District 9

In the afternoon, at around six o'clock, in the living room of the main room of the Xu family, Ruan Xiong, Xu Yan, Xu Er, and another member of the Ruan family were sitting together, drinking Sichuan sesame seeds.

At the entrance of the compound, a car stopped. A middle-aged man wearing a loose suit with a somewhat bald head opened the door and walked out. He looked up at the four soldiers standing at the main entrance.

Since the headquarters of the mixed brigade is temporarily located in the Xu family compound, a 24-hour rotation is implemented at the main entrance, with four people during the day and eight at night.

The middle-aged man stepped forward and said politely to the soldier: "Little brother, I'm here to see Ruan Xiong, Mr. Ruan."

"Are you looking for someone from the Ruan family?" the soldier asked, "What's your name?"

"Yes, I'm looking for Ruan Xiong from the Ruan family. My name is Liu Hongqiang." The middle-aged man nodded.

"Okay, wait a moment and I'll ask."

"Trouble."

After the two exchanged a few words, the leading soldier immediately went to the main room of the Xu family with a gun on his back.

After about five or six minutes, the soldier returned and made a gesture of invitation: "Mr. Liu, go this way."

"Okay." Liu Hongqiang motioned to his followers to wait outside and followed the soldiers into the courtyard.

…

A few minutes later.

In the hall of the main room of the Xu family, Ruan Xiong stood up with a smile and stretched out his hand towards Liu Hongqiang: "Oh, Lao Liu, you are doing very well recently!"

"Haha, that's good." After Liu Hongqiang shook hands with Ruan Xiong politely, he immediately said to Xu Yan, "Long time no see, President Xu."

Xu Yan knew Liu Hongqiang because the latter was also an old man from Yuanshan and had a good relationship with the Ruan family and had business cooperation. But Xu Yan himself can only be regarded as an acquaintance with him, and has no deep friendship with him.

"Yeah, I haven't seen you for a long time." Xu Yan greeted Liu Hongqiang: "Come and sit down, Old Liu."

"I won't sit down for now." Liu Hongqiang smiled and said, "I'm here to ask Brother Xiong to come sit with me and talk about something."

"Oh." Xu Yan nodded.

"Haha, not today." Ruan Xiong said to Liu Hongqiang: "We have plans for the evening, let's change it another day."

"Brother Xiong, why don't you give me this face?" Liu Hongqiang took Ruan Xiong's arm and said very enthusiastically: "I have wanted to date you several times, but you have never had the time. Now in the distant mountains, there is nothing you can say. Let you run away. Take a walk, come sit at my place for a while, drink some tea, and chat for a while."

"Old Liu, I have an appointment with the Huncheng Brigade tonight..."

"What time is it?" Liu Hongqiang interrupted Ruan Xiong: "Just go over and sit for a while. If you have a game tonight, I will send you back."

Ruan Xiong showed an embarrassed smile and turned to look at Xu Yan: "Then I'll go with Lao Liu and come back later?"

Xu Yan was quite unhappy, because he had already arranged a place to eat in the evening, and the reservation was for eight o'clock, but Liu Hongqiang was forcing him here, and he couldn't say anything, so he could only nod and reply: "As early as possible , I’ve finished talking to Qin Lu.”

"Okay, let's talk on the phone later." Ruan Xiong nodded.

"good."

"Then let's go first, President Xu." Liu Hongqiang said with a smile: "I'll make sure to send you back on time in a while. Let's drink alone another day."

"Easy to say." Xu Yan nodded.

After the two exchanged greetings, Liu Hongqiang pulled Ruan Xiong out and walked out. A middle-aged man who followed Ruan Xiong walked behind and asked, "Are we going too?"

"You don't have to go, just wait here. I'll talk to Lao Liu about something and I'll be back in a minute." Ruan Xiong waved his hand.

"Okay." The middle-aged man hesitated.

In this way, Liu Hongqiang took Ruan Xiong and left the Xu family, while the seven or eight people brought by the latter all stayed in the Xu family.

Once Ruan Xiong leaves, there is no need to continue this mahjong game. Xiaodong of the Xu family arranged for the people brought by Ruan Xiong to rest in a side room, while the others dispersed and waited for the banquet in the evening.

…

Around 7:50 p.m.

Xu Yan sat in the bedroom and dialed Ruan Xiong: "Hello?"

"Hey, Lao Xu."

"Are you coming back?" Xu Yan asked in a slightly urging tone.

"Oh, this old Liu, he pulled me out of your house and came directly to the hotel. He also got a lot of people to accompany me. I'm drinking right now." Ruan Xiong said helplessly: "I guess I have to wait. I can go back soon."

"You have to hurry up, you can't let Qin Lu wait around." Xu Yan replied with a frown.

"A little later. I will definitely arrive before nine-thirty. Please explain it to Qin Lu for me." Ruan Xiong was also very polite and lowered his voice and said: "These are all the people below who make money for us. I don't like it either." Just leave when you’re halfway through.”

Xu Yan looked at his watch: "Okay, I'll wait for you for a while."

"Okay, let's do this for now." Ruan Xiong hung up the phone.

In the bedroom, Lao Xu's wife was sitting on the sofa watching the program on the online broadcast station. She lowered her head and asked, "Ruan Xiong hasn't come back yet?"

"Well, I'm drinking with Liu Hongqiang." Xu Yan nodded.

"What is he doing?" Lao Xu's wife raised her head: "Haha, let Brigadier Qin wait?!"

"yes."

Xu Yan stood up and replied with his hands behind his back: "This old Ruan is a bit weird today."

"What's weird?"

"I can't really tell. I just feel like I'm not in my best mood when I'm doing things with a hammer and a stick." Xu Yan replied with a frown.

"Why didn't they let Ruan Ming come?" The daughter-in-law was a little curious: "Isn't he always responsible for this matter?"

"He said Ruan Ming went to Zangyuan." Xu Yan said inexplicably irritatedly: "Forget it, never mind, I'll go to Qin Lu's place first and have a chat with him."

The daughter-in-law curled her lips when she heard this: "Let me tell you, if you are caught in the middle like this, it will be difficult for you to be a good person in the future. If there is no conflict between the Ruan family and Qin Lu, it will be fine, but if there is any unpleasantness, then you will be the most uncomfortable. "

"well."

Xu Yan sighed and didn't reply. He just stepped outside.

…

Not much longer.

Lao Xu entered Qin Yu's office and asked with a smile: "I'm busy, Qin Lu!"

"It's okay, I'm reading the budget report." Qin Yu raised his head and asked, "What's wrong, are you ready to eat?"

"No, Ruan Xiong hasn't been to Yuanshan for a long time. He just played mahjong at my place in the afternoon and was dragged away to drink." Old Xu said with a smile: "He will be back soon. Don't be anxious yet, Qin Lu."

"Haha, it's okay, I'm not in a hurry." Qin Yu was stunned for a moment, then replied with a slight smile.

…

Near the backyard of Xu's house, a middle-aged man stood on tiptoe and looked beyond the courtyard wall to several small bungalows inside.

"Who?"

Just then, a shout came from the left.

The middle-aged man was startled and immediately turned his head.

"Who's here?" The man on the left came over with a flashlight.

"Oh, I wanted to make a convenience, but I couldn't find the toilet." The middle-aged man replied with his hands behind his back.

The person on the left held a flashlight and glanced at the other person: "There is no toilet here. Come on, I will take you there."

"Okay." The middle-aged man nodded.