Chapter 1461: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes

"Can we switch boats next time?"

Art raised his arm and sniffed his own body; a pungent, intense odor of stinky feet wafted up.

Honestly, he often mixed in the much more complex environments of North Africa and had even slept in pigsties.

But! No matter how foul a pigsty was, it wasn't as bad as a sealed ship cabin.

Especially the mixed stench of fish, shrimp, and foot odor.

He had never eaten Lao Tan pickled cabbage, so he naturally couldn't describe this smell, but he had smelled the feet of women who liked wearing silk stockings and leather boots; it seemed similar.

"Are you here for a vacation?"

Ji Wang Weidong wrinkled his nose in disgust. Only after going ashore and letting his sense of smell re-adapt to the fresh air did he realize his own nausea.

Yes, he felt he had been pickled through by this odor; one or two bars of soap wouldn't be enough to eliminate it, yet he still had to maintain his composure.

Look at this kid Art, not a shred of reserve; he couldn't lose the dignity of a Beijing native.

"Ugh—"

Having just finished mocking Art, Ji Wang Weidong hadn't even had time to turn around before he was gagged by a foul stench.

Today's breakfast lay on the gravel path between the two; it was a small fish he hadn't yet had time to digest.

Art, who was being glared at, felt quite innocent; he didn't know where to put his hands while holding up his belt.

It would have been better if he hadn't explained; the explanation only made it more disgusting.

Ji Wang Weidong stared at him with a look like he was watching an idiot and emphasized, "It's not allowed on the mainland, otherwise you'll be shot."

"It's that dangerous?!"

Art was stunned, looking at him blankly as he said, "Although I've only been here a few times, don't try to fool me into thinking I'm ignorant."

"If you don't believe me, just try it—"

Ji Wang Weidong glanced sideways at the kid's lower half, then grinned and turned his head away.

What a beast!

Art hesitated, looked up at the sun overhead, felt the dry autumn breeze, and then looked down at his own secret weapon.

"How about... we rest for a while first? I want to stand here and look at the sea view for half an hour."

He emphasized earnestly, "I haven't seen such a beautiful sea view in a long time."

If he could, Art wanted to bury his secret weapon in the hot, dry sand; that would evaporate the moisture faster, kill bacteria, disinfect, stop the itching, and kill the fleas.

"You'd better think clearly; we are racing against time to get here."

Ji Wang Weidong glanced at the Red Star Hongxing Lingyang car that had been waiting at the pier for a long time and reminded Art with a serious tone.

Seeing him like this, Art complained quite a bit, "I said we should have taken a plane, or even a train; it wouldn't have been this miserable."

"Oh, I forgot." Ji Wang Weidong curled his lips slightly and teased, "How could the conscience of North Africa endure this kind of environment?"

"Perhaps you should have come here to purchase weapons on a royal cruise ship, accompanied by famous media reporters from all over the world and escorted by dancing girls, right?"

"If I could, I would completely hope to have that glory, but it's a pity—"

Art lingered as he adjusted his pants, letting his secret weapon enjoy another gust of dry autumn breeze, then spread his hands and followed Ji Wang Weidong's footsteps.

He was here to do big things, not to go on vacation, just as Ji Wang Weidong had said.

"Oh, by the way, you still haven't answered the question I asked you on the boat."

Art walked lazily behind Ji Wang Weidong, muttering, "Why is your surname..."

"I'll remind you one last time!"

Ji Wang Weidong turned around abruptly, eyes wide, and corrected him word for word, "Don't ask me this question again until you've learned Chinese well!"

"My surname has nothing to do with the vocabulary you've learned!"

"But someone said..."

Art looked at him with some surprise and said, "Biaozi said your surname is very badass; it represents both heroic spirit and your profession."

"F*** his grandfather—"

Ji Wang Weidong couldn't be bothered to argue with him anymore, turned around, and walked toward the jeep, muttering, "Not a single person who hangs out with Li Xuewu is a good egg—"

"I think I heard you mention Li?" Art took two quick steps, bringing his body level with Ji Wang Weidong's. "Is he in Steel City now? Are we going to buy weapons from him?"

"He could sell you the manure fork from his house and tell you it's Poseidon's trident."

Ji Wang Weidong looked back into Art's eyes and warned, "You have to be careful with him; he's a bad guy."

"Do you take me for a fool?"

