Power and Wealth

The next day. Morning, at 8 am.

County's People Hospital. Fifth floor, ward section.

Luan Xiaoping took a sip of warm water and looked at her son. "Xiao Bing, I told you I am fine. The doctor had also said I am out of danger. With the stent, I will be fine. You have already accompanied me for two days. What about your work? Hurry and go back to work. I can take care of myself."

"I had taken time off work, and I don't have too much work at my unit."

"You just don't listen to me." Luan Xiaoping said, but she was still feeling happy in her heart.

Dong Xuebing looks at his watch. "First Aunt, Second Aunt, and Uncle said they would be visiting you this morning, and I think Xiao Jin will be here too. I will go downstairs to wait for them.

Luan Xiaoping grumbled. "Didn't I tell you not to inform them? They are staying too far away."

"I did not tell them. But your accident was reported on the papers, and everyone knows about it."

"Huh? My accident was reported on the papers?" Luan Xiaoping asked.

"No… I am joking with you. Haha… I will go down now."

Dong Xuebing called his Uncle on his way down. They were waiting for him when he reached the first floor. Dong Xuebing brought them to the ward and told them about his mother's condition on their way up. Luan Xiaoping is fine now, but she has to take lots of pills in the future. Luan Xiaoping was happy to see them.

"Brother." Tang Jin asked angrily. "Where is that Meng Xianglin?"

Dong Xuebing looks at her. "Your boyfriend told you about him? He knows quite a lot."

Tang Jin pouted. "He is also an Officer with the Public Security. Now, which Public Security Officer doesn't know about what happened? This old bastard! If not for him, my Aunt will not get a heart attack! Oh, I heard Meng Xianglin had gotten into an accident in the lift and was almost killed? Serve him right!"

Dong Xuebing laughed and smacked her head lightly. "Stop swearing. Your mother would beat you if she heard it."

"I am speaking the truth! Someone like him should just die!" Tang Jin scolded.

Second Aunt's husband overheard them and gave his daughter a stare. "Lower down your volume."

Dong Xuebing wonders what happened to Meng Xianglin. He had forgotten to ask about his condition yesterday, and when Tang Jin mentioned Meng Xianglin now, he becomes curious. Seeing his Aunts accompanying his mother, Dong Xuebing left the ward. He stopped a nurse and asked. "Wait a minute."

The nurse looked at Dong Xuebing and did not recognize him. "What is it?"

"Do you know which ward Comrade Meng Xianglin is in?" Dong Xuebing asked.

The wards in this level of the hospital are single wards reserved for government leaders. Everyone who can stay on this level has a high status. When the nurse heard Dong Xuebing using the word 'comrade,' she straightened her back and knew this person must be someone from the government. In this era, other than the government, no one uses comrades to address others. The nurse points to the end of the corridor. "The third ward after the bend."

"Thank you. How is his condition?"

"He… his condition is not looking good."

"Really?" Dong Xuebing starts walking to Meng Xianglin's ward.

At the door, Dong Xuebing saw Meng Xianglin lying on the bed. A young woman, which should be his daughter, is feeding him water. But Dong Xuebing noticed Meng Xianglin is a different person from yesterday. His mouth was drooping to one side, and water was flowing out from his mouth as he drank.

This is…

Dong Xuebing walked over to the duty doctor's office and asked Doctor Liu about Meng Xianglin's condition.

Doctor Liu told Dong Xuebing that Meng Xianglin had got a fright and had gotten too agitated yesterday. He also had a history of Cerebral Thrombosis, and we found bleeding in his brain during the scan yesterday. He was sent to the operating theater and is currently out of danger. But his condition is not looking good. Bleeding in the brain is as fatal as heart attacks, and he might just collapse and die anytime. Now, Meng Xianglin is showing symptoms of giddiness and some numbness on one side of his body. There is no way he will recover anytime soon and will need a long time to recuperate.

Bleeding in the brain?

Dong Xuebing thought to himself. This is karma.

Didn't you want to scare my mother? Didn't you want to threaten her? Let's see how you are going to do it now!

Dong Xuebing went downstairs to the courtyard for a smoke. He sat on a bench and thought about what happened. He had arrested Zhang Zhifeng, scared Meng Xianglin until he suffered from a stroke, and created problems for Xiang Daofa, by messing up the Japanese investment. But Dong Xuebing knew this would not be the end. After suffering a big loss, Party Secretary Xiang will not let him off. The credit from the investment is something Xiang Daofa is concerned with. What Dong Xuebing did is equivalent to slapping Xiang Daofa in his face!

Ring… ring… ring…

Dong Xuebing looks at the caller. It's Hu Silian's number.

"Hello, Sister Hu." Dong Xuebing answered.

Hu Silian quickly said. "Earlier during the Party Committee meeting, Secretary Xiang mentioned the investment site visit team and said that they had complained against the Public Security Bureau for using excessive force in their duties. He purposely mentioned your name and said what you did had tarnished the investor's impression of our County." Xiang Daofa is referring to Dong Xuebing beating up those two Japanese men at the hotel.

Dong Xuebing narrowed his eyes. I had used excessive force? Those Japanese are the ones who obstructed us from our duties. Why did it become I had used excessive force?

Those Japanese were the ones who started! Are you expecting me to stand there and let them hit? Why can't I hit them back?

Hu Silian continued. "I heard Mayor Xie mentioning that Secretary Xiang might be up to something. You must be careful recently."

"Thank you for reminding me."

"No problem."

After hanging up, Dong Xuebing sighed. He knew Xiang Daofa would be coming for him when he went to arrest those Japanese. That's why he is not surprised.

But Dong Xuebing did not expect Xiang Daofa to act so quickly!

When Dong Xuebing snubbed his cigarette, two men alighted from a parked Volkswagen Santana. They were walking towards the hospital when they saw Dong Xuebing sitting on the bench. They stopped and walked towards Dong Xuebing.

"Are you Dong Xuebing?" One of the men asked.

Dong Xuebing frowned as he had not met these two men before. "Who are you?"

One of the men flashed his work pass. "We are from the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection. We would like you to follow us back."

The Commission for Discipline Inspection is here for me?

Dong Xuebing's heart sank.

Translator's notes: This is a short chapter.