Movie: Get Alpha Dog at the start

Chapter 1506 Yellow-haired Huo Dongfeng

After taking the note from the thug, Qin Hao and Cui Guomin exchanged a glance.

"Let's go!" Without saying a word, Cui Guomin turned around and ran towards his bicycle.

Qin Hao didn't delay either; the two jumped onto their bicycles and pedaled furiously, the wheels leaving rapid tracks on the street. The early winter wind blew in their faces, cold as knives, yet beads of sweat appeared on Cui Guomin's forehead.

The suburban farmers' market is located in the northeast corner of the city, near the urban-rural fringe. This area was originally wasteland, later developed into a market, mainly selling agricultural products, daily necessities, and a few scattered small vendors. Because of its remote location and cheap rent, many small business owners have gathered here.

Twenty minutes later, the two arrived at the market. Calling it a market was a stretch; it was really just a makeshift shed made of corrugated iron and tarpaulins, the ground riddled with potholes and overflowing with sewage. The air was thick with the stench of rotten vegetables, fish, and a host of other strange, indescribable smells.

It was around two or three in the afternoon, and the market wasn't crowded. Some stall owners were dozing, some were chatting, and others were playing cards together. Qin Hao and Cui Guomin pushed their bicycles into the market, their eyes scanning the stalls on both sides.

There were vendors selling vegetables, meat, and daily necessities... and a few fortune tellers also set up stalls.

Qin Hao immediately spotted his target—a small stall in the far corner of the market. The stall was simple: a tattered red cloth spread on the ground, upon which were placed a few yellowed thread-bound books, a fortune-telling container, and several pieces of paper with Bagua (Eight Trigrams) patterns drawn on them. The stall owner sat on a small stool; he was bald, had a large nose, small eyes, and appeared to be in his thirties. He wore a faded blue Zhongshan suit and sunglasses, giving him a rather venerable air.

"It's him," Qin Hao said in a low voice.

Cui Guomin was about to rush forward, his eyes wide and his fists clenched tightly. Qin Hao grabbed him and pulled him back, gripping his arm tightly.

"If you want Guo Dapao out as soon as possible, don't be impulsive." Qin Hao's voice was very calm: "What good will it do to go up and beat him up now, besides venting your anger? What if he insists on denying it?"

Cui Guomin gasped for breath, his chest heaving. He felt a sudden lack of oxygen to his brain, and beyond anger, he was gripped by lingering fear. Thank goodness the man had been found; otherwise, if his casual remark had led to Guo Dapao being falsely accused of murder and dying unjustly, he didn't know how he would face Guo Dapao's father and daughter. The old man and the young girl—one bedridden, the other only in elementary school…

“Okay, I won’t act impulsively. You talk to him.” Cui Guomin said through gritted teeth, loosening his fist, but his eyes remained fixed on the “master.”

Qin Hao patted him on the shoulder, signaling him to calm down, and then walked to the stall.

Hearing footsteps, the "master" looked up. Seeing Qin Hao, he adjusted his glasses and gave a professional smile: "What would you like to ask, sir? Marriage, fortune, or future prospects? No charge if you don't get an answer."

Qin Hao sat down on the small stool opposite him, looked directly at him, and said in a deep voice, "I'm asking for a friend."

"Oh? What do you want to ask?" The "master" became interested, leaning forward as if he were all ears.

“My friend sells pork,” Qin Hao said slowly. “He was having a run of bad luck lately, nothing went right for him. Then he listened to a blind fortune teller and went to the riverbank, saying he needed to ‘break free from disaster.’ Not long after, he was arrested as a murderer. Master, can you tell me if he can be exonerated? When will he be released?”

The "master's" smile froze for a moment, but he quickly recovered. He picked up the divination tube, shook it, muttered some incantations, and pretended to perform some calculations for a while.

"Hmm... judging from the divination, your friend is indeed facing imprisonment." The master said slowly, "However, it's not without a solution. Clearing his name should be no problem, but it may take some time. It depends on fate."

Cui Guomin, listening nearby, was furious. That old swindler, still playing the fool! He was the one who got someone into jail, and now he's saying "we have to wait a while"? Wait for what? Wait for Guo Dapao to be executed?

"Master, do you know who my friend is?" Qin Hao suddenly asked.

The "master" was taken aback: "This... how would I know? So many people come to me for fortune telling every day..."

