bookrebus Chapter 173 The Helplessness of Ordinary Citizens
Chapter 173 The Helplessness of Ordinary Citizens
"Fine, let's see whether I'll rot in jail or your nephew will."
Qi Tongwei, on the other hand, was quite relaxed and calm. He decided to test just how deep the waters were in Kyoto.
Arrogant! Zhong Zhengmei looked at Qi Tongwei as if he were a fool. He really didn't know his own limitations.
"Kid, you just wait and see."
I'm waiting.
Director Jin was a little shocked. Could this kid also have a background? But then he thought that even if he did, it certainly couldn't compare to the Zhong family.
Qin's hometown.
Qin Xue asked anxiously, "Grandpa, can we get Qi Tongwei released on bail tomorrow?"
Old Qin took a puff of his cigarette. "My dear granddaughter, don't worry."
"Grandpa, I'm afraid he'll act impulsively."
Old Qin laughed, "Whether it's Jingzhou or Shanghai, even if that kid is reckless and breaks some rules, he's still generally within the established rules. If he dares to escape from the police station and break a major rule, even if Grandpa misjudged him, I still won't agree to you associating with him."
Qin Xue understood her grandfather's meaning: many established rules must not be broken, and attacking the police station would be a challenge to the state.
Qin Ge rushed back from outside. "Dad, I had my friend investigate. The person who was beaten is Old Zhong's grandson. That kid Qi Tongwei is in trouble this time."
Old Qin seemed thoughtful, then stubbed out his cigarette. "The dragon has nine sons, each different from the other. Have a lawyer check on that kid tomorrow."
"Dad, I suggest we wait and see. Don't rush into action, or we'll be the ones at a disadvantage."
Qin Ge understood that the Zhong family was definitely not going to let this go, and anger could lead people to make some irrational decisions.
Old Qin thought so too. After so many years of revolution, he also wanted to know to what extent his descendants would use the power in their hands.
Qin Xue was the most anxious, but she could only worry helplessly. Without her grandfather's intervention, they were powerless to fight against the Zhong family.
"Xiaoxue, Grandpa has made arrangements. Don't worry, Grandpa will definitely return that boy to you unharmed."
"Okay, Grandpa."
Qin Xue had no choice but to agree.
Zhong Zhengmei acted quickly, arranging for Zhang Ping and her parents to stay at the Kyoto Hotel overnight.
These days, not just anyone can get into Kyoto hotels, whether for dining or lodging; they're reserved for the very wealthy and powerful.
Qi Tongwei spent the night in the interrogation room. His initial plan was to stay at the Kyoto Hotel, but unexpectedly, on his first day in Kyoto, he was blessed with a silver bracelet and a single room.
Qin Xue arrived early with her lawyer, but the police only allowed the lawyer to see Qi Tongwei.
"Qi Tongwei, your lawyer is here. You only have ten minutes."
Qi Tongwei rubbed his eyes and twisted his neck; sleeping while sitting was indeed uncomfortable.
"Hello, Mr. Qi, my surname is Zhou. I am here on behalf of Ms. Qin to see you. Please tell me in detail what happened last night."
"Thank you for your hard work, Attorney Zhou."
Qi Tongwei recounted what he had seen in detail. "Attorney Zhou, please tell Qin Xue not to worry. I'm currently quite free and plan to stay inside for a while longer to learn how the Kyoto police handle cases."
Attorney Zhou almost thought he had misheard. Could this person have some mental issues? Maybe he should start the lawsuit from this angle.
"Mr. Qi, rest assured, I am confident I can help you win this case."
"Thank you, Attorney Zhou."
After Attorney Zhou left, Qin Xue quickly asked, "Attorney Zhou, how is he?"
"Ms. Qin, Mr. Qi seems to be in good condition. He asked me to tell you to stay inside a little longer to learn how the Kyoto police handle cases."
