NOVEL NEXT Chapter 254: Shi Guangsheng is Captured
What is this?
Upon seeing an unexplained small packet of powder in his bag, Shi Guangsheng casually picked it up, intending to open it to see what was inside, when a young man he didn't recognize suddenly approached him.
"Mr. Shi?"
Shi Guangsheng looked at the stranger in bewilderment, "Who are you?"
The young man didn't answer but instead shoved a few bills into his hand and snatched the item from his grasp before turning and walking away.
Clutching the money, Shi Guangsheng had yet to comprehend what had happened when several plainclothes policemen suddenly appeared—
"Don't move!"
"Get down!"
It wasn't until his hands were cuffed with the icy touch of silver handcuffs that Shi Guangsheng even began to understand what was occurring.
"What are you doing?"
A plainclothes officer smacked him on the back of his head and barked, "Be quiet! Don't you have any idea what we're doing?"
Shi Guangsheng was struck dumb but didn't show any temper.
Who else could use handcuffs other than the police?
Although his business was legitimate, he hadn't avoided using dirty tricks over the years.
Shi Yizheng, hearing the commotion, hurried out from the noodle shop, "Guangsheng, what happened?"
Shi Guangsheng was trying hard to recall any wrongdoing he had done in past years and was at a loss for words.
Seeing that the two men knew each other, a plainclothes officer came over to inquire about the relationship between Shi Yizheng and Shi Guangsheng.
Shi Yizheng confessed honestly, and after explaining, he didn't forget to plead on behalf of Shi Guangsheng, "...Comrade, could there be a mistake? My brother is a good person; he owns a candy factory."
Shi Guangsheng immediately agreed, "Right, right, right, I'm just a small businessman, I deal in legitimate business, you must have made a mistake."
Another plainclothes officer flicked the item in his hand and sneered, "Is this yours?"
"No, it's not mine!"
Shi Guangsheng hastily denied it.
Even though he didn't know what the contents of the bag were, his gut told him it wasn't anything good.
His denial was met with a merciless smack.
The drug enforcement officers were not to take kindly to such stubborn criminals; without more discussion, they immediately handcuffed Shi Guangsheng and took him to the police car.
Shi Yizheng was also taken with them to assist in the investigation by the narcotics team.
...
Shi Guangsheng, Shi Yizheng, and another young man who was arrested were being interrogated simultaneously.
Upon learning the packet contained contraband, Shi Guangsheng was nearly scared out of his wits, swearing that it wasn't his, although it did him no good.
The arrested young man was a habitual offender, who testified that it was Shi Guangsheng who had initiated contact with him, saying he had some goods to sell at a cheap price.
In another interrogation room.
Shi Yizheng was busy speaking up for Shi Guangsheng, insisting that Shi Guangsheng could never be involved in drug trafficking, while also unintentionally revealing clues.
Following the clues provided by Shi Yizheng, the narcotics team traced back to Shi Guangsheng's uncle, who in turn implicated someone from their village.
Just like the Calabash Brothers saving their grandfather, they uncovered one person after another, and astonishingly, they tracked down a drug manufacturing gang.
Shi Guangsheng, though devious and greedy, lacked the guts to touch drugs.
However, his methods were so dirty that over the years, he had bought poppy husks from his uncle several times to frame and entrap others.
In his wildest dreams, he never imagined that the poppy husks his uncle sold to him had been acquired, after several transactions, from a drug gang.
Now, like mud falling on his crotch, whether it was shit or not, it certainly looked like it.
...
"Ah! Guangsheng was so foolish, doing such well in his business, why did he have to get into this kind of beheading affair?"
After concluding the investigation, Shi Yizheng paid a visit to Shi Guangsheng's home and "kindheartedly" informed the Shi family of the crimes Shi Guangsheng had committed.
"With him locked up, he's probably never coming out. Trafficking drugs is a capital offense; once the charges are proven, all the wealth Guangsheng has accumulated over the years will likely be deemed ill-gotten gains and confiscated. Uncle, Auntie, sister-in-law, you must start planning as soon as possible."
Upon hearing that their property would be confiscated, the entire Shi family panicked.
"Yizheng, one can't write the character "Shi" twice in a stroke, you and Guangsheng are brothers, you have to help him."
Brothers?
Did Shi Guangsheng think of them as brothers when he framed him and caused his family to fall apart?
Shi Yizheng didn't believe for a second that the Shi family knew nothing about Shi Guangsheng framing him.
Internally, Shi Yizheng sneered repeatedly, but outwardly he put on a deep show of brotherhood and righteousness, "Uncle, Auntie, sister-in-law, to protect your assets for the time being, you can transfer the house, the factory, and the money to someone unrelated, and then reconsider after this tumultuous period has passed."
Such a big issue at hand, none of the family's elderly, weak, or women dared to make a call.
Just as the Shi family was preparing to visit Shi Guangsheng in the detention center to get his advice, the drug enforcement team suddenly showed up and found a small bag of poppy shells under the living room couch.
Everyone from the Shi family was taken to the drug enforcement team for a "tea session".
Although they were all released back home after the investigation, they were indeed frightened and worried that their property would all be confiscated, as Shi Yizheng had said.
So, without further ado to visit Shi Guangsheng, his daughter-in-law wrote a promissory note to Shi Yizheng that very night.
The note stated that the Shi family had borrowed twenty thousand yuan from Shi Yizheng. Since they couldn't repay the money now, they would mortgage their house and factory to Shi Yizheng.
Of course, the Shi family wasn't foolish; they made Shi Yizheng write a promise in person.
He promised to return the Xiyuan Candy Factory and the house to the Shi family without compensation after one year and to pay the Shi family a monthly maintenance fee of five hundred yuan during this year.
The Shi family calculated cunningly, feeling this way they could control Shi Yizheng and let him temporarily manage their property.
...
"Knock Knock."
Upon hearing the knock, Shi Yizheng immediately stood up and opened the door.
"Come in quickly!"
Different from the previous two times, this time when seeing Pei Ziheng, Shi Yizheng was not only enthusiastic but also his eyes brimmed with gratitude, even with a touch of admiration and awe.
After Pei Ziheng sat down, he hurriedly presented a variety of snacks and candies.
He lived alone and didn't care for these things; they were bought especially to entertain Pei Ziheng.
Pei Ziheng looked at the small table filled with snacks, and her pretty little face broke into a slight smile.
"Congratulations, you've retrieved what you deserved, and you've had your revenge."
Perhaps it was too exciting, or for some other reason, Shi Yizheng felt his eyes well up and he dropped to his knees before Pei Ziheng.
"Thank you, thank you! From now on, you are my great benefactor, Shi Yizheng. Should you ever need my help, just say the word."
Pei Ziheng hopped off the stool to help him up, her black eyes icily sharp.
"This is just the beginning. To completely transfer the Shi family's assets to your name will require careful planning. Don't be in a hurry."
"I'll follow your lead."
Shi Yizheng now trusted Pei Ziheng implicitly, despite her being just a kid who was wet behind the ears.
Even as he lay in bed at night, he couldn't help but wonder if Pei Ziheng was a divine being sent by the heavens to aid him.
...
In the morning, as Pei Yang stepped out of the apartment building, he saw Shen Baolan standing not far away, accompanied by an old lady who seemed somewhat familiar.
The old lady squinted as she sized him up from head to toe.