They saw who the alleged molester was and became angry.
Chapter 174 - The Police Are Here
The woman hugged Tang Hao tightly and screamed in ‘panic’.
Tang Hao immediately understood that he was being set-up.
Unquestionably, it was the handiwork of Chen Yan and Zheng Haoyu.
He reflexively pushed her away.
Everyone saw that happen and became angry.
That filthy kid had molested a woman in public. How brazen could he be?
“Isn’t that Xiangyi’s so-called boyfriend?”
“Let go of that woman, you filthy kid!”
A group of youths rushed forward and pointed at Tang Hao.
Soon, more people crowded around them. They pointed at the people involved while discussing among themselves.
The woman ‘struggled’ for a while, then stepped back and was immediately covered by several youths.
“This kid is worse than an animal! Why would Xiangyi be so blind to fall for him?”
“It’s the Old Master’s birthday celebration today, and he’s here molesting women. What human scum!”
The group of youths was furious.
“I should have known that this kid isn’t someone good. See, he’s already causing trouble! He’s a lecher and a potential rapist!”
The group of gossips was talking about Tang Hao among themselves.
“Beat him up, then throw him out! Human scum like him doesn’t deserve to be at the Old Master’s birthday celebration!”
“I think we should call the police to arrest him. This is sexual assault, and it’s a crime.”
Tensions were running high.
Tang Hao furrowed his brows and felt that the situation was rather tricky.
They had assumed that he was the bad guy and were regarding him with hostility. He did not think that the people would believe him even if he tried to explain himself.
“Dammit, the two bastards!” Tang Hao cursed under his breath. He did not expect that Chen Yan and Zheng Haoyu would set him up with such underhanded means.
The news spread to the people in the house. Many people rushed out, including Mr. Qin, Mrs. Qin, and Qin Xiangyi.
“What’s going on?” Mr. Qin asked, confused.
“It’s that kid! He sexually assaulted a woman in public. He’s worse than an animal!” Someone shouted.
Mr. Qin and the others were shocked when they heard that.
Zheng Haoyu flashed a sinister smile. He stood out from the crowd and roared, “Tang Hao, I didn’t expect that you’re a molester! Xiangyi must be blind to fall for you!”
Then, he turned toward Qin Xiangyi. “Xiangyi, look at him, he’s showing his true colors now. You look away for one minute and he’s gotten himself into trouble. You ought to break up with human scum like him.”
Qin Xiangyi furrowed his brows.
She did not believe that Tang Hao would do something immoral like that, much less in a crowded public place.
She understood that Zheng Haoyu and his mother must be behind the incident, looking at how eager they were to accuse Tang Hao.
She was about to say something when Qin Gang stood out and said sternly, “You’d better not run your mouth, you Zheng kid! My younger brother-in-law isn’t that kind of person!
“Think about it. If you already have a girlfriend as beautiful as my little sister, would you have hoo0k up with other women? Much less in a public place?”
Qin Gang stood next to Tang Hao. His emotions were running high.
Mr. Qin, Mrs. Qin, Chen Yan, and Zheng Haoyu were stunned when they saw Qin Gang stand up for Tang Hao.
‘Why is Xiangyi’s elder brother so eager to speak up for that kid? And what did he mean by ‘younger brother-in-law’?’
“Well…” Everyone hesitated. They thought carefully and found that the incident indeed sounded fishy.
“There’s nothing fishy about it!” Zheng Haoyu said, “This person is a total lecher. Xiangyi’s beauty won’t be enough to satisfy him! Also, these people saw it happen. The incident isn’t made up at all!”
“That’s right, we saw it happen!” Many people shouted.
Chen Yan shimmied over and shrieked, “We have so many witnesses here. They can’t be all wrong! Don’t you know that this kid is someone from the mountain village who’s never seen a pretty girl in his life? Now that Xiangyi is giving him money, he’ll definitely try to hook up with more women.”
The crowd exclaimed in surprise when they heard that.
