This was a last resort, because he couldn't be sure who the two people who put Tang Jing in the car were, or whether they had really kidnapped Tang Jing. If he couldn't be sure, he really couldn't bring himself to call the police.
As they approached the intersection of Zhongguancun North Street, Xu Zhengyang and Chen Chaojiang spotted the black Buick sedan about seven or eight cars away. Judging from its turn signal, it was about to turn right. Xu Zhengyang breathed a sigh of relief; at least they hadn't lost it.
The red light turned green, and vehicles began to emerge one after another. Chen Chaojiang, with a stern expression, drove his car to follow, with about three or four cars between them.
Xu Zhengyang initially considered summoning the ghosts of Su Peng or Wang Yonggan immediately to have the two ghost messengers assist in rescuing Tang Jing, but after thinking about it, he held back, as he couldn't yet confirm that Tang Jing had indeed been kidnapped. Just then, his phone rang; Zhan Xiaohui was calling again.
"Sir, have you eaten yet?"
"Um."
Did you receive the address I sent you?
"Received it. I have some things to take care of right now, I'll go over later."
"Oh, okay, sure." Zhan Xiaohui hesitated for a moment, but ultimately didn't say anything and hung up.
Following the black Buick sedan at a leisurely pace, we drove from Zhongguancun North Road out of the Fifth Ring Road to Xinxi Road, and then drove north for more than ten kilometers before turning left onto Malianwa Road.
Chen Chaojiang suddenly said, "We've been discovered."
"Okay, keep up." Xu Zhengyang nodded, his expression remaining calm.
After driving north on Yongfeng Road for a while, a black Buick sedan ahead turned left onto a seemingly secluded side road. Chen Chaojiang drove straight through the intersection without any hesitation.
The Audi A4 pulled over to the side of the road, and Chen Chaojiang said, "You wait here, I'll go across the street to get a taxi, and I'll call you if I get any news."
Xu Zhengyang thought for a moment and said, "No need, follow them and force the car to stop."
Chen Chaojiang paused for only a moment, without saying a word, before immediately turning around and driving toward the intersection amidst the blaring of his horn. He sped off, quickly reaching the intersection, turning right, and accelerating to catch up.
After chasing for about two kilometers, the black Buick sedan was long gone. On both sides of the road, besides some restaurants and shops, there were also some factories or houses of local residents. Further out, you could see some lush green wheat fields. It was hard to tell whether the wheat fields surrounded the factories or the houses surrounded the wheat fields.
Chen Chaojiang stopped the car and turned to look at Xu Zhengyang.
Xu Zhengyang frowned, pondering what to do next. His gaze inadvertently drifted to the rearview mirror, where he saw a man dressed in ordinary mechanic's clothes looking in his direction for a few moments before retreating back into the repair shop.
Xu Zhengyang thought for a moment. In a flash, he summoned the ghost messenger Su Peng and asked him to go and investigate first. He lit a cigarette, squinted, and took a deep drag. The smoke drifted out through the window that had been slightly ajar.
After a while, Xu Zhengyang said calmly, "Turn around, that repair shop! Drive straight in."
“They might have guns,” Chen Chaojiang warned.
Xu Zhengyang said with a smile, "Go ahead, it's alright."
Chen Chaojiang stopped talking, turned his car around, and drove back. When he reached the entrance of the repair shop, he turned back again and drove slowly into the shop, as if his vehicle had run into some trouble and needed repairs.
Upon entering the repair shop, the two immediately spotted the black Buick sedan parked in front of the two-story building in the backyard.
"Drive over there and stop," Xu Zhengyang said calmly, without a trace of tension.
Chen Chaojiang parked his car next to the black Buick sedan as instructed. In the courtyard of the repair shop, several mechanics who were repairing vehicles glanced over a few times, but then stopped paying attention to them.
The two got out of the car and walked into the building.
As soon as they entered the building, they encountered the man who had been with Tang Jing earlier.
The man stopped the two and asked, "Who are you? What do you want?"
"I'm looking for Tang Jing," Xu Zhengyang said calmly, determined that if the other party refused to admit that Tang Jing was here, he would have Su Peng immediately check each room.
Unexpectedly, the other party nodded with a slight doubt and said, "Oh, you are his friend?"
Xu Zhengyang nodded.
"Alright, please come with me." The man didn't seem to suspect anything, and his expression showed no sign of guilt, as if they hadn't done anything wrong at all.
Xu Zhengyang didn't seem worried or afraid. He smiled and followed the man upstairs. Although Chen Chaojiang was a little slow to react, he still quickly walked up to Xu Zhengyang.
Does high skill breed daring?
When they reached the door of an office, the man pushed it open and gestured for the two to go inside.
Chen Chaojiang turned to look at Xu Zhengyang, only to see Xu Zhengyang frown, then a cold smile appeared on his face as he said lightly, "Go tell Boss Tang, if Master Gu or Yao Chushun were to come today, would he also invite them in this way?"
The man paused slightly, then turned to look inside the house.
After a two-second pause, clapping sounds came from inside the room, followed by hearty laughter: "How about that, Lao Hu? I told you Master Gu wasn't bragging. This young man is no ordinary person!"
