Power and Wealth

Saturday.

County Public Security Bureau’s family quarters.

After working his ass off in the village over the past few days, Dong Xuebing was exhausted. He returned back to his apartment in town and fell asleep the moment his head touched his pillow. Ring, ring, ring... Dong Xuebing’s phone was ringing, and he woke up. He looks at the clock and it was 8.15 am. He yawned and slowly got out of bed to answer his phone. “Mum, I am not working today. Are you coming over?”

Luan Xiaoping’s voice was shaking as she shouted: “Why did you hide something so important from me?!”

Dong Xuebing was confused. “Errr... what’s wrong?”

“You were almost beaten up by hooligans during your operation. Are you hurt?”

“Ah... it is just a small matter. I am not injured, and the case has been handed over to the Bureau’s Serious Crime Investigation team. The villagers in Da Wang Village, who dare not make police reports against the hooligans, heard those hooligans were arrested and they came out to report against them. We got all the evidence against them and those two leaders will not be released for at least a few years. Mum, don’t worry about me. What can a few hooligans do to me?”

“Everyone is saying that you fought against more than a dozen hooligans along! Is it real?”

“Who tells you that? I only fought against 6 to 7 of them.”

Luan Xiaoping knew her son well and asked. “When did you become so good at fighting?”

“Err... I had received training when I was with the State Security Party training school and have no problem fighting against those hooligans.”

Luan Xiaoping did not believe Dong Xuebing. How can someone become a martial arts expert after 1 week of training?

After hanging up, Dong Xuebing went to wash up and wanted to prepare breakfast. But there was nothing in his fridge, and he can only have instant coffee for breakfast. Over the past few months, Dong Xuebing had become accustomed to Qu Yunxuan taking care of him and had become lazy. Most of the time after he returned from work, he was too tired to clean up the house or cook for himself. As a result, his apartment was very messy.

Ding Dong... Ding Dong... Someone was at the door.

Dong Xuebing opened his door. “Oh, Chief Qin. Come in.”

Deputy Bureau Chief Qin laughed and entered. “Sorry for dropping by unannounced. Haha, am I bothering you?”

“Of course not. Have a seat while I prepare some tea for you.” But when Dong Xuebing opened his tea container, he realized he ran out of tea leaves. He smiled and waved the empty box at Qin Yong. “Chief Qin, do you mind plain water?”

Qin Yong did not let Dong Xuebing poured water for him and picked up the warm water flask. “I’m fine. I will pour myself.”

Dong Xuebing walked over and cleared the rubbish on the coffee table. “Sorry my place is very messy.”

Qin Yong laughed. “This is normal for single men. Brother Dong, have you ever consider hiring a helper?”

Dong Xuebing waved his hand. “I will make do with this first. If I really cannot stand it, I will consider hiring.”

After chatting awhile, Qin Yong said. “Last night, Chief Liang’s mother entered the hospital and is currently warded at the County Town’s hospital.”

Dong Xuebing was surprised. “What happened to her?”

Qin Yong replied. “I had visited her last night. She got a blood clot in her brain, and she’s out of danger now. But she is in her 80s and it is not looking good.” After discussing Chief Liang’s mother’s condition, Qin Yong stood up. “I still have some work in the Bureau. I got to make a move now.”

Dong Xuebing knew Qin Yong had dropped by to inform him about Chief Liang’s mother’s hospitalization. As subordinates, Dong Xuebing must pay a visit no matter what. After Qin Yong left, Dong Xuebing went out to buy some fruits and gifts, before going to the People’s Hospital by Taxi.

This hospital is the best in the County, but from the exterior, it was worse than the community clinic near Dong Xuebing’s place in Beijing. The medical facilities at the grassroots level cannot be compared to the hospital in 1st tier cities.

Patient wards.

Chief Liang’s mother was staying in a single ward, and Liang Chengpeng and his wife were there.

After entering the ward, Dong Xuebing asked. “Chief Liang, Big Sis, how is her condition?” Based on age, Dong Xuebing should address Liang Chengpeng as Uncle. But their positions in the bureau was not too far away from each other. That’s why Dong Xuebing addressed Liang Chengpeng’s wife as Big Sis.

Liang Chengpeng did not sleep last night and had dark rings around his eyes. “She is fine for now. Thanks for asking.”

Chief Liang’s wife brought a chair over for Dong Xuebing.

After chatting for a while, Dong Xuebing learned that although the doctors said that Chief Liang’s mother is fine for now, she still got headaches and giddiness. The medication she was taking was not very effective, and the doctor suggests for her to go to a better hospital in Beijing for checks.