Art shook his head and said disdainfully, "If Poseidon's trident really existed, it should be in Europe; how could it be in his hands?"

You're beyond saving!

Ji Wang Weidong looked at this bastard speechlessly; he deserved to be taken for a sucker!

Li Xuewu dared to cheat even him, let alone Art, whose brain was relatively simple.

Of course, he wasn't looking down on Art; anyone who could break through the encirclement in international trade and stand out was no simple character.

But! Li Xuewu didn't act like a human!

Art suddenly appeared in Hong Kong and took the initiative to contact him, wanting to purchase a large quantity of weapons.

Ji Wang Weidong also had this kind of side business in Hong Kong, belonging to the type of middleman; he made money whenever he could.

Art had dealt with him before, had some friendship, and had even cooperated, so he very frankly gave him the purchase list.

Ji Wang Weidong looked at it and wasn't surprised by anything else, except that there was actually a helicopter option on the list.

At the time, he asked, setting aside whether helicopters could be bought, was there anyone who could fly them if they were bought back?

Art was so badass, asking him if he was the Secretary-General of the United Nations, actually able to meddle in so many affairs.

Ji Wang Weidong was so angry he wanted to curse, but he had tolerance for big clients; the more of these wealthy spendthrifts there were, the more he could endure, completely pretending not to understand.

Wanting a helicopter wasn't simple; only one aircraft manufacturing plant in the whole country had achieved mass production of helicopters, and there were even two more advanced helicopter models whose equipment was being debugged, which could be mass-produced next year.

And the arrogant Art wasn't very satisfied with Ji Wang Weidong's quotes for other weapons either.

Besides being picky about the price, Art had come prepared this time, aiming for advanced weapons of the Red Star brand, especially that kind of new weapon.

Ji Wang Weidong had no grudge against Li Xuewu, nor against the Red Star Steel Group, so he couldn't afford to block the other party's client.

But he was angry at Art's stubbornness; why did he treat Li Xuewu as the best weapons salesman in the country?

Just because Li Xuewu could bluff?

"Hehe, is this car a new model?"

Art specifically sat in the passenger seat, wanting to feel the changes in the new Hongxing Lingyang.

The driver in the driver's seat glanced at him sideways; seeing Ji Wang Weidong didn't speak, he ignored him.

Art seemed to lack social awareness, chattering non-stop along the way, asking about this and that, not noticing the driver's increasing speed or the increasingly open windows.

Standing by the side of the road, it looked like a thick cloud of smoke was drifting out of the speeding jeep.

That was the smoke bomb the driver was barely enduring.

"How's the fatty doing?"

Xiaobai pushed open the door carrying a washbasin, glanced at the kang in the inner room, and asked Er Gazi, who was sitting on a small stool by the edge of the kang.

Er Gazi looked back at him; the sunlight from outside took the opportunity to slip in, making his brain ache.

"How about I switch with you to watch him?"

"It shouldn't be that bad—"

Xiaobai still had a white towel draped over his shoulder; he leaned close to the edge of the kang and looked carefully at Jia Geng, who was lying on the kang.

He had just brushed his teeth, and the taste of tooth powder still lingered in his mouth, mixed with the chill of early autumn, giving Jia Geng a sense of coolness.

"He's become a living dead man."

Xiaobai pulled down the towel to wipe the fine sweat from his face and sat down on the stool Er Gazi had vacated.

Last night's events hadn't affected his sleep at all; on the contrary, Er Gazi was the one who had been punished by Seeing Gelin to guard here all night to take care of this fatty.

"I'll bring you breakfast; you don't need to do anything else. You watch him during the day today; I'll go rest after I finish breakfast, and you take the night shift."

Er Gazi gave a warning, yawned, and went out. The door closed, and the light in the room dimmed accordingly.

Without even comparing it to the small villa in Steel City, just comparing it to the home in Beijing, this house appeared too crude.

Visible to the naked eye was the cyan mud and the exposed raw wood; not a single red brick was to be seen.

That's right, in the middle of nowhere, having a place to shelter from the wind and rain was considered luxurious.

It was just the spiderwebs fluttering on the rafters and the wallpaper flapping with the cold wind coming in through the window cracks from time to time... No furnishings in the room could attract Bang Geng's attention; just as Xiaobai said, he was now a living dead man.

