Last night, Zhou Xuan and Zhang Lei drove the Maserati to the riverbank. After drinking, they didn't drive the car back but took a taxi. Zhou Xuan didn't really want the car; he just wanted to teach that rich kid a lesson. The bet was just something he was interested in, and he didn't care about the money at all.
In fact, after Zhou Xuan left, Manager Huang and the fat young master immediately notified the bank to report the two checks as lost. Zhou Xuan could not cash them at all. However, the next day, after the boss behind the scenes was furious, he quickly wrote new checks and had Manager Huang personally deliver them to Fu Yuanshan's desk. Of course, he had to say it very subtly, otherwise how could Fu Yuanshan recognize it?
Manager Huang knew that Zhou Xuan must be someone not to be trifled with, otherwise, even with such a powerful backer, he couldn't do anything and could only suffer in silence. He must be no ordinary person. But it was strange, how could Zhou Xuan drink so much alcohol?
Afterwards, they searched the scene carefully for a long time but still couldn't find any flaws. They had no choice but to accept the loss and dared not utter a sound. The boss behind the scenes had severely reprimanded him, telling him not to provoke this person again, and that the police report had to be withdrawn. He needed to handle the aftermath quietly, or else he would not be forgiven.
Manager Huang was quite submissive in front of his superiors, but in front of outsiders, he was a powerful and arrogant figure. He summoned the fat man and the rich young master, gave them a severe scolding, and then made them each hand over the money they had lost. The rich young master, in particular, had lost a full five million plus a Maserati. Seeing Manager Huang's anger, they didn't dare utter a word. Manager Huang had also mentioned that the person they had bet with last night had a powerful background in Beijing, which made the fat man and the rich young master even more afraid to say a word. They understood the implication: if someone like that were in charge, they could easily make them suffer a fate worse than death, lose everything, and become like beggars.
Zhou Xuan listened to Fu Yuanshan recount these events with a smile, finding it quite amusing. Fu Yuanshan then recounted the process of putting Manager Huang under pressure. For a high-ranking official like the Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, putting a businessman under pressure was a trivial matter.
Furthermore, Fu Yuanshan was the director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau and also the secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, holding supreme power over the public security, procuratorate, and judicial organs in Beijing. To be precise, he was the highest-level manager of businessmen like them, possessing unquestionable power of life and death over them. Manager Huang was sweating profusely in front of Fu Yuanshan, not daring to utter a sound. Despite his ruthless and ruthless behavior below, beating people to a pulp without batting an eye, he was like a mouse before a cat in front of Fu Yuanshan, trembling all over, almost wetting his pants.
Unfortunately, he was in Fu Yuanshan's office, and Fu Yuanshan didn't offer him a seat. After leaving Fu Yuanshan's office, his legs were so sore he could barely walk. When he got into Fu Yuanshan's car, the strong air conditioning made him shiver, and his back was soaked with cold sweat.
Hearing Fu Yuanshan recount these events, Zhou Xuan couldn't help but chuckle. After taking a few sips of tea, he replied, "Brother, I'm not actually that arrogant, but I was feeling a bit stifled yesterday, and after drinking some wine, I lost my temper."
Fu Yuanshan chuckled and said, "So be it. Those people aren't good people at all. I've just become the director of the municipal bureau, and my position isn't stable yet. It's not appropriate to take action now. Otherwise, I would definitely have removed these cancerous tumors."
At this point, Fu Yuanshan's expression turned stern. He stood up and paced around the office, deep in thought.
Volume 1, Chapter 581: Zhang Lei's Trap
Zhou Xuan would never interfere in Fu Yuanshan's internal affairs. Whatever actions Fu Yuanshan and Wei Haihe took were none of his business. He simply helped Fu Yuanshan with what he could.
After pacing around his office a few times, Fu Yuanshan sat back down on the sofa and slowly said, "This group of people are involved in organized crime, gambling, and prostitution. They can be said to be utterly wicked. It's just that they have powerful backers supporting them, so no one has dared to touch them. I didn't come to this position to sit around doing nothing. I can't pretend to turn a blind eye. I'm just calculating how much longer it will take before I can make my move!"
