Chapter 66

Zhou Andong got in the car and leaned back comfortably against the seat: “You’re in such a hurry to find me, so it must be something to do with me.”

Jian Qiu glanced sideways at Zhou Andong: “You’ve got some self-awareness.”

Zhou Andong spoke lazily: “The most important thing for a capable person is to know yourself—only then can you see where you’re lacking, and while striving to improve, avoid getting beaten down by society.”

Jian Qiu asked: “Don’t you want to know what happened?”

Zhou Andong pulled out a cigarette, lit it, leaned back, tilted his head, and took a deep drag: “What else could it be? Someone’s stirring up trouble again, trying to shave my head.”

“Pfft!” Jian Qiu burst out laughing: “Your hair really is long. You should get it cut.”

Zhou Andong exhaled a smoke ring: “Want to shave my head? They’d better make sure their scissors are sharp enough.”

Jian Qiu said: “The factory received twenty to thirty letters reporting you.”

Zhou Andong blinked: “What are they reporting me for?”

Jian Qiu continued: “Two charges. First, embezzlement.”

Zhou Andong laughed heartily: “I’d love to, but I’m just a low-level worker—nobody gives me a chance to embezzle.”

Jian Qiu went on: “Second, stealing liquor from the distillery to sell privately. The factory’s disciplinary inspection department has already formed an investigation team. They originally planned to come here in person to arrest you, but Gu Bing flew into a rage, so they compromised and sent me to pick you up.”

Zhou Andong looked helpless: “That’s only eighty tons of liquor—all the liquor that passed through my hands has exit records. Wouldn’t a quick check clear this up?”

Jian Qiu said coldly: “These reports are baseless—they know it better than anyone. But they’re launching this big investigation precisely to ruin your reputation, including sending people all the way to Tanghezi to arrest you, so you and your family can’t hold your heads up.”

Zhou Andong sighed: “They’re really leaving no stone unturned.”

Jian Qiu frowned: “This is tough. With these reports in hand, the factory’s investigation is perfectly legal—even if Zuo Peiming finds out, he can’t say a word. They’ll drag this out for a month or two, stir up a storm, then casually declare ‘no issues found.’ But by then, the mud’s already on your pants—whether it’s shit or not, everyone thinks it is.”

Zhou Andong smiled: “As a leader, and a female leader at that, and a pretty one at that, can’t you speak a little more politely? No need to keep talking about pants and shit.”

Jian Qiu gave him a massive side-eye: “Can you focus on the actual problem and think of a solution?”

“Think of a damn solution,” Zhou Andong scoffed. “I was already planning to quit. Perfect—this is my chance to leave without offending Big Brother Zuo.”

Hearing Zhou Andong say he’d quit, Jian Qiu panicked and slammed on the brakes: “You’re quitting?”

Zhou Andong’s head banged against the seatback from the sudden stop. He sighed: “You and Old Gu really are siblings—you talk, and you keep slamming on the brakes?”

Jian Qiu stared at Zhou Andong and asked again: “Are you serious about quitting?”

Zhou Andong didn’t answer. Instead, he asked: “You’ve been abroad, right?”

Jian Qiu didn’t understand why he was asking this: “Yes.”

Zhou Andong asked: “Have you eaten at McDonald’s and KFC?”

Jian Qiu nodded: “Yes.”

Zhou Andong pressed: “Was it good?”

Jian Qiu, confused, said: “It’s okay.”

Zhou Andong said: “If I opened a burger shop like that, what do you think?”

“Huh?” Jian Qiu’s eyes lit up. “You mean you’re opening a McDonald’s or KFC?”

Zhou Andong shook his head: “Impossible. McDonald’s and KFC don’t franchise. I’m starting my own brand—DeKes.”

Looking at Zhou Andong, Jian Qiu’s expression grew unreadable: “That’ll cost a lot.”

Zhou Andong said: “Yeah. Even with rent, ten thousand might not be enough.”

Jian Qiu smirked: “Do you have that much money?”

“Sigh,” Zhou Andong sighed. “No. I was just about to… go ask Secretary Gu if he wants to make some pocket money with me.”

Jian Qiu laughed: “I have the money. Why bother asking him?”

Zhou Andong whipped his head around: “You’re serious?”

“Of course,” Jian Qiu tossed her head. “I’m your superior, after all. Why would I lie to you?”

Zhou Andong asked: “Aren’t you afraid of losing money?”

Jian Qiu shrugged: “No business is 100% profitable.”

“Fine!” Zhou Andong said bluntly. “I’ve got twenty thousand—bonus money from selling liquor, not even in hand yet. How much equity do you want?”

Jian Qiu said matter-of-factly: “Total investment is ten thousand. You put in twenty thousand, I put in eighty thousand. So I get eighty percent, you get twenty.”

“No no no!” Zhou Andong shook his head. “In the new century, what’s most valuable? Talent. Like at the distillery—if I weren’t there, it’d collapse. How much is my talent worth?”

Jian Qiu chewed over his words. It actually made sense. “How much equity do you want?”

Zhou Andong said: “Forty percent. The remaining ten percent goes to Yao Jun.”

Jian Qiu didn’t hesitate: “Fine.”

This stunned Zhou Andong: “You agreed so quickly?”

“Of course!” Jian Qiu’s lips twitched. “You said yourself—you’re talent. Valuable. I put in eighty thousand for forty percent—that’s a steal. If I didn’t say yes fast, you’d change your mind.”

Zhou Andong clicked his tongue. Something about her words felt insincere. “Let’s go. Don’t keep the bosses waiting too long. If they slap on some bigger charge now, I’ll be unfairly screwed.”

Chang Tai, head of the factory’s disciplinary inspection department, stood in front of the factory gate with his hands behind his back and a large belly protruding, expressionless. Behind him stood four others, all equally grim-faced.

Dozens of workers watched from a distance, including Yao Jun, whose face was dark with anger. Clearly, everyone knew Zhou Andong was under investigation.

Wu Cheng said angrily: “Brother Jun, this is clearly someone framing Dong Ge.”

“I know!” Yao Jun’s gaze grew colder as he stared at Chang Tai. “Fucking bastards keep harping on Dong Ge. I’ll break their dog legs one day.”

One of the men behind Chang Tai said: “Why hasn’t he come back yet? Could he have run?”

Another man’s eyes flickered: “They say Director Jian and Zhou Andong are close. Hard to say if he ran or not.”

“Hmph!” Chang Tai snorted. “If Zhou Andong runs, Jian Qiu is shielding a criminal. Then it won’t be us investigating—it’ll be the city sending people down.”

“Here they come!” one of the men shouted, staring at the gate.

Soon, the 212 rolled through the gate and stopped beside Chang Tai. Zhou Andong stepped out.

"Oh my, Chief Chang himself came to pick me up? My prestige is truly immense."