Chapter 25: Prison Visit

Chapter 25: Prison Visit

Sanweiheng was a new restaurant in the central district of the French Concession that had been open for two years.

Its braised pig’s trotters with tofu pudding were exceptionally good, and the neighborhood residents all loved them.

Cheng Qianfan accepted the cigarette handed over by the owner, Fan Laosan, and leisurely flipped through the takeaway ledger.

“Boss Fan, it’s not that I’m deliberately making things difficult for you, but someone reported getting an upset stomach after eating your pig’s trotters.”

As he spoke, he flicked away some ash.

“Boss Fan, you weren’t using pig’s trotters that had sat around too long for your takeaway orders, were you?”

“Absolutely not!” Fan Laosan swore repeatedly that his establishment would never do something so unethical and complained that someone was jealous of his good business and deliberately slandering him.

“...Room 313, Shuanglong Lane Residence, delivery person, Limping Luo.” Cheng Qianfan was secretly delighted.

He had found it.

During the earlier operation to arrest Zhu Yuan, the card he had discovered in the bamboo fence had faintly shown the character for “heng.” He had immediately thought of this restaurant, which offered takeaway delivery.

Upon smelling the card, he had detected a faint trace of the familiar aroma of the restaurant’s tofu-pudding pig’s trotters.

Sure enough, Zhu Yuan had ordered takeaway from Sanweiheng.

Most importantly, the ledger showed that the order had been for three portions.

Watching Cheng Qianfan casually leaf through the ledger as though determined to uncover something, Fan Laosan cursed inwardly. Smiling ingratiatingly, he quietly produced two silver dollars and edged closer.

“Hmm, Boss Fan has always run an honest business. It seems this really was a malicious false accusation.” Cheng Qianfan discreetly pocketed the two silver dollars and handed back the ledger. “Alright then. Just continue doing business honestly. As long as I’m around, you don’t need to worry about this sort of nonsense.”

“Of course, of course. Officer Cheng is absolutely right.”

Watching Cheng Qianfan swagger away, Fan Laosan secretly spat on the ground.

“Bah!”

Not long afterward, Fan Laosan learned that Cheng Qianfan had also “questioned” other restaurants in the area, forcing them to pay money to avoid trouble. In particular, his rival Liuweiju had paid one silver dollar more than he had. For some reason, his mood immediately improved considerably.

“Xiao Tao, looks like this Cheng Qianfan isn’t quite as upright as you claimed,” Song Fuguo said while watching Cheng Qianfan’s satisfied departing figure from a restaurant at the street corner.

“Boss Song, compared to the other constables, Cheng Qianfan is already one of the better ones.” Xiao Tao poured wine for Boss Song. “Some of those fellows take money and don’t do a thing. Officer Cheng’s heart isn’t that black yet. If you’re doing business, someone like him is much more reliable than those truly corrupt bastards.”

Song Fuguo chuckled.

Police officers extorting small benefits and earning extra income was the most normal thing in the world. He did not care about that.

After the waiter left, Xiao Tao lowered his voice.

“Team Leader, I’ve looked into it. Cheng Qianfan took part in the arrest operation. He’s the one who captured the man. I don’t know whether the kid has some grudge against the Communists, but the moment he got his hands on him, he started beating him. If someone hadn’t stopped him, that Communist would have been in serious trouble.”

“Oh?” Song Fuguo nodded.

That was unexpected information.

He wanted to recruit people, but he also feared Communist infiltrators slipping into his ranks.

If people from opposing political factions infiltrated the intelligence department of the Special Service Office, that would be a major problem.

The fact that this young man had such a hostile attitude toward the Communists was good news.

“Pick a time and invite him out for drinks.”

“Team Leader, you’re going to meet him personally?”

“We’ll see.” Song Fuguo shook his head.

“Old Kang, this house is pretty good.”

This was a residence with a courtyard.

