Jia Fugui wore a sycophantic smile. "Sister-in-law from the Qin family, I spent a great deal of effort and had to pull every string with the director to secure this job for you. Don't worry, once you're in, you'll be making ten silver dollars a month. It’s more than enough to feed your family. If you miss this chance, you’ll never find another!"
Qin Shuli’s face darkened. "Master Jia, you don't need to trouble yourself with our family's affairs. My mother doesn't want to go. Please, leave!"
Jia Fugui’s expression shifted, his temper flaring, but he stifled his rage. "Eldest of the Qin family, even if you don't consider yourself, you have to think about your younger siblings, don't you? Look at them..."
Jia Fugui had intended to point out how poorly the twins were living, but when he looked down, he saw them dressed in thick, sturdy cotton-padded jackets, their little cheeks rosy and healthy. How could this be? Since Qin Dazhu was taken by the Japanese devils, why was this family living better and better?
Fearing that Jia Fugui might notice something odd, Wang Yueshu pulled the twins behind her and said in a low, stern voice, "Master Jia, you should head back. We don't need a job right now."
With that, she retreated and shut the door.
Left out in the cold, Jia Fugui turned toward home. Just as he reached the moon gate, he saw Madame Jia lurking nearby.
"What are you doing hiding here?"
Madame Jia’s face was twisted with fury. She opened her mouth to scream, but Jia Fugui, sensing trouble, clamped his hand over her mouth and dragged her into the house.
As soon as he closed the door, Madame Jia began to throw a tantrum. "Jia Fugui, you explain this to me! Why are you finding a job for that vixen? Are you trying to carry on with her?"
"Shut up! What 'carry on'? A woman like you knows nothing!"
"You’re still trying to lie to me? I don't even have a job, yet you’re finding one for that vixen! I can’t live like this! I bore children for your Jia family, and you’re out here finding work for an outsider? I can’t stay in this house a day longer! Father, Mother, come and look! Old Jia has found himself a vixen! He doesn't want his own son anymore..."
"Shut up!" Jia Fugui roared, his hand reaching for his belt, ready to whip her.
Jia Dongxu, awakened by his mother’s shouting, silently buried his head under the quilt. *You don't see me!*
Seeing Jia Fugui truly enraged for the first time, Madame Jia’s wailing came to an abrupt halt, followed by an involuntary hiccup.
Jia Fugui dragged her to the corner of the room, out of Jia Dongxu’s earshot, and whispered, "I introduced Wang Yueshu to the director. As long as the director is happy, I can at least become a team leader. My salary will double, and I'll be able to take bribes from my subordinates. There are so many benefits—you idiot, you don't know a thing."
Madame Jia’s eyes brightened as she listened. "Is what you’re saying true?"
"Of course it's true. I have no interest in Wang Yueshu!" Jia Fugui stated righteously.
*Like hell he didn't; it was just that Wang Yueshu wouldn't look at him twice.*
"I’m asking if the part about getting promoted and rich is true?"
Jia Fugui let out a sigh of relief. "Of course. Once Wang Yueshu is at the mill, she’ll be at the mercy of the Japanese devils. But she just won't agree—what do you suggest?"
"She won't go? Why not? Her husband is dead, a widow with three kids. We’re working hard to find her a job so she can feed them; what right does she have to refuse?" Madame Jia shrieked. "No, I’m going to find her. Isn't it just sleeping with a Japanese devil? What’s the big deal? How can she stand in the way of our family getting ahead? I’m going to find her!"
Jia Fugui grabbed her. "Don't be reckless. If you go out and say that, won't the whole courtyard know? What if someone else beats us to it?"
Jia Fugui understood the people in the courtyard well. He Daqing was not at the Rolling Mill, but he had many dealings with the Japanese and the puppet troops. Xu Wude worked for the Lou family and likely wouldn't interfere. But Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong were wildcards—especially Liu Haizhong, who was stupid and malicious; as long as there was something to be gained, he would want a piece of it.
Madame Jia’s voice dropped an octave, and she asked furtively, "Master, what should we do then?"
Jia Fugui’s mouth curled into a sinister grin. "That woman Wang Yueshu thinks she’s safe just by staying indoors? Once I find the right opportunity, I’ll bring Officer Ono over and have him force himself on her. With just those few families in the courtyard, who would dare to stop him?"
Madame Jia clapped her hands. "That’s it! Master, do it quickly. I want to know what it feels like to be the wife of an official!"
Jia Fugui nodded, finished getting ready, and headed off to work.
In the Qin family’s courtyard, Wang Yueshu was worried about what Jia Fugui had said. Qin Shuli consoled her, "Mother, don't worry. As long as you don't go, there’s nothing Jia Fugui can do."
Wang Yueshu held her eldest son’s hand and analyzed the situation calmly. "Son, you don't understand Jia Fugui. This man doesn't act unless he intends to, and once he starts, he never stops until he gets what he wants. Back then, the job at the Rolling Mill belonged to his older brother. After his brother died, he moved in with his wife and children to demand the position. In the end, nobody knows how he did it, but his sister-in-law and her children suddenly disappeared. That was when he started working at the mill."
*This happened too?* Qin Shuli hadn't heard of this; when he had watched the drama, both father and son Jia were already dead, and he hadn't known the history of the older generation. It seemed Jia Fugui couldn't be allowed to stay. Qin Shuli sentenced him to death in his heart.
"Mother, just watch over the twins. I’ll handle this."
Wang Yueshu saw the murderous intent in Qin Shuli’s eyes and felt a knot in her stomach, but having no better options, she could only urge him, "Be careful in everything you do."
Meanwhile, at the Wang residence in Mao'er Hutong, the man who came to collect the night soil in the morning found the gate wide open but heard no sound. He ventured inside, and upon reaching the middle courtyard, he saw the corpse of the tall man. Terrified, he ran out, screaming, to find the police.
When the police heard that something had happened at the home of the East District Chief, they immediately dispatched officers to investigate. What they found was shocking: the conceited old master of the Wang family and the Chief himself were both dead in their home. They quickly notified their superiors.
Xing Kan, a precinct sergeant, munched on a large pork bun as he led his men into the Wang courtyard. "What’s the situation?"
Qian Jin, a sergeant from the Jiaodaokou police station, greeted him with a grimace. "Oh, Sergeant Xing, you’ve finally arrived. A major disaster has occurred. The Chief and the old master have been murdered, and his eldest sons are dead too. The house has been stripped bare—even the furniture is gone. These are professional thieves!"
Xing Kan pointed to the tall man and asked, "Did you peel his pants off?"
Qian Jin shook his head. "They were like that when we arrived. I find it strange too—how could a Japanese ronin be here?"
Xing Kan looked at the causes of death and knew this wasn't simple. He inspected the courtyard walls before returning to the main courtyard.
"Any thoughts, Sergeant Xing?"
Qian Jin looked dejected. Wang Shengcai had been his backer; now that he was dead, his own position was no longer secure.
Xing Kan pulled Qian Jin aside and whispered, "There are no signs of anyone climbing the walls. It seems they entered normally. Who would Chief Wang let in?"
"The Japanese officers?" Qian Jin’s eyes lit up. "But why would they kill Chief Wang?"