Chapter 845: Reconciliation

Ma Rui was in no rush; he lit a cigarette himself, took a slow drag, and the smoke dispersed between the two of them.

He looked at Chen Jiadong's mournful face and scoffed, "Chen Jiadong, I just don't get it. Are you thick-headed? I helped you, so why are you so hostile toward me? Even if Zhao Weiguo is hateful for hitting your girlfriend, was it worth stabbing someone with a knife? Did you not think about the consequences at all at the time?"

Chen Jiadong's eyelids twitched violently, as if someone had poked a sore spot; his lips moved, but in the end, he remained silent.

Ma Rui lowered his voice, "If I hadn't knocked you out back then, Zhao Weiguo would definitely have been stabbed to death by you."

He knew clearly in his heart—this kid wasn't a bad person, just too impulsive.

Chen Jiadong's smoking motion paused; he closed his eyes and said, "Li Xiang said... said that Zhao Weiguo not only slapped Li Xin, but also harassed her and pushed her chest... How the hell could I not be anxious?"

As he said this, the fingers clutching his cigarette were trembling.

Ma Rui sighed after hearing this. His gaze was like looking at a fool who had been sold and was still helping count the money. "You were played by Li Xiang. Li Xiang is a self-funded student. Your professional grades have always been better than his, and he is very jealous of you; he wanted to get rid of you from the start. The version I heard is different from yours. Zhao Weiguo's child is sick and has no money for treatment; his mother wrote him a letter, and he was very anxious because he was afraid of delays. Zhao Weiguo is a man with a bad temper and no patience, but he wouldn't go so far as to harass a woman. I can vouch for that."

Chen Jiadong still didn't speak, just smoked with his head down, though his heart was in turmoil. He regretted it. He truly regretted it.

His mind was filled with the image of his family finding out he had been sentenced; he had studied for years to get in, and now he would be going to prison after only a few months of school. He didn't even dare to think further. His heart felt like it was being gripped, throbbing with pain with every beat.

"I know your family situation isn't good." Ma Rui's voice suddenly softened, as if he couldn't bear it, "You have a younger sister, right? Your family can barely afford to support you, right?"

Chen Jiadong suddenly raised his head, his eyes instantly filled with vigilance, "Did you go find Li Xin?"

"Who in the whole class doesn't know about your family's business?" Ma Rui said it lightly, but there was no mockery in his tone, rather a hint of an indescribable softness.

Chen Jiadong's lips trembled, and he stopped talking again.

Ma Rui knew what was going on. This kid was scared. It was good that he knew fear; someone who knew fear could still be saved.

"It was your girlfriend who begged me." Ma Rui told a lie without changing his expression, "She said you had it hard, and that you even worked at construction sites during the holidays... She begged me to find Zhao Weiguo and ask him to forgive you so you wouldn't have to go to prison."

These words were like a hook, pulling Chen Jiadong's tears straight out.

His eyes turned red, his nose felt sour, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down several times before he stiffly squeezed out a sentence: "Stop beating around the bush, if you have something to say, just say it."

Ma Rui lowered his voice and leaned forward, the distance between the two of them closing instantly: "I can get you in, and I can get you out."

Chen Jiadong turned his head back abruptly, the corner of his mouth twitching with a hint of sarcasm, "You think the Public Security Bureau is run by your family?"

Ma Rui shook his head, "If Zhao Weiguo is willing to forgive you, you have a chance, right? Do you know? Zhao Weiguo's hospital bills were all paid by me."

This sentence was like a pebble thrown into stagnant water; Chen Jiadong's pupils vibrated slightly.

He stared at Ma Rui for several seconds and said, "You came to me, you must have your own purpose too, right?"

Ma Rui nodded, not denying it, "Deputy Director Liu has been targeting me; he considers me a participant in the fight as well and wants to give me a disciplinary action. I might as well tell you, although my family isn't short on money, I have my own troubles. My mother wants me to learn to do business and doesn't want me to attend the Film Academy. If I get disciplined, my mother might make me drop out. But I quite like this line of work."

When he said this, a rare trace of irritation appeared in his tone.

Chen Jiadong was silent for a few seconds and said, "Ma Rui, state your conditions."

"Zhao Weiguo's intestines were punctured by you; he will be hospitalized for at least three months. You pay fifty thousand, and he will let you off."

"Fifty thousand? Are you crazy for money?" Chen Jiadong cursed, "I don't have money, I'd rather go to prison!"

