In Bai Lian’s room, she had just finished her shower. Dressed in her loungewear, she was drying her hair with a towel, preferring not to use a hair dryer.
Just then, Xiao Qi called.
“Sis, are you out?” Xiao Qi was still outside the hospital entrance, looking up at the inpatient building. He held a coffee in one hand, wearing sportswear that made him look clean and refined.
Mao Kun stood behind him, looking around.
“Yes,” Bai Lian opened her room window. “Have you seen her?”
“She’s unconscious,” Xiao Qi had already asked the nurses. “She woke up once but was still confused. She’ll need two more days, but she’s not in danger.”
Bai Lian leaned against the desk by the window, gazing outside. “There’s a female police officer at the branch station, Sun Fei.”
“I understand.” Xiao Qi hung up and turned to leave.
“You understand? What do you understand?” Behind him, Mao Kun followed. “Didn’t sis have more to say? Are we supposed to investigate Sun Fei separately…”
Mao Kun often couldn’t keep up with Bai Lian and Xiao Qi’s thought processes.
“Go have a drink with the Guise Club owner,” Xiao Qi took a sip of coffee and tossed the empty cup into a nearby trash can, speaking gently.
Guise Club was where Bai Lian had gone to find Xu Zhiyue.
Mao Kun rarely handled matters. “Me?”
“Yes,” Xiao Qi opened the car’s back door, patiently explaining. “Just be natural and answer whatever he asks.”
Mao Kun had been in Jiangjing for some time now. Though Xiao Qi was just an employee, Mao Kun was truly in charge of the Qinglong Bar in Jiangjing.
As Wang Youfeng’s adopted son who was still trusted by him, and the top fighter in the arena, when Mao Kun let loose – he was just like any other person who moved between legal and illegal circles.
**
Shanhai Apartments.
Bai Lian was looking at her phone while leisurely drying her hair.
She messaged Shi Yu: [Does Dean Shu have time tomorrow?]
It was late, but Shi Yu had just returned home and hadn’t rested yet. Receiving Bai Lian’s message, he was somewhat surprised.
Tonight’s incident had been quite dangerous. He had wanted Bai Lian to take a few days to adjust, but hadn’t expected her to message so soon after getting home.
Shi Yu put on his glasses and typed a reply to Bai Lian.
Principal Shi: [Tomorrow morning, go to the Chinese Literature Department building.]
After sending the message, Shi Yu remembered something and called the school office, telling them to keep a close eye on this case in the Yunxiao district.
After sending her message, Bai Lian’s hair was half-dry.
She put down the towel and walked outside.
In the living room, Lu Xiaohan couldn’t finish her chips, so she passed them to Jiang He.
Jiang Fuli was on the balcony, and Xu Nanjing wasn’t around.
Bai Lian sat beside Lu Xiaohan to watch variety shows with her.
Yan Lu had been trending top 1 in the industry for the past few months. Many short videos featured her clips, and many people had even dug up Lu Xiaohan’s old martial arts school long spear video.
One solo spear dance video was of Yan Lu herself. Although Lu Xiaohan hadn’t shown her face, eagle-eyed fans could recognize the real person even from a blurry background shot, let alone a solo dance video.
Lu Xiaohan’s video went viral again after half a year because of Yan Lu.
This was one reason why Lu Xiaohan had been gaining followers so quickly in recent months. The blogger “One Big Bowl” had become officially certified as a “cultural heritage” creator.
On screen, Yan Lu was talking about her recent interest in studying Go, though she wasn’t very good at it. “My games with friends usually end in less than a minute.”
She was the worst player among everyone.
Finally, Yan Lu commented, “When I play with them, I always doubt my intelligence.”
At this point, the host and guests were still being tolerant, saying “everyone has their specialty,” and the comments were still comforting Yan Lu.
Until the host brought out a board, and lost to Yan Lu in less than a minute in the first game.
In the second game, even with Yan Lu deliberately letting the host play, it still didn’t last a minute.
Host & Guests: “…”
Netizen comments: […Sister Lu, sometimes you shouldn’t be too modest.]
Yan Lu: “…”
“Sister Lu’s new drama is almost done filming,” Lu Xiaohan kept in touch with Sister Xin. Sitting cross-legged on the sofa, she turned to ask Bai Lian, “Is she coming to record songs?”
Bai Lian’s half-dried hair hung down both sides, her downcast eyes sharp under the crystal chandelier. “No, Dean Jian upgraded the equipment, she wants to try it out.”
As they talked, on the balcony, Jiang Fuli put down his phone.
Walking in, he saw Bai Lian on the sofa, leaning back slightly, her whole posture relaxed.
“Let’s eat first.” He put down his phone and walked to the table where there was an elegant wooden box. He opened the food box lid.
When he lifted it, steam rose from the soup inside, blurring his stern features.
