togophonebook Chapter 129 The Last Supper: Teacher, I've given you enough dignity.
Chapter 129 The Last Supper: Teacher, I've given you enough dignity.
The Jingzhou Public Security Bureau has three underground floors. This place was originally an air-raid shelter, but it was later converted into a temporary detention center. Even the cell phone signal is completely blocked by the two-meter-thick reinforced concrete.
The air was filled with a strange smell, a mixture of musty and disinfectant.
Outside the special-class prison cell at the end of the corridor, two groups of people stood like gatekeepers.
On the left were four burly men wearing black tactical vests. These were the Ye family's inner guards transferred from the capital. Each of them had bulging temples, and their eyes looked at people as if they were dead.
On the right is a veteran border guard brought by Qin Chuan, holding a Type 95 rifle, his finger never leaving the trigger.
Qi Tongwei stood outside the iron fence and checked the surveillance footage one last time.
On the screen, Zhao Ruilong looked like a mangy dog with a broken spine, huddled on a single bed in the corner, trembling.
Although the broken leg had been simply bandaged, the pain was clearly still agonizing for this young master Zhao, causing him to twitch from time to time.
"No one is allowed in this place except me, not even a fly."
Qi Tongwei turned around and his gaze fell on Ye Cunxin, who was leaning against the wall playing with a lighter.
The girl hadn't changed her clothes yet; she was still wearing that oversized men's white shirt, except that one more button was undone at the collar, revealing a large expanse of dazzlingly white, fleshy skin, and his sunglasses were still hanging on his delicate collarbone.
The hem was tied in a knot, and that flat, firm abdomen rose and fell with her breath, revealing glimpses of her abs and exuding a wild and untamed energy.
Those tight, ripped jeans were practically tailor-made for her, completely encasing her long, straight thighs and outlining her stunningly round and perky buttocks. The skin peeking out from the rips was so white it practically glowed.
She shifted her stance slightly, and the fabric was stretched taut, making one worry that the threads would snap open at any moment.
Ye Cunxin noticed Qi Tongwei's gaze, but instead of looking away, she stretched out her long leg and raised an eyebrow with a seductive look in her eyes:
"Don't worry, my hall manager. If he dares to yell, I'll have Zhong Kui go in and fix his voice."
"Thanks for your hard work."
Qi Tongwei reached out and pulled her neckline up to cover the alluring glimpse of her skin.
Ye Cunxin snorted in dissatisfaction, then deliberately pulled down her collar: "It's hot."
Qi Tongwei didn't argue with her; at this point, it was more important to see that old fox first.
He patted Ye Cunxin on the shoulder, turned around, and strode out.
The black Audi A6, like a cheetah lurking in the night, silently slipped into the No. 1 residential area of the Provincial Party Committee compound.
Qi Tongwei was all too familiar with the scenery along the way.
Back in his school days, he often lingered on these tree-lined paths hoping to receive a word of guidance from his teacher. Later, because of Liang Lu's kneeling incident, he was also pointed at and gossiped about here like a stray dog.
Now, he's back.
This time, however, he was no longer the timid student, nor the insignificant figure who had to look up to Gao Yuliang.
On the passenger seat was that tan-colored kraft paper file folder.
There wasn't much inside: a copy of Zhao Ruilong's statement, a yellowed original approval document for the Crescent Lake project, and a few freshly printed photos.
These few sheets of paper are heavier than bullets.
The lights were on in Gao Yuliang's small building.
At this moment, Gao Yuliang was sitting behind the rosewood desk, holding a small cloisonné medicine bottle in his hand.
His hands were steady, at least on the surface. He poured out a nitroglycerin pill, put it under his tongue, and the spicy, cool taste cleared his groggy mind slightly.
Qi Tongwei's right eyelid had been twitching ever since he pulled out his gun at the airport.
"Old Gao, dinner's ready."
Wu Huifen's voice came from the living room.
Today she wore a light purple silk loungewear set, the fabric soft and supple against her skin, perfectly showcasing her well-maintained, voluptuous figure. Although she's getting on in years, her intellectual air as a university professor, coupled with the mature charm that comes with age, makes her more appealing than those naive young girls.
At this moment, although the highly educated woman had a smile on her face, the smile was stiff, as if she had applied a layer of paste to her face.
"Here it is." Gao Yuliang stuffed the medicine bottle into the drawer, took a deep breath, tried to compose his expression, and then got up and walked out.
I had just stepped into the living room when the doorbell rang.
The ringing wasn't urgent, but to Gao Yuliang's ears, it sounded like a death knell.
The nanny, Xiao Hu, went to open the door.
Qi Tongwei stood at the door, holding two bottles of Erguotou liquor he had casually bought from a roadside supermarket, with an inscrutable smile on his face.
"Teacher, Mrs. Teacher, did I disturb your meal?"
"Tongwei, come in quickly, come in quickly." Wu Huifen hurriedly greeted him, but her eyes subconsciously glanced at Gao Yuliang's face. "Look at you, you came all this way, but what did you bring? Xiao Hu, quickly get your slippers."