Ma Rui actually laughed after hearing this, "I know you don't have that much money; you can pay him in installments."

Chen Jiadong gritted his teeth, his voice suddenly rising, "I don't have money, and my family doesn't either."

"You are still stupid." Ma Rui shook his head; the tone didn't sound like he was scolding someone, but rather like sighing at a friend who wasn't catching on.

Chen Jiadong gritted his teeth and said, "Ma Rui, I know you are doing this for my own good this time. But I... I can't earn that much money. I can't agree to your conditions."

After saying this, his head slowly drooped.

The aroma of the braised pork knuckle was still drifting in the air, but he had no appetite at all.

Chen Jiadong did the math in his head—if his parents didn't eat or drink for a year, they couldn't even save ten thousand. Fifty thousand was five, or even ten years of savings. His sister's tuition was still not covered...

Ma Rui looked at him like this and shook his head, "I can help you earn this money, provided you work for me."

Chen Jiadong suddenly raised his head; in that instant, a light suddenly lit up in his eyes. That kind of light was the light of a drowning person seeing a hand reaching out from the shore.

"Ma Rui! I know the school will definitely expel me; if you can give me a job, I will definitely work hard!"

He almost shouted it out; his eyes were already red, but he tried hard to hold it back, not wanting to shed tears in front of this person.

"Then it's settled." Ma Rui's tone became much more relaxed, "I will soon open an advertising company over at the Beijing Film Studio. You have a good look; for suitable roles, I will let you act, and fifty thousand won't be hard to earn. But you also have to watch the company for me. Also, you have to go to the department and testify for me."

Chen Jiadong's eyes turned red instantly.

He tried hard to hold it back, biting his lip, the muscles on his cheeks twitching.

A surge of heat rushed up from his nose, and his vision blurred instantly.

"Ma Rui, I want to tell you the truth. I actually don't hate you; on the contrary, I think you are quite loyal. But Deputy Director Liu has been targeting you from beginning to end; you should be careful."

"I know." Ma Rui frowned, "I don't know why this person is targeting me so much? I haven't done anything to him?"

Ma Rui subsequently had Chen Jiadong write down the detailed process of the incident, had him sign it, and took the document back.

He went to find Zhao Weiguo again.

Zhao Weiguo was lying on the hospital bed, his face pale, but upon hearing that Chen Jiadong was willing to pay, he snorted coldly and still gritted his teeth to sign the letter of understanding.

Ma Rui folded the letter of understanding and put it in his pocket, then turned to find Li Xiangxiu.

When he handed her the supporting material, Li Xiangxiu looked at him and said, "Son, your future achievements will be greater than your eldest uncle's."

After finishing these matters, Ma Rui returned to school himself.

As soon as he entered the school gate, he was stunned.

A large crowd of people was densely surrounding the entrance of the main teaching building, with long guns and short cannons, and camera flashes popping incessantly.

There were reporters carrying video cameras and people holding microphones, as if waiting for some big news.

Ma Rui squinted his eyes; he could probably guess that they were here for this matter involving Chen Jiadong.

He quickened his pace and returned to the dormitory.

As soon as he pushed the door open, he saw Liu Wei sitting on his bed, her hands twisted together, her eyes red; it was obvious she had been waiting for quite a while.

Ma Rui was stunned for a moment and asked, "Do you have an urgent matter?"

Liu Wei stood up, her voice a bit hoarse: "Deputy Director Liu is furious and insists on expelling you. He went to the Department Head and the Dean of Academic Affairs, saying you refuse to follow discipline and skipped class without permission. I went to the Department Head to explain the situation, but he said that disciplinary matters are handled by Deputy Director Liu and it is not easy for him to intervene."

Her eyes turned red again, her voice filled with a sobbing tone: "Ma Rui, hurry and find someone! Otherwise, you will really be expelled."

Ma Rui held the signed explanatory document from the Chen Family cave in his hand, feeling not the slightest bit panicked.

"You go back, I'm fine." There was not a shred of warmth in his tone.

Liu Wei felt a bit aggrieved; her lips trembled, and tears fell plop, plop: "From now on, I won't care about your business anymore."

After she finished speaking, she covered her face and ran away crying.

Zhao Hu poked his head down from the upper bunk and cursed with a laugh: "You brat, you're so good to your buddies, why is your attitude toward the woman who likes you so terrible?"