Chapter Forty: The Wretched Souls in the Detention Room

In the end, Yang Meng had guessed wrong. These people weren’t looking for Wan Changhe, nor for himself; they were here for Officer Liu Heping.

“Liu, what’s your problem, huh?” The leader strode forward, aggressive and confrontational, demanding an explanation from Liu Heping.

“Master Long? What brings you here?” Liu Heping was taken aback; the speaker was none other than Long Teng.

Long Teng, clearly agitated, replied, “I came here specifically to find you! I went to the station and you weren’t there, they told me you were here so I rushed over!”

Liu Heping hurriedly asked, “Master Long, what do you need from me? I’ve already taken care of everything you asked for.”

Long Teng’s eyes widened, “Taken care of? Nonsense! The address you gave me was completely wrong—there’s nothing there but a yard full of old hens! The person I’m looking for isn’t there at all!”

Liu Heping was stunned. “Master Long, that’s the address he registered with!”

Long Teng snapped, “Do you think I’m lying to you? If you don’t help me find him, don’t blame me for turning my back on you!”

Yang Meng couldn’t hold back anymore upon hearing this and rolled down the window. “Master Long, you really are arrogant—threatening even the police, tsk tsk. But stop picking on the soft ones. Why not try bullying me instead?”

Liu Heping couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time. How had he become the ‘soft one’? Well, facing a behemoth like the Long family, he really was powerless.

To him, Yang Meng’s voice was like music to the ears. Everyone turned to look at the police car where Yang Meng was seated.

“Yang... Yang, sir? Why are you in the police car?” Long Teng was dumbfounded when he saw Yang Meng’s face.

Yang Meng replied, “Why am I in the police car? Isn’t it obvious? Whether it’s a case of righteous intervention or public brawling, I can’t say for sure. I’ll wait for the police to investigate and clarify my situation.”

“Huh?” Long Teng looked at Liu Heping in confusion.

Liu Heping quickly explained in a low voice, “This gentleman here beat up Wan Changhe.”

“Wan Changhe? Who’s that?” Before Liu Heping could reply, Long Teng slapped his forehead. “I remember now—the dog trader, right?”

Liu Heping blinked. Dog trader? Well, with your wealth, you can call him whatever you like. He nodded hastily.

“Where is Wan Changhe?” Long Teng looked around but couldn’t find Wan Changhe.

Liu Heping said, “He’s in the hospital now. This gentleman beat up the whole group. Wan Changhe’s partner has a broken nose and jaw, Wan Changhe’s ankle is shattered. It’s tragic, really.”

Long Teng inhaled sharply. After glancing at Yang Meng, he declared righteously, “What on earth did Wan Changhe do to infuriate Mr. Yang so much? Let me make this clear: Mr. Yang is the best friend of our Long family! If Mr. Yang suffers any injustice, our Long Group will not stand idly by! Rest assured, Mr. Yang, our company will send the best legal team to support you!”

Yang Meng was bewildered. “What nonsense is this? Long Teng, did I knock some sense out of you? I’m your best friend?”

Liu Heping was even more confused by Yang Meng’s words. What was going on? Everyone knew Long Teng was the eldest son of the Long family, and a national karate champion to boot. Yet Yang Meng claimed to have knocked him silly?

And even if he had, would the eldest son of the Long family not hold a grudge? But here he was, declaring Yang Meng the best friend of the Long family.

Long Teng felt a bit awkward too after Yang Meng’s comment. He turned to Liu Heping, “You’re not going to rough up my friend, are you?”

“How could we?” Liu Heping replied quickly. “Just look at Mr. Yang now and you’ll see.”

Long Teng looked at Yang Meng, who was leaning out the car window. Well, he certainly hadn’t suffered. He hurriedly said to Yang Meng, “Yang, I’ve been looking for you for days.”

Long Teng was truly anxious now, even changing his address to ‘Yang’. He’d been searching for Yang Meng for some time, tracking him down to the old courtyard where Yang Meng had rented with Ma Fengying. But Yang Meng had moved out long ago. When he asked Ma Fengying about Yang Meng’s whereabouts, she refused to tell him, as Yang Meng had good relations with everyone. As the days passed, Long Teng grew frantic, and it was sheer luck he found him today.

Yang Meng said, “Why are you looking for me?”

Long Teng hurriedly explained, “Yang, we’ve searched for the Zhao Yun you mentioned. There are more than four hundred people with that name in our city alone—not counting migrants. Across the country, there are even more. We’ve checked everyone, but none matched. The six days you mentioned are almost up. About my sister…”

Yang Meng responded with a simple “Oh,” and pointed to the police car. “You see, I’m powerless right now! Officer, let’s head back to the station.”

Hearing Yang Meng address him, Liu Heping glanced at Long Teng and silently praised his own quick thinking.

