Nominal: Starting with an entrance exam for a PhD in Economics at Peking University

Xiao Gangyu opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately didn't.

He knew Gao Yuliang was right. But he also knew that some things couldn't be resolved simply by making statements.

Chapter 178 Thirty Years of Fortune

After leaving Gao Yuliang's office, Xiao Gangyu neither went to the Public Security Bureau nor home, but went directly to Liang Jin's house.

It's called Liang Jin's home, but it's actually his mistress's residence. He used to keep a lover there, but now that he's older, the lover left, and it's become his "safe house."

When Liang Jin opened the door, her eyes were red, the living room was filled with smoke, and the ashtray on the coffee table was full of cigarette butts.

“Brother-in-law…” Liang Jin’s voice was hoarse, as if he had been crying.

Xiao Gangyu went in and sat down on the sofa. He didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "I've gone to see Secretary Gao."

Liang Jin's eyes lit up: "What did he say?"

Xiao Gangyu was silent for a few seconds, then said, "He told you to voluntarily go to the Discipline Inspection Commission to confess."

Liang Jin's eyes dimmed instantly. He lowered his head, clutched his head with both hands, and his shoulders trembled slightly.

“Brother-in-law,” his voice was muffled, as if he were talking to himself, “if I go and confess, my life will be over.”

"Do you think you'll be safe if you don't confess?" Xiao Gangyu's voice was calm. "Second Brother, think about it. Things have come to this point. Do you think you can escape?"

Liang Jin suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with fear: "Good brother-in-law, please help me... please help me think of a way..."

Xiao Gangyu looked at him, his eyes filled with disdain and helplessness.

"Second brother, I can't help you." His voice was very soft. "No one can help you."

Liang Jin was stunned.

“When your father was in power, he could help you. After he retired, I could still help you with minor issues. But now…” Xiao Gangyu sighed, “Now it’s Qi Tongwei who’s taking action, responding to Sha Ruijin’s speech, and it’s not the political and legal system we’re familiar with. What can I, a public security bureau chief, do?”

Liang Jin's face turned deathly pale.

“Listen to me,” Xiao Gangyu said earnestly, “go to the Discipline Inspection Commission and explain everything that needs to be said. Be polite and try to get leniency. That’s your only way out.”

Liang Jin did not answer. He sat there, like a shell whose soul had been emptied.

Xiao Gangyu stood up and patted him on the shoulder.

"Think about it carefully."

Then he left.

The moment the door closed, Liang Jin suddenly felt as if her whole world had collapsed.

That noon, at the canteen of the retired cadres' office.

When Liang Jin was taken away by the Discipline Inspection Commission, her reaction was much more intense than Liang Yu's.

When the investigation team came to him, he was having lunch with a retired cadre in the canteen.

"Deputy Director Liang, come with us."

Liang Jin dropped his chopsticks on the table. He glanced at the veteran cadre beside him, then at the disciplinary committee cadre at the door, his face flashing with fear, anger, and resentment, which finally turned into a violent impulse.

He suddenly stood up and slammed the metal lunchbox in his hand to the ground.

"Why are you arresting me? What law have I broken?"

Food was spilled everywhere, startling everyone in the cafeteria.

The retired cadre next to him seemed not to hear, and continued eating, only quietly moving his chair to the side.

No one answered Liang Jin's question.

"I need to make a phone call! I need to find my dad!" Liang Jin's voice grew louder and louder, almost a shout. He reached for his phone, his fingers trembling, and after several attempts, he still couldn't get it out.

The two disciplinary officials exchanged a glance. One of them stepped forward and said in a low but firm voice, "Comrade Liang Jin, please cooperate with the investigation. Do not put up any futile resistance."

"What do you mean by futile resistance?" Liang Jin's eyes were bloodshot, like an enraged beast. "I abide by the law and respect the elderly and care for the young! What evidence do you have to arrest me?"

“Comrade Liang Jin,” the disciplinary official said calmly, “we are asking you to assist in the investigation in accordance with the law and regulations. Please remain calm.”

"I'm not going!" Liang Jin slammed her phone on the table. "If you're so capable, then produce evidence! Without evidence, no one is taking me away!"

The atmosphere in the canteen was extremely tense. Some cadres had already slipped to the door, their faces clearly saying, "I didn't see anything." The canteen worker hid in a corner, afraid to make a sound.

The leading disciplinary official looked at Liang Jin, took a document from his briefcase, unfolded it, and placed it on the table.

"This is an inquiry notice from the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection. Comrade Liang Jin, please cooperate."

Liang Jin stared at the document; the bright red official seal on it looked like a drop of blood, stinging his eyes. His lips trembled; he wanted to say something, but couldn't utter a single word.

He suddenly felt his legs go weak and plopped back into the chair.

"It's over...it's all over..." he muttered to himself, his voice so low it was almost inaudible.

Two discipline inspection officials stepped forward and stood on his left and right.

"Comrade Liang Jin, let's go."

Liang Jin didn't move. He sat there, his hands on the table, head down, his shoulders shaking violently.

