Chapter 50

Chapter 41: Breaking the Stalemate

Walking out of the police station, Yuan Dazhu got into his car and left first. Qi Shu suddenly bent over and laughed. Mu Zechen smiled and said, "What did Yuan Fatty do to you, making you so happy?"

"Nothing, but if I get the chance, I want to cut off his hands!" Qi Shu's smile was charming, but her words sent a chill down one's spine.

"Don't be reckless. This person can't be touched right now." Mu Zechen frowned and warned Qi Shu seriously. He knew this beautiful woman could do anything.

"Alright, I got it, boss." Qi Shu pouted and grabbed his shoulder, her soft chest brushing against his arm, sending a tingling sensation through him. Mu Zechen subtly pulled his arm away and said calmly, "Director Lin's car is here."

A Santana stopped in front of them, and a man in his thirties with a handsome face got out. Mu Zechen greeted him with a full smile, "Thank you, Director Lin, for your trouble so late at night."

The young man, known as Director Lin, smiled modestly, "It's a small matter, Mr. Mu, you're too kind. I was a bit late because I had some other business. Did the bureau give you any trouble?"

"No, no, Director Lian arranged it personally, and there were no outsiders. There was no trouble at all."

It was hard to imagine that the arrogant Mu Zechen would be so respectful to this person, but the three of them all thought it was appropriate. The young man nodded, his eyes falling on Qi Shu, and he couldn't help but be impressed. In the night, Qi Shu looked like a blood elf from a dream, with a pure face, a fiery figure, and skin as white as snow. Every move she made stirred a man's strong desire.

"Miss Qi, you won't refuse my invitation tonight, will you? Since I came to Qingzhou, I've heard of Miss Qi's reputation but never had the chance to get close. Am I, Lin Zhen, so unworthy that I can't catch your eye?"

This young man was the deputy director that Zuo Jing had warned Zuo Yuxi not to provoke.

Qi Shu exclaimed, "Director Lin, don't tease me. You're a busy man, how could I dare to disturb you? But tonight is really inconvenient. I have to go with Mr. Mu to Guanshan to see the big boss. You know, as a secretary, our time isn't our own..."

Since she mentioned Gu Shitong, Lin Zhen couldn't say much. He smiled gracefully, "Then let's wait until you come back from Guanshan. Mr. Mu, I'll take my leave now."

Mu Zechen nodded and said, "Alright." Qi Shu opened the car door, her delicate hand blocking the edge of the door. Lin Zhen smiled and thanked her, bending to get into the car. As the Santana drove away, a Nissan SUV came from the side door of the police station. Since they were here on private business tonight, a Mercedes would be too conspicuous, so they chose a lower-profile car to avoid drawing attention.

Getting into the car, Mu Zechen shook his head, "You... rejecting him is fine, but you didn't have to go to the car and force him to leave. It's too obvious, not good! Lin Zhen will eventually return to the province, so don't offend him too much."

Qi Shu sneered, "He treats me like a prostitute, so I'll let him know that even a prostitute isn't so easy to touch."

The car was silent for a while. Mu Zechen sighed, "Why don't I talk to Mr. Gu and say you don't have to suffer like this..."

Qi Shu turned her head away, and after a moment, she returned to her charming self, grinning, "Let's not talk about that! By the way, I suddenly have some interest in Ji Zheng."

Although Qi Shu had avoided the topic, Mu Zechen saw the tears in her eyes through the car window. He decided to go along with her, "Ji Zheng is just a minor figure now, but he has one advantage that others don't: he's ruthless. Someone who can be so ruthless to himself will be even more ruthless to others. If he gets the chance to rise, who knows how far he can go. But it doesn't matter, since we've interfered, he can only be like this for the rest of his life."

"But what about Wen Yuan..."

Mu Zechen sneered, "Wen Yuan just wants to vent, it's just a girl. Once he's tired of her, he'll dump her. It's not a big deal."

"But Yuan Dazhu is quite ruthless. Ji Zheng and He Xiaobo colluded to report him for embezzling wages for business. It's such a small matter, but he wants to ruin their lives? This man is like a mad dog. I think we should keep our distance from him."

Mu Zechen shook his head, "Yuan Fatty's hands are too dirty to clean. He's not really afraid of this matter, but he's afraid that if he's investigated, other dirty deals will come to light. He's willing to accept our mediation to protect himself. Qingzhou is about to face a storm, and many people are in a precarious position, looking for a safe place..."

Qi Shu laughed, seemingly looking forward to seeing Yuan Dazhu's downfall. She glanced back at the police station and murmured, "I wonder if that ruthless man is crying or laughing now."

At the same moment that Ji Zheng made his difficult decision, in another residence of Zuo Yuxi in the Education Community, the most important guest of the night arrived—Liu Tianlai.

Liu Tianlai was in his late thirties, with a ruddy complexion from years of sun exposure. His hands were large, and when he opened one, it could almost cover Wen Liang's entire face. He burst in without changing his shoes, shouting, "Director Zuo, I, Old Liu, am here!" His voice was like a bell, echoing in the small living room.

Wen Liang, who opened the door, was stunned by the two large black footprints on the floor. Liu Tianlai then realized he hadn't changed his shoes, stepped back a few steps, leaving more black marks, and stood awkwardly at the door.

Before Zuo Yuxi could speak, Wen Liang walked a few steps inside and smiled, "Uncle Liu, come in, it's fine, no need to change your shoes."

