Siheyuan: Xu Damao's New Life

Seeing that everyone had arrived, Xu Damao pointed to the open space in front of him and said, "Everyone, please gather first. Today is the first day of the establishment of our Inspection Department. We are mainly here to meet and get to know each other, and then we will be on a mission soon. Now, please let our Section Chief Cui say a few words to everyone. Everyone applaud and welcome him!"

There was a burst of warm applause from the crowd.

Cui Yong coughed and said, "You all probably know me, so I won't introduce myself. You may have heard about what happened to Sha Zhu last night. Now the factory has handed this matter over to the Safety Department and our Inspection Department for joint investigation. This is a trust in us, but also a challenge for us. I don't want to hear people say that we are weaklings, freeloaders, or backdoor agents. This time we want to show our strength with our actions. Do you have confidence?"

"Have confidence."

"Section Chief, just give the order!"

"Yes, let's arrange the tasks quickly,"

"I've been horny for a long time."

Xu Damao listened to the noisy responses and felt as if something strange had mixed in. However, he did not care and arranged the tasks. "Now we need to go to the surrounding hospitals, drugstores and other places that may sell croton seeds to find out if anyone has bought croton seeds recently and why. Now you need to divide into three groups, led by Section Chief Cui, Deputy Section Chief Yang and me. We need to conduct a dragnet investigation street by street, and pay special attention to some small private clinics and black drugstores!"

While everyone was forming groups, Cui Yong, Xu Damao and Yang Weimin simply divided the approximate scope of the investigation, and then they all led their teams to set off.

Xu Damao knew that the croton belonged to Sha Zhu, and he estimated that he had bought it nearby, so he took the initiative to ask to be in charge of the Nanluoguxiang area on the grounds of familiarity.

Xu Damao called the nine people in his group to him and instructed: "There is a Red Star Hospital in Nanluoguxiang. Chief Zheng of the Security Department has already led a team there. It is estimated that the possibility of being there is very small. We will form a team of two people and mainly check some private black clinics and drug stores. Those who are not familiar with this place can identify themselves and ask the uncles and aunts here for information. In the end, no matter whether the investigation is successful or not, we must return to the factory before leaving get off work. Do you understand?"

"I see." "I know." "I understand."

"Okay, let's go."

Xu Damao also took someone to go to several Chinese medicine shops he knew. The two wandered around until almost noon without finding anything. They were just about to find a place to eat, but unexpectedly they met three aunts who were coming back from buying groceries for the renovation workers at the corner of an alley.

"Hey, isn't this Damao? Why are you strolling outside at this time instead of going to work?"

"Auntie, go buy groceries and go back. I'm on a business trip at the factory. This is a colleague from our factory."

"Oh, that's how it is. You didn't come back yesterday, so Master Zhao said the renovation work would be finished today, and they would just have to clean up the mess tomorrow and it would be completely finished."

"Okay, Auntie, please tell the masters that I will go back tomorrow night after get off work to settle the remaining balance with your wages."

The third aunt was both happy and a little sad. She was happy that her family could earn a lot of money. Should she cook a good meal tomorrow to reward the old man and the boys? No, before, they could have a good meal from Xu Damao for free every noon, and the leftovers were enough for her family to eat at night, so why should she reward them again! The sad thing was that the work would be completely finished tomorrow, and there would be no such good bargains in the future.

Xu Damao suddenly had an idea and asked, "Third Aunt, do you know if there are any black clinics or old Chinese doctors in our area?"

"Why are you asking this? Is someone at home sick? There is a retired old Chinese doctor in Pigeon City. He secretly treats people at home without a sign. People in the neighborhood who have a headache or fever like to go to him for treatment. As expected of an old Chinese doctor, his skills are really good."

"Oh, is that so? Then please tell me the detailed address. I really need to find him for something. I'm getting married soon, so I need to find a Chinese medicine doctor to treat my body."

"Just walk north from Pigeon City, and turn right when you see a small alley..." said the third aunt.