Dong Xuebing asked. “Are you bringing your mother to Beijing for a full checkup?”

Chief Liang’s wife sighed. “I also want to bring her over. But I am afraid she might not handle the traveling.”

Liang Chengpeng added. “Let’s see is she gets better after her treatment here. If she did not get better, we would go to Beijing.”

Dong Xuebing did not stay long in the ward and left. He walked down the stairs and passed the emergency room. There were rows of beds and lots of machine beeping. Dong Xuebing was about to leave that area when he saw the pretty mother and daughter, he met along the streets, on a bed in a corner. He remembered the mother is called Yu Meixia, and her daughter is Yu Qianqian.

Why are they in the hospital? Are they sick?

Dong Xuebing hesitated for a while and entered the ward slowly.

Yu Meixia was on the bed and looked very pale, coughing weakly. The past few days, she had been working in a small supermarket. She carried goods, cleans, cashier, etc. and might have fallen sick due to overworked. Since her husband pass away, she had never eaten a proper meal and she fainted last night.

Yu Qianqian was sobbing beside her.

Yu Meixia’s right hand was on a drip and she caressed her daughter’s head with her left hand. “Don’t cry. Cough...... I am fine.”

The nurse entered and stared at the mother and daughter, jealously. She was jealous of their beauty and hanged two packets of drips on the hook. “There are two more bottles of medicine. Go and pay for it first.”

Yu Meixia quickly refuse. “I am fine now and don’t need to be on a drip.”

The nurse frowned. “You caught severe flu and got a high fever. How can you not be on a drip?”

Yu Meixia replied stubbornly. “Last night I am on a drip and I don’t need it anymore. Qianqian, help me get off the bed. We will discharge now.”

Yu Qianqian cried louder and held on to her mother tightly. “Please listen to the doctors...”

Yu Meixia sighed. “We had spent a few hundred, and we can’t afford it.”

“We have money. You still have about 3,000 RMB. Mum... just get the medicine!”

Yu Meixia hugged her daughter with teary eyes. “Foolish girl. The money is for your school, and we cannot use it. I am fine...”

Yu Qianqian cried. “I don’t want to go to school. I just want you to recover...”

Dong Xuebing stopped in his tracks and was touched by what he saw. When his father passed away, his mother was also like Yu Meixia. She kept the most nutritious for Dong Xuebing and starved herself to save money to repay their debts. When Dong Xuebing thought back about those days, he still feels sad.

Dong Xuebing was moved by this mother and daughter pair again. He walked over and asked. “How can you not see the doctor when you are sick?”

Yu Meixia was stunned. “... Dong... Chief Dong... Why are you here?”

Yu Qianqian wiped her tears and greeted Dong Xuebing.

Dong Xuebing took out his wallet and gave 1,000 RMB to Yu Qianqian. “Pay for your mother’s treatment, and if it is not enough, let me know.”

Yu Meixia quickly said. “Chief Dong, we cannot accept your money. Qianqian, return Chief Dong his money now.”

Yu Qianqian did not say a thing and ran out with the hospital bill left behind by the nurse.

Dong Xuebing looked at Yu Meixia. “You only worry about your daughter. If you are unwell, Qianqian will be too worried to go to school too.”

Yu Meixia’s tears rolled down her face. “Thank you.”

Dong Xuebing laughed. “Sis, you are much older than me and stop being so polite with me. It will make me feel uncomfortable.” Dong Xuebing moved forward and helped her lie down on the bed. “You are a patient now and should get more rest. You should recover with enough rest. Don’t push yourself so hard when you are sick. What did I tell you two before I leave previously? Call me if you all need help.”

Yu Meixia mumbled. “I am afraid I am troubling you.” Actually, she was afraid of Dong Xuebing, as Dong Xuebing is a high ranking Public Security officer.

Dong Xuebing sighed. “My father passed away several years ago, and my mother and I had gone through what you and Qianqian are going through now. We lost the head of our family and still got a lot of debts. But we still manage to pull through. I am sure you can do it too.”

Yu Meixia finally understands why Chief Dong kept helping her and her daughter. “You are a nice person.”

Dong Xuebing laughed and brushed it off.

After a while, Yu Qianqian returned with the receipt, and the nurse changed the drip.

Dong Xuebing looks at his watch. “What do you all want for lunch? I will get something nutritious back.”

Yu Meixia quickly waved her hand. “No... Let... let Qianqian go.”

