Chapter 1361: Chapter 174: Listen to Their Words, Observe Their Actions

Although Niu Bin hadn’t returned to his hometown for ten years, he sent money back last year to have his family help him buy a house.

The house was bought in the most upscale area of Linghai, Phoenix Waterfront Garden, situated on the banks of Bin Qi River, a high-rise building with 24 floors and an elevator. His family bought a unit on the 20th floor, a large 148-square-meter apartment, and the renovation alone cost over two hundred thousand.

The renovation designs were done by a Shenzhen decoration company. The solid wooden flooring, tiles, lighting, and kitchen and bathroom fixtures were purchased in East Guang, and he paid extra for a shipping company to transport them back.

However, there was a pool of vomit on the expensive solid wooden floor, and a nasty odor filled the luxurious living room.

Last night, he invited his old colleagues from the Fourth Squad of criminal police to dinner, and Niu Bin drank too much.

Tonight he invited leadership from the police bureau and the procuratorate for dinner, and Niu Bin drank too much again.

If it weren’t for the former instructor from the Fourth Squad of criminal police, now the Big Commander of the Legal Team of Linghai Police Bureau, Fang Zhiqiang, he wouldn’t have made it home tonight.

As soon as he was helped through the door, he couldn’t control himself and started vomiting.

His wife, Chen Fang, saw Fang Zhiqiang off and hurriedly fetched a plastic basin from the bathroom, placing it by the sofa, gently patting Niu Bin, who was lying slantwise on the sofa, and asked irritably: "How did you drink like this again? Do you need to go to the hospital for an IV drip?"

"I’m fine, I’ll be okay after vomiting."

"Are you really fine?"

"Really, I’m fine. Go check on the kid."

"The kid fell asleep a while ago. I’ll get you a glass of water first."

...

Chen Fang carefully placed the warm water mixed with mineral water on the coffee table and busied herself cleaning. She cleared away the vomit and wiped the floor spotlessly clean, then went to open the windows for ventilation.

Worried her husband might catch cold, she closed the windows after a while of airing.

Finding the unpleasant odor lingering, she sprayed some air freshener.

Niu Bin was much more sober, staggering into the bathroom, leaning over the toilet, and vomiting again for a while, then stood up supporting himself by the wall and went to wash his face and rinse his mouth.

Seeing him looking unwell, Chen Fang helped him into the bedroom.

She brought some warm water, helped him clean up, and softly asked, "Who did you drink with tonight?"

"Director Shi from the police bureau, Inspector Wu from the procuratorate, and... and Director Zhang from the business bureau."

"Inviting the heads of the police bureau and business bureau makes sense, but why invite the head of the procuratorate?"

"What do you know!" Niu Bin pushed his wife away, muttering, "Inspector Wu was our former criminal police team leader at the police bureau; he was really my old boss."

"You were just a small police officer at the police bureau, and there was still a squad leader between you and the team leader. Does he even remember you?"

"Why wouldn’t Inspector Wu remember me? Besides, think about it, how many police officers have dared to resign over the years at the police bureau?"

Despite a severe headache, Niu Bin was mentally stimulated. He picked up the water his wife had placed on the bedside table, took a sip, and said, squinting: "When I resigned, Inspector Wu had a heart-to-heart talk with me and did some ideological work!"

"You’re not with the police anymore, why bother inviting them for drinks and drinking yourself silly like this? Do you have too much money to spend?"

"What do you understand? These are connections, resources! Without Inspector Wu, how could I have met Director Zhang from the business bureau and then had the opportunity to invite him for dinner?"

Tonight’s banquet was very successful; the leaders drank heartily.

With the care of old unit leaders, Niu Bin felt there was nothing he couldn’t accomplish in Linghai.

Thinking about yesterday’s uninvited Sturgeon and his lack of respect tonight, Niu Bin bitterly said, "That Sturgeon acts noble but actually looks down on me. Just because he’s promoted to Director of the Water Anti-Smuggling Department, how much can a division-level officer earn in a month? He’s nothing special!"

Chen Fang, not understanding, tucked him in and advised: "If he looks down on us, we can look down on him too. Stop thinking about it, go to sleep early."

"Not just Sturgeon, now it’s Xiao Yu, he’s rich now, but that money isn’t earned; relying on his wife isn’t a skill. Yet, he sides with Sturgeon and shows me disrespect too!"

"Enough about Sturgeon and Xiao Yu, let’s not talk anymore, sleep."

"I can’t sleep."

Niu Bin rolled out of bed, walked to the living room, lit a cigarette, leaned back on the sofa, and said while exhaling clouds of smoke: "Isn’t he an anti-smuggling police officer? There’s so much smuggled goods in Linghai, why doesn’t he come to check? Yet, he has Xu Haoran call me instead; I want to see if Xu Haoran comes to investigate."

Over the years, their home operated with Niu Bin managing outside affairs and Chen Fang managing inside.

Chen Fang was unaware of business matters, frowned, and said: "Niu Bin, the debts from earlier contracts are paid off, the house is bought, and life isn’t that bad, why cause offense as soon as you return?"

"Business is war; there’s no place for pity or mercy!" Niu Bin extinguished his cigarette with satisfaction, saying: "If Xu Haoran comes to investigate, that’s ideal. If he doesn’t, it’s no downside for me either. I’ve prepared for both scenarios; doing business means being ready to attack or defend."

"I don’t understand business; I only know it’s bad to offend people."

"What’s there to fear? You forget what I used to do!" Niu Bin burped and suddenly remembered something: "Captain Xu is busy with work and won’t come back for the New Year, but Sister Zhang Lan is bringing her children back. I called her tonight, and she said she’s on the train, expecting to reach East Sea at dawn. We should go to the bus station in the morning to pick them up."

Back when Chen Fang dated Niu Bin, she visited the Fourth Squad of criminal police more than once.

Not only did she become acquainted with Xu Mingyuan early on, but she also got to know Zhang Lan, and she maintained a good relationship with her. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

A few years ago, her father lost money in a construction project, and life at home was tough; they were too poor to reach out to Zhang Lan, and later, they couldn’t reconnect even if they wished to.