"Okay, Third Aunt, please go back and cook first. I'll come over after dinner."

After Xu Damao and the three aunts parted ways, he looked at the watch and saw that it was getting late. He simply took his little follower to eat first, since he already knew the address. He randomly found a small restaurant and ordered three plates of dumplings and two bottles of Beibingyang soda. He didn't drink because he had work to do in the afternoon.

While waiting for the dumplings, the two chatted while smoking. Through the conversation, Xu Damao learned that his follower was called Fan Sizhe, the nephew of Deputy Director Guo. Deputy Director Guo was about to retire, so he stuffed him into the Inspection Department, a relaxed department.

This Fan Sizhe used to work in the forging workshop, but he was a little thin and obviously not suitable for being a forger, so it was a good arrangement to transfer him to the Inspection Department. Xu Damao felt that this person was good at talking and chatting, and he had also attended junior high school and had a flexible mind. It seemed that he could fight for it, and he also needed to have his own person in the Inspection Department. After all, a hero needs three helpers, and fighting alone will never achieve great things.

Therefore, Xu Damao showed himself to be quite friendly in his conversation and tried to win him over, and promised to make him a team leader.

As for Fan Sizhe, since his uncle is going to retire next year, he, who came in through the backdoor, is about to become a rootless duckweed and is in urgent need of finding a backer. Xu Damao happens to be his immediate superior, who also values ​​him very much, so he is willing to join him and speaks very respectfully, as if he is willing to go through fire and water for Xu Damao.

So the two hit it off immediately, and Fan Sizhe became Xu Damao's little brother and a thorn in the Inspection Department.

Soon, the dumplings were served, and the two quickly finished their meal, paid the bill, and headed straight to the old Chinese medicine doctor's house in Pigeon City. The two figures kept shuttling through the narrow alleys of the 1960s, and finally passed through Pigeon City and arrived at the door of the old Chinese medicine doctor's house that the third aunt mentioned.

This is a small house with a private entrance and courtyard. It seems that being a doctor can earn a good income. Xu Damao went forward and knocked on the door. Soon, a man in his sixties with mostly gray hair came out to open the door.

"Hello, uncle. We are from the Inspection Department of the Steel Rolling Mill. We want to consult you about something."

"Oh, I'm from the steel mill. I'm just a retired old man. What can I know?"

Seeing that the old man was unwilling to cooperate, Xu Damao advised, "It's not a big deal. I just want to find out some information from you. It has nothing to do with you."

The old man felt relieved after hearing what he said. He thought he was here to check on him. "Then you go ahead and talk."

"No, it's just a few words. We just want to know if anyone has bought croton from you recently."

"Croton, someone came to buy some yesterday in the past half month, saying that he was suffering from constipation," said the old man.

"Do you know him?"

"I'm not sure about his name, but he's from this area. I heard people call him Shazhu. He's a young man but he looks a little old."

Fan Sizhe said excitedly: "Chief, we finally found it. Sha Zhu bought the croton here. He must have done it!"

"Well, sir, how about this? I'll write down what happened and ask you to sign it to prove it. We can use it as evidence."

"This..." The old man was a little hesitant, mainly because he was afraid of getting into trouble.

"Don't be afraid, uncle. We are from the Inspection Department of the Steel Rolling Mill. We are mainly responsible for the disciplinary issues in the factory. This is a temporary assignment from the leaders. We don't care whether you see a doctor or not. Besides, I am also from Nanluoguxiang and live in No. 95 Compound. Maybe I will need to ask you to see a doctor in the future! Don't worry!"

After hearing what he said, the old man felt relieved and agreed to sign.

Xu Damao took out the notebook and pen he carried with him, quickly wrote down what had happened, and then gave it to the old man for review.

The old man was literate because he had been learning medicine from his master since he was a child. He often read medical books and recited prescriptions. When he saw that what was written was consistent with what Xu Damao said, he happily picked up the pen and wrote down his name.

Xu Damao took the notebook, thanked the old man again and again, then took Fan Sizhe to Red Star Hospital.