Chapter 16

Zhou Andong smiled and said, “Can’t you be nicer to Zhao Jianlong? He’s your brother’s best friend, and your mom once pushed hard for you sister to be with him.”

Jiang Yuyue sneered, “Do you really think Zhao Jianlong is a good man?”

Zhou Andong laughed and gave a thumbs-up. “You’re the only one in your family who sees clearly.”

“Hmph!” Jiang Yuyue sniffed haughtily. “Zhao Jianlong’s just a master of disguise. With his reputation—he’s Jiangzhou’s richest tycoon, a philanthropist, one of the city’s top ten outstanding youths, worth nearly ten million, and a favorite guest of countless officials. But who would guess he’s Jiangzhou’s biggest gang boss?”

Zhou Andong had to admit Zhao Jianlong was truly formidable—skilled at painting himself in glittering colors, highly deceptive. Even during the second crackdown in ’96, he walked away unscathed, and later rose to dazzling heights with a fortune of over a billion.

It wasn’t until ’16, when the national climate shifted abruptly and the Four Winds swept in, that Zhao Jianlong was exposed and brought down, finally getting a bullet in the head.

But Zhou Andong looked at Jiang Yuyue—before Zhao Jianlong was exposed, he himself had no idea of the man’s true nature. How did this girl know?

“How did you find out his secrets?”

Jiang Yuyue gritted her teeth. “Do you remember the female worker from the cotton mill who jumped from the building a few years ago?”

Zhou Andong had a vague memory—it was too long ago, details faded.

Jiang Yuyue said, “Her name was Yang Jinmei. She was my classmate’s older sister. Zhao Jianlong raped her. They were about to get married, so her family didn’t report it. But days later, Yang Jinmei jumped. Even though they finally called the police, it was too late—all evidence was gone. Zhao Jianlong turned it around, accusing them of false accusations.”

Zhou Andong sighed. “Zhao Jianlong’s halo is too bright—people can’t see the darkness behind him.”

Jiang Yuyue gave a bitter laugh. “Yes, my brother, sister, dad, and mom all know—but no one believes Zhao Jianlong could do something like that. They all think my classmate’s family is lying just to extort money. But I believe her. I know her well—she’d never lie.”

Zhou Andong patted Jiang Yuyue’s shoulder. “Heaven’s wheel turns—no one escapes its justice. Zhao Jianlong won’t end well.”

Jiang Yuyue said, “I believe it too. He won’t get away with it.”

Zhou Andong stood up. “Tell your brother to stay away from Zhao Jianlong’s business. If he tries to get a loan, stop your dad.”

Jiang Yuyue shook her head. “Useless. My brother won’t listen. As for the loan—he’s a major client of the Industrial and Commercial Bank. Do you think Dad would say no?”

Zhou Andong shrugged. Same old saying: if heaven wants rain, and mother wants to remarry, there’s nothing you can do.

“Let’s go take photos.”

Jiang Yuyue pulled herself together and smiled. “Where to? Are you buying me new clothes? I can’t be photographed in this outfit.”

“This outfit is perfect,” Zhou Andong praised without restraint. “It shows off your figure perfectly, makes you utterly beautiful.”

“Mature, confident, elegant, captivating.”

Zhou Andong stepped back two paces. “Too close to you, I can barely open my eyes—you’re blinding. Even the afternoon sun at one or two o’clock isn’t as bright. Too bad I’m not a poet—if I were, I’d write ten thousand poems to describe your beauty.”

“Pfft!” Jiang Yuyue burst out laughing.

Zhou Andong blinked. “Isn’t that a sharp summary?”

"I think you're a sycophant!" Jiang Yuyue's mood lifted instantly. She leaned forward, peering behind Zhou Andong.

Zhou Andong asked, confused, “What are you looking at?”

Jiang Yuyue grinned. “I’m checking how long your tail’s grown. You bought this outfit just for the photos.”

Zhou Andong said, “Don’t nitpick the details. The clothes were bought for you—that’s the fact, right?”

“Fine, I won’t argue,” Jiang Yuyue said. “But I’m hungry. Let’s eat first, or I won’t have energy for photos.”

Zhou Andong grumbled, “Are you a ghost of starvation? It’s barely noon and you’re already hungry?”

Jiang Yuyue kicked out. Zhou Andong leaped back quickly, grinning. “Missed.”

Jiang Yuyue ground her teeth, wanting to bite him. “Your leg doesn’t hurt anymore, huh?”

“Look at you, getting mad over a joke,” Zhou Andong waved his hand. “Come on, big brother’s taking you out for a feast.”

The two went to Qin’s Water-Filled Buns for a meal, then hired a yellow minivan and spent half the day driving around until both rolls of film were used up.

“Oh my!” Jiang Yuyue sat in the restaurant’s private room, pounding her thighs. “I heard calendar models get hundreds per photo. I won’t ask for much—just two hundred.”

Zhou Andong glanced at her dismissively. “That’s all you want? If we sell all eighty tons of this liquor, our party secretary will hold all the power—no one can suppress him. Then I’ll hire you as our advertising spokesperson. You’ll get way more than that in a year.”

Jiang Yuyue’s eyes lit up. “Really? I can do it?”

Zhou Andong said, “I say you can—you can. Even if you can’t, you can.”

At that moment, the waiter brought out the dishes. They were truly hungry—ordered four dishes and three big bowls of rice.

Jiang Yuyue ate one big bowl, Zhou Andong ate two, and all four dishes were finished, even the broth.

Jiang Yuyue rubbed her belly with no grace. “Ugh, I’m so full.”

Zhou Andong said, “Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”

“No need!” Jiang Yuyue waved. “I’ll take the bus.”

Zhou Andong picked up a toothpick, pried at his teeth, and stood. “Fine. I’ll find a photo lab, develop the film, and pick the best shots tonight.”

Jiang Yuyue asked dreamily, “If we sell all ten thousand calendars, will I become a big star?”

“Dream on!” Zhou Andong shot her down without mercy.

Jiang Yuyue giggled. “What if the dream comes true?”

They laughed and chatted as they left the restaurant. Zhou Andong saw Jiang Yuyue onto the bus, then found a photo lab to develop the film. By the time the photos were ready, night had fallen.

The distillery’s residential area lay west of the factory, accessible only through an alley. To the left was a freight railway; to the right, the distillery’s grain warehouse. At night, no one walked there—it was utterly quiet.

Zhou Andong got off the bus at the distillery and walked alone toward the residential area. Suddenly, a white minivan sped past him. A cigarette butt flew from its window, glowing faintly, landing at his feet.

Zhou Andong cursed, pulled his cotton coat tighter, and kept walking. When he reached the alley’s mouth, he saw the same white minivan parked inside.

He frowned, stopped, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and stared at the van. Through the streetlamp’s glow, he could barely make out shadowy figures inside.

The van’s appearance was too suspicious—especially after meeting Zhao Jianlong today. He had to be careful.

Time passed slowly. He’d smoked three cigarettes when the van’s side door slid open with a clang. Two men stepped out—one tall, one short. One held a hammer; the other, a steel pipe.

Zhou Andong smiled. A slow wisp of smoke curled from his lips.