Chapter 216 A Long-Planned Opportunity
Chenlian Expressway Service Area.
After finishing his phone call and drinking his canned coffee, Gu Yanzheng quietly got into his car.
Chen Zhenzhu curled up inside Gu Yanzheng's cotton coat. The night was deep. She squinted slightly and asked in a hoarse voice, "Where are we? Are you tired?"
Gu Yanzheng started the car and turned onto the highway, then said, "I'll be there in another hour. I've already contacted Gong Qi's film set and they've sent me the address."
Chen Zhenzhu suddenly sat up: "So fast?"
The road was pitch black, shrouded in thick night fog. Although it wasn't snowing, the wind was biting and visibility was poor.
Just like its driver's personality, the Cherokee drove boldly on the highway with its hazard lights on, and before long its taillights became the navigation lights for other vehicles.
"No need, there's snow after we get off the highway. If you've had a good night's sleep, help me look at the map." Gu Yanzheng was in high spirits. After the engine ran for about ten minutes, the heater came back on.
"Hmm." Chen Zhenzhu's face was flushed from sleep. She naturally opened the armrest box, took out a map, and began to look at it carefully: "Where is the place?"
“Wuhu Village, Xiangyang County,” Gu Yanzheng said. “It’s below Xitie, not far from Highway 107, and to the north is the Yahushan Forest.”
Chen Zhenzhu buried her head and searched for a while, then looked up and grinned, saying, "You seem to know the place quite well."
Seeing her happy, Gu Yanzheng smiled too: "I'll find you something to do."
Is Yahu Mountain fun?
"It's nothing special, just a small, run-down lake. It's not as fun as Shenling Village, where they grow ginseng and Chinese cabbage, and many Koreans live there. It has a lot of exotic charm. I'll take you there when I'm done with this."
Shen Zhenzhu said, "Sure, people like us can't just go abroad whenever we want. It wouldn't hurt to travel around the beautiful landscapes of our motherland. Oh dear, I haven't reported my departure yet."
Gu Yanzheng said, "By the time you remember, it will be too late. I'll talk to Director Liu for you."
Chen Zhenzhu breathed a sigh of relief, looked down at Shenling Village on the map, and felt a tightness in her throat.
Gu Yanzheng said, "Is the barbecue too salty? There's water in the thermos by your door, don't drink it, Zhenzhen."
Shen Zhenzhu casually took out Gu Yanzheng's thermos, unscrewed it, took a sip, and secretly glanced at Gu Yanzheng.
Gu Yanzheng remained focused, his gaze fixed straight ahead.
Chen Zhenzhu took two more sips of water at a suitable temperature, screwed on the thermos, and put it back in the passenger seat.
“Wuhu Village is an old revolutionary base area. When I was in the army, there was a communications command post stationed here. I don’t know if it’s still there now. The guys there were especially good at playing ping-pong. There was no other entertainment in the freezing cold,” Gu Yanzheng said.
"There should still be some left, right? The military can't just move away like that," Chen Zhenzhu said.
Gu Yanzheng calmly replied, "That's true, after all, it's the Rocket Force."
Shen Zhenzhu said, "Can you just tell me that so casually?"
Gu Yanzheng said, "What are you afraid of if you've passed the political review? If you have any problems, everyone from Director Tu to Director Liu and me will be investigated. Actually, it's not as serious as you think. Family members will visit you in the remote mountain village, and they often take photos with the rocket shell."
"Hey, you scared me!" Chen Zhenzhu glanced at the road sign and said, "There's a fork in the road two kilometers ahead where you have to go down."
"Understood, Captain Chen." Gu Yanzheng turned off the hazard lights, turned on the turn signal, and drove to the right.
"What's so interesting about filming in this godforsaken place?" Gu Yanzheng muttered, noting the rough road ahead.
Upon arriving at Wuhu Village, we asked the locals for directions and then slowly drove southwest for another twenty kilometers before finally seeing the film crew's tents, brightly lit.
