novelonline Chapter 1519 Double Happiness
Chapter 1519 Double Happiness
Chapter 1519 Double Happiness
The police station was brightly lit, footsteps echoed down the corridor, and a strong smell of tobacco filled the air, creating an inexplicable sense of oppression. Taozi and his gang were taken to different interrogation rooms. The group of thugs, who had been arrogant and domineering, suddenly felt a chill run down their spines when they saw the eight large characters on the wall that read "Confess and you will be treated leniently; resist and you will be punished severely," coupled with the serious expressions of the police officers.
They weren't a united front to begin with; each of them had some criminal record, and they were already feeling guilty. Now that they were brought to the police station, everyone was afraid of taking heavy responsibility and wanted to clear themselves of any wrongdoing. In order to reduce their sentences and get lenient treatment, the police didn't need to waste any words, threats, or bribes; these henchmen rushed to betray Taozi.
Someone spoke first, recounting in detail how Taozi planned to cause trouble at Dingqinglou, how he instructed them to eat for free, and how he demanded half of the profits.
Someone quickly added that Taozi had been extorting other shops on Donglin Street, forcibly collecting protection money, threatening shop owners, and smashing other people's stalls in the past two weeks.
Some people even described in detail how Taozi usually directed them and how he divided the spoils.
For a time, everyone was accusing each other, afraid that if they spoke up too late, they would miss the opportunity to make a contribution.
Qin Hao was giving a statement in another office. He spoke clearly and calmly, recounting in detail the whole story of how Taozi and his gang had come to the restaurant for two consecutive days to eat and drink for free, provoke trouble, extort money, and vandalize property. In addition, the fact that Dingqinglou was a state-owned enterprise immediately changed the nature of the whole incident.
The police officer in charge of taking the statement had a good impression of Qin Hao, and while recording the information, he chatted casually for a few moments. As Qin Hao was signing and fingerprinting the statement and preparing to leave, the officer casually mentioned something.
"Don't worry, these guys aren't going anywhere. Especially the leader, Taozi, he's a familiar face around here, a repeat offender who just got out of prison not long ago. He's a habitual criminal who hasn't changed his ways. This time he's extorting a state-owned shop, causing trouble, and with his previous criminal record, he'll be in jail for at least six or seven years. From now on, you can focus on your business, and no one will bother you anymore."
Qin Hao nodded and thanked him.
He walked out of his office and waited in the corridor for a while, but Huo Dongfeng did not come out. After waiting for a few more minutes, the door of another office was opened and Huo Dongfeng came out.
Qin Hao glanced over, was taken aback at first, and then couldn't help but want to laugh.
Huo Dongfeng walked with an awkward gait, his legs slightly tucked together, his steps slow, and his expression unnatural. He lacked his usual briskness and instead appeared somewhat embarrassed.
Qin Hao took two steps forward, deliberately looked him up and down, and teased, "What's wrong, Lao Huo? Are your legs bothering you? Or are the chairs inside too hard and making you uncomfortable?"
Huo Dongfeng's old face instantly turned bright red. He was so embarrassed that he wished he could disappear into a crack in the ground. He quickly stepped forward and pulled Qin Hao aside, lowering his voice, "Don't make fun of me. Hurry up and go back. Erpang is still waiting for me at home."
Qin Hao was genuinely amused. He patted Huo Dongfeng on the shoulder, his tone full of teasing: "I thought you were fearless, the leader of the Donglin Three Heroes who used to run rampant in the martial arts world. I never expected that a trip to the police station would scare you like this."
"Don't talk nonsense when you're not the one suffering." Huo Dongfeng glared at him irritably, his tone tinged with lingering fear: "If you had spent ten years in there, you'd be scared too. Now, just seeing this iron gate and these walls makes me panic. I never want to step into this place again in my life."
Qin Hao nodded understandingly and stopped teasing.
Huo Dongfeng wasn't cowardly; he was afraid of losing it.
They were afraid of losing their peaceful life, afraid of losing Dingqinglou, and afraid of losing their son, Erpang.
Without another word, the two walked out of the police station side by side. It was already dark outside, and a cold wind blew, instantly invigorating them. The day's turmoil had finally come to a complete end.
