Chapter 614

This was my first time going abroad, yet I felt no wild joy at stepping out of the country. Instead, there was an inexplicable, lingering unease in the depths of my heart. I didn't even know why I was going—was it because of Xu Mengda? Or because of Xue Bing? Or was it the important task Secretary Chen had entrusted to me: to do everything possible to bring Guo Wei back.

Xu Mengda still couldn't walk normally; he was still in a wheelchair. But now, I was the only one pushing him.

Emerging from the arrival hall, two men in suits and leather shoes came toward us. They were holding a sign with the Deputy Mayor's name on it; we knew they were here to pick us up.

There was no conversation along the way. Once the car reached the hotel and we were settled in, Xu Mengda began to contact Xue Bing.

Our hopes for this trip were entirely pinned on Xu Mengda. Whether we could find Guo Wei and whether we could bring him back, Xu Mengda played an irreplaceable role in the process.

When I told Xu Mengda that Hengyue City was sending people to accompany us, he threw his cup on the phone and cursed. He cursed very harshly, making me almost want to curse him back.

Xu Mengda blamed me for blowing things out of proportion, saying that I intentionally mixed personal grievances with work and that I was a friend who couldn't be trusted.

I didn't blame him for saying that about me. In fact, my thoughts were indeed much more complicated than his. Xu Mengda asked me to accompany him abroad, but I was a public servant, and going abroad required approval; I couldn't bet my future on him alone. Reporting to the organization was a political bottom line and also the minimum political requirement for a cadre.

After Xu Mengda finished cursing me, he sighed deeply and said, "It has come to this; there is no turning back."

In this way, what was originally a private trip had now become work.

When Xue Bing heard that Xu Mengda had arrived, she immediately wanted to come to the hotel to see him.

The Deputy Mayor waved his hand to refuse from the side. He showed a piece of paper to Xu Mengda with the words "Arrange to talk with Guo Wei together" written on it. Xu Mengda stammered for a long time and said, "Teacher Xue, I'm too tired right now. Why don't you call Guo Wei tomorrow, and we'll have a meal together."

Xue Bing said, "I can't contact Guo Wei."

Her words startled us all. If we couldn't find Guo Wei, what was the point of us coming to the United States?

Guo Wei was suspected of a major case, not just economic issues; there were other problems behind it. These things were inadvertently revealed to me by the Deputy Chief Prosecutor.

"I want to talk to him in person," Xu Mengda said. "Teacher Xue, don't you have his contact information?"

Xue Bing hesitated and said, "He gave me a phone number, but I haven't called it."

Xu Mengda sighed and said, "So, you've only met once?"

Xue Bing gave a soft hum and then asked, "Mengda, are you here to see me or to see Guo Wei? Why do you keep asking about him?"

Xu Mengda laughed heartily and said, "He is my romantic rival, so of course I have to ask about his situation. It's like fighting a war; you must know yourself and your enemy to be invincible. If I can't even see his face, how am I supposed to fight this battle?"

The Deputy Mayor and I sat around Xu Mengda, listening to them flirting on the phone, yet not a single one of us could laugh.

Xue Bing on the other end naturally didn't know that there were four men sitting here, all listening intently to her every word.

Xue Bing came to the United States to study, and Xu Mengda had handled everything. If he wanted to win the beauty's heart, he had to first win the beauty's favor. Xue Bing's greatest wish was to study abroad; she even gave up her public position at the Provincial Song and Dance Troupe for it.

And these things, for Xu Mengda, were simply not worth mentioning.

We waited in breathless silence for Xue Bing to speak, each of us with a different expression on our faces. The Deputy Mayor was grave, the Deputy Chief Prosecutor was stiff, Xu Mengda's face was filled with the tenderness of love, while I was secretly anxious.

If Xue Bing knew that there were four men on this side of the phone listening to her, she would have hung up without hesitation, and in her impulsiveness, she might have even killed someone.

"Is he your romantic rival?" Xue Bing laughed and said, "You, Xu Mengda, have eyes and ears everywhere; who would dare to snatch a wife from you?"

"Guo Wei dares."

"I'm not your wife."

"You're the one who called me here," Xu Mengda said with a smile. "Teacher Xue, whether you are my wife or not is not for me to decide. But since I've already come, I must meet with Guo Wei."

"He doesn't know you're here yet," Xue Bing giggled.

"You didn't tell him?"

"Why would I tell him?" Xue Bing retorted, "Do you want me to tell him?"

"No," Xu Mengda shook his head and said, "I want to give him a surprise."

Xue Bing on the other end of the phone fell silent. Just when Wang Mei thought she had hung up, her voice suddenly came through: "Mengda, he asked me to have dinner with him tonight."

Upon hearing this, our spirits were all lifted. As long as we found Guo Wei, half the mission would be accomplished. Even if we couldn't bring him back, we would have something to report when we returned.

"Time, location." Xu Mengda didn't wait for our instructions and immediately asked Xue Bing for the information.

"I'll send it to you. I'm hanging up now." She hung up the phone. A moment later, Xu Mengda's phone signaled a message. Opening it, it was the date and location of the date sent by Xue Bing.

"Alright. It's settled." The Deputy Mayor let out a long sigh, immediately called over the person who had picked us up, and whispered a few instructions in his ear.

The person who picked us up was from a domestic agency; I had no idea what his specific status was. Watching their hurried backs as they left, I wanted to ask a few questions, but the words died on my lips.

Don't ask what shouldn't be asked! This was also an organizational principle.

