Chapter 72: The Sound of Gunfire!

Having said her piece, she brought out an enamel mug.

Inside were six tea eggs.

Each one had its shell cracked, perfectly steeped and full of flavor.

Xie Zhao grinned at her.

“Thanks, Mom.”

He took it but didn’t eat right away. Instead, he poked his head into the kitchen and looked around. “Mom, where’s the basket I brought back yesterday?”

Tian Xiufen said, “It’s in the cupboard. If you just leave it outside and a stray cat drags it off, don’t come crying to me!”

She gave Xie Zhao an annoyed swat, then turned around to fetch the basket for him.

“Go on! Do what you need to do! Teacher Wei is an educated man. Your father told me that a few years back, some bureau chief in the county wanted to hire him to tutor his son, and he wouldn’t even agree to that. If you can actually convince him, your father and I will be absolutely thrilled.”

Tian Xiufen patted his hand and urged, “Be sincere, you hear me?”

Xie Zhao nodded seriously. “Don’t worry, Mom.”

Carrying the basket and holding the enamel mug, Xie Zhao turned and headed out.

An hour later.

He arrived at Wei Qingzhi’s home.

At six o’clock, before the sky had fully brightened, Wei Qingzhi was already sitting on a wooden bench, reading a book with focused attention by the faint morning light.

Xie Zhao called out with a smile, “Teacher Wei! Have you eaten yet?”

Wei Qingzhi paused.

He looked up, and when he saw it was Xie Zhao, his expression turned slightly odd.

Undeniably, a faint trace of anticipation rose in his heart.

“Have you figured it out?”

Wei Qingzhi closed a thick, brick-like book written entirely in English, looking up at Xie Zhao.

Xie Zhao grinned and walked over. Not minding the dirt, he sat straight down on a stone, pulled out the six eggs Tian Xiufen had given him, peeled one, and handed it to Wei Qingzhi.

“Eat an egg first, then I’ll answer.”

Xie Zhao gave a sly wink. Helpless, Wei Qingzhi took it, though he silently added this to the debt he owed the boy.

Seeing Wei Qingzhi accept it, Xie Zhao peeled one for himself and popped it into his mouth.

The savory, fragrant taste was absolutely wonderful.

Once he finished eating, he looked seriously at Wei Qingzhi. “Teacher Wei, before I answer your question, you’ll have to let me brag a little.”

“My grades have always been excellent.”

“To me, studying is as natural as eating and drinking. It’s completely normal, and I even feel like it’s just a part of my life, like eating and drinking.”

“Before I met you, I never thought about why. I just felt it was the path I was meant to walk.”

Xie Zhao said softly.

“But I’ve realized that isn’t the case. Through studying, I can change so many things.”

“I want Xibao and Lebao to be able to study without any worries. I want them to live in a safe and prosperous society. And even more, I want us to be able to hold our heads high with pride when we go abroad, no longer subjected to cold stares and humiliation.”

Xie Zhao’s eyes shone brightly, as if two fires were burning within them.

A faint, excited flush colored his cheeks.

“And to achieve all of this, there is only one prerequisite: we must have a strong homeland.”

“Perhaps I will never have the power to change it on a grand scale, but I am willing to offer my own humble devotion to contribute what little I can.”

Xie Zhao took a deep breath, and then spoke each word with deliberate clarity.

“Teacher Wei, I am willing to study for the rise of China.”

Wei Qingzhi froze.

The early morning in the mountain village was freezing cold. A misty dampness swept in with the howling wind, sending a sudden, powerful surge of emotion through his heart.

The youth before him had clean, handsome features. He seemed somewhat excited, his fists lightly clenched, his body leaning forward slightly as his burning gaze locked onto him.

He saw the youth’s absolute sincerity, catching a glimpse of his pure, precious heart.

Wei Qingzhi let out a long, deep sigh.

He thought.

It’s time I showed some courage. Just because I was betrayed once, should I remain timid and fearful forever?

At the very least, I shouldn’t refuse him now.

Wei Qingzhi reached out, patted Xie Zhao on the shoulder, and smiled warmly. “I accept.”

Xie Zhao was stunned, then instantly overjoyed.

He immediately placed the basket before Wei Qingzhi with great care, then knelt on both knees and performed three formal bows of discipleship.

Xie Zhao knew that Wei Qingzhi deserved this respect, both for his character and his knowledge.

“Teacher!”

Xie Zhao called out, a brilliant smile lighting up his face the moment he looked up.

Wei Qingzhi couldn’t help but smile along with him.

Yet, his eyes suddenly grew hot and prickly.

Having been denounced and sent for reform, surviving on chaff and wild herbs in such harsh conditions, and nearly dying of fever several times, he had wondered if it was all worth it, if his ideals were just a joke.

But now, Xie Zhao was telling him.

External circumstances didn’t matter; only the heart did.

He was fifty-eight years old this year.

No parents, no wife, no children.

He had absolutely nothing, except for one thing: a pure, sincere heart that, though aged, remained unbroken.

In that case, he would simply do what was right and let the future take care of itself.

He was willing to take one last gamble!

*

The provincial highway in Hudong County.

At ten in the morning, the sky was a dreary gray, and rain began to fall.

Cheng Gang and a few of his men lay prone in the grass by the roadside.

This stretch of the highway ran between two large mountains, flanked by dense, tall thatch grass. With Cheng Gang and his three men lying flat inside, they were completely hidden from view.

A short distance ahead was a tunnel, and just two hundred meters past the exit lay Hudong County.

In other words, this was the best spot to make an arrest, as it would be hardest for the suspects to escape.

At five past ten, the sound of a car engine echoed from the bend at the foot of the mountain at the end of the road.

Cheng Gang’s heart instantly leaped into his throat.

Tensing his body, he gestured for his three men to keep quiet. He quietly shifted his position, poking his head out slightly to keep a close eye on the entrance of the tunnel not far away.

The vehicle was a military-green Dongfeng truck.

Only personnel with special clearance could authorize its use, and when it was on the road, no one would ever think to inspect it.

At this moment, Cheng Gang was still somewhat skeptical.

The methods of the man above him were second to none, even in Hudong County.

Could his information and abilities really be wrong?

Cheng Gang felt uneasy.

To throw them off the scent, he had deliberately arranged for an ordinary civilian to act as the contact, when in reality, there was nothing in the vehicle.

And that civilian was just a peddler.

Seeing the front of the truck safely enter the tunnel, Cheng Gang finally breathed a sigh of relief.

But the next moment, the instant the Dongfeng truck fully entered the tunnel, a beam of bright light suddenly pierced the hazy mist, shining directly at the driver’s cab!

“Stop! Stop immediately! Pull over for inspection!”

“If you don’t stop, I will force you to stop and place you under arrest!”

“Stop immediately!”

Immediately after, a loud gunshot echoed through the tunnel.

At that instant, Cheng Gang’s body went stiff, his eyes widening.

Fuck!

They fucking have guns!

They mean business!