Seeing Zhou Xuan remain silent, Fu Yuanshan chuckled and said, "Don't let my expression affect you. Let's talk about something happier. Brother, this six million and this car are yours. Take them. This has nothing to do with me. He can't blame me. You won't leave any evidence if you take them. Anyway, you're not a real police officer, so there's no question of bribery. Besides, they wouldn't dare!"
Zhou Xuan shook his head and said, "I wasn't trying to win any money from them. These guys are all bad people, and I just wanted to teach them a lesson. I don't want the money or the car. I have no interest in using their dirty money!"
After thinking for a moment, he said, "Brother, how about this, I'll just donate it to your municipal bureau, okay?"
Fu Yuanshan chuckled and said, "That's great! Our department sounds impressive, but it's actually a low-paying one. What we lack is money. If you want to donate to us, I'll gladly accept it, hehehe!"
Fu Yuanshan knew that Zhou Xuan was not short of money, and this sum of money was indeed a hot potato for Fatty and the rich young master. Donating it to him was just right. By auctioning off the car, they could get nearly ten million yuan in cash, which could be used to add a set of high-tech equipment to the bureau for mobile signal capture and forensic identification. The bureau's equipment was already lagging behind that of advanced countries in the world.
Seeing Fu Yuanshan's delighted expression, Zhou Xuan immediately laughed and said, "Brother, if you want money, why didn't you tell me? Just say the word, and I'll give you a billion or two right away. I can come up with this much money!"
Fu Yuanshan was startled and quickly waved his hand in refusal, saying, "The bureau is short of money, but which unit isn't like that? What you got is their ill-gotten gains. I'll take it if I want it; I won't feel guilty. But I don't want your money. This unit is like a family. Every family has its own problems, flaws, shortcomings, and disputes. That's what makes a family. If everything goes my way, without any difficulties or worries, then I wouldn't last a year as an official. I'd become like a fool, my brain would rust!"
When Zhou Xuan heard what Fu Yuanshan said, he just smiled and let it go. Fu Yuanshan wouldn't be polite to him, and if there were any insurmountable difficulties, he naturally wouldn't stand idly by.
After thinking for a moment, Zhou Xuan took the Maserati car keys out of his pocket and handed them to Fu Yuanshan, saying, "Here are the Maserati keys. Take the car and the money; use them for important business. I'm going downstairs!"
As he spoke, he downed the cup of tea in front of him in one gulp. "Good tea is good tea, but Fu Yuanshan's tea-brewing skills are not very good. He is far inferior to the professional tea masters in antique shops. They are not even in the same league."
Once in the elevator, Zhou Xuan thought for a moment, "I'd better not go back to the office, so I don't feel embarrassed when I see Zhang Lei. Anyway, my work hours aren't restricted, so I'll just go out and wander around somewhere. I'll grab something to eat at lunchtime."
Zhou Xuan reached out and pressed the button on the first floor, then went straight down. Fu Yuanshan's office was on the top floor, and there was no one going up or down for several floors until the 10th floor when people started coming in and out.
When they reached the fourth floor, the elevator stopped again. It wasn't that someone was getting off, but rather that someone was getting on. Zhou Xuan didn't pay much attention, but when the elevator doors opened, he saw Zhang Lei's pretty face. She looked especially beautiful in her new uniform. There were several male police officers in the elevator, who greeted Zhang Lei with smiles: "Little Zhang, the elevator lights up as soon as you come in, no need for any lights!"
Zhang Lei smiled faintly and said, "You're joking, but some people do think I'm ugly!"
Who is it?
"Is he blind?"...
"Is this even possible?"...
A cacophony of voices erupted, but Zhang Lei merely sneered. Zhou Xuan remained silent in the corner of the elevator. Zhang Lei's tone was likely directed at him. Besides, he had intended to avoid her, yet he didn't know how she knew he had come downstairs at this time.
Upon reaching the first floor, only Zhou Xuan, Zhang Lei, and another male police officer remained in the elevator. As soon as the elevator doors opened, Zhang Lei stepped out first. The male police officer followed her for a few steps, wanting to talk to her, but Zhang Lei walked away with a cold face, leaving him feeling awkward.