“My friend’s surname is Guo, and his nickname is Guo Dapao.” Qin Hao stared into his eyes: “He’s a butcher who’s been having a run of bad luck lately, so he went to the riverbank to ‘break the curse.’ Master, have you helped someone like that break the curse recently?”

The "master's" expression changed. He instinctively shrank back, forcing himself to remain calm, and gave a dry laugh: "This... sir, please don't talk nonsense. I tell fortunes for so many people every day, how could I remember who's who..."

"Can't remember?" Cui Guomin couldn't hold back any longer. He rushed forward and grabbed the "master" by the collar: "You're the one who sent Guo Dapao to the riverbank, saying 'water can dispel evil spirits'! And what happened? He went to the riverbank and got arrested as a murderer! You're a fucking fraudster! A scoundrel!"

The "master" was grabbed by Cui Guomin and struggled desperately, but how could his strength compare to Cui Guomin's, who had been doing manual labor for years? Unable to break free, he could only shout, "You...you let go! What do you think you're doing in broad daylight? Help! Someone's hitting someone!"

Several stall owners nearby heard the commotion and gathered around, pointing and whispering at Cui Guomin.

Qin Hao stood up and walked to the "master." His tone remained calm, but his eyes turned cold: "Master, we don't want to cause trouble. But this matter involves a life. Guo Dapao is already in custody. If no evidence can be found to prove his innocence, he could be convicted of murder and sentenced, or even executed."

He paused, then lowered his voice: "Heaven cherishes life. Guo Dapao has an elderly father who is paralyzed from a cerebral hemorrhage and a daughter who is still in elementary school. If he is convicted of murder because of this, his entire family will be ruined. Master, you make your living this way, you should know about cause and effect. Aren't you afraid that the retribution will fall on your family?"

The "master's" face turned pale and then red.

Qin Hao pressed his advantage: "Besides, if word gets out that you're a fortune teller who harmed people and sent an honest butcher to jail, you'll probably have a hard time making a living this way in the future, right?"

These words struck a nerve with the "master." He made a living by fortune telling, and his biggest fear was ruining his reputation. Once his reputation was tarnished, he wouldn't be able to continue in this profession.

He was silent for a few seconds before finally speaking, his voice barely audible, like a mosquito's hum: "I... I never expected this. I truly didn't know a murder had occurred by the river, let alone that he would be mistaken for the killer..."

"Now you know," Qin Hao said. "Come with us to the police station and explain the situation. It'll be better for both of you."

The "master" was still somewhat hesitant.

Cui Guomin got impatient: "Are you going or not? If you don't go, I'll beat you up right now! After I beat you up, I'll smash your stall! So you can't tell fortunes anymore!"

"Go! I'll go!" the master quickly said. "I'll go with you! You...you mustn't do anything."

Without a word, Cui Guomin grabbed the "master" and hoisted him onto the front bar of his bicycle—the way he did it was like carrying a sack of flour. The "master" screamed in terror, but Cui Guomin ignored him, pedaling furiously as he sped towards the police station.

Qin Hao followed behind, thinking to himself: Finally, there's a turning point.

……

Upon arriving at the police station, Cui Guomin threw down his bicycle, hoisted the "master" onto his shoulder, and rushed inside. The "master" was still struggling, shouting, "Put me down! I can walk myself! I can walk myself!"

Seeing this, the police officer on duty at the entrance quickly stopped them: "What are you doing? This is the police station!"

"I'm looking for Officer Zeng!" Cui Guomin shouted. "I'm his high school classmate, and it's urgent!"

The police officer glanced at him, then at the disheveled "master" on his shoulder, and frowned: "You wait here."

A few minutes later, a young policeman in uniform strode out; it was Da Zeng, Cui Guomin's high school classmate. He saw Cui Guomin and paused, then asked, "Guomin? What are you doing here...?"

"Da Zeng, I've found him!" Cui Guomin put the "master" down: "This is the fortune teller who helped Guo Dapao change his fate! He can prove why Guo Dapao went to the riverbank! You've arrested the wrong person, release Guo Dapao immediately!"

Da Zeng's expression turned serious. He looked at the "master," then at Cui Guomin and Qin Hao, and said in a deep voice, "Let him come in with me."

The "master" was taken inside, while Qin Hao and Cui Guomin could only wait outside.