Qin Xue keenly sensed that Qi Tongwei and her grandfather were thinking the same thing. "Thank you, Attorney Zhou."
Attorney Zhou couldn't help but ask, "Ms. Qin, has Mr. Qi experienced any trauma?"
Qin Xue understood what Attorney Zhou meant. Qi Tongwei's personality had changed drastically, which was certainly due to some kind of trauma, but he was definitely not mentally ill.
"Attorney Zhou, just stick to your not guilty plea."
Since Attorney Zhou was hired by Qin Ge, and he wasn't going to say anything, it wasn't appropriate to ask further. "Okay, I'll go back and prepare right away."
Kyoto Hotel.
After a good night's rest, Zhang Ping felt much better. She had never slept in such a nice quilt before, and the bathroom was bigger than her living room. It was an eye-opening experience for her. She never dared to imagine that she would one day be able to stay at the Kyoto Hotel.
Mr. and Mrs. Zhang were similar; they were like Grandma Liu visiting the Grand View Garden, their eyes opened wide. Although they were both from Beijing, they were just ordinary citizens. Mr. Zhang was a steelworker, and Mrs. Zhang was a housewife. The family relied on Mr. Zhang's salary alone to support them.
Zhong Zhengmei was dressed very fashionably, wearing head-to-toe foreign brand-name goods, like a wealthy lady. She looked down on this family of three. If it weren't for her nephew's matter, these petty citizens wouldn't even have the right to speak to her.
“Zhang Ping, you were wronged last night, but my nephew is in the hospital now. He has broken ribs, his face is disfigured, and he almost went blind. Someone has to take responsibility for this.”
Zhang Ping was too scared to speak. Zhang's mother was usually quite sharp-tongued in the alley, but she immediately cowered when she saw someone as rich and powerful as Zhong Zhengmei.
Zhang's father was an honest man who always worked very hard and was recognized as an advanced worker every year.
"What do you mean by that? Do you expect my daughter to take responsibility?"
Zhong Zhengmei was too lazy to waste words with them and simply took out two stacks of money from her bag.
"Here's 20,000 yuan. If Zhang Ping tells the police it was just a joke last night, this money is yours."
"You're making my daughter lie, which would harm others. We can't do that."
Mr. Zhang was anxious. He had never done anything to harm others. If he hadn't been worried about his daughter's safety last night, he wouldn't have stayed at the Kyoto Hotel.
Looking at the 20,000 yuan, Zhang's mother was very envious. Her son was about to take the college entrance exam, and if he had this money, going to college would not be a problem.
In Zhong Zhengmei's view, Zhang's father's behavior was nothing more than a petty bourgeois trying to raise prices on the spot.
"As long as Zhang Ping changes her tune, besides the 20,000 yuan, I can arrange for her to work as a waitress at the Kyoto Hotel or as a factory worker in a textile factory."
Zhong Zhengmei's condescending and condescending attitude displeased Zhang's father.
"Although I, Zhang Dabiao, am poor, I still have a conscience and would never do anything to harm others."
If someone won't listen to reason, then they'll have to suffer the consequences. Zhong Zhengmei realized this person was stubborn and immediately changed her approach from bribery to threats.
"Zhang Dabiao, your son is about to take the college entrance exam, which requires a lot of money. If you lose your job at the steel factory, I don't know how you'll support your family."
Zhang Dabiao's son was his Achilles' heel. Even though he was filled with rage, he was somewhat intimidated by Zhong Zhengmei's ruthless appearance.
"Don't be angry, don't be angry. Do everything you say, and my daughter will change her mind. My daughter will change her mind right away."
Zhang's mother was filled with panic. What did other people's lives or deaths have to do with her? All she wanted was for her son to go to university.
Zhang Dabiao was so angry that his face turned red. He was powerless against the circumstances, so what could he do?
Zhang Ping was also afraid when she thought of her younger brother who had worked so hard to get into university. The words "I'll take care of you" made her feel ashamed.