General Li, looking worried, held his teacup. This was the finest Longjing tea that the bearded man had sent him from China. Three men sat before him, their attitudes clearly impatient. "General," one of them said, "we want people, not to hear your stories of hardship. We're paying for people, not to hear your tales."
General Li cursed under his breath, but said aloud, "I understand your feelings, but my son is dead, and more than half of my soldiers have been killed or wounded. What do you think I should do? My forces are no longer sufficient to continue the manhunt for those two, so you must step in and help."
One of them said, "That's impossible. You belong to a neutral force. If we intervene and China finds out afterwards, it will have a huge impact on relations between the two countries. I think General Li, you are a sensible person, so please don't bring this up again."
General Li said, "But you still need to pay me another deposit, otherwise I won't have the strength to organize firepower for the encirclement and suppression. As you can see, my troops have to retreat to the base. Without manpower, nothing can be done."
The three men exchanged glances, and the leader spoke up, "We can agree to this condition. How about we give you another twenty million US dollars? We can also help you contact sellers for the weapons; you just need to pay and take delivery. As for manpower, with the weapons, I don't think your valley will lack anyone."
General Li finally smiled slightly: "I can organize the men myself, but twenty million US dollars isn't enough for weapons, especially considering my base has been damaged to this extent; it'll need at least fifty million."
The three gritted their teeth and said, "Fine, we can't add any more, otherwise we won't be able to explain it to our superiors."
The four men, who had just finalized their deal, hadn't even gotten up to shake hands and celebrate when suddenly, a deafening boom shook them from above. A sharp pain shot through their heads, and their consciousness vanished almost instantly. The entire wooden house was crushed by the immense impact of the falling debris, and the four men were right in the center of the impact. Pulling them out, their bodies were mangled beyond recognition; reviving them would be incredibly difficult. General Li surrounded the house with layers of protection, like an iron barrel, but he overlooked what was above. Like the sentries on the watchtower, everyone believed that aerial attacks couldn't possibly be silent. Even gliders would be spotted by searchlights before entering the base; a vertical drop from such a height was simply impossible.
Yang Shiqi followed behind Zhao Qiang. While Zhao Qiang loaded his compression gun, she used her rifle to spray bullets around the area for him. Then Zhao Qiang used the compression gun to completely destroy the buildings. The two of them charged around recklessly. Without the command of their supreme leader, the Mengta Valley base was in chaos. Many soldiers were temporarily conscripted farmers from the valley. They threw down their weapons and ran into the valley. Neither Zhao Qiang nor Yang Shiqi harmed these people. Even the most cold-blooded person has their limits; you can't just kill everyone you see.
In the darkest hour before dawn, Zhao Qiang and Yang Shiqi took one last look at the Mengta Valley military base, which was now completely destroyed. The number of survivors was unknown, but its combat effectiveness was virtually zero. This largest drug cultivation base and smuggling hub in the surrounding hundreds of square kilometers had been reduced to ruins in a single night.
Zhao Qiang carried Yang Shiqi and used the springiness of his running shoes to leave. Having been away for so long, Zhao Qiang was homesick, and Yang Shiqi was also worried about her grandfather's safety. So it was time to go home.
Volume 2 [331] Making Clothes
Several days have passed, and Su Xiaosu has long since returned to Beijing. Major Wang personally escorted her, which reassured Zhao Qiang considerably. The target wasn't her, so she should be fine in Beijing.
Yang Shiqi made a phone call and was picked up by a helicopter. Unlike the usual tearful farewells, the two didn't exchange any tearful goodbyes. Yang Shiqi waved, and Zhao Qiang waved back. They parted ways. The remaining issues of the Golden Pavilion shooting incident would naturally be handled by others; Zhao Qiang didn't need to worry about them.
Xu Xiaoya and the others were unaware of what had happened in Hedian District. Even if they had heard some inside information, they didn't consider that Zhao Qiang had been attacked. So when Zhao Qiang returned to the repair shop, she joked, "Had enough fun? You haven't turned on your computer these past few days. I thought you eloped with some girl."
