Chapter 31: Spare Me, Please

"I stole the sugar?" Xu Fei’s brow furrowed deeply. How could that be possible? Zhang Mingyang and the others glanced at Xu Fei, quietly asking, “What’s going on?”

Du Man, having heard Zhou Lina’s voice from the kitchen, came out as well. She knew Xu Fei had previously helped Sister Wang’s cousin buy sugar and assumed Xu Fei had really taken some from the factory’s supply.

"Xu Fei, what’s really going on?" Du Man asked, concern in her voice.

Xu Fei shook his head. "This has nothing to do with me."

"Really?"

"Trust me."

At this, Zhou Lina stepped forward as well. "Du Man, don’t worry. Xu Fei bought the sugar with Sun Xing’s approval. There must be some kind of misunderstanding."

Xu Fei nodded. "Let’s go to the factory."

"Fei, should I come with you?"

Glancing at Zhang Mingyang and the others, Xu Fei said, "Brothers, you head back first. It’s nothing, I’ll check it out. Maybe it’s just a misunderstanding."

Zhang Mingyang nodded, reminding Xu Fei to tell them if anything happened, then left with the group.

Xu Fei pulled Du Man inside the house.

"Here, this is the money from selling the sugar and unloading the truck," he said.

Du Man glanced at the cash, startled. "Why so much?"

"Oh, I played cards with the guys yesterday and won. I didn’t take everything—this is just part of it."

"You won?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yeah."

"But you always used to lose."

Xu Fei smiled at her. "Don’t worry, your husband won’t lose again."

Du Man tucked the money away, wanting to go with Xu Fei to the factory. Xu Fei said it was an internal matter, and as a family member, it wouldn't be appropriate for her to go.

He placed the money for the sugar and the promised three hundred yuan for Sun Xing into his pocket. As he stepped outside, Zhou Lina was already waiting by the door.

"Want a ride?" she asked.

Xu Fei nodded and climbed onto the back seat of Zhou Lina’s bicycle. The two slowly pedaled toward the mouth of the alley.

Du Man stood in the doorway, watching them disappear into the distance, a strange, indescribable feeling rising in her heart.

...

"Director Sun, don’t worry about this," Zheng Yongjin said in a low voice to Sun Xing.

"This hundred pounds of sugar—you’re sure it won’t be found out?"

"Found out? How? I took that sugar out myself. I know the guys in Security—there’s no way they’ll discover anything."

Sun Xing sneered and nodded. "Good. As long as you get Xu Fei expelled, you’ll have done a great service."

"Really, Director Sun, about my sister-in-law…?"

"Don’t worry. Old Zhang in the lab is retiring next month. The old plant manager isn’t back yet. Just one word from me and it’s done."

Zheng Yongjin slapped his thigh. "Alright, I’ll wait for your news."

The two stood talking in front of Security.

Just then, Zhou Lina arrived, pedaling furiously with Xu Fei in tow.

Sun Xing’s hatred for Xu Fei only deepened at the sight, thinking, "Just wait, boy—let’s see if I don’t ruin you."

Xu Fei hopped off the bike, approached, and asked, "Director Sun, what’s going on?"

"Xu Fei, you’re coming to ask me? I’d like to ask you! Last night, Xiao Zhang checked the storeroom and discovered a hundred pounds of sugar missing—your order was the only one to leave in the past few days."

Xu Fei was taken aback. "I did take sugar out, but both Xiao Zhang and Director Zheng checked everything at the time!"

"Checked? You had such a big truck—how were we supposed to know where you hid a hundred pounds of sugar?" Zheng Yongjin stepped forward, pointing at Xu Fei. "We’re all from the same factory, but what you did was really out of line."

"I—"

Sun Xing stepped up and grabbed Xu Fei. "Come with me. We’ll sort this out with the Security team."

Xu Fei was dragged into the Security office.

"Director Liu, I’ve brought him. I’ll wait for your results," Sun Xing announced.

Director Liu of Security glanced at Xu Fei, his expression dark. He glared and waved at the guards. "Take this punk to the back room."

Two guards seized Xu Fei and dragged him away.

"What are you doing?" Zhou Lina tried to stop them. "You haven’t even figured out what happened. Nothing’s certain—how can you treat him like this?"

"Comrade Zhou Lina, remember—this is Security, not your home," Director Liu said, grabbing her arm.

"But—"

Sun Xing pulled Zhou Lina aside. "Lina, let’s leave this to Security. They’ll give both the factory and Xu Fei a proper explanation."

He exchanged a look with Zheng Yongjin, and the two led Zhou Lina out.

Xu Fei was shoved into a small, dark room. The windows were all sealed. A single dim lamp hung overhead. The two guards shoved him onto a wooden stool, and Director Liu entered.

The three men stood under the lamp, their shadows looming over most of the room, the darkness enveloping Xu Fei completely.

"Lift your head!" Director Liu barked at Xu Fei.

The empty room echoed with his command.

"What law have I broken to deserve this treatment?" Xu Fei asked.

Director Liu leaned in, his face sinister. "Xu Fei, don’t think I don’t know who you are. You were trouble at the steel mill. Then you wandered the streets for a while. I know exactly how you ended up at this sugar factory."

"What does that have to do with this?"

"Don’t give me that!" Director Liu seized Xu Fei by the collar. "You tell me—does it have anything to do with it? A dog can’t change its ways. People like you—how could you not do something like this?"

"If I wanted to steal sugar, why would I bother buying it?"

"That’s just a cover. Xu Fei, I’ve seen plenty like you, playing tough. Fine, I’ll show you what happens to tough guys."

He slapped Xu Fei’s face and turned to leave. "Teach him a lesson!"

The two guards stepped forward, each grabbing one of Xu Fei’s arms. Their fists rained down on his stomach like hail.

After a dozen blows, Xu Fei was in so much pain he couldn’t straighten up.

"Will you talk?" one of the guards demanded.

Xu Fei looked at him. "Comrade, I didn’t do anything. What do you want me to say?"

"Still not crying for mercy, are you?" the man sneered, signaling his partner. They forced Xu Fei to the ground and began kicking him with their leather shoes.

Xu Fei could barely withstand the blows. He realized that if things went on like this, he’d be beaten half to death before any investigation could clear him. After that, they’d just hand him over to the police station—here, Security’s word was evidence enough. He’d be lucky to get away with just six months or a year in jail.

"Wait!" Xu Fei suddenly raised his hand.

One of the guards squatted down, yanking Xu Fei’s hair. "What, ready to talk?"

Xu Fei pulled twenty yuan from his pocket.

"Brothers, please, I really didn’t steal anything, but I can’t take this beating. Take this, buy yourselves a few packs of cigarettes, and spare me, will you?"