Chapter 255

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Protagonist:

Chen Yi

The missing person was naturally Jin Zhongji's ex-girlfriend, Li Xiumei.

Those responsible for monitoring and caring for Li Xiumei were her agent and two assistants shared by the dance troupe, the latter being personnel sent by Liu Chengyou. Since they were overseas, the whole system was not strict or complex. Liu Xinyu obtained the concert shuttle list, bribed one of the drivers, notified Li Xiumei to board that vehicle, and finally stole Li Xiumei away during the chaotic period after arriving at the airport.

The whole process took little effort. The concert shuttle list was semi-public, and the driver belonged to a transport company, eager for someone to bribe him. Getting onto the designated vehicle was slightly troublesome, but as long as Li Xiumei insisted, her agent could not keep opposing it. The only thing needing serious handling was controlling the shuttle's travel time, and ideally learning the agent's and assistant's drink preferences and purchasing channels so as to spike them and delay the search time.

A series of tasks was completed cleanly and efficiently. Liu Xinyu thought to herself that unless there was a large-scale dragnet search, the other side would find it hard to guess their identity. But before her plaque proclaiming "still sharp in old age" could be hung up, continuous lightning and thunder interrupted the time chain of the plan.

The flight was delayed, so the dance troupe, originally about to leave immediately, had to gather and rest, giving the agent and assistant enough time to clear their heads, while simultaneously searching for Liu Xiumei, reporting to Liu Chengyou, and seeking help.

A Korean trading company based in Jiangning quickly sent nearly 40 people, cooperating with the dance troupe's own nearly 100 personnel, and they spread out to search at once. They even started calling the transport company to find the driver's whereabouts... Various exits of the airport also had monitors, and they notified familiar officials to provide cover.

Hiding in the staff room in the airport hall, Liu Xinyu also felt helpless. If the plane had taken off normally, the assistant in charge of the whole dance troupe would have to leave, leaving only Li Xiumei's agent, or her agent plus one assistant. Making any decision would be difficult—this was determined by human psychology. Originally, responsibility should be shared by three people; if only one or two bore it, it would obviously affect their judgment, leading them to choose ways to avoid responsibility as much as possible...

On the other hand, if the flight delay hadn't given the three time to rest and clear their heads, the Koreans who drank the spiked beverages would only need to be slightly sluggish and delayed for a while, and they could have left the airport hall immediately. How could they be trapped inside now? By the time they got out and found the unaware driver, it would be meaningless...

"If there's really no other way, we'll just rush out." Jin Douna looked at Li Xiumei leaning in her cousin's arms and made a suggestion.

Liu Xinyu shook her head. "If we're discovered, the involvement will be extensive."

That was true. The men guarding around the airport might not remember Li Xiumei's face, but they would certainly remember three beautiful women breaking through.

Especially Liu Xinyu, with such a "distinctive" figure—even if they met her, she'd be a topic of conversation, let alone fighting.

Suddenly, arguments in Korean and Chinese came from the stairwell. It was the airport staff organizing the Koreans' entry.

"Fortunately it's the airport; they can't search everything." Jin Zhongji held the woman in his arms tighter, his face full of happiness and nervousness.

Liu Xinyu said unoptimistically, "They've contacted Liu Chengyou; I'm afraid there will be official intervention. We need to find a way to change our appearance."

She understood the strength of the experts within the Research Society better than anyone else.

Not long after, sure enough, Customs personnel came to participate in the investigation, presumably thanks to the Koreans' years of contributions. However, the personnel sent by Customs were lax and scattered, and it was rare for them to be thorough. The Koreans, though angry, could do nothing but follow slowly, searching bit by bit.

Seeing the other side's personnel increasing and gradually closing in, Liu Xinyu emptied her pockets, changed into a set of clothes, and said, "I'll go down and try. Let's make the terminal lively. You all find a way out."

Jin Douna said embarrassedly, "Let me go."

"You're Jin Zhongji's cousin. If you're discovered, people will definitely guess." Liu Xinyu put on airs and said with considerable dignity, "Don't... cause trouble."

Jin Douna nodded helplessly, but instead felt relieved. Yes, the worst case would be notifying Chen Yi. Presumably, on this little plot of land in Jiangning, protecting a few people was no problem.