Zhao Qiang chuckled and plopped down in his executive chair. "My phone's broken. Could you get me a new SIM card later?"
Xu Xiaoya made a phone call. She'd been incredibly busy lately, so she'd hired two more assistants. Minor matters like replacing a SIM card didn't need her to handle them personally; her assistants would go to the mobile company to take care of it when they received the call.
"By the way, Xiaoqiang, Sister Yiyi has contacted you several times. Could you call her back? I think you promised to provide her with new clothing design sketches. Don't let Sister Yiyi down."
Zhao Qiang grabbed the landline on his desk. "Okay, I'll call right away and send it to her online in a bit."
Xu Xiaoya said, "I'm going to Haifeng Group. Just grab something to eat for lunch, and come to my place for dinner."
Zhao Qiang said, "Okay, you go ahead and do your work. Call me again after you get off work tonight."
Xu Xiaoya left, and Liu Yiyi answered the phone. Zhao Qiang felt a little embarrassed; he hadn't kept his promise and had made Liu Yiyi wait for so many days, which was really excessive. "Sister Yiyi, it's me, Zhao Qiang. My phone is broken. I'll get a new one this afternoon. Can you access the internet? I'll send you the design drawings."
Liu Yiyi didn't say anything else, "I miss Xiaowei. Are you at the company?... Okay, I'll be there in a bit. Wait for me."
After hanging up the phone, Zhao Qiang said to Xiao Wei, who was charging her phone on the table, "You see, she's thinking about you."
Xiao Wei chuckled: "Brother, are you jealous?"
Zhao Qiang slapped his forehead: "Jealous? You tell me what to do first. If Su Xiaosu and Xu Xiaoya appear in front of me at the same time one day, it will be like Mars colliding with Earth! And Hu Qian, what if one day she suddenly decides to tell Xu Xiaoya about what happened between me and her? Guess what will happen?"
Xiao Wei thought for a moment: "Your office will get smashed up."
The phone rang suddenly after he had just hung up. Only a handful of people knew this landline number. Zhao Qiang answered immediately, and it was Luo Xiaowei's voice: "Xiaoqiang, you're back?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Yes, how have you been these past few days?"
Luo Xiaowei said, "Yes, Haifeng Group's business is getting on track, and the new production line is being installed gradually. I think we can start production next month. At that time, all the electrical appliances will be integrated with our intelligent voice control system, and it will definitely be a hit."
Zhao Qiang said, "That's good. Don't overwork yourself; rest when you need to."
Luo Xiaowei said, "I will. I'll cook lunch for you. These past few days, while you've been away, Xiaoya and I have been just grabbing a quick bite in the office."
Zhao Qiang said, "Since things aren't easy over there either, there's no need to travel back and forth. The city gets congested during rush hour. Let's go to Xiaoya's house for a big meal tonight to celebrate."
Luo Xiaowei cheerfully replied, "Okay, I'll go talk to Sister Xiaoya about it."
The phone rang again as soon as he hung up. He figured the caller had been waiting a long time online, so Zhao Qiang answered immediately. It was Hu Qian; it could only be her, since everyone else had already called.
"How did it go?" Hu Qian asked as her first question.
Zhao Qiang was somewhat confused. No one would know if he went to the primeval forest and fought with foreigners, right? If he told them, he was afraid they would worry and be scared, and wouldn't let him go anywhere in the future. So Zhao Qiang couldn't say anything. He asked, "What do you mean, how?"
Hu Qian said, "Yang Shiqi, I heard you were attacked by gunfire in Hedian District. I couldn't get through to you on the phone afterward. What happened?"
Zhao Qiang said, "It's nothing serious, but you need to be careful these next few days. Someone has their eye on our high-tech equipment. This matter has been temporarily resolved, but who knows if someone else will try to target us again?"
Hu Qian hummed in agreement: "Okay, what are we doing tonight?"
Zhao Qiang was a little embarrassed, "Let's go to Xu Xiaoya's house."
Hu Qian was a little disappointed. "Oh, never mind then. What about lunchtime?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Come over here, let's have lunch together."