"Are you asleep or not?"

Xiaobai reached out and waved in front of Bang Geng's eyes; he had been staring at this kid for quite a while.

His gaze was dull, unfocused, and lifeless, staring only at the ceiling; if it weren't for the blinking, Xiaobai would have suspected he was dead.

"Hey—is it that bad—"

He let out a long breath, shook his head, and said, "Er Gazi told you to stab his neck, not to poke that person's anus..."

"Ugh—" Suddenly, Bang Geng, lying on the kang, seemed to have a psychological reaction, retching as he turned over and lay on the edge of the kang to vomit.

Having not had a drop of water or a grain of rice since last night, what could he possibly vomit?

He had been this living dead man since returning from the seaside last night; even his body had been washed with the help of him and Er Gazi.

He was tired, and Er Gazi was even more tired, but faced with Seeing Gelin's lesson, neither had a single complaint.

It was Er Gazi who was bored and looking for trouble, insisting on provoking this kid; how old was he? How could he endure this kind of stimulation?

Seeing Gelin wasn't afraid of trouble; Li Xuewu dared to let this kid come to Yingcheng to gain experience, so he must have been mentally prepared.

He had no grudge against Jia Geng; it was entirely according to plan. Jia Geng just happened to be there.

However, it must be said that this fatty did a very good job; luring the snake out of the hole wasn't a complicated scheme, but as long as it worked, it was fine.

Experience was gained, but he was afraid the person would be ruined.

Seeing Gelin wasn't afraid of Li Xuewu scolding him, but he was afraid of not being able to return to Beijing; Bang Geng's mother wasn't a pushover.

It was a good thing for a young kid to be tossed about in the mud, conducive to growth, but no one said he should really be tossed about in the mud; Bang Geng had been frozen enough last night.

One shock and one fright; it would be good if he didn't go crazy.

Sometimes people are really fragile; just one hurdle not passed and they lose their minds.

Why did he let Er Gazi watch Bang Geng all night? He was afraid he would have a breakdown in the middle of the night and run out.

At this time of year, at this temperature, he would be collecting a corpse in three days; something big would definitely happen.

Therefore, Er Gazi was already mentally prepared to work the night shift again; who told him to have a loose mouth?

"Come, drink some water; there's nothing to vomit." Xiaobai patted Bang Geng's back helplessly and persuaded him earnestly, "He was just teasing you; he wouldn't hold a grudge against you."

Bang Geng blankly let him help him drink a mouthful of water and then lay down on the pillow.

Seeing him like this, Xiaobai could only put down the water bowl and hold his upper body to let him lie down again.

A person's life always has to encounter a few setbacks, which are the hurdles in common parlance.

Once this hurdle is passed, there's no need to fear encountering such difficulties in the future.

If this hurdle isn't passed, then the person is ruined; they retreat whenever they encounter difficulties and have no future.

He didn't know what Jia Geng's background was, only that this fatty came from Steel City.

Xiaobai had never been to Steel City; it was his first time in Fengcheng, and if it weren't for Seeing Gelin leading him, he might never have walked out of those mountains in his life.

"Look, Gazi climbed for half the night to find this back for you; is this your fork?"

Seeing his still-dazed expression, Xiaobai reached out and took the scraper he had already cleaned from beside his pillow and handed it to Bang Geng; the leather case was clean.

The standard equipment for a Beijing tough guy, the scraper was usually made from a bicycle frame or thick steel bars.

Only Bang Geng was different; he found an alloy pipe left over in the workshop from the scrap pile and begged a young worker to use a forging hammer to beat out a high-end scraper for him.

This thing was clearly a good item; Bang Geng played with it all day and even used leather to weave a handle for it, which felt more textured in his hand.

But at this moment, Bang Geng couldn't remember his treasure; what kept replaying in his mind was the scene of him stabbing someone last night.

"Don't be so fragile; you didn't even stab him."

Seeing him still not speaking, Xiaobai put down the scraper in his hand and said, "Seeing Gelin was very careful."

"He's not a good person either."

Bang Geng suddenly spoke, his gaze still a bit dull, but it had regained a bit of spirit.

Disgust and hatred could also awaken a person's mind; at least he didn't have to be trapped in a dead loop of memory.

"Hehe—you're right."

