Chapter Seventy: Distinguishing

  The next afternoon, Zhao Zhibin accompanied Chen Guang, deputy director of the Political Department of the Military Sub-district, to meet Ye Tufei.

  Emotionally speaking, Zhao Zhibin didn't like working with Chen Guang.

  Chen Guang is an old comrade, he joined the revolution more than a decade ago. When he was fighting against local tyrants and implementing land reform in Ruijin, Zhao Zhibin was still standing by the river with his little friends, comparing who could pee further.

  But old comrades like him often have a characteristic, that is, they are extremely principled, to the point of being almost paranoid. When the organization arranged for Zhao Zhibin and Chen Guang to work together to investigate Ye Tufei, Zhao Zhibin's head was swollen.

  He burst out in anger: "I don't know what the organization was thinking, letting this blockhead participate in the investigation of Ye Tufei, isn't that just asking for trouble?"

  Lü Yáo also had the same feeling, but he couldn't express it in front of Zhao Zǐbīn. On the contrary, he still had to maintain the organization: "What are you talking about? How can you call Comrade Chen Guang a dead brain?"

  Zhao Zhibin hummed and said, "Commander Lü, you're not unaware of Chen Guang's temperament. A small matter like a sesame seed becomes a watermelon in his hands. Ye Tufei used to be a bandit and wore the uniform of the Imperial Japanese Army; with these two points alone, wouldn't Comrade Chen Guang grasp them tightly and not let go?"

  Lyu Yao smiled and stretched out his hand to Zhao Zhibin.

  Zhao Zhibin habitually took out a cigarette, and just as he was about to hand it over, he suddenly thought of last night's events and quickly withdrew his hand: "Where did that pack of cigarettes go last night?"

  Lyu Yao snatched the pack of cigarettes from Zhao Zhibin's hand and shouted, "What half a pack, it's clearly just half a pack!"

  Zhao Zhibin wanted to retrieve his own pack of cigarettes, but Lü Yao had already hidden behind the office desk. Zhao Zhibin could only give up and ask Lü Yao for a cigarette instead.

  The two lit their cigarettes, and Liao Yao said: "Originally, the organization didn't arrange for you to come and cooperate with Chen Guang. It was I who insisted on it. Why? Isn't it just because I thought that only you, Zhao Zhibin, could tame that stubborn brain?"

  Zhao Zhibin grumbled and replied, "How could I have that ability? Besides you and Yuan Zhengwei, who else would listen to that stubborn fool? I'll say it upfront, Commander Lü, if something happens and Ye Tufei isn't kept here, don't blame me!"

  Lv Yao glared with round eyes and shouted: "Not blaming you? Then who should I blame? You want me to go and blame that stubborn old Chen? Let me tell you, Zhao Zhibin, listen carefully, if you can't control that Chen Guang and mess up this matter, humph, just wait and see how I'll deal with you!

  Zhao Zhibin looked dissatisfied and stubbornly said: "Then you might as well take me away now."

  Lü Yáo saw that the hard one wouldn't work, so he immediately changed to a soft one. He pulled open the drawer of his office desk, took out a box, and placed it on the desktop: "Comrade Zhao Zhibin, my Director Zhao, my beloved little brother Binbin, what do you think this is?"

  Zhao Zhibin didn't even glance at him, lowering his head and remaining silent.

  Lyu Yao chuckled and said, "Hey, this Colt pistol is great, but the bullets are hard to come by! It seems that my fifty rounds of Colt pistol ammunition..."

  Before Lü Yao finished speaking, Zhao Zhibin had already pounced on the table, his hands tightly hugging the box of bullets, staring at Lü Yao with pleading eyes: "Commander Lü, considering I've followed you for many years, just pretend I was talking nonsense earlier. From now on, whatever you say, I'll listen. If I dare to argue with you again, take back this box of bullets, okay?"

  Lyu Yao burst out laughing and said: "Alright! Of course!"

  Zhao Zhibin held the box of bullets as if it were a treasure, and returned to his original position, staring at it with wide eyes, afraid that the box would suddenly grow wings.

  Lv Yao said: "Chen Guang's principle is very strong, I think this is also the main reason why the organization arranged him to do this thing. Otherwise, if someone else were replaced, it would be difficult to shut up Peng Youming and Yan Xiwen's mouths. Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages. Chen Guang presiding over the investigation of Ye Tufei indeed has risks, and if things go wrong, the two will fight, so Ah, Zhibin, the burden on your body is not light! Fortunately, you have saved Chen Guang's life before, he will give you some face."

  Zhao Zhibin carefully put away the box of bullets and said to Lü Yao, "From your tone, are you asking me to go with Xi Ni?"

  Lü Yáo lit another cigarette and said, "Whether the house is solid or not depends on whether this thin mud mixture is strong enough."

  With Lv Yao's explanation and recommendation, Zhao Zhibin finally agreed to work with Chen Guang.

  But Zhao Zhibin did not expect that this task of stirring the mud would be so arduous, Chen Guang and Ye Tufei actually started fighting as soon as they met.

  Everyone behind his back called Chen Guang a dead brain, and this dead brain was indeed dead to the extreme. He opened up his notebook, took out his pen, and as soon as he spoke, he said: "Name?"

  Ye Tu Fei didn't hear clearly and asked back: "What?"