“Jiang Luchao owns a film and television company, so he shouldn’t be short of money. He’s really willing to let his wife film in a place like this.” Gu Yanzheng got out of the car and put on the cotton coat that Chen Zhenzhu handed him, which was still warm from her body.
Shen Zhenzhu took out a red scarf from her bag and tied it around her neck, which made Gu Yanzheng envious.
“Teacher Gong has a night shoot, you guys wait in the tent over there.” A young man with multicolored hair rushed over and said to Gu Yanzheng, “Hey, drive your car further away, there won’t be a place to park when Teacher Gong’s car comes later.”
Both had the same multicolored, mixed-color hair, but Shen Zhenzhu thought Wu Fuwang was much cuter back then. Unfortunately, time never turns back, and Wu Fuwang became Manager Wu, forbidding Shen Zhenzhu from mentioning his "cringeworthy past."
Shen Zhenzhu asked him, "When will Teacher Gong finish filming?"
The multicolored, scraggly creature said impatiently, "Just wait when I tell you to. Can't you see how many people are waiting here?"
"Hey, watch your mouth, these two are police officers." Yu Guang, the assistant director who had been watching the commotion from inside the tent, came over, handed Gu Yanzheng a cigarette, and said, "Why are you moving the car? Come in."
Gu Yanzheng declined the cigarette and introduced, "Director Yu, this is Captain Chen from our Liancheng Major Crimes Unit. We hope you can cooperate with our work."
Director Yu rubbed his hands and said, "Captain Chen, come in and have a cup of hot water. Our crew has tough conditions, and only a model worker like Teacher Gong would be willing to come and act."
Shen Zhenzhu didn't recognize Director Yu; he seemed to be relatively unknown. Inside the tent, Gu Yanzheng exchanged pleasantries with Director Yu, occasionally mentioning Gong Qi.
Director Yu praised Gong Qi highly, saying as they walked, "There aren't many young people these days who work as hard as Teacher Gong. She's responsible, ambitious, and even waives her performance fee; otherwise, our crew wouldn't be able to continue."
Passing by the largest tent in the camp, there were filming equipment and a group of staff members holding a meeting, puffing away on cigarettes.
There was another smaller tent, and an assistant came out with a rag. It was about seven or eight square meters in size, with high-end sofas, cases of mineral water, and a single Simmons mattress, filled with a cool perfume scent.
Upon entering Director Yu's tent, one is greeted by a stench of smoke and foot odor.
Shen Zhenzhu and Gu Yanzheng waited there until dawn, but Gong Qi still hadn't returned. Around ten o'clock, the sound of showering came from the small tent, and the assistant was going in and out.
After being left out all night, Gong Qi's assistant called Shen Zhenzhu over for a meeting, reminding her, "Men shouldn't go, lest it cause rumors."
Gu Yanzheng said briskly, "Then I'll wait at the door."
Director Yu was determined to save money, so he said, "You have such a good image, why don't you make a cameo appearance?"
Gu Yanzheng thought for a moment, then put his arm around his shoulder and said, "Let's talk."
Chen Zhenzhu entered the small tent: "Hello, Teacher Gong."
Gong Qi didn't greet Chen Zhenzhu. Instead, she sat cross-legged on an expensive leather sofa. On the coffee table in front of her were fresh fruit and a lavish breakfast, with entertainment headlines pressed beneath the plates.
Shocking! Film star Chen Bufan has met a tragic end; his body has been mummified!
Other newspapers bearing the name "Chen Bufan" were thrown into the trash, clearly causing an uproar in the entertainment industry.
Gong Qi had her assistant blow-dry her hair while she took a beauty nap. She asked lazily, "What is it?"
At this moment, Shen Zhenzhu felt that the packaging of entertainment was truly terrifying. Actors who were so aloof and arrogant in real life could act as if they were chatting and laughing with ordinary people on television.