Hu Qian's voice immediately filled with excitement, "Okay, I'll be there in ten minutes."
Hu Qian hadn't arrived yet, but Liu Yiyi had. As soon as she entered, she called out, "Where's Xiao Wei? I miss her!"
The "Xiao Wei" Liu Yiyi mentioned wasn't Luo Xiaowei, but rather the one hidden in the notebook. The two became good friends in the provincial capital. Zhao Qiang pointed to the notebook on the table: "It's here."
Liu Yiyi picked up her notebook and said, "Let's talk inside. You can continue with your work."
Zhao Qiang was sweating profusely. "Sister Yiyi, aren't you going to ask me how I've been these past few days?"
Liu Yiyi gave Zhao Qiang a serious look: "You've lost weight? Are you on a diet?" Only when she said this did Liu Yiyi resemble her usual mature and sophisticated self; when she first entered, she seemed like a child, which was completely out of character for her age.
Zhao Qiang felt that being ignored by the beautiful woman was a major failure in his life. He waved his hand and said, "You two go inside and talk. Hu Qian will be here soon." After all, Hu Qian didn't know that Xiao Wei existed.
Liu Yiyi had just entered Xu Xiaoya's room with her notebook when Hu Qian followed closely behind. Before she could say anything, Zhao Qiang pulled her into his workspace, which led directly to his bedroom. Hu Qian understood what was about to happen, and with a shy smile, she clung to Zhao Qiang's arm before locking the door behind her.
Some time later, Zhao Qiang reached for the digital watch on the bedside table, checked the time—it was almost eleven o'clock. No wonder people say night is too short; it's true.
Hu Qian peeked out from Zhao Qiang's embrace. "What's wrong? Did something happen at noon?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Liu Yiyi is in Xiaoya's room."
Hu Qian was startled: "Why didn't you tell me!"
Zhao Qiang said, "What are you afraid of? My room is soundproof."
Hu Qian hurriedly got up and started rummaging through her clothes: "But it would be so embarrassing if she saw me like this!"
Zhao Qiang watched as Hu Qian's large, full breasts jiggled with her movements and chuckled, "Pretty good."
Hu Qian tapped Zhao Qiang on the head: "You good-for-nothing, my foot! Why didn't you answer when I asked you? How's Yang Shiqi?"
Zhao Qiang said, "You should have figured it out by now. You'll see how she's changed later."
Hu Qian suddenly stopped dressing, letting Zhao Qiang's hand touch her chest, and said, "You know everything?" Because Zhao Qiang usually spoke of Yang Shiqi in a very calm tone, but this time he seemed somewhat shy, which was unusual.
Zhao Qiang pretended not to understand: "What do you know?"
Hu Qian said, "You two have been gone for so long, I think you should have been in bed together by now. Don't tell me you've already done everything you should have done."
Zhao Qiang said, "I didn't do a single thing I shouldn't have."
Hu Qian asked, "How does she compare to me?"
Zhao Qiang said, "They're not even in the same league."
Hu Qian chuckled: "I never imagined anything would happen between you two, because she doesn't like men."
Zhao Qiang said, "Actually, it's not what you think. There's nothing between us." Although Yang Shiqi showed a strong dependence and feminine tenderness towards Zhao Qiang in the primeval forest, Zhao Qiang didn't believe their relationship had developed to the level Hu Qian described. Perhaps changes in the external environment would cause Yang Shiqi to revert to her original personality.
Hu Qian was skeptical: "Really?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Really? Should I have her go to the hospital and get a certificate for you to see?"
Hu Qian touched Zhao Qiang's face and said, "I believe you. Besides, that's what I've been hoping for. With her joining us, our strength will grow again. I think you have a way to help her take complete control of the Yang family, just like with Luo Xiaowei."
Zhao Qiang said, "I haven't thought about that yet."
Hu Qian said, "It will happen. Everything takes time, and you're already on board."
Zhao Qiang came out of the bedroom first. Liu Yiyi was already sitting at his desk, looking through the design drawings she had brought. Seeing Zhao Qiang come out, she stood up and said, "Finished working?" Although Liu Yiyi knew Hu Qian was coming, the rooms were very well partitioned, so she assumed Zhao Qiang and Hu Qian were working in the studio. Based on past experience, no one would disturb Zhao Qiang while he was working.
