Chapter 18

"I say, what's going on with your Daniel? I explained to him for a long time about the ring, but he didn't believe a word I said. In the end, guess what, he asked me to provide evidence! How dare I tell Qiao Qi about what you did? How can I provide evidence?!" Zheng Juyong rushed back to the dormitory in the evening. As soon as he entered the door, he threw off his shoes and went straight to the kitchen. He first drank a big gulp of boiled water. He was thirsty all day and failed to convince Daniel. The first thing he did when he came back was to find Guan Ying to complain, "I feel like a defendant sitting there. No wonder you are hiding today. Hey! Guan Ying?" He pushed open the half-closed bedroom door, but there was no one there.

He hurried to the living room window, opened the curtains and looked at the row of parking spaces downstairs. Sure enough, the white pickup truck was not there. He blamed himself for being worried about Daniel all the way back and not noticing that she was not at home.

Zheng Juyong had been eager to talk to her, but ended up being disappointed. He looked at the desolate and empty highway in the distance and muttered, "I thought you were hiding in the dormitory... What have you been doing..."

A fiery red sunset shone into my eyes, and I had no choice but to pull the curtains down again out of boredom. Turning back, I saw a piece of A4 paper neatly placed on the fruit tray on the coffee table. On it was a line of large, scribbled words: "I'm going to Dubai to stay for a few days. Please do as you please!"

Zheng Juyong slapped his hands on the coffee table, instantly cheering up. "I knew it! Don't I know you, Guan Ying?!" Then he immediately became annoyed. "Really? What do you mean by 'do as you please'? Why don't you write it clearly... Even though you didn't discuss this deal with me beforehand, I have a stake in it, and I definitely can't just sit back and watch... Tsk, but this guy is even more difficult to deal with than Xiao Weiyan. I'm afraid I can't handle it... Oh no!"

Although he had long realized that Hassan's deal wasn't innocent, he had no choice but to let it go for now, even if he felt it was against the grain, in order to stay. But it wasn't until today, piecing together Daniel's fragments, that he saw the full picture and realized that this deal was actually Guan Ying's way of walking on a knife's edge:

The Hassan family's primary business is contracting for the construction and transportation of natural gas and oil pipelines for the UAE government. This inevitably involves numerous political and business interactions with Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and Iran. These transactions and collaborations involve not only regional and international regulations, but also diplomatic and political matters. As the most socially connected of the younger generation, Hassan took on the task of recruiting a top-tier lawyer for the family. Talent is hard to come by, and Daniel, a renowned figure in legal circles in the US, Canada, and the Middle East, naturally became Hassan's target.

Serving a consortium is simply not as complex as working at a law firm. Daniel had always avoided discussing this, and later even excused himself to return to Canada, semi-retiring from the legal profession, leaving Hassan at his wit's end. But Hassan soon found a way out in Guan Ying, Daniel's ex-girlfriend. Naturally, Guan Ying knew what Hassan was really after in this deal.

Initially, Hassan was simply looking for a new opportunity, not expecting to succeed instantly. After all, times have changed, and who would easily change their stance based on a little information about their ex-girlfriend? Although Guan Ying was engaged in a deal with him, she rarely showed up and even avoided him, which almost made Hassan give in.

Late that night, when Zheng Juyong's signature suddenly appeared before him, Hassan thought he had finally grasped the key. His maneuvering only stirred a ripple in Daniel's heart, and it still didn't help. Later, it was Guan Ying's sudden appearance that really made a difference. To clear out the excess waste at the port yard, she not only used the ring but also confirmed the "Juyongguan" incident in front of everyone. This was like adding a powerful bargaining chip to Hassan's hand. Hassan's exaggerated and exaggerated story made Daniel restless, and he took the fastest flight back to investigate.

Although Daniel hadn't yet accepted Hassan's job offer, he had to make a point this time around. He was bound to help Hassan out in the short term. Guan Ying wasn't having an easy time either. She still had her current boyfriend, Xiao Weiyan. Rather than dancing on the edge of a knife, it would be more accurate to say she'd thrown herself into the Taishang Laojun's alchemy furnace. If the result was good, it would be a miraculous elixir; if it wasn't, it could be a poisonous pill that would destroy her heart and bones.

Zheng Juyong's sudden appearance in the UAE was like a butterfly gently flapping its wings in the Amazon rainforest, inadvertently changing the direction of everyone's life.

Upon realizing this, he felt responsible and began to confide in Daniel. However, no matter how he explained his relationship with Guan Ying, Daniel found it unconvincing. His presence with Guan Ying last night, their banter, and Guan Ying's shocking reaction, all reinforced Daniel's conviction. Lawyers rely on evidence, not hearsay. Furthermore, his silence about the ring for Qiao Qi's sake made his words seem like a deceptive attempt to conceal crucial evidence.

Throughout the conversation, he went from being confident at the beginning to gradually losing his composure, and finally falling into a state of confusion trying to prove his innocence to Daniel. Only then did he finally realize that his attempt to prove his innocence to Daniel was completely overestimating his own abilities. He had to hide from Guan Ying, so how could he be qualified? He had to rack his brains to deal with Xiao Weiyan, let alone Daniel, who could easily win over Xiao Weiyan with just an invitation letter?

Zheng Juyong, practically at his wit's end, "ran away" back. He urgently needed to discuss a countermeasure with Guan Ying, but then he realized she had already fled. But this was something the West City Bully would do; it wasn't the first or second time she'd tried to get rid of him. If there was anyone to blame, it was only him, having been so eager to ask her to "use" him in the first place. Now, he had to be the "useful" one.

It's just that she can be away, but at least we should check the "purpose" and "policy" over the phone. Zheng Juyong pondered and called Guan Ying, but no one answered for a long time. He had to call again after five minutes, but the same thing happened.