“I contacted you before about Chen Bufan’s case,” Shen Zhenzhu said. “You must have seen the reports, right?”
Gong Qi said calmly, "What does this have to do with me?"
Shen Zhenzhu said, "I heard that you two were dating before he disappeared. I'd like to ask about your specific relationships. If there are any important leads, I'll need to work with you as a partner."
Gong Qi put down her crossed legs. Her assistant, who was in his thirties, said unhappily, "Teacher Gong may be sentimental, and she's worked with the makeup artist and cameraman for over ten years, but it's not like she's still thinking about a fleeting romance from twenty years ago, is it? Thanks to you, reporters are everywhere looking for Teacher Gong now. Those people can make up all sorts of stories to publish. What do you think Teacher Gong is supposed to say to the reporters?"
Shen Zhenzhu calmly said, "Just tell the truth. I am an investigator, not a paparazzi. You can lie to reporters, but to me is to fabricate a confession, which is illegal."
"You can go out now," Gong Qi said to her assistant.
As her assistant left, Chen Zhenzhu took out a photo of "Chen Bufan" from her bag and said, "This is what he looked like when he was discovered. I've been to your house, which is less than a ten-minute drive away. I heard you often go there for walks."
Gong Qi closed her eyes, unable to hide the shock and fear she felt after seeing the photo. She said with pity, "I really don't want to mention him. We dated for a few months, but the relationship wasn't very good. We would argue over the smallest things. I felt that he was a chauvinist and often didn't respect my opinions."
For example?
“For example, he would smuggle goods for resale and even give them to me. I was terrified when I received them for the first time. Later, he also organized some illegal gatherings and became sworn brothers with local thugs.”
Gong Qi was unwilling to talk about the past and said with some anger, "He would also make decisions for me and agree to perform without my consent. He would perform plays that were banned. I was just over twenty years old at the time, and I was extremely anxious every day."
"Did you look for him after he disappeared?"
“I didn’t want to look for him, and I told him I wanted to break up,” Gong Qi said. “Chen Bufan is just like his name; he’s a free spirit. He does whatever comes to mind, and I can’t afford to waste time with him. My family also doesn’t approve of our relationship. After he left, I waited for a while and was even investigated by the organization. As a result, my play was also affected, and the leading role I had secured was given to someone else.”
When did you and Jiang Luchao get together?
"About a year and a half after Chen Bufan left, my husband took good care of me, helped me find acting roles, and helped me out of my predicament." Gong Qi revealed a girlish expression and smiled as she said, "Our relationship has always been very good. I don't want to mention Chen Bufan's name again. Chen Bufan is a stain on my life. Do you understand how helpless I felt at that time? If it weren't for Jiang Luchao, I would have committed suicide by drowning long ago."
Shen Zhenzhu asked, "Do you know about Chen Bufan's smuggling?"
Gong Qi said with a disdainful look, "I didn't know. He only told me that he had something to do and asked me to give him a week. ... I also told the organization this back then. The all-night interrogation and the investigation of everyone around me, looking back, it was really not easy for me to survive. I have severed all ties with Chen Bufan. Whether he lives or dies has nothing to do with me anymore."
"I heard you two used to argue a lot before you broke up. Can I ask why you were arguing?"
Gong Qi then showed her impatience, raising her phoenix eyes and saying contemptuously, "Didn't I already tell you? He's taking on jobs for me without my permission."
Thinking of the keywords "smuggling," "explosion," and "shirking responsibility" mentioned in the Heavenly Eye's retrospective, Shen Zhenzhu said, "I'm afraid there are other things involved?"
Gong Qi pursed her lips and remained silent.
Observing Gong Qi's expression, Chen Zhenzhu whispered, "How long will we keep the matter of Hongshan County a secret?"
Gong Qi lit a cigarette, exhaled a puff of smoke, and squinted at Shen Zhenzhu, seemingly considering whether Shen Zhenzhu truly knew the truth or was bluffing her.