He’d noticed Yang Meng’s formidable strength and decided to treat him politely. Now he realized Yang Meng’s social connections were just as impressive. Even the eldest son of the Long family called him ‘brother’. Thankfully, he hadn’t treated him badly earlier.

“Master Long, I know you’re worried about your friend, but we need to return to the station for formalities,” Liu Heping said.

Long Teng quickly reassured Yang Meng, “Don’t worry, Yang. It’s just a procedure. I’ll have the Long Group’s legal team there to support you!”

Yang Meng blinked. Well, that would save him a lot of trouble.

As the police car left the scene, Long Teng took out his phone. “Dad, I found Yang…”

Liu Heping brought Yang Meng back to the station and didn’t know quite how to handle him. Should he send him straight to the interrogation room for questioning? Maybe wait a bit. Letting him wander freely? That was even less appropriate.

After thinking it over, he decided to place Yang Meng in the holding room for now. Judging from the situation, the Long family would soon resolve everything, and he’d be wise not to meddle. In this society, with its emphasis on connections, he couldn’t afford to offend the powerful Long family.

Yang Meng found everything in the holding room fascinating. As soon as he entered, he laughed, “Well, now I really am a birdman.”

It was a fitting description—the holding room was a large iron cage, about ten square meters, with several plastic chairs for seating, much like a giant birdcage.

It was lively inside, with several people already confined there, both men and women.

“Who are you calling birdman, kid?” A tattooed man was displeased by Yang Meng’s remark.

Liu Heping’s face darkened. “Zhang Quanbiao, instead of reflecting on your mistakes, you dare shout here? Don’t you realize where you are?”

He wanted to chat more with Yang Meng, but this was the station, so he restrained himself. Someday, there’d be a chance.

With that, he opened the iron door and said to Yang Meng, “Go on in.”

Yang Meng entered the ‘birdcage’, spotted an empty chair and sat down.

As soon as Liu Heping left, Zhang Quanbiao sized Yang Meng up and down. “What, caught for street racing?”

It was a reasonable assumption; Yang Meng was wearing motorcycle gear.

Yang Meng shrugged. “Got in a fight.”

Zhang Quanbiao sneered, adopting the tone of an experienced veteran. “You young folks are so impulsive. What age are we in? Can you make money fighting? Lose and you end up in the hospital; win and you end up in jail. Looks like you won, but let me tell you, the trouble comes later. Get ready to pay up! That’s not something a few bucks will cover.”

Yang Meng shook his head. “Some people deserve a beating, even if it costs money. Today I saw a group bullying an elderly couple of street cleaners. If I didn’t beat them, should I let them go free?”

“Still too impulsive,” Zhang Quanbiao shook his head. “What’s it to you if someone bullies sanitation workers? You think you’re tough? You think you can meddle in everything? Look at you now, got yourself locked up for sticking your nose in—regret it yet? Wait till you’re fined and sent to detention, then you’ll really regret it!”

Yang Meng shook his head again. “Regret? If I see it again, I’ll do it again! Brother Biao, right? What are you in for?”

Zhang Quanbiao, probably in his thirties, was big, tattooed with dragons and tigers, and looked the part. Yang Meng was bored, so he chatted politely.

No sooner had he asked than the girl sitting nearby burst out laughing.

“What are you laughing at?” Zhang Quanbiao glared angrily at her.

The girl wasn’t afraid in the least. Covering her mouth, she laughed a bit more, then said to Yang Meng, “Handsome, you’ve hit the nail on the head. Brother Biao is a legend on the street—ask him why he’s here and you’ll understand.”

Yang Meng looked curiously at Zhang Quanbiao. ‘Legend of the street’? That was a lofty title.

Zhang Quanbiao sighed. “People nowadays are so insincere—everything’s measured by money. I just ate a meal at a restaurant and didn’t pay, and they sent me here. Was that really necessary?”

Yang Meng’s jaw dropped. He’d thought Zhang Quanbiao was some big shot, but he was just a dine-and-dasher?

Even the police officer on duty outside the holding room couldn’t hold back. “Biao, can you quiet down for a bit?”

After the officer spoke, Zhang Quanbiao’s next action left Yang Meng dumbfounded: he walked to the bars and said to the police, “Officer, why hasn’t my guardian arrived yet? I want to call my guardian!”

Yang Meng couldn’t help but laugh.

The police officer, unable to bear it, said, “Come with me, I’ll take you somewhere else!”

After Zhang Quanbiao was led away, the girl pouted at Yang Meng. “Brother Biao’s actually a pitiful guy. He wasn’t always like this. I’m Li Xiaoqing. And you?”

The girl offered her hand boldly.

“Yang Meng. Meng as in ‘adorable’.” Yang Meng shook her hand and asked curiously, “You say he’s a pitiful guy?”