The front gate opened onto one street, the rear gate onto another, and one side of the courtyard wall bordered yet another street. If anything unusual happened, it would be advantageous for breaking out.

Kang Erniu nodded.

That was precisely the advantage of this residence, which was why he had remembered it all this time.

“Old Kang, is there any problem with this place?” a middle-aged man asked.

“This was a safe house prepared by former comrades for the Provincial Committee.” Kang Erniu said. “After the major roundup, the place was left vacant. I’ve kept an eye on it. It doesn’t seem to have been compromised, nor does it look like anyone has lived here.”

As he spoke, he wiped away the layer of dust on the table.

“For now it appears safe, but we still can’t be careless.”

“Old Kang, look what I found!” a young man shouted happily.

From a hidden compartment in a drawer, the young man had discovered a rental agreement.

It was not for this house.

It was for a tiny house next door.

“The comrade who prepared this place was very meticulous,” the middle-aged man said admiringly.

Kang Erniu nodded.

“Dazhuang, you’ll stay in the neighboring house and handle security.”

Clearly, the neighboring house had been prepared as an early-warning position to protect this residence.

“Old Xiao, didn’t you say you were going to get photographs from your friend at Shen Bao...”

“Don’t mention it.” Old Xiao looked worried. “That friend from Shen Bao was arrested by the police too. I’m beginning to suspect he might be one of our comrades. I don’t know how he’s doing now.”

Carrying a box of food and holding a permit personally issued by Qin Detai, Cheng Qianfan arrived at the detention facility of the police station.

“Brother Zheng, want to come along?” Cheng Qianfan asked one of the constables accompanying him.

“I’ll pass. The smell in there is too strong.” The constable raised the roast chicken and bottle of liquor in his hand. “Little Cheng, thanks.”

Cheng Qianfan smiled and said nothing, carrying the food inside.

Fang Muheng had been assigned a private cell.

Fresh straw seemed to have been laid down recently, and the place was fairly clean.

He was a bespectacled, thin man who looked scholarly.

His suit was somewhat torn, and several whip marks and bloodstains could be seen.

This was not from torture.

Most likely he had been uncooperative during his arrest and received a beating.

He was standing facing the wall and loudly reciting an essay.

“Therefore, the responsibility of today lies not with others, but entirely with our youth. If the youth are wise, the nation will be wise. If the youth are prosperous, the nation will be prosperous. If the youth are strong, the nation will be strong. If the youth are independent, the nation will be independent...”

Cheng Qianfan quietly watched and listened.

Fang Muheng’s voice was resonant, his emotions fervent, and his voice grew louder and louder.

Within the confines of this narrow cell, there was an indescribable strength in that thin yet upright figure and in the words he recited.

“The heavens arch blue above us, the earth spreads yellow beneath our feet. Though we have thousands of years behind us, we also possess boundless frontiers ahead. Our future is as vast as the sea, and the days to come are long.”

“And beautiful is my youthful China, never to grow old with heaven itself! And magnificent are the youths of China, whose future shall know no bounds with the nation!” Cheng Qianfan recited loudly.

“Who are you?”

Hearing this, Fang Muheng turned around and scrutinized the young man in a police uniform.

“Brother Muheng’s reputation is thunder in my ears.”

Without answering, Cheng Qianfan took out a key and opened the cell door. He strolled inside, gently placed the food box down, and only then spoke.

“I don’t know you,” Fang Muheng said coldly.

“I never imagined our first meeting would be under such circumstances.” Cheng Qianfan smiled and extended his hand. “I’ve often heard Xiaoye mention you. Cheng Qianfan. Brother Muheng, this is our first meeting. Please take care of me.”

“Cheng Qianfan?”

Fang Muheng stared at him for quite some time.

He did not shake his hand.

With a cold laugh, he said:

“So it’s you. My little sister thinks highly of you. Who would’ve thought that such a fine man would end up wearing this dog’s skin.”