, "Old Liu, give him a cigarette."

Wu Anshun chuckled. "Yang Bai, don't chicken out. What can you do if I give you a cigarette? Weren't you pretty ruthless when you fought me? Why are you so scared now?"

Just as Yang Bai was about to take out a cigarette, Liu Dade stopped him.

"Yang Bai, be careful what he might do to you. Let me handle this; don't fall for his tricks."

Yang Bai pressed down on his arm and said, "It's alright, I know what I'm doing."

He walked up to Wu Anshun, took out a Daqianmen cigarette, put it in Wu's mouth.

He took out a match from the matchbox, struck it with a "whoosh," and the flame instantly shot up.

He raised his hand to shield the flame from the wind, preventing it from flickering out, and then reached forward to steadily light the cigarette the other person was holding in their mouth.

Wu Anshun sat on the ground, smoking a cigarette, and laughed, "You see, I won't do anything to you. Sit down and let's chat for a while."

Yang Bai looked down at him and then sat down.

"What do you want to say, or do you want to curse or insult me?"

Wu Anshun shook his head, took a deep drag, the embers of his cigarette receding behind him, and exhaled deeply.

"What's the point of cursing you now? Do you want to know where my armory is?"

"There are ten boxes of bullets, eight pistols, two rifles, a homemade cannon, and a box of grenades."

"You can keep it. I reckon there'll be a new boss in Linghai County. If you hand it over, you'll be a big hero, and you'll even get a certificate of merit."

Yang Bai raised an eyebrow. If what he said was true, it was worth listening to.

But whether it was because people say good things when they are about to die, or for some other reason, he didn't know.

Tell me about it.

"Come closer, and I'll tell you, don't worry, I can't eat you."

Wu Anshun took a few more deep drags on his cigarette, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips.

Yang Bai nodded and tilted his ear closer.

Wu Anshun frowned, biting his cigarette impatiently, and said, "Why are you afraid of me? The distance between us is enough to get to the capital."

Yang Bai gritted his teeth and sat as close as possible to the seat, almost touching it.

Liu Dade stared intently, as if afraid something might really have happened.

"That's more like it. I'm afraid you won't be able to hear me if we're too far apart."

Wu Anshun nodded, his throat bobbed, and he opened his mouth to speak.

"The location of that armory? I'm hiding there. Fuck you, Yang Bai! If we're going to die, we'll all die together!"