-
Since Taozi and his gang were sent to prison, Dingqinglou and the entire street have become much more peaceful.
In the past, thugs would frequently come to the shops to freeload and demand protection money, and the shopkeepers dared not speak out and could only pay to avoid trouble. But ever since the news of Taozi's big blunder at Dingqing Restaurant spread like wildfire throughout Donglin Street.
For a time, no thugs dared to extort protection money from Dingqing Tower anymore, and even the shops on the nearby streets benefited and became much safer.
To Qin Hao's amusement and exasperation, the thugs dared not come, but instead, several groups of young men, having somehow heard that Qin Hao had single-handedly defeated more than a dozen strong men and subdued Taozi's gang, came to him as a reclusive master and a street boss. They blocked the entrance of Dingqing Tower, clamoring to pay homage to him, recognize him as their leader, and learn his kung fu.
A group of teenagers, wearing floral shirts and with long hair, looked at Qin Hao with adoration, calling him "Brother Qiang" affectionately.
Qin Hao was speechless for a moment, then kicked the group of "little guys" away with one kick each.
-
The days passed peacefully, and before we knew it, the New Year was approaching.
After a long winter of silence, Donglin City is slowly beginning to feel the festive atmosphere of the Lunar New Year. Shops along the streets are hanging red lanterns and pasting red couplets, and New Year's goods stalls are set up in front of department stores. The market is full of a dazzling array of goods, including melon seeds, candies, Spring Festival couplets, "Fu" characters (福, meaning good fortune), and firecrackers. People are coming and going, and the atmosphere is lively and bustling.
The air seemed to carry a sweet fragrance and the warmth of home cooking, making people feel cozy inside.
Looking at the lively scene, Qin Hao also started thinking about the New Year.
Grandpa Cui and Grandma Cui are getting old and their health is not as good as before. They can't lift heavy things. Buying New Year's goods, carrying rice and flour, and carrying chicken, duck and fish are all strenuous tasks for them during the Spring Festival.
That day, Qin Hao got up very early and went to the vegetable market and department store, buying a huge amount of things. Fresh pork, beef, chicken, duck and fish, boxes of fruit, bags of rice, flour and oil, as well as pastries and supplements for the elderly. He carried all the bags and packages in several trips before finally getting them into the taxi.
Qin Hao carried the things into the yard.
But as soon as Qin Hao pushed open the door, he sensed that something was wrong with the atmosphere inside the room.
Grandpa Cui sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), puffing on his cigarette, his brow furrowed, not saying a word.
The old lady sat at the other end of the kang (a heated brick bed), holding a needle and thread in her hand, but she couldn't poke the thread for a long time. Her eyes were red and her mouth was turned down, clearly indicating that she had just been crying.
Qin Hao's heart skipped a beat. He quickly put the things down, stepped forward, and asked softly, "Grandpa, Aunt, what's wrong? Did something happen at home? Why do you all look so worried?"
Grandpa Cui sighed deeply, tapping his pipe against the sole of his shoe, but remained silent, his face full of helplessness and dejection.
The old lady put down her work, looked up at Qin Hao, her eyes reddened, and her voice was low and filled with sorrow: "Ji Qiang, the New Year is just around the corner. Everyone else's family is having a happy reunion, but look at our house, it doesn't look like the New Year at all."
"We don't even see each other once a year."
Qin Hao understood immediately upon hearing this.
The elderly couple weren't sick, nor were they having a fight; they just missed their child.
The Lunar New Year is approaching, a time for family reunions. But for them, their son is far away in the south, and their daughter has gone to Japan. They hear from her only occasionally, leaving them feeling empty and naturally sad.
Qin Hao's heart softened, and he quickly comforted her, "Auntie, don't be sad. Didn't Brother Cui leave a contact number last time? Why don't I call him now and ask when he's coming back?"
Grandpa Cui kept a straight face, neither nodding nor shaking his head, clearly unable to bring himself to do it.
He was a proud man his whole life, and even when he missed his son, he was unwilling to ask someone to call him.
