Chapter 48

Chapters 38-39: A Grand Deal to Change the Sky

The rain outside finally stopped. Wen Liang felt uncomfortable with his wet pants sticking to his body, so he left Xu Yao to take care of Ji Su alone and went home to change clothes. As he walked down the stairs and turned the corner, he passed by a graceful but haggard-looking beautiful woman. Her features were very similar to Ji Su's, with delicate willow-like eyebrows and faint phoenix-like eyes, and a faint, unique fragrance could be detected from her.

Could she be Ji Su's mother? But she looks so young!

Wen Liang didn't stop and continued on his way. When he got home, he found Ding Mei, who should have been at work, lounging on the sofa watching TV. This was a rare occurrence, as Ding Mei was extremely responsible at work and would never take a day off unless there was something serious at home. Wen Liang was a bit surprised, thinking something must have happened, and quickly walked over to ask, "Mom, why are you home at this time?"

Ding Mei said angrily, "Where else could I be if not at home? Should I still be at the factory watching that bastard Wei Gang?"

Wen Liang immediately understood that Wei Gang's retaliation had begun, and it was natural for him to start by nitpicking at Ding Mei's work. Knowing what it was about, Wen Liang smiled and said, "What, did that Wei Gang kid give you a hard time?"

The conflict at the soy milk shop opening day had been told to Ding Mei by Wen Huiming, but Wen Liang had kept the part about spilling soy milk on Wei Gang a secret. After all, they had already offended him, and telling her would only make her worry needlessly. Ding Mei, in a bad mood, grabbed Wen Liang's ear and scolded, "You still have the nerve to laugh? Heartless brat, wait until Mom loses her job, and see how you'll survive!"

Wen Liang cried out in pain, his cries so pitiful that they could make anyone feel sad and shed tears. Ding Mei couldn't bear his noise and let go, even rubbing his ear a bit, "Alright, alright, I didn't use much force, so stop howling. Tsk, no good!"

Seeing Ding Mei smile, Wen Liang stopped his cries and sat down beside her, "Come on, tell me, what did Wei Gang do? If it's really bad, I'll help you curse him out."

Ding Mei laughed and said, "Good son, you and Mom are on the same page. I just called Wen Huiming, and he actually told me not to cause trouble recently and to endure if I can. Is this something to endure? It's clear that that shameless Wei Gang is trying to make things difficult for me, and your father just doesn't have the ability..."

After cursing Wei Gang, Ding Mei started to complain about Wen Huiming, rambling on for a while without explaining what had happened today. Wen Liang wasn't in a hurry, sitting beside her with a smile, occasionally agreeing, and even refilled her cup with water. Ding Mei was very pleased, exclaiming that she hadn't wasted over ten years of loving her son.

In his youth, he always thought his father was too strict and his mother too nagging, rebelling and being stubborn, believing that defying family constraints was the path to freedom. But as he grew up, he realized that all this was just the ignorant fantasies of an ignorant age. A strict father also had deep-seated love, and a nagging mother's words were always filled with tears and concern. Reborn, how could Wen Liang have even a hint of impatience?

"Right, hearing you say that, this Wei Gang is truly a heinous criminal, not even ten executions would be enough. Let's report him!"

Ding Mei glared at him and scolded, "Report him? If I report him, will I still be able to work at the agricultural machinery factory? If I can't work there, how will I save money to get you a wife?"

Well, just a moment ago, she was worried about basic survival, fearing that Wen Liang would starve. Perhaps seeing that this didn't get a strong reaction from her son, she immediately jumped to a higher level, the lifelong issue.

Wen Liang smiled bitterly, "Mom, don't worry about getting a wife. Let's deal with Wei Gang first, and then we can talk about this..."

In the end, he didn't get to know exactly what Wei Gang had done today. But it was clear that Wei Gang had deliberately found fault, picking on a few minor work issues to criticize Ding Mei. Ding Mei, who cared about her reputation and had good relationships at the factory, couldn't tolerate Wei Gang's reprimand. Without a doubt, she must have cursed him out, and he was probably still sulking somewhere.

