Chapter 1969

Of course, all of that is for later.

Time passed quickly; in the blink of an eye, it was already ten o'clock on the second evening. Zhang Zhiqiang had risen early to wash and groom himself, then tidied his appearance. He changed into a black suit and adjusted his collar.

He glanced at his watch; only a little over two hours remained until the appointed time. He picked up his briefcase from beside the sofa and strode out.

Sitting in a taxi, he took out his phone and dialed Zhao Guodong's number: "Hello! Where are you?"

"Hehe, Qiangzi, I'm right at the entrance of Beiyuan Garden Community in Chaoyang District. I believe you can't wait! Haha!" Zhao Guodong's smug laughter came from the other end of the line.

Zhang Zhiqiang's brows knitted tightly; he had made his decision and no longer wished to hesitate. Since he was forced into this corner, he might as well go all out. Although he did not know whether he could defeat Zhao Guodong, he must do his utmost to avoid placing himself in danger. He had already prepared for the worst—he would no longer let Zhao Guodong succeed.

"Are you sure? I'll be there soon," Zhang Zhiqiang said coolly.

"I'm already standing at the door waiting for you. Hurry up!" Zhao Guodong urged over the phone.

Zhang Zhiqiang hung up, then slowed the taxi considerably.

Half an hour later, the taxi entered the residential compound where Zhao Guodong lived. After the taxi came to a stop, Zhang Zhiqiang paid and got out, walking straight toward Beiyuan Garden.

Zhao Guodong's residence was a three-story building, specifically a single-occupancy apartment. He stood before his own door, glanced up at the second-floor balcony, and a cold smile curled his lips. He had been waiting here for several hours; finally, this fat fish had come to him on its own tonight.

Zhang Zhiqiang rang the doorbell, and soon Zhao Guodong came to open the door.

"I'm here! Come in and talk inside." Zhao Guodong's face was plastered with a warm smile; he reached out, grabbed Zhang Zhiqiang's arm, and ushered him inside.

"Guodong, how did you end up looking like this?" The moment Zhang Zhiqiang entered, he was startled to see Zhao Guodong covered in tattered rags, with blood splattered all over his body. Since Zhao Guodong's face was also smeared with oil paint, he could not make out the other's true features at all.

"Hehe! Don't mention it! I drank too much last night! Just now, while showering in the bathroom, I fell. I don't know which bastard threw something and smashed my head! These injuries were caused by them—damn it! I won't let them off!" Zhao Guodong said through gritted teeth, his fists clenched tightly, veins bulging, revealing the extreme anger in his heart.

"Oh? How do you plan to handle this matter?" Zhang Zhiqiang asked with concern, not pressing further about Zhao Guodong's injuries.

Zhao Guodong gave a sinister chuckle: "I've already arranged for someone to give them a sum of money; at the very least, they must receive some punishment! Leave this matter to you. Remember, absolutely do not leak any information, and do not let it reach the police station."

Zhang Zhiqiang nodded; he understood what Zhao Guodong meant. As long as it did not reach the police station, even brawling would pose no problem. Still, Zhang Zhiqiang worried whether Zhao Guodong might be arrested.

Zhao Guodong seemed to see through his thoughts; he immediately waved his hand and said, "Don't worry! I won't be foolish enough to report it. I don't want to invite trouble. I'm still counting on reforming in prison. Just help me settle this matter properly. We'll meet at Nanyuan Tea House this Saturday night."

Hearing these words, Zhang Zhiqiang's suspended heart finally relaxed; he quickly agreed: "No problem! Rest assured; when the time comes, I guarantee you'll be satisfied!"

Afterward, Zhao Guodong closed the door.

Zhang Zhiqiang let out a long sigh; he felt as though Zhao Guodong had kidnapped him, and his mood was exceptionally gloomy. But there was no way out; he was now in a situation where he could neither advance nor retreat.