Liu Xinyu put on the most ordinary shirt, holding a short-distance flight ticket purchased in advance, and went straight downstairs to cause trouble for Jiangning Airlines. Standing at the counter, she solemnly demanded the airline arrange food and lodging for all delayed passengers and provide compensation of twice the ticket price. Her figure was so eye-catching; pretending to be a fierce woman, her voice clear and loud, she said: "I'm doing this for justice. When a man is delayed, he still has to apologize, so why shouldn't you compensate when you're delayed?"

The big shots around shouted "Good" in unison and all surged forward, automatically and consciously standing by Liu Xinyu's side.

The duty manager of Jiangning Airlines, who had graduated only a few years ago, was pushed to the front desk to handle the delay. Seeing Liu Xinyu, he couldn't open his mouth, his eyes only on that shirt, on the bulging part of that shirt, and roaming over her long eyelashes and big eyes.

The female ground staff member beside him saw it, full of disdain, and stepped forward to say: "The plane isn't certain to be delayed yet..."

Liu Xinyu was just looking for trouble, and taking advantage of the situation, she shouted: "Brothers and sisters, is our plane delayed?"

"Delayed!"

"Should there be compensation?"

"We want compensation!"

The female ground staff member silently retreated, repeating the duty manager's actions, just with a different starting point and a different purpose.

The departure hall descended into chaos, and Jin Douna and the others took advantage of the situation to slip out, intending to leave from the other side.

But the Koreans weren't stupid either. The personnel they left at various exit passages didn't leave, and new arrivals, reeking of sweat, dug through the crowd, trying to find those fishing in troubled waters. They also suspected Liu Xinyu, but the surrounding passengers vaguely obstructed them, and since they were in the crowd, it wasn't easy to go up and say or do anything. They just had to search the places they had already checked once again.

This attitude of doing things was indeed very serious and meticulous, and it was also necessary. Jin Douna and her cousin were now hiding in the luggage room on the first floor that had already been searched.

However, the Koreans' serious spirit of doing things did not mean the Customs officials they had hired were serious about their work. Jiangning Airport was an international open port, with seven or eight groups of people in total. To comb through the inside would exhaust them to what extent.

Now they had to do it all over again?

The team leader, Yu Jianmin, heard that stiff request and got annoyed, thinking: "I didn't take your benefits, so if you want to find someone, go find them yourself."

So he laughed it off and said: "The flight is delayed; I have to go to the office to check, in case something happens. Little Wu, you few follow me."

The one who accepted the Koreans' request was the Deputy Commissioner of Jiangning Customs. He was the Deputy Commissioner of the airport Customs branch, with a much lower rank, and his temper was not much different. How could he have the patience to plow fields with a group of foreign company employees?

The Koreans didn't understand the key points. They bowed and sent Yu Jianmin away, but unexpectedly, the subsequent search was not smooth.

Which of the Customs officers present wasn't a shrewd person? Since the boss wasn't attending to it, they naturally had plenty of excuses. Seeing places with long distances and many people, they didn't want to go. If the Koreans went themselves, they would be pushed back by the airport staff.

On the other hand, without the Customs officers in uniform present, just the Koreans themselves pushing and shoving in the crowd quickly stirred up a wave of resentment. Being delayed was already enough to make people anxious, and then being shouted at and questioned rudely—how could they hear good words?

One thing led to another, and the airport hall was filled with noisy sounds everywhere.

The VIP green channel and the airport VIP lounge were both embedded in the south side of the airport hall. Usually, they were relatively quiet, not even disturbed by the sound of planes taking off and landing. But today, with a hubbub of voices, even the best soundproof walls were just decorations.

When the Big Secretary of the Municipal Government came out, the hall had long been a mess. Those causing trouble for the airline, those causing trouble for the airport, those causing trouble for the Koreans, those being troubled by the Koreans—there was never any quiet. Even a normal person, in this environment, wanting to speak, had to raise their voice.

The Big Secretary took a circle and realized the flight delay was a problem he couldn't handle. The Koreans searching for a missing person was the main cause of the trouble. His administrative rank was higher than the Customs Commissioner of the airport Customs, let alone his power. So he reported truthfully, without a bit of falsification.

Hearing that a Korean companion was missing, He Fuhan instinctively felt there was a problem.

He looked at the weather, pondered for a moment, and just as the voices in the terminal grew louder, he said: "You go negotiate with the airport and Customs. It's really not presentable. Airport order is very important. Hmm, if foreign friends have needs, we should help. But if they are unreasonable and make trouble, they must be firmly stopped. Go."

