At the police station.
The bureau chief arrived in a hurry.
Zhang Ye acted friendly and said while waving, "Chief, long time no see."
The bureau said helplessly, "Teacher Zhang, what are you doing here again? I was just going to Tianjin on a business trip when I heard and had to rush back. Spare us, will you? The last incident you stirred up caused chaos at our police station. We were put on the radar of the city's Public Security Department and investigated until I nearly lost my job. It's not that I'm curious, but how have I offended you this time? Why do you keep coming back to haunt me? Can you do that to someone else? Go to another police station? I'll thank you for that, Teacher Zhang!"
Zhang Ye gave a dry laugh and said, "It's not like I know which district you're in charge of."
The bureau chief looked listless. "So what is it this time?"
Ma Xufei said, "It was a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding!"
Da Hui blinked and said, "Chief, since we're so familiar with each other, can you please let this go?"
The bureau chief rolled his eyes, thinking who they all were trying to act familiar with him. "How am I supposed to let this go? Someone has reported you guys for beating up people in a gang fight out on the public streets. You even hurt quite a few people."
Yu Yingyi asked, "Are their injuries serious?"
The bureau chief looked at the old policeman nearby.
The old policeman gave a bitter laugh. "It's not exactly serious, and they should only be external injuries. But a few of them are insisting on remaining in the hospital. They want to stay the night and get thoroughly examined, so they're definitely not going to let this go."
The bureau chief banged on the table and said, "This matter is very severe."
Hu Feifei stood forward. "It was all because of me; I was the one who led them, so arrest me!"
Zhang Ye said, "Oh come on, you need to be believable when you make such a claim. I was the one who led them."
The bureau chief said, "We already know part of the story from the victims themselves. Now tell me your side of it. We need to take your statements as well."
The old policeman said, "You guys are schoolmates, right?"
Wang He corrected, "Classmates."
Zhang Ye immediately pointed at Hu Feifei. "Our classmate was beaten by that fatass He. It's a case of domestic violence that has happened for two to three years."
Dong Shanshan said, "Feifei, show them!"
Hu Feifei pulled up her sleeves.
A policewoman went over to have a look, then looked at Feifei's neck and took a deep breath before saying angrily, "The blows are this ruthless?" She turned back around and said, "Chief, this is really too much!" A woman would feel for a woman, especially on matters of domestic violence.
Hu Feifei did not say a word.
Zhang Ye pointed at her and said, "Tell me, do you think we can tolerate this? We had to do something!"
The bureau chief smacked his lips. "You still can't beat people up on the streets."
Zhang Ye said, "Then next time, we can beat them up secretly?"
"Of course not!" The bureau chief was floored. "You guys have broken the law."
Zhang Ye nodded and said, "Alright, then let me take responsibility for this alone. Let the rest go."
"Zhang'er!"
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"What are you saying?"
"That's pointless!"
"Everyone had a part in it!"
"Right, we'll bear responsibility for it together!"
"Isn't it just getting detained? We'll take it!"
The bureau chief looked at the group of hot-blooded youths helplessly. "You're all pretty loyal." After a pause, he continued asking them about the details of what happened in the evening. Then he gestured to a few of the police officers and asked them to leave the room before saying to Zhang Ye and the others, "We handle several such cases a day, and they're considered neither major nor minor matters. From a moral viewpoint, Little Hu is definitely the victim and the judgment should be biased against you guys. But the way that you guys chose to handle this was very inappropriate. Couldn't you have reported it to the police? Couldn't you have contacted a lawyer to sue him? Why did you have to resort to violence? That's right, Teacher Zhang, aren't you a lawyer yourself?"
Zhang Ye said, "I haven't gotten my license to practice yet."
The bureau chief sighed. "The one who attacks first is the most disadvantaged. Besides, they reported it to the police and have evidence and eyewitnesses as well. Even if I want to help you guys, there's a limit to what I can do. So unless the other party decides not to pursue this, the case won't be dropped. We'll have to go by procedure and detain whoever needs to be detained."
There was a knock on the door.
The bureau chief said, "Come in."
A policewoman said, "Chief, you have a call."
The bureau chief looked over. "Who is it?"
The policewoman looked at Zhang Ye. "It's Zhang Ye's agent, Rao Aimin."
Then another person came in. "Chief, the PR rep of Zhang Ye's Studio, Ha Qiqi, is here."
Soon after, another policeman ran in and said, "Chief, a director at the Ministry of Public Security called to plead for Teacher Zhang."
Ministry of Public Security?
The police officers' eyes twitched.
Zhang Ye blinked several times. He knew who it was. Rao Aimin's junior martial brother must have found someone to speak up for him since he worked at the Ministry of Public Security.
"Chief!"
"The media has arrived!"
"There are more than 30 reporters blocking the main entrance!"
"Chief, there are people from Beijing TV here as well. It's Teacher Dong Shanshan's boss!"
"Central TV Sports Channel's deputy director is here too! They want to bail Teacher Yu out."
They could hear an uproar happening outside.
Especially that loud voice of Ha Qiqi's. It was extremely piercing. "And what are you all arresting him for? Based on what charges! The lawyer is already on the way here! I want to see Director Zhang right now!"
The bureau chief wiped his sweat away and said, "Go and handle it."
The door closed.
Feeling a headache coming on, the bureau chief said, "People from all kinds of places are starting to arrive here. Just look at this, what's going to happen now? Do you think it's easy for me to be a police chief here?"
Zhang Ye said, "I'm sorry about that. Blame it on me, I've really troubled you guys this time."
