"Go on, go on, and by the way, take this unlucky thing with you!"

"Okay!"

Watching Zhong Te pick up the urn and leave with light steps, Zhong Yaodang scoffed disdainfully at his retreating figure.

"Someone like you dares to work at the Public Security Bureau? Dream on."

He turned around, casually hooked his heel behind him, closed the door, and the knowing smile that all men understand reappeared on his face.

"My little beauties, your big brother is back!"

...

Half an hour later, at Lanjiang Hotel, in the "Strong Nation" private room.

Li Yuanchao pushed open the door and entered, dressed in a suit and tie, his gaze behind his gold-rimmed glasses gentle and refined.

"It's so late, are you calling me out for a late-night snack?"

Zhong Yaodang chuckled and eagerly pulled out a chair: "Yuanchao, sit down, I have some fantastic news to tell you!"

Li Yuanchao sat down with a smile: "Tell me, what good news has you so excited?"

"Zhang Cheng," Zhong Yaodang leaned forward, lowered his voice, and said, enunciating each word clearly, "is dead!"

"What?!"

The smile on Li Yuanchao's face vanished instantly. He stood up abruptly, his gaze sharp as lightning, staring intently at Zhong Yaodang: "Did you have someone do this?"

"Otherwise what?" Zhong Yaodang tapped his bowl nonchalantly. "Yuan Chao, what are you so nervous about? He's just a peasant. If he dies, Li Yuanyuan will be yours, right? Isn't that good news?"

Li Yuanchao's brows furrowed into a deep frown.

"Yao Dang, how many times have I told you? Things aren't like they used to be. You can't act so lawlessly!" His voice was icy. "Who did you hire?"

"Zhong Te!"

"Zhong Te?!" Li Yuanchao's face darkened completely. "He's Secretary Liu's future son-in-law! How could you drag him into this?! You're playing with fire!"

"He's just a nobody trying to climb the social ladder; it's questionable whether Secretary Liu would even notice him..."

"Enough!" Li Yuanchao interrupted him sharply. "That's Uncle Liu's family matter; it's none of your business to discuss it!"

"Fine, fine, I won't say!" Zhong Yaodang also lost his temper, his face hardening.

"I was such a busybody, clearing the way for you, and instead of thanking me, I came here to lecture you! Fine, I'm leaving! I'll stay out of your sight!"

As he spoke, he made a move to get up.

"sit down!"

Li Yuanchao sighed, walked behind him, placed his hands on his shoulders, and forcefully pressed him back into the chair.

"I'm not lecturing you, nor am I ungrateful," Li Yuanchao said, his tone softening, but his eyes remained serious.

"But Yao Dang, you're oversimplifying things. Do you really think I, Li Yuanchao, would lose to a mere country bumpkin?"

“Family background, status, wealth... how do I not crush him in every way? Using such methods is too degrading and too dangerous.”

Li Yuanchao shook his head, sat back in his seat, and a shrewd glint flashed in his eyes.

"Forget it, once a person dies, the light goes out. Let's not talk about him anymore."

He looked at Zhong Yaodang and asked, "Zhong Te did such a big thing for you, he must have made some requests, right?"

"He wants me to transfer him to the Public Security Bureau." Zhong Yaodang yawned and chuckled. "I told him to go home and wait for news. He can wait all he wants!"

"You!" Li Yuanchao raised his hand and pointed at him, then pondered for a moment before speaking.

“Since you’ve used them, you can’t just kick them while they’re down. Give them a hand and get this done. People like that may not be respectable, but when placed in key positions, they can sometimes play an unexpected role.”

"Since you've spoken, I'll give him a hand." Zhong Yaodang finally felt relieved. He picked up his chopsticks, banged his porcelain bowl loudly, and shouted, "Waiter! Bring the food! I'm starving!"

Looking at Zhong Yaodang's spoiled and dissolute appearance, Li Yuanchao shook his head helplessly, but a trace of worry flashed deep in his eyes.

The door to the private room was pushed open, and waiters filed in carrying dishes.

At the end of the corridor outside the private room, the restaurant manager, Mr. Sun, was ashen-faced. Leaning against the wall, he raised his hand and slapped himself twice.

"I told you not to be greedy... I told you not to eavesdrop..."

He accepted two thousand yuan from Li Yuanyuan and asked her to keep an eye on Li Yuanchao's movements.

But he never expected that he would hear such a shocking secret about murder!

This is no longer about money.

This is a matter of life and death!