Chapter 78 The Flames of Public Opinion
In Shanghai, the next day, just as dawn was breaking.
Several of the largest-circulation newspapers published the same news in the most prominent positions, using bold, large font.
Shocking! The whereabouts of donations to the Chunlei Children's Welfare Home remain a mystery!
"Called Charity, But Actually a Business? Unveiling the Accounts Behind Welfare Homes!"
The report was skillfully written, avoiding definitive conclusions and consisting entirely of questions, accompanied by several blurry photos of accounts and pictures of children eating bland food in the cafeteria; the text was full of suggestive language.
On the streets and alleys, people buying breakfast, waiting for the bus, and anyone who could read gathered together to discuss it.
"My goodness, didn't this welfare home even appear on TV, described as a model institution?"
"Tsk tsk, you can know a person's face but not their heart! Using a child's life-saving money to do such a despicable thing, aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning!"
Public opinion can ignite quickly and fiercely.
......
Chunlei Children's Welfare Home.
Zhou Yali gripped the phone, her hands trembling as if she had Parkinson's disease, and even the thick layer of powder on her face couldn't hide her ashen complexion.
"Second...Second Brother! Something's happened! The newspapers...the newspapers are all about it!" Her voice was shrill and choked with sobs.
On the other end of the phone came Lu Wenbo's cold voice, barely containing his anger: "What's the panic! You can't even keep your temper up over something so small! What am I keeping you for?!"
"I...I don't know what happened! Those reporters are like mad dogs. They were fine yesterday, but today..."
"Shut up!"
Lu Wenbo let out a low growl, interrupting her wailing.
"I don't care what methods you use, whether you spend money or hire people, suppress the media immediately! Three days! After three days, I'll send someone over to transfer the items away. Don't cause any trouble!"
"Three days? So fast?" Zhou Yali exclaimed in surprise.
"If we don't hurry, we'll all be going to jail when the investigation team comes!"
After Lu Wenbo finished speaking, he slammed down the phone.
Zhou Yali held the silent receiver, her body went limp, and she slumped into a chair.
......
Peace Hotel.
When Du Kangnian knocked on the door and entered the suite, Zheng Kai was already standing in the center of the living room like an iron tower.
He changed into clean clothes and shaved his face, but his bloodshot eyes were filled with terrifying emotions.
"Does the young lady want to see me?" Zheng Kai's voice was hoarse and dry.
Du Kangnian didn't speak, but simply bowed respectfully to the door of the inner room.
The door to the inner room opened, and Bai Shu came out.
When Zheng Kai saw that face, he was struck dumb, his pupils suddenly contracted, and his mouth opened wide enough to fit an egg.
"Big...big...you..." His mind went blank, he completely lost it.
"Zheng Kai." Su Wantang's voice was very soft.
She's not dead! The young lady is not dead!
This realization surged through Zheng Kai's body like an electric current, and the overwhelming joy and shock made his legs go weak.
With a "thump," this ruthless man who killed without blinking an eye on the streets knelt down straight.
"Young Miss!" He kowtowed loudly on the expensive carpet, and when he looked up again, his face was covered in tears.
"You...you're not dead! That's wonderful! That's wonderful!"
"The one who died was Su Wantang." Su Wantang walked up to him and looked down at him.
“I am Bai Zhu. This secret is something I don’t want anyone else to know besides you and Du Kangnian. Understand?”
"I understand! I understand!" Zheng Kai understood perfectly. He wiped away his tears, his eyes blazing with fervor.
"Miss Bai! From this day forward, my life, Zheng Kai's life, belongs to you! Whoever you tell me to bite, I will bite!"
Su Wantang wanted this vicious dog.
“Very good.” Su Wantang nodded.
"The first thing I want you to do is expose the secrets of the Chunlei Welfare Home."
"How do we lift it?" Zheng Kai's eyes instantly turned fierce.
“I heard that the welfare home has fired a lot of caregivers in recent years. They were all people who were dishonest or did not get along with Zhou Yali.”
Su Wantang said calmly.
"Go find them. Give them money and make them 'testify' at the newspaper, telling me everything they know and don't know."
"The dirtier the details, the better; the more tragic the story, the better. I want to turn Zhou Yali into a rat that everyone wants to beat."
A glint flashed in Zheng Kai's eyes, and he instantly understood. The young lady was trying to kill him by destroying his spirit!
"I'll take care of it right away!"
He nodded emphatically, like a soldier who had received a military order, and strode out, full of energy.
Zheng Kai's efficiency is frighteningly high.
Within half a day, several tabloids, like sharks smelling blood, received tips from "insiders."
A dismissed caregiver tearfully recounted witnessing Zhou Yali secretly bringing home high-end milk powder donated from overseas for her nephew, leaving the children to drink only rice gruel!