After finishing her cigarette, Gong Qi's fingertips trembled as she tapped the butt. Her willow-leaf eyebrows, phoenix eyes, and cherry-red lips betrayed a chilling mix of coldness and fear. She gritted her teeth and said, "You do have some skills as a police officer, but I absolutely won't tell you. Go away."
Shen Zhenzhu said, "Are you sure you want to hide the truth? What are you afraid of?"
"Hide the truth? I'm not afraid of anything." Gong Qi saw through Chen Zhenzhu's thoughts, stubbed out her cigarette, and said sarcastically, "Are you thinking, what right do you, an actress, have to be so arrogant?"
“You’ve misunderstood, Ms. Gong. I didn’t mean any disrespect to the actors,” Shen Zhenzhu said, standing up. “I will investigate the matter in Hongshan County myself.”
Gong Qi watched Shen Zhenzhu leave and called out, "Hey, out of consideration for your waiting all night, I'll remind you of something."
Chen Zhenzhu stopped and turned around.
Gong Qi propped her feet up on the coffee table, popped a piece of chewing gum into her mouth, and said while chewing, "There's a blizzard today; it's not a good day to travel far."
Chen Zhenzhu smiled and said, "Thank you for reminding me, Teacher Gong. I will come again."
After Shen Zhenzhu left, Gong Qi lit another cigarette, grabbed a newspaper, and threw it into the trash can. She exhaled the smoke and closed her eyes.
Gu Yanzheng was chatting happily in Director Yu's tent, and a blizzard was about to hit the horizon. He had already become sworn brothers with Director Yu.
“Our production team is short on funds, otherwise we would definitely have let you stay overnight.” Director Yu, finding a kindred spirit, personally escorted Gu Yanzheng to the car, holding onto the door tightly and refusing to let go.
As Shen Zhenzhu frowned in the passenger seat, thinking about the case, the surgeon and nurses in the telescope were wearing masks and surgical caps, and even the men and women on the smuggling boat could not be clearly seen.
The process of making the mummified body was interrupted, and the body is currently undergoing an autopsy in the forensic room. We will have to take another look when we get back.
Director Yu bid a reluctant farewell to Gu Yanzheng: "Make sure you remember my phone number. If you ever want to make a film, just call me. The same goes for your colleague; she's suitable too. It's a pity you're both police officers. If you were to switch careers, call me first."
Gu Yanzheng replied perfunctorily, "Thank you for your kind words, Director Yu. Goodbye."
Inside the car, Director Tu called Shen Zhenzhu directly: "Xiao Shen, the case has been reported to the provincial department. The Liancheng film and television event has been forced to cancel, and the social impact is extremely negative. There's still a week until the Chinese New Year. Can you solve the case?"
Shen Zhenzhu stated clearly, "Please rest assured, Director Tu, I am willing to guarantee, in my capacity as the head of the Major Crimes Unit, that the case will be solved within a week, restoring peace and tranquility to the citizens during the Spring Festival."
"Great, I'll be waiting for your good news."
"yes."
Gu Yanzheng closed the car door and turned the car key: "A blizzard is coming, and it's estimated to be minus twenty degrees Celsius outside. Hongshan County is more than 100 kilometers away, so we probably have to wait for the snow to stop before we can go today."
Having just made her "pledge," Shen Zhenzhu nestled into her chair, gazing at the howling north wind outside the window: "Let's find a hotel first."
Gu Yanzheng said naturally, "Wouldn't it be a slap in my face to look for a hotel in Shenyang?"
Shen Zhenzhu looked up at her brother Zheng and noticed his eyes were gleaming: "Then...?"
While the car was warming up, Gu Yanzheng extended his hand and shook hands with Chen Zhenzhu in a friendly manner, saying politely, "Let's go to my house."
Chen Zhenzhu said, feigning nonchalance, "Oh? Is it convenient for a lone man and woman?"
