Airport.
China Eastern Airlines Police Station.
Dong Xuebing, Luo Haiting, and the rest are brought to a small room, but Team Leader Sun didn’t question them. He locked them in the room and left.
Luo Haiting apologized. “Chief, I don’t know anything about that newspaper. This…”
Dong Xuebing waved his hand. “It’s alright.”
“But the flight….”
“There’s still time.”
Dong Xuebing knew this is an accident. Quan Zhi Gong has been giving out their promotional materials aggressively and can be found in almost every household. They will stuff it into the residences’ mailboxes, and anyone can bring it back accidentally. Luo Haiting must have grabbed a piece of newspaper to wrap her apples without noticing it. If she knows this newspaper is promotional material for Quan Zhi Gong, she will never use it. The problem now is how are they going to explain themselves.
Five minutes…
Ten minutes…
Twenty minutes passed, and the door opened again. Three men in Police uniforms entered.
Dong Xuebing noticed these people’s uniforms are different from the Airport Police. Although the Police Officers at the airport are also called Police, they are not hired under Beijing Public Security Bureau. They are hired by the airlines. These three officers should be from Chao Yang Police Station, and one of them should be a Deputy Chief. Dong Xuebing knows this is going to be troublesome as it involves politics. The Airport Police does not want to get involved and referred this case to the local Public Security Bureau.
“Is this Quan Zhi Gong’s brochure yours?” The Deputy Chief looks at them coldly.
Luo Haiting quickly reply. “It’s in my bag, but it is not mine. Someone might have put it in my mailbox, and I used it to wrap apples without noticing it.”
The Deputy Chief asked. “Your name?”
Luo Haiting frowned and replied. “Luo Haiting.”
The Deputy Chief continued asking, and another officer quickly records it. “Your occupation?”
“Fen Zhou City, Yan Tai County Investment Promotion Agency.” Luo Haiting paused for a second. She still wants to catch her flight and doesn’t want to waste time. “Office Director.”
The Deputy Chief looks at her. “Government Servant?”
Luo Haiting took out her work pass and put it on the table. “I believe all of you should know this is a misunderstanding. If I am going to promote Quan Zhi Gong, I will not put it in my bag. Furthermore, I am a Party member, and I know what I should not do. We need to catch our flight to Tokyo to attend our City’s investment fair. Chief, can you let this pass?”
The Deputy Chief refused. “You are not allowed to leave even if you are government staff. Come with me to our station, and we can talk about it after we recorded your statement.”
Luo Haiting turns pale. “How long will it take?”
“Don’t think of catching the flight today. Bring them back.” Luo Haiting is only a small County Leader, and the Deputy Chief is not bothered.
Luo Haiting cannot accept this!
Dong Xuebing is also mad. “It’s not that serious.”
The Deputy Chief replied coldly. “You all are government staff and should know this is not a small issue.” He waved that piece of Quan Zhi Gong brochure. “This is a critical period, and you all still dare to bring it on board the plane? You all are asking for it. It’s your fault for not noticing it, and we are just doing our work. Pack your things and follow us back to the station. Hurry up!”
Hmph! You still dare to scold me?!
Dong Xuebing is furious. “Hey, you must be flexible when attending to cases and not jump to conclusions! How many people are you going to catch if you blow things up for every case you attend?”
Another officer shouted. “Who are you to say this?!”
The Deputy Chief looks at Dong Xuebing. “We don’t need you to teach us how to do things!”
Dong Xuebing’s exploded as it’s getting nearer to their flight departure. “Don’t bullshit with me. Are you investigating this case?! You are picking on us! You had seen our documents and know our workplace. What else do you need to know? Huh? This is only a misunderstanding, and you want to escalate it?! Stop showing me this attitude!”
Yu Rui is sweating as he thought to himself. Chief Xiao Dong had started arguing with the Deputy Chief, and they are in Beijing now! This is not Yan Tai County, and they…
“Shut up!” The Deputy Chief also got mad. “Are you all refusing to come with us?”
The two Officers behind him took out their handcuffs.
Luo Haiting quickly steps in front of Dong Xuebing. “What are you all trying to do?! The brochure is found in my bag and has nothing to do with my Leader!”
The Officers are stunned. The youngest person in the group is their Leader?!
But the Deputy Chief doesn’t care. He is determined to bring them back, even if he is a County Mayor.
Ring… ring… the Deputy Chief’s phone rang.