They waited until after 8 p.m. before the "master" was finally brought out. Cui Guomin asked anxiously, "Did you tell the police? Why hasn't Guo Dapao been released yet?"

The "master" calmly said, "Why are you in such a hurry? The police officer said that this is a murder case. Arresting or releasing people requires evidence. I have told you everything I know, but how the case is handled depends on the police."

Qin Hao patted Cui Guomin on the shoulder: "We've done all we can. Now we can only trust the police."

Choi Kookmin stared at the police station gate and let out a long sigh.

……

When Qin Hao returned to the cake shop, it was already 9:30 PM. Surprisingly, the lights were still on. Pushing open the door, he saw Xiao Li cleaning the shelves.

"Xiao Li, why aren't you home yet after get off work?" Qin Hao asked.

When Xiao Li saw Qin Hao, he breathed a sigh of relief and pointed to the shelf: "Boss, all the goods are sold out. I was afraid you wouldn't know, so I thought I'd wait here for you and let you know."

Qin Hao smiled and shook his head: "If I don't come all night, won't you go back?"

Xiao Li smiled sheepishly.

"Alright, go back and get some rest. Don't be late for nine o'clock tomorrow morning," Qin Hao said.

"Okay! I'll be going now, see you tomorrow, boss!" Xiao Li replied happily, packed his things and left.

Qin Hao watched her retreating figure and smiled. Although this girl was young, she was sensible, hardworking, and a promising talent.

For the next two weeks, Qin Hao lived a very regular life. During the day, he made and sold bread in the shop, and every other night he would perform at the "Nightfall Bar." The performances went very well, and he always received good pay and a share of the flower baskets. In a month, he could earn tens of thousands of yuan just from singing.

Life was fulfilling, but Choi Kookmin's condition was worrying. Whenever he had free time, he would rush to the cake shop, but he wouldn't say a word. He would just sit there in a daze, or sigh and look miserable. When customers came into the shop, he would still not move, staring blankly out the window, leaving the customers completely bewildered.

Qin Hao couldn't help but complain, "If you keep going like this, you'll drive all my customers away. When people come to buy bread and see you like this, they'll think someone's died in my shop."

Cui Guomin, still wearing a bitter expression, continued as if he hadn't heard, "You know, it's been half a month already, and that master even went to help Guo Dapao clarify things, so why haven't they released him yet?"

Qin Hao sighed, put down his work, and sat down opposite Cui Guomin: "Master can only prove that Guo Dapao had a legitimate reason for going to the river, but he cannot completely clear his name. The police are probably looking for new evidence during this period, and they will not release him until Guo Dapao is cleared of the murder charge."

The mainland judicial system did not explicitly establish the "presumption of innocence" principle until 1996. In other words, prior to that, as long as Guo Dapao was a suspect and there was insufficient evidence to prove he wasn't the murderer, the police could continue to detain him. This was a limitation of the era, and there was no way around it.

Cui Guomin was somewhat deflated, his shoulders slumped: "Then all of what we did... wasn't it all for nothing? Finding a master, running around, spending so much effort..."

“How can you say it was all for nothing?” Qin Hao said seriously, “If we hadn’t found this master, Guo Dapao’s case might have already been transferred to the procuratorate, and he might even have been sentenced. At least for now, the police are still looking for new evidence and are still investigating. As long as the new evidence is in Guo Dapao’s favor, he can be exonerated from the murder charge.”

Cui Guomin remained silent. He understood the reasoning, but the self-blame and anxiety in his heart couldn't be resolved with just a few words.

Seeing that he was still sullen, Qin Hao knew that he was still blaming himself for saying "just a casual remark," so he changed the subject: "By the way, how is Xiaoxue doing lately?"

Mentioning Guo Xiaoxue, Cui Guomin's expression darkened further. He shook his head and sighed, "She's even more withdrawn than before. I've visited her twice, and she hardly ever spoke, just sat there lost in thought. Erpang told me that many kids at school say her father is a rapist and murderer, and they're ostracizing her and not playing with her. She didn't have many friends to begin with, and now she has none at all."

Qin Hao's heart sank. Guo Xiaoxue was indeed a pitiful child. Her mother had passed away early, her grandfather was paralyzed in bed, and her father was currently imprisoned. A child who was just over ten years old had to take care of the elderly and also endure the criticism and discrimination from the outside world.