The bureau chief did not expect to hear such words from Zhang Ye, so he said, "Teacher Zhang, we've crossed paths before. I know what kind of person you are and that you would not hit others for no reason. If I were in your shoes and knew that my good friend was getting abused, I would've done the same even if it meant getting detained! But the problem is that you're too well-known. Everyone in China knows you, and you have so many enemies as well. Now that this matter has blown up on the Internet, we cannot downplay this case even if we wanted to."
Zhang Ye said, "I understand, but as for my classmates—"
"How about this?" interrupted the bureau chief, "You and a few of the leaders of the group can't leave today. As for the rest, I'll give you some face and allow them to leave."
Zhang Ye asked, "What about Hu Feifei?"
The bureau chief thought about it. "She can go back as well."
Zhang Ye immediately said, "Thank you so much!"
"No, that won't do!"
"Right, we won't leave!"
"If we are to leave, we'll leave together!"
Everyone shouted in agreement.
But Zhang Ye said, "That's enough. Is this such a good situation that you guys want to be part of it? Feifei, Xiaoqian, Yingyi, Shanshan, all of you go back first. And the rest of you who can leave, just leave. I'll stay behind here, so don't worry."
Dong Shanshan looked at him. "Are you going to be fine?"
Zhang Ye laughed and said, "What do you think? It's not like this is the first time I'm here, so just lead them out. By the way, don't let Hu Feifei go back home. Let her stay with you for now."
Dong Shanshan nodded. "Alright, I'll think of a way to get you out of here when I get out."
"OK," Zhang Ye said.
Then Dong Shanshan pulled Hu Feifei and Yu Yingyi away, saying, "Let's go. It'll be hard to get things settled if all of us stay here. Let's go outside and ask around to see how we can get them out."
Wang He waved his hands. "Just hurry up and go."
Da Hui said with a laugh, "Us men aren't afraid of staying here."
Yu Yingyi said firmly, "Wait for us!"
Hu Feifei said through her teeth, "I'll think of something!"
Zhang Ye smiled. "It's fine. At most, we get locked up for seven or eight days."
Hu Feifei said, "I'll definitely get you guys out!"
Zhang Ye waved them off, "Just go."
The female classmates all left.
The remaining people were then sent to the "little dark room."
When he went inside, Zhang Ye started reminiscing. A few years ago, he had written a poem on the wall that plunged the police station into chaos.
The poem was still there!
The faint writing could still be seen on the wall!
Wang He stared at the writing. "Shut are the doors for humans."
Da Hui continued, "Open is the entrance of a dog cage, a high pitched sound is heard—Crawl out and freedom will be granted….Pfft, Zhang'er, you wrote this!"
Everyone was amused!
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmHe Kui suddenly said, "Why not write another one now?"
Several of the police officers who sent them into the room were scared out of their wits when they heard that!
A young policeman shouted, "Don't! Don't write another!"
A policewoman said, "Teacher Zhang, calm down! Calm down!"
Zhang Ye said, "Don't worry, I'm not writing anything this time."
The police officers heaved sighs of relief and walked off with a lingering sense of fear.
Zhang Ye sat down on the floor. "Come on, bros. Take a seat."
Wang He made himself at home and said, "There's nothing to do anyway, so why don't we talk?"
Ma Xufei lay on the floor. "Ah, how comfortable."
Zhang Ye said with a laugh, "Then Old Ma can stay a few more days."
"Forget that." Ma Xufei rolled his eyes and said, "If I can get out of here, I'll definitely go. Who wants to stay in a place like this?"
Zhang Ye said, "So you guys now know how I felt a few years back?"
He Kui said, "Ai, I wonder how many days we'll be in here. We might even get transferred over to the prison?"
Old Zhou whistled and said, "I suppose we're getting badly scolded all over the Internet."
Zhang Ye chuckled. "I bet they're all insulting me."
But this time, Zhang Ye was really wrong about that.
…
On Weibo.
By now, the details of this case had been uncovered layer by layer!
It was true that a lot of people were criticizing Zhang Ye. There were even people of status who were well-respected, consisting of experts and academics who were mainly Zhang Ye's past foes. There were also some people who criticized Dong Shanshan and Yu Yingyi. However, there were even more people who did not criticize them. On this matter, the people's evaluation of Zhang Ye, Dong Shanshan, and the others was instead very fair.
"Beating up people is wrong, but it's understandable in this case!"
"Domestic violence should not be tolerated!"
"It was Zhang Ye and Dong Shanshan's old classmate who got abused first. You couldn't see something like this without taking action! Damn, if it were me, I would've beaten up that person too!"
"That He guy indeed went overboard. We can't blame Dong Shanshan and Yu Yingyi for this incident. Instead, I see them in a different light. They are truly goddesses! They have guts and principles!"
"Right!"
"I'm Shanshan's fan from now on!"
"Think of those celebrities who only care about themselves and act dumb or divert the topic whenever something happens. They only know how to think about themselves first when their friends are in trouble and try not to get implicated. Is there any meaning in being someone like that? I prefer people like Zhang Ye and Dong Shanshan who dare to shout and fight for their beliefs! They were willing to step in and do something based on their friendship with an old classmate. Even if they did wrong, it's understandable why they did it! Don't just come online to criticize others after you hear about a fight!"
"Just on this issue, I have to pay respect to Zhang Ye and Dong Shanshan!"
"For big shot Zhang Ye, and well-known hosts Dong Shanshan and Yu Yingyi, they were willing to put their reputations at stake. It must have really been difficult for them!"
"That He guy deserves it!"
"Zhang Ye should be let off with a slap on the wrist!"
"Right, cut him some slack!"
"What a pity. I had just finished listening to that shocking 'Chasing Dreams with a Pure Heart' and didn't expect that they would really handle things like how they had sung. Thank you, thank you to all of you. You've let us witness many beautiful sights. Zhang Ye, Shanshan, Yingyi, please keep running, forever with the pride of a pure heart!"