Chapter 676

An agreement was quickly reached regarding the cooperation with Xu Mengda.

Xu Mengda sent Xue Bing to accompany me to Beijing to find his connections to upgrade the Industrial Park. He invited bids for the infrastructure construction of the Industrial Park in the name of the Provincial Development Company.

When both sides signed their names on the agreement and stamped it with their official seals, Xu Mengda held my hand and said earnestly, "Brother Chen Feng, big brother won't let you down!"

The so-called words of a gentleman can be summed up in one sentence. His words contained too much meaning; if I said any more, it would make me appear immature.

This agreement could not be made public, so I arranged for Xu Meili, saying, "Director Xu, except for me, no one is allowed to touch the agreement."

Xu Meili nodded, understanding the implication. The fact that I could arrange for her to participate in the signing of the agreement meant I treated her as one of my own. Xu Meili was a smart person; could she not see my intention?

I had a plan in signing this agreement. Although Gan Lu said she had a classmate who could help me, she was now abroad, and I had no certainty whether her friends in the country would just brush me off. Besides, I couldn't trouble Gan Lu with such a small matter. She had already pointed out a path for me; whether it could be traversed depended on my own fortune.

I was deeply convinced that Xu Mengda could get this matter done. Therefore, the focus of the agreement was on the upgrading of the park; that is to say, if the park upgrading was not successful, my other agreements with Xu Mengda would not be valid.

But I didn't expect him to send Xue Bing to Beijing with me.

Did he really not know about my past with Xue Bing? Or was he deliberately playing dumb to test me?

From the moment he said he would send Xue Bing to accompany me to Beijing, I felt as if a pair of eyes were peeking at me from behind, to the point that during the entire process of our small talk and dining later, I appeared absent-minded.

Li Mei blocked me on the way to the restroom and said with a grin, "Seeing Teacher Xue made your heart flutter, right?"

I scolded her, "You little girl, what kind of nonsense are you spouting?"

Li Mei wasn't afraid of me at all; she looked around to see no one was there and whispered, "I feel like you two seem to know each other."

I looked at her in surprise and asked, "What makes you say that?"

"Look at the way Teacher Xue looks at you—from beginning to end, she hasn't left you. And a woman's gaze, nothing can be hidden," Li Mei analyzed with apparent experience, "Whether a woman loves or hates, her gaze can betray her."

"Then is she loving or hating?" I teased, "Little Li, you, someone who just hatched from an egg, how are you so experienced like an old hand?"

Li Mei glared at me and said, "First, let me correct two common-sense errors of yours. First, I didn't just hatch from an egg; this young lady is twenty-three years old this year, meets the legal marriage age, and is a normal young woman. Second, this young lady is a woman; women's hearts are all connected. Besides, this young lady has taken psychology as an elective and knows how to read faces."

I laughed out loud and looked at her provocatively, saying, "Oh, I didn't know our park had a half-immortal. Come, come, come, help me read my face, will you?"

Li Mei was both shy and angry. She flicked her hand and said, "I'll read it for you eventually."

She turned and entered the restroom. I was just about to return to the room when she rushed out from inside, stood behind me, and called out, "Hey, I have one more thing."

I stopped and turned around, smiling and asking her, "Speak, what is it?"

"Are you still taking me this time?"

I nodded without hesitation and said, "Of course."

Only then did she beam with smiles. Remembering she had come to use the restroom, she slapped her head as if suddenly realizing it, stuck her tongue out at me to make a face, and slipped inside.

I didn't object to Xu Mengda arranging for Xue Bing to accompany me to Beijing. If I objected, I would appear petty. No matter what Xu Mengda's intentions were, as long as I kept a grip on myself, I wouldn't be afraid of the hidden eyes.

Their wedding hadn't been held yet, and the previous talk of her marrying from my house hadn't been mentioned again. In fact, when they came this time, they hadn't mentioned the wedding at all.

I couldn't ask either, as it was their private business. But I vaguely felt that something had gone wrong between them.

Duanmu hadn't appeared at the place where we discussed the agreement. I understood he was avoiding suspicion, but Duanmu was just an obedient dog by Xu Mengda's side; whether he appeared or not wasn't important.

But he was, after all, a Division Chief in the Provincial Organization Department; he wouldn't be wandering around Hengyue City with Xu Mengda for no reason. His non-appearance might have another purpose.

Sure enough, the night before we were to set off for Beijing, Duanmu's call came to my phone, inviting me to go drink tea together.

Duanmu inviting me to drink tea was definitely not as simple as just drinking tea. So I agreed readily, set a place, and drove to pick him up myself.

From the moment he saw me, he didn't say a word, his brows tightly locked. It wasn't until we were seated and the tea was brewed that he sighed softly and said, "Chen Feng, there's trouble."

My heart tightened, and I asked, "What happened?"

Duanmu slowly took a sip of tea and said, "Mengda, this person, his mind is too heavy."

"Brother Xu? What's wrong with him?"

"He came this time—do you really think it's for the project? He doesn't even look at these small projects in your Hengyue City. He has another purpose," Duanmu said nervously, "The matter is in the past, let it pass. I've advised him several times, but he refuses to let go."

I was a bit confused, not knowing what Duanmu was talking about.

Duanmu saw my nervous look, smiled slightly, and said, "Don't be nervous, look at you, as if the sky is about to collapse."

I laughed sheepishly, handed him a cigarette, and said, "Director Duanmu, just say it directly."

Duanmu looked at me deeply and smiled, "Chen Feng, you still can't hide yourself. However, I like this personality of yours; you're a man of temperament."

I didn't take his words, helped him refill the tea, and waited for him to continue.

"Some time ago, I don't know how it happened, but a list suddenly popped up—it's related to Mengda's car accident. He doesn't know what channel he got it from, but he knows this list is in your aunt's hands."