"This child is really pitiful," Qin Hao said. "So young, yet she has to take care of an elderly person who is paralyzed in bed. How is her grandfather now?"

“He’s still the same as before, lying in bed, unable to move or even speak,” Cui Guomin said. “Every day after Xiaoxue comes home from school, I have to cook for her, feed her, and bathe her. How can a child do all that? I see she’s lost a lot of weight, and her face is pale.”

Qin Hao thought for a moment and said, "Why don't you take some cakes over to see her later? Kids love sweets, maybe that will cheer her up."

“It’s better to let Erpang handle this kind of thing,” Cui Guomin said.

Qin Hao looked at him and said, "Who do you expect Erpang to bring the good food to? He's such a glutton; he might eat it himself halfway there."

Cui Guomin thought about it and agreed. Erpang had a kind of obsession with food, so it wasn't safe to ask him to bring food to others.

“Okay, I’ll go there in a bit.” Cui Guomin stood up.

An hour later, Choi Kookmin returned to the cake shop, looking completely drained. He slumped into a chair, appearing utterly exhausted.

"What's wrong?" Qin Hao asked.

Cui Guomin looked up, his eyes red: "Xiaoxue... that child is so sensible. I went there, and she was feeding her grandfather. The old man would take a bite, then spit out half of it, making a mess everywhere. Xiaoxue didn't mind the mess, cleaning up bit by bit, and gently coaxing her grandfather. It made my heart ache."

He paused, his voice choked with emotion: "Tell me, what will happen to Xiaoxue if Guo Dapao doesn't come out anytime soon? A child has to take care of a paralyzed elderly person, go to school, and face the gossip of others... How will she manage?"

Qin Hao sighed. There was nothing he could do about the situation. He could only hope that Guo Dapao would be released soon.

“Xiaoxue is manageable on her own; we can help take care of her,” Qin Hao said. “But her grandfather’s condition… without professional care, one child alone simply can’t manage. If this goes on for too long, Xiaoxue will collapse from exhaustion, and the old man won’t recover either.”

Choi Kookmin raised his hand as if to slap himself: "Serves you right for talking nonsense! Serves you right for spouting rubbish!"

"How about I give you another pair?" Qin Hao teased.

Choi Kookmin subconsciously raised his hand to block: "Come on, with your strength, you'll knock my teeth out."

Amidst the laughter and commotion, Guo Xiaoxue suddenly burst in, crying, "Uncle Cui, Uncle Ji, my grandfather..."

Cui Guomin rushed to Guo Xiaoxue's house, while Qin Hao comforted Guo Xiaoxue and called an ambulance.

……

Fortunately, they were sent there in time, and Guo Dapao's father's life was saved. However, this came with hospital fees of one or two hundred yuan a day. The little money Guo Dapao earned from selling pork was basically all poured into the old man's bottomless pit, leaving him with no savings at all. If it weren't for Cui Guomin and Qin Hao's help, Guo Xiaoxue probably wouldn't even be able to afford food.

After completing the formalities, Cui Guomin returned and looked at the payment receipt with a worried expression: "This hospital is no place for humans. Not only is it unbearable, but the money just disappears so quickly. I just paid a deposit of one thousand yuan, and it's gone in an instant. The doctor said that the follow-up treatment will cost money, at least one or two hundred yuan a day."

Qin Hao looked at Guo Xiaoxue, who was sitting on the bench, looking thin and small, and felt a pang of sadness. This child had suffered so much.

"I'll pay for her hospital stay," Qin Hao sighed. "But we can't keep Xiaoxue by her bedside, can we? She has to go to class during the day. If she doesn't sleep well at night, how can she have the energy to study during the day?"

Cui Guomin thought for a moment and said, "How about we hire a caregiver? I'll pay for it."

Qin Hao didn't try to pay the bill with Cui Guomin. Cui Guomin felt guilty and wanted to atone for his sins. If he didn't let him do something, he would probably feel guilty for the rest of his life.

Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he remembered something. Cui Guomin's mother—the old lady—later suffered from acute pancreatitis and could not be saved.

"By the way, Guomin," Qin Hao said seriously, "You should also have Grandpa and Grandma come to the hospital for a check-up. They're getting old, they need to take care of their health. Otherwise, they'll end up like Grandpa Guo, suffering themselves and having to be taken care of by the younger generation."

