Siheyuan: Happy life of veteran drivers

Chapter 205 Liu Lan's Troubles

At noon, Wang Hongtao was squatting in the cafeteria to eat when he saw Liu Haizhong walking towards him excitedly:

"I passed, Xiao Wang, I passed!"

Wang Hongtao quickly pulled Liu Haizhong to a secluded corner and said, "Shh! You are asking for your life! What are you talking about? Did you see the old man come to me to announce the good news?"

Liu Haizhong scratched his head awkwardly: "Well... I'm really excited. I came to you right after the announcement."

"Listen carefully, Uncle Er. I have never taken your money. This exam is entirely based on your personal ability. It has nothing to do with me. Remember this?" Wang Hongtao looked at Liu Haizhong and said solemnly.

"Oh, yes, that's what happened!" Liu Haizhong said excitedly.

"Well, Xiao Wang, what Second Uncle says still counts. If there's anything in the courtyard that requires Second Uncle's help, just let me know. It'll work!"

Wang Hongtao nodded calmly: "Okay, Uncle, you can celebrate however you want. It has nothing to do with me. Got it?"

"understand!"

Liu Haizhong nodded and bowed, thanked him profusely and left.

In his opinion, he was able to pass the test because Wang Hongtao asked someone to help him. Otherwise, how could he pass the test in one try when the test questions he picked were so simple? There must be something fishy going on!

Wang Hongtao just shook his head casually. With his head covered in bangs, he was afraid that he would never discover this fact in his lifetime.

After finishing his meal, Wang Hongtao shouted to the kitchen: "Sister Lan, thank you for helping me wash the lunch box!"

But this time Liu Lan waved at him: "Wait a moment, I have something to tell you."

Then Liu Lan called over another kitchen helper: "Aunt Mei, come and help me. I have something to do."

After explaining the work at hand, Liu Lan took Wang Hongtao to the back door of the cafeteria and said awkwardly: "Well, you know about me and Lao Li. I want to ask you for help with something."

"Sister Lan, you say." Wang Hongtao said with a smile.

"Two years ago, my husband was locked up for injuring someone. He will be released in the next two days. I was afraid that he would cause trouble for me when he got out, so I went to find Director Li. He said it was inconvenient for him to do anything about this matter, so he asked me to come to you." After saying this, Liu Lan lowered her head embarrassedly.

Wang Hongtao frowned after hearing this. He had never heard Director Li mention this matter, but he thought that Liu Lan would not lie to him about such a thing. Wouldn't everything be clear once he negotiated with Director Li?

It should be Director Li whom Liu Lan had just found, but Director Li had not had the chance to talk to him yet.

"Sister Lan, please tell me what your man's situation is, so that it will be easier to help you solve the problem."

"it is good!"

Liu Lan heaved a sigh of relief when she heard Wang Hongtao had agreed to the matter, and then told him everything about her man.

It turned out that Liu Lan's husband was a worker in the steel rolling mill. However, he was lazy and liked to eat and do nothing. After marrying Liu Lan, he found excuses to let Liu Lan take over the job while he rested at home.

His man spent all his time drinking and making trouble. When he had no money, he would go to Liu Lan for it. If he got it back, he would scold him. If he didn't, he would beat her. Liu Lan was miserable.

Fortunately, Liu Lan's life became better after she was thrown into prison for causing trouble while drinking and injuring someone.

Yesterday the prison informed her that her husband would be released soon. Liu Lan was so frightened upon hearing the news that she couldn't sleep all night. Her eyes were red and swollen, which made Director Li very distressed.

The affair between her and Li Huaide was no secret in the steel mill. If she asked him a little, he would know. She didn't know what the furious man would do...

That's why she asked Li Huaide for help.

After thinking for a moment, Wang Hongtao understood what Li Huaide meant. Li Huaide gave him this task not only because he wanted to do it thoroughly, but also because he wanted people not to associate it with him.

"Okay, Sister Lan, just leave this to me. Tell me your home address, your husband's appearance, and when he will be back. Then take your mother and children to stay in the guesthouse for two days. I'll let you know when everything is done."

"Okay! My man will probably come out tomorrow afternoon. I live at No. 33 Maoer Hutong, two small blue brick bungalows. My man is easy to recognize. He has a scar on the left side of his face and a missing front tooth..."

Maoer Hutong? Isn't that where Widow Zhao lives with her half-closed door?

Wang Hongtao immediately had an idea in his mind.

"Okay, that's enough. Sister Lan, wait for my news. I will give you a reply the day after tomorrow at the latest!"

"Oh! Thank you so much, Hongtao! If it weren't for you, I really don't know what I would do." Liu Lan said gratefully.

"You're welcome, Sister Lan. This is what I should do."

……

After dinner, Wang Hongtao went to Xueru Silk Shop first. After paying his taxes, he rode his bike to Maoer Hutong to inquire about Liu Lan's man.

After paying the price of half a box of [Fengshou] cigarettes, Wang Hongtao successfully obtained the information he wanted from a group of bound-foot detectives.

The situation was basically the same as Liu Lan described. Her husband's name was Hou Shun. Hou Shun's mother had been beaten to death by his father early on, and he himself had also been beaten by his father since he was a child.

Later, his father got drunk and fell, hitting the back of his head and died on the spot.

Hou Shun is just like his father. He likes to drink when he has nothing to do, and when he drinks too much, he gets drunk and beats people.

Anyway, after asking so many neighbors, not a single one had a good review.

Well, if that’s the case then it’s easy.

……

So in the first half of that night.

Following the address left by the old ladies from the Logistics Department, Wang Hongtao found a small shabby house.

Before I got close, I heard the sound of a child crying and a woman coaxing a child.

The door was half-closed, but Wang Hongtao knocked anyway. (A half-closed door means there are no guests inside. If there are guests, they will close the door tightly and reopen it when they are done.)

"Tuk tuk tuk..."

Wang Hongtao wore ragged clothes, a large felt hat on his head, and a towel around his neck, covering himself up tightly.

"Who is this? Can't you let me rest at night?"

A woman's impatient voice came from inside, followed by the sound of tapping footsteps.

"It must be Widow Zhao, right? I was introduced to you by an acquaintance." Wang Hongtao said in a deep voice.