0005 06 Joke
Upon hearing this, the deputy police chief rushed over and slapped his subordinate across the face. "What are you three idiots doing here?"
The subordinates were speechless; they didn't understand what they had done wrong.
"Ling Xingzhi is the municipal party secretary, have you forgotten?"
The three men looked at each other, and before they could speak, the deputy police chief said again, "This is ridiculous, rape..." He raised his hand and slapped them again, "What rape! Making a scene at Minister Ling's birthday party."
Ling Xingzhi remained calmly standing on the stage, watching them with a slight smile on his lips.
Everyone looked at them with strange expressions. After all, Ling Xingzhi was known for being uninterested in women. Whether it was because he had a mistress at home or because he simply disliked women and wouldn't even accept a woman as a gift, how could Ling Xingzhi possibly rape someone?
Ling Qingyun, sitting at the main table, looked rather unwell, his brows furrowed. His assistant ran over and knelt beside him. Ling Qingyun leaned down and said a few words. Soon after, several people in the audience were asked to leave.
On the stage, Ling Xingzhi straightened up, turned his head to his father, and said in a relaxed tone as if joking, "I think if I were really arrested for rape on the old man's birthday, it would actually be a kind of gift, quite exciting."
After he finished speaking, the audience burst into laughter. "So this was all a show directed by your son! We almost thought you'd been arrested!"
Someone appeared out of nowhere and made a joke with a laugh. Ling Xingzhi just smiled slightly and handed the initiative over to the people watching the show below the stage.
After he finished speaking, Ling Xingzhi stepped down from the stage. Wei Luochen had no smile on her face, or rather, no expression at all. As she watched Ling Xingzhi walk down, she stepped forward and took his arm, her fingers gripping tightly. On the other side, Ling Xingzhi's secretary, Chen Ran, came forward and whispered a few words in his ear.
The three stopped and each picked up a glass of champagne. Wei Luochen looked nervous, but as she watched the other two leisurely drinking their champagne, her sixth sense told her that something was increasingly wrong.
Ling Xingzhi noticed her change, smiled gently, raised his hand to touch her hair, and helped Wei Luochen smooth it and tuck it behind her ear.
"What's the tension? Are you tired?"
Ling Xingzhi's fingers traced down Wei Luochen's hair to her ear, and he gently pinched her earlobe.
Seeing his expression, Wei Luochen felt a little relieved and smiled at him, "No, I wasn't nervous. I thought you were really raping someone."
Smiling, she picked up her glass and took a sip. She had drunk quite a bit tonight and was a little tipsy. She reached out and grabbed Ling Xingzhi's wrist. "My mother just told me that we've been married for so many years, it's time to have a child."
Ling Xingzhi calmly withdrew his hand from hers.
Smiling at Wei Luochen, he said, "Then we'll have to close the mountains for reforestation. Are you willing to do that?"
After saying this, he gestured with his chin toward Chen Ran, "You go first, I'll be there in a bit."
After Chen Ran left, Ling Xingzhi accompanied Wei Luochen to socialize with the Brantcher family for a while. At first, they exchanged greetings. The people who came to the Ling family's birthday party today were the eldest daughter and youngest son of the Brantcher family. The eldest daughter was already the president of a high-end fashion brand, while the youngest son was still pursuing a doctorate and had considerable academic insight.
Wei Luochen's target was the eldest daughter of the Brantcher family. He chatted with her about fashion, where to find delicious caviar, and summer cruises. Ling Xingzhi stood by as an accompaniment, occasionally smiling and nodding, the two appearing like a loving couple.
It wasn't until Chen Ran stood at the entrance of the banquet hall that Ling Xingzhi said he had to leave first.
As soon as he stepped out of the banquet hall, the smile on Ling Xingzhi's face gradually disappeared. However, he seemed to have a natural smile, and the passing waiters and people he didn't know well nodded and greeted him, but Ling Xingzhi ignored them all.
"How about it?"
He asked questions as he walked.
Chen Ran opened the door for him. A cold wind blew in, but he didn't care. The black sedan stopped in front of him, and Ling Xingzhi got in.
"She said she wants to see you, and this matter cannot be settled privately if she can't see you."
Ling Xingzhi leaned back in the car, eyes closed, and loosened his tie. "The case has been filed?"
"Yes, she did a check-up and identified you. You'll need to have a check-up in a little while."
Ling Xingzhi snorted, it was hard to tell whether he was laughing or angry, "No need for the examination."
