Chapter One, Hawkers and Urban Management
August is the hottest season in Mingxi County.
This small town located in the southwest of Nanchuan Province, China, is surrounded by water on three sides and backed by mountains on the other side. It is as hot as a steamer emitting white steam.
As the lights come on, the most prosperous pedestrian street in Mingxi County is crowded with people, bustling and prosperous.
"Set up a stall!" Several shouts came from an alley behind the pedestrian street, and then various trolleys miraculously emerged from the alleys. Men, women, old and young men of different skin colors emerged from the corners of the alley, gathering people and rushing towards the pedestrian street.
Walking at the end was a middle-aged woman and a teenager.
The young man is named Fang Ming, who is fifteen years old this year and lives with his mother Lin Guifang. The mother and son depend on each other and make a living by setting up stalls to build night markets.
Fang Ming dragged his cart, turned the alley, and quickly came to the pedestrian street.
Put down the chariot, take off the barbecue truck, line up all kinds of side dishes, and there are also bright oil and salt jars.
"Come on all kinds of barbecues, come and buy them!" Fang Ming shouted twice, put a handful of mutton skewers on the iron plate and grilled them. The flames were filled with mutton, and soon became golden and translucent, with a fragrance.
The business is good today, and I soon sold twenty strings. Fang Ming said happily: "Mom, go back first, and I will go home after I have finished selling."
Lin Guifang wiped the hair on her forehead, and her face exuded a unique calmness. Fang Ming had become accustomed to this kind of calmness of her mother. Over the years, even at the bottom of society, her mother's words and deeds remained a kind of elegant calm that was different from ordinary people.
Looking at the wrinkles added to my mother's forehead, Fang Ming suddenly felt a little sad: "Mom, I have already been admitted to Mingxi High School. I will definitely try my best to get into college and strive to get out of work early so that you can enjoy a happy life!"
"Son, it's enough for you to have this kind of heart!" Lin Guifang smiled with relief, picked up a palm-leaf fan and slapped Fang Ming.
Today's business was surprisingly good. It came out at half past six and sold out at seven o'clock. The mother and son talked and laughed, and time passed quickly.
"Woo--" A shrill cry suddenly sounded, and the vendors nearby panicked, and a middle-aged man in his forties shouted: "Go away, the cat is here!"
Maoer is an alias for urban management by a vendor. I heard that Maoer was coming, and the entire pedestrian street was waving the guise, and all kinds of jingles were heard, which was very spectacular.
"Run, I'll tell you to run!" With a loud roar, four law enforcement vehicles lined up in a row. With a "slam", dozens of tall and big men rushed out of the car, and they waved batons and rushed towards the vendors.
Pots, bowls and cups rolled all over the ground. Several urban management officers caught a middle-aged woman and forcibly confiscated her fruits and vegetables.
"Brother, okay, okay, can I not put it on?" The middle-aged woman reluctantly grabbed the fruit basket.
"Go away, or you will be sent to the police station to be punished!" A middle-aged woman who ignored the begging, forcibly confiscated her fruits and loaded them into a law enforcement vehicle.
The middle-aged woman sat on the ground and cried, and the city managers stepped over her and continued to chase the vendors who were fleeing everywhere.
Since childhood, Fang Ming has been setting up a stall with his mother Lin Guifang. Fang Ming has experienced many battles. At the moment when the urban management appeared, Fang Ming quickly put the barbecue truck on the cart, grabbed the handle of the cart and ran into the alley, and his mother Lin Guifang followed behind.
After turning a few turns, Fang Ming left the urban management behind. Just as he was so tired that he was breathing, a group of people wearing light blue uniforms suddenly appeared at the entrance of the alley ahead.
A tall urban management officer came over, waving a baton in his hand and a cigarette in his mouth: "I'll tell you to run away, I'll tell you that in order to welcome the provincial health city inspection this time, no stalls are allowed. Come on, drag the cart away!"
Fang Ming pulled his mother and turned around and ran away. Several urban management officers quickly caught up with her, and the baton was smashed down frantically. His mother Lin Guifang was hit on her head, and blood suddenly surged like a spring.
"You---You actually hit someone?" Fang Ming angrily pushed away an urban manager. He wanted to protect his belongings. This was the only valuable thing in the family.
"What's wrong with beating you? You don't change your advice, you should beat me!" Two more batons were hit, and Fang Ming's body immediately swollen, making it hot and spicy.
"I---I'll fight with you!" Fang Ming didn't know where the strength came from. He just felt anger rushed from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. He grabbed the baton and stabbed a city manager suddenly!
The stick happened to hit the waist of the urban manager, and he slowly fell down - "Little bastard, dare to hit someone, take him down!" The urban manager led by the city shouted loudly, and several urban managers rushed forward, and Fang Ming was finally pressed to the ground!
"Bang!" The city management captain stepped on Fang Ming's face, and Fang Ming's face was immediately squeezed and deformed.
"Captain Wang, what should we do with these two people?" a team member asked for instructions.
The person in charge, called Captain Wang, thought for a while and said, "He injured our people, this must be dealt with. I think I'll send it to the Public Security Bureau first---"
The urban management officer took the mother and son to the car. Lin Guifang stroked Fang Ming's cheek and said, "Does it still hurt?"
"It doesn't hurt!" Fang Ming said grinning. He looked at his mother's wound still bleeding. He tore off his shirt with a "swish" and wrapped it with his mother-ten minutes later, the mother and son were taken to the police station.
As soon as he got off the car, a short and fat police officer came up with a smile: "Captain Wang, are you here in person? Just call this little thing!"
"Director Li, there is no way. The current law enforcement is difficult!" Captain Wang sighed, and then said viciously: "This person injured our team member. Director Li has to leave it to you. I hope the brothers must support our work!"
"It's all brothers, it's easy to say, it's easy to say! Besides, Mingxi County is going to participate in the sanitary city this time. We must handle these bad apples that harm the appearance of the city with impartiality!" Director Li said with a smile.
After seeing off Captain Wang and his party, Director Li's face suddenly turned dark: "Take them to the interrogation room and interrogate them carefully!"
Fang Ming was just a fifteen-year-old boy after all, and his heart was beating, his nervous palms were covered in sweat. He had just been admitted to high school and entered the police station. If he had a note on the file, would he still read this book?
Fang Ming raised his head and looked at his mother. Her mother's expression remained calm from beginning to end. She looked at Director Li and said lightly: "Can I make a call?"
"During the interrogation period, no contact with the outside world is allowed!" Director Li said with a dark face.
Lin Guifang raised her head, her eyes were like a sharp sword, extremely majestic. At this moment, she seemed not a small vendor on the street, but a powerful woman: "I just said to my family, isn't this possible? Which public security regulations stipulate that you cannot talk to the outside world?"
Director Li was stunned, and his tone softened: "Okay, you can fight!"
A small vendor, is there any background? Director Li pointed a cigarette, smoked it soundlessly, and looked suspicious.
Lin Guifang took a long breath, and she suddenly hesitated, and Director Li saw this subtle action.
"Hmph!" Director Li said disdainfully: "Don't pretend, just hit it quickly!"
Lin Guifang stretched out her finger and quickly pressed a string of numbers. Fang Ming wondered. Her father passed away a long time ago, and she was the only one in the family. Who was she going to call? Could anyone save her mother and son at this moment?
When the phone was connected, Lin Guifang said tremblingly: "It's me--I'm at Mingxi Police Station!"
Hang up the phone, Director Li waved his hand, and the two policemen took the mother and son into the interrogation room and explained the problem thoroughly---
Chapter completed!