I subconsciously looked towards Lin Xun, only to see that her pretty face was pale, her eyes were empty and confused, and her whole body seemed to have been drained of its soul, with her usual intelligence and agility disappearing without a trace.
I couldn't help but feel distressed, and said to her: "Brother Dian knows our situation very well. He knows that Zhiming loves you, the money-loving sister, so there is no way he would negotiate with us."
After that, I sighed helplessly, feeling dizzy and my brain was full of mush. I asked Lin Xun, "Can I have something to refresh myself?"
Lin Xun was stunned for a moment, but soon came to his senses and replied softly, "Wait."
After saying that, she quickly walked to the bookcase, opened the drawer of the chest of drawers, and took out a plate of rosemary.
Then she carefully placed the rosemary in an incense burner with a beautifully carved lid and burned it.
Soon, wisps of green smoke rose from the incense burner, and the elegant fragrance spread leisurely to every corner of the study.
Perhaps it was the incense that lifted my spirits.
I stared at Yu Zhiming with a sharp gaze and said firmly, "Tomorrow... No, it's already past midnight, so this morning, you contact Brother Dian and ask him to find a time to meet."
When Yu Zhiming heard this, his face turned pale instantly, his lips trembled slightly, and he stammered: "I...
I said, "What are you afraid of? I'll go with you. I want to see if this guy is a stubborn person."
Yu Zhiming hesitated for a moment, then looked at Lin Xun for help, his eyes full of uneasiness, as if he was waiting for his sister to make a decision.
Lin Xun frowned, her eyes full of worry, and asked anxiously: "Is it really safe for you to go to see him so rashly?"
I grinned and pretended to be relaxed: "Don't worry! Dian Ge is looking for money, not opening a human meat bun shop, why should I be afraid of him!"
Lin Xun bit his lower lip, his eyes flashed with a trace of determination, and he said in a deep voice: "Anyway, we have to face it sooner or later, let's go meet him first and test his strength. I will go with you."
I waved my hands quickly and said half-jokingly and half-seriously, "You must not show up! A man like Dian Ge only cares about money. He won't be moved by your sympathy just because you are a beautiful woman. Besides, in Dian Ge's eyes, you are just a 'walking ATM'. Once you show up, he will not give in and will not give up a penny."
Lin Xun's fair face instantly blushed, and she said angrily: "Zhiming is still here, and you..."
I glanced at Yu Zhiming, who was sitting beside me, looking confused and at a loss, and deliberately raised my voice: "What are you still doing here? Shouldn't you be doing something?"
Yu Zhiming was stunned at first, then he slapped his forehead and woke up as if from a dream: "Yes! I will delete the post immediately!"
Watching him running out in a hurry, I couldn't help but shake my head and sigh: "He was quite a smart person, but he had such good resources. What a pity."
Lin Xun took a deep breath, his eyes showing a hint of determination: "Since you don't need me to show up, I will go according to the original plan and go to those two stores to buy tomorrow."
I frowned slightly, my eyes full of concern: "These stores are the starting point of your father's career, and they embody his life's hard work. Can you really be so cruel as to sell them?"
Lin Xun clenched his fists, his nails almost digging into his palms, and said word by word: "Right now, apart from the shop, other businesses can't be liquidated for the time being! If we don't sell the shop, what else can we do?"
I raised my hand and patted her shoulder, soothing her gently: "Don't be too anxious, things will turn around if you take your time. Maybe things will turn around. After I meet Brother Dian, we can discuss it in detail. There's still time."
Lin Xun's eyes were slightly red, and he looked at me gratefully, his voice choking with sobs: "Hongjun, thank you so much. Every time I encountered a problem, you were the first to stand up, help me with advice, and accompany me through the difficulties."
I looked at her with a firm gaze and said solemnly: "A woman dresses up for the man she pleases, and a man dies for the man who understands him. We are friends, and I have no regrets doing this for you."