In the afternoon, when the time for the appointment arrived, someone came in to help push Xu Mengda's wheelchair. I wanted to follow, but the Deputy Mayor waved his hand and said, "Let's just wait here."

The Deputy Chief Prosecutor accompanied Xu Mengda to the appointment. I noticed there were four or five people following them. Moreover, they were all young men, looking very capable.

I felt a lingering unease in my heart, not knowing what would happen next.

Just as I was sitting on pins and needles, the door opened, and I saw Xu Mengda being pushed in. His forehead was wrapped in gauze, and a trace of blood had seeped through. He had been injured!

Behind Xu Mengda, several people followed in. Among the crowd, I saw Guo Wei with his head drooping, looking listlessly at the floor.

"Raise your head," the Deputy Mayor commanded with authority.

A smile appeared on Guo Wei's face. He saw me at a glance, and the expression on his face changed several times. He sighed, "It really is you."

I didn't dare to meet his gaze because I saw the despair in his eyes.

Guo Wei's gaze moved away from me and rested on the Deputy Mayor, saying coldly, "Don't use that tone with me. This is America."

The Deputy Mayor wanted to rebuke him, but was stopped by the Deputy Chief Prosecutor, who pointed to a chair and said, "Mr. Guo Wei, please sit."

Guo Wei raised his head disdainfully and said, "Thanks, I won't sit. Do you have anything to say? If not, I'm leaving."

The Deputy Mayor sneered, "Whether you have anything to say, you know best in your heart. Whether you can leave is not for you to decide."

Guo Wei looked at the Deputy Mayor in astonishment. After a few seconds, he suddenly burst into loud laughter. He shook off the two people who were intentionally or unintentionally flanking him and said, "Do I need to remind you again? This is America!"

"But you are Chinese," the Deputy Mayor slapped the table and said, "Guo Wei, has your conscience been eaten by dogs? All the years of training by the Party and the country have been in vain. Once you go abroad, you don't even know who you are? I'll tell you today, if you don't cooperate, don't dream of stepping one foot out of this door."

"You dare!" Guo Wei finally couldn't help but explode in rage. He turned around and rushed toward the door.

But as soon as he moved, his arm was twisted by someone. He struggled and began to scream wildly, "I'm going to call the police. This is kidnapping."

Guo Wei's wild screaming made me tremble with fear. To be honest, I clearly understood that we were currently abroad, and in a country that touted itself as the most democratic and free in the world. If he really called the police, we would definitely have endless trouble.

My worries were instantly relieved as the Deputy Chief Prosecutor said calmly, "Guo Wei, stop screaming; no one can hear you. Even if someone heard you, it would be useless. Let me tell you, you are currently standing in a hotel opened by us Chinese. Apart from the members of our special investigation team, there is no one else here."

Guo Wei clearly didn't believe it and shouted, "This is a crime, do you know that?"

The Deputy Mayor glared at him and said, "You embezzled and misappropriated public funds, and committed fraud; isn't that a crime?"

Upon hearing this, Guo Wei's expression froze for a moment, but then he became excited again as if he had been injected with adrenaline. He looked at us and said, "Even if you have evidence, this is still America."

Guo Wei reminded us time and again that this was America! He had indeed grasped our weakness, that was true. Even if Guo Wei had committed a crime, we had no authority to handle the case here. To pursue his criminal responsibility, we could only bring him back to the country.

But could we bring him back?

The room fell into a stalemate.

Guo Wei finally sat down, crossed his legs, extended two fingers toward me, and said, "Chen Feng, give me a cigarette."

I was just about to take out a cigarette when the Deputy Mayor shouted, "What cigarette? You are not allowed to smoke."

Guo Wei laughed, "This is my freedom. Besides, Chen Feng and I are old friends and old colleagues; we're just smoking a cigarette, what does that have to do with you?"

Guo Wei was reminding me that I was in the same boat as him.

But he didn't think of one thing: if I were really in the same boat as him, would I be here?

"Chen Feng, before I left, Boss Qian asked me to tell you: it's settled," Guo Wei sneered. "My boat has capsized; I'm not the only one who's going to die!"

I smiled faintly, handed him a glass of water, and said, "Old Guo, I've had a habit since I was a child: I always bring a life jacket when I go on a boat. Moreover, I firmly refuse to board a boat with safety hazards."

Guo Wei was stunned, then gave a bitter laugh and sighed, "Chen Feng, I still lost to you."

The Deputy Mayor grew impatient and scolded sternly, "Guo Wei, have you thought it through?"

Guo Wei ignored his words completely and turned to look at Xu Mengda. He stared at Xu Mengda in the wheelchair for a long time, then looked up to the sky and laughed, "Xu Mengda, you are just a cripple."

Xu Mengda didn't get angry; instead, he laughed, "Whether I am a cripple or not, I know better than you. In this world, as long as someone still loves you, you are not considered a cripple."

"Do you think Teacher Xue loves you?"

"Could it be that she loves you?"

"She doesn't love me, but she definitely doesn't love you either," Guo Wei sighed deeply. "You and I have the same fate! We are both making wedding clothes for others."

"Enough nonsense," the Deputy Mayor stopped him.

"Is this nonsense?" Guo Wei gave him a sidelong glance and said, "Let me tell you, if I really wanted to live a good life for myself, I could have lived very well in the country. There was no need for me to risk carrying the shame of a lifetime to come out here. I am a person who just won't give up, thinking that as long as you treat people and things in this world with true feelings, the iron tree will really bloom. Of course, the iron tree will indeed bloom, but when it does, it either means the end is near or something big is about to happen. I've accepted my fate; tell me, what do you need me to say?"