He looks at the number and answers. “Hello, Chief Yang…”
“Are you not in the station?”
“No. I am attending to a case at the airport. We have arrested a group with Quan Zhi Gong’s brochure.”
“I met Chief Feng from the City Bureau during a meeting at a branch station. He is here for a sudden inspection.” He lowered his voice. “Get back to the station and get ready. I am afraid Chief Feng will inspect our station in the afternoon.”
“Chief Feng? Ok. I will return after I arrested these people.”
“He might not be inspecting our station, but we must be ready for him.”
“I understand.”
The airport is an important location, and the City Government is particular about it. Every time the City Bureau Leaders inspect Chao Yang Police Station, they drop by their station for an inspection. Of course, they know Chief Feng might not come, but they must be ready for him.
The mobile phone is loud, and Dong Xuebing and the rest could hear their conversation.
Dong Xuebing looks at the Deputy Chief and doesn’t want to waste time. He stood up and snatched the phone from him.
The Deputy Chief is shocked. “What are you doing?!”
Dong Xuebing ignored him and said to the phone. “Hello, this is someone else. Are you Chief Yang?!”
A middle-aged man replied. “Who are you?”
“You don’t know me. Is Chief Feng from the City Bureau inspecting at your side? Pass the phone to him.”
Everyone in the room is stunned. Pass the phone to Chief Feng? Are you drunk?
The Bureau Chief on the other line paused and asked. “Who are you?”
“I am Dong Xuebing. Just tell Chief Feng it’s me, and he will answer!”
The Deputy Chief felt Dong Xuebing is arrogant, and even Luo Haiting, Zhang Fan, and Yu Rui did not expect him to say this. Chief Feng? Feng Xueliang?! He is the City’s Public Security Bureau Chief.
The Chief, on the other line, is smarter than this Deputy Chief. He thought for a few seconds after hearing what Dong Xuebing said.
Dong Xuebing did not get any reply and said. “Are you not going to pass the phone? Fine. I will call him myself.”
“Wait… Please wait for a while.” Feng Xueliang is not far from that Chief and is surrounded by Branch Bureau Chiefs. He is only a Police Station Chief from a small station near the Airport. He is not qualified to accompany Chief Feng for his inspection. But after hearing what Dong Xuebing said, he got worried as he doesn’t know about his background.
Dong Xuebing doesn’t care what that Chief is thinking and waits.
About 30 seconds later, Feng Xueliang answered the phone. “Xiao Dong?”
Dong Xuebing replied. “Chief Feng, sorry to interrupt your inspection.”
“Haha… Are you looking for me?”
“It’s like this. Our City had organized an investment fair in Tokyo, and when one of my colleagues accidentally used a Quan Zhi Gong’s newspaper to warp two apples….”
“Alright. I understand. Pass the phone to the person in charge there.”
“Thank you, Chief Feng.”
“Haha… it’s a small matter.”
Dong Xuebing returned the phone to that Deputy Chief. “Chief Feng wants you to answer.”
The Deputy Chief took a deep breath. He had not expected to speak to Chief Feng over the phone and answered after composing himself and leaving the room. “Chief Feng…”
Two minutes later, the Deputy Chief returned with a smile and shook Dong Xuebing’s hand. “Sorry for all the trouble, comrade. It’s our fault for not checking this thoroughly. This is a critical period, and we had no choice. Sorry.”
Dong Xuebing did not go overboard. “I worked in the Public Security before and can understand. It’s just a misunderstanding.”
“That’s right! It’s a misunderstanding.” The Deputy Chief asked. “What time is your flight?”
Dong Xuebing looks at his watch. “It should be boarding now, and I’m not sure if we can get on board in time.”
“I will escort you all to the flight!”
The Deputy Chief did not delay their time anymore and escorted them to the gate hold room, skipping all the security checks. He sighed in relief after Dong Xuebing and the rest boarded the plane.
Zhang Fan and Yu Rui looked at each other, not knowing what to say.
“I’m sorry, Chief Dong. I did not notice…” Luo Haiting apologized.
Dong Xuebing shook his head. “It’s a coincidence, and it’s not your fault. Just be more careful next time. Let’s go.”
Luo Haiting was also shocked earlier. She had not heard Chief Dong has powerful backings in the past. But he can chase Xin Hua News Agency reporters away with just a phone call and even knows Beijing’s Public Security Bureau Chief.
This…
All of them started wondering about Dong Xuebing’s background.
