Chapter 24: Collecting a Little Interest Is Fine Too

In his previous life, Li Xiangyang had been devastated by Su Yan and Wang Ming, so how could he not keep a close eye on their whereabouts?

Unfortunately, not long after returning to the city, both of them had moved abroad. Later, when Li Xiangyang left his hometown to make a living as a hunter in a foreign land, it was a choice born of desperation, yet he had secretly harbored the hope of finding them to exact his revenge. However, given his limited capabilities in that past life, he had died without ever locating them. Even so, he knew quite a bit about them.

Li Xiangyang crunched through the thick snow, heading toward the local police station. Along the way, his thoughts drifted back to fragmented memories from his former life. It was the summer of 2000 when he saw a news report in an overseas Chinese newspaper: during the demolition of an old district in the East Xing'an Mountains, over twenty gold bars had been unearthed. The news was brief, but the accompanying photo of a dilapidated courtyard house was one he recognized instantly—it was the ancestral home of the Wang family.

The gold bars had been buried beneath the foundation, wrapped in layers of oil paper, and were perfectly preserved. They had remained hidden underground for decades, only to be exposed when that old district was torn down. Wang Ming had known nothing of this; it was perhaps the final irony left to him by his "great" father.

When he saw the news back then, Li Xiangyang felt that heaven had finally opened its eyes. Wang Ming had ruined his family and forced him into exile, all while being unaware of this hidden fortune. Now, it seemed like an excellent opportunity.

"So, you wanted to ruin me?" Li Xiangyang looked toward the police station, a cold smirk playing on his lips. "Then I’ll just have to make sure this windfall sees the light of day a little earlier."

The police station gates were unremarkable, but they looked particularly glaring to him right now. He took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and stepped inside.

"Comrade, who are you looking for?" an officer wearing bifocals asked, looking up.

"I am Li Xiangyang."

The officer’s eyes lit up. "Oh, you’re Li Xiangyang? Here to surrender?"

Ignoring the sarcasm in the officer's tone, Li Xiangyang pulled his credentials from his coat. "Comrade, this is my hunter’s license. I am a certified hunter for the forestry station, and the hunting rifle was issued by them. If you have any doubts, you can ask Captain Zhou to verify it."

The older officer took the document and examined it closely. His expression gradually shifted to one of embarrassment. "This... this really is a hunter's license. Comrade, I am truly sorry; it was an oversight on our part."

"It’s fine, as long as the misunderstanding is cleared up. Can my mother and sister go home now?" Li Xiangyang’s voice was calm, though his hand, clutching the license, tightened slightly.

"Of course, of course. You must understand, we weren't really 'arresting' them. Sit down, I’ll go make the arrangements."

The officer turned to leave but was blocked by several men who suddenly appeared. "Old Zhao, what’s going on? Isn't this the guy who came to surrender? Why haven't you detained him? Private possession of a firearm is a serious crime!"

The speaker was Zhu Dabiao, followed by Li Hao and Zhang Xiaobao—all officers who hailed from Little Liang Village.

Old Zhao slapped the hunter’s license onto Zhu Dabiao’s chest. "See for yourself!"

He hurried inside to release the family. After the three men huddled together to read the document, their expressions turned sheepish. Zhu Dabiao was the first to react, smiling as he poured Li Xiangyang a glass of water. "Comrade Li Xiangyang, it was all a misunderstanding. Have some water."

Just then, a flurry of footsteps echoed through the hall. Li Xiaohua rushed into Li Xiangyang’s arms like a little rabbit. "Brother!"

Their mother followed, her face still pale from the shock. "Brother, it was all that villain Wang Ming!" Li Xiaohua complained indignantly. "He reported us! I told them you had a hunter’s license, but they just wouldn't believe me!"

The people around them looked uncomfortable. Li Xiangyang gently stroked his sister’s hair. "The comrades at the station were just doing their duty according to the law. In a situation like this, no one knows the truth until they see the documents. You can't blame them."

"Comrade Li Xiangyang is right," Old Zhao said, walking over sincerely. "I am truly sorry for making your family trek all the way here in the middle of winter."

Li Xiangyang smiled faintly. "You are law enforcement officers; this is your duty. However, now that it is proven I am a legally armed hunter, can I report Wang Ming for malicious framing and slander?"

Old Zhao looked troubled. "Well, he only filed a report, and you did have a gun. Bringing people in just leads to endless squabbling..."