"No need, Madam."
Qi Tongwei waved his hand and strode in.
Those black tactical boots, worn through mud and soaked in blood in the border jungle, were now being stepped on Wu Huifen's most beloved Persian handmade carpet without any hesitation.
The black mud stains instantly left several glaring spots on the intricate and exquisite patterns.
Wu Huifen looked at the footprints, her eyes twitched, she opened her mouth, but in the end she didn't say anything.
Gao Yuliang stood by the dining table, watching this scene, his eyes behind his glasses darkening.
This isn't about not changing shoes.
This was telling Gao Yuliang: the Qi Tongwei who knew the rules, knew when to advance and retreat, and treated you like a god, is dead.
Qi Tongwei can trample on people however he wants now; the rules of Handong need to be changed.
"Tongwei, sit down." Gao Yuliang gestured to the chair opposite him, his voice still steady and calm. "It's been a while since you've been here. Let's have a good drink together today."
Qi Tongwei pulled out a chair, sat down, and slammed the two bottles of cheap Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) onto the table with a muffled "bang".
"It's been a while." Qi Tongwei unscrewed the bottle cap, and the aroma of the liquor wafted out, carrying the pungent smell of cheap alcohol.
"The last time I came here was when I begged you to transfer me back to Jingzhou. At that time, my teacher taught me to be patient and to have a long-term vision. I have always remembered those words."
Gao Yuliang's facial muscles stiffened for a moment.
Which pot does not open which pot.
Qi Tongwei didn't stand on ceremony. He took the exquisite white porcelain wine glass in front of Gao Yuliang and poured it full of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor). The liquor overflowed, spilling onto the tablecloth and soaking a patch.
"Teacher, let me drink first as a sign of respect."
Qi Tongwei tilted his head back and downed the liquor in one gulp. The spicy liquid burned down his throat, making him feel hot all over.
"Tongwei," Gao Yuliang said, without touching the glass of wine, but instead stroking the jade ring on his finger, "the commotion you caused at the border this time was too great. Although Secretary Sha praised you verbally, he may not be without his own thoughts."
"You need to understand that in politics, too much rigidity leads to breakage. The Zhao family is deeply entrenched; if you so directly sever ties, what will happen in the future..."
"after?"
Qi Tongwei interrupted him, took the brown paper bag out of his pocket, and threw it on the table.
The paper bag slid across the smooth tabletop and came to rest right next to Gao Yuliang's hand.
"Teacher, let's not talk about the future, let's talk about the past." Qi Tongwei lit a cigarette, not caring that this was a smoke-free home, and blew a puff of smoke directly at the crystal chandelier above his head. "That kid Zhao Ruilong is too spineless. I haven't even really done anything to him, and he's already confessed everything."
Gao Yuliang's fingers suddenly retracted.
"What did he do?" Gao Yuliang's voice was a little tense.
"We've recruited a lot." Qi Tongwei looked at him with a half-smile. "For example, the shareholding structure of Shanshui Manor, and those shady overseas accounts. And... this one."
Qi Tongwei extended two fingers, took out the photocopy of the Crescent Lake Food City's permit from the paper bag, and flicked it lightly.
The paper fluttered down in front of Gao Yuliang.
The bright red official seal and Gao Yuliang's flamboyant signature were dazzlingly red under the light, as red as blood.
"The original document is in my car right now." Qi Tongwei flicked his cigarette ash. "Teacher, when you approved Crescent Lake to Zhao Ruilong with a stroke of your pen, did you ever imagine this day would come?"
Gao Yuliang stared intently at the signature, the veins on his forehead throbbing.
But he was a cunning old fox after all, and he quickly regained his composure, adjusting his glasses:
"Tongwei, this is a mistake at work. Back then, when the province wanted to carry out economic development, I didn't have a deep enough understanding of some situations and was misled by the people below me. At most, this is dereliction of duty and oversight."
"Oversight?"
Qi Tongwei laughed, his shoulders shaking with laughter.
"Teacher, oh teacher, even at this point, are you still playing this game of dodging the main issue with me?"
"This document, in exchange for your veto power at the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee meeting, and for your position as leader of the Han University clique. This is a deal, a dirty deal that uses Party discipline and national law as bargaining chips!"
Qi Tongwei's voice suddenly rose, startling Wu Huifen, who had just brought out a plate of braised pork. She almost dropped the plate.
"Tongwei! How dare you talk to your teacher like that!" Wu Huifen quickly put down the dishes, trying to ease the tension. "We're all family, can't we talk things out properly?"
"A family?"
Qi Tongwei turned to look at Wu Huifen, his eyes filled with a hint of pity, but even more so with cruelty.
"Madam, there are some things my teacher may not have told you the truth, right? Do you really think he's just been busy with work these past few years?"
"Qi Tongwei! Shut up!" Gao Yuliang slammed his hand on the table, his refined face turning a deep purplish-red. "What are you doing? Trying to rebel?"
