Chapter 236 Killing Without Shedding Blood
The next day, Su Wantang woke up in a firm, warm embrace.
She opened her eyes and met his gaze. Lu Jingyan didn't know how long he had been awake; he was lying on his side, one hand supporting his head, the other hand idly tracing the outline of her collarbone with his fingertips.
"Awake?" he asked softly.
"Mmm." Su Wantang responded lazily, snuggling closer to him to find a more comfortable position.
This brief moment of tenderness before the storm was interrupted by a series of urgent knocks on the door.
"Young Miss, something's happened!" A calm but clearly urgent voice came from outside the door.
Su Wantang's eyes cleared instantly, all traces of her previous languor and dependence vanishing. She sat up, the silk blanket slipping down to reveal a large expanse of snow-white skin marked with suggestive lines. Lu Jingyan casually pulled over a robe from the side and draped it over her, then got up and casually put on a shirt.
"Come in." After a moment, Bai Shu's voice regained its usual coldness.
She burst into the room in January, her face extremely grim. She carried a stack of newspapers and quickly walked to the bedside, spreading them out in front of the two of them.
Oriental Daily News, Sing Tao Daily, Ming Pao... several of Hong Kong Island's largest-circulation newspapers all used the same photo on their front pages.
The photo was taken in a very clever way, capturing the scene of Bai Shu and Benjamin meeting in a private booth at Lu Yu Tea House yesterday. In the photo, Bai Shu looks calm, while Benjamin looks panicked, as if they were engaged in some shady deal.
The headline was sensational and full of malicious speculation.
"The identity of the mysterious Dong family's daughter is in doubt; she is suspected of being a mainland commercial spy!"
"A shocking deception! Lu Yu's secret meeting with foreigners at the teahouse, and the Dong family's reunion with relatives—is actually a shocking conspiracy?"
The black lead type, like venomous snakes, flicked their tongues, trying to drag her into an abyss of no return.
The air in the suite seemed to freeze.
"Ring ring—" The phone on the bedside table started ringing inappropriately.
When she answered the phone in January, her face turned even more grim after only a few sentences. She covered the receiver and whispered to Bai Shu, "It's Dong Cunshan. He's going crazy. He said that several old guys from the Chamber of Commerce are questioning him, and New Wave's partners are calling to inquire about the situation."
Huo Qishan's move was swift and ruthless, aiming to nail her to the pillar of shame and leave her with no place to stand in Hong Kong.
Lu Jingyan's face darkened. He picked up a newspaper, looking at the photos and text, a storm brewing in his eyes.
Bai Zhu remained unusually calm.
She even had the leisure to pick up another newspaper, read it carefully, and then let out a barely audible sneer.
“Let him answer,” she said to January.
As soon as the call connected, Dong Cunshan's voice, filled with shock, anger, and panic, burst from the receiver: "Miss Bai! What exactly is going on! Give me an explanation! The whole of Hong Kong is saying you're a corporate spy! My... my Dong family's reputation for life is going to be ruined by you!"
“Mr. Dong,” Bai Shu’s voice was calm and even, “the sky hasn’t fallen yet, what are you panicking about?”
One sentence brought the roar on the other end of the phone to an abrupt halt.
Dong Cunshan was stunned. He had imagined all sorts of reactions from Bai Shu: panic, anger, explanation... but he never expected her to be so calm.
“It’s just a newspaper, can it kill someone?” Bai Shu continued slowly and deliberately. “Huo Qishan has a pen, but don’t I? He wants to play the media war, and I’ll play along to the end.”
She hung up the phone, turned her gaze to January, and issued a series of clear instructions:
"First, immediately have New Wave's public relations department issue a statement saying that we will be holding a charity auction dinner at the Peninsula Hotel next week, and all proceeds from the auction will be donated in the name of the 'Tung's Charitable Foundation' to build a free children's hospital on Hong Kong Island."
“Second, call Beijing and connect with Li Yuanchao, a reporter from the People’s Daily.” A cold glint flashed in Bai Shu’s eyes.
“Tell him he doesn’t need to clarify anything for me, that would be too beneath him. I want him to use all his connections in Hong Kong to dig deep into the history of the Fok Group’s rise to power, smuggling, tax evasion, collusion between officials and businessmen… any dirt will do, no need for concrete evidence, just baseless speculation. Make sure these ‘rumors’ spread throughout the streets and alleys of Hong Kong within two days.”
