Time returned to one minute ago.
“Shut up! Give me that camera!” The supervisor rushed forward to snatch the camera.
When Dong Xuebing did not use BACK in the day, he will practice using it before he sleeps. After practicing for almost a hundred times, he was now used to the uncomfortableness of scenes changing. It took only a blink of an eye for Dong Xuebing to recover. He looked at the supervisor coldly and dodged. He immediately shouted to the few workers who were digging the floor tiles behind the supervisor. “Stop digging! Stop! Stop whatever you are doing!” As Dong Xuebing was shouting to them, he was thinking of a plan. That box was buried under the tiles, and there was no reason the box did not contain any treasure. This was a rare opportunity. But how can I get that box? These people were about to discover the box! Dong Xuebing must think of a way!
The few workers stopped and looked at Dong Xuebing,
“Who do you think you are to ask them to stop?” The supervisor turned and shouted: “Carry on with your work!”
The workers looked at each other and carried on using their shovels to lift the tiles.
That grey stone tile was about to be lifted. Dong Xuebing was anxious and loses focus slightly. The supervisor took this opportunity to snatch the camera from Dong Xuebing. The supervisor tried to delete all the photographs, and Dong Xuebing shout furiously: “You are asking for it!” He suddenly got an idea. He reached into his bag and took out his new work pass and waved it in front of the supervisor. “Do you know how to read? Look at this with your own eyes!”
“What?” The supervisor was about to delete the pictures when he looked up.
It was a black leather card holder. The size was about the same as a driving license. A silver national emblem with the words “Police,” in both English and Mandarin, was printed on the cover. The work pass had Dong Xuebing’s photo, his name, and his appointment. Beijing City State Security Western District Branch Bureau, General Affairs Office Deputy Chief. Of course, Dong Xuebing covered his personal details with his fingers as he held up his pass. He only showed the words “State Security” and “Deputy Chief.”
The supervisor was stunned: “State Security?”
Dong Xuebing pointed to those workers who were trying to lift up the stone floor tile. “Stop working!”
The workers were afraid that the Supervisor would scold them, and they ignored Dong Xuebing’s orders.
The middle age supervisor recovered from his shock and quickly shouted: “Didn’t you hear what the officer said? Stop whatever you are doing now!”
“Officer?” The workers were confused. Their supervisor was still trying to snatch that young man’s camera, and the next moment, he was calling him an officer? But all of them obeyed and stop working. They dropped their tools. Bang! The stone tile which was lifted about 30 degrees fell back on the ground.
The supervisor rubbed his palms embarrassedly and smiled: “Sir, I’m very sorry. I thought you are a reporter.”
Dong Xuebing was relieved that he had gotten control of the situation, and he remembered the supervisor’s rude attitude towards him earlier. He was pissed. He did not care if the supervisor was more than 20 years older than him and started scolding him: “Reporter? Can’t you use your brains?! If I am a reporter, will I be taking pictures in front of you? Ah? Also, what’s wrong with reporters? You are allowed to snatch a reporter’s personal belongings? We are living in a law-abiding society! Do you know what you have done is against the law? Ah? Who do you think you are?!”
The supervisor replied with a sullen face: “No, no…… It’s a misunderstanding.”
Dong Xuebing continued scolding for a while. “…… Camera!”
“Ah…… Here…… I’m very sorry.” The supervisor quickly returned the digital camera back to Dong Xuebing. He knew the State Security had the most authority. He could not afford to offend anyone from this agency, especially the leaders there. He did not even try to retort or argue. He only wishes Dong Xuebing would leave this place. He did not want to be invited to the bureau for “tea.”
But Dong Xuebing had no intentions of leaving.
Dong Xuebing brushed off the dust on his clothes and walked over to the workers. “Take a break first. I have some questions for you all.”
The supervisor who was following behind stared at the workers: “Answer this officer’s questions truthfully. Do you all understand?” He was trembling inside. A State Security Officer was here……. Was he here to investigate a case or was he here to investigate about me? This should not be. I only harvested some stubborn residents who refused to move out. I did not do anything that compromises national security!
The workers looked at Dong Xuebing.
Dong Xuebing cleared his throat. “Have you all seen a tall man with a dark complexion in his forties around here?”
Everyone shook their heads.
The supervisor was relieved when he know that he was not the one who was being investigated. “Think carefully!”
The workers shook their head again. “We can’t remember.”
Dong Xuebing continued to pretend: “He is about 1.9 m tall and have short hair.”
“I don’t think so.” The worker with the northeast accent replied: “We were focusing on doing our work every day and did not notice anyone around here.”
The supervisor also added: “Sir, I also did not see this person around here. Did he commit any serious crime?” Dong Xuebing ignored him, and that supervisor smiled embarrassedly. “Sorry…… sorry….. I should not be asking.”
Dong Xuebing looked at the condition of the floor tiles from the corner of his eyes and moved one step forward. He stopped directly on that stone floor tile. “Ok. All of you carry on with your work. Don’t tell anyone about what I said to you.”
The Supervisor quickly replied: “Don’t worry. We will not say anything!”
Dong Xuebing nodded and took out his notebook to continue taking down notes for his proposal.
The supervisor looked at Dong Xuebing and wonder why this State Security officer was not leaving? What was he writing? He asked cautiously: “Sir, they are still working, and it is very dusty here. Your clothes will be dirtied.”
Dong Xuebing did not lift up his head and replied. “It’s fine. I will stay here.”
The supervisor smiled and looked at his workers. He gestured to them to carry on with their work.
A worker took a spade and looked at the stone tile Dong Xuebing was standing on. He opened his mouth and was about to say something when another worker quickly dragged him away. The workers went to work on another part of the house. They continued to demolish the house.
An hour passed, and Dong Xuebing was still standing there.
Two hours passed. Dong Xuebing still did not leave.
Three hours was gone, and Dong Xuebing was still there.
It was dark, and the supervisor and the workers packed up and left with their tools. Dong Xuebing’s stomach was growling, and his legs and back were aching. He looked around and made sure those workers would not return before removing his feet from the stone floor tile. He quickly ran to a toilet before having dinner at a nearby restaurant.
The opportunity to get rich was here!