When Xu Nanjing carefully came in from outside, he saw Bai Lian eating unhurriedly, with Jiang Fuli sitting beside her, casually talking to her.
Seeing him enter, Jiang Fuli just gave him a bland look.
Xu Nanjing’s heart tightened.
**
2 AM.
In Jiang Fuli’s study, he hadn’t turned off the lights, only the computer was on showing the club’s surveillance footage. His cold gaze swept over Yu Hongjing’s wine glass.
Outside the door, two soft knocks.
Without moving his gaze, he just said “Come in.”
Ming Dongheng entered, his expression harsh. He handed Jiang Fuli two photocopies, “These are documents found by an officer at the Yunxiao branch station.”
Jiang Fuli took them and looked down.
One was Xu Zhiyue’s report.
The other was the residue report from the wine glass.
It stated MS hallucinogenic drug, containing 11% addictive components. His knuckles whitened as he gripped the edge of the papers.
On the table, his phone lit up with a call.
Ming Dongheng stood by the desk, clearly seeing the caller was Chen Beixun.
Jiang Fuli put the two papers on the desk and reached out to reject the call.
The person on the other end didn’t dare call a second time.
**
6 AM.
An SUV ignored three roadblocks before finally stopping at the Chen family’s gate.
“Why have you returned?” The Chen family’s police officer put down what he was holding and respectfully approached, expression surprised.
Chen Beixun wore black training clothes and rolled up the document in her hand, her voice stern, “Notify all managers to meet in the central hall, including the old master.”
The officer looked at her severe profile and his heart skipped a beat.
Chen Beixun rarely appeared in public. When she transferred from the command system to the combat system, she became famous overnight and became the Chen family’s second-in-command. The Chen family didn’t care about gender, only individual ability.
The old master personally introduced her to the Jiang family.
Everyone knew she was likely the old master’s chosen thirty-second generation head of the Chen family.
In the Chen family, probably only Chen Beixun would dare summon the old master to a central hall meeting.
The Chen family’s central hall was supported by four red nanmu pillars, with a six-meter high ceiling inside.
In the middle was a ten-meter long table.
When the Chen family members came in, they saw Chen Beixun standing at the long table with her back to the door. Many of them were in bad moods from being disturbed so early, but since it was Chen Beixun, no one dared speak.
Half an hour later, the old master entered wearing Tang-style clothes.
In the cold morning dew, he coughed a few times as someone helped him over the threshold.
The old master’s health hadn’t been good these past few years, but his presence alone brought pressure. The entire hall fell silent as everyone looked at him.
“Calling me here so early,” the old master sat at the front, looking at Chen Beixun with an unreadable expression, “what happened?”
Only after the old master spoke did others start taking their seats one by one.
“Who’s in charge of Fumin Road in Yunxiao District?” Chen Beixun’s gaze swept around before landing on the old master.
A middle-aged man stood up, “Miss Beixun, it’s me.”
“Mm.” Chen Beixun threw the documents in front of him.
Chen Luping looked down – it was information about a minor case. He wasn’t familiar with the name “Yu Hongjing,” but because it was similar to his subordinate Yu Hongyi’s name, he had some impression.
The next page was information about “hallucinogenic drugs” – these drugs were banned and involved poison, not circulating in the market.
Chen Luping’s expression changed. For such things to appear in his jurisdiction…
He couldn’t help looking at the old master.
The old master hadn’t looked at him, only resting with closed eyes, waiting for Chen Beixun to finish before opening them, “Just this matter?”
“The Shi family, Xu family and Jiang family are all watching this case.” Chen Beixun met the old master’s gaze.
With each name Chen Beixun listed, Chen Luping’s face grew paler, until by the last name, cold sweat had broken out on his back.
The old master, whose expression had remained calm and unreadable until now, finally showed some reaction.
“I,” Chen Luping stood up, wiping sweat from his forehead, “I’ll investigate immediately!”
After he left, the old master looked at Chen Beixun, “What exactly happened?”
“You know why Young Master Jiang returned, right?” Chen Beixun sighed, “Chen Luping’s people forcibly detained her, and that glass with hallucinogenic drugs was given to her. With such things happening in our territory, forget the Jiang family, how do we explain this to just the Shi family?”
Chen Beixun lowered her head to look at her phone. Jiang Fuli hadn’t said anything.
He only sent her one picture.
That day, the entire Yunxiao District entered strict enforcement.
**
The next day, after 7 AM.
Jiang University Chinese Department, Dean’s Office.
During summer break, apart from students preparing for graduate school exams, there weren’t many people in the Chinese Department, with many floors closed.
Dean Shu had arrived early, sitting at his desk with his computer on showing the PPT for his academic lecture. His mouse-clicking was distracted as he occasionally looked outside.
Beside him, his assistant made Dean Shu tea, “The person you’re waiting for hasn’t arrived?”