Upon hearing this, Cui Guomin's heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason. He looked at Grandpa Guo, who was lying motionless on the hospital bed, and then thought of his own parents, who were indeed getting old and their health was not as good as before.

“You’re right,” Cui Guomin nodded. “I’ll bring my parents for a check-up tomorrow.”

……

The next day at noon, Qin Hao was making bread in the kitchen, preparing for the afternoon's business. Suddenly, he heard hurried footsteps outside, and then the kitchen door was pushed open abruptly.

Cui Guomin rushed in and, without saying a word, gave Qin Hao a bear hug.

"What are you doing?" Qin Hao laughed and scolded, pushing him: "I'm warning you, I have no interest in men."

Choi Kookmin let go, his eyes red-rimmed, his face showing both lingering fear and relief.

“I brought my parents to the hospital for a check-up early this morning.” Cui Guomin’s voice trembled slightly. “The doctor did a full examination on my mother and found out she has pancreatitis! Luckily, it’s in the early stages and can’t be treated yet! The doctor said that if it had been a few months later, an acute attack could have caused organ failure, which would have been dangerous!”

Qin Hao felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders. He patted Cui Guomin's hand and said, "Alright, alright, don't get so worked up. It's good that the old lady is alright. I was just saying this out of the goodness of my heart. Seeing Grandpa Guo like this reminded me of your family. As people get older, they should have regular checkups."

In the afternoon, Grandpa Cui also came to the cake shop. He insisted on taking Qin Hao to Dingqinglou for a meal.

"Grandpa, you're too kind, there's really no need..." Qin Hao declined.

"No! You have to go!" Old Master Cui's attitude was firm: "You must eat this meal! If you don't go, you're disrespecting this old man!"

Qin Hao had no choice but to agree.

Inside the private room at Dingqinglou Restaurant, a sumptuous feast was laid out. Old Master Cui was personally entertaining them, as was Cui Guomin. The old master insisted on pouring wine for Qin Hao, filling his glass to the brim.

"Ji Qiang, this glass is for you!" Old Master Cui raised his glass, his expression serious. "Thanks to your reminder, my wife went for a checkup. The doctor said that if it had been a few months later, it would have been dangerous. Our Cui family will remember this kindness for the rest of our lives!"

Qin Hao quickly picked up his wine glass: "Grandpa, you're too kind. If it weren't for your care over the past ten years, I would have starved or frozen to death long ago. I should remember this kindness for the rest of my life."

"Alright, let's not stand on ceremony." Old Master Cui waved his hand. "It's all in the wine! Cheers!"

"Grandpa, please drink slowly..." Before Qin Hao could finish speaking, the old man tilted his head back and downed the entire glass of baijiu.

Qin Hao had no choice but to do it.

"Come on, eat up!" The old man kept putting food on Qin Hao's plate, being incredibly hospitable.

During the meal, Old Master Cui drank quite a bit and became more talkative. He talked about his apprenticeship at Dingqing Restaurant, how he raised Cui Guomin, and his longing for his daughter... When he got emotional, the old man's eyes reddened.

Qin Hao listened patiently, occasionally offering a few words of agreement. He understood the old man's feelings. This family had indeed had a difficult life.

After the old lady was treated in the hospital for twenty days, Mr. Cui finally agreed to let her go home after repeatedly confirming with the doctor.

Grandpa Cui personally cooked a sumptuous family feast at home, and Qin Hao was among the invited guests.

"By the way, Erpang, your dad's getting out of jail tomorrow, right?" Halfway through the banquet, Cui Guomin suddenly asked.

Erpang nodded excitedly: "Mm."

Immediately, the atmosphere at the dinner table changed. Old Master Cui was full of resentment towards Huo Dongfeng. From the perspective of later generations, Huo Dongfeng was a typical blond-haired bastard who got his daughter, whom he had raised with the love of his life, pregnant and ended up in prison, forcing his daughter to go to Japan. Any father would want to chop this blond-haired bastard into mincemeat and feed him to the dogs.

The old lady held Erpang and cried. Erpang was practically raised by her. Although he was called her grandson, he was no different from her own grandson.

Li Xiaozhen pinched Cui Guomin hard: "If you can't speak properly, then shut your mouth!"

Qin Hao fell into deep thought. It seemed necessary to meet Huo Dongfeng, the leader of the Three Heroes of Donglin, tomorrow.