Seeing him speak, Xiaobai felt the stone in his heart drop a little and joked, "Can a good person do this line of work? You're still young; the road has just begun, and everything is a choice."

"Choose what..." Bang Geng moved his chapped lips and said, "I'm already not clean."

"Hey—what kind of talk is that."

Xiaobai said amusedly, "If Seeing Gelin hadn't blocked that blow for you, wouldn't you have died?"

"So, I have to thank him?"

Bang Geng sat up, sweat instantly breaking out on his forehead, showing his physical strength was at its limit.

He just stared stubbornly at Xiaobai and asked, "You all planned it long ago to let me be the bait, right?"

Xiaobai avoided his gaze, coughed, and explained, "Actually, I only found out when I got here."

"Hehe—" Bang Geng laughed weakly, "Whose arrangement is this? Seeing Gelin? Or..."

"If you don't want to do this line of work, then I can arrange for someone to send you back to Steel City right now."

Seeing Gelin's voice came through the door panel, followed by the creaking of the door and footsteps; a bear-like man walked in.

Bang Geng turned his head to look; this big guy was wiser than he had imagined, not like a fool.

"Are you arranged by Li Xuewu to pick us up?" Art looked at the old man in front of him with feigned suspicion and said, "How come I haven't seen you before."

"Let's go, stop talking nonsense—"

Seeing Nie Liansheng looking at him, Ji Wang Weidong reached out and patted Art on the shoulder, signaling him to get in the car.

Of course he knew Nie Liansheng; they had dealt with each other when Li Xuewu was causing trouble in Steel City.

Three years had passed in a flash; things had changed, and who could have imagined that this little old man in front of him was the... of that year.

"I can't send you back to Steel City."

Nie Liansheng said softly to Ji Wang Weidong, "Mr. Li asked me to ask you, are you ready to explain to him?"

"Explain what! What do I have to explain! It's really funny—"

Ji Wang Weidong was like a lit firecracker, almost jumping up to explode into the sky.

Nie Liansheng only asked him one sentence, and he couldn't take it; his face turned even redder.

And at this time, Art stopped talking, no longer playing dumb; his gaze shifted between the two, with a look of watching the fun.

"I'm just relaying Mr. Li's original words, no other meaning."

Nie Liansheng looked at him jumping around calmly, and only after he calmed down did he continue, "If you have anything you want to say to Mr. Li, you can completely tell him after you go to Steel City; that's it."

"Why should I listen to him!"

Ji Wang Weidong stood by the car, pacing in a panic, and said, "He says I go to Steel City, so I have to go to Steel City; he says wait for me in Steel City, so I have to go?"

"I won't—" He stiffened his neck and said, "I'm going back to Beijing, leaving now!"

"Okay, then... goodbye."

Nie Liansheng's face remained calm, watching his mad-dog performance.

This actually made Ji Wang Weidong a bit confused, and he looked at Nie Liansheng suspiciously and asked, "He didn't give you any other instructions?"

Nie Liansheng shook his head slightly and didn't speak.

"What if I don't go to Steel City?"

Ji Wang Weidong looked at Nie Liansheng and asked, "What if I want to go back to Beijing now?"

Nie Liansheng seemed not to understand the meaning of his words, and even less about the matter between him and Li Xuewu.

"Do you need me to buy you a ticket?"

"I don't need you to buy any ticket—"

Ji Wang Weidong glanced at him, but still asked vigilantly, "You won't threaten me?"

"You're joking; I'm a good person now."

Nie Liansheng smiled faintly, looked at him, and said, "I'm just helping Mr. Li do some insignificant little things; please don't misunderstand."

"I can't misunderstand; what can't he do, humph—"

Ji Wang Weidong muttered with dissatisfaction, turned his head to Art and said, "How about this, you go to Steel City first, I'll go handle some things, and then I'll go to Steel City to find you later."

"Are you hiding from Li?"

Art didn't know if it was intentional or if he didn't understand the ways of the world, but he asked so bluntly.

"Why would I hide from him!"

Ji Wang Weidong raised his voice again and emphasized, "Why would I have anything to hide from him, really!"

"Have you noticed." Art lowered his eyebrows, looked at him, and said, "When you are at a loss for words, you start waving your arms and legs."

"You f***—"

Ji Wang Weidong wanted to reach out and grab Art, but Art, having finished mocking Ji Wang Weidong, had long since turned and got into the car, and the car door slammed shut with a bang.

