Siheyuan: I just came across and wanted to chase me away

Chapter 989 Xiao Bao is arrested

Tong Ren stood there, his gaze fixed on Xiao Bao lying on the ground, his brows furrowing slightly. He had never expected that this usually fierce and ruthless character would be lying there like a rag doll, his limbs twisted at bizarre angles, his usual arrogance completely gone.

He subconsciously took a step forward, wanting to see what was going on, but his old subordinate quickly stopped him, saying, "Chief, Xiao Bao is a notorious ruthless criminal. Who knows if he's faking it? What if it's a trap? I'd better go and check it out myself."

Tong Ren stopped and nodded.

Xiao Bao lay on the ground, his mind a complete mess. His body felt as if all his bones had been removed, leaving him utterly powerless. Only then did he belatedly realize—that bastard Gu Nan hadn't given him painkillers at all; it was clearly a drug that could cripple a person! He wanted to scream, to demand answers, but when he opened his mouth, only muffled "ooh-ooh-ooh" sounds came out, as if his mouth was gagged. He couldn't utter a single complete sentence; his eyes were filled only with overwhelming hatred and despair.

Seeing his condition, Tong Ren instructed the people around him, "Alright, take him to the hospital first. Remember, send several people to keep an eye on him, never leave his side, and make sure nothing goes wrong."

The police officers nearby initially murmured, thinking Xiao Bao was feigning madness to get away with it—after all, this guy was cunning and resourceful; who would believe he would suddenly turn into such a wretched state? Someone tried gently touching his arm with a baton, and Xiao Bao convulsed in pain, but he didn't even have the strength to raise his hand to block; they then tried to get him to stand up, but he seemed to have no bones, unable to stand no matter how they supported him. After several attempts, everyone had no choice but to believe that Xiao Bao had truly become a cripple who couldn't move.

The ambulance arrived shortly after. Xiao Bao struggled and whimpered as he was lifted onto the stretcher, but it was all in vain. Tong Ren watched the ambulance drive away, knowing full well that whatever happened behind the scenes, Xiao Bao was now completely finished.

On the other side, Gu Nan strolled slowly through the alley, toying with a pebble between his fingers. Gu Bei followed silently behind, his footsteps making soft sounds on the bluestone slabs. After walking for a while, Gu Nan suddenly stopped and turned to look at him: "If you have any questions, just say them. Don't keep them to yourself."

Gu Bei scratched his head and said bluntly, "Gu Nan, you're just handing Xiao Bao over to the police like this? Aren't you afraid he'll find a chance to escape later? It'll be even harder to catch him then."

Gu Nan smiled upon hearing this, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "Run? He can forget about it for the rest of his life. What do you think I fed him? It was a specially made medicine. It's not fatal, but it will slowly atrophy the tendons in his limbs, making him a complete cripple from now on, even having difficulty walking. And he still wants to seek revenge on me?"

Gu Bei was taken aback, not expecting Gu Nan to have such a thing in his possession. He then nodded and breathed a sigh of relief: "Then I'm relieved." With Xiao Bao, this major worry, gone, he could finally feel more at ease.

He paused, then looked at Gu Nan, his tone slightly bewildered: "Now that this matter is settled, what should I do next? I can't just keep following you around like a homeless person."

Gu Nan pondered for a moment and nodded: "I've been so busy dealing with Xiao Bao these days that I haven't really thought about this properly." He looked up at the smoke rising from the chimneys in the distance. "I'll think about it when I get home. If all else fails, why don't you go check out Xianghe? I heard they're doing some construction there recently, and there are plenty of opportunities. With your abilities, you might be able to make a name for yourself."

Gu Bei's eyes suddenly lit up. He had heard of Xianghe before; it wasn't far from the city center, and with the favorable policies of the past two years, it was a booming area, bursting with opportunities. He nodded vigorously, his tone unusually cheerful: "Okay, I'll listen to you." The confusion that had been lingering in his heart for days seemed to be swept away by these words, and even his steps became lighter.

Although Gu Bei possesses the ability to think independently, the core program dictates his absolute trust in Gu Nan, making him more like a sophisticated "machine" with its own consciousness. He looked at Gu Nan with a firm gaze: "Okay, I'll follow your arrangements."

Gu Nan nodded and didn't say anything more. Since it wasn't time to leave work yet, he strolled around the factory area with his hands in his pockets, checked the production progress in the workshop, and chatted with the security guard at the gate for a bit. When he passed the corner grocery store, he went in and bought some braised beef, braised chicken feet, and two bags of freshly baked peach shortbread—as a "reward" for Gu Bei and Hei Zi.

Back at their temporary lodgings, he handed his things to Gu Bei: "Gu Bei, get some rest here and recharge. I'll take care of the rest."

Gu Bei took the things and nodded. Seeing that it was getting late, he went back to his room. Just then, Hei Zi came running over, rubbing its head against Gu Nan's trouser leg, making soft, whimpering noises, as if seeking praise. "Gu Nan, I'm going to have a good meal tonight!" Its round, black eyes were full of anticipation for the "reward."

Gu Nan chuckled and reached out to stroke its glossy black fur: "I know. We were able to deal with Xiao Bao this time thanks to you and Gu Bei. Don't worry, you won't be treated badly. We'll give you some spiritual water when we get back, and I guarantee your fur will be even shinier."

Hei Zi seemed to understand. Although it was a little upset that Gu Nan had "ignored" it for a moment, it immediately beamed with joy (if you could see a smile on a dog's face), wagged its tail, and obediently followed Gu Nan home.

Gu Nan felt a little relieved, his tense nerves finally relaxing, but he didn't completely let his guard down. After all, there was still Lu Jia, whose identity was shrouded in mystery and whose actions were secretive. Although they hadn't directly clashed, she exuded a dangerous aura, and it was hard to guarantee that she wouldn't become a formidable enemy in the future.

Meanwhile, Xu Damao from the steel rolling mill was preoccupied with something, feeling uneasy. He thought about sounding out Gu Nan, so he hurried to Gu Nan's deputy director's office. But after knocking on the door for a long time, the "knock, knock, knock" sound echoed in the corridor, but there was no response from inside.

Xu Damao was puzzled and was turning around with a frown when he bumped into Lao Wang from the same department. He quickly grabbed Lao Wang and asked with a puzzled look, "Lao Wang, I've been knocking on Deputy Factory Director Gu's door for ages, but no one's answering. He's not the kind of person who would leave his post without a reason."

Old Wang laughed and patted him on the shoulder: "How long has it been since you last visited the factory? Deputy Factory Director Gu took leave early this morning, saying he had some family matters to attend to, and he probably won't be back until tomorrow."