Siheyuan: Starting from Building a Village

As usual, the next day Xu Damao went into the city to exchange the film.

There's no rush anyway. I can just ride a shabby rickshaw leisurely, humming an unknown tune. I feel so comfortable.

Just as he reached a three-way intersection, someone pulled him down, knocking him down. Fortunately, he was not riding fast. He was terrified: "It's over. Did he get robbed?"

Looking up, I saw two tall guys, about 1.85 meters tall, very skinny, one white and one black, and very ugly, so ugly that it was beyond description.

The one with the black face dragged Xu Damao, and the one with the white face pushed Xu Damao's bicycle into the woods on the side of the road.

"Xu Damao?"

It turned out that there was another person in the woods, a bald man. If you only looked at his face, he looked pretty decent, but when you looked at his whole body, you could only describe him as grotesque. If you didn't look closely, you would think his legs were made of spirits, and his lower body was twice as long as his upper body. At first glance, he was a strange person.

"My good man, do you know me?"

The person in front of him could call out Xu Damao's name, but Xu Damao had no impression of him at all.

"Xu Damao, a projectionist at the steel mill, lives in the west wing of the backyard of No. 95 Nanluoguxiang, with his parents. His father is a projectionist at a movie theater, and his mother is unemployed at home."

Xu Damao's eyes went dark. His past was known completely by this person, and he had no recollection of where he had seen this person before.

"Xu Damao, don't worry about it. This is the first time we meet. Today we are brothers and we just want you to do us a favor."

"Good man, if you have something to say, please tell me. I will help you today."

Xu Damao agreed immediately.

"Bang..."

As soon as Bai Lian let go of the bicycle, it fell to the ground, and the iron box containing the film was thrown far away.

Xu Damao took a look and didn't dare to speak.

"Okay, I like to be straightforward. I heard that you are familiar with the people in Hope Village?"

"It's OK. I've been there to watch movies a few times."

"Can you call someone out for me?"

"Who?"

"Liu Guozheng."

"Good man, do you have a grudge against Liu Guozheng?"

"Don't ask questions that you shouldn't ask. I'm just asking if you have any way to lure Liu Guozheng over here?"

"Well... let me think about it."

Xu Damao wiped the sweat from his forehead. It was the pain from falling off the rickshaw.

"Have you thought of that?"

"Good man, why don't you send someone to Hope Village and tell Liu Guozheng that you have kidnapped me and ask him to redeem me personally?"

"You think I'm stupid, right?"

"How about I take you to Hope Village to find him?"

"Think again."

"How about this, you send someone to Hope Village and tell them that I was hit by someone and need to be sent to the hospital for emergency treatment. That should be enough to trick Liu Guozheng out, right?"

"How is your relationship with Liu Guozheng?"

"It's OK. The main reason is that Liu Guozheng is a kind-hearted person. He heard that I was hit pretty badly, so he will definitely come."

After listening to Xu Damao's words, the bald man remained silent for a long time, as if he was considering the feasibility.

"Xiaobai, what do you think?"

"Brother Jiu, it should work."

"Xiao Hei, tell me what you think."

"I'll listen to Brother Nine."

Brother Nine glared at Xiao Hei.

"Xu Damao, how can you prove it's you?"

Ninth Brother was somewhat tempted by Xu Damao's suggestion, but he really couldn't find a good solution. He had tried it many times at night. If he hadn't been cautious, he would have been captured by the two men at the village entrance.

"Brother Jiu, just talk about the buyer Xu Damao, Liu Guozheng will definitely understand."

Xu Damao played a trick.

"Xu Damao, do you want to die?"

Ninth brother glared and took out a dagger from somewhere.

"Brother Jiu, Brother Jiu, don't get excited, just listen to me."

The daggers were taken out, and the black and white men held Xu Damao up again, looking like they were going to bleed him directly.

"Okay, you say."

Ninth brother played with the small dagger, his eyes fixed on Xu Damao's throat.

"Brother Jiu, I won't be a projectionist anymore. I've changed my job to purchasing and will be stationed in Hope Village. This is my last movie screening so that I can purchase more things in the future. Only Liu Guozheng knows about my job change, so..."

Xu Damao will not say more at this point, and I am sure that Brother Nine will understand.

"Okay, I believe you. I'll let you go when Liu Guozheng arrives."

At a wink from Brother Nine, Xiao Hei and Xiao Bai tied Xu Damao to the tree.

"Brother Jiu, I hope you can keep your word and let me go when the time comes."

"Also, don't let Liu Guozheng see me, otherwise this relationship will be impossible in the future."

Xu Damao did not struggle and was very calm, allowing the two men to tie him to the tree.

Seeing Xu Damao's performance, Brother Jiu felt relieved.

"Xiaobai, go and take a trip."

"Okay, Brother Nine."

Xiaobai got on his bicycle, pedaled out of the woods, and headed straight for Hope New Village.

This three-way intersection was not far from Hope New Village, and Xiaobai arrived at the village entrance in no time.

"Comrade, please find Liu Guozheng. There is something urgent."

Xiaobai acted very anxious but polite.

"Okay, just wait a moment."

Liu Mancang and Niu Laosi were on duty today. They didn't think much about it and thought that this was Liu Guozheng's friend.

"Comrade, who are you?"

Liu Guozheng arrived at the door and saw a very tall man. His whole face looked like it was put together randomly, but his skin was quite white.

Xiao Bai asked, "Comrade Liu Guozheng?"

Liu Guozheng nodded.

"Hello, my name is Zhou Zhengbai. Xu Damao was hit by a car and had multiple fractures all over his body. He needed to be rushed to the hospital, but the car that hit him ran away. I happened to be passing by there, so I wanted to help. I learned from Xu Damao that you are a very good friend of his. Now only you can save him."

There was a hint of relaxation in Zhou Zhengbai's anxious expression, and his performance was really good.

Liu Guozheng looked Zhou Zhengbai up and down and said, "How can you prove it with empty words?"

Zhou Zhengbai said anxiously: "Before Comrade Xu Damao fell into a coma, he told me to come to Hope Village to find you and say that the purchaser Xu Damao had a car accident."

"Oh."

Liu Guozheng understood that something had happened to Xu Damao.

I just learned from him yesterday that there is no way to transfer his position in a short period of time. He kept talking about the purchasing agent Xu Damao, so something must have happened to him.

"Zhou Zhengbai, right? Wait a minute, I'll go get some money."

"Okay, okay, then please hurry up, I'm afraid Xu Damao can't hold on for too long."

"Don't worry, I'm more anxious than you."

Liu Guozheng ran back to the village, riding a tricycle with Xu Fang on board.

"Comrade Zhou Zhengbai, you lead the way."

"Ok."

Seeing that Liu Guozheng only brought one person, they felt relieved. They had three people, especially Brother Nine, who was not only fast at running, but also had a unique skill of flying knives.

Zhou Zhengbai led the way, and Liu Guozheng and Xu Fang followed closely behind.