"I'm at a loss for words! I'm waving my arms and legs? When did I wave my arms and legs!"

"You get down here and explain clearly!"

"Drive, he won't go to Steel City."

Art held onto the car door tightly, looking at Ji Wang Weidong, who was returning to the room, waving his arms and cursing outside the window, and turned to the little old man sitting in the driver's seat and said, "His bluffing look is really ugly."

"You are always able to hit the nail on the head."

Nie Liansheng complimented Art, then looked at Ji Wang Weidong, who could have sat in the passenger seat but was still standing by the rear door cursing, and stepped lightly on the gas to leave.

Ji Wang Weidong looked at the departing car and sighed for no reason, then squatted on the ground.

His leather shoes, his suit pants, he didn't care at all at this moment, and sat on the ground with a thud.

The exhausted performance didn't win back any face, but instead plunged him into a predicament.

Whether or not to go to Steel City to see Li Xuewu, that brat was clearly trying to profit from him.

Betting that he wouldn't dare to go to Steel City?

Or had he long known about his hesitation and deliberately let him fall into a vicious cycle.

Damn it, that brat!

Ji Wang Weidong really hadn't figured out how to explain to Li Xuewu what happened in Hong Kong.

He couldn't say he didn't know anything and just stood on the sidelines watching the fun.

Saying this, even he himself wouldn't believe it; Li Wenbiao was killing in all directions in Hong Kong, settling old scores; didn't he have old scores on him too?

From Hong Kong to Steel City, although it was thousands of miles away, in today's era of developed information, distance was no longer a mountain limiting communication.

He certainly dared not harbor the delusion that Li Xuewu was completely ignorant of, or only had a superficial understanding of, the affairs in Hong Kong.

From the equity structure characteristics of the Oriental Era Bank, it could be seen that Li Xuewu had never fully trusted Lou Xiaoe, and even less trusted anyone else.

Of course, that included him.

Even his own woman he didn't believe; what was he, this old iron, worth?

Whenever he inadvertently mentioned Li Xuewu, Lou Xiaoe's reaction was silence.

Later, he also knew that it wasn't appropriate to mention this name in Hong Kong, so he remembered it.

It was just that this name was a hurdle that none of them could bypass; one day, he would suddenly appear in Hong Kong, and at that time, how would they conduct themselves?

Seeing Li Xuewu cheat others was easy, but wanting to deceive Li Xuewu was extremely difficult.

"Do I really have to go back to Beijing?"

Ji Wang Weidong scraped the stones by his feet and muttered, "Going home is not as good as seeing Li Xuewu; at least he won't give me the cold shoulder."

Just as he didn't dare to hope that Li Xuewu knew nothing about the Hong Kong matter, he also didn't dare to hope that Han Yating knew nothing about his work and life in Hong Kong.

The Red Star Steel Group had an international business department in Steel City, and there were also inter-bank business cooperation.

Almost every week, mainland staff went to Hong Kong openly through the port.

There was no fear that they would abandon their identities and go into exile overseas; these people were carefully selected.

Although the treatment of the Red Star Steel Group couldn't compare to the salary in Steel City, the meaning of life was different.

No one dared to guarantee that they could be worry-free after going to Hong Kong and stay if they wanted to.

If things went wrong, they would be repatriated, and they would die even more miserably.

Han Yating had once sent him a letter through a bank clerk, which was also a kind of warning.

The things he did in Hong Kong would reach Han Yating's ears sooner or later.

At that time, how would people evaluate her?

However, were those things what he was willing to do?

"Can I hand him over to you?"

Nie Liansheng looked at Seeing Gelin in front of him; it was his first time seeing such a fierce man.

The height of people from the Northeast and Shandong was generally higher than those from inside the pass, and they would be called Shandong big men or Northeast big men.

This version of Seeing Gelin shouldn't be called a big man; giant man was more appropriate.

"Either you stay and take care of him, or you send him back to Steel City, as long as you don't want to leave."

Seeing Gelin looked at him with a muffled voice and said, "My task is to train him and take him to gain experience; Mr. Li has no other arrangements."

"One of my tasks is to ensure his safety until it is confirmed that he can adapt to life here."

Seeing him say this, Nie Liansheng also learned his tone and emphasized his own task.

