Chapter 222 – County Mayor (1/2)
It was after midnight.
Dong Xuebing looked at Xiang Chengdong in the interrogation room of Hui Tian Village Station. “Harassing women, assault, and extortion. I believe you don’t need me to explain the definitions of these charges, right? I don’t want to waste time. All of you better compensate Da Leng’s sister and her family medical bills. Hmmm… with other compensations, I think 50,000 RMB is enough. All of you can leave after paying up, and I will treat this case as you all settled it privately.”
Xiang Chengdong stared at Dong Xuebing. “You just wait!”
Dong Xuebing looked at him. “You don’t want to pay the compensation?”
Xiang Chengdong gave Dong Xuebing a stare and took out his phone.
Dong Xuebing said. “You all will remain here until the compensation is paid up. It is useless no matter who comes to beg for you!”
After a while, Dong Xuebing’s phone rang. He looked at the caller display, and it’s Secretary Zhou again. Dong Xuebing walked out of the interrogation room and answered.
Secretary Zhou roared into the phone. “Dong Xuebing! What are you trying to do?! Ah?!”
Dong Xuebing was disgusted by him and said. “Stop shouting at me! You are the one who woke me up in the middle of the night to solve this problem. Now, the one who does not want to solve this problem is also you. If you had persuaded Xiang Chengdong and his friends to leave, everything would be over. Do you think I will listen to a drunken person? Does he think he owns the Police Station? Fine! Now, even if he wants to leave, it is too late. The victims are in the hospital getting treated and is preparing to sue them in courts.”
Secretary Zhou screamed. “Release them immediately!”
Dong Xuebing replied furiously: “Secretary Zhou, are you trying to get me into trouble? The victims are badly injured by Xiang Chengdong, and if I don’t give the family members of the victims a satisfying answer, how will my colleagues look at me? Which villager will respect me? Are you asking me to disregard my honor? I had told you to mediate this incident, and this will not happen. Fine. It’s useless to say anything now. I can only follow the proper procedures.”
After hanging up, Dong Xuebing did not return to the interrogation room. He waited outside.
Ring… ring… ring… Dong Xuebing’s phone rang as expected. It is Liang Chengpeng calling this time. “You had arrested Party Secretary’s relative?”
Dong Xuebing firmly replied. “He had harassed women, assaulted others, and tried to extort money. I got no choice but to arrest him.”
Liang Chengpeng frowned. “How did it turn out this way?”
Dong Xuebing explained. “Chief Liang, I am not speaking behind others’ back. The whole incident had disgusted me. Secretary Zhou had called me in the middle of the night and asked me to handle this case. He told me that Party Secretary Xiang’s relative is beaten up. But when I reach there, it is not what Secretary Zhou said. Xiang Chengdong and his friends had beaten up the relatives of an officer from our Station. One of them is disfigured, and another had a broken leg. All of them are badly injured. I gave Secretary Zhou’s face and decided not to pursue this matter. I told Xiang Chengdong to leave, but he refused. He refused to let the injured to go to the hospital and even demanded compensations.”
“But you also don’t need to arrest them.”
“Yes. That’s why I called Secretary Zhou and asked him to persuade Xiang Chengdong not to blow up this incident. But Secretary Zhou accused me of not handling this incident well, and insisted the victims to compensate Xiang Chengdong! Chief Liang, don’t you think Secretary Zhou is doing this on purpose? If I follow what he says, everyone in the County will be scolding me!”
Liang Chengpeng sighed. “Secretary Zhou… is still too young.”
Dong Xuebing continued. “I am doing this with consideration for Party Secretary Xiang. If I don’t arrest Xiang Chengdong and let him continue with his ways, Party Secretary Xiang’s reputation will be tarnished. I had asked Xiang Chengdong to compensate the victims a sum of money, and this way, we can give both sides an answer, and we can also release them.”
Liang Chengpeng knew Dong Xuebing had not done anything wrong. The problem lies with Secretary Zhou. He is too arrogant and had not considered the consequences. He only thinks for the Party Secretary Xiang and his relatives. Even if he wants to bootlick, this is not the right way. If Dong Xuebing made the victims compensate Xiang Chengdong, Party Secretary Xiang would also be furious.
God of Plague Xiao Dong. This nickname suits him well.
Liang Chengpeng shook his head. When Dong Xuebing gets involved, there will be endless trouble. This incident, for instance. Although Dong Xuebing had handled it well, Party Secretary Xiang will not appreciate what he had done. Regardless of Dong Xuebing arresting Xiang Chengdong, or releasing him, Party Secretary Xiang will still hold him responsible. It is just as unreasonable as it seems.
The following two hours, no one else called Dong Xuebing.
Dong Xuebing crossed his legs and smoked in the interrogation room. Once in a while, he will look at his watch.
Xiang Chengdong had sobered up and became anxious when his cousin, Xiang Daofa and Secretary Zhou, didn’t appear to help him.
Dong Xuebing looked at Xiang Chengdong and asked. “Have you finish considering? All your friends had agreed to compensate the other party, and you are the only one left.”
At 3 am, Xiang Chengdong could not stand it. He called his family to bring money over.
Dong Xuebing did not hold Xiang Chengdong back and released him after he paid the compensations. Er Leng had accompanied his Second Uncle and Sister to the hospital, and Da Leng is still waiting at the Station. Dong Xuebing found him and passed him 80,000 RMB. “This sum of money is from them. Keep it for your family’s hospital bills.”
Da Leng looked at the stack of notes and thanked Dong Xuebing. “Thank you!”
Dong Xuebing patted him on his back. “Go back and have a good rest.”
Da Leng is not good with words, but he will remember what Dong Xuebing did for him in his heart.
The rest of the officers in the Station were deeply touched by this incident. Everyone noticed Chief Dong is different from the rest of the leaders. If it were someone else, they would never offend the Party Secretary’s relative for a subordinate. But Chief Dong did this, and this incident gave all the officers assurance.
The next day’s afternoon.
The sun is up, and the weather is dry and warm.
Dong Xuebing had returned home late last night and slept until noon. He got up and looked at his phone. There were two missed calls, which were from Qin Yong. Dong Xuebing returned the call. He needs to know about the impact of yesterday’s incident. Qin Yong told him that everything is normal at the Bureau, and there is no news from the County’s Party Committee. But Dong Xuebing knew that even if nothing happened now, Xiang Daofa would revenge on him in the future.
Dong Xuebing can only take a step at a time.
Dong Xuebing was rejected by Xiang Daofa in the afternoon, and at night, he got back at him. Regardless of the consequences, Dong Xuebing was still feeling great. He hummed a tune as he left his house with his bag.
At the front yard of the Quarters, Dong Xuebing overheard some people chatting.
“Have you heard it? The new Mayor had arrived.”
“What’s there to hear about? I had already seen them. The City Government’s Organization Affairs Head had sent the new Mayor personally. Their cars had just passed our main gate.”
“The new Mayor is from the Central Publicity Department? Is the Mayor a woman?”
“Yes. The person sitting at the rear passenger seat is Mayor Xie. Her looks…”
The two family members stopped chatting when they saw Chief Dong walking towards them. They pretended to be chatting about something else. Dong Xuebing had heard them from a distance and was excited. He had wanted to go over to ask them, but he is not familiar with those two people. At the time, Hu Silian walked out of a building next to Dong Xuebing.
Dong Xuebing smiled. “Director Hu, you are not working today?”
Hu Silian smiled. “No. I came back for lunch, and I am returning to the Bureau now.”
“Oh. I will drive you back.”