After a long while, he slowly stood up. The moment he stood up, he suddenly pushed the table, and the bowls and plates on the table crashed to the floor.

"I won't go!" he roared, his voice trembling with tears. "This is persecution! This is retaliation!"

Two discipline inspection officials were prepared and grabbed his arms from both sides.

"Comrade Liang Jin, please calm down!"

"I'm not calm! Why should I be calm?" Liang Jin struggled, her face flushed red. "My father is Liang Qunfeng! You can't treat me like this!"

The cafeteria fell silent for a moment.

The leading discipline inspection official looked at Liang Jin with sympathy and helplessness in his eyes.

“Comrade Liang Jin,” he lowered his voice, “no matter whose son you are, everyone is equal before the law. Let’s go.”

Liang Jin stopped struggling. He stood there, like a tree uprooted, having lost all support.

Two discipline inspection officials helped him slowly walk out of the canteen.

Inside the office, some people stopped to watch. Some recognized Liang Jin, their faces showing surprise. But no one spoke; everyone remained tacitly silent.

Liang Jin was taken to the disciplinary committee's car, and he closed his eyes the moment the car door closed.

-

The two brothers were released that night and were not detained, but were restricted from leaving Jingzhou.

Under Tian Guofu's instructions, they did not take direct coercive measures, but only exerted pressure through ordinary conversation. Otherwise, they wouldn't have invited Liang Jin for tea twice, giving her time to react.

They would no longer ignore Liang Lu.

The next day, the three siblings went to the sanatorium to see their father, Liang Qunfeng.

The sanatorium is located on the outskirts of the city, nestled against the mountains and beside the water, in a tranquil environment. Liang Qunfeng has lived here since his retirement, keeping a low profile and rarely seeing outsiders. The former deputy secretary of the provincial party committee is now an elderly man in his twilight years. He sits in a wheelchair, covered with a blanket, his hair completely white, his face covered with age spots, and his eyes somewhat cloudy.

But when he saw the three children walk in, his eyes suddenly lit up.

“Dad…” Liang Yu was the first to walk over, squatted down in front of the wheelchair, and held her father’s hand. His hand was trembling, and his eyes were red, but he held back his tears.

Liang Qunfeng looked at him, then at Liang Jin and Liang Lu standing behind him, and slowly nodded.

"They're all here."

Liang Jin stood at the back, his face ashen, his lips cracked, as if he had just recovered from a serious illness. Liang Lu stood at the very back, her head bowed, not daring to look at her father.

"Sit down." Liang Qunfeng's voice was very soft, as if it were drifting from a great distance.

The three of them sat down on the sofa next to them. The room was quiet, with only the ticking of the clock on the wall.

After a long silence, Liang Jin finally couldn't hold back any longer. His lips were trembling, and his voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible:

"Dad, the Discipline Inspection Commission is investigating us. You have to find a way..."

Liang Qunfeng raised his hand to stop him.

"Think of a way?" His voice was calm. "Think of what way?"

“You still have old connections…” Liang Jin’s voice was urgent, tinged with a desperate struggle, “You’ve been in Handong for so many years, there must be people who still remember you… Give them a call and ask them to help you…”

Liang Qunfeng looked at him with heartache in his eyes, as well as a desolate feeling of having seen through the ways of the world.

“Xiao Jin,” he said, “do you know what it means to be forgotten once the person is gone?”

Liang Jin was stunned.

"How many years have I been retired?" Liang Qunfeng asked.

No one answered.

“It’s been almost ten years,” Liang Qunfeng answered himself. “Ten years. How much can someone in a position accomplish in ten years? How much goodwill can a retired person retain after ten years?”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the three children.

“Over the years,” Liang Qunfeng continued, “I know everything you’ve done outside using my name. Liang Yu’s company, Liang Jin’s projects, and you—” He looked at Liang Lu, “you really think I don’t know about all the connections you’ve made for Xiao Gangyu?”

Liang Lu's face was deathly pale.

"The goodwill has long been exhausted; now people avoid me whenever they see me."

Liang Qunfeng's voice was weary: "I've said it so many times, human relationships grow thinner the more you use them, especially now that I can't give back to anyone. You're all grown up now, you have your own ideas. You don't even come to see me anymore, you don't listen to what this old man is saying."

"Dad..." Liang Jin's voice was choked with sobs, "I know I was wrong... Please help me..."

"Help?" Liang Qunfeng looked at him with a complicated expression. "How? Call Sha Ruijin and say, 'This is my son, will you let him go?'"

Liang Jin was speechless.

"Should we call Gao Yuliang? It's no use."

Liang Jin finally couldn't hold back any longer, her voice filled with resentment: "Dad, what are we going to do? We can't just sit here and wait to die, can we? I... I don't want to go to jail..."

Liang Qunfeng looked at him and remained silent for a long time. Then he suddenly asked:

Do you know what position Qi Tongwei holds now?

Liang Jin was taken aback: "Executive Vice Governor..."

“Yes. The executive vice governor,” Liang Qunfeng said. “That peasant you looked down on back then is now the executive vice governor. With just one word from him, he can make it impossible for you to recover.”