Chapter 768

The night was already deep.

The black Mercedes drove out of the alley where the club was located, merging into the traffic on Jingcheng's main thoroughfare. The neon lights outside the window cast flickering shadows on Chu Lingxi's pallid face.

The black Mercedes drove out of the alley where the club was located, merging into the traffic on Jingcheng's main thoroughfare. The neon lights outside the window cast flickering shadows on Chu Lingxi's pallid face.

She kept clutching the corner of Lin Dongfan's garment until the car got onto the ring road, then slowly loosened her grip, though her body continued to tremble slightly.

"It's alright."

Lin Dongfan took her hand, his palm warm: "Lao Ba will take care of it."

Chu Lingxi nodded, wanting to say something, but her throat felt tight.

After a moment.

She then whispered: "Xu Lili..."

"Lao Ba had someone send her home." Lin Dongfan said calmly: "She was also coerced; her family is being held by Zhao Tianyu. After tonight, she should come to her senses."

Chu Lingxi leaned into Lin Dongfan's embrace and closed her eyes.

The car fell silent for a few minutes, only the low rumble of the engine. Lao Ba sat in the passenger seat, glanced at Lin Dongfan through the rearview mirror, wanting to speak but holding back.

"Speak."

Lin Dongfan didn't look up.

"Fan Ye." Lao Ba kept his voice low: "That Zhao Tianyu bastard, his eyes were off when he got beaten; I reckon he won't let it go."

Thus line: "\"Fan Ye. \" Lao Ba kept his voice low: \"That Zhao Tianyu bastard, his eyes were off when he got beaten; I reckon he won't let it go. \""

"I know." Lin Dongfan looked out the window: "If he could let it go, he wouldn't be Zhao Tianyu."

"Then what about us..."

"According to the original plan." Lin Dongfan cut him off: "The project review is still three days away; keep a close watch on those few reviewers. If Zhao Tianyu really wants to play dirty, he'll definitely target them."

Lao Ba nodded: "Understood."

Just then, Lin Dongfan's private phone in his pocket vibrated.

He pulled it out and glanced at the screen: an unfamiliar Jingcheng number, but the last four digits were special—8888. Such numbers usually belong only to the rich or noble.

Lin Dongfan hesitated briefly, answered, and didn't put it on speaker: "Who is this?"

From the other end came a middle-aged man's voice, gentle but with a hint of official tone: "Mr. Lin, sorry to disturb you so late; I'm Wang Qigang."

Wang Qigang, the Mayor of Wuzhou City.

Lin Dongfan's eyes narrowed slightly, but his tone remained flat: "Mayor Wang, I've long heard of you."

"Don't call me Mayor; it sounds distant."

Wang Qigang laughed on the phone.

His voice was warm: "I'm a few years your senior; just call me Wang Ge. After Director Li spoke with you last time, I've been thinking about when we could meet in person for some advice."

"Wang Ge, you're too kind." Lin Dongfan remained composed: "I'm just a small businessman; I dare not speak of seeking advice."

"Ah, that's not right." Wang Qigang spoke sincerely: "Guoyun Technology is a benchmark for state-owned enterprises; your vision in technology and energy, Mr. Lin, I've long heard of. To be frank, Wuzhou is now at a critical juncture of industrial transformation, and I lack someone like you to give guidance."

He laid it out quite naturally.

But Lin Dongfan sensed the subtext—Wang Qigang's late-night call was certainly not just about "seeking advice."

Lin Dongfan went along with his words: "Wang Ge, you're joking. Wuzhou is an economically strong city, and you, as a leadership parachuted in from a central ministry, definitely have a broader vision and stature than I do."

"Strong? Strong? It's all just talk on paper."

Wang Qigang sighed.

His voice carried a timely hint of fatigue: "Local affairs are complicated. Want to do something practical, but everywhere there are constraints......"

Wang Qigang on the other end suddenly fell silent, as if choosing his words.

After a few seconds, Wang Qigang shifted the topic, his tone still gentle but the content made Lin Dongfan's eyes turn cold instantly: "By the way, I just got a call from a friend talking about your Guoyun Technology's smart energy project. I heard Zhao Group also participated in the bidding?"

"Here it comes."

Lin Dongfan curled the corner of his mouth in an extremely faint smile, but his tone didn't change: "Yes, Zhao Group's proposal is also in the review lineup."

"As for Zhao Tianyu..." Wang Qigang made an offhand comment, his pace unhurried: "Young and full of vigor, he sometimes acts hastily, but Zhao Group's investment in Jianglan Province, especially in our Wuzhou, is enormous and has solved many employment issues. Enterprises, after all, always have a growth process."

He paused, giving Lin Dongfan space to respond.

Lin Dongfan didn't take the bait.

The line fell silent for two seconds, only a faint electrical hum.

Wang Qigang had no choice but to continue, the earnestness in his voice growing a bit more: "Mr. Lin, being a few years your elder, I'll presume to say a couple of things."

"The marketplace isn't a battlefield; it doesn't have to be a fight to the death."

