By now Building No. 1 was roaring with noise, and Shi Jiujiu had joined the crowd to watch.
"Hi everyone, I am Shi Jiujiu. I just shared a look at the Banana Community and stirred up a lot of envy online.
Honestly, Building No. 1 is the most crowded in the Banana Community. Our unit has fifteen people. I am lucky to be in the kitchenette. Yesterday the government installed a light and an outlet in every unit, and the Ai Jia supermarket downstairs has moved in too, so it is easy to eat.
Using the bathroom in a rough-finished unit is a pain. They said in a few days we will go into the city to find toilets and bring them back.
Something big is happening in Building No. 1 right now. Let me show you. Oh my god, it is my goddess. Why is she here?"
Fresh to the scene, Shi Jiujiu was so excited she could hardly speak. "Let us see what is going on."
"So the real owner of this unit is not dead, but the allocator still assigned the place to these people. Such a big unit and he gave it to only six. That smells fishy to me.
As for his claim that my goddess is trying to black the deed and resell it, I think that is unlikely. She lives in the villa area. In times like these, if you own a submarine your situation is not bad. Would she take such a risk and swallow a unit, inviting a report to the authorities?"
…
Jing Shu took out her phone and called Li Yuetian. She had plenty of other ways to handle this, but Li Yuetian would be the fastest and most effective.
Since Director Zhang had already "transferred" the title so headstrongly, she would not be polite.
"Hello, Jing Shu? What do you need?" a man answered. "I am Li Yuetian's nephew, Li Bailong."
Jing Shu frowned. "Hello, Li Bailong. Where is Captain Li. I need him urgently."
"He has been suspended pending review and is giving statements to the auditors. Because of the recent floods, the Oil Community had the most missing people in the Wu City area.
"Management of the Banana Community has passed to the second-in-command. If you have urgent business, tell me and I will see if I can help."
"Alright. Nothing that cannot wait. I hope your uncle gets through this safely."
When the crisis hit there had been no time to settle accounts. With people now placed, they were looking back for blame and rewards. This was when connections mattered. With backing, it might be a slap on the wrist. Without it, if a rival wanted to place their own people, Li Yuetian could be finished.
Looked like he was a clay Bodhisattva trying to cross the river, barely able to save himself. And of all times, this had to happen now.
Just then, four uniformed officers carrying electric batons came up the stairs.
"Make way, make way. Who forced entry. Who placed the call."
"Comrades, I am the allocation director for the Banana Community. I called. It is them, those two. Look what they did to the men on the floor. They cannot even stand," Director Zhang said, hurrying to greet them and trading a few knowing looks.
The lead officer got the message.
Jing Shu narrowed her eyes. So they were in on it. The director had some pull, then. He knew he could not win on the facts, so he was working from the side. Even if she had a thousand ways to make him spit back the unit, she now had a problem of her own. She had counted on Li Yuetian for cover, and he was suspended.
What to do.
Jing Shu swept the room with a cool gaze. Maybe a year of drinking Spirit Spring had made her even calmer under pressure. She still felt no panic.
She spotted Shi Jiujiu in the crowd and her eyes lit.
All roads lead to Rome. Any method that reaches the goal is a good method. Time to use that card.
"Hello. I am the Banana Community's original resident and Consolation and Counseling Specialist, Wu You'ai. Here is my Big Data profile," Wu You'ai said, stepping forward and revealing her face.
"What happened," the senior officer asked, impatient already. If she had not been government staff, he would have hauled her off at once.
Jing Shu darted out, seized the officer's arm, and pleaded, "Here is what happened. The owner of this unit is our lifesaver. He is a SWAT officer on a secret mission and has been away a long time. We received word that he is finally returning.
But Director Zhang still transferred the unit to these people who gave him gifts.
My sister and I explained everything and asked Director Zhang to move them out. He said the title is already under their names, and that even if the owner comes back it will not matter."
The officer waved that off. "Without evidence on the property, it is not our jurisdiction. I am asking who assaulted these men."
Director Zhang smirked.
Jing Shu looked small and harmless and said pitifully, "Officer, do you think the two of us could beat five or six grown men.
I heard them talking. One said he paid five hundred virtual coins. Another said he gave five bags of rice to get in. They bribed their way in. A younger one said Director Zhang is his uncle and pulled strings.
I said I would expose them. They colluded and beat each other up so they could call the police and have me taken in."
"Lies."
"Why would we beat ourselves."
Jing Shu beckoned a few kids over and took out some candy. "Tell sister, was it like that. Anyone who tells the truth gets a candy. If you tell it clearly, you get two."
The brats blinked and shrank back.
"That is not right. You are wrong," one piped up. "You were the one who hit them. I saw you punch, and Uncle Liu fell down."
A chorus of boos rose around them.
Director Zhang grew even more pleased. "Hear that, officer. She tried to bribe children with candy, but even kids know what is right. Children do not lie. What they say is true. Take those two away."
Jing Shu handed candy to one child.
Another, eager to prove his keen eyes, chimed in, "And Uncle Liu only paid three hundred virtual coins to get in. Our family did not give five bags of rice. It was rice and liquor from another community last year. We never dare eat it. Xiaobao drools over it. That Uncle Zhang is bad. He took so much and said even if the unit had an owner it did not matter. He had a way to take it, and he said the owner is nobody."
Jing Shu turned back. "See. Even a child knows this place was seized from someone. Officer, anything else you want to say. And Director Zhang, those words came from a child. According to you, children only tell the truth."
The officer waved. "Since you are the one who hit them, you are under arrest."