Chapter 99

The Feicui Dance Hall, recently renovated, was entirely modeled after the layout of Hong Kong's Flower City Nightclub. Some wealthy individuals who had been to Hong Kong referred to it as "Little Flower City," a nickname that quickly spread and became very popular in Wushan.

Neon lights flickered, and on the stage, a singer in a shimmering silver dress sang with deep emotion, her rendition of "Strolling Through Life" was particularly moving.

Nowadays, the quality of music teahouses and dance halls in Wushan varied greatly, and their numbers were increasing. Changming Company was hiring in large numbers, and people from all over the country were flocking in. Business owners from all over the country were rushing to Wushan, hoping to secure small orders from Changming Company. Some semiconductor and electronic component factories from other regions also came to visit and assess the feasibility of relocating to Wushan. Additionally, various business delegations from different countries came to Wushan to evaluate the investment environment. All of this was stimulating the development of various service industries in Wushan.

The Feicui Dance Hall faced competition. The newly opened Paramount Dance Hall also occupied a prime location on the coastal avenue, with equally luxurious decor and a focus on high-end consumers, drawing many customers away from the Feicui Dance Hall.

The Feicui Dance Hall had to close for renovation. There were even rumors of a near-clash between the two establishments, but the booming service industry in Wushan made the owners realize that the luxury nightclubs in Wushan were not a zero-sum game. Even if there were ten or eight more luxury nightclubs in the future, they would still be profitable.

Insiders revealed that this was the reason the potential conflict was ultimately averted. On the surface, the public security in Wushan was much better than in Shenzhen, with no major incidents of "gang fights" yet.

Amidst the bright lights and the allure of the night, the crowd entering and exiting the Feicui Dance Hall was dressed in the latest fashions. Lu Zheng, wearing a Lenin suit, looked particularly out of place, and Wang Xiangyang, the rural cadre from Lingdong, looked even worse in his blue jacket, green pants, and faded green military cap, a typical farmer's outfit.

Wearing such rustic clothing in a place representing the most avant-garde culture of Wushan made them stand out even more. Everyone who passed by them would glance at them curiously.

Wang Xiangyang had never been to such a place before. He dared not look around, as the revealing outfits of the girls on display almost blinded him.

Just yesterday, he was still munching on baked pancakes and chatting with the office staff about family and children. Suddenly, he found himself in a world of luxury and indulgence, the stark contrast leaving him at a loss, even making him want to run out to breathe freely.

Lingdong County was one of the poorest counties, and the Wushan office had very limited funds. Wang Xiangyang always tried to stretch every penny, but it was never enough.

Now, sitting on a high stool at the bar, he was hesitant to even rest his arm on the counter, fearing he might dirty the fancy and luxurious table.

Lu Zheng took a colorful cocktail from the bartender and gently pushed it to Wang Xiangyang, smiling, "Try it, how does it taste?"

Wang Xiangyang smiled awkwardly but didn't dare touch it. Was this even alcohol?

He had no idea that Director Lu would bring him to such a luxurious and indulgent place, but now, he didn't dare say anything.

"Brother, you're here!" A girl's clear voice came from behind. It was Xiaoli, with her signature permed hair and bright red lips.

Xiaoli had been expelled from the Mechanical and Electrical School for repeatedly violating school rules by getting her hair permed and wearing high heels. She didn't mind and soon started hanging out with Huang Zixuan, helping him manage accounts and other tasks.

Lu Zheng nodded slightly at Xiaoli.

Xiaoli leaned in close to Lu Zheng's ear and whispered something, making Wang Xiangyang's face turn bright red, and he quickly looked away.

Xiaoli was actually discussing something important with Lu Zheng, asking, "Brother, are you going in?"

Lu Zheng shook his head, "No, go ahead and talk. I don't need to be there."

In the VIP room, Huang Zixuan was likely negotiating with officials from the provincial department, trying to resolve some issues.

A few days ago, Huang Zixuan had sought Lu Zheng's help with this matter. A batch of his goods had been seized by the provincial department. According to the ambiguous relevant laws and regulations, the documents for this batch of goods could be considered either complete or flawed, depending on how the law was interpreted. The leading official from the provincial department, ignoring the driver's explanations, had seized the goods and taken them to an unknown location, demanding that the Wushan owner pay a fine, clearly trying to make a profit.

Huang Zixuan had investigated the provincial department's enforcement officers who had seized his goods. The leader was surnamed Yang, a section chief of the provincial department's economic inspection team. However, despite Huang Zixuan's efforts to find connections within the provincial department, he couldn't resolve the issue. The other side had even raised the fine from 5,000 to 10,000.

Huang Zixuan, out of options, turned to Lu Zheng for help. Through various clues, Huang Zixuan knew that Lu Zheng had extensive connections, even in Beijing.

Huang Zixuan didn't have high demands; he just wanted his goods back for 5,000 and to make a friend to avoid future trouble.

Yang, the section chief from the provincial department, seemed to have some background. Lu Zheng recognized him as the Yang Chaoyang who had harmed him in his previous life.

Yang Chaoyang's grandfather was a founding hero but had passed away. His father was a vice-provincial official, but the Yang family's influence in Beijing had waned after the grandfather's death. In the previous life, Yang Chaoyang's father was later promoted and entered the highest levels of power after Lu Zheng's father retired.