"Mom, don't worry about your job. Wei Gang won't last a month. Dad's advice to endure is reasonable. The city is unstable recently. Wait a few days, and I'll help you get even!"

Ding Mei, not a fool, knew that her husband's situation in the city was not good and wouldn't really want to cause trouble. Hearing Wen Liang say this, she slapped her thigh and said fiercely, "When will this timid life end?"

Soon, very soon!

A strange light flickered in Wen Liang's eyes, a blend of沧桑 (cangshang, meaning "沧桑" or "weathered") and青涩 (qingsuo, meaning "youthful") perfectly merging on the young man's face. Yes, it wouldn't be long before the sky over Qingzhou would change color.

"How did you get so dirty? By the way, shouldn't you be in class? You naughty boy, you dare to skip school and get up to no good..."

"Ah, don't hit... Mom, at least let me calm down before you start scolding..."

After changing clothes and taking a shower, he looked at his watch, which showed it was nearly four o'clock. Wen Liang called Zuo Yuxi and then went directly to her house in the Deyuan Garden. Zuo Yuxi, wearing a simple pink floral print pajama, was sitting on the sofa, bored and watching TV. When Wen Liang came in, she actually showed a hint of surprise on her face. She was also a lonely person, Wen Liang thought, smiling, "I thought after what happened last time, I wouldn't be able to step into this house again."

A bunch of purple grapes flew from a distance, and Wen Liang, with a quick move, caught them with his mouth. Zuo Yuxi lazily stretched her slender waist, gave him a playful glare, and said with a half-smile, "What, do you want to see it again?"

Given their current relationship, such a joke was harmless.

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare," Wen Liang said with a sheepish smile, changed his shoes, and sat on the sofa opposite her, casually saying, "I saw Xu Fuyan on the 11th."

Zuo Yuxi became interested, propping her face with one hand, lying on the sofa with one leg straight and the other slightly bent, looking graceful and charming.

Wen Liang recounted what happened that day and concluded, "You know, the conflict between Xu Fuyan and Zhou Yuanting has reached a point of no return. Our concern is whether he has the determination and resolve to fight to the death. But from what I saw that day, Xu Fuyan is decisive and ruthless, and quite adept at dealing with people. He would be a good ally."

Zuo Yuxi was about to speak, but Wen Liang interrupted, "Regardless of whether Xu Fuyan's camp aligns with your father's, our conflict with Zhou Yuanting is personal. Even if they are enemies, we can form a temporary alliance in the face of a common threat. Xu Fuyan is undoubtedly the best choice. Besides..."

"Besides, Wen Huiming is favored by Xu Fuyan, and you and Xu Yao are very close friends. We have a way to connect with him, right?"

Seeing the playful expression on Zuo Yuxi's face when she mentioned Xu Yao, Wen Liang didn't care where Miss Zuo had learned all this. After all, she had only met Xu Yao once at school, and they hadn't even talked.

He smiled and clapped his hands, "Not bad! You're a quick learner!"

This time, a cushion flew over, and Wen Liang caught it, continuing, "But to show Xu Fuyan our sincerity, relying solely on these two connections is far from enough. We can't just tell him, 'Brother Xu, we don't like Zhou Yuanting, so we're here to help you deal with him,' right? So, the first thing we need to do is to fully express our sincerity!"

Zuo Yuxi finally took it seriously, sitting up and asking, "What should we do?"

Wen Liang chuckled, "Make a big deal. If we do it well, the sky over Qingzhou will change..."

On the outskirts of Qingzhou, there was a cluster of villas built on a hillside, arranged in a staggered manner. The eighteen detached villas, each with two floors, had courtyards, green spaces, swimming pools, and private gardens. Backed by Mount Murong and facing the Qing River, the villas offered beautiful views and fragrant flowers, making it one of the most famous places in Qingzhou.

