Looking at the few packs of cigarettes on the back seat, Hou Liangping suspected he was hallucinating.
He picked up a pack and examined it closely. It was indeed a pack of "Hua Zi" (Chinese brand cigarettes).
He couldn't help but wonder, "When did he give this to me?"
He couldn't remember at all.
Xiao Gang Yu said, "I was right behind you. I saw him give you the cigarettes, and you even pretended not to see it."
Hou Liangping looked innocent and said, "I have no idea what's going on."
He turned to the man and asked, "Did you really give me these cigarettes? When did you give them to me? I didn't see anything."
The man didn't answer his question. Instead, he struggled and complained, "It's just a few packs of cigarettes. It's not worth arresting someone."
Xiao Gang Yu grabbed his hands and said sternly, "A few packs of cigarettes? You think that's not enough? Come clean! Are you trying to curry favor with Hou Liangping?"
The man protested, "I'm not. I just asked him for directions."
Xiao Gang Yu scoffed, "Who are you kidding? You ask for directions and give five packs of 'Hua Zi' as a reward?"
The man replied, "I want to, what can you do about it?"
Xiao Gang Yu snorted coldly, "Fine, I'll assume you just asked for directions." Then he turned to Hou Liangping and said, "Director Hou, you're pretty amazing. You accept five packs of 'Hua Zi' just for giving directions."
Hou Liangping, holding a pack of 'Hua Zi', stood there dumbfounded, trying to recall what happened earlier.
But the arguing between the two was making his head spin.
He held his head and said uncomfortably, "Director Xiao, don't rush. Let me think about it."
Xiao Gang Yu remained silent and gave him some time to think.
Hou Liangping mumbled as he recalled, "I was about to go to dinner with Secretary Xu. He said his stomach wasn't feeling well and needed to use the bathroom. After he left, I think I took a nap. When I woke up, I heard him asking for directions, so I told him. Then you came."
Xiao Gang Yu asked, "What directions did he ask for?"
Hou Liangping replied, "He asked how to get to the World Trade Center."
Xiao Gang Yu said, "That's it?"
Hou Liangping nodded, "That's it. I really don't know how these cigarettes got into my car."
Xiao Gang Yu, with a stern face, said unhappily, "Do you think that ridiculous excuse can convince me?"
Hou Liangping thought it was ridiculous too.
But that's how it happened. How else could he explain it?
Just then, Xu Zhao came back from the bathroom and said from a distance, "Director Hou, get in the car."
He was about to get into his own car.
But Xiao Gang Yu shouted, "Stop, don't leave!"
Xu Zhao pretended to be confused, walked over, and looked at the three of them with a puzzled expression, "What's going on?"
Xiao Gang Yu said, "You and Hou Liangping, are you together?"
Xu Zhao said, "We were about to go to dinner together. Is there a problem?"
Xiao Gang Yu said, "Then that's right. I now suspect the three of you are colluding in an illegal transaction. Please come back with me for investigation."
Xu Zhao looked bewildered and said, "Are you mistaken? We just came out of the Procuratorate. You say we're involved in an illegal transaction here?"
Xiao Gang Yu said, "I saw it with my own eyes. How could I be wrong? These packs of 'Zhong Hua' (Chinese brand cigarettes) are the evidence."
Xu Zhao glanced at the 'Zhong Hua' cigarettes in Hou Liangping's hand and asked, "Director Hou, what happened just now?"
Hou Liangping said in a frustrated tone, "I don't know what's going on. These cigarettes mysteriously appeared in my car."
Xu Zhao couldn't help but laugh and said, "No way, I just left for a moment, and you already received a few packs of cigarettes."
Then, with a look of realization, he pointed at Hou Liangping and Xiao Gang Yu, "I know, you two are trying to play a prank on me, right?"
Xiao Gang Yu said sternly, "Who's playing a prank on you? I'm serious."
Xu Zhao chuckled and said, "You still say it's not a prank? Your acting is too fake. No one would engage in illegal transactions in the Procuratorate's parking lot. At least drive the car away from the area."
Xiao Gang Yu said unhappily, "Stop acting here. Open your car. I want to check it."
Xu Zhao gradually stopped smiling and said, "Director Hou, are you serious?"
Hou Liangping said with a wry smile, "I'm in no mood to joke right now. I'm completely innocent."
He was really baffled by the whole thing.
Xu Zhao said, "Then it's strange. Did you leave the car? Did someone sneak the cigarettes into your car?"
Hou Liangping sighed with even more wryness and said, "The strange thing is, I didn't leave the car. I stayed inside the whole time. I just took a nap, it seems."
Xu Zhao said, "Then someone threw the cigarettes into your car while you were napping."
Hou Liangping continued to laugh bitterly, "That's what I think too. The problem is, no one believes me."
Xu Zhao looked at Xiao Gang Yu. It was clear that he wouldn't believe it.
Because Xiao Gang Yu was the one he and Gao Yu Liang had arranged to act with.
After a moment of silence, Xu Zhao said, "How about this, let's call Director Ji over and see. I don't understand what's going on with you guys."
Xiao Gang Yu said, "Call whoever you want. I have both physical and circumstantial evidence. You won't escape."
Hou Liangping said, "That's the only option."
Although it was embarrassing, he couldn't explain it anymore.
He dialed Ji Chang Ming's number.
Ji Chang Ming was inspecting work with Sha Rui Jin. He answered the phone quickly after receiving the call, "Liangping, what's the matter?"
Hou Liangping briefly explained what happened at the parking lot.
Ji Chang Ming was confused and said, "Don't worry, I'll be there right away."
He hung up the phone.
Then he said to Sha Rui Jin, "Secretary Sha, something happened at the parking lot. I have to go check it out."
Sha Rui Jin said, "I'll go too."
So the two of them went to the parking lot.
From afar, they could see Xiao Gang Yu grabbing a man,
with Xu Zhao and Hou Liangping standing nearby.
Hou Liangping was holding a pack of 'Zhong Hua' cigarettes.
"Liangping, what's going on?"
Ji Chang Ming asked in confusion.
"It's like this. I was about to go to dinner with Secretary Xu. Then Secretary Xu suddenly wanted to use the bathroom, so he left for a moment. Then I took a nap in the car. When I woke up, I saw this guy asking for directions, so I told him. Then Director Xiao suddenly came from behind..."
Hou Liangping explained again.
Ji Chang Ming listened and nodded.
He knew that Xu Zhao was going to dinner with Hou Liangping.
There was also no problem with Xu Zhao going to the bathroom.
The problem was, why did Hou Liangping suddenly take a nap, and why did a few packs of cigarettes suddenly appear in the car.
This explanation, not only wouldn't convince Xiao Gang Yu, but also made Ji Chang Ming and Sha Rui Jin look at each other in suspicion, thinking that Hou Liangping's nap was too coincidental.
"Liangping, are you sure you took a nap? For about how long?"
Ji Chang Ming asked.
"I don't remember exactly how long it was."
Hou Liangping said with embarrassment.
"Director Ji, isn't there surveillance there? Check the footage."
Xu Zhao reminded him.
"Right, check the surveillance!"
Ji Chang Ming and the others realized it.