Chapter 7: Agreement

Lin Li took a taxi and rushed home when it was completely dark.

Dad sat on the sofa with a gloomy face: “Where have you been all day?”

“Your great grandfather passed away today. Our family is going back to Hunan to hold your great grandfather’s funeral. You didn’t come home all day. Where have you been?” Tian Xin stood behind her husband and waited for most of the day. He didn’t come home for lunch at noon. She almost wanted to call the police.

Lin Li stood at the door and thought to himself: No wonder Dad is angry. After hearing that day that Tang Xueqian wanted him to go out and hide, the idea of ​​leaving or staying has been struggling in Dad’s mind. The news of the old man’s death should have come from his hometown this afternoon, which gave Dad an excuse to leave Hangzhou, but he disappeared at this time, no wonder he was so angry.

Lin Li stood at the door and curled his lips. He looked at his gloomy father and said, “Why do you want to leave Hangzhou? Don’t you want to take care of Uncle Tang’s affairs?”

“What Uncle Tang’s affairs?” Dad was confused by Lin Li’s words: “Why do you say these inexplicable words as soon as you come back?”

Lin Li didn’t have time to slowly uncover the truth like a guessing game: “Isn’t Uncle Tang isolated for investigation? Dad is afraid that the inspection team will ask you to accept the investigation next. Others say that Uncle Tang has problems, but you insist that Uncle Tang has no problems, and others will not tolerate you; but if you go against your conscience and throw dirty water on Uncle Tang, you will feel guilty for the rest of your life. What should I do? It would be good to leave this place of right and wrong. Even if no one brings a message, Dad will go to Hunan to avoid it...”

“Who taught you these words?” Dad was like a cat whose tail was stepped on. He never thought that these words were said by his 18-year-old son.

“Who taught me? I’ve seen so many things happen in my family over the years, and I’ve naturally understood them. Do I need someone to teach me?” Lin Li spoke with a heavier tone, trying to pierce and wake up his father: “My uncle passed away, and the funeral is on the third day. Why are we in such a hurry to go back?”

Lin Li saw his father’s face gradually turning pale, so he hid in his room to prevent him from losing control of his emotions and using himself as a human sandbag to vent his anger. Seeing that he was showing signs of an attack, he speculated in his mind what effect his words would have on his father’s heart, and put his ear to the door to eavesdrop on the conversation outside.

“Lin Li is right. You have been hesitating these days. Aren’t these concerns the reason?”

“Is this what a child of his age would say?”

“Why not? Lin Li has the same temperament as you. He is precocious and mature. Although he has been a taciturn person since he was a child, no one knows what he is thinking.”

“You know that Tang Xueqin and I went from the Teachers College to the city. If I throw dirty water on Tang Xueqin, he can’t wash it off. I am afraid that someone will know about my relationship with Tang Xueqin and instigate Lin Li to talk nonsense.”

“You can’t trust your own son. Who can you trust? Although your son is taciturn, he has a lot of ideas. He is already 18 years old. Who can instigate him? If you are worried, why not call your son out and ask him...”

“You go and call him...”

“No one called What should I say. “Lin Li stood behind the door and heard this, and walked out of the room: “Are people outside saying that Uncle Tang has that kind of relationship with this woman?”

Lin Li did not wait for him to speak, and continued calmly: “If Uncle Tang’s crime of taking bribes is confirmed, Dad, will you leave Hangzhou at this time, will people think that you are deliberately avoiding the investigation of the investigation team...”

Dad was shocked and sweating. These days, he only thought about escaping, but did not consider deeper problems. He also needed his 18-year-old son to help him point it out. He has been in the circle for seven or eight years and knows the rules inside very well. At that time, even if he has no problems, he can’t guarantee that others will not throw dirty water on him. Although the position of deputy secretary-general is not prominent, there are still some people watching him.

But is this what an 18-year-old child said? Tian Xin wished that her son was the most outstanding and smartest boy in the world, but she didn’t think there was anything unusual, and even felt that her husband was a little surprised.

Lin Li knew that his words and actions would cause a great shock to his father. If he didn’t explain it clearly at this time, he would miss the opportunity: “Dad has been with Uncle Tang for so many years, why does Uncle Tang still distrust Dad so much, and even asked someone to tell Dad to leave Haizhou and avoid it? Is there someone who doesn’t want you to stay in Hangzhou?”

“What else do you know?” Dad didn’t know why his son suddenly said these words inexplicably, but it did point out the doubts in his heart, but he could never see through it or guess it. Everyone in the municipal government knew that he entered the city with Tang Xueqin, and they all gloated and avoided him, and he couldn’t get any news.

Lin Li saw his father sitting upright and knew that he began to take his words seriously.

Of course, Lin Li would not be so stupid as to say that he knew what would happen five years later. He had to tell the truth and make up a reason that would convince his father. Lin Li had thought of this reason on the way home. He took out Xu Si’s photo: “This woman.”