My heart skipped a beat, and I almost jumped up.

"Do you know about this list?" he asked, probing me.

I shook my head firmly and denied it, saying, "How could I have never heard of it?"

Duanmu gave a bitter smile, his finger joints tapping the coffee table rhythmically, and said, "Let me tell you, this list involves the life and death of many people. Once it leaks out, I don't know how many people won't be able to sleep."

"What kind of list?" I asked, playing dumb.

"It seems you really don't know. But you can't possibly not know about the drug and counterfeit money case in Hengyue City, right?" Duanmu looked at me coldly and said, "This case was handled by you, Chen Feng, personally. Can you say you don't know?"

I said seriously, "Oh, that matter? It's already been settled. The person is dead, and the case is closed. What else is there?"

"Not only is there something, but it's a big deal," Duanmu sighed and said, "It is said that before the deceased died, he recorded some of his affairs over the years in a notebook. And he recorded them very clearly—who he gave money to, how much, and where he gave it—all recorded very clearly. You tell me, if there really is such a list, how big of an earthquake would it cause?"

My heart was beating hard, but I had to pretend to be innocent.

"Forget it," I said dismissively, "The person is dead, and there's no proof. Even if there is such a list, what problem can it explain?"

"In this list, there are several names involving leaders who are still in power. If something really happens, it won't be a small matter; it could affect anyone, including you and me."

"Is that so?" My heart was pounding, and I quickly recalled some things from the past few years. I felt that no matter what, I was a person who stayed out of it. Even if the world turned upside down, it had nothing to do with me.

"Alright. Let's stop here," Duanmu smiled faintly and said, "We came to drink tea; talking about these things is meaningless, right? Drinking tea is about peace of mind. Only when the mind is calm can tea be drunk to a state of enlightenment."

I agreed repeatedly and helped him refill his cup.

"I heard you are very familiar with Vice Provincial Governor Lin's daughter?" Duanmu suddenly asked me casually.

I was stunned for a moment, then laughed, "Not very familiar. She used to be a news anchor at our Chunshan County Television Station; we crossed paths, just acquaintances."

"Oh," Duanmu said with a meaningful "oh," and asked, "Does she have a boyfriend?"

I shook my head and said, "I don't know. She seems to have been transferred to the province now. Since she's no longer my subordinate, it's not appropriate for me to care about other people's private lives; organizational concern isn't needed."

I laughed bluffingly, but my heart was beating like a drum. Duanmu suddenly asked about Lin Xiaoxi—could it be he knew something?

"Why did you suddenly ask about her?" I asked, not looking up, focusing intently on brewing the tea.

"Just asking," Duanmu said, "Some time ago, we went to conduct a cadre review and met her. Looking at her work resume, I knew she had worked in your Chunshan County, so we chatted casually, and she said she knew you."

"Is that so?" I asked with a look of surprise, "What did she say about me?"

"She didn't say much, just that you are a good person, with courage and ability."

I laughed out loud and said modestly, "Director Duanmu, we are just acquaintances."

"Let's not talk about her," Duanmu interrupted me, "However, you know quite a lot of people in the media."

"Not many," I laughed, "Some work really can't do without the media."

"The media is a double-edged sword. Sometimes it can carry a sedan chair to send someone to heaven, and sometimes it can send someone to hell," Duanmu laughed, "For example, you have a reporter in Hengyue City named Chen Meng; it's said she's your Secretary's daughter, and she doesn't recognize anyone when she does things."

"Is that so?" I felt increasingly guilty. I felt that Duanmu inviting me to drink tea was a pretense, and his coming to probe was the truth. Every word of his seemed unintentional, but in fact, they were all pointed, and the target was clear.

"Whether it is or isn't, you know better than I do," Duanmu laughed, stroking his belly, "The tea is good tea, but it's still water. I've drunk a belly full of water; I'm full."

I hesitated for a moment and asked, "Director Duanmu, what do you think about Brother Xu's matter?"

"What about you?" he asked me back.

"I don't know," I said sincerely. I knew that from now on, our conversation was officially entering the main topic, and every word now could not have any mistakes.

"I am Mengda's brother, you know this," Xu Mengda raised his head, looking straight at me with no expression on his face, and said, "His business is my business. My business is also his business. Whatever he wants to do, I can only support it."

I hurriedly said, "Me too."

"However, I don't want the current balance to be broken," Duanmu sighed and said, "When two tigers fight, one will surely be injured. No matter who is injured, I don't want to see it. I think you are the same. Instead of putting your mind into fighting, it's better for everyone to shake hands and make peace, living safely and beautifully."

"I think so too," I echoed him.

"There is only one way for everyone to make peace now," Duanmu lowered his voice and leaned in, saying, "Let the so-called true or false list never reveal the truth, and the only person who can do this is you."

I was startled and hurriedly waved my hands, "Director Duanmu, you overestimate me. I am just an ordinary cadre; I haven't even managed myself well, and I simply can't do what you said."

Duanmu looked at me coldly again, and after a long time, he said slowly, "If you refuse, I'm afraid you won't even have the chance to be an ordinary cadre."

"If I can't be one, then there's nothing I can do," I said with a bitter smile, "I didn't come from a cadre family; I'm purely grassroots. It doesn't matter if I'm not one; I'll just go back to where I came from. Not only will I not be disappointed, but I might even feel the joy of liberation."

"Is that so?" Duanmu's gaze became severe, and he stared at me, saying, "Have you thought about whether your family can be preserved if you are nothing?"

"Of course they can," I said confidently, "My family loves me, and I love my family."

"That's right. Have you not thought that behind your family, there stand even more relatives? Will they tolerate you?"

I was instantly speechless.