Tang Hao got out of bed at about eight o’clock in the morning.
He had only slept for a few hours but he felt well-rested.
He contemplated his schedule for the day. After delivering packages, he would have to make a trip to the medicinal herb market.
He needed to buy the components for a few more portions of the Liquid of Spiritual Condensation. Then, the components for the weight loss and aphrodisiac potions and beauty enhancement cream.
He also needed to buy some other medicinal herbs to concoct new types of potion, such as potions for health care and hair growth.
“Health care and hair growth potions… these potions should have business potential.” Tang Hao mumbled. He opened the front gate and pushed his little three-wheeled motorcycle and walked out.
He shut the gate, and just as he was about to hop onto his ride, he heard a booming voice coming from next door.
“Hey, Lil Hao, delivering packages again?”
The voice was piercing and sounded derisive.
Tang Hao furrowed his brows and turned to look. He saw a girthy middle-aged woman coming out of her house. She was holding a rice bowl in her hand and looking at him with disgust.
Tang Hao sighed and cursed his bad luck.
He turned back, pushed his three-wheeled motorcycle and walked toward the road.
“Hey, you little whelp, where are your manners? Don’t you greet your elders when you meet them? Hmph! You’re a hooligan indeed. No manners!” His aunt yelled at him without any reservation.
“My Bowen is still better! He’s a university student. He has knowledge and manners, how outstanding! Unlike you, you’re fated to deliver packages for all your life.
“Sigh! Too bad your dad died early, and he didn’t get to educate you.” She continued talking.
“Enough! Shut up!” Tang Hao could not bear it anymore. He could tolerate her disparaging him. They were relatives after all, and his uncle had helped him before. However, he could not tolerate her talking bad about his father.
“Ha, little whelp! You’ve grown a pair! You dare to talk to me like that!” His aunt was riled. She laid down her rice bowl and chopsticks. With her arms akimbo and her round eyes, she looked like a mad woman.
“Come round, my fellow villagers! Come and look at this uneducated whelp who yelled at me! What an ingrate!”
The people next door heard the commotion and came out of their houses to look. A few young children sneaked out of their houses and scuttled over.
“Pay attention, kids, don’t be like him in the future. He didn’t stay at school and became a hooligan, so he can only do lowly jobs like delivering packages.
“You should learn from my Bowen. Study hard, get into a good university graduate to be a government official. That’s called success.”
The young children looked at her, not quite understanding what she said, then they turned to look at Tang Hao.
“Alright, that’s enough! Can’t you just be kind to our nephew?” His uncle came out of the house.
“Ha! You’re siding him? Why are you siding with this kid who has no manners and no future?” His aunt roared. His uncle was intimidated and did not say anything more.
Tang Hao took a deep breath to suppress his anger. He pushed his little three-wheeled motorcycle and walked on the road.
Just then, he saw a police car come from the end of the road.
Police cars were a rare sight in Tang Village. They attracted a lot of attention.
“Who’s in trouble now?” a few villagers discussed among themselves.
The police car drove straight on the road and stopped near Tang Hao.
The car door opened and two police officers stepped out. One looked to be about fifty, while the other was about twenty.
The middle-aged police officer looked around and shouted, “Which one of you is Tang Hao?”
There was an uproar immediately when the villagers heard that.
The crowd of villagers looked at Tang Hao with strange gazes.
“Why is it Lil Hao? Did he get into trouble somewhere?”
“Why is Lil Hao always in trouble? He was in the hospital for half a month earlier from fighting with hooligans, and now he’s in trouble with the law this time.” The villagers chattered among themselves.
Meanwhile, his aunt became pleased with himself, and her delight was palpable.
“Just look at him, I was right about him. I knew that he’ll run into trouble and go to prison one day. See what’s happening now. It’s such a shame that someone like him exists in Tang Village!”
“That’s right, he brought shame to Tang Village!” Several people agreed, and they looked condescendingly at Tang Hao.
Tang Hao was confused when he looked at these police officers. He could not remember if he had done anything against the law.
‘Was it the incident last night?
‘That can’t be! I don’t think the bunch of hooligans called the police!’
The two policemen noticed Tang Hao.
The middle-aged police officer stepped forward and looked at Tang Hao with hostile eyes. “So you’re Tang Hao? Come with us!”
“What’s the matter, officer?” Tang Hao said.
“We’ve received a tip that you are involved in a robbery. We would like you to assist us with investigations,” the middle-aged officer replied coldly.
The discussions among the villages suddenly became more intense.
“Oh! And a robbery too! I didn’t know that he’s like that. This kid looks human but he’s actually a thief. Our Tang Village’s reputation is ruined,” his aunt shouted.
The villagers’ gazes became more and more condescending.
“I didn’t expect Lil Hao to be like that!”
“No wonder! His dad died when he was young and no one looked after him. He’ll eventually get into trouble.” The villagers discussed in hushed voices.
Tang Hao’s face changed and he felt anger well in his heart.
‘Robbery?
‘How was it possible! This is made-up!
‘Someone tipped them off? Someone is framing me!’
He suddenly recalled what Zhang Tianhao said.
“Excuse me, officers. Might you be mistaken? Even if you’ve received a tip, shouldn’t you verify that it’s true?” Tang Hao said.
“Of course we have.” The middle-aged police officer was stoic. “We did a check on your bank account and found that you have more than eight hundred thousand yuan in it. We also know that you’re only a delivery boy, so tell me, how does a delivery boy get eight hundred thousand yuan?”
The discussions became more intense again.
“Eight hundred thousand yuan? Oh my god! Where did Lil Hao get this much money? He must have stolen it!”
“Stealing eight hundred thousand yuan? How many years of prison is that?”
Tang Hao suppressed his anger and said, “I earned this money with my own hands. It’s not stolen money. As for the robbery, it’s all made up. I’m being framed.”
“Ha!” The middle-aged police officer smirked. “Still arguing? You’re just a delivery boy, how did you earn eight hundred thousand yuan? You can’t even fetch that much money if you sold your body.”
His face became vicious and turned to order at the younger police officer. “Cuff him! We’ll bring him back and interrogate him.”
Tang Hao finally noticed that something was not quite right.
This middle-aged police officer was deliberately picking a bone with him.
He thought carefully again and recalled that Zhang Tianhao had mentioned that he had an uncle who was a police officer. Was this him?
If that were the case, then there was no use talking sense. This police officer was out to get him. Even if he was found innocent, his reputation would still be ruined.