Chen Xinxin giggled, "Okay, I'm going to buy clothes later, one of every color!"
Volume 2 [456] The Price
[456] Cost
As darkness fell and dinnertime had passed, Chen Shuxian anxiously looked out the window again and again. Zheng Nan said, "Sister Chen, you don't need to worry. With Zhao Qiang leading them, how could anything happen to them?"
Chen Shuxian said, "These two crazy girls forget their place when they get crazy. I'm worried they won't stop until they've spent all the money they've earned during this time."
Zheng Nan laughed and said, "That's how young people are. Anyway, Zhao Qiang is capable of making money, so don't worry."
Car horns sounded downstairs at the hotel. Chen Shuxian hurriedly pulled back the curtains and opened the window. Three taxis were parked in the courtyard, and a girl was waving at her: "Mom, come down and help us with our things, we have too much."
The driver was carrying bags out of the taxi, which had already piled up into an exaggerated little mountain in the hotel courtyard. Zheng Nan peeked out and walked out, saying, "My God, it looks like they've really spent all their money."
It took several waiters to help carry the things up, which filled the two girls' room to the brim. Chen Shuxian was both amused and exasperated. "You two, did you spend all your money?"
Chen Xinxin said, "No, there's still more than ten thousand left, Mom. Don't worry, Zhao Qiang can support us."
Zhao Qiang was already lying in bed. He had walked for almost a whole day, his feet were swollen and his back was about to break. It was a mistake to suggest going shopping. Although the two girls were happy and had a good time, he also cried. It wasn't about the money, it was just that he was really tired. Anyone who has done this knows how it feels.
Chen Xinxin laid out the clothes she bought for Chen Shuxian one by one, and Zheng Nan also had some. They brought everyone to the provincial capital to make money, even though they might not achieve their goal in the end.
Chen Shuxian was trying on the bra her daughter had bought for her. It has to be said that Chen Shuxian's breast shape is excellent; otherwise, Chen Xinxin wouldn't have inherited such a large bust. Suddenly, Chen Shuxian's phone rang. This was the phone number she got on the day she arrived in the provincial capital. Besides Chen Xinxin, only one other person knew the number: Wu Zhiming.
Chen Shuxian blushed slightly and covered her chest as she answered the phone, "Secretary Wu, do you have any instructions?"
Wu Zhiming said, "Mr. Chen, it's like this. This afternoon, our review team held another meeting to discuss the deposit issue. I would like to invite you over to talk. If you can agree to my terms, we can sign a contract on the spot, and I'll hand over this business to you. Hehe, don't forget me after you make money!"
After a slight hesitation, Chen Shuxian agreed on behalf of Zhao Qiang, "Okay, Secretary Wu, thank you for your hard work. Where can I find you?"
Wu Zhiming said, "Let's go to my office. We just had a meeting. If we can reach an agreement, I'll invite you to dinner later, Mr. Chen. Please do me the honor of attending. Also, there's no need to bring anyone else. There are some conditions I don't want irrelevant people to hear. After all, the factory has been quite considerate to you, and I can't let other software companies have anything to say about you."
Chen Shuxian said, "I understand, I'll pack up and go."
After putting down her phone and getting dressed, Chen Shuxian asked her daughter to call Zhao Qiang over. Zheng Nan spoke first, "It's not safe to go to Wu Zhiming's office right now, and he specifically asked you to go alone, Sister Chen. There's something fishy going on here."
Chen Shuxian said, "I think it's worth a try. We can't make a wasted trip." Zhao Qiang spent so much money on the two girls, and Chen Shuxian always wanted to repay him. It would be best if she could help him close this deal.
Zhao Qiang said, "I'll go with Auntie."
Zheng Nan said, "If Wu Zhiming sees that you're going too, he probably won't talk to you anymore. Going there would be a waste of time. You might as well just refuse him and save yourself the trouble." Now Zheng Nan is the first person to regret getting involved in this mess.
Zhao Qiang pushed up his glasses and said, "I'll hide so he can't see me."
Chen Xinxin was a little nervous: "If you hide, how will you know if my mother is in danger?"
Zhao Qiang chuckled: "I can see through walls, so I know everything that happens in the office. Don't worry."
Zhao Ling and Chen Xinxin said, "No, we're still not comfortable with it unless we go with them."
Zhao Qiang said, "If you don't feel tired, you can go together."