Learning that Dean Shu had come so early to wait for someone, the assistant was very surprised – was he waiting for Principal Shi?
Just as he finished speaking, someone knocked on the office door.
Dean Shu stood up immediately, saying “Come in.” His assistant also looked outside, curious about who could make Dean Shu wait early.
The person who entered wasn’t Principal Shi or others as the assistant had imagined, but a never-before-seen young woman.
She wore a simple stand-collar top with light red plum blossoms embroidered on the collar and cuffs, possessing a pair of black eyes that seemed shrouded in morning mist as she walked into the office in the morning light.
“Dean Shu.” Bai Lian politely greeted.
Dean Shu stood there looking at her, momentarily not reacting.
Beside him, the assistant reminded him, and Dean Shu finally spoke hazily, “Please sit.”
His whole manner was scholarly and proper, “Miss Bai, excuse my rudeness, but I wanted to discuss your college entrance exam essay with you. Seeing the detail in your essay, you must have also deeply studied Da Yong literature.”
He devoted himself to studying classical literature. Learning that Bai Lian had perfect scores in other subjects and wanted to join the Tongfeng class, he hadn’t planned to compete with others for students.
This year there was only one perfect score essay, which Dean Shu had read countless times.
Each time he read it, he felt the writing style was extremely familiar.
He was a Da Yong literature enthusiast.
These unrestrained yet disciplined words, each time he read them, he felt these weren’t just cold historical words anymore, but had temperature, as if those recorded in history were so close to him.
Bai Lian lowered her eyes, her voice very soft, “Yes.”
Dean Shu’s eyes lit up, and he discussed Da Yong issues with Bai Lian for an hour, growing more excited as they talked.
Only after seeing Bai Lian off did he feel some regret, “I should have competed with Principal Shi for her…”
“Dean,” beside him, the assistant was confused, “why do you value Student Bai so much?”
“Four people from Xiangcheng got into Jiang University this year.” Dean Shu didn’t answer, only saying this.
The assistant didn’t understand, exclaiming: “They’re amazing. Xiangcheng’s teaching resources aren’t good, but they broke all previous records in this year’s college entrance exam.”
Dean Shu turned to look at him, “Why do you think the people behind Zhongxing have such good eyes, finding exactly the nine directors of Zhongxing Group from millions of people?”
The assistant was stunned.
“History has proven countless times that our great land never lacks talented people. One county alone can gather the talents needed to govern the country,” Dean Shu didn’t wait for his answer, speaking softly, “What’s lacking is only a leader. The other three candidates from Xiangcheng aren’t coincidence, but inevitable. Xiangcheng… has produced far more than just those three.”
“Ah?” The assistant was startled by Dean Shu’s solemn and certain tone.
Where were the others?!
**
Xiangcheng Prison.
Zhang Shize looked at the young man opposite him, “What do you think my chances are of getting into Jiangjing University of Political Science and Law?”
Xing Lihong considered for a moment, “Still needs effort.”
“You and Brother He are really nice people. Brother Jiang and Teacher Chi would just make me stay for another ten years,” Zhang Shize leaned back, feeling Xing Lihong and He Wen were gentler: “Thank you, Brother Xing.”
Xing Lihong was startled by this, “I wouldn’t dare.”
This person calling Young Master Jiang “Brother Jiang” was one thing, but how could he call him Brother Xing!
“Please just call me Xiao Xing.” He carefully said.
Tutorial time was up, and the guard took Zhang Shize back, both familiar enough that they didn’t handcuff Zhang Shize.
Zhang Shize returned to his workstation. A bald man was sitting at his sewing machine, who quickly stood up and moved aside when Zhang Shize approached: “Brother Zhang, finished your tutoring?”
This was Number 0147, bald, Li Sheng, who had fought with good people.
“Aren’t you getting released today?” Zhang Shize sat down, studying trigonometry while operating the sewing machine.
“Just wanted to say goodbye before leaving,” Li Sheng hadn’t changed clothes yet, standing behind Zhang Shize giving him a shoulder massage, “I’ll wait for you in Jiangjing. When you get to Jiangjing, just contact me directly.”
Li Sheng’s family was from Jiangjing. Originally his family arranged for him to hide from arrest in Heishui Street, but he was caught in Xiangcheng at the last step.
Meanwhile.
At Yang Lin’s hotel workplace.
She stopped wiping tables and looked up at Lu Lingxi, “What did you say?”
“Jiangjing, your sister is in Jiangjing,” Lu Lingxi put a thick envelope in her hand, “After your father went to prison, she gave me your medical fees and left. I never saw her again, but I always felt… you could find her.”
After Lu Lingxi left, Yang Lin finished washing today’s dishes and cleaned the kitchen.
Finally she came to the front desk.
The boss lady was looking down counting money, not raising her head, just putting a hundred yuan note on the table, “Here.”
