Chapter 2735: Talent

Zhou Andong sized up Liu Wenku, then smiled: "Your name is Liu Wenku?"

Liu Wenku is a thoroughgoing scoundrel; few things or people can frighten him, otherwise he wouldn't have taken ten thousand yuan from the little Japanese devils and then sold the car he had borrowed.

But standing before Zhou Andong now, he was nervous; even though Zhou Andong's smile looked gentle, his nerves remained taut.

"Yes..." Liu Wenku grinned, though his facial muscles were stiff, making his smile somewhat ugly: "I... I am... Liu Wenku."

Zhou Andong's smile gradually faded, and he said calmly: "How did you know someone wants to kill me?"

Seeing Zhou Andong's expressionless face and hearing that calm yet pressure-inducing tone, Liu Wenku felt his heart skip a beat. Zhou Andong exerted too much pressure on him—greater than facing the prison warden during his incarceration.

Liu Wenku secretly inhaled, easing his tension: "It's my cousin!"

"Your cousin wants to kill me?" Zhou Andong blinked, puzzled: "Does he bear a grudge against me?"

"No no no!" Liu Wenku waved his hands: "He merely gave me ten thousand yuan to come kill you. But it certainly isn't him targeting you, for I know him too well.

Not to mention ten thousand yuan—he couldn't even come up with one thousand, so this money must have been given to him by someone else. Besides, he's just a petty thug; to feud with you, he'd need the qualifications and ability. Therefore, whoever is targeting you must be someone else—he's merely a fool dragged out as a pawn."

Zhou Andong asked again: "Did you take the ten thousand yuan hired to kill me?"

"I did!" Liu Wenku wanted to deny it, but seeing Zhou Andong's smile, he couldn't bring himself to speak the denial, and honestly nodded in admission: "Besides, I also sold the minivan he lent me for my operation."

"Ha!" Gu Bing, watching the spectacle from the side, couldn't help laughing and then gave a thumbs-up: "You damn well are a talent."

Zhou Andong also laughed: "What's your cousin's name, where does he live, and who does he usually hang out with?"

Liu Wenku replied without hesitation: "My cousin is Yang Aiming, residing in Yangxiudian Village, Majuqiao; he hangs out with Wang Hu and Chen Laoqi."

Zhou Andong continued: "How well do you know this Wang Hu and Chen Laoqi?"

Liu Wenku shook his head: "I don't know much, but Wang Hu opened a Tianma Lake Song and Dance Hall in Majuqiao; it's said the Young Lady is very beautiful and business is good, though I've never been there."

Zhou Andong turned to Gu Bing: "What do you think—who wants to kill me?"

"Need to ask?" Gu Bing gave Zhou Andong a look of contempt: "You've offended many, but who dares to hire a killer against you and also has this capability? Aside from the Tong family, it's only the Yin family.

The Tong family member with the deepest grudge against you is Tong Huaiyu, but he styles himself as a little Zhuge Liang; he wouldn't do it, or would deem it beneath him to hire assassins. So the most likely culprit is some fool from the Yin family."

Zhou Andong stared at Gu Bing in astonishment: "Brother-in-law, did your wife feed you some elixir? How did your mind suddenly become so sharp?"

"Damn, you think I'm really missing a screw in my head?" Gu Bing cursed: "I'm just too lazy to pluck that string."

Zhou Andong chuckled, picked up the phone: "Tang Wenjuan, come to my office."

Soon, Dong Tang Wenjuan knocked and entered: "Factory Director!"

Zhou Andong said: "Go to finance and withdraw one hundred thousand yuan, note it as my personal loan, and repay it before quitting work tonight."

"Understood!" Dong Tang Wenjuan turned and left.

Liu Wenku's heart skipped another beat—he knew he had guessed right. Simultaneously, he snorted inwardly: Damn, one hundred thousand yuan just to make me risk my life? They really took me for a fool?

The finance department is upstairs; Dong Tang Wenjuan, on her way up, happened to bump into Zhou Qianyi. As his sister, she naturally said nothing and personally went to finance to withdraw one hundred thousand yuan. Then she called the Jinwan Hotel, asking her secretary to deliver one hundred thousand yuan over.

After all, Jinwan Hotel is her family's; she can sign for the money with just a signature. At year-end, it will be deducted from dividends. But Mao Factory is a state-owned enterprise; as a shareholder, she cannot arbitrarily withdraw funds—including Zhou Andong, the factory director, likewise.

Soon, Dong Tang Wenjuan entered Zhou Andong's office carrying a black plastic bag: "Factory Director, this money is Zhou Zong withdrawn from finance."

Zhou Andong nodded: "You may go out first."

Dong Tang Wenjuan placed the money on the desk, turned and retreated, then gently closed the door.

Liu Wenku's eyes occasionally flicked toward the black bag on the desk; actually, from the moment Dong Tang Wenjuan entered, his gaze never left the black plastic bag.

Zhou Andong opened the bag, took out the money bundle by bundle, and neatly arranged it on the desk: "You are Liu Wenku, correct? This money is your thanks."

Seeing the money on the desk, Liu Wenku's throat rolled, and his greed could not be concealed: "Thank you, Factory Director Zhou!"

Actually, even before coming, he knew Zhou Andong would surely give him a gratuity, but he hadn't expected anyone to give him one hundred thousand yuan—far exceeding his expectations; this could no longer be described as surprise for his current mood.

"This money is yours by right." Zhou Andong waved his hand: "If you help me with another matter, I'll give you another two hundred thousand."

Liu Wenku's heart seemed to stop beating; he could scarcely believe his ears: just do one thing and get two hundred thousand?

Without even thinking, Liu Wenku agreed, though he clearly knew this two hundred thousand wouldn't be easy to obtain. But people die for wealth, birds for food—two hundred thousand is something he could never earn in a lifetime; what reason is there not to do it?

"Speak!" Liu Wenku said respectfully: "Whatever the task, I will accomplish it."

Zhou Andong smiled narrowly: "Can you also handle killing someone?"

Liu Wenku blinked, then quickly shook his head: "You wouldn't have me kill someone."

This time it was Zhou Andong's turn to be stunned; he asked curiously: "How are you so certain I wouldn't have you kill someone?"

Liu Wenku said firmly: "Given your status and position, if you wanted to kill someone, you'd have plenty of ways—you wouldn't stoop so low as to hire assassins and tarnish your reputation."

Zhou Andong once again sized up Liu Wenku; this time he was genuinely surprised. This guy really does have some brains—if I could grasp him in my hand and use him well, he'd absolutely be a fine blade.

"I indeed won't have you kill someone." Zhou Andong leaned against the desk, reached out, picked up the cigarette on the desk, and lit it: "Three days from now, take the ten thousand yuan your cousin gave you to the Public Security Bureau and report him."