This complex, named Jin Gu Yuan, was developed by Gu Shitong's Minghua Group and completed in 1993. It was never sold to the public, but occasionally, luxury cars could be seen entering and leaving. Security guards would stop people 100 meters from the entrance, making it difficult to see what was inside, which added to the mystery and rumors in Qingzhou. Those in the know privately referred to Jin Gu Yuan as Pan Tao Yuan, alluding to the legend of the Queen Mother of the West's peach banquet, hinting at its significance.

A black Mercedes S600 slowly drove up the mountain road and stopped in front of one of the villas on the third row. A tall but very thin man got out of the back seat, followed by a beautiful woman in a purple business suit. They entered the villa's hall and sat on the sofa by the floor-to-ceiling window, waiting for a few minutes. A voice came from the second-floor balcony:

"Uncle Mu, you're here."

Gu Shitong's top subordinate, Mu Zechen, who was called the "first loyal dog" by his opponents, stood up, a smile on his thin face, and said, "Wen Yuan, what's so urgent that you called Uncle here?" Gu Shitong was usually in Guanshan City, where he was a college teacher. Despite his current wealth and status, he was very strict with Gu Wen Yuan. To prevent him from picking up bad habits from the children of high-ranking officials in Guanshan, he left him in Qingzhou to study, entrusting Mu Zechen to take care of him. Mu Zechen was also in charge of the old base in Qingzhou, and their relationship was very deep.

Gu Wen Yuan, wearing casual home clothes, slowly descended the spiral staircase, yawned, and stretched, as if just noticing the beautiful woman, "Sister Shu, you're here too?"

Qi Shu smiled, her innocent face paired with a seductive gaze, creating a fatal allure, "We secretaries have a hard life. Wherever the boss goes, we have to follow."

Mu Zechen said, "Stop teasing me. Now, you Qi Shu are more influential in Qingzhou than I am. Who would dare treat you like a secretary?"

The three of them laughed and sat down. Mu Zechen asked again, "What's so important that we have to talk here?" This villa was where Gu Shitong occasionally rested, while Gu Wen Yuan usually lived in the city.

Gu Wen Yuan played with the teacup in his hand and suddenly said, "Can we get rid of Wen Huiming?"

Mu Zechen, who had heard from Mu Shanshan that Gu Wen Yuan had a minor conflict with Wen Huiming's son, Wen Liang, knew it was just a childish quarrel, nothing serious.

He firmly refused, "No!"

Gu Wen Yuan knew his character, and if he said no, it meant it was really impossible. He didn't expect an explanation and looked at Qi Shu.

"Qingzhou's situation is very delicate now. It seems calm, but it could explode at any moment. Our interests in Qingzhou do not conflict with either the Xu or Zhou factions. Whoever comes to power is irrelevant. So, the best strategy is to sit back and watch the fight..." Even when Qi Shu analyzed the situation seriously, she made people think of other things, which was part of her charm as Qingzhou's most famous socialite.

Mu Zechen said, "Wen Huiming is just a minor figure. Moving against him wouldn't be a big deal. But he is currently favored by Xu Fuyan. If Xu Fuyan gets the impression that we are allied with Zhou Yuanting, it would be detrimental to Minghua."

This answer made Gu Wen Yuan's face turn very dark, and Mu Zechen remained silent, knowing Gu Wen Yuan better than Gu Shitong. In Gu Shitong's and many outsiders' eyes, Gu Wen Yuan was polite, kind, and free of the bad habits of a spoiled child, a well-behaved son, a smart student, and a loyal friend. But the real Gu Wen Yuan? Thinking about all the messes he had to clean up since junior high, Mu Zechen felt a headache.

Gu Wen Yuan suddenly changed the topic, "Do you know what happened to Ji Zheng, the deputy factory manager at Qinghua Factory?"

"Ji Zheng?" Mu Zechen looked at Qi Shu, who shook her head, indicating it wasn't a big deal. "Wait ten minutes."

Qi Shu walked to the side and made a few phone calls, getting responses after a few minutes.

"Got it, thanks, Director Lin..."

"Really, thank you, Director Cao. Okay, I'll be at the Fu Hao Hotel tomorrow, on time..."

