Siheyuan, my new life

Director Feng said with a wry smile, "I've done my best and left the rest to fate. After all, I owe Hao Aiguo a life. I'll try to persuade him, and I hope Hao Aiguo can truly learn from this experience and work honestly from now on. But if he still doesn't know what's good for him, then there's nothing I can do. They say it's hard to persuade a damned ghost with good words. It's all up to him. By the way, Section Chief Deng, do you think I could go in and visit Hao Aiguo? Bring him a couple of packs of cigarettes."

This time, Section Chief Deng didn't hesitate and stood up, saying, "Let's go. I'll go with you to the detention room. By the way, Hao Aiguo will have to stay in the detention room for another three days. Have his family send him a set of luggage. The food expenses can be paid when he gets out."

Director Feng followed the other person out of the office, inwardly sighing. He now owed Section Chief Deng a considerable favor. He had initially thought that Deputy Director Xiong Qingshan's personal involvement in arresting Hao Aiguo in the fitter's workshop was due to He Daqing's influence; perhaps He Daqing and Deputy Director Xiong had a good personal relationship, hence the personal intervention. However, he never expected that Guo Yongping would have such a connection with Deputy Director Wang Shengli of the Security Department. Hao Aiguo had offended two deputy directors of the Security Department. Even if he were just an ordinary workshop worker, he would have to live in constant fear. He shook his head helplessly, deciding to take it one step at a time. If Hao Aiguo didn't learn from his mistakes, he could only leave it to fate. He was just a workshop director at Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill; he couldn't help Hao Aiguo no matter how big a mess Hao Aiguo made.

Section Chief Deng led Director Feng out of the office building through the back door and arrived at a row of bungalows next to it. He whispered a few words to a security guard in his thirties in the duty room. The security guard looked a little embarrassed. Director Feng quickly took out two packs of Peony cigarettes from his pocket and gently placed them on the other man's desk. He said sincerely, "Comrade, I didn't mean anything by it. I just came to see Hao Aiguo. Thank you for your help."

The security guard caught a glimpse of Section Chief Deng nodding slightly out of the corner of his eye, so he tossed two packs of Peony cigarettes into the desk drawer, then took a bunch of keys from the wall behind him and stepped out of the duty room.

Section Chief Deng didn't go over with them, but just nodded towards Director Feng. Director Feng understood and quickly followed the security guard inside.

Clearly, this row of bungalows was a detention center specifically used to hold criminals. It was Feng Tao's first time entering this place, and he couldn't help but secretly observe it.

Less than four or five meters from the duty room stood a large iron gate made of iron railings as thick as a thumb. A padlock the size of an adult's fist hung on the gate. Through the gate, one could clearly see that there were rooms of different sizes on both sides. These rooms had no windows at the front or back, and only one iron gate made of iron railings as thick as a thumb.

The security guard skillfully retrieved the key to the large iron gate from the key chain he was carrying, unlocked the padlock with a click, and then, with a slight creak, slowly pushed the large iron gate open.

Director Feng followed the security guard through the large iron gate and couldn't help but wrinkle his nose. He hadn't smelled it from the outside, but now a faint smell of urine wafted towards him.

As he followed the guard deeper into the corridor, Director Feng secretly surveyed the detention cells on both sides. He noticed that the large room on the left had only a row of bare wooden planks, without even a straw mat on them. Just outside the door was an old, blackened wooden bucket, which was probably the chamber pot used by the prisoners in the detention cell.

To the right are individual small rooms, but inside there are only a few bare wooden planks and a toilet.

Director Feng took out a pack of Peony cigarettes, pulled one out, and quickly walked over to the security guard. As he handed the cigarette to the guard, he asked curiously in a low voice, "Xiao Song, why are there no people in those detention cells?"

Xiao Song took the cigarette, lit it with the match struck by Director Feng, took a deep drag, and said in a calm tone, "The New Year is just around the corner. Those guys who were locked up here before and were serious enough to be sentenced to prison have been transferred to the Dongcheng Branch Bureau. Those with minor offenses have been released early after paying fines. Right now, only Hao Aiguo is locked up here. Lao Hu and I still have to work hard for three more days."

While they were talking, the two had already reached the end of the corridor. The security guard, called Xiao Song, found the key, opened the last detention cell on the right, and then said in a low voice, "Director Feng, according to regulations, visits to detainees must be separated by an iron gate. However, Section Chief Deng just instructed that you can go in and see Hao Aiguo, but please don't do anything to make things difficult for us."

Director Feng quickly thanked him repeatedly: "Don't worry, Xiao Song. I just gave Hao Aiguo a few packs of cigarettes and gave him a few more words of advice. I will definitely not cause you or Section Chief Deng any trouble. I will remember what happened today. If you ever need my help in the future, just let me know."

A smile appeared on Xiao Song's face, and he waved his hand: "Director Feng, you should hurry up and go in. I'll wait for you outside."

Director Feng quickly pushed open the iron gate and walked into the detention cell in front of him.

Hao Aiguo, who had been huddled on the wooden board like a dead dog, had already heard the voices outside, especially the familiar voice of his senior brother. He was instantly energized, rolled off the board, and looked at the door with burning eyes.

Hao Aiguo had clearly heard the steel mill's decision regarding his punishment, which had just been broadcast over the loudspeaker at the broadcasting station. At that moment, he felt a wave of dizziness, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head, and he collapsed weakly onto the cold wooden board. He had originally hoped that his senior brother would step in to plead for him, at most he would just get a reprimand and a fine. After all, his senior brother was the director of the second fitter workshop, so he would only scold him a few times.

But when Hao Aiguo heard that the steel rolling mill had given him a major demerit, placed him on probation, demoted him to a first-level worker, banned him from taking the grading exam for two years, and forced him to clean toilets in the sanitation team for six months, he felt like the sky was falling.

Previously, he was a level 5 fitter, with a basic monthly salary of over 60 yuan and nearly 70 yuan with various subsidies. Now, he is only a level 1 worker, and his monthly salary has dropped to 33 yuan. He also has to clean toilets in the sanitation team for half a year. He has lost all face and dignity. More importantly, he has been given a major demerit, and he will never be able to become an official again.