Siheyuan: Starting from the driver

Chapter 743 Reaching a Dead End, Yet Relentless
get off work.

Li Kailang had just returned home when Xu Damao followed him there.

"Li Kailang! Wait for me! Wait for me!"

Xu Damao shouted from behind and finally rushed in before Li Kailang could close the door.

"Huh~"

He was panting heavily as soon as he came in.

At the same time, a strong smell of feces wafted over, causing Li Kailang to back away repeatedly, almost unable to open his eyes.

"Xu Damao, what do you want?" Li Kailang said coldly.

"Li Kailang, what happened at the factory was really my fault. I apologize to you here!" Xu Damao said solemnly, his eyes sincere.

"No need," Li Kailang waved his hand, looking completely unconcerned. "You already apologized to me at the factory, what else is there?"

Seeing this, Xu Damao knew that this matter would not be easy. In order to get the medicine smoothly and give Li Huaide an explanation, he was willing to go all out.

"Li Kailang, don't blame me for being dishonest. I had no other choice. What would I do if I didn't get the medicine?"

"You have to understand me. I don't want to either, but I have no choice. That's Li Huaide! The deputy factory director! I can't fight him."

Xu Damao first complained, hoping Li Kailang would understand his difficulties.

At the same time, Li Kailang was told everything Li Huaide said in the interrogation room, which meant that Li Huaide had directly betrayed him.

"I'm telling you the truth, Li Huaide wants me to get more medicine from you. If I can't, I'm in big trouble. Can you help me this last time?"

"I promise this is the last time, I won't want it again, please help me this last time."

Xu Damao looked at Li Kailang with expectant eyes. In order to get the medicine, he did not hesitate to sell Li Huaide.

"So that's how it is!" Li Kailang suddenly realized that this was the reason why Li Huaide protected Xu Damao.

He said that the reason why the punishment was so light was because of this.

"Li Kailang, please? Please help me this last time?" Xu Damao pleaded.

"We'll see then. Is there anything else you need? If not, get out. I need to cook," Li Kailang said coldly.

Forgive Xu Damao? That's impossible!

Xu Damao dares to steal today; who knows what outrageous things he might do tomorrow to protect himself?

The current situation is entirely Xu Damao's own fault.

Looking at Li Kailang's gloomy face, Xu Damao knew from his words that Li Kailang was still angry.

There's still time, we can take our time. "Okay, I'll go out now."

After kicking Xu Damao out, Li Kailang slammed the door shut.

"Always be on guard against others!"

Li Kailang stroked his chin. He didn't have any of the Qianjin Fang formula now, and he had no plans to make it again.

But Li Huaide certainly wouldn't give up so easily; he definitely wouldn't believe those explanations, especially the one about 'Master is dead'.

"No, we still need to make plans early. Passive defense will only embolden the opponent." Li Kailang's eyes were sharp as knives.

The next day.

Li Kailang went to the Materials Science Department.

After what happened yesterday, the first thing to do was naturally to check the office to see if anyone had been in.

"Someone else has come in."

Li Kailang looked at the hair that should have been stuck in the crack of the door, but it had vanished without a trace. Of course, it could have been blown away by accident.

But he had left some hair in other places. It could be an accident if one or two were missing, but it was no accident if they were all missing.

"Okay, very good." Li Kailang nodded, this was most likely Li Huaide's doing.

He squinted. "You're looking for 'clues,' aren't you? Okay, I'll give you one."

He stood up, walked to the bookshelf by the wall, pulled out a thick book, and turned to a page in the middle.

A piece of paper lay quietly in the folds—it wasn't a prescription, but rather a set of common welding material mixing parameters, the handwriting somewhat messy and blurry.

He then took out a paper packet containing small wax pellets from the ring, opened the packet, and stuffed the crumpled piece of paper inside.

Then he took out a small medicine bottle, put the medicine inside, and hid it in a secluded place.

"It's done, call it quits!"

A carefully laid "fatal flaw" has thus been created.

This will be the first "generous gift" he has prepared for Li Huaide, but it remains to be seen whether Li will take the bait.

Another day.

The last day of Xu Damao's punishment.

Li Kailang went to the materials department to check again. "Nobody's here? Oh, that's really strange."

The food was prepared, but Li Huaide didn't show up.

at the same time.

Xu Damao's "torture" of cleaning toilets has finally reached its final stage.

For Xu Damao, these last few hours felt longer and more unbearable than the three days combined.

"Hey, projectionist Xu, you've cleaned it pretty well today! I feel so relieved after taking a dump!"

"Xu Damao, your technique for cleaning up pits is pretty standard. Did you practice at the film academy before?"

"Don't be lazy! There's another pile over there in the ditch. Captain Niu said it only counts if you can't see any dirt!"

The workers' unrestrained teasing and malicious harassment were more scorching than the blazing sun.

Xu Damao wanted to throw away that damned broom and broken bucket countless times, but the thought of Li Huaide's cold eyes terrified him and he dared not do anything rash.