Seeing Gelin glanced at him, pushed open the door behind him, and asked, "Do you want to go in and see him?"

Nie Liansheng looked at the open door and still hesitated; hiding in the dark to monitor a child made him feel ashamed.

Although the order was given by Li Xuewu, the purpose had also been explained to him clearly.

He didn't need to intervene in Bang Geng's training and growth experience; he just needed to make sure Bang Geng wouldn't have an accident.

Just like last night, he suddenly appeared, giving Seeing Gelin and the others a fright.

Unlike Bang Geng, who stepped on the ground barefoot without a sound, Nie Liansheng really had his ways.

"Forget it, let it be."

Seeming to be able to see the fatty's eyes in the room through the mud wall, Nie Liansheng still gave up.

"I will call Mr. Li back; he is handed over to you; see you again if there's a chance."

"Have a safe journey, wish you success."

Seeing Gelin seemed to be able to understand his hesitation, but his tone was still steady as he said, "See you again if there's a chance."

Nie Liansheng waved his hand and turned to leave.

From Steel City to Yingcheng, Nie Liansheng had never appeared; according to Li Xuewu's request, he only stared at Bang Geng in the dark, not letting anything happen.

If Bang Geng were eighteen, Qin Huairu would be willing to sacrifice her son, but he wouldn't waste labor.

But Bang Geng now was different; Li Xuewu hadn't decided to use him, so naturally, he wouldn't hurt him.

It was Bang Geng himself who wanted to come out to do things, not that he was forcing him.

Pulling a team together with shouting, Li Xuewu just wanted him to see what a person in the underworld was like.

Those who chew toothpicks in the alley aren't underworld people, and those who play tricks on the street aren't either.

Those who survive at the bottom, struggling bitterly, showing desperate ruthlessness, are the underworld people.

If there were a way out, who would want to be a pawn.

This was what Xiaobai used to persuade Bang Geng, and it was also what made Bang Geng lean on the kang and think for a whole day.

He ate breakfast, brought by Er Gazi; he didn't glare at him, let alone curse.

He took the steamed bun and pickles handed over by the other party very calmly and ate them with cornmeal porridge.

He could eat a lot, and plus he was hungry, so he ate four steamed buns in one breath.

It was Xiaobai who was afraid he would eat too much and persuaded him.

It was like this in the morning, and he didn't eat less at noon and night; he finally came back to life.

Xiaobai told him a lot, including things on the mountain, things under the mountain, and strange things.

Just when Xiaobai was telling him about the underworld, the sound of Seeing Gelin and someone talking came from the doorway.

Xiaobai clearly saw Bang Geng's surprise, but the idle talk in his mouth didn't stop.

Even when the door was pushed open, he didn't care and continued telling the story of how he hacked a street back then.

"Do you want to go in and see him?"

"Forget it, let it be."

Bang Geng already knew who was standing outside the door; he had seen the other party's appearance.

It was just that things were getting more and more complicated; why would the other party appear in Yingcheng with him?

If that was the case, why hadn't he seen the other party all this time, and what was he doing in Yingcheng?

Until the lights went out at night to sleep, Seeing Gelin, who came into his room, didn't explain what the little old man who appeared and disappeared suddenly had come for.

"Xi Yongzhong is dead, buried by them."

In the dark night, Seeing Gelin, lying on the kang, suddenly spoke, as if talking to himself, or as if sharing this matter with him.

Bang Geng didn't speak; after a series of experiences, he seemed to have really become calm and mature.

"There are still some things in Yingcheng that need to be settled; the news has already been sent to Steel City and Fengcheng."

Seeing Gelin continued, "You can go back to Steel City now, or go to Fengcheng to see the world."

"See the world, like this time?"

Bang Geng leaned on the pillow, his voice faint, and said, "Or do you want me to go see Xi Yongzhong?"

"It's all up to you; Mr. Li has no special instructions; you can go wherever you want."

Seeing Gelin's tone was equally casual and indifferent, "Even if you want to go back to Beijing."

"I don't miss home, let alone my mother."

Bang Geng said stubbornly, "I just don't understand why it had to be hidden from me."

He endured it, but his trembling voice betrayed him, and his choked tone interpreted the tears in his eyes vividly.

Half the pillow was wet, but he couldn't feel any warmth; was this the life he wanted?

The brothers called him Big Brother; only now did he realize that being a Big Brother was difficult.

