Chapter 283: Despicable and Shameless Me?!!!

Blue Wolf Gang?

Ma Bin?

Qian Huan's brow twitched slightly, a hint of surprise showing in his eyes as he stared fixedly at Hou Wendong, asking doubtfully:

"Finding a gang to do the job is indeed a viable option, but I seem to recall that Hou Mi was rescued the day before yesterday because a street gang provided crucial clues to the Patrol Bureau, and it seems to be called the Blue Wolf Gang?"

Hou Wendong did not hide it, speaking candidly:

"What you heard is correct. The Blue Wolf Gang not only provided clues; at the scene, besides Captain Li of the Patrol Bureau, Ma Bin, the leader of the Blue Wolf Gang, was also present, and he even followed the ambulance to bring me to the hospital. Saying I owe him my life is no exaggeration."

Qian Huan chuckled softly, a trace of mockery flashing in his eyes:

"So, Hou Mi intends to repay the kindness by giving the Blue Wolf Gang a slice of the cake?"

Hou Wendong smiled faintly, his tone calm:

"I do intend to repay Ma Bin's kindness, but more importantly, we need a reliable gang to assist us. This is a major matter; only by entrusting it to someone trustworthy can I rest assured."

Pausing for a moment, he continued:

"Besides, it's not that exaggerated. This isn't dividing up a cake. Given the scale of the Blue Wolf Gang, even if I racked my brains, they wouldn't be qualified to sit at the table. What they can get is merely a management fee and some hardship pay—just cake crumbs that fell from the table to the floor."

Qian Huan felt he had exposed a bit of Hou Wendong's selfishness, and his inner doubts were suddenly dispelled.

He said respectfully: "Hou Mi values loyalty and righteousness, so I, Qian Huan, naturally cannot stop Hou Mi from repaying his kindness. Let's settle it like this. I truly envy that fellow Ma Bin for meeting a noble person like Hou Mi."

Hou Wendong smiled without speaking. He indeed had a strong desire to repay the kindness, but that did not affect his preparations to kick Qian Huan out.

The two were not contradictory!

Just as Qian Huan said, such a large piece of cake was not something everyone was qualified to sit at the table and eat, even if you were the one who kneaded the dough at the very beginning.

Deep in Hou Wendong's heart, there were still some other calculations.

For example, he wanted to meet Qian Huan's confidants under his command to buy them over and win them to his side, selecting who could seamlessly take over his position after Qian Huan was ousted.

Or perhaps, some of the shares behind the Second Prison were in Tian Guang Investment, and some were in the Prison System. These shares had not had much value before, but they might not be so in the future.

These equity values were too great for Qian Huan to hold onto.

But these things could not be rushed; they had to be done step by step and in a proper manner.

So, after careful consideration, Hou Wendong said earnestly to Qian Huan:

"In short, since Councilor Wang Yiyuan has approved this matter, we must work together to get it done. This matter must succeed and cannot fail, otherwise the impact on the councilor will be very bad. Do you understand?"

Qian Huan took a deep breath, a surge of indescribable excitement rising in his heart:

"Hou Mi, please rest assured. I am very confident in this plan. I will definitely not let you and Councilor Wang Yiyuan down."

A satisfied smile appeared on Hou Wendong's face, and encouragement showed in his eyes:

"Very good. After I am discharged next week, I will visit the Second Prison you manage for an on-site inspection. At that time, I will plan and advance the relevant external work in sync based on your management of the Second Prison."

Hou Wendong's words were clear and reasonable, and Qian Huan could find no reason to refuse.

He nodded solemnly and said firmly: "Of course, Hou Mi. I wish you a speedy recovery and look forward to your visit to the Second Prison to guide the work."

After Qian Huan left politely, Feng Mu and Shi Wuming, one on the left and one on the right, followed closely behind him, stepping in unison as they left.

Only after Qian Huan's figure disappeared outside the door did Hou Wendong slowly pick up the mobile phone on the bedside cabinet.

He gently unlocked the screen, opened the contact list, and his fingertip touched to find Ma Bin's name.

Looking through the call records, Hou Wendong found that his dealings with Ma Bin were rather shallow, totaling only a few calls, and each was extremely brief.

"But it won't be like that from now on. We must keep in frequent contact."

Hou Wendong's finger just lightly touched Ma Bin's phone number, and a complex smile unconsciously appeared on his face—not a fake, exquisite smile, but sincerity and emotion from the depths of his heart.

The phone rang only a few times before Ma Bin's voice came through, a voice carrying a flavor both strange and familiar.

The strangeness was because in past calls with Ma Bin, Hou Wendong had always adopted a condescending attitude and never truly listened to the other's voice.

The familiarity was because that day in the warehouse, Ma Bin's voice had branded itself deeply into his memory like a branding iron.

Every time he closed his eyes and looked at the darkness, that voice would involuntarily echo in his mind.

"Hello, Hou Mi, have you woken up?"

The greeting on the phone was not particularly warm, but it flowed through his heart like a warm current.

Hou Wendong's mouth corner unconsciously curved upward, revealing a gentle arc:

"Ma Bin, where are you? Why didn't I see you after I woke up?"

On the other end of the phone, Ma Bin coughed lightly and replied:

"It's like this, Hou Mi. I saw you being pushed out of the operating room and sent to the VVIP Ward. The nurse told me you had passed the critical period."

"Afterward, Councilor Wang Yiyuan and some officials from the Executive Government came to visit you one after another."

"Although you had not yet woken up at that time, I really felt uncomfortable staying, and plus there were some gang matters to handle, so I took my leave first. I am truly sorry."

Although Ma Bin's words were reserved, Hou Wendong's mind naturally sketched out the scene at that time.

He imagined a small gang leader crowded into the same ward with a group of Executive Government high officials, including prominent figures like Councilor Wang Yiyuan.

Ma Bin stood cautiously in the corner of the ward, neither keeping his head down nor raising it, his whole body down to his toes awkwardly scraping the floor.

For someone like Ma Bin who licked blood from the knife's edge, he might rather fight to the death than lose face with a room full of hypocritical politicians, networking and sucking up.

In the past, Hou Wendong would have contemptuously attributed this to a small character's self-respect and timidity, but now he felt it was instead a kind of simple and genuine nature.

"I actually once suspected Ma Bin of hiding the black accounts left by Zheng Si, and even sent people to steal them. What a despicable and shameless person I was back then."

"Fortunately, Ma Bin never discovered these things. Otherwise, would he have chosen to save me in the warehouse back then?"

Hou Wendong decided to guard this secret for the rest of his life. He would not allow this despicableness to taint the "Truth, Kindness, and Beauty" filled feelings between him and Ma Bin.

(End of Chapter)