Everyone started to look at him with disgust.
“Don’t worry, I’ve already called the police and they’ll be arriving soon. Don’t you think that someone like him who’s worse than an animal doesn’t deserve a spot at the Old Master’s birthday celebration? He’ll only be humiliating himself!” Chen Yan shrieked.
Everyone cheered in response.
Chen Yan smiled when she saw so many people supporting her. Her face, thick with make-up, flashed with glee.
“You dare oppose me, you filthy kid? You’re too tender for that!” She muttered to herself as she glared coldly at Tang Hao.
“You…” Qin Gang was livid.
He was not stupid. He knew that the mother and son must be behind the incident.
“Don’t be angry, Brother-in-law, if she has called the police, then we should wait for the police to come!” Tang Hao said calmly while patting Qin Gang’s shoulder.
He was not intimidated by those antics.
“Hah! Look at him, how arrogant can he be! Does he think that the police can’t touch him?” Chen Yan said with palpable mockery.
The people laughed with disdain as they looked at Tang Hao angrily.
Less than three minutes later, police sirens were heard from outside the house.
Soon, two middle-aged police officers came into the courtyard. “Where’s the molester?” They shouted.
Chen Yan piled smiles on her face and greeted them. “You’re here, Captain Zhang! Look, he’s the one!” She pointed at Tang Hao as she spoke.
“You’re a brazen one, kid!” The police officer called Captain Zhang glared at Tang Hao and laughed coldly. “Come along with us! And the woman too, please come to record your statement.”
The woman in a red dress emerged from the crowd. Her head was lowered and she looked traumatized.
“Let’s go!” Captain Zhang laughed coldly. He walked over and reached out to grab Tang Hao’s wrist.
Tang Hao reached out with his right arm and grabbed the police officer’s hand, then smiled calmly. “I’d like to ask you, Officer, what was the time that you received the call? And how long did you take to come here?
“I might be misunderstood, or maybe the police force has become very efficient lately, but shouldn’t you take at least ten minutes to arrive here from the police station?”
Chen Yan and Zheng Haoyu’s expression changed when they heard that.
Everyone also started to look doubtful. How did the police officers arrive at the scene so quickly?
Captain Zhang looked flustered for a while, then he said urgently, “Who says that I’m from the police station? I happened to be patrolling when I received the call, so I immediately rushed over. Of course I was fast.”
Then, a hint of viciousness flashed across his face. “You’re assaulting a police officer! I can arrest you for that!”
“Is that so!” Tang Hao smiled calmly and let go of his hand.
“Before we go, do you mind if I make a phone call?” Tang Hao said.
Captain Zhang was surprised. He hesitated for a while and laughed coldly. “Call whoever you want! Let me tell you, there’s no point even if you called the king of heaven!”
“Is that so?” Tang Hao smiled nonchalantly.
Then, he took out his phone and dialed Commissioner Xia’s number.
Chapter 175 - Asking for Old Master Luo’s Help
The call was soon answered.
“Hey, Lil Bro Tang! How can I help you?” Com
missioner Xia said eagerly.
“I’m having a little trouble at Stonegate Town. Someone is framing me for sexual assault, and they’ve conspired with the local police officers. They’re planning to bring me back to the station for questioning.”
“What?” Commissioner Xia nearly jumped out of his seat. “This is ridiculous!
“Just wait for me. I’ll be calling all the superintendents now! This is an outrage to justice! It will be handled with the utmost urgency!” Commissioner Xia said angrily.
Then, he ended the call.
After Tang Hao put away his phone, Captain Zhang took another step forward and tried to grab him again.
“Just wait for a bit!” Tang Hao said, “You’ll be in trouble if you try to arrest me now.”
Captain Zhang broke out laughing. “Hah, you’re a boastful one, kid! Do you think that I can’t touch you? Let me tell you, I’m the boss in Stonegate Town! I’ll beat you up if you don’t follow me!”
