A glass of iced beer, a cup of hot chocolate.
Two people who wished they could kill each other sat face to face on the soft sofa in the office.
"Was prison great? Two years? I heard you were just bailed out recently?" Su Tang unceremoniously picked up the hot chocolate and took a big gulp.
"Was it great or not, haven't you been in before?" Yang Jiao picked up the iced beer nonchalantly. She didn't drink it but held it against her slightly swollen face.
"Alright, enough bickering. Two years have passed, and we've actually been paying attention to each other. Saying these angry words is a sign of foolishness." Su Tang said with feigned magnanimity, "I have something urgent to discuss with you!"
"I know! It's about the 'Qian Bang', right?" Yang Jiao said with surprising nonchalance. "Your master visited me yesterday. Here, this is what you need."
"My master?" Su Tang said in disbelief.
"Gao Da was one of the earliest security guards in my company. Otherwise, why do you think his son came here to be the security captain back then?" Yang Jiao explained. "I just find it hard to understand. If your master came to me for information about the 'Qian Bang' for the case, why do you still need to come? Are you and your master not working on the case together?"
"This lead isn't mine, but I can't let it go. Gao Da is also family to me." Su Tang thought for a moment, took the files from Yang Jiao's hand, and stood up, ready to leave.
"There are plenty of good men in the world. Your backing now is no worse than mine. Why bother getting hurt by a scumbag like Han Shi..." Before leaving, Yang Jiao's voice, a mix of mockery and advice, suddenly came from behind.
Su Tang smiled subtly and turned to Yang Jiao, "Don't worry, there are plenty of men interested in me!"
After their brief encounter, Yang Jiao was left alone in the office.
"Make a call to Teacher Ping An. Su Tang did come to see me, but I didn't stop her as he requested." Yang Jiao looked out the window and said to a bearded man who suddenly appeared in the office, "The reason is – who told me to have a feud with Su Tang! Right?"
"Yes, President Yang," the bearded man replied.
"Also, do you remember Mr. Ou, who has been transporting our goods for us? I heard he likes girls like Su Tang. Call him and ask what benefits he'll give me if I help him secure that girl." The warm sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating Yang Jiao's cold face.
Having obtained what she wanted, Su Tang got into her car and eagerly opened the files.
These were personnel records of security guards accepted by the wind power company from the mining area in the 1980s. Although the two-inch photos were blurry, the people could still be identified, such as Gao Da, the captain in his youth, and a security guard named Fan Bin with a prominent overbite.
"Fan Bin! Found him, it's him, the coin tattoo on his neck." After consulting Fan Bin's information, Su Tang said to Da Shu, "I'm already far behind my master. I need to catch up quickly. Let's go find this Fan Bin."
"Boss, since Reporter Ping An didn't want you involved in this lead, why are you insisting? Shouldn't we continue investigating Ah Wei Culture?" Da Shu advised.
"Da Shu, you don't understand. If I can't see this lead through to the end, I won't give up! Even if my master blames me, I don't care that much anymore." Su Tang said firmly, "I'm turning eighteen in a year. I can see now that if I can achieve something in this case, my master will allow me to graduate from apprenticeship. Otherwise, I'll just have to be a good wife and mother from now on."
Changshan Coal Mine was the northernmost coal mine in Hechuan City. Fifteen years ago, due to resource consolidation, it was declared to be withdrawn from the market. Also withdrawn were a group of security guards who "lived off the mountain."
Coal mine security guards were also known as protective mining teams. In the 1980s, they were a special security force permitted to carry firearms for mine protection. Later, with the concentrated integration of coal resources, most of Hechuan's coal mines were phased out, and hundreds of mine security guards suddenly became laid-off workers.
Coal miners could go out to work elsewhere, but what about those with no technical skills? Look at the former security captain, Gao Da, who later stooped to working as a security guard at a small construction site, and you'll know they couldn't do anything. Indeed, the only way out for this group of people was the groaning from the bottom of society.
The Qian Bang! It was an illegal organization that the mining area protective mining team brothers had spontaneously developed. It had been severely cracked down upon and disbanded by the Hechuan police. However, more than a decade later, those who were meant to emerge had emerged, and those who couldn't continue to struggle. Gao Da, as the former leader of the Qian Bang, by chance, earned a stable livelihood thanks to Ping An, and is now considered to have had a good ending among the remaining Qian Bang members.
But today, Gao Da, who had a good ending, returned to the old dormitory area of the mining area, looking destitute, and found his old comrades.
"Boss Gao, I heard you've opened a steamed bun shop and are living well? Why are you back here looking for us poor souls?" A former subordinate, seeing the haggard and aged Gao Da, began to mock him.