Zhou Xuan deliberately kept some distance from her. When they reached the main gate, he quickened his pace and slipped out, but Zhang Lei followed closely behind. Only when they were about a hundred meters away from the Municipal Bureau and out of sight of the guards in the gatehouse did Zhang Lei stop and scold Zhou Xuan, "Where are you going?"
"Just taking a walk. I'm feeling stuffy in the office, so I'm going out for a stroll!" Zhou Xuan replied with a wry smile, pointing casually in a direction.
Zhang Lei snorted and then said, "Nobody would believe you. I think you're just trying to avoid me!"
After explaining the reasons to Zhang Lei, Zhou Xuan felt his face burning even more. What happened last night was something he couldn't bring himself to talk about. Zhang Lei was young, a single girl, and such things could tarnish her reputation; naturally, he couldn't speak carelessly about it. Although times had changed, unlike in the past, a girl who had done something like that wouldn't have been able to survive unless she married the man. Now, of course, things were different. Girls didn't know the meaning of fidelity. Of course, this only referred to a current phenomenon, not an absolute one; good girls still existed, but they were extremely rare.
"Hehe, why would I hide from you? I just want to go out for a walk. I'm just idling around in the office. You see, I'm just playing games to kill time. It wouldn't be good for other colleagues to see me like that!" Zhou Xuan explained while glancing left and right.
Zhang Lei's eyes darted around, but she wasn't angry. Her expression softened, and she said, "I'm hungry. Will you treat me to dinner?"
Zhou Xuan figured he couldn't get rid of her, so he readily agreed, "Okay then. Where do you want to eat? You find a place!" He thought to himself that, judging from her previous experiences, she was probably going to rip him off again and find him a high-end place. But money wasn't a problem for him, and he wouldn't feel bad about it.
Zhang Lei smiled and pointed ahead, saying, "Let's walk over there. There's a quiet Western restaurant not far ahead. It's a nice place, let's eat there. We have time now, so let's walk there and get some exercise!"
If she wants to get Zhou Xuan drunk and get him to talk, she can't directly ask him to buy her drinks now, lest she arouse his suspicion and wariness. If she just says she'll invite him to dinner, Zhou Xuan won't suspect anything.
As Zhang Lei walked, she thought about her next move. She ordered some drinks and alcohol casually while eating Western food, trying to do it unintentionally and without leaving a trace. Zhou Xuan wouldn't think so much. It seemed that Zhou Xuan's alcohol tolerance was extremely low. Last night, he only drank a few glasses of XO, probably less than half a jin, and he got completely drunk.
Zhou Xuan came to work in civilian clothes, not his imposing uniform, while Zhang Lei wore her new policewoman uniform, which showed off her figure and made her look imposing and beautiful, attracting the attention of passersby. Of course, this was mainly because Zhang Lei herself was extremely beautiful.
Zhou Xuan couldn't stand the envious and jealous looks from passersby. Besides, he and Zhang Lei weren't really in a relationship, so there was no need to complicate things further. He gradually and deliberately distanced himself from her.
Zhang Lei took a few steps and saw that Zhou Xuan was lagging behind, which was obviously intentional. She snorted and then stopped to wait for him. Zhou Xuan also stopped and deliberately looked around as if he was admiring the scenery.
Zhang Lei said coldly, "Oh, are you deliberately not walking with me? Am I too ugly?"
Zhou Xuan immediately felt embarrassed and said awkwardly, "How could that be? I'm just not used to walking. Where is the Western restaurant you mentioned? I haven't seen it yet. Why don't we take a car?"
"You've only walked a few steps, and you're already saying it's been a long time?" Zhang Lei couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. "If you don't want to treat me to this meal, then just walk by yourself. I won't bother you!"
After hearing this, Zhou Xuan became even more embarrassed to say that he wanted to leave her alone. Besides, the matter from last night had not been resolved yet. Although no one said it on the surface, who knew what Zhang Lei would think?