Cao Lingxiao said eagerly to try: "I understand. Everything will be done according to the rules."

Watching the Municipal Government Big Secretary leave, Chen Yi couldn't help but look at He Fuhan with new respect. Anything related to foreign friends, big or small, easily became a big deal. Receiving foreigners was like receiving retired old cadres. If done well, it was just a word of praise; if done badly, it would be widely publicized. So officials always avoided it if they could. Unexpectedly, He Fuhan was still a man with a sense of responsibility.

In the blink of an eye, Chen Yi mockingly thought: People with thin lips are mean. This guy was mean enough to himself.

Secretary Cao left the airport VIP lounge and first called the General Manager of Jiangning Airport Group, using He Fuhan's name to have him send people to the airport hall. Then he found the Customs Commissioner of the airport Customs and asked him to maintain order.

Jiangning Airport was previously under the jurisdiction of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, later transferred to the Jiangning Municipal Government, and only the year before last was Jiangning Airport Group established, now trying to go public to raise money.

A company like this was of a not-low level, but the Jiangning Mayor's level was higher. Therefore, when Secretary Cao's call went through, there was an immediate response on that end. Not long after, an announcement of free mineral water supply appeared on the airport screens.

Whether or not they had tickets, one bottle of water per person. Not much money spent, but the effect was not weak. At least everyone sat back in their seats and didn't crowd and make noise.

However, it was the airport Customs. Because it was an institution directly under Customs, they were not in a hurry about Secretary Cao's request. First, they withdrew the staff who had been working for the Koreans, preparing to clear themselves of responsibility before doing any work.

Who would have thought that the uniformed customs men had all returned to their offices, while the Korean bastards grew increasingly anxious to find someone; before long, they naturally clashed with the passengers who had just begun to rest.

In 2001, men flying were either big bosses of private enterprises or people within the system who could have their airfare reimbursed; no one wanted to provoke foreigners, but neither were they truly afraid of them. From time to time someone would step forward and push aside the arrogant Koreans.

Except during the era of the Beiyang Warlords, the face of Easterners had never been able to compare with that of Westerners. And among Easterners, the status of Koreans could not compare with that of Japanese. So when the Big Secretary of the City Government spoke of Koreans, he was not worried about causing trouble, and the passengers present were no exception.

In no time at all, the Koreans scattered throughout the airport terminal were like seasoning, swallowed up into the crowd.

"It's completely messed up." Cao Lingxiao saw Gu Pei, the General Manager of the Airport Group, and his first words were exactly that, then he continued: "It was agreed today that we would receive Minister Wang of the Ministry of Trade and Economy, and now it's in such a mess—what sort of talk is this?"

Gu Pei disagreed in his heart and smiled: "The airport is just like this; today the flight is delayed, and the passengers have complaints."

"What's going on with those Koreans?" His tone had become an interrogation. Cao Lingxiao noticed this, softened his tone, and continued: "If they have any requests, the airport side can help, but how can they set up checkpoints there themselves to check people?"

"It's not exactly setting up checkpoints." Gu Pei coughed once and said: "This is customs activity; I wasn't informed."

Big Secretary Cao did not argue with him, but turned and said: "The plane is about to land; you hurry up and clean it up."

Gu Pei thought to himself, whether the plane arrives or not, you know better than I do, but verbally he still agreed and went to negotiate with the customs.

In that short while, Jin Douna and the others had exercised their way to a corner on the south side, looking for an opportunity to rush out. Taxis were everywhere outside; take one or snatch one, and driving back to the city would count as safety.

A head of the Korean Chamber of Commerce happened to be leading people down from the south side when he heard a woman speaking Korean. He turned around and saw that all his subordinates were men, and his eyes instantly turned red.

A fine day for promotion.

He waved his left hand and led the charge; by the time Jin Douna and the others heard the footsteps, the little head had already caught up to them.

"Run that way and lock the door." The direction Jin Douna pointed was precisely the VIP Lounge, and she herself rushed forward, delivering a side kick that sent the little head tumbling to the ground.

The two junior staff members behind were still thinking of circling around, splitting into two sides to flank, but instead walked right into being picked off one by one; one was kicked in the knee, and the other clutched his crotch and howled on the ground.