Regardless, dealing with someone like Huang Zixuan was still well within Yang Chaoyang's capabilities.

Lu Zheng, of course, had been keeping an eye on Yang Chaoyang and Gao Zhikai. He knew that the son of the head of the city's public security bureau, Zheng, was a classmate of Yang Chaoyang and Gao Zhikai. Zheng and Yang Chaoyang graduated at the same time, while Gao Zhikai was three years ahead but became Yang Chaoyang's best friend in the police academy.

Zheng and Yang Chaoyang had a good relationship, so Lu Zheng called Director Zheng and explained the situation, asking him to intervene.

When Director Zheng learned that the goods belonged to Huang Zixuan, the son of the respected Huang, he readily agreed. Given Huang's status and Zheng's relationship with him, the issue should be resolved smoothly.

Director Zheng then called Yang Chaoyang, inviting him to Wushan, and Yang Chaoyang happily accepted.

Now, Director Zheng, Huang Zixuan, Yang Chaoyang, and others were in the VIP room. Xiaoli had just come out and, seeing Lu Zheng in the lobby, came over to greet him and ask if he was going in.

Lu Zheng smiled and politely declined, saying he had other matters to attend to and didn't want to get involved. He was also afraid that if he entered the room, he might lose his temper upon seeing Yang Chaoyang. Yang Chaoyang might know about him from Gao Zhikai, but in this life, they were still strangers.

Xiaoli chatted intimately with Lu Zheng for a few more moments before sauntering away.

Lu Zheng turned and saw Wang Xiangyang secretly ogling the legs of the dancers in the dance floor, which surprised him. People's adaptability was indeed strong.

Lu Zheng raised his glass and gently clinked it with Wang Xiangyang's, saying, "Xiangyang, try it. This drink is quite good."

Wang Xiangyang finally picked up the colorful cocktail and took a sip. It was indeed good, smooth and slightly alcoholic, without the harsh and strange taste he had imagined.

"Director Lu, this drink is quite good. What's it called? Is it called a color drink?" Wang Xiangyang asked with interest. If there was red wine, then a colorful drink could be called a color drink, right?

Lu Zheng laughed, "You should ask the bartender. He makes the drink and names it, but this type of drink is generally called a cocktail."

Wang Xiangyang exclaimed, "Oh," and then took a big gulp.

Before long, he finished the drink and ordered another one. Lu Zheng smiled and joined him.

After two drinks, Wang Xiangyang's face turned red, and his tongue started to slur.

The drink Lu Zheng had ordered was smooth but very potent. Wang Xiangyang, unaware of this, drank the two drinks quickly and soon felt dizzy.

"Xiangyang, who else knows about the money you gave me?" Lu Zheng asked casually.

Hearing the words "gave money," Wang Xiangyang shook his head vigorously, seeming to regain some clarity. He then swore, "Director Lu, only heaven, earth, you, and I, and Director Ma at the office know about it! Director Lu, is something wrong?"

Lu Zheng said, "Director Ma?"

"Old Ma is very tight-lipped. Besides, he came up with the idea of giving money. He wouldn't get himself into trouble, would he?" Wang Xiangyang shook his head repeatedly.

Lu Zheng nodded, "Yes, it was his idea."

At that moment, a fragrant scent wafted over, and a black silhouette sat next to Lu Zheng, ordering a "Blue Ocean" from the bartender.

A tight black cotton dress hugged her curvaceous figure, and her long, white, and sexy legs were exposed. She wore fashionable black high-heeled crystal sandals that accentuated her alluring and sexy body. This mature and alluring policewoman was fully displaying her sex appeal for the first time, making Lu Zheng feel a bit uneasy.

"Are you not cold?" Lu Zheng asked, maintaining a calm expression. He had been frequently mistaken for a pervert recently and needed to be careful.

Wei Xiangxiu smiled sweetly, exuding charm. She had spent a long time getting ready today because this was the first time Lu Zheng had invited her to a bar.

"Here, this is Director Wang from Lingdong," Lu Zheng introduced Wang Xiangyang. He had planned to get Wang Xiangyang drunk and send him away before talking to Wei Xiangxiu, but Wang Xiangyang hadn't fallen over, and Wei Xiangxiu had arrived early.

Wei Xiangxiu extended her white, smooth hand, "Director Wang, hello, I'm a friend of Lu Zheng." She had recently been unable to find Biaozi and had discussed the matter of their divorce with her brother-in-law, He Daxing, asking him to relay her intentions to Biaozi.

He Daxing didn't say much. He thought that his brother and sister-in-law would eventually divorce and that it was inevitable, especially after the special wave of divorces among returning educated youth and the current trend of divorces for love. Without love, people were willing to divorce. Divorce was no longer as difficult for ordinary people to accept.

After finally deciding to divorce, Wei Xiangxiu felt much more relaxed when she met Lu Zheng at the bar.

Wang Xiangyang glanced at Wei Xiangxiu and quickly looked away, his face turning purple. He stammered, "H-hello..."

In the presence of such a beautiful and sexy woman, he felt extremely uncomfortable, not knowing where to put his hands and feet.