He gestured to the other police officer, then pounced on Tang Hao.
“You’ve asked for this!”
Tang Hao laughed coldly, then kicked toward him.
His foot landed squarely on Captain Zhang’s stomach. Captain Zhang’s face was immediately contorted. He flew backward and landed heavily on the ground.
Everyone was dumbstruck. Then, everyone roared in surprise.
They could not believe their eyes. That kid was so brazen that he kicked a police officer. Things were getting serious.
“Haha, you’re finished, kid!” Zheng Haoyu laughed out loud, being incredibly satisfied with how the situation had evolved.
The crime of assaulting a police officer was much more serious than sexual assault. That kid might not leave the police station alive.
“You… You dare attack me?” Captain Zhang’s face was contorted as he struggled to get up.
Tang Hao said nothing but only laughed coldly.
Captain Zhang was going to pounce at him in a fit of rage when suddenly, his phone started ringing.
He was shocked, then took his phone out of his pocket. “Why did the superintendent call me?” He wondered as he answered the call.
“Hey, Superintendent! What’s up? I’m in the middle of an arrest! This kid is stubborn. He even attacked me too! If I don’t see him locked up in jail, my surname isn’t Zhang,” he said.
“Arrest him, my *ss! If you dare lay a finger on him, you’re dead meat!” A furious voice was heard over the phone.
Captain Zhang was immediately confused.
“You’d better get your *ss back to the police station, Zhang! Don’t you know who he is? If you’ve laid a finger on him, you’re back to traffic duty tomorrow.
“Don’t you know that Commissioner Xia from the district office called me earlier? If he didn’t inform me, I wouldn’t know that you’re engaged in silly little schemes.
“You’d better apologize to him until he’s satisfied, then get your *ss back here! If he doesn’t accept your apology, then you’d better not come back.”
Then, the call ended.
Captain Zhang stood on the spot, his body trembling and his face pale as a sheet. Cold sweat poured from his forehead.
‘I’m finished!’ That was the only thought left in his mind.
He had thought that the matter would be easily settled. Chen Yan had told him that the kid was from a poor mountain village.
Who would have expected that the poor mountain village kid was a big shot who was personally acquainted with Commissioner Xia from the district office?
Everyone was curious when they saw Captain Zhang’s expression after the phone call.
‘Why does he look like he’s afraid?’
“What are you doing, Captain Zhang? Quick, arrest him!” Chen Yan shouted and urged him.
“I’ll arrest you instead!” Captain Zhang exploded with rage. “You’re the one who dragged me into this and now I’m in big trouble!”
Chen Yan was thoroughly confused when she heard that.
Then, Captain Zhang stepped up sheepishly to Tang Hao and bowed deeply. “I am sorry. This is all my fault. I have been mistaken! Please be magnanimous and forgive me!”
Everyone was stunned when they saw the scene.
‘What the hell is going on?
‘Why is Captain Zhang apologizing to the kid?
‘Didn’t Chen Yan say that the kid was a nobody from a mountain village? How did Captain Zhang’s attitude toward him change completely after just a phone call? Don’t tell me… he has someone powerful backing him?’
“Whatever. Just get lost from my face! Don’t ever do this again!” Tang Hao said as he waved his hands.
“Yes, yes!” Captain Zhang immediately grabbed the other police officer and ran away as though he had received a royal pardon.
Chen Yan stood there in a daze.
“How could this be?” She mumbled to herself. She could not believe what had happened.
‘How did my plan fail?’
‘Does the kid have someone powerful backing him? Maybe he might know someone in the district office?’
She gritted her teeth and glared at Tang Hao resentfully.
Everyone was silent.
They guessed that the situation was not as straightforward as it seemed. Someone must be pulling the strings.
To them, they would rather see the kid being hauled away.
“Alright, let’s scatter! The matter is settled for now!” A middle-aged man came out of the house and said in a deep voice.
That person was Master Qin, the eldest son of Old Master Qin.