Dong Xuebing looked at Yu Qianqian. “If I let either of you two go, you will try to save money. Qianqian, what do you want to eat?”

Yu Qianqian looked at her mother and said cautiously. “I would like to let my mother drink chicken soup. I heard it is good for her health. I... can just eat a bun.”

Dong Xuebing patted Yu Qianqian’s head. “You are a good girl. Stay here with your mother while I get the food.”

Yu Meixia thanked gratefully. “Chief Dong, thank you so much.”

Dong Xuebing waved his hand and asked the nurse about Yu Meixia’s condition, before leaving for a nearby restaurant. That restaurant did not sell chicken soup, but Dong Xuebing offered to pay more, and the boss asked the kitchen to prepare it for him. While waiting for the soup, Dong Xuebing had his lunch there and still bought a few more dishes and rice back to the hospital.

Yu Qianqian swallowed her saliva when she saw meat. It’s been a while since she had eaten meat and start wolfing down the food.

Yu Meixia’s tears start to well up as she looked at her daughter. She felt sorry for her daughter for not able to let her eat a full meal in the past 6 months.

Dong Xuebing filled a bowl of the chicken soup for Yu Meixia. “The doctor says you cannot drink too much chicken soup, but a bowl is fine. Both of you lack nutrition and should eat more.”

Yu Meixia thanked Dong Xuebing again and start drinking the soup slowly.

Dong Xuebing bought a lot of food for them, and in the end, there were some leftovers. Yu Qianqian carefully covered the container with leftovers and placed it in the small cabinet beside the bed. She wants to save it for dinner. But Dong Xuebing ordered her to throw the leftovers away. Seeing Yu Meixia and Yu Qianqian can’t bear to throw it away, Dong Xuebing said. “There is no fridge here and the food might turn bad.”

Qu Qianqian looked at the leftovers in the bin. “It’s fine. My mother and I always do this, and we did not fall sick.”

Dong Xuebing turned and look at Yu Meixia with a frown.

Yu Meixia hugged her daughter and started tearing. “Sometimes, when we don’t have money, we will go to restaurants to beg for leftovers.”

Dong Xuebing sighed. Compared to this, mother and daughter, Dong Xuebing and his mother’s lives were much better. At least they still have food. What should I do? Something bad will inevitably happen to them if they carry on living like this. Help them? But her debt is 1 million RMB and I don’t have so much money with me now.

Dong Xuebing thought whether if he should help them when a middle-aged man with a moustache, entered the ward. He looked at Yu Meixia and Yu Qianqian. “I looked for you at the hotel and heard that an ambulance had sent you to the hospital. What’s wrong with you?”

Yu Qianqian was frightened and huddle up in her mother’s arms. Yu Meixia replied softly. “It’s the flu.”

That man nodded and replied. “Ok. How much have you raised, and when can you return the money?”

Yu Meixia replied weakly. “I am working now. Please give us a few more days.”

The man replied, impatiently. “How much can you earn? You owe us 1 million and even if you worked for a lifetime, you also could not repay all your debt. Yu Meixia, don’t forget about the interest. In another year, your debt is not 1 million. It will snowball to 2 or 3 million. How are you going to pay us back? Listen to me. I will help you get a job at the nightclub. The pay is good is enough for you to clear your debts.”

Yu Meixia panicked. “I..., I will not go.” She knows what that ‘job’ at the nightclub is.

That man said: “You don’t want to go? Then your daughter will go!”

Yu Qianqian started crying. “Mum...”

Yu Meixia hugged her daughter tightly. “My daughter will not go! I... I will find ways to repay you!”

Dong Xuebing understood what was going on and looked at that middle-aged man. “You are her creditor?”

The middle-aged man was surprised as he thought this young man was a family member of the patient next to Yu Meixia. “Who are you?” He felt this young man looks familiar.

Dong Xuebing laughed. “You had added interest when Sister Yu’s husband borrows from you? Haha, are you a loan shark?”

“What has this got to do with you? You are Yu Meixia’s relative?” This man was formerly Yu Meixia’s husband’s boss and knew Yu Meixia’s husband had a beautiful wife and daughter. He had lusted after them and thought if they can’t repay their debts, he can use Yu Meixia and her daughter as repayment. But not long after, his business failed and needed money.

Dong Xuebing laughed. “Our County Public Security is catching illegal loan sharks now. You are asking what has this got to do with me? You are asking for trouble.”

Yu Meixia’s eyes brightens up and looked at Dong Xuebing for help. “Chief Dong, my husband, had borrowed 400,000 RMB from him, and the rest is interest.”

