Chapter 835: The Smell of Salted Fish

Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon

w.a.n.g Dayou was dumbfounded when he heard that. He wasn’t going to be arrested?

Chief Hua continued. “We are only responsible for apprehending people and finding evidence. As for pa.s.sing judgment, that’s up to the courts. While you are under my custody, I permit you to spend time with your wife and son at home. In addition, we have discussed your case, and the mayor, me, and a group of people will each be donating ten thousand yuan to you. That’s two months of my salary and half a year’s worth of drinking money, you know!”

When w.a.n.g Dayou heard that, he hurriedly kneeled down and kowtowed.

Chief Hua hurriedly pulled him up, though. “Don’t. There are many people watching. Just treat it as me showing off. That way, things will be better.”

w.a.n.g Dayou was rendered speechless. This chief acted quite weirdly. Why wasn’t he strict and solemn? Instead, he looked like quite a joker, didn’t he?

Finally, w.a.n.g Dayou was still taken away, but it was as Chief Hua had said. After his statement was taken, w.a.n.g Dayou was released and permitted to return home. However, the moment w.a.n.g Dayou walked out of the police station, he saw Xia Jili with Xia Ke standing at the door waiting for him!

When he saw Xia Jili again, w.a.n.g Dayou felt mixed emotions. Did he hate him? Yes! But was it true hate? Recalling how Xia Jili hadn’t left despite being able to, eventually staying behind to testify for him, he couldn’t feel an ounce of hate for him. This was a native Chinese man born in the same country as him. They could hold grudges on the one hand, but they could also easily forget them on the other, because they knew grat.i.tude. They would return a small favor a hundred times over!

Xia Jili walked over and patted Xia Ke’s head. Xia Ke handed over a tiny school bag to Xia Jili and said, “Uncle w.a.n.g, Daddy sold his car and mortgaged the house. This is the money we raised. The other uncles have already received their salaries. This is yours. I hope the little brother will quickly get well.”

Xia Jili bowed at w.a.n.g Dayou and said, “I wasn’t thinking straight previously. I refused to sell my car and house, constantly believing that I could use them to put on a front to get a few more projects, or as a way to borrow money. Now I realize that money gone is gone, but as long as one’s life is preserved, everything will be alright. I do not hold any hopes of you forgiving me. Just treat this as me trying to redeem myself.”

With that said, Xia Jili walked off with Xia Ke. While this was happening, w.a.n.g Dayou could vaguely hear Xia Jili ask Xia Ke, “You’re going to transfer schools. Are you afraid?”

“I’m not. Daddy, didn’t you say before that gold would s.h.i.+ne no matter where it is? I’ll do well even in an ordinary school! I’m very capable~” Xia Ke replied while putting on a cute act.

“Heh heh!” Xia Jili laughed. However, w.a.n.g Dayou only heard the inward pain of a father behind his laughter.

w.a.n.g Dayou looked at the small school bag in his hand. As he weighed it, he found it rather heavy. Something was wrong. His salary wasn’t that much, right? He hurriedly opened the bag and saw it filled with money! Apart from his salary, there were a bunch of red packets in it. They were of various sizes, and they were labeled with dates and someone’s ages! The earliest red packet was from ten years ago.

There was also a letter inside a pink envelope. It was addressed to “Uncle w.a.n.g”.

When w.a.n.g Dayou opened it, the letter said, “Uncle w.a.n.g, these are all the red packets I received for my past birthdays. I wish to help the little brother as well. Also, can you not be angry at my daddy? Daddy liked to laugh in the past. Ever since last year, I’ve never seen him laugh. He hasn’t bought me any toys either… Furthermore, he often comes home drunk. When Mommy asks him, he doesn’t tell her why. My family has often quarreled over the past year, to the point of my parents nearly having a divorce. I didn’t know what was happening before and was also angry at him. But now, I know why, and I feel sad for him. Uncle, can you not be angry at him? Please?”

Upon seeing this, be it w.a.n.g Dayou or the plain-clothed policeman beside him, they both began tearing up for some inexplicable reason.

By the time w.a.n.g Dayou realized what had happened, he could no longer find Xia Jili.

“Do you still hate him?” asked the policeman.

w.a.n.g Dayou shook his head without any hesitation.

After returning to Tiancheng County Hospital, w.a.n.g Dayou entered the room to hear joyous laughter. He eagerly rushed in and when the following scene appeared before his eyes, he was dumbfounded. He saw his son sitting up, his eyes bright and energetic!

“Son, you aren’t well. Don’t move about. Also, I got you to take care of him. Is this how you take care of him?” w.a.n.g Dayou berated.

“Are you reprimanding us? We know what you did outside. Wait and see how I punish you when we’re back home! Anyways, let me tell you a piece of good news!” w.a.n.g Dayou’s wife looked angry, but she couldn’t hide the smile from her face.

“What good news?” w.a.n.g Dayou’s heart palpitated as he could guess at something, but he refused to believe it.

“Our son has recovered! The doctor’s skills are really good. I thought the disease was terminal.” w.a.n.g Dayou’s wife laughed before she started crying.

w.a.n.g Dayou nearly jumped up in joy. The policeman beside him congratulated him before leaving the room, giving the family of three time to rejoice among themselves.

w.a.n.g Dayou hugged his son in joy as he danced. After calming down, w.a.n.g Dayou suddenly frowned and asked, “What did you eat today? Fish?”

“No? We were too happy and haven’t even eaten yet,” w.a.n.g Dayou’s wife replied with a questioning look.

w.a.n.g Dayou scratched his head. “That’s weird. Why do I smell salted fish? Did you really not eat any salted fish?”

w.a.n.g Dayou’s wife and son shook their heads. A look of puzzlement flashed in his eyes. He had apparently smelled this smell before! Upon carefully trying to recall where, a white figure flashed in his mind!

“Could it be him?” w.a.n.g Dayou made a bold guess. Although many people believed that Fangzheng had only been acting as a utility man, only he knew how powerful the shot he’d dealt Qiu Yu was! Fangzheng had only made a quick trip, and then the likely-to-die Qiu Yu had been able to appear at the store alive and well enough to forgive him in person. The monk could enter and exit the door which was supposed to be sealed shut as he wished. Despite being an ordinary monk, he was able to make celebrities react to his callings and even activate countless fans to help him. Furthermore, w.a.n.g Dayou wasn’t a fool. Just the distance from the store to the hospital was impossible to cover as fast as Fangzheng had, even if he didn’t do a thing at the hospital and drove recklessly. Yet Fangzheng had done it!

With this in mind, w.a.n.g Dayou confirmed his guess. It was the only way to explain the inexplicable scene before his eyes. Hence w.a.n.g Dayou held his wife and child without explaining. He made them kneel towards the west and mumbled. “Master, I do not know who you are or where you are. But you are a monk… No, a Buddha! So I believe you should be able to feel it if I pay my respects to the west, right? Thank you!”

When his wife and son asked w.a.n.g Dayou why he insisted on them doing that, he didn’t answer them. Although he was certain that Fangzheng had saved his son, it was ultimately just his guess for which he had no evidence. He didn’t know how to explain, so he didn’t bother providing an explanation.