Chapter 24

The doorbell rang, and Song Shuang went to open the door. It was Wang Xing, holding a collar, the one that Kekexi used to wear.

"Traffic was bad, and when I got to Lishui雅ju, you were already gone. I came to check if Kekexi was found," Wang Xing said.

"What's with the collar?" Song Shuang was surprised, as Kekexi didn't have a collar when she found him.

"I found it at a dog meat restaurant. The waiter said a collared dog ran away and was picked up by a man on a tricycle. The man even got into a fight with the restaurant owner over it," Wang Xing handed the collar to Song Shuang.

The truth was revealed, and Song Shuang felt extremely guilty. The man had kindly saved Kekexi, yet she had asked Uncle Wan to find a way to sentence him to more years. Such ingratitude made her deeply regretful.

"Uncle Wang, I did something wrong and misunderstood someone. Can you help me?" Song Shuang stammered.

"You mistook the dog thief, didn't you? I knew it," Uncle Wang said.

Song Shuang inherited her father's integrity and her mother's kindness. Thinking that the man might be detained in the police station for the whole night, she couldn't sit still. She asked Wang Xing to take her there to save the man. Just as they were about to leave, she thought for a moment and decided to bring Kekexi along.

Wang Xing drove Song Shuang to the police station. The chief saw the daughter of the Song family and hurriedly greeted her, asking if she was there for the dog theft case. He assured her that the boy would definitely be punished.

"I want to see him again; I have some questions to ask," Song Shuang said.

The chief arranged for his subordinates to take Song Shuang to see Liu Handong. Wang Xing took out a cigarette and chatted with the chief.

Liu Handong was handcuffed to a long bench. The police station's chairs were specially designed with a stainless steel bar on the wall to hang handcuffs, ensuring the detainee couldn't escape.

It was dinner time, and the on-duty police officers were eating fragrant chicken leg boxed meals. Liu Handong's stomach was growling, and he was dozing off with his eyes closed. Suddenly, he felt something licking him. Opening his eyes, he saw Wangcai, who was looking at him affectionately and nudging him with his head.

This scene further proved that Liu Handong was not a dog thief. Kekexi was a highly intelligent shepherd dog who could distinguish good from bad. During the time Kekexi was missing, Liu Handong must have treated him very well and even treated his wounds.

Song Shuang quietly observed the man. In the video, he was shirtless, with solid muscles, and his posture as he stepped forward reminded her of a painting, "Barge Haulers on the Volga" by Russian painter Ilya Repin.

The simple and kind people at the bottom of society struggled for a living, without complaint or despair, bearing heavy burdens with their strong shoulders, resilient and moving forward silently.

Liu Handong, in front of her, was wearing a worn-out sweatshirt, stained with sweat and dirt, and a pair of well-worn jeans with holes at the knees. He stroked Kekexi with his free hand, his eyes filled with happiness.

A person who loves small animals can never be a bad person; this was Song Shuang's criterion for judging people.

Liu Handong noticed Song Shuang, and his eyes turned cold.

"I just found out that Kekexi wasn't stolen by you... I'm sorry," Song Shuang mustered the courage to say. This was the first time she had formally apologized to someone since she grew up.

Liu Handong ignored her.

The head of the Public Security Bureau, Song Jianfeng, was a vice-provincial leader, making Song Shuang a genuine high-ranking official's child. Despite her good upbringing and lack of arrogance, her beauty made her a sought-after figure in college, with many boys eager to speak to her. Now, her sincere apology was met with a cold shoulder, and her face turned red with anger.

Wang Xing was negotiating with the chief, requesting Liu Handong's release. The chief was hesitant: "It's not just about the dog theft. He also threw several boxes of tiles from the 18th floor, causing significant damage and smashing an electric scooter. The owner refused mediation and demanded compensation. The family has some background; the man is from the city's finance bureau."

Wang Xing said, "Is this a big deal? Release him first, and I'll handle the compensation."

The chief understood. He had to give face to both Wang Xing and the daughter of the Song family. The case was minor and didn't even meet the standards for public security. Releasing Liu Handong wouldn't affect the bigger picture.

The police officer was called over to remove Liu Handong's handcuffs. Wang Xing walked over and said, "Liu Handong, I knew it was you. You're always causing trouble, aren't you?"

Song Shuang was surprised, "Uncle Wang, you know him?"

"He's Liu Handong, the one who saved Shufan," Wang Xing explained.

Song Shuang suddenly understood. No wonder the name sounded familiar; he was the big brother Shufan often talked about. However, he didn't match Shufan's description. He was clearly a hardworking man from the lower class, not a heroic figure.

"Thank you, Chief Shen," Wang Xing shook hands with the chief and said goodbye.

The tricycle was pushed over by an auxiliary police officer, which was supposed to be impounded but was returned due to Miss Song's face.

Liu Handong took a small bag from the handlebar, which contained two sausages. He slowly peeled them open, feeding one to Kekexi and eating the other himself.

Song Shuang wanted to say that Kekexi never ate such junk food, but seeing Kekexi enjoying it and Liu Handong sitting on the ground, drinking cold water from a bottle, and eating the same food as Kekexi, her eyes welled up and her nose tingled. This man, who had been working hard for a living, might not have eaten all day.