So Chen Shuxian went first, followed by Zhao Qiang, Chen Xinxin, and Zhao Ling. The four of them entered the steel plant's office building. In fact, Wu Zhiming had already learned of their arrival through the security guard. However, when he saw that only Chen Shuxian came to knock on the door, Wu Zhiming smiled. He invited Chen Shuxian in and then locked the office door from the inside. The room had been soundproofed during the renovation, so even if it was noisy inside, no one outside could hear it. Therefore, Wu Zhiming was not worried about the other three who had hidden somewhere in the office building.
"Sit down, Ms. Chen is such a beautiful woman," Wu Zhiming said casually as he approached.
Chen Shuxian smiled faintly: "Secretary Wu is also a career-oriented man. You must have good news to tell me since it's so late."
Wu Zhiming did not sit back in his boss's chair. He strolled over to Chen Shuxian's side. Under the light, Chen Shuxian looked even more charming, and her mature charm captivated Wu Zhiming. "President Chen, we are both sensible people. It will be very difficult for me to carry out this matter, and I will have to take a lot of risks for you. Moreover, you have not given me anything in return, which makes me very unmotivated."
Chen Shuxian said, "If the business deal goes through, I'm willing to give Secretary Wu 10% of the payment. What do you think?"
Wu Zhiming waved his hand: "You can thank me later when you get the payment. But right now, I've said countless good things about your company to the review team, and they finally agreed that you can take over the control program design by paying a deposit of 500,000 yuan. And we can sign the contract tonight. It's a big project worth 3 million yuan. Aren't you happy, Mr. Chen?"
Chen Shuxian frowned: "Secretary Wu, the deposit of 500,000 is still too large. Even if you can't pay a deposit in advance, you shouldn't be charging us a deposit. I can absolutely guarantee you that there are no problems with the program design. If you don't believe me, you can give us a test and let our chief engineer verify our capabilities."
Wu Zhiming chuckled: "President Chen, there's no need for such trouble. If you verify it with me personally, I can guarantee that you won't need to pay the 500,000 yuan deposit, and we can sign the contract immediately. What do you think?"
As he spoke, Wu Zhiming sat down next to Chen Shuxian and touched her thigh...
Zhao Qiang led the two girls to a spot at the end of the corridor, where they spread out two newspapers and sat down. The two girls were indeed tired, so they each hugged Zhao Qiang's arm and rested their heads on him, dozing off.
Zhao Qiang activated his X-ray vision glasses and stared at the secretary's office not far ahead. Everyone else in the office building had already left work, and even Secretary Wu's secretary had been dismissed. The entire office building was silent.
"Xin Xin, we bought so many clothes today, and now I feel so bad about it," Zhao Ling said.
Chen Xinxin said, "Yes, I didn't realize it when I bought it, but now I regret it."
Zhao Ling said, "We've almost spent all the money, what are we going to do? Zhao Qiang, you're so mean, you're spoiling us!"
Chen Xinxin bit Zhao Qiang's arm: "Don't you want to do something big? From now on, you'll have to control our desires, understand?"
Zhao Qiang made a shushing gesture. He was watching Wu Zhiming's lip movements. Then he saw Wu Zhiming sit down next to Chen Shuxian. Zhao Qiang stood up abruptly, jerking the two girls who were hugging him. Luckily, the two girls held each other to keep their balance, otherwise they would have fallen. They both snorted in dissatisfaction.
Zhao Qiang suddenly sprinted away, his footsteps deafening in the corridor. With a bang, he punched the door of the secretary's office. The door was quite valuable, but it shattered with a large hole under Zhao Qiang's punch. Zhao Qiang then reached in from the inside and unlocked the door, which was then pushed open with a loud crash and slammed against the wall.
Chen Shuxian stood up abruptly, and Wu Zhiming's hand, which was reaching for her thigh, missed its mark. Naturally, Wu Zhiming was unwilling to accept defeat, so he immediately grabbed Chen Shuxian's waist, intending to pull her down onto the sofa and have his way with her first. He figured that as a woman, she wouldn't be able to resist much, and even if she went to sue him tomorrow, he would have a reason to deny it and turn the tables on her, accusing her of bribing the investigation team with her body.
*Slap!* Chen Shuxian slapped Wu Zhiming's hand hard across the back of his arm. Wu Zhiming cried out in pain and pulled his hand back from around Chen Shuxian's waist. Just then, the door was smashed open with a bang. Chen Shuxian knew that Zhao Qiang had come to her rescue and immediately ran away from Wu Zhiming.