Lin Li pointed at Xu Si in the photo: “I have seen her in the back hills of West Lake. Not long ago, outside a villa in the back hills, I saw her with a man, but it was not Uncle Tang, but someone no one would have thought of...”

“Who is it?”

“Don’t worry about who it is.” Lin Li still wanted to make up his lie first: “The day before yesterday, I heard my mother say that Uncle Tang had that kind of relationship with this woman. I was curious and went to the back hills of West Lake early in the morning., and sure enough, I saw this man in that villa again...”

Lin Li took out the photos he took today in front of the red brick villa at the northern foot of the mountain: “I rented a camera at the entrance of the park, and the photos are pretty good. Who does this look like?”

In the first photo, a black Nissan is driving into the red brick villa; in the second photo, Ding Xiangshan ducks down to get into the Nissan. Although it is not Ding Xiangshan’s No. 1 car, it has the license plate of the Municipal Party Committee. A red Corolla is parked next to it, and it is immediately recognizable as Ding Xiangshan; the third photo is a red Corolla driving out of the red brick villa. This red Corolla appears in the background of the photo of Tang Xueqian and Xu Si. One photo shows Ding Xiangshan and Xu Si going out together, and another photo shows Ding Xiangshan and Xu Si having an affair.

When he came back, Lin Li also thought about not showing the photos of Xu Si and Ding Xiangshan having an affair, so that he could use the photos to threaten Xu Si to have sex with him. However, although Lin Li was lustful and Xu Si was beautiful, he was definitely not an animal with a lower body. He wanted to have sex with everyone he saw. He would never be polite to a woman who had harmed his family.

Lin Li believed that if he stuffed two eggs into his father’s mouth at this time, he would not feel anything.

“After taking the photos, I went to the photo processing shop in Shannan to develop the film, so it took so long.”

Dad’s brain is not stupid, I believe he can figure out the cause and effect quickly. Lin Li rubbed his hands and asked Tian Xin: “Mom, is there any food? I’m almost starving...”

“How did you know to take these photos?” Tian Xin put her arm around her son’s shoulders and pushed him into the kitchen: “Don’t bother your dad ... You didn’t come back, and we didn’t feel like eating. Come with me to make noodles and beat two eggs...”

“Lin Li...” Lin Li just went to the kitchen with his mother, and his father called him in the living room: “Tell me carefully what you saw today.”

Lin Li didn’t know how deep Xu Si was trapped, so he only told him what happened in the morning, but didn’t mention Ding Xiangshan’s hiding of money.

“Why Ding Xiangshan?”

Lin Li heard his father talking to himself and said Ding Xiangshan’s name, knowing that he had guessed part of the truth.

The city received a report and sent an inspection team to investigate without obtaining substantial evidence. The target was Tang Xueqian, who was isolated for investigation. At the same time, Hangzhou also made so many things unfavorable to Tang Xueqian. There must be a powerful person at work. Dad also knew this, but he didn’t know who it was and why.

“What is the relationship between Uncle Tang and this woman? Who was the messenger that day?”

“I don’t know their relationship either. The messenger that day was Ye Xinming, Secretary Tang’s secretary.” Dad sighed: “You are still young, you don’t understand things between men and women very well. There are some things that Tang Xueqin himself may not be able to explain clearly...”

“No wonder, Ye Xinming has only been with Tang Xueqin for two years, and you have been with Tang Xueqin for more than ten years. Do you still need him to pass on messages?”

“Oh ... where did you learn all this?” Dad reached out and touched the back of Lin Li’s head: “Children nowadays are really hard to understand.”

Lin Li smiled and saw that his father’s face was no longer gloomy when he just came back. He knew that he would not express his doubts to discuss with him. It would not be too late to remind Dad little by little after things happened step by step. Maybe Dad has already grasped the key issues in his heart.

Tian Xin brought out the noodles, and Dad picked up the bowl and emptied the whole bowl of noodles in two or three bites like a whirlwind.

Lin Li was afraid of being burned, and had only eaten less than a third of the bowl of noodles. When he saw his father reaching out his chopsticks to scoop up the noodles in his bowl, he quickly jumped out to avoid him: “I haven’t eaten anything all day, and this bowl of noodles is not enough for me...”

“I just came back and I wanted to eat you.” Tian Xin pushed the noodles in her bowl to her husband’s bowl: “Now you are fighting for food like chickens, you two eat first, I’ll go and add some noodles...”

“No.” Dad stopped his wife: “When you go out to buy food, you should buy good ones. When you come back, it’s best to let the people in the yard see you. These days, everyone in the yard treats me as a stray dog, waiting to see my good show. No matter whether Tang Xueqian’s matter has a turnaround, I can’t go along with these people now...”