Although Wen Liang was just a teenager, his ability to speak for the host showed his close relationship with Zuo Yuxi. Liu Tianlai didn't dare to be presumptuous and followed, "I should take them off, I should take them off." He neatly placed his shoes and stood beside, saying, "Director Zuo, I came as soon as I got your call. I didn't use the police car, so it took a bit longer."

Zuo Yuxi stood up. She had dealt with Liu Tianlai before and knew his personality, so she wasn't angry. She maintained her usual cold demeanor, "Director Liu, please sit. It's really troublesome to trouble you so late. I'm very sorry." Coincidentally, the same words were spoken at the same time in another place by another group of people.

"No problem, no problem. We used to do this all the time. When the old secretary called, I would come overnight, never hesitating." Liu Tianlai sat down, sinking deeply into the sofa.

Wen Liang sat beside Zuo Yuxi, looking at Liu Tianlai, feeling a mix of emotions. Thinking of Liu Zhi and that little trickster, how could his father be a fool? Just from this one sentence, it was clear that he was both flattering and showing loyalty, something a rough person couldn't do. But this Liu Tianlai really couldn't be linked to the gambling prodigy Liu Zhi. Both father and son were unexpectedly impressive.

Zuo Yuxi didn't beat around the bush and directly told him about Ji Zheng's case, concluding, "I want to get this person out. Think of a way."

Liu Tianlai scratched his head, looking a bit troubled, "Director Zuo, you know, I'm ranked low in the bureau. For a regular case, it wouldn't be a problem. But if Yuan Dazhu is involved, the bureau and the prosecutor's office might put up a lot of resistance..."

Zuo Yuxi's eyebrows twitched, and her eyes turned cold for a moment. Wen Liang gently touched her, smiling, "Director Liu, this is actually quite manageable. Listen to what I suggest. A deputy section chief staying in the district bureau isn't appropriate. We can move him to the municipal bureau's economic crime investigation team, which you manage, right? Then we can check the specific amount of the crime. With you there, we can collude with Ji Zheng to reduce the charges, fudge the details, and put the unclear ones on hold. Bribery is usually done in secret, and without large amounts of cash, it's hard to prove. After reducing the charges, the actual evidence should be minimal. Then we can have someone from the disciplinary committee come and conduct a disciplinary review, and give him a party disciplinary action to conclude the matter."

Liu Tianlai looked at Wen Liang in surprise, speechless for a moment. Although this plan had some flaws, the overall idea was highly feasible. But hearing this from a teenager still left him stunned. Liu Zhi was smart, but compared to this young man, he was far behind.

"That's not impossible, but what about Director Zhao and the prosecutor's office..."

Zuo Yuxi, hearing Wen Liang's plan for the first time, glanced at him curiously and nodded, "If it's feasible, that's good. I'll have my father call Director Zhao and the prosecutor's office. You don't need to worry. The head of the disciplinary committee's first division, Jiang Wei, is my friend. She can handle it. My father mentioned you and the other old subordinates a few days ago, saying you haven't contacted him since going to Lingyang..."

Hearing this, what else could Liu Tianlai say? He smiled so widely his eyes almost closed, stood up, and patted his chest, "I'll call the old secretary as soon as I get back. Rest assured, I'll handle this matter perfectly, without a single flaw."

"That's not urgent. How about this: Director Liu, tonight, you move the person to a place you can control. Tomorrow night, arrange for him to meet us. Don't contact him, don't say anything, and make him suspicious. We'll decide everything when we meet."

Wen Liang wanted Ji Zheng's full cooperation, so he couldn't reveal too much before the negotiation.

After seeing Liu Tianlai off, Wen Liang didn't go to the opposite sofa but sat beside Zuo Yuxi as before. Just as he was about to speak, Zuo Yuxi pounced and grabbed his ear.

"Hey, is there anything you don't understand? Why didn't you tell me those things just now? Hmm, I feel like working with you is too risky. You might secretly sell me out one day."

"How could I bear to? Ouch!" Wen Liang smiled and begged for mercy, but this only made Zuo Yuxi tighten her grip.

Wen Liang cried out and fell backward, landing on her lap. The intoxicating fragrance surrounded his nose, and the tight jeans accentuated her perfectly round and firm thighs, giving a surprising elastic sensation through the thin fabric. Zuo Yuxi's face turned slightly red, feeling embarrassed. The warm breath from Wen Liang's mouth seemed to melt her skin, making her feel restless. But she couldn't push him away immediately, as it would be too obvious, as if she had something to hide.

Well, he's still a child... Zuo Yuxi forced herself to calm down, still holding his ear, and leaned down to scold him, but she was stunned by what she saw.

Wen Liang's head rested on Zuo Yuxi's thigh, his black eyes clear and bright, sparkling with countless lights. His face was youthful, with a hint of down on his upper lip, and his thin lips were tightly pressed, showing determination and resilience. Wen Liang wasn't particularly handsome, but his gentle smile, open personality, and mysterious depth made him very attractive at this moment.

Thinking this, Zuo Yuxi secretly scolded herself and was about to push him away. Wen Liang seemed to be talking to himself or asking, "Will we win?" His eyes looked at Zuo Yuxi, but his focus was elsewhere. Zuo Yuxi's heart trembled, and just as she was about to speak, Wen Liang grinned, showing his white teeth, and made an OK gesture, "Don't worry, we will definitely win!"

"Right, we will definitely win!"

Zuo Yuxi gently wrapped her arm around Wen Liang's head, caressed his face, and spoke softly but firmly!