As soon as I finished speaking, Yu Zhiming rushed in like a gust of wind, his face full of surprise, and he said breathlessly: "Guan Ren! The post has been deleted by the administrator!"
In the early years of the 21st century, Internet supervision was not yet perfect, and the platform's control over posts was quite lax. A large number of posts involving personal privacy were spread wantonly, triggering a series of hot events and causing an extremely serious public opinion crisis.
In such an environment, it was unexpected that Yu Zhiming's post was deleted by the administrator.
Lin Xun and I subconsciously looked at each other and saw confusion in each other's eyes.
Lin Xun was the first to ask, "Who do you think is behind this?"
My brain was working quickly and I had roughly guessed the reason behind it, but it was a serious matter and I couldn't reveal it.
So, I pretended to be mysterious, raised the corners of my mouth slightly, and uttered four words: "Mysterious power."
The combined effects of staying up late and drinking put me into a deep sleep, and I didn't wake up until the sunlight shone through the gaps in the curtains.
I raised my wrist to take a look at the radar watch that Chen Mengzhao gave me, and the hour hand had passed the 4 o'clock position.
After washing up, I walked down the stairs. The atmosphere in the living room was extremely depressing. All the people sat around on the sofa, their expressions solemn, all looking at me. They looked like a group of judges waiting to start a trial.
Liu Yun was the first to get angry, her brows knitted into a knot, her tone full of complaints: "Guan Hongjun, it's already this late, and you can still sleep so soundly, you really have a big heart!"
The corners of my mouth curved up, revealing a cynical smile: "You don't understand this. I am a person who is naturally calm when faced with major events. The greater the pressure, the better I sleep."
Lin Xun frowned and interrupted me: "Okay, stop talking nonsense and eat something quickly."
I waved my hands, looking listless: "I don't have much appetite, just pour me a glass of milk."
When Cui Yingying heard this, she rushed into the kitchen like a gust of wind without saying a word. Not long after, she trotted over to me with a cup of steaming milk.
I took the milk and said jokingly, "Zijuan's execution ability is unmatched by many people. I've been thinking about recruiting you as my secretary."
Her eyes sparkled, her face was full of admiration, and she said without hesitation: "Brother, let alone being a secretary, I would be willing to be your concubine!"
Liu Yun cleared her throat and reminded us not to be too presumptuous.
I turned my gaze to Yu Zhiming. He looked pale and listless. I asked, "Have you contacted Brother Dian?"
Yu Zhiming nodded weakly, his voice hoarse: "I called. Tonight at 7 o'clock, Gloria Century Hotel."
I frowned and snorted, "This vampire is quite ostentatious. He actually chose such a high-end hotel."
Lin Xun walked up to me with a worried look on his face and said, "Hongjun, I'm really worried about you two going to see him."
I patted Lin Xun's shoulder and said calmly, "Don't worry. If Dian Ge chose a remote place to meet, I would definitely be wary. But he chose a high-end hotel, which means he doesn't want to make a big deal. There are rules in the underworld. We are going to negotiate, not to mess up. He won't do anything rash."
After the meeting time and place were decided, waiting became the only thing to do.
I returned to the guest room and lay on the bed. Chen Mengzhao's figure seemed to be engraved in my mind and could not be driven away. The scenes of being with her, the tone of her voice, the charm of her gestures, kept appearing before my eyes like a revolving lantern.
Just as I was immersed in my thoughts, my cell phone rang suddenly, and the caller ID showed it was Xiong Jifei.
When I picked up the phone, his words instantly brought me back to reality. After he reminded me, I remembered Wang Yanshu's previous instructions - today the staff of the County Commission for Discipline Inspection will go to the development zone to investigate me.
I frowned and asked in confusion: "Hasn't the online post been deleted? Why are you still checking it?"
Xiong Jifei deliberately lowered his voice and revealed: "The county party committee did intend to conduct a final investigation, but the discipline inspection commission issued an instruction that no matter whether the post was deleted or not, a thorough investigation must be carried out. It is said that the provincial government is behind this..."
