HPDBC Chapter 12: Mandarin Ducks
Chapter 12: Mandarin Ducks
Inside the dining car.
After Lu Zhang finished eating, he was about to rest for a while when he saw Tang Zhenghong walking over.
"Captain, the couple has succeeded. I think they're planning to slip away."
"Oh? Are you sure? Don't just collect an empty net. Have you notified Yi Shui and Chong Zi?"
"I'm sure, I saw it for sure. They're really quick; they've already notified everyone, and carriage number 6 is waiting."
Lu Zhang stood up, put on his hat, and instructed, "The three of us will go up in a bit. You're in charge of handcuffing that woman. Find a female flight attendant to help with the body search."
"Yes, Captain!"
"You idiot, let me warn you, don't underestimate these women. If you encounter a tough one, she can still poke a hole in you and crush you to death in no time. Don't be careless."
In an era where everyone was a soldier, some women's fighting power was indeed not to be underestimated. Tang Zhenghong obediently agreed.
On the other side, Miao Tiebao, having succeeded, suppressed his excitement and met up with his partner at the rear of the car.
"We'll get off the bus in a bit."
"Tiebao, how much is it this time?"
"I didn't have time to count, but I felt it and it's enough for us to eat for a lifetime."
"Alright, I can finally retire from this life. Tiebao, we're still a long way from Lutai. If we get off now, we'll have to walk a long way."
Miao Xiugu almost cried out in surprise, then quickly covered her mouth, her eyes filled with excitement.
"I have a really uneasy feeling about this, so I'd better slip away as soon as possible. Besides, if he wakes up and realizes that we've switched him, then I'll have no chance to leave."
Lu Zhang and Tang Zhenghong were both wrong about some things. Although they sometimes acted as lovers, they were actually cousins.
Miao Xiugu had been abducted before and learned a trade from a master named Rong. She always worked as a smuggler. After her master was arrested, Miao Xiugu had a few years of peace and quiet.
Having grown accustomed to a life of fine food and easy money, Miao Xiugu found it unacceptable to work hard for a month and not even be able to afford meat once a month. So, she decided to return to her old profession. However, this profession also had its own territory. Because of her long arms, Miao Xiugu, who hadn't worked for several years, was beaten up by her colleagues and lost a finger.
In this line of work, you need quick eyes and hands, and nimble fingers. Losing even one finger can have a big impact. So she started looking for helpers. Her cousin, Miao Tiebao, was lazy and good-for-nothing, and had a talent for petty theft back in their hometown.
Miao Xiugu got involved herself, which benefited her cousin for one night, and she finally managed to get him involved.
Miao Xiugu has a good eye. Her cousin learned the skills she taught him very quickly, and he was very vigilant when he went out to work. Several times, it was her cousin who reminded him so that he wouldn't get caught. He was simply born to do this job.
"You're such a coward. I'll reward you properly when we get back. Don't worry, we'll do it discreetly, so don't scare yourself."
Miao Tiebao swallowed hard, his hand involuntarily reaching for the higher ground, but after being glared at by his cousin, he reluctantly withdrew his hand.
"Hmph, if you won't let me touch you, I won't touch you at all. Now that we're rich, we'll go back and propose to Swallow in the village."
Thinking of Yanzi's appearance, Miao Tiebao felt a surge of heat in his heart. He didn't even notice Lu Zhang and the others who had changed their clothes and approached them until the two of them were tackled to the ground and put on the cold bracelets.
Miao Xiugu sighed and closed her eyes resignedly. She had failed again. That old bastard was right. If you walk by the river often enough, you're bound to get your shoes wet!
Instead, Miao Tiebao's first thought was of Yanzi. He was naturally timid and cautious, and now, handcuffed, he pleaded with a sob, "Let me go, please! I'll return everything. I need to go back and marry Yanzi. Yanzi... how can I live without you..."
Tang Zhenghong's lips twitched involuntarily as he looked at Pengpeng's comical face and small eyes, trying hard to hold back his laughter.
The commotion had already alerted everyone in the carriage, who all eagerly gathered around.
"Hey, what are you doing here? Why are you bullying two old people?"
Lu Zhang tore off Miao Tiebao's beard and disguise, and explained, "These two are thieves. We are railway police and have been watching them for a long time. Comrades who have lost things will come to carriage number 7 to claim them later."
Despite the commotion, the fat man, who was on his first business trip, was still fast asleep. It wasn't until Lu Zhang escorted the man past and woke him up that he realized the things in his arms had been switched.
"Comrade, my things have been stolen. Please help me find them! If you can't get them back, I'm doomed. How am I supposed to explain this to my workplace?"
As he spoke, the fat man slapped himself in the face: "I told you to sleep, I told you to sleep! Didn't you tell yourself when you got on the bus that you couldn't sleep on this trip? You absolutely can't sleep!"
The more stressed a person is, the greater the load on their nervous system and circulatory system. If they relax even a little, their body will involuntarily enter a state of light rest.
Since the train departed early, this chubby guy got up very early and ended up sleeping through it.
"Comrade, let go of him. We've caught him. Come with us to carriage number seven to register. The rest of you, please check your belongings carefully to see if anything is missing. Then you can line up to retrieve your lost items."
Carriage number seven.
It turns out that the chubby guy's name is Chen Ming. He works at the Sijiucheng Machine Tool Research Institute. He's on official business in Jinzhou this time. He doesn't have much money in his bag, but all the paperwork and receipts are very important.
This research institute was probably established in the last two years and will later move to Fangjia Hutong.
There is a No. 1 Machinery Plant in Fangjia Hutong, where the martyr who sacrificed his life on the peninsula once served as deputy secretary.
Before setting off, Chen Ming wrapped his bag in several layers of newspaper for safety, but this backfired and he was spotted. People thought he was carrying money.
"You guys are my great benefactors! When we get back to Beijing, I'll treat you all to a meal. Please do me the honor."
"Comrade Chen, this is our job and responsibility, please don't be so polite. Given that your belongings are very important, let's change your ticket to a hard sleeper berth."
Upon hearing this, Chen Ming's chubby face beamed with joy, his eyes practically closing as he said, "You've gone to so much trouble. I'll report this to my unit when I get back and write you a thank-you letter."
Besides Chen Ming, another elderly woman lost more than fourteen yuan, which was taken by Miao Xiugu when she was helping to carry her luggage.
The older woman thanked Miao Xiugu profusely at the time.
Miao Xiugu and her companion had originally planned to make a big profit this time, and they wouldn't touch these small, miscellaneous items to avoid any unforeseen complications.
But while Miao Xiugu was helping, her hand involuntarily reached into the other person's bag.
After the interrogation, Miao Xiugu and the other person will be handed over to the other party for further processing at the next railway police station.
At each stop, Lu Zhang would get off the train and chat with the railway police officers for a few minutes, telling them about the situation on the train.
This is the procedure; for example, if someone like Miao Xiugu is encountered, the case will be handed over to the other party for processing.
The arrest was a success, and Miao Xiugu and the other woman confessed to everything.
Huo Chong and Brother Zou also benefited from the honor: "Zheng Hong, not bad, you've made a contribution on your first shift."
Tang Zhenghong looked at his master with admiration: "It was the captain who discovered it. Captain, how are you so amazing? You guessed almost everything at a glance."
Lu Zhang was pleased with his apprentice's admiration: "By observing and analyzing more often and accumulating experience, you can become like me in the long run."
"We can't learn our captain's skills in a short time."