He stepped into the living room and sat on the sofa. His gaze swept around; he found this apartment very spacious and bright. This was his first time entering Zhao Guodong's apartment; a wave of envy rose involuntarily in his heart.

He had once dreamed of owning his own home, rather than living as a lodger in his parents' old residential building.

He rested on the sofa for a moment, then suddenly felt an unbearable hunger in his stomach. He took out his phone and checked the time; it was already dinner hour, but because of Zhao Guodong, he could not eat at all. He decided to go out and find something to fill his stomach.

At that moment, Zhang Zhiqiang's phone suddenly rang.

The call was from Li Wanting.

Zhang Zhiqiang immediately answered and asked, "Wanting, is something wrong?"

Li Wanting said gently, "Brother Zhiqiang, where are you? We are all at home waiting for you."

Zhang Zhiqiang paused for a moment, then said softly, "I'm sorry. I have an urgent matter and cannot join you for dinner. I'll contact you again after this afternoon's class ends."

The moment Zhang Zhiqiang hung up, Zhao Guodong pushed the door open and entered. Smiling, he asked, "Brother Zhiqiang, why did you take so long to arrive? I'm starving! Sit down quickly; let's eat first."

Zhang Zhiqiang sat down and saw that dishes were already laid out on the table, along with a bottle of red wine. Zhang Zhiqiang knew Zhao Guodong had certainly bought it with money again, and a wave of disgust immediately rose in his heart. Nevertheless, Zhao Guodong's attitude remained extremely intimate, as if they were old friends who had not met in many years. Zhang Zhiqiang thought that since he intended to kill Zhao Guodong tonight anyway, he might as well temporarily hide his feelings.

Zhao Guodong opened the red wine, poured two glasses, then raised his glass and clinked it against Zhang Zhiqiang's, saying, "I called you over today not only to catch up but also to celebrate our reunion! I propose a toast to you!"

Zhang Zhiqiang lifted his glass and drained it in one gulp, saying, "Why talk about thanks between us? I'll toast you as well!"

The two men clinked glasses again and drained them in one gulp.

Zhao Guodong poured himself another drink and said, "We haven't chatted and drunk together in a long time; why not take this opportunity to drink heartily!"

Zhang Zhiqiang shook his head bitterly: "Brother Guodong, aren't you afraid I'll run away if you do this?"

"Run away? Where could you run to? Let me tell you, even if I have to dig three feet into the earth, I will absolutely dig you out." Zhao Guodong said with a vicious grin, "Let us two brothers have a drink to get to know each other."

Zhang Zhiqiang lifted his glass, clinked it against Zhao Guodong's, then tilted his head back and gulped it down. He urgently needed a little drunkenness to dispel his fear.

"Brother Zhiqiang, where do you work now?" Zhao Guodong refilled Zhang Zhiqiang's glass, then asked with concern.

"Sigh! Don't mention it!" Zhang Zhiqiang let out a sigh.

Zhao Guodong's eyes shifted, and he said, "Brother Zhiqiang, isn't your current job too hard? I know there's a university town in the suburbs, filled entirely with university buildings and cafeterias. Why not consider changing to a different job? With your qualifications, finding a job in the city is certainly no problem."

"What kind of jobs are there inside the university town in the suburbs?" Zhang Zhiqiang asked, puzzled. Of course, he hoped for a stable job so he could settle down after graduation.

"There are several positions: teachers, technicians, or salespeople." Zhao Guodong said with a smile.

"Oh. These professions offer relatively high salaries and stable income." Zhang Zhiqiang nodded and said. He had no interest in these professions; after all, he still had dreams. He wanted to remain at Jianghai University for further studies and strive to earn a doctorate.

Seeing this, Zhao Guodong immediately made a decision and said, "Brother Zhiqiang, then go to work at the school in the suburbs with me tomorrow. You have a junior college diploma; as long as you're willing to go, many factories will certainly recruit you."

"What factories? I don't lack money now. I want to stay at Jianghai University to study."