"Alas, I've hit a wall. My job fell through, and I want to find someone for a recommendation, for a quick job." Gao Da asked nonchalantly, "Where's 'Fan Tong'?"
"Old Fan hasn't lived here for a long time. He's climbed high in recent years and is a rich man!" replied one of the seemingly honest old men.
"I know that. That's why I came back today to look for him." Gao Da continued, feigning pitifulness, "I want him to find me a place to stay."
"Go look in the city, he's not here." The first person to speak impatiently said, "Mr. Fan is too busy these days to see us."
"Oh, do you have his number then?" Gao Da asked, unwilling to give up.
"Yes, I look after his old house, and he gives me monthly rent. I have his number." A younger man, who looked younger, gave Gao Da Fan Bin's mobile number.
Although he didn't find the person, having the number was something. Gao Da left contentedly.
Many people are deceived by Gao Da's appearance. This seemingly unremarkable old man, with a slight limp, habitually sniffs before speaking, and only throws away his cigarette butt after smoking it to the very end, still with a lingering taste...
Such a typical old farmer, yet he has a life experience that one dare not underestimate. Before recruiting Gao Da, Ping An had conducted a detailed investigation into this person, even using his connections in the army. In the end, he opened the personal resume with curiosity and closed it with a shudder not long after.
He had been a soldier, fought in wars, served as a platoon leader in a suicide squad, cut off an enemy corps commander's head, and after retiring, due to his lack of education, he was assigned to work as a security captain in a coal mine. And in the coal mine, in his thirties, Gao Da used his fists to carve out a territory in that chaotic era, and even formed a gang with some brothers with characteristics of organized crime. Until his forties, after losing his job, he worked various jobs, ran shops, casinos, worked as a chef, and also dabbled in shady dealings. At fifty-five, his life worn down and losing its luster, he worked as a security guard on various construction sites, and was finally discovered and treasured by Ping An.
For years, Gao Da has been Ping An's go-to person for any major event. This often forgotten old man is Ping An's "stabilizing force" in his heart. He can handle any difficult undercover mission. He is not only Ping An's top surprise soldier but also his top general!
Today, Gao Da, in his feigned naivete, once again gained a crucial clue with his simple exterior.
"This is your Brother Gao Da, oh oh oh, I just wanted to see you and have a drink!" Gao Da said nervously, finding a quiet spot and making the call.
"Heh heh, to be honest, I'm really out of options..." Gao Da tried to lower his voice. His past experiences had taught him that truly asking for help lacked confidence.
"Okay, okay! I'll do it, I'll go all out! Thank you, Fan Tong, I'll be there on time." Gao Da, after humbling himself, finally secured the "node" of the case.
With the matter settled, Gao Da happily got into Ping An's car, proud like a child.
"It's done?" Ping An glanced at the smug Gao Da.
"It's done!" Gao Da said with a smile.
"I shouldn't have dragged you into this." Ping An said with some emotion, "At your age, you should be enjoying yourself."
"Forget it, if I can help with this mess, why wouldn't I help you? Old Gao Da isn't that kind of person," Gao Da said righteously.
"The fish has taken the bait, you can withdraw now." Ping An glanced at his phone. Yang Jiao's assistant had just called. The stubborn Su Tang had indeed not stopped as he intended. It seemed the clue from Diana hadn't captured her attention.
"What's wrong, is it that girl Su Tang—" Gao Da asked.
"Exactly. She's caught up. It's hard to fool her now." Ping An thought for a moment and said, "Let her follow if she wants. We'll do our part first. I'll call Mei Qian and we'll discuss how to cast the net."
Gao Da, pretending to be desperate, received a job offer from 'Fan Tong' after seeking his help. He was asked to come to a disused iron plant in the suburbs of Hechuan two days later in the afternoon to work as a driver, responsible for transporting "a batch of goods" to their destination for a reward of ten thousand yuan.
In fact, as soon as Ping An obtained this information, he had been contemplating whether to ask Gao Da to come out of retirement. However, Gao Da had learned from his old comrades that Ping An was looking into "trouble" with the Qian Bang, and then he proactively went to find them.
As for the plan to lure 'Fan Tong' into the trap, it was a plan that Ping An and Mei Qian had discussed long ago. Su Tang, on the other hand, was trailing closely behind Ping An, relying on her own connections to catch up.
"Should we have Su Tang withdraw?" During the pre-operation deployment meeting before the "fishing," Mei Qian thought that Su Tang following behind might affect the operation. However, Ping An stated it was fine, and it was unclear if he wanted to see how capable his apprentice was.
On the appointed day, Gao Da appeared at the disused iron plant dressed in his usual shabby attire. Inside the plant, a black van was parked with its doors open.
Gao Da walked around the van and found no one inside or out. He then called Fan Bin.