The old lady suddenly perked up, nodding hurriedly and urging, "Call! Call quickly! That old man values his pride more than anything. What's wrong with making a phone call? If he won't call, Ji Qiang, you call for me! Let me say a few words to my son!"
Without further hesitation, Qin Hao pulled out the phone number Cui Guomin had left behind from the notebook.
The phone rang several times before being answered by a middle-aged man with a heavy accent, presumably the newsstand owner.
Qin Hao explained his purpose and asked the other party to help him find Cui Guomin.
The newsstand owner agreed and told Qin Hao to wait a moment while he went to call someone.
Qin Hao held the phone and waited patiently for a few minutes.
The call was quickly returned.
Before Qin Hao could speak, the newsstand owner said directly, "The person you're looking for moved out a long time ago. I haven't seen him for many days. I don't know where he went. I can't find him."
In short, it was like a bucket of cold water being poured over my head.
Qin Hao's heart sank. He could only say "thank you" and silently hang up the phone.
He returned to the Cui family home, and as soon as he entered, he saw the old lady looking at him with expectant eyes.
Qin Hao gently shook his head and explained the result.
The old lady's expectation vanished instantly, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
Wiping away her tears, she complained to Grandpa Cui beside her: "It's all your fault! It's all your fault! You wouldn't let me make the call earlier, you insisted on saving face, and now look what happened..."
Old Master Cui's face turned pale and then red as he was scolded, his expression tense.
Just then—
"squeak--"
A clear screech of car brakes came from outside the courtyard gate.
Immediately afterwards, a clear, cheerful girl's voice rang out from outside the courtyard gate:
"Grandpa, Grandma, look who's back!"
It's the voice of my granddaughter, Cui Meng!
The old lady had sharp ears and immediately recognized the sound. Without even wiping away her tears, she stood up abruptly, pushed open the door, and ran outside.
Grandpa Cui was also stunned for a moment, and the anger on his face disappeared instantly. He hesitated for a moment, but in the end he couldn't let it go, and he also walked out quickly.
Qin Hao stood inside the house, watching this scene, and breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a faint sense of anticipation.
Outside the courtyard, the sun was shining brightly, and a brand-new red Xiali car was parked at the entrance, standing out conspicuously.
A middle-aged man wearing sunglasses, a floral shirt, and shiny trousers, dressed in a flamboyant manner, was bending over and unloading things from the trunk of his car. Boxes and bags were filled with high-end New Year's goods.
Cui Meng, carrying a small bag, followed behind excitedly, helping to hand over things.
Li Xiaozhen stood to the side with a gentle smile on her face. When she saw the old lady rush out, she quickly stepped forward and reached out to support her.
The old lady rushed to the door, her eyes fixed on the middle-aged man.
She looked him up and down, again and again, at that face that was both familiar and somewhat unfamiliar, at his fashionable attire, at the brand-new car beside him, her lips trembling uncontrollably.
After a long while, she finally managed to utter a trembling, tentative cry:
"Country... national?"
The middle-aged man froze upon hearing the call.
He slowly straightened up, took off his sunglasses, revealing a smiling face with reddened eyes.
If it's not Choi Kookmin, then who is it?
He looked at his mother, whose hair had turned even whiter, and his voice trembled uncontrollably, filled with a deep sob:
"mom."
One word was uttered.
The old lady could no longer hold back. She stepped forward, hugged her son tightly, and burst into tears.
Choi Kookmin also hugged his mother tightly, tears streaming down his face silently.
The mother and son, reunited after a long separation, cried like children at the gate of the courtyard.
Cui Meng and Li Xiaozhen, who were standing nearby, also had tears in their eyes.
Standing behind, Grandpa Cui watched his son return safely and smartly dressed. His face, which had been tense for a whole year, finally softened.
Qin Hao stood at the door, watching this scene of reunion, and felt a warmth in his heart.
Once the mother and son had calmed down a bit, Qin Hao stepped forward, quietly pulled Li Xiaozhen aside, and asked in a low voice, "Sister-in-law, when did Brother Cui come back? Why didn't he tell us in advance so we could be prepared?"