"Yes!" January's spirits lifted, and she immediately turned to carry out the order.
Bai Shu's gaze finally fell on another telephone in the room. After thinking for a moment, she picked up the receiver herself and dialed Huo Jingran's number.
The phone rang for a long time before being answered. Huo Jingran's sleepy voice came from the other end: "Who is it? Disturbing my sleep so early in the morning!"
"Young Master Huo, it's me."
"Miss Bai... Miss Bai!" Huo Jingran's voice instantly cleared up, even carrying a hint of being flattered and stuttering.
"Would you like to see a good show?" Bai Shu asked casually.
"Yes! Of course I want to!"
"Then it's time for you to show your sincerity," Bai Shu commanded directly.
"Tonight, find a few reporters you know well who aren't good at keeping their mouths shut, and go have a drink with them. People speak the truth when they're drunk. You should know what to say and what not to say."
"I understand! I understand! I understand perfectly!" Huo Jingran rubbed his hands excitedly on the other end of the line. "Miss Bai, just you wait and see!"
After a series of instructions were issued, the whole process was smooth and efficient, taking only ten minutes.
What was originally a precarious and precarious situation seemed to have become a chessboard that she could manipulate at will in her hands.
Lu Jingyan watched her quietly, the storm in his eyes having subsided, replaced by a deep expression of admiration and pride. His woman would never disappoint him.
The following day, public opinion on Hong Kong Island took a dramatic turn.
Although reports about "commercial espionage" are still ongoing, they have been completely overshadowed by another, more sensational sex scandal.
The covers and headlines of major entertainment gossip magazines are getting more and more sensational.
"A shocking secret of a wealthy family! The head of the Huo family, after failing to win the heart of the Dong family's daughter, turned his love into hatred and resorted to despicable revenge!"
"A devoted CEO? Or petty and narrow-minded? Unveiling the unknown side of Kenneth Fok!"
The report vividly described how Kenneth Fok fell in love with Bai Shu at first sight at a charity gala, how he pursued her intensely, and how, after being "politely rejected," he became enraged and used the media as a tool to launch a vicious attack and retaliation against a vulnerable woman.
The article concludes by alluding to the fact that this "Ms. Dong," a woman of great compassion, is under immense pressure as she prepares a charity gala to benefit children on Hong Kong Island.
In an instant, Bai Shu's image transformed from a vague "female spy" into a tragic heroine who is independent, self-reliant, and loving, yet bullied by a wealthy and wicked young man.
Huo Qishan, on the other hand, went from being a shrewd and capable business tycoon to a petty and narrow-minded man ridiculed by the public.
The battleground of public opinion was so easily won back.
When Dong Cunshan called again, his voice was filled with relief at surviving the ordeal and heartfelt awe: "Miss Bai, brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! In all my years, I've never seen such a brilliant comeback! Our partners are now scrambling to sign long-term contracts with us, afraid of being left behind!"
Bai Shu simply responded with a few words and then hung up the phone.
She turned her head and saw Lu Jingyan holding a small knife, intently peeling an apple for her. His movements were steady, his slender fingers rotating the peel, round and round, thin yet unbroken.
He cut the peeled apple into small pieces, stuck them in the center with toothpicks, and held them to her lips.
"Impressive." He looked at her and said only two words.
But those eyes were filled with the pride of "my wife is the best in the world".
Su Wantang felt a warmth in her heart, opened her mouth and ate the apple, the sweet juice spreading in her mouth.
Just as this rare moment of relaxation arrived, Qin Zheng walked in from outside. His expression was as serious as ever, but there was a hint of solemnity in his eyes.
He walked up to Bai Shu, said nothing, but took out an evidence bag from his pocket and gently placed it on the coffee table.
Inside the bag were several special brass-colored bullet casings.
“Miss,” Qin Zheng said in a low voice, “I found this near a warehouse at an abandoned dock in the West Ring.”
Bai Shu's gaze fell on the spent cartridge cases, and his eyes instantly sharpened.
Qin Zheng took a deep breath and uttered the most crucial sentence:
“The model of these bullets is exactly the same as the ones we seized from the ‘Eagle Nest’ team at the ‘Renxin Clinic’ in Beijing last time.”
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