For the past three days, Xu Damao has been going to Li Kailang every day to ask about the situation, but he has not received any reply, and it has been difficult to even meet with him.

He could only see him in the courtyard, but as soon as Li Kailang returned, he would close the door and refuse to see him, so there was nothing he could do.

The thought of Li Huaide's blatant warning sent chills down Xu Damao's spine; these three days had been utterly ineffective.

"What to do... what to do?" Xu Damao mechanically waved the smelly mop.

A figure appeared unexpectedly and silently blocked his way.

"Secretary Wenwen!"

The appearance of Wen Peixin startled Xu Damao so much that he almost collapsed to the ground.

Wen Peixin frowned, covered his nose with a handkerchief in disgust, and looked down at him.

"Xu Damao, your performance these past three days has been under Director Li's watchful eye."

Xu Damao's legs went weak, and he almost cried out in pleading, "Secretary Wen! I'll do it! I'm really doing it! I haven't dared to slack off at all! Look at my hands!"

He stretched out his hand, which was covered in blisters and broken skin from being rubbed by the broom handle; it was filthy.

Wen Peixin glanced at it, showing no sympathy, and said coldly, "Doing some rough work and being tired isn't the key point; the key point is your brain!"

"The factory manager asked me to ask you, has Li Kailang changed his attitude towards you in the past two days?"

"Change?" Xu Damao cried inwardly, "What changes?"

"He accepted my apology on the first day, but afterwards... he barely even looked at me. He never showed up when I was cleaning toilets."

This was not the answer Wen Peixin wanted.

"Besides not seeing you, is that all?"

Wen Peixin stared intently at him: "For example, has he spoken to you alone? Or has his attitude towards you softened even slightly? Even the slightest hint?"

Xu Damao shook his head vigorously: "No! Absolutely not! Secretary Wen, you know Li Kailang, he's very cold-faced. In his eyes, I'm probably not even worth as much as a bug."

“I’ve tried to contact him, but he just won’t see me or pay any attention to me. I’m at my wit’s end, Secretary Wen.”

"Useless!" Wen Peixin cursed under his breath, "You couldn't even seize your chance! Your brain is only fit to clean toilets!"

It seems that Xu Damao is completely useless.

He hadn't been able to do what Li Huaide had instructed him to do; he had sent people to look for him, but they still hadn't found a single clue. He had hoped that Xu Damao might be of some use, but it turned out to be completely useless.

"Get out!" Wen Peixin said impatiently.

"Secretary Wen!" Xu Damao grasped at a straw, "I really want to do things for Director Li! But Li Kailang treats me like a thief, I really have no chance."

"Hmph, that's your problem!" Wen Peixin interrupted him, a fierce glint in his eyes.

"You've finished three days' work and haven't extracted a single bit of value. Think about yourself! Director Li never keeps useless trash around!"

"Also, you'd better keep Director Li's affairs to yourself. If you dare to tell anyone anything about Director Li, you'll lose your life."

After saying that, he didn't look at Xu Damao again, covered his nose, and quickly left that stinking Xu Damao.

"You don't want me anymore."

Li Huaide is the biggest benefactor he's latched onto. If he abandons him, how will he ever get promoted and make a fortune?

It was just past four in the afternoon.

Xu Damao's punishment has finally come to an end.

He immediately fled the public toilet area, threw away the dirty tools in his hands, and rushed to the tap, scrubbing his entire body frantically.

It seemed that doing this would wash away all the filth from my body, but I could still faintly smell a foul odor.

Without a second thought, Xu Damao changed into a clean set of spare work clothes and dragged his heavy steps toward the Materials Science Department.

Wen Peixin's words were both a warning and an order.

I must give Li Huaide an answer before I leave work.

"Hey! Xu Damao! Finished cleaning the toilets? Pretty fast, huh?" Zhao Xiaohai said sarcastically, arms crossed.

Zhang Wei also said coldly, "You smell really bad, don't let it bother our deputy section chief's office!"

Xu Damao's face turned a deep shade of liver color, and he said in a low voice, "Brother Xiaohai, Brother Zhang... I... I need to see Deputy Section Chief Li about something."

"The deputy section chief is busy! He doesn't have time to see you!" Zhao Xiaohai retorted, "What is it? Do you want to rummage around and see if there's anything 'rare'?"

"No, no, no!" Xu Damao waved his hands repeatedly in fright. "I just wanted to report to Deputy Section Chief Li on my ideological reform over the past three days."

"Pfft!" Zhao Xiaohai burst out laughing. "Ideological reform? Ideology gained from sweeping toilets? Come on, Xu Damao, don't give me that!"

"The deputy section chief instructed that when he saw you arrive, he was telling you to go back to where you came from, and to stay away from the materials section! You're not welcome here!"

These words were like a slap in the face, landing hard on Xu Damao's cheek.

It seems that his last hope has vanished?
"I'll just say a few words."

"Are you going to get out of here or not?" Zhao Xiaohai glared at him, making a move to step forward.

