Chapter 98: How Did I Encounter This Jinx Again?
“Bureau Chief, you’re too polite. Do you need me for something? Thanks, San’er.”
Cao Weida had never been arrogant from beginning to end because he had cozied up to Ono Shiota; his attitude had always been very humble, and he had always been respectful to him, this Bureau Chief.
Although he didn’t say it out loud, everyone had a scale in their heart.
Looking at Cao Weida’s attitude, and then at Sang Liuji who had gone boundless arrogant after doing some things for Ono Shiota, Xu Hancheng thought to himself: If I were Ono Shiota, I’d also make Sang Liuji the scapegoat.
“To tell you the truth, I really do need you for something.” He took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his cheek. Clearly the weather wasn’t hot, but Xu Hancheng looked like he was sweating from anxiety.
“Cao’er, you have a good relationship with Officer Ono. Can you give brother a little hint? What’s Officer Ono’s plan for this incident?”
“You don’t know, that explosion last night scared brother so much I didn’t sleep a wink all night. These anti-Japanese elements are really too crazy, too bold. They actually quietly blew up Taijun’s armory.”
Xu Hancheng had a face full of lingering fear. If they could blow up the armory just like that, killing a traitor would be a piece of cake, right?
He secretly felt fortunate in his heart that although he worked for the little devils, he had always been kind to people and hadn’t done anything immoral. Even during arrest operations, he had always just followed orders and never gone too far.
Otherwise, he reckoned he wouldn’t even dare close his eyes to sleep.
“Yeah, these anti-Japanese elements are too formidable, always appearing and disappearing unpredictably. Just thinking about it makes people afraid.” Cao Weida nodded in strong agreement, nearly bursting into laughter inside—who wouldn’t like being praised?
“Who says otherwise.” Xu Hancheng wiped his sweat even more frequently.
He was just about to say something when he suddenly noticed San’er standing nearby listening with keen interest, and immediately scolded: “What are you standing there for? Get out!”
He had been listening with great relish when suddenly he was chased out; San’er was a bit reluctant, as he really wanted to hear heroic deeds.
But no matter how reluctant, he could only move out grudgingly.
“What are you doing pushing dung like a dung beetle here? Hurry up!”
San’er shrank his neck and quickly quickened his pace.
Just as he went out the door, Xu Hancheng’s voice came from behind again: “You stinking kid, don’t you have any sense? Close the door!”
“This stinking kid.” Xu Hancheng shook his head; in these times, being too curious was no good thing—the more you knew, the slimmer your chances of survival.
Seeing the door closed, Xu Hancheng scooted his butt forward a bit and refilled the half-empty water cup for Cao Weida.
“Cao’er, you just came out of Officer Ono’s office. Give brother the inside scoop—what’s Officer Ono’s real attitude on this matter?”
“To tell you the truth, brother here’s heart is pounding wildly right now.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Oh man, Cao’er, didn’t you see? Officer Ono was grinning like a blooming flower—that’s too weird. Could Officer Ono have lost his mind from anger?”
“Pfft~~ *cough cough cough.*” Cao Weida hurriedly covered his mouth, barely avoiding spraying out the tea in his mouth. After catching his breath, he explained with a wry smile:
“Bureau Chief, you’re overthinking it. Officer Ono is genuinely happy.”
Seeing Xu Hancheng’s puzzled look, he prompted meaningfully: “The supplies in that warehouse belonged to the Navy.”
“Oh~~ So that’s how it is.” Xu Hancheng suddenly understood. If those supplies were the Navy’s, then it made sense— no wonder Officer Ono wasn’t angry but happy like a dung beetle that found dung, his face grinning so wide his features were almost invisible.
After so many years of the War of Resistance, it was basically common knowledge that the Japanese Army’s Navy and Army were mutually hostile, especially clear to those working under the little devils.
Those who dared to jump back and forth between the Navy and Army basically died very peacefully.
Knowing the situation, Xu Hancheng’s heart immediately relaxed a lot. “Then this martial law…”
“Don’t be so narrow-minded. Public order in Beiping’s Outer Fifth District all rests on his shoulders alone—can’t neglect the essentials for the trifles.” Cao Weida said it in Ono Shiota’s tone, then smiled: “That’s Officer Ono’s original words.”
“Got it!” Xu Hancheng’s heart completely relaxed, his previous anxiety replaced by ease.
“Oh man, you really scared brother half to death.” Xu Hancheng sighed with a bitter smile. “We who work under them really walk on thin ice every day.”
“He who wears the crown must bear its weight. Bureau Chief, you have great ability, so naturally your responsibility is great too.” Good words cost nothing anyway, so Cao Weida didn’t mind saying a few more from time to time.