He didn't have Seeing Gelin's ruthlessness yet.

"You'll understand when you grow up."

Seeing Gelin's voice remained as calm as an ancient well, as if he had never changed his tone in his life.

Perhaps he had experienced too many tests of life and death and seen too many monsters and demons, making his inner cultivation incomparably strong.

"I've heard this sentence countless times; this is the first time it's felt so touching."

After Bang Geng gave a bitter laugh, he turned over and looked at Seeing Gelin's big head in the moonlight and asked, "How did you dare to do that? Just knocking that person's fingers."

"This is just my job."

Seeing Gelin turned his head and looked at him, asking, "Are you afraid of me knocking your fingers?"

Bang Geng shook his head slightly; he really wasn't afraid.

"That's it, because you know I'm not a bad person, and I won't mess around."

Seeing Gelin seemed to see him shaking his head and explained, "Of course, I'm not a good person either; work is work, and one must do one's best."

"Where did you go later?"

Bang Geng asked curiously, "Xiaobai said you were in Jicheng; who were you with?"

"Xilin, and..."

Seeing Gelin looked at him for a few seconds before continuing, "Xi Yongzhong and Sun Yongli were with us before, and there was Zhou Ziqiang who went to Bingcheng."

"So many people?" Bang Geng asked in surprise, "Where are the others?"

"You have to ask the Proprietor about this."

Seeing Gelin said in a faint tone, "I've been working in Jicheng; I only know this much."

"So you came to investigate this matter?"

Bang Geng asked curiously, "Just because Xi Yongzhong had been with you for several years?"

"Perhaps, I don't know what the Proprietor thinks; I only do things."

Seeing Gelin looked at the ceiling and said, "Xi Yongzhong actually shouldn't have died; he was just too kind."

"Why did those people want to kill him?"

Bang Geng propped himself up and looked at Seeing Gelin, asking, "Was it because of money? Or because of hatred?"

"Neither." Seeing Gelin turned his head to look at him and asked, "Would you return evil for good?"

"You should save these words to explain to Han Yating and see if she believes you."

Li Xuewu moved the teacup in front of him and swept his gaze over Ji Wang Weidong, who was sitting opposite him.

Ji Wang Weidong had come after all; he had thought it over and decided to come to Steel City to see Li Xuewu.

He was afraid that if he didn't come to Steel City this time, he wouldn't have the courage and confidence to meet Li Xuewu next time.

"Of course she wouldn't believe it—"

Ji Wang Weidong said righteously, "She was famous for her sharp eyes when she was in the Security Section; didn't you teach her that?"

"Are you blaming me?"

Li Xuewu sized him up and said, "Fine, of course Section Chief Ji has the qualifications to suspect me."

"I say I'm innocent; do you believe me?"

Ji Wang Weidong finally had to face reality, looking at Li Xuewu with almost his most innocent gaze, explaining, "I never thought such a big thing would happen."

"So? How do you want to explain it?"

Li Xuewu leaned back in his chair, watching him leisurely, giving him a chance to explain.

"Eat some fruit; they were just picked."

Zhou Wang Yamei brought in a plate of grapes, glanced at Li Xuewu, and placed the plate on the table.

"Thank you, Sister-in-law; you go rest first."

Ji Wang Weidong seized the opportunity; he didn't want to miss even one chance to turn things around.

If he could make Li Xuewu fear him a little, it would also add a bargaining chip to his explanation.

It was just that Li Xuewu remained unmoved, and Zhou Wang Yamei didn't respond to his address; the two didn't even have eye contact, both watching his performance.

"Is... is Wen Saner okay?"

Ji Wang Weidong held it in for a long time and came up with this sentence.

Li Xuewu curled his lips and said, "How about I call him over, and you two chat first?"

"What do you mean by saying that?"

Ji Wang Weidong was furious, looking at him and emphasizing, "I dare to swear to heaven that I didn't do anything to let him down; do you believe me or not, Li Xuewu!"

"Hehe—" Li Xuewu gave a light laugh, looked at him, and said, "You don't even want to make up a reason anymore, right?"

"You're just suspecting me—"

Ji Wang Weidong's spit was flying everywhere as he tried his best to explain, "If I wanted to finish him off, I wouldn't have risked my life to save him."