Zhang Wei also clenched his fist coldly.

Just then, Li Kailang appeared at the door, his face still expressionless, his gaze calmly sweeping over the three people at the door.

Finally, the light fell on Xu Damao's terrified and desperate face.

"Zhao Xiaohai, Zhang Wei," Li Kailang said calmly.

"Deputy Section Chief!"

"Let him in," Li Kailang said calmly, then turned and went back to his office.

Zhao Xiaohai and Zhang Wei looked at each other in astonishment.

But since the deputy section chief had spoken, they dared not disobey. They could only reluctantly step aside and glare at Xu Damao with hatred.

Xu Damao could hardly believe his ears! It was like hearing heavenly music!
He practically tumbled and crawled into Li Kailang's office, slamming the door shut behind him.

With a thud, he knelt heavily on the ground again! "Brother Li! Brother Li! Thank you! Thank you for seeing me! My dear brother!"

This time, the tears were genuine, gushing forth from fear and pleading.

"Stand up and speak. There's no kneeling or kneeling in my office." The voice was cold and distant.

Xu Damao dared not get up. He crawled two steps on his knees, his face covered in snot and tears: "Brother Li! I deserve to die! I'm not human! I'm guilty!"

"Please, for the sake of us living in the same courtyard and being neighbors for so many years, please show me a way to survive!"

"A way out?" Li Kailang stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to him.

"Xu Damao, your fate today is not something others forced upon you; it's the result of your own choices."

"When you decided to risk searching my office in order to please him, you had already put yourself in a dead end."

Xu Damao felt a chill run through his body and collapsed to the ground.

"For the sake of our past acquaintance, I won't pursue the matter of you rummaging through my office, but this matter ends here."

He slowly turned around, his gaze as cold as ice: "As for how you should explain things to Li Huaide, that's your business. I can't help you with that."

"Brother Li! Deputy Section Chief! Please!" Xu Damao cried bitterly, still trying to struggle.

"Get out." Li Kailang said firmly.

Looking at Li Kailang's face, which left no room for negotiation, Xu Damao knew that his final plea had completely failed.

All his hopes, including his plan to betray Li Huaide, vanished without a trace.

Li Kailang had seen through him and completely severed ties with him.

He was completely distraught, as if all his bones had been removed, and barely managed to get up and leave the office.

Outside the door, Zhao Xiaohai and Zhang Wei's disdainful gazes felt like thorns in their backs.

Xu Damao doesn't know how he left the materials science department.

"It's all over... We've offended both sides."

On Li Huaide's side, recalling Wen Peixin's warning, Xu Damao shuddered.

"Factory manager, Xu Damao did indeed go to see Li Kailang again, but he was kicked out after only a few minutes, looking dejected. It seems that nothing was accomplished."

Wen Peixin cautiously reported the information he had just received from his subordinates, his voice tinged with nervousness.

"It seems that Li Kailang is determined to have no further involvement with Xu Damao."

Li Huaide leaned back in his large, comfortable leather chair, his face so gloomy it could drip water.

"waste!"

Have I told him about my situation?

"Don't worry, I warned him. If he dares to say anything..." Wen Peixin suddenly made a throat-slitting gesture.

"However, based on my understanding of Xu Damao, he is a greedy and lecherous man, so he wouldn't dare to say anything reckless."

Li Huaide nodded with a dark face, "Tell me about your situation. Have you found anything?"

Finally, they got to this point. Wen Peixin's heart tightened, and he shook his head: "I'm sorry, Director Li, I'm useless. I didn't find any clues."

"We've searched the office and study room, we've dug three feet into the ground, but we haven't found a single thing. It seems like Li Kailang really isn't planning on doing this anymore."

Upon hearing this, Li Huaide's face darkened even more: "Do you think Li Kailang got lucky and just happened to get something?"

"Factory Director, please calm down," Wen Peixin said quickly.

"Calm down?" Li Huaide stared at Wen Peixin with a sinister look. "What can I use to calm down? That damn medicine I'm taking is completely useless! It's making me even more agitated!"

So you mean...

"If he won't give it to us, can't we find it ourselves?!" Li Huaide gritted his teeth. "Relying on that good-for-nothing Xu Damao is hopeless."

“Peixin! You keep a close eye on Li Kailang! His whereabouts! His contacts! His family and friends! Especially those he’s been close to in the past, particularly those who know a little about pharmacology or live in remote areas! Screen them one by one!”

This time, Li Huaide was really going all out; he hadn't wanted to pay such a high price to search for them one by one before.

But three days later, the situation changed.

"He, Li Kailang, said, 'The old master is buried in the ground'?"

"Hmph! I want to see him alive or dead! Find out where his grave is! Find out who he is! I refuse to believe that any 'old master' can actually carry the prescription to his coffin!"

"Yes! Yes! I'll immediately send more people to investigate!" Wen Peixin's spirits lifted, and he quickly agreed.

(End of this chapter)