Fuxi community, Lu family.
Lu Tao's father, Lu Zhongliang, is fifty-one years old. He has a medium build, a square face, slightly bald hair on the temples, thick black eyebrows and neat eyes, but a pair of dull eyes.
The cabinets in the study room are filled with photos of Lu Zhongliang from various periods.
In the photo, Lu Zhongliang is high-spirited, his hair is meticulous, and he is full of energy.
Compared with his current appearance, he is completely different.
Since retiring to the second line, Lu Zhongliang seems to have aged twenty years. Most of his once black hair has turned white. His straight waist has also bent down. There is a long stubble on his face. The fingertips of his right hand are black and yellow. It's the traces left by years of smoking.
Before Lu Tao was imprisoned, Lu Zhongliang had never smoked.
In the study, Lu Zhongliang heard Lu Jiang's voice, put down the "Zi Zhi Tong Jian" in his hand, raised his head and asked: "It's so late, why are you here if you don't go back to your own home?"
"The unit had a case and the manpower was busy, so I was asked to go there. But when I arrived, I found out that it was a false police report."
Lu Jiang excused himself, picked up the thermos and went over to refill Lu Zhongliang's water: "My wife and children are all asleep at this time. It's okay for adults, but if the children are woken up, they will have to make trouble all night. I thought I would come to your place to rest. I didn't expect you to be up so late."
Lu Zhongliang picked up a ceramic cup filled with cheap scented tea: "I was going to sleep, but your mother said that her heart was not feeling well. I am a heavy sleeper, and I was afraid that she would not be aware of an accident, and I would be preoccupied with something, so I would not be able to sleep. "
Lu Jiang responded with some distress: "Dad, my mother's health is not good, but it's okay for you to be suffering like this all the time!"
"It's okay. I'm older, so I'm sorry."
Lu Zhongliang put down his tea cup and picked up the Hongtashan cigarettes on the table: "How are you doing recently? Is your work going well?"
Lu Jiang wanted to persuade his father to stop smoking, but after hesitating, he took out his lighter and stepped forward to help light it: "I'm fine."
Lu Zhongliang smiled: "That's good. I understand my own son. You are an ambitious person and a top student who graduated from the Criminal Police Academy. How could you be willing to be a household registration police officer?"
Lu Jiang forced a smile: "Dad, I'm really doing well now. The household registration police officer doesn't have to work overtime. I leave at the same time every day. I can still have time to spend with my wife and children."
"Xiao Jiang, do you think dad was wrong?"
Lu Zhongliang saw the forced smile on his eldest son's face and murmured: "The year Lu Tao's accident happened, I was investigating a town party secretary below. He had a relative who worked as a secretary in the municipal party committee! At that time, his relative asked someone to find me. He said that if I could show my superiority, I could give Lu Tao a suspended sentence and transfer you to the city bureau. If I had agreed to his conditions at that time, the other party would not have used Xiao Tao's matter to deal with the Lu family, and I would not have to retreat to the second line. Neither would you..."
"Dad, you can't."
Lu Jiang shook his head: "I understand your character. Even if you could go back in time and put you in the same position now, you would not choose this way."
"For myself, of course I won't, but for you, I'm not sure. Sometimes when I look at the children of other people in my workplace, they either have a smooth career, or they are successful in business, or they are sent abroad for further study, I also wonder why mine My son is so good, but he is so far behind them."
Lu Zhongliang took a deep drag on his cigarette: "I am worthy of the country and the party, but I am sorry for you... I, as a father, am incompetent!"
"I never felt that you were sorry for me! On the contrary, your actions made me feel at ease, and I even slept better than others!"
Lu Jiang saw his father's melancholy, thought for a moment and said, "Dad, actually I met Xiao Tao a few days ago."
Lu Zhongliang's hand holding the cigarette paused in the air and continued smoking without making a sound.
Lu Jiang continued: "After he was released from prison, he was riding three wheels on the street and went to the police station because of a fight. The other party is a few social scum. I think he should still have contact with those bad friends."
Lu Zhongliang remained silent.
"I said something very harsh that day, which probably hurt him."
Lu Jiang sighed: "Although Xiaotao doesn't live up to expectations, I know that my mother has been thinking about him. How about I ask him to come back and meet my mother?"
"never mind."
Lu Zhongliang finally spoke and said categorically: "I have severed the father-son relationship with him. His life and death has nothing to do with me."
Seeing that Lu Zhongliang was angry, Lu Jiang's voice became lower and lower: "Dad, family love is something that is constantly being abandoned. I know you are always thinking about him..."
"I know you, and I know Lu Tao too! He is a gangster at heart. Even if he has been to prison, he will still not live in peace!"
Lu Zhongliang did not deny Lu Jiang's words. He burned out one cigarette and quickly lit another: "If he doesn't come back, your mother just thinks that if he comes back, he will cause trouble again one day. She can't hide it even if she wants to." Stay! Your mother's physical condition is getting worse day by day, and the doctor has repeatedly told me not to let her be stimulated anymore!"
"I see."
Lu Jiang heard this and said nothing more: "Then I will tell my mother tomorrow and say that Lu Tao has gone to the south to work."
Lu Zhongliang did not answer: "It's very late, you go and rest."
When Lu Jiang saw his father issuing an order to expel guests, he stood up obediently and said, "Hey, you should go to bed early."
The study room was filled with smoke.
Lu Zhongliang sat alone for a long time, opened the desk drawer, took out the bottom book, opened it and took out an old photo inside.
The photo was taken in front of the old house in Huanggu District when Lu Zhongliang was transferred to the Soviet District and his family moved.
Lu Jiang was six years old that year, holding a wooden gun in his hand. Lu Tao had just been born and was wrapped tightly in swaddling clothes.
A family of four stood in front of the brick house, with bright smiles full of yearning for a new life.
Lu Zhongliang stared for a long time and finally sighed.
…
Spring Street.
In a small hotel room, Zhao Fengnian sat naked on the quilt with the electric blanket turned to the highest setting. He drank two cups of hot water in a row, and then he felt that he had recovered a little. He looked at the bruises and bruises on his body. He said gratefully to Lu Tao: "Little brother, thanks to your help today, otherwise Li Jifeng, a bastard, wouldn't know what to do with me!"
Lu Tao sat on the bed opposite and asked straight to the point: "I didn't bring you back just to hear you thank me. You told me before that you could help me deal with Li Jifeng."
"I haven't introduced myself yet! My surname is Zhao, Zhao Fengnian! I opened a sand washing field in Wangjia Town, Dongling District!"
Zhao Fengnian explained to Lu Tao: "I am not a social person, and I don't have many friends in society. If you want me to help you fight, I definitely can't do it, but if you can resolve the dispute between me and Li Jifeng, I can give you money!"
Lu Tao frowned: "What you call cooperation is just poking a fool up the wall, hiding behind it, and letting me take the lead?"