"I just want to show my teacher's wife the truth."
Qi Tongwei completely ignored Gao Yuliang's roar. He calmly took out a few more photos from the paper bag and gently placed them in front of Wu Huifen.
Wu Huifen subconsciously looked down.
With just one glance, her pupils contracted sharply, and she froze on the spot as if struck by lightning.
The background of the photo is a luxury sea-view mansion in Hong Kong.
The woman in the photo is young and beautiful, with a natural allure in her eyes and brows.
She was wearing a tight-fitting, low-cut dress, her figure as alluring as a beautiful snake, and she was nestled in Gao Yuliang's arms, laughing hysterically.
That's not Gao Xiaoqin.
That's Gao Xiaofeng.
Even more striking is another photo where Gao Xiaofeng is holding two adorable twin boys, while Gao Yuliang is using a rattle to make them laugh. His face is full of fatherly doting affection, something Wu Huifen has never seen before in her life.
"Snapped!"
Wu Huifen dropped the chopsticks in her hand to the ground.
"When...when did this happen?" Wu Huifen's voice trembled, and the dignity and composure she had maintained for decades completely collapsed at this moment.
Wu Huifang had known for a long time that Gao Yuliang was having an affair, and that they had already divorced, but she couldn't accept that this was being exposed to outsiders, as it made her feel humiliated.
"Not long ago, probably while you were still working hard at the school teaching students and protecting his reputation," Qi Tongwei added cruelly. "Those two kids are almost in kindergarten now, living a very comfortable life in Hong Kong. All the expenses are paid by Zhao Ruilong."
"Gao Yuliang!"
Wu Huifen let out a piercing scream, grabbed the plate of braised pork from the table, and smashed it hard against the man she had protected her whole life.
"Splash—"
Soup splattered, and chunks of reddish-brown meat rolled all over the floor.
Gao Yuliang awkwardly dodged to the side, but still got splashed with soup, instantly turning his elegant white shirt into a mess of stains.
"Huifen! What are you doing..." Gao Yuliang frantically tried to pull Wu Huifen away.
"Get out! Get out of here!" Wu Huifen cried hysterically, sweeping all the bowls and chopsticks on the table onto the floor.
Qi Tongwei watched this farce unfold with cold indifference.
Seeing this teacher, who once spoke eloquently on the podium and was full of righteousness and morality, now looking like a clown, helpless and at a loss amidst the mess on the ground.
This is the true picture of the officialdom in Handong.
There was no tenderness or affection, only naked desire and lies.
"Alright."
Qi Tongwei stood up, threw the cigarette butt into the wine glass that hadn't been filled yet, and with a "sizzle," a plume of smoke rose.
"Teacher, I won't eat this meal. It's too greasy and makes me nauseous."
He straightened the collar of his police uniform and looked down at Gao Yuliang, whose face was ashen.
"The approval document and the negatives of these photos are with me for now. How you handle them is up to you."
Gao Yuliang seemed to have his spine removed, slumped in the chair, staring blankly at the ceiling, his lips trembling, but he couldn't utter a single word.
He knew it was over.
This was not only the end of his official career, but also the complete collapse of his life.
Qi Tongwei's move stripped him of all his clothes, leaving him standing naked under the scorching sun.
"The Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee will meet at 9:00 AM tomorrow."
Qi Tongwei walked to the door, stopped, and spoke with his back to Gao Yuliang.
"I hope to hear your confession at the meeting. This is the last bit of dignity your students will give you, and also the last explanation to your wife."
"If you find it difficult to speak, then I will have to send the anti-corruption bureau officers with an arrest warrant to the venue to pick you up."
"At that point, the scene might not be very dignified."
After saying that, Qi Tongwei opened the door and walked out without looking back.
Behind them came Wu Huifen's suppressed sobs, echoing through the small building that symbolized power, sending chills down one's spine.
The wind outside was a bit strong, rustling the leaves. Qi Tongwei took a deep breath of the cool air, feeling the pent-up frustration that had been building up in his chest for two lifetimes finally dissipate.
"Ring ring—"
My personal cell phone suddenly rang in my pocket.
Qi Tongwei took it out and saw a name flashing on the screen that made his eyelids twitch slightly.
That was a number from the capital.
"Feed?" Qi Tongwei answered the phone, his voice regaining its usual calm and hard tone.
"Tongwei, this is Hou Liangping." A slightly lighthearted, teasing voice came from the other end of the phone.
"I heard you've made quite a stir in Handong? I've heard about it even in Beijing. How about it, old classmate, long time no see. I'm coming to Handong tomorrow, want to treat me to a meal?"
Qi Tongwei tightened his grip on his phone slightly, a playful smile curving his lips.
They arrived so quickly.
One day you trample on a mentor, and the next day a "good brother" comes along trying to steal the credit?
"Okay," Qi Tongwei said into the phone. "I'll be waiting for you at Dafeng Factory. Let's... catch up."