Gu Yanzheng smiled and said, "There's nothing inconvenient about it. My parents are here too."
Chen Zhenzhu glanced at him sideways: "What kind of crazy idea do you have?"
Gu Yanzheng started the car and said, "Every year is a difficult time for older single men to celebrate the Spring Festival. This year, they even gave me a 'military order' that if I don't bring a girlfriend home, they won't recognize me."
Shen Zhenzhu squinted, and said with a half-smile, "You want me to fake it?"
Gu Yanzheng turned his head to look at her. The tires bounced on the stones on the mountain path. He turned his head back and said in a cheeky tone, "Sure, it's quite exciting to bring a fake partner home."
Just when things seemed about to fall apart, Gu Yanzheng decided to tease her, and Shen Zhenzhu was already itching to punch her brother Zheng.
The Cherokee drove slowly all the way, and because it was so cold outside, you could see white breath inside the car.
Passing by a highway service area, the road was packed with cars. After waiting in line for over an hour to refuel, Chen Zhenzhu excused herself to go to the restroom, grabbed her mobile phone, and ran into the service station.
"Meeting the parents? At a restaurant or at home?" Shen Liuhe's voice rang out, and the restaurant fell silent.
Chen Zhenzhu hid in the corner and stared furtively at the Cherokee in line, saying, "I'm just going to eat at someone's house on the way."
Yuan Jiangxue's voice came over: "Don't rush to show off when you get there. Remember, it's just a 'stopover' for a meal. They're not giving you the opportunity; you're giving them the opportunity to shine. Don't be nervous."
Shen Zhenzhu was already a little nervous, and covered the microphone as she said, "I still have dark circles under my eyes, my hair isn't combed, and I haven't washed my face—"
Since Shen Liuhe had no reasonable advice after her relationship failed, she could only hand over the power of conversation to her good friend Yuan Jiangxue, who had also failed in her relationship but had watched many dating and mediation programs.
Yuan Jiangxue took the microphone and said calmly, "It's best to be natural. If you haven't explained things clearly, then you're just an ordinary friend. I know their family is incredibly well-off, but don't be intimidated. If they try to intimidate you by making you wash dishes in the kitchen, first, use a steel wool pad to scrape off the coating on their pots and pans, then slam the door and leave. If Xiao Gu wants to go with you, go; if he doesn't, slap him before you leave. Live life to the fullest, don't wrong yourself. If you wrong yourself now, you'll be wronged a hundred times, a thousand times more in the future."
Before Shen Zhenzhu could finish speaking, Gu Yanzheng suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Shen Zhenzhu tried to pretend that the signal was bad, but Gu Yanzheng snatched the mobile phone and listened to her every word.
After Yuan Jiangxue finished her speech, she didn't forget to remind Chen Zhenzhu: "Remember to bring a gift box when you get to the entrance of the community. Good things come in pairs, so buy two. If not, you can bring one back. One for your mom and one for me, that'll be perfect."
After hanging up the phone, Gu Yanzheng said quietly, "Looking for outside help?"
Shen Zhenzhu raised her head and replied, "Is there a problem?"
Gu Yanzheng said, "There's absolutely no problem. If there were, I'd smash up the kitchen first."
Chen Zhenzhu said in surprise, "Didn't you think about the consequences?"
Gu Yanzheng said, "The consequence is that after you smash this up, I'll go home with you and become your live-in son-in-law. I'll be a waiter for Sixth Sister. ...Hey, that was pretty heavy-handed."
Not knowing how to respond, Shen Zhenzhu punched Gu Yanzheng in the arm and left with her head held high.
Gu Yanzheng held his arm; the small hammer was so powerful that he almost broke his arm again.
The Cherokee sped into the city, braving the wind and snow.
The most upscale residential community in the provincial capital, featuring a private clubhouse and golf course, adjacent to a forest park, a natural oxygen bar, and an equestrian training ground.