Xu Hancheng’s eyes lit up—no wonder Ono Shiota liked Cao Weida. Look at how he phrased it—even knowing there was flattery in it, it just sounded so comfortable!
What was that saying again?
Elegant, right, elegant!
The same horse-flattery, but his made you feel good listening to it!
As the saying goes, no one is a sage; who can resist flattery?
He admitted, he felt pretty good being flattered.
He didn’t stay long in Xu Hancheng’s office; after delivering Ono Shiota’s words, Cao Weida slipped away directly.
After leaving the Police Station, he headed straight for the Garrison Command.
He didn’t go looking for Xu Jin’ge. If he really used his own methods to contact the Underground Party or Military Statistics Bureau or Central Statistics Bureau within two days, who knows what Ono Shiota would mutter in his heart?
They were little devils after all—no matter how much they loved money, they couldn’t completely trust Cao Weida.
So, his best approach was still to work on those Underground Party members and special agents locked up in the Gendarmerie Headquarters and Special Agent Agency.
And best if they were newly caught—he was now going to ask if any had been arrested recently.
After all, no one could guarantee how many of those special agents caught long ago were still intact.
Moreover, if they really were intact, that would be the real trouble—who’d believe the devils showed great mercy and treated captured special agents gently? Unless…
He flagged down a rickshaw, gave the address, and got right on. Lost in thought, Cao Weida didn’t notice until the rickshaw puller opened his mouth after he sat down:
“Cao Ye, sit tight!”
“Wen San’er?!” Holy crap! Talk about bad luck—how did he randomly hail a rickshaw and run into this jinx again!
“Yeah, Cao Ye, at your service.” Wen San’er cheerfully turned his head and responded.
At my service?
I want to tell you to stop the rickshaw quick!
“Cao Ye, sit tight—not to brag, but I Wen San’er may not have other skills, but this pulling gig? Piece of cake! Fast and steady!”
“In all of Sijiu City, which roads are good, which paths are tough, which are long, which are short—all in my head.”
“…” Cao Weida grinned. This old man’s first time in your rickshaw, you nearly flung me off, and now fast and steady?
But you know, today it was surprisingly steady, no bumps along the way.
He raised an eyebrow. “Not bad, Wen San’er, your pulling skills have improved!”
“I remember, the first time you pulled me, you treated me like a pig— I was so mad I wanted to slap you.”
Wen San grinned sheepishly. “Cao Ye, you’re a top big shot—can’t stoop to the level of a street small-timer like me.”
“To be honest with you, don’t get mad. Back then I didn’t know you well. Those black-hearted ones… cough, patrolmen, hanging around the streets—how many have a red conscience?”
“I don’t know how much bullying I took from those black-hearted ones.”
Cao Weida found it amusing. “So you took it out on me?”
“But I heard you always pull rickshaws by the principle of giving two parts effort and never three—you, Wen San, have a reputation for slacking off and being sly.”
“Uh, well…” Wen San hemmed and hawed for a good while before saying guiltily:
“You’re right, but no choice—we rickshaw pullers have it rough, often worked to death by forty-something, living day to day. If we don’t slack a bit, who knows when we’ll drop dead by the roadside.”
“Alright, I know it’s not easy for you. I didn’t say anything, did I? Just pull your rickshaw properly.” Cao Weida naturally knew; even if he didn’t before, after half a year of transmigration, he knew what he needed to.
Though riding with him could piss you off to death, you had to admit guys like Wen San lived relatively comfortably and longer.
Wen San complained, “Cao Ye, you can’t wrong me—I didn’t slack off pulling you this time.”
“From today on, whenever I pull for you, I Wen San’er will give it my all.”
“Ever since you saved me last time, I’ve kept it in mind. Though I’m no good guy, I’m still a Beiping man who repays favors!”
Cao Weida waved his hands hurriedly. “I wasn’t saving you—I was saving my colleague. Don’t misunderstand.”
“That favor, you gotta repay to Fang Jinglin.”
“I’ve naturally got Fang Ye in mind too, and you here as well.”
You’d better not keep me in mind—getting tangled with you, I’m afraid I’ll get screwed like Fang!
He didn’t want to talk more and looked around.
The streets were a mess, pedestrians hurrying along, but looking closely, these Chinese collaborators and patrolmen were at most extorting small change—no one was earnestly helping the little devils search.
Just then, he suddenly spotted a middle-aged man with something long wrapped in black cloth under his armpit, wearing a white coat—dressed poorly yet pretentiously carrying a birdcage in hand.
He wouldn’t have paid much attention, but the man stopped at a tanghulu stall.
And their conversation suddenly made a TV series character pop into Cao Weida’s mind.