A faint smile curved the corner of Jin Douna's mouth, and she turned and ran toward the VIP Lounge.

After entering the door, she was about to tell Jin Zhongji to lock the door when she first saw Chen Yi.

Chen Tongxue also wore a look of stunned speechlessness; after a moment he composed himself, hiding his head and showing his tail as he hid at the end of the line.

Jin Douna gave a bitter smile. Her cousin had begged so hard; she had originally wanted to quietly sneak the person out, unbeknownst to gods or ghosts, so she had pulled Liu Xinyu along, but unexpectedly, she had run into Chen Yi.

She did not speak, and two armed police officers came over, ordering the three to stand to one side, then demanding to see their respective documents.

Chen Yi watched He Fuhan's expression, thinking to himself that if he were in this position, how he would act.

Twenty seconds later, the beaten little head and his later-arriving colleagues rushed together into the VIP waiting hall. Their treatment was not so good; the officers, standing ready and feeling that too many people were hard to control, first knocked down three or five of them, then separated them and took them to the other side to be watched.

"Go call Little Cao." After saying this, He Fuhan continued sitting there, talking with a middle-aged man in a gray suit.

The Koreans of the Chamber of Commerce had been domineering for too long; they were notifying Upper Management on their mobile phones, threatening police officers, scolding Li Xiumei, and busying themselves to their heart's content.

He Fuhan's expression remained unchanged, but he was truly unhappy in his heart.

Jiangning's number one in theory was Sun Maoxin, but he was an imported product, the result of compromise among all parties, with shallow roots locally and weak strength among the upper class. Even in a prefecture-level city it would be passable, but in a vice-provincial city, it was truly difficult to do things steadily and well. Therefore, Jiangning Mayor He Fuhan, concurrently Deputy Secretary managing party and masses, actually held authority exceeding the scope of the City Government; if Sun Maoxin wanted to accomplish anything, he had to strive hard for it.

Over three years as Jiangning Mayor, not only had it brought He Fuhan sufficient political capital, but also made his confidence overflowing. Not to mention under the gaze of a host of officials, even in his own office, he did not allow his power to be challenged.

"Let them stay in the small room first; don't affect the reception." He Fuhan's limit of patience was an order of magnitude lower than ordinary people's. His order was equivalent to demanding the police lock up the Koreans.

Present, Bi Tian understood perfectly and, half-sending, half-delivering, stuffed the people into the tea water room of the waiting hall—a very large room, moreover with an iron door, and the soundproofing was not bad.

Chen Yi let out a long sigh of relief; it seemed He Fuhan instinctively leaned toward the other side.

The dark clouds in the sky showed a slight trend of dissipating; in the distance, an airplane began to slide toward the runway. Airport staff came to report: "The crosswind has stopped; if nothing unexpected happens, normal takeoff and landing of flights can resume in ten minutes."

The Minister's plane would arrive in twenty minutes; there was enough time, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. He Fuhan's complexion turned rosy, and he chuckled, instructing Deng Ge of the Political and Legal Committee: "Ask what the situation is; punish the past to prevent future ones, cure the sickness and save the person."

From his meaning, he was going to deal with the Koreans.

Someone stood up to advise; Chen Yi did not recognize him, and he spoke lofty and righteous grand principles, which Chen Yi instantly found boring. He Fuhan's path since entering politics had been very upright, and now he held the title of vice-provincial level; whether releasing these Koreans or locking them up for questioning, neither would draw criticism. The so-called extremely stable foundation referred to people like this.

Chen Yi retreated a little, pretending to go to the toilet, and called Deng Ge from the Wei Sheng Jian, saying: "Secretary Deng, among the first batch that came in, there are people I know; I trouble you to show some leniency."

A busy signal came over the phone, then instantly Deng Ge's voice was heard, saying: "It's a bit difficult to handle; the Korean Chamber of Commerce has invited Secretary Sun to come and intercede."

Sun Maoxin. Why is he wading into this muddy water?

Chen Yi curled his lip, then said disdainfully: "You stall them first; I'll ask and see."

Deng Ge agreed without stopping, and after hanging up the phone he sighed: Officialdom is truly dangerous; an ordinary matter, casually taken up, immediately becomes a hot potato.

……(Unfinished; if you want to know what happens next, please log in to www. qidian. com, more chapters, support the author, support genuine reading!)