Zhao Qiang walked step by step toward Wu Zhiming, who was sitting on the sofa clutching his swollen, red hand. Wu Zhiming was terrified and, ignoring the burning pain in his hand, pointed at Zhao Qiang and said, "What... what do you want to do? Let me tell you, this is illegal!"
Zhao Qiang lifted Wu Zhiming up with the ease of lifting a chick, then punched him in the stomach. Wu Zhiming could no longer speak, his face turning as red as a pig's liver. He squatted on the ground, clutching his stomach, "Oh..." Wu Zhiming groaned in pain, foaming at the mouth. Zhao Qiang's punch was no weak one; Wu Zhiming's stomach was churning.
Zhao Qiang kicked Wu Zhiming, who was squatting on the ground, to the ground again. At this moment, Chen Xinxin and Zhao Ling also came over. The two girls were no longer sleepy. Seeing that their mother was indeed being bullied, Chen Xinxin was furious and kicked Wu Zhiming's face repeatedly with her leather shoes. Wu Zhiming was in excruciating pain in his stomach and had no power to resist. His face was covered in bruises from Chen Xinxin's kicks. Zhao Ling was even more ruthless. She grabbed an ashtray from the table and smashed it on Wu Zhiming's head. That was the end of it. Wu Zhiming immediately passed out.
Chen Shuxian finally snapped out of her shock. It was too late to stop Zhao Ling. Seeing Wu Zhiming unconscious, she grabbed the two women and ran outside, shouting, "We need to get out of here! You two are being ridiculous! This could kill someone!"
Zhao Ling wanted to turn back and smash it again: "He bullied Auntie by using the contract signing method; he deserved to be beaten."
Chen Xinxin grabbed a fruit knife from the table, but fortunately Chen Shuxian snatched it away. Then she pushed the two women out of the office, and Zhao Qiang followed. Wu Zhiming was already half-dead, so there was no point in hitting him anymore. The four of them left the office building, took a taxi back to the hotel, and Zheng Nan noticed that the three women looked strange. She knew that Wu Zhiming had tricked them by saying that they had signed a contract and that they had probably caused a scene. So she didn't ask any questions, checked out of the room, got into her Audi, and prepared to take the four of them back to Yihai. After all, Lingjiang was Wu Zhiming's territory. Leaving them here after beating them up would only cause trouble.
However, Wu Zhiming acted even faster than expected. Before the Audi could even leave the hotel, it was stopped by a police car coming from the opposite direction. Four policemen got out and blocked the front of the Audi. If Zheng Nan continued driving, he would hit someone, which would be a bigger crime than hitting Wu Zhiming, because the other party was a policeman. Helpless, Zheng Nan had no choice but to stop and turn off the engine.
"Get out of the car, get out of the car!" The police knocked on the car window. Chen Shuxian glanced at Zhao Qiang, who remained calm and said, "Get out." It seemed things were about to escalate further, and Zhao Qiang's mind raced with excitement, like a cat smelling fish. However, now wasn't the time to act; he would wait until the night was quiet to exact his revenge.
The lead policeman, carrying an electric baton, gestured and waved it in front of Zhao Qiang and his group: "You injured the steel plant leader, and now we are going to arrest you. If you have any objections, please come to the branch office."
Chen Shuxian said, "Wu Zhiming harassed me, so why couldn't I fight back? If you consider self-defense a crime, then we will never accept this."
The policeman said, "Please take your reasons to the branch office and report them to your superiors. Our mission is to prevent you from escaping." As he spoke, police sirens wailed outside, and the entire entrance to the hotel was quickly surrounded by police.
When the last car stopped, Wu Zhiming, with a bandage on his head, got out. Zhao Ling muttered, "Damn, they didn't kill him? What a failure."
Wu Zhiming pointed at Chen Shuxian and said, "She first used her body to seduce me and get me to sign a business contract with them. Later, when she saw that I wasn't tempted, that man rushed in and beat me up."
Chen Xinxin yelled, "You bastard Wu Zhiming, you beast! Things aren't like that at all!"
Two policewomen came up and stopped Chen Xinxin. They were both trained police officers. Chen Xinxin, a weak woman, had no power to resist. They handcuffed her hands and then covered her mouth.