Li Xiaozhen chuckled, her eyes filled with happiness, but she deliberately complained, "He just arrived yesterday! As soon as he got back to Donglin, he was practically strutting around like crazy. He insisted on buying his daughter a Xiali car first thing, saying he wanted to fulfill his promise. And this morning, he dragged us to buy a whole bunch of New Year's goods, as if he was afraid people wouldn't know he'd made money in the south. He kept showing off the whole way."
Despite saying that, the undisguised smile on her face couldn't fool anyone.
Qin Hao smiled too.
It seems that Choi Kookmin has truly made a name for himself in the South.
The crowd helped the old lady and Cui Guomin into the house, and the house instantly became lively.
The old lady held Cui Guomin's hand and sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), asking him all sorts of questions, about his food and clothing, whether he had suffered in the south, and whether anyone had bullied him. She chattered on and on, but her words were full of love.
Qin Hao, Li Xiaozhen, and Cui Meng carried the New Year's goods from the trunk of the Xiali car into the house, one trip after another.
High-end cigarettes and alcohol, imported candies, fresh fruits, warm clothes, and health supplement gift boxes filled almost half the room, dazzling the eyes.
After all the things were moved, Qin Hao looked at the smug Cui Guomin and teased him with a smile: "Brother Cui, it seems you're really doing well in the South. You've returned home in glory, and you're even driving a new car."
Cui Guomin laughed heartily, stepped forward and gave Qin Hao a tight bear hug, patted him hard on the back, and said with gratitude in his voice: "Brother, if I had to say, I would owe my success today to you! If you hadn't persuaded me to go south and try my luck, I would probably still be stuck in this small place of Donglin, doing who-knows-how."
It turns out that when Cui Guomin first arrived in the south, he was unfamiliar with the place and people, and he felt lost and disappointed. Later, he saw a metal parts processing factory in the industrial park recruiting maintenance workers, so he applied for the job with a try-it-out mentality.
At that time, a key machine tool in the factory suddenly broke down. The original repairman spent a lot of time trying to fix it but failed. The production line stopped, and the boss was extremely anxious.
Cui Guomin stepped forward, took a few glances, briefly inquired about the malfunction, picked up his tools, and in just over ten minutes, he completely repaired the machine tool and got it running again.
The boss was both surprised and delighted, and immediately decided to keep Cui Guomin in the factory as a technical supervisor with a very high salary.
After establishing himself in the factory, Choi Kookmin did not rest on his laurels.
He discovered that most of the machines used in the dozens of factories of all sizes in the industrial park were old equipment discarded from state-owned factories, with an extremely high failure rate. There were also few professional maintenance workers, so once the machines broke down, production would have to stop, resulting in huge losses.
He saw this opportunity and resolutely resigned from his factory job to specialize in repairing machines for various manufacturers.
With his solid skills, honest character, and reasonable prices, Cui Guomin quickly made a name for himself in the industrial park.
Many factory owners, after witnessing his skills, praised him highly and directly entrusted him with all the maintenance work for their factories.
As the business grew, he couldn't handle it all by himself, so he brought in several skilled and reliable repairmen to join him. Together, they established a specialized industrial repair company with unified order taking, work dispatching, and after-sales service.
In just one year, he not only gained a foothold but also made a real amount of money.
Grandpa Cui sat quietly to the side, listening to his son recount the experiences of the past year. Finally, a genuine and gratified smile appeared on his tense face.
He nodded, his tone filled with pride yet feigning nonchalance: "I knew it. As long as a man has a real skill, he won't starve anywhere and can establish himself anywhere."
The old lady rolled her eyes at him and bluntly retorted, "Come on, that's because my son is skilled and capable. What does that have to do with what you're saying?"
After saying that, the old lady sighed again, her eyes dimmed, and she took Cui Guomin's hand and said softly, "It's just... the South is too far away. We can't see each other more than a few times a year. When it comes to holidays, your father and I feel empty inside."
Seeing that the old lady was about to wipe away her tears again, Cui Guomin quickly grasped his mother's hand and repeatedly assured her, "Mom, don't worry, I've made all the plans. Once I've settled down over there, I'll buy a big house and then bring Xiaozhen, Mengmeng, and you two to live with us. Our family will be together forever and never be separated again."