After finishing the sausages, Liu Handong patted Kekexi's head and said, "Wangcai, our time together is over. We've had our farewell meal. Go home now."

Kekexi wagged his tail and whined, looking at Liu Handong with a pleading gaze and then at Song Shuang.

Song Shuang wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.

Liu Handong nodded at Wang Xing and pushed the tricycle, which was out of fuel, and walked away.

"Hey!" Song Shuang mustered the courage to call out.

Liu Handong stopped.

"I... I'll treat you to a meal, okay?" Song Shuang's face turned red with embarrassment. It was the first time the proud Miss Song had ever invited a man to dinner.

"No time," Liu Handong said without turning back, pushing the motorcycle forward. There was a long downhill road ahead, and he ran a few steps, jumped on the motorcycle, and rode away, singing.

Song Shuang felt a sense of loss. Despite losing face, she wasn't angry but found the man to be very proud.

"Let's go, he has a girlfriend," Wang Xing seemed to see through Song Shuang's thoughts and said.

"Uncle Wang, what are you talking about?" Song Shuang scolded, opening the Jetta's door. Kekexi, reluctant to leave, jumped in, and Song Shuang followed. Chief Shen came over to close the car door and waved, "Come back and visit anytime."

"Let's go," Wang Xing drove away. Song Shuang remained silent, looking out the window. When the car stopped at the entrance of the neighborhood, she couldn't help but ask, "What's his girlfriend like?"

Wang Xing's lips curled. He thought, "I can't figure out your mind, little girl, after all these years in the police force."

"Actually, it might not be a girlfriend. I think they're getting close. The girl's father is also a police officer, and she drives a bus. She's a black belt in taekwondo and helped Liu Handong catch a criminal at Shifeng Group."

Song Shuang's eyes lit up but then dimmed. They were a heroic couple, and she was just a weak college student.

"Shuang, I won't come in. When your father comes back, say hello for me," Wang Xing said.

Song Shuang didn't respond, lost in thought.

"Hey, wake up," Wang Xing honked the horn.

Song Shuang realized her behavior and quickly got out of the car, "I know, Uncle Wang, see you."

Wang Xing turned around and left. Suddenly, he saw Song Shuang waving in the rearview mirror and stopped the car. "What's up?"

Song Shuang ran over, out of breath, "Uncle Wang, I have ten thousand yuan here. Can you please give it to him as a thank you for taking care of Kekexi and treating his injuries?"

She handed over a bank card with the password written on the back, containing ten thousand yuan, which she had prepared for the reward.

Wang Xing said, "Sure, I'll take it, but he might not accept it. You saw how stubborn he is today."

Song Shuang said, "Uncle Wang, you're the best. He will accept it."

"Alright, I'll try," Wang Xiang took the bank card.

...

Liu Handong pushed the tricycle through the city's traffic, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He only had two cents and couldn't afford to refuel the motorcycle.

After waiting for a long time at the 520 bus stop, the bus finally arrived, but the driver was not Ma Ling, but a middle-aged man. He told Liu Handong that Ma Ling was off duty and at the hospital taking care of her father.

Without finding Ma Ling, Liu Handong couldn't borrow money and had to push the tricycle back. A Santana police car followed him slowly, and the window rolled down to reveal Traffic Police Officer Tan Jiaxing from Yunshan Team.

"Liu Handong, is your bike broken?" Tan Jiaxing asked.

"It's out of fuel," Liu Handong replied.

Tan Jiaxing took out a fifty-yuan note and handed it to him, "Here, for now. Pay me back when you have money."

"Thanks," Liu Handong said, genuinely grateful.

Tan Jiaxing nodded and drove away.

Liu Handong pushed the tricycle to the nearest gas station and refueled with thirty yuan of 93-octane gasoline. The price had risen to 8.5 yuan per liter, and he needed to save twenty yuan for food.

He considered buying an induction cooker to save money by cooking his own meals.

The motorcycle started, and Liu Handong returned to Tiesha Street in the southeastern suburbs of the city, passing by the dog meat restaurant with confidence. He wasn't afraid of the man coming out to cause trouble; he had climbed a hundred floors today and still had a grudge to settle.

In front of the dog meat restaurant, the usual bustling scene was gone. Several cars were parked outside, and the sound of things being smashed came from inside. A crowd had gathered outside, and Liu Handong saw a group of men with tattoos and gold chains wreaking havoc inside the restaurant.

The dog meat restaurant owner was on the ground, with two shiny knives at his throat, silent with hatred.

Liu Handong pushed through the crowd and said, "That's enough."

The men looked at him in surprise, and the restaurant owner was also shocked. This guy had fought with him earlier, yet now he was speaking up for him.

One of the men walked over, sizing up Liu Handong. He wore sunglasses, had a small beard, a thick gold chain around his neck, a wrist adorned with sandalwood beads, a watch, and a gold bracelet, and red sneakers, looking both fashionable and intimidating.

"What's your business here? What's it to you?" the man pushed Liu Handong.

Liu Handong didn't move. He was in a bad mood and looking for a fight.

"I live on this street. I can't stand seeing a few people bully one. You've done enough, stop it," Liu Handong said.

The man laughed, "Ha! Do you know who I am? How dare