Gu Yuchao, the province's top developer who owns several mountains of gold, paced back and forth in the corridor and bathroom of his son's large apartment, constantly fixing his hair and clothes, trying to put on a kind and friendly smile.
Behind him, Jin Xiaofeng, the actual person in charge of the Gu family, was ordering the chefs to keep tasting the dishes, saying things like "too salty," "too bland," "too spicy," and "it's too delicious, it doesn't taste like what I make." This made one of the top chefs in the provincial capital secretly roll his eyes in the kitchen, and he could only keep making the dishes over and over again.
After dealing with the chef, Jin Xiaofeng sat on the sofa and took out the red envelope from her pocket, counting the money with a clattering sound.
Gu Yuchao, who had just come out of the washroom, saw this and said helplessly, "You're too anxious. You've practically worn out this stack of banknotes from counting them."
Jin Xiaofeng retorted angrily, "What do you men know? 'One in ten thousand' means it has to be 'one in ten thousand'. If there's one less, it's not 'one in ten thousand'!"
"Someone who was so adventurous when he was young can't handle anything when he's old." Gu Yuchao touched his hair in the air and turned to go to the bathroom: "Why does it feel so frizzy again?"
Jin Xiaofeng said without looking up, "Those two stray hairs, you're quite diligent in stroking them."
Gu Yuchao turned his head and said, "You women don't know anything! Do you know how important first impressions are?...Do you really think it will work out?"
Jin Xiaofeng patted her chest and said, "Yes."
They were talking noisily, and the head chef in the kitchen nervously asked the nanny who was helping out, "What level of leader are you planning to meet at this family dinner? I've never seen two bosses so nervous before."
“You’ve never seen one before, that’s for sure, definitely a top-tier one.” The old nanny, who had been with Jin Xiaofeng for many years, held up one finger and said mysteriously, “Anyway, if we can’t reach an agreement today, the Gu family will be in big trouble.”
"Huh?" The chef said hurriedly, "Then let's stop chatting. I'll try harder and strive for a good performance."
He used all his skills to prepare a table full of delicacies. Considering the extraordinary status of the "number one person," the meal combined dishes from both northern and southern China, a true display of his culinary skills.
"Buddha Jumps Over the Wall", "Stuffed Crab Claws with Hundred Flowers", "Braised Sea Cucumber in Abalone Sauce", "Fish Maw Stewed Chicken Soup"...
Five minutes after he reluctantly left, the doorbell rang.
Jin Xiaofeng and Gu Yuchao walked towards the door at the same time. When they reached the door, Jin Xiaofeng nudged Gu Yuchao and said, "Open the door."
Gu Yuchao finally finished fixing his hair and said in a low voice, "It's windy outside, you do it."
Wearing a custom-made cheongsam, Jin Xiaofeng gritted her teeth as she opened the door, immediately flashing a bright smile: "Welcome, my darling, you've finally arrived."
Gu Yanzheng stamped the snow off his boots and said with great joy, "Welcome too early, 'your baby' hasn't arrived yet."
Gu Yuchao said sternly, "Then why did you come back? Honey, close the door!"
Gu Yanzheng forced a smile and turned to the side. Just as Jin Xiaofeng was about to slam the door shut, Chen Zhenzhu suddenly came out of the elevator, carrying a gift box and rushing over.
Jin Xiaofeng greeted him with both hands, accepting the eight-treasure porridge and coconut milk she had bought at the entrance of the community. She said gently, "Since you're already here, why bring a gift? Oh, you really know how to buy things, they're all my favorites. Old Gu, come on in. Come on, baby, come in quickly, it's nice and warm inside."
Gu Yuchao, disregarding his hairstyle, accepted the gift box and solemnly said, "Please come in."
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Author's Note: Pearl: I'm quite satisfied with the two of them [laughs]
***
See you tomorrow, there are 100 red envelopes to be won! [rose emoji]
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