Zhao Qiang nodded. "How is it?"
Liu Yiyi said, "I think the dozen or so outfits Xiaowei showed me all have great promotional value. Take a look, and if you decide on one, we can produce a batch first and then start promoting it."
Zhao Qiang glanced at the clothing styles on the screen and said, "With my taste, any piece of cloth will do, so I can't offer many suggestions. As long as Xiaowei says it's okay, then it's fine. As for the promotional funds, don't worry, Xiaoya has already prepared them. Several hundred million is no problem. We'll strive to make Yiyi Fashion a hit from the start. Making money isn't the main thing; we must make an impression on people. It would be a waste of your talent if you didn't wear Yiyi Fashion's clothes."
Liu Yiyi chuckled: "Is it as serious as you make it out to be?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Actually, isn't everything just hype? We have a strong advantage in terms of networks and capital; if we don't succeed, it's a waste. Also, I'll have Xiaowei design a dozen or so more high-end garments. Try showcasing them in the European market. If there's a good response, we'll continue. Of course, the factory's production environment and worker quality must keep up. If the initial funding is insufficient, just name your needs. In my opinion, if any process can be done manually, replace the machines. If you can use gold scissors, don't use silver scissors; if you can use gold thread, don't use silver thread. This is about our brand image. Don't approach business development with a wasteful mindset. We're not afraid of waste; we'll go for the most extravagant possible."
Liu Yiyi said, "I understand. If there's nothing else, I'll go back to work now and come see Xiaowei again in a few days."
Zhao Qiang said, "Let's have a meal together."
Liu Yiyi smiled and stood up: "No, your work isn't easy either. I'll treat you to a meal after the clothes are finished and the brand becomes well-known. It'll also be a way of repaying your life-saving grace."
Zhao Qiang said, "That's great!"
With Liu Yiyi gone, Hu Qian was able to leave Zhao Qiang's bedroom without any trouble. Otherwise, she was afraid she wouldn't have the face to see Liu Yiyi. Her face was still flushed, and if Xu Xiaoya came back and saw her, she would be furious. Such blatant promiscuity in broad daylight was a serious disregard for her authority.
Hu Qian had lunch with Zhao Qiang, and in the afternoon Zhao Qiang voluntarily reported to school. He had been missing for several days, and if she didn't go to check on him soon, the teachers might get angry.
Volume 2 [332] Master's Wife
The lab had made remarkable progress in the past few days, so Zhang Zhen was very happy and became especially enthusiastic towards his junior colleagues. When he met Zhao Qiang in the disinfection room where they changed protective suits, he took the initiative to greet him first: "Junior, why are you skipping class again?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Something came up at home, and the teacher contacted me?"
Li Tianwen said, "No, the teacher is away at a meeting these past few days, otherwise you'd be in big trouble."
Zhao Qiang chuckled. Professor Gu wouldn't do anything to him; in fact, he'd have to thank Professor Gu if he were to be expelled. Han Chao said, "Junior brother, it's a real shame you haven't been here these past few days. Our senior brother is dating someone."
Zhao Qiang asked in confusion, "Didn't the teachers say that dating was forbidden? What, has that rule been abolished now?"
Li Tianwen joked with Zhao Qiang, "You're not planning to bring a girlfriend tomorrow, are you?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Yes, one won't do; we need at least two."
Han Chao explained, "It's not what you think. The teacher's rules still apply, but exceptions can be made with special permission. Otherwise, how could you expect our senior brother to be a bachelor at 32? That's unreasonable, and the teacher isn't unreasonable either."
Zhao Qiang thought to himself, "That makes sense. Even if Professor Gu is rigid, he can't stop someone from having children. Researchers aren't exactly outgoing, so finding a partner is especially difficult. And as they get older, they don't have much money left, which is really troublesome."
Seeing them changing clothes, Zhao Qiang asked, "Aren't we doing the experiment this afternoon?"