Wu Zhiming strolled leisurely to Chen Xinxin's side and whispered, "Being big doesn't mean you're smart. Let me tell you, this is my territory. These policemen all listen to me. Do you think you can get people to believe you just by cursing and arguing a few times?"
Zhao Ling was also held down by the arms by two policewomen, but she suddenly kicked Wu Zhiming from behind. Wu Zhiming was bent over talking to Chen Xinxin, and the force of the kick made him stumble forward and fall to the ground with a thud. The two policewomen who were holding Zhao Ling were startled, and they managed to lift Zhao Ling up with both hands, no matter how much she kicked, it was useless.
Wu Zhiming got up from the ground, looking disheveled, but he still put on an air of nonchalance, not even bothering to brush off the mud and dust. He approached Chen Shuxian and said, "President Chen, the business deal may fall through, but you shouldn't have hit me. Now you have nothing to say, right? Your men injured me in front of a group of police officers; that's an undeniable fact. Now I will pursue this matter to the end. You regret it now, don't you?"
Zhao Qiang didn't resist on the spot. With so many police officers around, he couldn't protect the others if a fight broke out. This Zhao Qiang wasn't the same person he was before his brain was formatted; he needed time to mature into a cold-blooded killer. Zhao Qiang knew his offensive capabilities were insufficient; he needed offensive weapons to make himself stronger. Only then could he fight against armed forces. Otherwise, if the situation escalated, he would lose control, and he might be the loser. However, how could Zhao Qiang swallow this insult? His eyes were fixed on Wu Zhiming; tonight was his death day.
Volume 2 [457] A Late Night Visit
[457] A Late-Night Visit
The hotel entrance quickly quieted down because Zhao Qiang and the others had been taken away, and even the Audi that Zheng Nan had borrowed was impounded. However, there would be no interrogation tonight. It was common practice to detain them for a day and a night to wear them down and make them give in when they were hungry, thirsty, and exhausted. This approach was often very effective, and some people who couldn't hold on confessed before the interrogation even began.
Wu Zhiming came out of the branch office. He knew these police officers very well, and they drank and had fun together almost every day. After making plans with his friends for tomorrow's interrogation, he didn't need to stay here any longer. He just waited to see how the interrogators would humiliate Chen Shuxian.
Rubbing his aching head, Wu Zhiming said to himself, "I'll have a chance to get revenge tomorrow. It's considered a work injury, so I can get more nutrition allowance later. I didn't expect the automation control program to be so difficult, actually causing me, the dignified secretary of the factory, to be honorably injured."
The branch office leader chased after him: "Secretary Wu, how about we all grab a late-night snack together? It's on me."
Wu Zhiming pointed to his head and said, "I'm in this state and I can still drink? I need to go home and rest. Everything depends on you tomorrow."
The branch bureau leader patted his chest and said, "Secretary Wu, don't worry, we'll definitely give them a severe sentence and let them know that the people of Lingjiang are not to be trifled with."
Wu Zhiming said, "If they are willing to compromise, I don't think we should pressure them too much. Men, hehe, should have some magnanimity and tenderness towards women."
The branch leader chuckled: "I understand, I understand what Secretary Wu means. If they are willing to bow down to you, Secretary Wu, I will definitely give them this opportunity. To be honest, these three women are too tempting to men. It's understandable that Secretary Wu was injured by them. If it were me, I might be dead by now. It's true that dying under the pomegranate skirt is still a romantic death."
Wu Zhiming cursed, "Go to hell, I'm going back. You can continue to manage things here."
When Wu Zhiming returned to his apartment building, he found that his wife was still awake because the living room light was on. Thinking of his wife, who looked haggard, and then of Chen Shuxian and the other two girls, Wu Zhiming felt extremely unbalanced. He thought how wonderful it would be if he could have all three of these beautiful women. If he could have them by his side every night, he wouldn't hesitate to give them another three million, let alone a three million business deal.
Wu Zhiming took out his key and opened the security door. He saw his wife sitting in the living room talking to a man in his early thirties. "A guest this late?" Wu Zhiming was displeased. "Even if he's here to deliver a gift, he should just leave and get out. What's the point of him lingering here and whining? The more he does this, the less likely he is to do anything for me."
Wu Zhiming's wife stood up: "Old Wu, some comrades from the province are looking for you. They say it's Luan Hai, the secretary of Vice Governor Zhang. They can't get through to your cell phone. I've already sent the children to the factory to look for you. What have you been doing, making Secretary Luan wait for so long?"