Chen Ran paused for a moment before understanding, and then said, "Mr. Ling said he would go through the proper procedures and try to resolve this privately. He doesn't want to use his connections to deal with this scandal... For the two major events next year, Minister Ling wants to be promoted another level."
There was no response from the command; the carriage was completely silent.
After a long while, Ling Xingzhi suddenly asked, "Have you found her information?"
Chen Ran took out his tablet. "I found it. Her resume is normal. Apart from dating Minister Ye's grandson, she has no other background."
Ling Xingzhi opened his eyes and carefully examined the information on the tablet.
"Tsinghua University? Secretary to the mayor of Shenyang?" Ling Xingzhi laughed after reading her information. "How did she and Ye Rouxin meet?"
Chen Ran shook his head, and Ling Xingzhi handed over the tablet. The car slowly came to a stop. "Find out which team she's on."
Ling Xingzhi pushed open the door himself, and the plaque of the Dongcheng District Public Security Bureau of Beijing stood prominently in front of him. He stepped inside.
After completing a round of examinations, Zhou Xiye was exhausted. She was wrapped in a coat, and an eight o'clock drama was playing on the TV outside the waiting room. She was holding a cup of hot tea and taking sips from time to time.
The phone in the bag lit up, displaying the words "Zhou Pei" on the screen. Zhou Xiye ignored it, put the tea on the table, stretched his back, and yawned slightly.
When Ling Xingzhi entered, he saw her looking exhausted, but her body was so relaxed that she didn't look like she had been raped at all.
Zhou Xiye noticed Ling Xingzhi walk in, and she smiled, "Secretary Ling, we meet again."
Ling Xingzhi gestured outside, then sat down opposite Zhou Xiye. He picked up the teacup with lipstick stains, took a sip, and said, "You spent the whole night working on this?"
“Of course not,” Zhou Xiye said, crossing his legs and leaning back on the sofa. “I like you very much too.”
Ling Xingzhi reacted as if he'd heard a hilarious joke, "Like? If you like me, you'll rape me?"
Zhou Xiye shook his head, "You raped me. I just had a test done to match your DNA. You can't escape."
Ling Xingzhi put down his teacup. "Tell me, what exactly is your purpose in approaching me? Since you want to see me, there's a possibility of continuing the conversation. I don't want to beat around the bush."
Zhou Xiye nodded. "I like straightforward people. Actually, I don't have any other thoughts about you. I'm just doing this business. I have the ability to do this. I just want to have something on you."
"So you're coming to the police station to file a case? Aren't you afraid that you'll lose control of this and I'll turn around and bite you back?" Ling Xingzhi sneered.
“I know, it doesn’t matter how many people Secretary Ling sleeps with, there will always be someone to clean up his mess. But I’m different. I only have this one hand to play right now. If you want to be my enemy, I will fight with all my might. Even if I die, I will still make your Ling family lose face.”
Ling Xingzhi suppressed his smile and discreetly sized up the woman before him.
Suddenly, he said, "I've seen your file. With your talent and ability, you wouldn't stoop to selling yourself for personal gain. What benefits did the Ye family give you that made you work so hard for them?"
Ling Xingzhi stood up, walked to Zhou Xiye, and slowly squatted down. The two looked at each other.
"I can give him anything he can give me."
Zhou Xiye watched him remain motionless. Ling Xingzhi's legs were getting numb from squatting. Just as he was about to stand up, Zhou Xiye suddenly reached out his hand. "Secretary Ling, I hope you will take good care of me in the future."
After she finished speaking, she stood up, making Ling Xingzhi unable to get up immediately. He watched Zhou Xiye leave in her high heels.
When Chen Ran came in, Ling Xingzhi had a cigarette between his fingers. "Secretary, she said she'd settle it privately and not press charges."
Ling Xingzhi closed his eyes, leaned back on the sofa, and seemed to have not heard him at all; the old monk had entered a meditative state.
"What do we do next... try to get her down?" Chen Ran asked again.
Ling Xingzhi sighed and opened his eyes. "No need, just keep a close eye on her for me."
After saying that, he stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, got up, and left. As soon as the door closed, Chen Ran took out his phone, dialed a number, and said to the person on the other end, "The two of them talked about something and settled things privately."
After hearing something said on the other end of the phone, Chen Ran hummed in agreement, "Okay, I'll keep an eye on it."
Putting away his phone, Chen Ran also walked out, leaving only the ashtray where the banquet had gradually died down.
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