Dong Xuebing replied. “Oh, the debt becomes 1 million within half a year? Fine. This is enough for you to be sentenced a few years.”

The middle-aged man was stunned. Chief Dong? Could he be the rumored... Chief Dong, who fought against 7 hooligans? Damn! He finally recognized Dong Xuebing. When Dong Xuebing was posted to the county, he had visited the County Public Security Bureau’s website and saw Dong Xuebing’s picture! He panicked and knew this young man cannot be offended. “Chief Dong, I am not a loan shark. Yu Meixia’s husband had agreed to this interest when he borrowed money from me. We had signed an agreement.”

Dong Xuebing replied. “Don’t you know the law does not recognize these agreements? What now? You still want Sister Yu to work at the nightclubs? I am interested to know what jobs you have for her at the nightclubs?”

The middle-aged man was sweating. “Err... waitress...”

Dong Xuebing waved his hand. “Alright. Stop talking nonsense. How much did her husband borrow from you?”

“400,000.”

“After deducting whatever she paid, how much is the debt now?”

The middle-aged man knew Chief Dong was determined to help Yu Meixia. “210,000.” He gritted his teeth and continued. “Chief Dong, I dare not offend you, but she still needs to repay her husband’s debt. Fine... I will not want her interest, and if she can return the remaining amount, I will tear the IOU.” He had heard of the things Chief Dong did in the county and had no choice but to give in.

Yu Meixia’s tears dropped when she heard her debt had gone from 1 million to 210,000 RMB.

Dong Xuebing nodded and looked at Yu Meixia. “Sister Yu, I remember that you have a distance relative doing business in Beijing? Can you borrow money from her to repay him first?” Yu Meixia was stunned. She does not have any relatives in Beijing, but before she could say anything, Dong Xuebing told that man. “Leave your name and bank account number. The money should be wired into your account this afternoon or latest by tomorrow.”

That man wrote his bank account number and left.

After that man left, Yu Meixia said. “Chief Dong, I... I don’t have any relatives doing business. I...”

Dong Xuebing did not reply to her and walked out of the emergency wards to call Qu Yunxuan. It is hard for Dong Xuebing to raise 1 million as the Auction Company had just started. But 210,000 is nothing to Dong Xuebing. “Hello, Aunt Xuan? How much money do we have in our account?”

Qu Yunxuan replied. “Most of the money was invested in the company and there is only about 400,000 RMB left. Why are you asking?”

Dong Xuebing cleared his throat. “Err... I need some money. 210,000.”

Qu Yunxuan paused for a second and replied. “Ok. I will transfer it to you now.”

“Huh? You are not asking why I need the money?”

“Haha, you must have your reasons. Furthermore, this is your money, and I am only handling it for you.”

“Ahh... I said the money in the account is our money. Ok. I will give you a name and an account number. Just transfer the money to him. Take it down.”

“Ok.” After noting the account number, Qu Yunxuan said. “There will be some delays for inter-province transfers. But the money should be credited before 6pm today.”

After settling this, Dong Xuebing returned to the ward.

Yu Meixia anxiously said. “I am unable to raise 210,000 now. If I can’t raise the money by tomorrow...”

Dong Xuebing patted her shoulder and helped her lay back on the bed. “Sister Yu, I know you don’t have relatives doing business. I was lying to him and I had helped you clear your debt. He should be receiving the money this afternoon. Now, you two are debt-free.”

Yu Meixia was stunned. “Are... Are you serious?”

“Haha, is there a need to lie to you?”

“But... but...” Yu Meixia looked away from Dong Xuebing. “We cannot accept your money.”

Dong Xuebing laughed. “Sister Yu, stop imagining things. I don’t have other motives. Both of you reminded me of myself several years ago. I had been through tough times, and I am not helping you for anything in return.” Dong Xuebing knew Yu Meixia thought he was lusting after her and her daughter. Dong Xuebing had helped them was more of pity and wanted for them to suffer lesser.

Yu Meixia had not expected her debt to be cleared so soon. Her tears rolled down. “Chief Dong... We... we...”

Dong Xuebing stood up. “Alright. Take care of yourself. I am going back.”

As Dong Xuebing was preparing to leave, he heard some sounds and turned around.

Yu Meixia and Yu Qianqian were kneeling on the floor, kowtowing to Dong Xuebing.

Dong Xuebing quickly help them up. “Don’t do this. Sister Yu, you are sick.”

Yu Meixia cried. “Thank you! Thank you so much!”

Yu Qianqian was also crying!