After hanging up, Qi Shu said, "I found out. It's Yuan Dazhu who's causing trouble. Ji Zheng is currently detained at the Nan Gong police station. He was reported for accepting bribes from suppliers, buying inferior goods at high prices, and extorting during his tenure at Qinghua Factory. The total amount is not large, less than 500,000 yuan. As a deputy factory manager of a factory with billions in assets, he's quite clean. But he has no solid backing and only got his position through the favor of the former factory manager. Now that Yuan Dazhu is targeting him, his future is bleak, and he might even face a decade in prison, ha ha."

When Qi Shu covered her mouth to laugh, her body under the suit swayed slightly, from her eyes to her waist, every part was beautiful and seductive. But just hearing her casually describe someone's life and fate made it clear how ruthless and heartless she was. Gu Wen Yuan, full of youthful blood, knew this woman was absolutely not to be touched, but his heart still raced. Mu Zechen, used to her behavior, frowned and said, "500,000 is a small amount. Yuan Dazhu's head is full of lice. He has no time for such small tricks. What a fool!"

Gu Wen Yuan suddenly remembered the scene on the rooftop, Ji Su's beautiful and charming face, Wen Liang's hateful and despicable smile, and Xu Yao's look of disdain and disgust. These images flashed through his mind and then focused on the dirty black windbreaker. He couldn't suppress the anger in his heart, leaned forward, and stared at Mu Zechen, "Uncle Mu, help me with something!"

Mu Zechen smiled bitterly in his heart, thinking, "Is he really treating me like a fool? First, he makes a request that will surely be refused, and then he makes his real request, leaving me no choice but to agree. Such a young age, and he already knows how to manipulate people. Truly a quick learner!"

But this was nothing, he smiled, "What is it?"

Deyuan Garden.

Zuo Yuxi hung up the phone, nodded at Wen Liang, and said, "Not bad, Ji Zheng was indeed targeted by Yuan Dazhu. Your analysis makes sense. He might have found out something about Yuan Dazhu..."

Wen Liang had just explained the background of the Ji Zheng case to Zuo Yuxi, of course, substituting his own speculations for anything related to his previous life. Fortunately, Zuo Yuxi already trusted him greatly, and after some consideration, she found it feasible and immediately made a few phone calls. Although things weren't as convenient in Qingzhou as before, getting some information was still possible.

Wen Liang thought for a moment and asked, "Who in the Qingzhou police system is still trustworthy?"

Zuo Yuxi pulled out a pen and paper from under the coffee table, wrote down a few names, and pointed to the first one, "The city police chief, Zhao Xinchuan, used to be my father's man. He is smart and capable, with a good grasp of people and situations. However, he is old and has no ambition, only wanting to retire in his current position. Since Xu Fuyan came, he has been indecisive and cautious, a true old fox. I can ask him for small favors, but I can't rely on him for anything major."

Wen Liang nodded and drew a line through Zhao's name.

"The deputy chief, Lin Zhen, came from the provincial level last year. He has a deep background and is said to have some connection with Gu Shitong. My father told me not to provoke him."

Another line through.

"Zheng Yunzhong..."

Line through.

"Guo Wenzhi..."

Line through.

"Liu Tianlai, the fifth deputy chief, rose from the ranks of the police force, has received multiple commendations, and is a well-known figure in the Jiangdong police system. He has a significant influence among the middle and lower ranks in Qingzhou. My father appreciated him and gradually promoted him to deputy chief. Otherwise, with his fiery temper, he would have been stripped of his position and destroyed by his enemies long ago. He is still young, and I can still mobilize him now."

Just from this, it was clear that Zuo Yuxi was not just a pretty face. Her ability to keenly discern the pros and cons and the human nature in the complex web of relationships, and to understand that an older person with no ambition might defect, while a younger one with ambition could be used, showed her sharp judgment.

Wen Liang picked up the pen and heavily marked Liu's name, suddenly filled with anticipation: What kind of father could raise a talented person like Liu Zhihe, the young gambling master?

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