“Boss,” Yang Lin didn’t take the money, “I won’t be coming tomorrow.”
She was a temporary worker without a contract.
The boss lady looked up, “You’ve saved enough living expenses?”
A draft blew through the room, lifting Yang Lin’s heavy bangs slightly to reveal her pair of calm black eyes. She looked toward Jiangjing’s direction: “The school scholarship is enough.”
**
Yunxiao District.
Bus Route 156.
Bai Lian sat by the window, with an elderly lady beside her.
Outside, another wailing police car sped past.
“Police,” the elderly lady talked to people nearby, “why so many police cars again? I’ve seen over ten this morning already.”
Everyone on the bus was discussing this, ordinary people always loved gossiping about such things.
Today all self-media news was reporting strange happenings in Yunxiao District.
Several roads were blocked off, all entertainment venues closed for inspection, and ordinary people watched the excitement.
“Ding dong—”
The bus arrived at Yunxiao District Central Hospital station.
Bai Lian got off.
Two police cars were also parked at the hospital entrance.
People standing by the police cars saw Bai Lian and quickly came over, “Miss Bai.”
Bai Lian glanced at him, nodding slightly, “Director Le.”
Hospital.
In Xu Zhiyue’s ward, Old Mrs. Xu hadn’t gone home all night.
Xu Zhiyue still hadn’t woken up.
Beside her, Xu En stood holding a cigarette, his expression not good.
When Xu Wenyao and Shen Min came in, Old Mrs. Xu sitting in a chair stood up, her voice extremely polite: “District Director Shen, why have you come?”
Xu En put down his cigarette and greeted Shen Min before asking: “How is it?”
Ji Mulan sitting by the bed also looked up. She held Xu Zhiyue’s hand and couldn’t help looking at Shen Min.
Among all the people Ji Mulan had met, Shen Min was considered the most powerful.
“Fumin Road is sealed off,” Xu Wenyao put down his phone and pressed his brow, “We couldn’t even get into the police station, let alone see Ah Lian.”
Hearing about the road being sealed, Xu En was startled, “Brother Shen, you couldn’t get in either?”
“This doesn’t have much to do with Miss Bai. Yunxiao District is under strict enforcement, just bad timing,” Shen Min couldn’t say more, only saying, “Yunxiao District might have a major reshuffling.”
Xing’an District was the administrative center.
But Yunxiao District was the economic center of all of Jiangjing.
This kind of major district reshuffling didn’t have much to do with small enterprises like the Xu family.
Xu Wenyao wasn’t concerned about that, he only looked at Xu En, “What did Xu Yajun’s side say?”
“They say it’s the Yu family’s people, who dares to touch this case,” Xu En looked back at Xu Zhiyue on the hospital bed, “We can’t get into the branch station now, are we just going to watch Ah Lian inside? Grandfather called me today, I didn’t dare tell him.”
The ward fell silent.
Old Mrs. Xu looked at Shen Min, then at Xu Zhiyue, dejectedly sitting down, “Butler Xu, give me the phone, I’ll ask Mr. Qi.”
She knew Qi Shuxiong was doing well recently.
Although the two families no longer had marriage ties, Old Mrs. Xu never offended anyone. She still sponsored the Qi family with a lot of funds, and the Qi family didn’t refuse.
When Qi’s father received the call, he spoke officially, “You know Shuxiong has only met the Third Young Master a few times, how could he speak up?”
After hanging up, Qi’s father looked at Mrs. Qi in the hall, “If the Xu family calls again, don’t answer.”
He patted his sleeves as he stood up. The previous break with the Xu family wasn’t completely a bad thing.
Qi’s father was in a good mood.
Mrs. Qi had originally wanted to repair relations with Old Mrs. Xu, after all the Xu family’s money had always moved the Qi family, and this circle was always about beneficial relationships.
She put down her teacup, “What a pity.”
**
On this side.
Xu En wasn’t surprised by the Qi family’s response.
“I can only beg my old friend again…” Old Mrs. Xu looked up, leaning on her cane as she stood, “You two come with me to the Yu family, agree to whatever she says, my old friend likes face.”
Shen Min stood to the side, not speaking.
Xu En and Xu Wenyao knew Old Mrs. Xu meant them. They followed behind Old Mrs. Xu, preparing to leave, “The question now is whether we can even see them.”
Outside the door.
Bai Lian lowered her eyes, lost in thought.
Beside her, Le Shaoming was talking to her.
Bai Lian had just raised her hand to knock when the door opened from inside.
Seeing Xu Wenyao and Xu En, Bai Lian thought they were going out, so she moved to the side to make way, greeting Xu En as usual, “Uncle Xu.”
Beside Bai Lian, Le Shaoming had files on Xu En and the others. He extended his right hand to Xu En, very friendly: “Mr. Xu, hello.”
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