"Ha! Guan Ying, you're looking down on me... I won't force you to come back."

Zheng Juyong immediately called Sister Jiawei, but no one answered!

"Uh... Could it be that he's hiding from me too? Uh, Guan Ying is hiding from me? That's not possible!"

He had no choice but to look up Xiao Weiyan from the phone list, but after a moment's hesitation, he gave up. He didn't know how much Xiao Weiyan knew about this matter, and how much Guan Ying was going to explain to Xiao Weiyan. Well, it wasn't the right time for him to cause trouble.

The setting sun fell into the sea and night fell. Zheng Juyong had a strong sense of responsibility, but he was like a blind man walking at night, unable to find his way. He fell asleep on the sofa in a daze.

He didn't know how long he had slept when the phone suddenly rang. He was startled and picked it up abruptly, afraid of missing it: "Guan Ying? Are you really unwilling to answer my call?"

"Hmm? Juyong, did you get your sister Guanguan into trouble?"

"Dad?!" Zheng Juyong picked up his phone, took a serious look at the caller ID, and jumped up from the sofa in shock. "You, why are you calling me?!"

Zheng Dongfang brought his wife home from the hospital today, intending to talk to his son. Unexpectedly, his son was so panicked when he answered the phone: "I can't call? Are you hiding something from me?"

"Ah? No! I mean..." Zheng Juyong looked at the time and suddenly had an idea. "It's almost midnight at home. If you call me at this time, I will definitely be startled..."

Zheng Dongfang relaxed a little. "Oh, I calculated that the time you would return to the dormitory after finishing your work outside would be just right. Isn't this just to accommodate you? You just thought I was the one who controlled you, right? She's not with you? Are you two having a fight?"

"No!" Zheng Juyong frowned. "Hey, Dad, we're not children. I just wanted to know when she plans to come back for dinner, haha."

"Oh, that's it..." Zheng Dongfang paused, "That's fine. You don't have much ability outside, so it's only natural for you to help your sister with cooking. You two should take care of each other when you're out there. We don't expect anything from you outside, as long as you don't get into trouble."

Zheng Juyong wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "Oh, Dad, you called me suddenly. What's the matter?"

"Nothing, your mother is home and wants to tell you."

"Can my mother speak now?"

"Well, your mother just had a fever. As long as the inflammation subsides, everything will be fine. But it's too late today, and she's asleep."

"Well, okay, that's good. I'll find time to call my mom later."

Zheng Dongfang nodded: "Yes, I want it."

The father and son seemed to have run out of topics to talk about, but Zheng Dongfang missed his son and didn't want to hang up. He racked his brains and said, "By the way, the finance department said today that they received the money from the UAE."

Zheng Juyong's eyes lit up: "I know. Today I went to the client's place to escort the last batch of goods."

Zheng Dongfang's voice also brightened a bit: "You pledged the goods? Good, good, good! Alas, it was not easy for your sister Guan Guan to get back these 10 million. Son, when you are outside, you must listen to your sister Guan Guan and help her as much as possible!"

Zheng Juyong scratched his hair and finally sat down on the sofa. For the first time, he empathized with Guan Ying's situation: "It's not easy for her..."

Just after hearing the slightest change in his son's attitude towards Guan Ying, Zheng Dongfang's mind had already outlined the magnificent prospect of the two children working together to open up a new era for Xicheng Steel: "Son, you've really made progress since you went out! Great, great! Dad tells you, your Uncle Guan and I originally discussed repaying the bank loan with this 10 million yuan. But now it's different. Dad has decided to use this money to upgrade the steel plant's equipment! The Environmental Protection Bureau has been ordering us to make rectifications, but Dad couldn't afford new machines and kept trying to delay. This time, with the new machines, we will catch up in both production capacity and quality! You and Guan Guan just need to keep that new customer out there. Our Xicheng Steel will sprout new buds and reach a new level!"

When Zheng Dongfang talked about the future of the steel plant, he was eloquent and full of fighting spirit.

"Ah? Dad, that bank money..."

"Silly son, industrial upgrading is encouraged by policy. Even the banks have to support us. Besides, we have a promising future! When doing business, you can't be timid!"

"So you mean that I should stay in the UAE and engage in foreign trade in the future?"

"I'm still here at the steel mill, so you can just stay out there and help take care of your sister. You're at an age where you should be making a difference, so why are you in such a hurry to come home? I think this new client is great. Not only does he buy in large quantities, but he also pays promptly. There's more than just Sabur in the UAE market!"

Zheng Juyong couldn't explain the details to his father, but he knew it was a one-time deal with Hassan. There wouldn't be a second one. Even if Hassan agreed, he wouldn't approve! But how could he bear to dampen his father's ambitions? Uncle Guan could accept the decline of the steel mill, but his father couldn't. Old Zheng had devoted his entire life to the steel mill. It meant as much to his father as his own child, a fact he had known since childhood.

"Dad, this new customer's situation is special. You know that batch of goods actually belongs to Southern Steel, so it's hard to say what will happen in the future. But I understand what you mean. I'll go to the trading market tomorrow. When our production capacity increases, we still need to develop some new customers as soon as possible."

Zheng Dongfang's voice on the other side was almost eight octaves higher: "Yes, yes, yes! I heard your uncle say that there's not only a trade market over there, but also an exhibition. You should go and have a look! Son, Daddy should send you out earlier. Daddy is rooting for you!"

......

After the call ended, Lao Zheng excitedly went back to the house and woke his wife up: "Your son has made it big!"

The couple was so happy that they didn't sleep a wink all night.

Their son, Xiao Zheng, looked at the male dogs that traveled long distances every day under the streetlights to deliver food, his eyes empty. "Oh, how am I going to explain this to Qiao Qi..."