"Then what about Zhang Wanhe? Does he know too much?" Li Xuewu looked into his eyes and asked, "Have you ever said such things?"

"Li Wenbiao must have told you."

Ji Wang Weidong stiffened his neck and said, "I don't deny I said such things, but I'm not a vicious person; you, Li Xuewu, should know this."

"I wouldn't do something like killing the hound once the hare is caught."

He frowned and said, "Zhang Wanhe is just a kite in your hands; why would I cut that kite string? I have no grudge against you."

"Then that's a coincidence—"

Li Xuewu crossed his arms and said, "First, someone said Wen San was domineering and power-hungry in the real estate company, lining his own pockets, and squandering wantonly; is there such a thing?"

"You're asking me? Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Ji Wang Weidong curled his lips and said, "I didn't go to Hong Kong to be your eyes and ears, nor to wipe the asses of your subordinates."

"Then why did the Oriental Era Bank suddenly audit the real estate company's accounts and then quietly leave?"

Li Xuewu frowned and said, "You are the executive director of the Oriental Era Bank and the vice president of the real estate company; you don't know about these things?"

"I am a director, but I really don't understand things."

Ji Wang Weidong explained, "I can't even handle my own affairs; where would I have time to manage the affairs of the Oriental Era Bank."

"Yes, I participated in the management of the real estate company, but it was all Wen Saner who came to ask me."

He frowned and emphasized, "Anyway, he's in Steel City; you can ask him yourself."

"He didn't call me when he was living it up, but when things went wrong, it was all my fault."

"A Lai Jiasheng alone can't accomplish anything."

Li Xuewu picked up the teacup and took a sip, his tone firm, "He is a scholar."

"Do you mean there must be a mastermind behind the scenes stirring up things inside?" Ji Wang Weidong looked at him and asked, "Is this considered a conspiracy theory?"

"You can understand it however you want." Li Xuewu lowered his eyes and said, "I'm not in Hong Kong, but that doesn't mean I know nothing about Hong Kong."

"I know Wen Saner is philandering in Hong Kong, but that's not a reason for him to be hacked."

"He finally tripped over a woman's belly; that's an indisputable fact."

Ji Wang Weidong grabbed a grape and stuffed it into his mouth, saying, "That night's matter was very strange."

"I was supposed to go to the Grand Fortune for entertainment, but my right eyelid kept twitching, so I didn't dare to go out."

"Hmm, you're pulling metaphysics on me again, right." Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, "That's fine, as long as you can explain it."

"How many times do I have to say it for you to believe me? It really wasn't me plotting against Wen Saner."

Ji Wang Weidong spread his hands and emphasized, "I have no grudge against him, and I never thought about interfering with the real estate business; I have enough to do with my own affairs."

"Do you mean—"

Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at him, asking, "Is there a problem with the Oriental Era Bank?"

"Or rather—" he asked suspiciously, "Did Lou Xiaoe do this?"

"I didn't say that—"

Ji Wang Weidong waved his hand and said, "You have brothers in Hong Kong; you can ask them about anything."

"I came to see you today only to talk about my own affairs; it has nothing to do with anyone else."

He put down his hand and said earnestly, "I admit I don't like Wen Saner's style, and I don't want him to be a playboy, using low-down means to operate real estate, but I guarantee I didn't stab him in the back."

"You can't suspect me just because I saved him; that would be too unfair to me."

"So you don't deny that you knew Wen Saner was in danger long ago, but chose to stand on the sidelines?"

Li Xuewu shook his chin and said, "Did Lou Xiaoe also discover long ago that Lai Jiasheng had problems?"

"Didn't I warn him?"

Ji Wang Weidong tilted his head and said, "You can call him over now; I dare to say this to his face. You ask him how many times I warned him."

"Does he listen to me?"

Ji Wang Weidong patted his knee and said, "That's your brother, not mine; how deep can I talk?"

"I don't want to see him not because I have a guilty conscience, but because I feel there's no need to further intensify the conflict."

He spread his hands and said, "The problem was discovered long ago, but when there were no problems, would you believe me or your own brother?"

"Or perhaps believe the husband of the woman in your bed; would you think I'm too harsh if I say this? But how would you let Lou Xiaoe think?"

"Do you think I'm that kind of person?"

Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "Has Lai Jiasheng been brought back? Let him go see Wu Shuping." ===== CHAPTER 1462 =====