Wu Zhiming couldn't get through because his phone had been kicked and broken by Chen Xinxin in the office. He had initially been stern, ready to give his guest a hard time and show him the consequences of disturbing him so late at night. But after his wife said what she said, Wu Zhiming's face immediately brightened, and he quickly greeted Luan Hai in the living room with outstretched arms. "Secretary Luan, thank you for your hard work! These past two days, the factory has been reviewing the strengths of several bidding companies; I've been incredibly busy. Please forgive me for not greeting you sooner."
Luan Hai shook hands with Wu Zhiming in a nonchalant manner and said, "Secretary Wu, Vice Governor Zhang has given instructions. Because he was afraid that it wouldn't be clear over the phone, he asked me to come in person. It's a very important matter, and it's not appropriate for others to know about it."
Wu Zhiming waved to his wife, who immediately went back to her room and closed the door tightly. Only then did Wu Zhiming warmly invite Luan Hai to sit down again. "Secretary Luan, please give me any instructions Vice Governor Zhang may have. I guarantee I will handle things well."
Luan Hai said, "It's about the bidding process that Secretary Wu just mentioned."
Wu Zhiming was somewhat surprised: "Oh? Could it be that one of the bidding companies has a connection with Vice Governor Zhang? They didn't mention it. If they just mentioned their connection with Vice Governor Zhang, I would definitely handle it. Vice Governor Zhang is no outsider. I, Wu Zhiming, have been the head of the steel plant for many years, so I have the ability to get things done."
Luan Hai said, "I naturally believe in Secretary Wu's support for Vice Governor Zhang. However, this matter is not something that Vice Governor Zhang wants to do. Rather, it was an instruction given to Vice Governor Zhang by Old Master Chen himself. Secretary Wu, do you understand?"
Wu Zhiming's expression turned serious again: "So this is what the old man meant. I understand. Even if I suffer a bloody defeat, I guarantee I'll complete the mission." The Chen family patriarch was a god-like figure in the south; he, a mere secretary of a small steel mill, was practically nothing. Otherwise, the old man would have called him directly instead of going through a vice-governor, because he wasn't qualified to speak directly with the old man. If he handled this matter well and gained the old man's favor, Wu Zhiming might rise to the top in one fell swoop.
Luan Haidao said, "Vice Governor Zhang asked me to ask you if there's a company called Yihailai that's bidding for the project..."
Wu Zhiming's serious expression suddenly changed, and his face turned pale instantly. He had a bad feeling and said in a trembling voice, "Yes, yes, there is... Secretary Luan means that they are Old Master Chen's people?"
Luan Hai shook his head and said, "Don't talk nonsense." Chen Kezong didn't want to get involved with Chen Shuxian in any way.
Wu Zhiming breathed a sigh of relief, wiped away his cold sweat, and said, "You scared me."
Luan Hai said, "Vice Governor Zhang has instructed that the control program for this automated steelmaking furnace must be designed by Yihailai Company. If you cannot complete the task, then you should resign."
"What?" Wu Zhiming broke out in a cold sweat again before he could even wipe it off. This was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue, because those people had just been personally sent to the branch office by Wu Zhiming, and they probably hadn't even had a chance to warm their beds yet. "Since they weren't Old Master Chen's people, why did you let them design the control program? Secretary Luan, I don't understand."
Luan Hai softened his tone and reiterated, "Whether you understand it or not, you must carry it out. Otherwise, you'll have to step aside, and the province will naturally send capable people to do it."
Wu Zhiming was startled: "I can do it, I can do it, please rest assured, Secretary Luan."
Luan Haidao said, "The control program for the automated steelmaking furnace must be designed by a man named Zhao Qiang. If you mess things up, you know where Vice Governor Zhang will send you. It's best to get things done tonight. I need to wait for the results and report to Vice Governor Zhang first thing tomorrow morning. I'll go back to the hotel and wait for your news. The steel plant will have to handle the specific arrangements. The government shouldn't get involved. You'd better be careful and not let outsiders gossip. If it gets to Old Master Chen's ears, hehe..."
Wu Zhiming nodded repeatedly, like a chicken pecking at rice, "Understood, understood, Secretary Luan, thank you for your hard work. I'll have someone arrange accommodation for you."