Before Cui Guomin could finish speaking, Old Master Cui waved his hand, his face stubborn: "I'm not going! What's so good about the South? It's hot and humid, nothing like Donglin. Besides, we know all the neighbors here. If I go to the South, I won't even have anyone to talk to. Anyway, I'm not going anywhere. I'll just stay in my hometown."
The old lady immediately objected, glaring at the old man: "Fine, you don't want to go then, I'll go! The South is so nice, you can still wear short sleeves in winter, no need for such a thick cotton-padded coat. From now on, we'll spend the New Year in the South, leaving this old man to sleep alone on a cold kang at home!"
After saying that, Old Master Cui immediately shut his mouth and stopped talking.
Qin Hao watched from the side and chuckled to himself.
Grandpa Cui was a strong-willed and proud man who was the undisputed leader at home, but the only person who could truly control him was Grandma Cui.
The family chatted and laughed, creating a lively and warm atmosphere in the house.
Cui Guomin was overjoyed. With a wave of his hand, he announced with great enthusiasm, "Tonight! It's my treat! We won't eat at home, we'll go to Dingqinglou, order a huge table of dishes, and have a good meal to celebrate our family reunion!"
Li Xiaozhen gently poked his arm with her finger, signaling him to pay attention to the old man's mood.
Cui Guomin immediately understood and quickly added, "Ji Qiang, you must come too, no one can be missing. Also, call Erpang too, the more the merrier."
Old Master Cui's expression changed slightly.
He naturally understood why Cui Guomin had specifically chosen Dingqinglou as the place to eat.
In the past, Grandpa Cui might have turned on the spot and stormed off.
But today, his son finally returned home safely and in triumph, and the whole family was reunited. No matter how awkward he felt, he couldn't bear to spoil everyone's fun.
The old man remained silent for a moment, and finally just gave a soft hum, neither objecting nor refusing.
That's considered an implicit agreement.
……
In the afternoon, as darkness fell, fine snowflakes began to drift down from the sky.
The cold wind howled, biting like knives against the face, yet a straight figure stood at the entrance of Dingqing Tower.
Huo Dongfeng stood motionless in the snowstorm, like a javelin, his neck slightly hunched, but his posture ramrod straight. He kept looking towards the street corner, his eyes filled with expectation, nervousness, and a hint of barely perceptible unease.
Snowflakes fell on his hair and shoulders, quickly accumulating into a thin layer of white.
He has been standing here for a long time.
Until a familiar red Xiali car slowly appeared at the street corner in the distance, its headlights shining in the wind and snow, approaching from afar.
Huo Dongfeng's eyes lit up.
He quickly patted the snowflakes off his clothes, straightened them, and with a smile on his face, strode forward to greet them.
……
During the meal, everyone chatted and laughed, creating a lively atmosphere. Cui Guomin talked about interesting things in the south and his business successes, while Erpang continued to eat heartily, occasionally echoing Cui Guomin's words. He genuinely admired his uncle.
After several rounds of drinks and dishes, the door to the private room was suddenly pushed open.
Huo Dongfeng brought a full glass of baijiu to Old Master Cui.
"Grandpa, I was wrong before. Please forgive me for what I did wrong..."
Grandpa Cui's expression softened somewhat. He glanced at Huo Dongfeng, then at his grandson Erpang.
"The past is the past. As long as you behave well from now on, run Dingqinglou well, and take good care of Erpang, the family won't mind having an extra pair of chopsticks!"
Huo Dongfeng's eyes instantly reddened: "Grandpa, don't worry, from now on I..."
"No matter how much you say, it's useless; it all depends on what you do."
"Sigh, old man..."
"Huh? Still calling me 'Old Master'?"
“…Dad!” Huo Dongfeng cried out, his lips trembling.
Qin Hao patted Huo Dongfeng on the shoulder with a smile: "Today is a double celebration, let's have a few more drinks."
Choi Kookmin chimed in, "That's right. Back in the South, we only drink beer, which has no kick at all. We have to drink to our hearts' content today."
Li Xiaozhen rolled her eyes at him: "Come on, with your alcohol tolerance, who can you outdrink except for us old, weak, women and children?"
"Haha~~~" Everyone burst into laughter.