  Chen Guang reluctantly raised his head, emphasizing his tone, and said: "Name?"

  Ye Tu Fei heard clearly this time and his temper flared up, retorting: "You don't even know my name, what do you want from me? You're really sick!"

  Chen Guang threw down his pen and looked at Ye Tuofei with a cold eye, saying: "This is an organizational procedure, please be serious."

  Ye Tu Fei flew back with a cold eye and said: "That's your organization's program, what does it have to do with me?"

  Seeing the situation, Zhao Zhibin quickly got up to mediate. He first comforted Chen Guang and begged him to calm down: "That, that, Uncle Chen, it's all my fault! I didn't make things clear to Ye Tufei, which led to a misunderstanding. Why don't you go next door to rest for a while? I'll talk to Ye Tufei and clarify things."

  After Chen Guangyi left the house, Zhao Zhibin quickly approached Ye Tufei and said: "Ye Liu Ye, you also calm down, this old comrade Chen, ah, he was injured here!" He pointed to his own head.

  The second day after Ye Tufei arrived at the Yimeng base, Zhao Zhibin came to visit him. When Zhao Zhibin mentioned the story of saving each other three years ago on Erlang Mountain, Ye Tufei finally remembered who Zhao Zhibin was.

  In the following days, Zhao Zhibin occasionally went to find Ye Tufei, either to chat or to bring two boxes of cigars. After a few encounters, the two became familiar with each other, and Ye Tufei sincerely admired this passionate and kind-hearted man.

  At this time, Zhao Zhibin was unreasonable and reconciled with Chen Guang. Ye Tufei couldn't help but give his brother face, so he smiled and said to Zhao Zhibin: "It's okay! It's just a moment of anger."

  Zhao Zhibin handed a cigarette to Ye Tufei and said: "There's no cigar on me, just make do with this cigarette!"

  Ye Tu Fei politely declined, smiling and taking out a cigar: "I have one! I thought it wasn't allowed to smoke here, you see how suffocated I am."

  Zhao Zhibin lit a cigarette for himself first, then used the match to light Ye Tufei's cigar and replied: "Hmm, smoking is not allowed here, but since Commander Lü has spoken, there's an exception for Master Ye Liu. Hehe, I'm also taking advantage of your influence!"

  Ye Tu Fei took a deep drag on his cigar, slowly exhaling the smoke, and said: "Now I'm comfortable. Go call that old fellow back, I guarantee I won't lose my temper again and will answer each of his questions seriously."

  Zhao Zhibin smiled and quickly ran next door to call Chen Guang over.

  Chen Guang never smoked, as soon as he entered the house, he was choked. He covered his mouth and nose with one hand, and fanned himself in front of him with a notebook in the other hand. Zhao Zhibin saw this and quickly pushed open the window.

  Chen Guang returned to his original seat, using a notebook to fan himself vigorously and said in a low voice: "Name?"

  Ye Tu Fei took another drag, then stubbed out the cigar on the ground and replied: "Ye Tu Fei, Ye as in leaf, Tu as in journey, Fei as in flying."

  Chen Guang's face was expressionless as he continued to ask: "Sex?"

  Ye Tu Fei looked at Chen Guang and then at Zhao Zi Bin before answering somewhat helplessly: "Male."

  Chen Guang was making a serious record on his notebook, with his head down, and asked again: "Age?"

  Ye Tu Fei thought for a moment and said: "Thirty, oh, thirty-one."

  Chen Guang raised his head, looked at Ye Tufei, moved his mouth twice, but ultimately didn't say anything. He lowered his head again and wrote it down in his notebook before continuing to ask: "Birthplace?"

  Ye Tu's words were stuck in his throat, and he didn't make a sound for half a day.

  Chen Guang thought Ye Tufei hadn't heard clearly and asked again: "Where is your birthplace? That is to say, where were you born?"

  Ye Tu Fei let out a soft sigh and said: "I don't know!"

  Chen Guang's face showed a suspicious expression, and he asked another question: "What is your father's name? What is your mother's name?"

  Ye Tu Fei closed his eyes and shook his head gently, saying: "I don't know!"

  Chen Guang put the pen cap back on the pen and said, "So where did you spend your childhood? I know you're literate, so where did you learn to read and write? You should at least know that, right?"

  Ye Tu Fei's face showed a painful expression, he tightly wrapped his arms around his head, and trembled with his voice: "I don't know! I don't know anything! Don't ask me again, stop asking!"

  Chen Guang sighed, looked at Ye Tu Fei again, then glanced at Zhao Zi Bin, shook his head, sighed again, closed the notebook, stood up and walked out of the room.

  Zhao Zhibin quickly went over to support Ye Tufei and asked with concern: "Ye Liu Ye, what's wrong with you?"

  Ye Tufei slowly relaxed, releasing his grip on Zhao Zhibin's head, and smiled bitterly: "Maybe you won't believe me even if I tell you, but everything I said is true."

  Zhao Zhibin said: "Sixth Master, I believe every word you say."

  Ye Tu Fei pressed his temples and said, "I may have amnesia, I don't remember anything from three years ago, only knowing my name is Ye Tu Fei. Also, whenever I mention past events, I will involuntarily get a headache."

  Zhao Zhibin nodded silently, as if muttering to himself, saying: "No wonder, when I chatted with your brothers, they didn't know about Sixth Master's past stories either."