Hearing this, my heart skipped a beat, and I understood the reason behind it.
I said to the phone, "Please tell the comrades in the Commission for Discipline Inspection that I am currently in the provincial capital to handle personal affairs. When I return, I will surrender to the county Commission for Discipline Inspection as soon as possible."
Xiong Jifei laughed out loud on the other end of the phone: "Guan Ren, it's not serious enough to "turn yourself in". I'll pass your message on to them right away."
After hanging up the phone, I keenly realized that Shen Mengzhao's father had already started to deal with the matter.
From deleting negative posts online to instructing the county discipline inspection commission to investigate me, he is trying to solve the problem in two ways: controlling public opinion and identifying me as the "culprit" who caused the accident.
Just as I was upset about this series of things, my cell phone rang suddenly.
A glance at the screen showed that it was an unfamiliar number, so I simply pressed the reject button.
Unexpectedly, the person on the other end of the phone was quite persistent and called again soon.
I hesitated, but still answered the call. Although the number was unfamiliar, the voice coming from the receiver was very familiar: "Is this Mr. Guan Hongjun?"
I was slightly startled, and asked tentatively: "Yes, it's Aunt Song, right?"
A cheerful laugh came from the other end of the phone: "Kid, you have a really good memory! You only met me once, but you still remember me."
I responded sincerely: "Auntie, you have an elegant temperament and are full of charm in your every move. You must have been a stunning beauty when you were young. And you are loyal and righteous, chivalrous and kind-hearted. How could I forget such a person!"
Aunt Song was so amused that she burst into laughter. A string of words with the distinctive Wu dialect came from the receiver: "Young man, you are so good at gossiping! When I was young, I was fooled by people!"
Although Aunt Song spoke in a dialect with a strong regional flavor and I could only vaguely understand what she said, I could still get the general meaning.
I asked politely, "Auntie, you contacted me on purpose, is there something?"
Aunt Song stopped laughing and said in a brisk and familiar tone: "Are you in the provincial capital now?"
My heart sank, and I couldn't help but marvel. It had been less than half an hour since I asked Xiong Jifei to tell the Discipline Inspection Commission that I was in the provincial capital, and this information had already reached Aunt Song. How efficient were these people?
I answered truthfully: "Yes, I am from the provincial capital."
Aunt Song then said enthusiastically, "That's great! Your uncle Zhang and I rushed back from Shanghai last night, just like you came to the villa last time. If you are free, let's meet and chat?"
I thought about it for a moment and responded, "No problem, I'll go right away."
Once again stepping into the villa that is imbued with the graceful Jiangnan style, the pavilions and terraces are scattered around, among which the exotic flowers are blooming, the exotic grasses are full of affection, and the gurgling water is like a lively note, playing a tranquil chapter.
But the past is just like yesterday, things and people have changed. The graceful figure that once accompanied me was lost in my dreams, but now she is gone.
Aunt Song smiled and enthusiastically led me to a seat, then turned and went to the bedroom to call Uncle Zhang, whose name I had heard of for a long time but never had the chance to meet.
After a while, an old man came out of the bedroom. He had an unshaven beard, was dressed casually, and was wrapped in loose pajamas, but he could not hide his vigorous state.
He raised his hand and greeted me casually, then sat down on the sofa.
Aunt Song looked gentle, sat back in her seat and introduced, "This is Mr. Xiaoguan whom I mentioned to you."
Uncle Zhang looked me up and down and said, "You are a handsome man with a good temperament. No wonder Nan..."
Before he could finish his words, Aunt Song interrupted him with a scolding tone: "You are just a fool. When you first meet someone, you look like a storyteller in an old teahouse - more gossip than tea foam! If it gets out that 'Zhang's son-in-law is a joker', you will be in trouble for showing your face!"
I was completely confused by the mumbling of the Wu dialect.
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