Another handyman with a limp "confirmed" that a child in the yard had a high fever, but Zhou Yali thought it was a waste of money to go to a big hospital, so she insisted on delaying it. As a result, the child's brain was damaged by the fever and he was sent to the countryside!
"Abuse!"
"A heartless, wicked woman!"
"Shooting her wouldn't be enough to vent my anger!"
One after another, sensational "details" were exposed with embellishment, and what was previously just suspicion of embezzlement has now escalated into a criminal case of child abuse.
Angry citizens spontaneously gathered at the entrance of the welfare home, holding banners and shouting "Severely punish the murderer." The eggs and rotten vegetable leaves thrown in piled up almost like a small mountain.
Public opinion is completely out of control.
In the evening, under pressure, the city government held an emergency press conference, announcing that a joint investigation team would be immediately established to investigate the matter thoroughly at the welfare home.
......
Beijing, Lu family's second branch.
"Smack!"
A valuable blue and white porcelain vase was smashed to the ground and shattered into pieces.
Lu Wenbo's face turned ashen as he looked at the information coming from Shanghai, trembling with rage.
"Useless! Zhou Yali is a good-for-nothing who can only cause trouble!"
He thought it was just a minor public opinion storm, but he never expected it to escalate to this point! Once the joint investigation team arrives, the contents of the cold storage will no longer be able to be hidden!
Who is it? Who exactly is behind this?
Lu Wenbo paced back and forth in his study, veins bulging on his forehead.
He thought of Lu Jingyan, but that little bastard was still in Beijing. Even if he had connections everywhere, he couldn't possibly cause such a big stir in Shanghai.
There's no time to think it through, we have to move immediately!
He grabbed the phone and connected to a secret line: "The plan has changed. We'll move in tonight! Everyone get ready and wait for me! Make sure everything goes perfectly!"
The phone had barely hung up when another red phone rang.
Lu Wenbo answered the phone irritably, and a woman's voice that was both seductive and languid came through.
"Hehehe... Second Master Lu, I heard your backyard in Shanghai is on fire?"
It's Huo Sanniang.
"You're certainly well-informed!" Lu Wenbo retorted irritably.
"It's not that I'm well-informed, it's just that you haven't cleaned your mess properly."
Huo Sanniang's laughter was full of sarcasm. "What, do you need my help to cut out the tongues of those gossipy reporters?"
Lu Wenbo almost ground his back teeth to powder.
What do you want?
“Talking to smart people is so easy.” Huo Sanniang’s voice became lazy and greedy.
"The previous terms need to be renegotiated."
"What do you mean?" Lu Wenbo's heart sank.
"After this is done, I will receive seven-tenths of the Bai family's overseas inheritance, and you will receive three-tenths."
"You're dreaming!" Lu Wenbo roared.
"Then I wish you good luck, Second Master Lu." Huo Sanniang chuckled and made a move to hang up the phone.
"Wait!" Lu Wenbo practically spat out those two words through gritted teeth.
He is now beset by internal and external troubles and urgently needs Huo San Niang's help in Hong Kong to deal with the aftermath, so he can only swallow his anger and suffer in silence.
"...Okay, I promise you."
"That's a good girl," Huo Sanniang said with a satisfied smile. "It's been a pleasure working with you."
After hanging up the phone, Lu Wenbo slammed his fist on the mahogany table, instantly turning the back of his hand into a bloody mess.
...
That day, a flight from Beijing landed silently at Shanghai Airport.
As Lu Jingyan walked out of the airport wearing a black trench coat, the chill emanating from him seemed to freeze the surrounding air.
Gao Jianjun followed behind him, barely daring to breathe.
Lu Jingyan didn't go to the Peace Hotel, but instead had the car drive directly to a cemetery in the western suburbs.
On the cold tombstone was a black and white photograph of Su Wantang smiling radiantly.
Below the photo are the words: Tomb of my beloved wife, Su Wantang.
It's just a cenotaph.
But for Lu Jingyan, what was buried here was his entire soul.
The night wind was cold and desolate. He stood motionless before the lonely tombstone, like a lifeless sculpture.
From dusk to midnight, and then to dawn.
Gao Jianjun stood in the car at a distance, watching that tall and straight figure, his eyes red with tears.
He knew that Miss Su's death had taken Brother Lu's soul with her.
...
At the same time, on the top floor of the Peace Hotel.
Su Wantang stood before the enormous floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the entire Shanghai nightscape. Her gaze drifted towards the Chunlei Welfare Home, where, at this moment, it was brightly lit and in a state of chaos.
The fish are already in the net.
Tonight is the time to close the net.
She picked up the internal phone on the table and dialed a number.
The call was quickly answered, and a calm male voice came from the other end: "Miss."
She was one of Qin Zheng's trusted confidants sent to protect her.
A chilling killing intent flashed in Su Wantang's eyes.
"Proceed according to plan."
Her voice was soft, yet every word was like a knife.
"Not one of them can be spared."
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