Chapter 99: The One Left on the Cold Bench

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Wang Wenyu suddenly remembered that she had invited Tian Ge here but had only focused on asking questions without ordering him a drink. Apologetically, she said, “Sorry, I was so absorbed in my own matters that I forgot to order you something to drink.”

Tian Ge responded with a hint of reproach, “You treat me like a stranger and still act so politely. You haven’t answered my question yet.”

The Mingdian Café was located on the second floor of a bustling street in Humen. Wang Wenyu and Tian Ge sat by the window facing the street.

Night had not yet fallen, but the neon lights on the street were beginning to glow. Vendors pushed carts through the alleys, their calls rising and falling. Singles, couples, and groups of three to five people strolled about, embodying the liveliness and prosperity of Humen.

Wang Wenyu gazed out at the street thoughtfully. “In such a bustling scene, who truly cares about the hardships of these wandering souls?

I heard from my boyfriend that Lu Zai’s gambling den earns at least ten thousand, sometimes even tens of thousands a day—and that’s just a small operation. The patrons are mostly working-class people.

Not to mention tens of thousands, if we average it at twenty thousand, that’s the combined monthly wages of a hundred workers. Over a year, countless wanderers are essentially working for free for Lu Zai and his bloodsucking cronies.

And that’s only their legitimate income. I’m sure people like him are involved in other inhumane acts behind the scenes.

If I had the power, I wouldn’t just want to clean out such scum—I’d want to eliminate them outright to save trouble.

But I’m just a wanderer, only able to think this in my heart without the strength to act. Without family protection, I’m no better than trash.

Without the baptism of reality, I didn’t truly understand how vast the world is. Before, I hated being called Miss Jiao. I thought I could stand on my own without family shelter. But today, Lu Zai taught me a lesson—one curse from him brought me to tears.

For many wanderers, whose bodies and minds have suffered much, such things are trivial. But it took me a long time, with my boyfriend comforting me in frustration, before I could calm down.

My boyfriend, on the other hand, grew up poor and was once so shy he’d blush at the sight of girls in school. Yet after coming to Dongguan, he quickly adapted to society, bravely facing all kinds of hardships and remaining true to himself even when confronting powerful figures.

It was he who smashed Lu Zai’s gambling den today. I came to see you not only to find out who backs such a thug, but also to introduce my boyfriend to you.”

Tian Ge fixed his gaze on Wang Wenyu and asked, “I’m just an invisible nobody in the bureau. Why do you want him to know me?”

Wang Wenyu replied sincerely, “You know I just arrived here and don’t know many people. Those I truly trust are even fewer. But I believe in your character and that you can help him mature.”

Wang Wenyu’s heartfelt words made Tian Ge contemplate deeply. After a long pause, he said, “After sitting on the sidelines for so many years, I’ve grown used to it. Just because I don’t want to get involved in many things doesn’t mean I’m unaware.

I know something about your boyfriend’s affairs, but I’ve never asked you for fear of misunderstanding.

Since I still hold some weight in your heart, as an older brother I can’t refuse you. Let’s find a time—I’ll treat both of you to a meal.”

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Seeing Tian Ge agree, Wang Wenyu happily said, “Whenever you’re free, I’ll arrange it. But you’re the local—you should choose a comfortable place.”

Seeing Wang Wenyu’s beaming smile, Tian Ge said, “You might be busy these two days. The meal can wait.”

Wang Wenyu didn’t catch the implication and quickly replied, “My internship is optional; I’m not that busy.”

Seeing her naivety in the workplace, Tian Ge patiently advised, “You want to know who’s backing Lu Zai, right? Actually, there’s no need to investigate. Those strangers at the fruit shop and the ones who came to your rental recently aren’t simple people.”

Tian Ge’s words puzzled Wang Wenyu. She asked, “The fruit shop is run by a friend I just met—how do you know that? And how can you be sure those who came to me recently are not ordinary people?”

Though Tian Ge lacked power, he was honest and sincere. In his decade-plus tenure as deputy section chief, he had mentored many and helped some rise by leaning on his shoulders.

Though he seemed alone in the bureau, many privately remembered his kindness, so his information network was wide.

He smiled and explained to Wang Wenyu, “Your quarrel with Lu Zai in itself isn’t a big deal. Properly handled, it can be ignored.

But many with ulterior motives or sycophants will see any involvement with you as serious.

Your boyfriend smashing the gambling den means at most some compensation, but their legitimate gambling operation involves money.

Both matters fall under my jurisdiction. But since your dispute just happened, my superiors specifically told me not to interfere or lead a team there, fearing I’d dig too deep and expose their secrets.

Because it involves you, they dare not neglect it. The situation has escalated to the point where Lu Zai is a flea; he can’t handle it. Smaller fleas have no standing. The real influential people behind the scenes, for their own interests and to prevent escalation, must intervene.

They handle things in two ways: directly approaching you, or indirectly through your fruit shop friend as an intermediary.

Besides those aiming to resolve the matter, others may approach you hoping to escalate it for their own ends.

Regardless of which kind they are, you can use their strength against them, letting them entangle with each other while you stay out of it and observe clearly.”

After hearing this, Wang Wenyu pointed at Tian Ge with a smile and teased, “So you’re so cunning, knowing everything but never telling me.”

After parting with Tian Ge, Wang Wenyu returned to her rented apartment. Before getting out of the car, she saw Tian Ge’s direct superior, Section Chief Li, sitting outside the fruit shop with an unfamiliar young man, each flanked by a bodyguard.

Xiao Yuxin sat gloomily behind the cash register. Customers outside were selecting fruit, but she didn’t come out to greet them.

Wang Wenyu sneered slightly, ignored her colleagues after getting out, and walked straight to Xiao Yuxin, quietly asking, “How long have they been here? Are they giving you a hard time?”

Xiao Yuxin wore a miserable expression and said, “They came less than half an hour after you left. At first, they said they’d buy all the fruit in the store and invited me to dinner. If I…”

Before she could finish, she stopped abruptly, signaling Wang Wenyu with her eyes that the two men had entered.

Wang Wenyu didn’t turn around. Behind her came Section Chief Li’s enthusiastic voice: “Xiao Wang, could we find a quieter place to talk? I want to understand the dispute between you and Lu Qiangfu. If it’s minor, we can handle it under the public security regulations—he can compensate you more for your losses, and it’ll save me some trouble running back and forth. How does that sound?”

If not for Tian Ge’s warning, Wang Wenyu wouldn’t have suspected that many so-called gentlemen in the bureau were hypocrites.

Seeing Section Chief Li dodge the issue of the gambling den being smashed and trying to quietly settle it with money, Wang Wenyu looked him straight in the eye and sarcastically said, “Section Chief Li, as an expert in this area, do you really need me to remind you that any public security case requires the parties to be present? Lu Zai isn’t here, so how can you judge the severity?

Also, I wonder if you know this—if not, I’ll tell you now—that this afternoon someone smashed a gambling den less than a kilometer from here, and the person who did it lives in this building. That’s a public security matter too. Since you’re here, don’t you want to handle it?”

Section Chief Li forced a calm expression and tried to placate her again: “Miss Wang, don’t be so agitated. Your case is my top priority. Since there are many people around, let’s find a place where everyone can be calm and we can resolve this properly.”

Wang Wenyu decisively refused, “No. This is the scene of the incident. If you want to handle the issue, you must call Lu Zai here. If you find it inconvenient, we can follow procedure and go to the bureau together.”