"Yes, I understand. Just follow the regulations; all I ask for is justice." Li Xiangyang said this and pulled several plump rabbits from his pack. "You’ve worked hard. As a hunter for the forestry station, it’s only natural to share some game with the comrades at the station, right?"

Seeing the fresh, frost-covered rabbit meat, everyone present couldn't help but swallow hard.

"This..." Old Zhao hesitated.

"Accept it," Zhu Dabiao interjected. "It’s freezing out, and Comrade Li Xiangyang is just being kind."

"In that case, we’ll take it with thanks." Old Zhao accepted the rabbits and asked casually, "Comrade Li Xiangyang, you haven't eaten yet, have you?"

"I haven't had the chance." Li Xiangyang glanced at the sky outside the window.

"Perfect, stay for a simple meal." Old Zhao turned to Li Hao. "Little Li, go get the stove started. Today, thanks to Li Xiangyang, we get to improve our diet."

Li Xiangyang initially wanted to decline, but seeing the exhaustion on his mother and sister's faces, he nodded. "Then I’ll take you up on that."

The station’s kitchen was small, but warm. Once the stove was lit, the whole room felt cozy. Zhu Dabiao volunteered to cook, claiming he had worked as a mess sergeant in the countryside and had decent skills. Seeing this, Li Xiangyang offered to help, chatting with Zhu Dabiao while skinning the rabbits. Soon, a fragrant pot of braised rabbit was served.

Old Zhao had someone bring in a large table, and the Li family sat down with the officers. "Come, Comrade Li Xiangyang, try Zhu Dabiao’s cooking." Old Zhao placed a piece of meat on his plate. Li’s mother was a bit reserved, but seeing Li Xiaohua eating happily, a smile finally appeared on her face.

After several rounds of drinks and food, the atmosphere warmed up. Once the meal was over, Old Zhao turned to Li Hao. "Little Li, hitch the carriage and take Comrade Li Xiangyang’s family home. While you're at it, bring that brat Wang Ming back for a lecture so he doesn't cause any more trouble."

Li Hao acknowledged the order and went out. Before long, the sound of hooves and the crunch of wheels on snow echoed in the courtyard.

"Comrade Li Xiangyang, take the carriage back," Old Zhao said, helping the mother and daughter into the vehicle. "It's not convenient to walk in this heavy snow."

Their mother thanked him repeatedly as she helped Li Xiaohua into the back. Li Xiangyang followed behind, his heart finally at ease as he saw the relief on his family's faces.

"Let’s go, we’ll stop by the educated youth commune on the way," Old Zhao said, taking the driver's seat and signaling for Li Xiangyang to join him.

The carriage moved slowly through the snow, the wheels leaving a soft path behind. Through the gaps in the carriage, Li Xiangyang watched the snowflakes growing larger, already calculating his next move.

As the carriage traveled, Li Xiangyang leaned toward Old Zhao and asked in a low voice, "Comrade Old Zhao, I have a question."

"Go ahead."

"How are malicious accusations and framing handled according to the rules?"

Old Zhao tightened his grip on the reins. "By the book, we bring them in, have them write a self-criticism and a letter of guarantee, and then let them go. If they are repeat offenders, we report them."

"And if it’s reported?"

"That’s serious," Old Zhao said, shaking the snow off his coat. "At best, it’s criticism and education; at worst, it goes into their permanent file. If other problems are uncovered, then it becomes much more troublesome."

Li Xiangyang nodded thoughtfully. "I see. And if I happen to be in possession of evidence regarding his other misdeeds..."

"Then you should report it to the authorities above," Old Zhao interrupted, his tone heavy with meaning. "We at the grassroots level can only handle trivial matters. The big issues are for the higher-ups."

Li Xiangyang’s lips curved upward. He understood the rules of this era better than anyone. Some things didn't need to be stated explicitly.

"However..." Old Zhao lowered his voice, "if there really is a major issue, you must have solid evidence. In this day and age, baseless speculation doesn't get you far."

"You're right," Li Xiangyang nodded. "The stronger the evidence, the clearer the case."

The carriage continued through the snow, leaving behind a trail of deep ruts. Li Xiangyang watched the falling snow, his eyes gradually sharpening. He would have to plan the matter of the gold bars carefully. This wasn't some petty squabble; it was leverage enough to ensure Wang Ming’s total ruin.

It would indeed come down to a single letter of denunciation. But to whom that letter was delivered was of the utmost importance. It seemed he would have to do some networking and find the right person to consult.

Still, it wouldn't hurt to collect some interest first. Let Wang Ming suffer a bit of immediate loss and taste what it means to reap what he has sown.