The crowd slowly dissipated. Many people were unsatisfied that the kid was still there.
Some other people changed the way they regarded Tang Hao. They knew that the kid was not a pushover as he might seem.
“F*ck me! You’re pretty amazing, Younger Brother-in-law!” Qin Gang patted Tang Hao’s shoulder and said happily, “Tell me, how did you do that?”
“It’s nothing. I happen to know some people! Right, I need to make another phone call. I’ll see you later.”
Then, Tang Hao glared coldly at Chen Yan and Zheng Haoyu.
He was not going to let them off so easily, since they had tried to frame him of a serious crime.
He turned around and went out of the front entrance. At the riverbank, he took out his phone and dialed a number.
The call was soon answered.
“Long time no see, Old Master Luo!” Tang Hao said with a smile.
The other end of the phone was silent for a while. Then, Old Master Luo smiled drily and said, “How can I help you? Just say it!”
“Alright, I’ll be direct then. I’d like to ask a small favor. Luo Enterprises should have a lot of authority in Provincial City, right?”
“Sure! Does this count in the three favors that I owe you?”
“Of course not, it’s just a small matter. I’ll count it as a favor if you need to interfere personally.”
“Alright, just say it!”
“I need your help to investigate a company for me. Its name is Diwei Food Products. Also, help me investigate two people. One of them is called Chen Yan, and the other is called Zheng Haoyu. Don’t leave any stone unturned.”
“I’ve never heard of it before. It should be a small company!” Old Master Luo said.
“They’re small compared to Luo Enterprises!” Tang Hao said.
“Alright, I’ll get someone on it. You’ll have your reply soon.” Then, Old Master Luo ended the call.
Tang Hao put away his phone, smirked, then returned to the house.
Chapter 176 - Tang Hao’s Present
After the episode, the atmosphere in the courtyard was unsettling.
Everyone’s gaze toward Tang Hao was either full of hostility or envy.
“Are you going to let go of the matter just like that?” Qin Gang stood next to Tang Hao and said angrily. “The two people are despicable! How dare they pull off such an underhanded scheme?”
Tang Hao smiled. “Don’t worry, they won’t know what hit them.”
Qin Gang was surprised. He was about to ask further questions when a group of people came out of the house.
The group of people surrounded a bony, frail old man with white hair. He was slightly hunched and walked slowly with the help of a walking stick.
Unquestionably, that was Old Master Qin.
The atmosphere in the courtyard was once again festive. The people crowded all around and greeted him with celebratory messages and birthday presents.
Most of the birthday presents were antiques, especially calligraphic scrolls.
Old Master Qin was known to be fond of antique calligraphic scrolls.
“Ah, there’s no need to! Why are you giving me presents? Didn’t I say that I don’t want anything?” Old Master Qin said while waving his hand. “I’m happy that everyone is here.”
“You shouldn’t say that, Old Master. These gifts represent our thoughts for you. If you don’t accept them, does that mean that you don’t appreciate us?”
“That’s right. You should take them, Old Master!”
The people tried to convince Old Master Qin.
Old Master Qin laughed drily.
The Qin family members went around to collect the presents.
“Let’s go!” Qin Xiangyi noticed that fewer people were crowding around Old Master Qin, then pulled Tang Hao over to greet the Old Master. Qin Gang also followed along.
“Grandpa!” Qin Xiangyi smiled happily and greeted Old Master Qin with a sweet voice.
Old Master Qin smiled. His eyes were brimming with indulgence as he looked at Qin Xiangyi.
Then, he shifted his gaze to Tang Hao and slightly furrowed his brows, though he soon looked away as though nothing happened.
“Don’t tell me that you’ve prepared a present for me too, my dear granddaughter!” Old Master Qin pretended to pull a long face.
“It’s your eightieth birthday today, Grandpa! I’d be rude if I come here empty-handed!” Qin Xiangyi said and extended the hand that was hidden behind her. It was a scroll holder.
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