"Sometimes......"

"Leaving others a way out is also leaving yourself a patch of sky."

"If Zhao Tianyu's side has done anything improper, I could perhaps step in, set a time, and have everyone sit down for tea to clear things up."

"After all, more friends mean more paths, don't you agree?"

The air inside the car seemed to congeal.

Although Chu Lingxi couldn't hear the phone conversation clearly, she could feel her husband's grip on her hand tighten slightly. Lao Ba glanced at Lin Dongfan through the rearview mirror, his brows furrowing.

Lin Dongfan's face showed little expression, but his eyes were deep as a cold pool.

Wang Qigang's words seemed like a plea for peace, but were actually pressure.

First he pointed out Zhao Group's investment and influence in Wuzhou, then positioned himself as an elder and friend to mediate, finally hinting "more friends, more paths."

A set of combined punches, flawless and seamless, with an official tone revealing slick calculation.

If Wang Qigang truly spoke out of concern for the local economy, perhaps one could understand it to a third.

But the timing is too coincidental.

Zhao Tianyu had just suffered a major loss in this private room, and less than an hour later, Wang Qigang in distant Wuzhou personally called to "talk peace."

What does that mean?

This means Zhao Tianyu and Wang Qigang are connected, and the connection is not shallow.

It means that Wang Qigang, who appears eager for talent and keen to do practical work—a 'good leader'—may not be sitting upright in his position.

It also means that the matters Yang Qing is investigating in Wuzhou have waters behind them that are likely deeper and murkier than imagined.

Lin Dongfan's silence lasted a bit long.

Wang Qigang lightly said 'wei' on the other end of the phone: 'Manager Lin? Bad signal?'

'The signal is fine, Brother Wang.' Lin Dongfan finally spoke, his voice calm and waveless, revealing no emotion: 'I appreciate your goodwill.'

Wang Qigang's tone relaxed: 'Then that's good, I was just saying……'

'Sorry.'

Lin Dongfan interrupted him, his tone still polite but carrying an unquestionable firmness: 'The project review of National Fortune Technology has strict regulations and expert procedures. The evaluation criteria are technological advancement, feasibility of the plan, and overall effectiveness. Who wins the bid depends on the plan itself, not on any other factors.'

Without giving Wang Qigang a chance to interject.

Lin Dongfan then continued:

As for the Zhao Group, if their plan is solid, they naturally have a chance to win the bid; if not, no amount of talking will help. This is being responsible for the project and for state-owned assets. Brother Wang, as you oversee the locality, you surely understand the importance of 'procedural justice' better than I do.

Those words were lofty and airtight.

By refusing the plea and raising the big hats of 'procedural justice' and 'state-owned assets', he left Wang Qigang with no room to rebut.

The four words 'procedural justice'.

Put bluntly, it's a retort to Wang Qigang—you have procedures but you don't follow them, and you actually go through the back door, damn it?!

On the other end of the phone, Along silence fell.

Wang Qigang's breathing seemed to grow slightly heavier for a moment, but quickly returned to normal.

When he spoke again.

The warmth in his tone faded a bit, taking on a more formulaic cast: 'Manager Lin is right, procedure is fundamental. It seems I was hasty, and I was merely mentioning it at a friend's behest. Don't take it to heart.'

It's fine. Lin Dongfan said calmly: 'Brother Wang's concern for local enterprises and economic development is part of his duty.'

Hehe, just understanding is enough.

Wang Qigang gave a dry laugh twice, seeming to lose interest in continuing the chat: 'Then I won't disturb you further; rest early. If you have time, come to Wuzhou and I'll certainly play the gracious host.'

Certainly. Brother Wang, you should also rest early.

The phone hung up.

The car interior fell silent.

Chu Lingxi looked at Lin Dongfan worriedly: 'Is… it the person from Wuzhou?'

Hmm.

Lin Dongfan put his phone back in his pocket, his gaze fixed on the fleeting night scenery outside the window, his eyes deep.

Lao Ba turned his head from the passenger seat, his face solemn: 'Master Fan, is Wang Qigang in league with Zhao Tianyu?'

Looking at it now, at least they're not exactly clean.

Lin Dongfan spoke slowly, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth: 'Zhao Tianyu's reach extends further than I imagined. The waters of Wuzhou are also murkier than Yang Qing described.'

He withdrew his gaze, looked at Chu Lingxi, and gently patted the back of her hand to reassure her.

But Chu Lingxi could feel that her husband's aura had become even more solemn and restrained than before.

Wang Qigang's phone call seemed merely a failed plea, but in fact it was a clear show of allegiance and a probe. Lin Dongfan's refusal amounted to openly breaking with Wang Qigang.

The rift between them may be irreparable.

Lao Ba.

Here.

Notify our people: raise the level of attention on the Wuzhou situation to the highest. Especially the intersection of Wang Qigang and the Zhao Group in Wuzhou—I need the details.

Understood!

Lin Dongfan fell silent, leaned back against the chair, and closed his eyes.