As they were talking, two middle-aged men in their forties came out of the house. One of them was none other than Tang Jing, the smiling "Jade Hands of the Capital," and the other was Hu Bayi, the "Smiling Buddha," whom Xu Zhengyang had met briefly when the new Gu Xiang Xuan restaurant opened. Tang Jing stepped forward apologetically, extended his hand, and said with a smile, "Mr. Xu, I'm sorry."
"Young man, you are indeed highly skilled and daring. I, Old Hu, admire you greatly!" said Hu Bayi, the Smiling Buddha, with a cheerful smile.
Xu Zhengyang said, slightly annoyed, "Boss Tang, this isn't fair. Even elementary school students have the story of 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf' in their textbooks. Aren't you afraid something might happen in the future?"
"Haha, I'm so sorry, it's all Lao Hu's fault. He had to make a bet with me after seeing you." Tang Jing held Xu Zhengyang's hand and walked into the house.
Hu Bayi smiled as he walked and said, "I don't know where you got the idea that something's wrong?"
Chen Chaojiang followed behind with a cold expression, his icy eyes devoid of any warmth, though he felt a slight annoyance and surprise in his heart.
"Please, bosses, you clearly know you're being followed, yet you're not afraid to call the police? This is Beijing!" Xu Zhengyang said with a wry smile.
The two men paused for a moment, then burst into laughter, wondering if Xu Zhengyang would really dare to venture into the lion's den alone based on such suspicion? Or... was he so confident in his judgment? Or were they just putting on a convincing act? It was truly unbelievable.
Volume 4, City God Chapter 151: First Arrival at the Branch Company
In Xu Zhengyang's opinion, Hu Bayi and Tang Jing were simply bored out of their minds, which is why they came up with such an infuriating "kidnapping and abduction" scene.
Do you really think everyone is as idle as you are, with nothing to do all day?
Although slightly annoyed, Xu Zhengyang didn't take it too seriously, since the two meant no harm and were just making a small joke. Hu Bayi and Tang Jing initially didn't quite believe the boasts of Master Gu and Yao Chushun about Xu Zhengyang's abilities, let alone Yao Chushun's claim that Xu Zhengyang had risen from nothing to become the owner of Gu Xiangxuan and the true behind-the-scenes boss of a logistics company in less than six months.
After all, Xu Zhengyang is only twenty-two years old after the New Year, which is very young.
Tang Jing and Hu Bayi were somewhat surprised that Gu Ye Yao Chushun could praise them so willingly and even seem to respect them.
So, by chance, they met Xu Zhengyang today, and the two of them discussed it briefly and directed this play.
As it turned out, Xu Zhengyang was indeed a very loyal, courageous, and "clever" young man. At least in such a clearly dangerous kidnapping and abduction case, he dared to follow the perpetrator all the way—who else could do that? Moreover, Xu Zhengyang and Tang Jing didn't really have a deep relationship. Therefore, Hu Bayi and Tang Jing were inwardly impressed; this young man was indeed remarkable, but… he was far too confident. He dared not call the police based solely on his judgment and guesswork.
Xu Zhengyang was unaware of their thoughts, nor did he need to know. He had heard Master Gu mention these two men; they were renowned figures in the antique world, and also among the most idle.
Tang Jing, the "Jade Hand" of the capital, was a complete playboy in his youth, and even in his later years, he was still considered by some to be a good-for-nothing. Instead of managing and developing his family's large business, he became obsessed with antiques, especially jade. Relying on his shares in the family business group, he reaped dividends year after year, making him a far more adept absentee manager than Xu Zhengyang.
Hu Bayi, on the other hand, is a legendary figure. He was arguably the most successful person to operate in the shady dealings of the antique industry, and the only one to ultimately leave with a clean slate. After retiring from the trade, he lived a carefree life thanks to his vast wealth. In Beijing, he opened several Volkswagen and Audi service stations through connections, and then became a hands-off owner…
This made Xu Zhengyang feel like he had found his tribe after he first learned about the two men's relationship.
Perhaps it was this shared "interest" that allowed Tang Jing and Hu Bayi to get along so well and become good friends?
In fact, Xu Zhengyang was just as bad as the two of them in this respect. He was inwardly cursing them, but outwardly he was chatting with them warmly about all sorts of random things.
During their brief chat, Tang Jing and Hu Bayi grew increasingly surprised. From their conversation, they could tell that Xu Zhengyang was a complete novice when it came to antiques, knowing absolutely nothing about rolling pins or blowing on fire. Moreover, Xu Zhengyang seemed completely unconcerned about this, being so frank that it bordered on nonchalant, yet it didn't evoke any contempt or disdain. Instead, it made them feel that this young man possessed a rare magnanimity and open-mindedness.
That's strange...
Finally, Xu Zhengyang said casually, as if he were talking to an old friend, "I'd like to say that as your uncle, the big boss, Zhengyang's logistics company has just opened a branch in Beijing. Beijing is a vast city, full of powerful and influential people. I'll have to rely on you two for help in the future."
"Hmm, no problem! Just let us know if you need anything. We'll help without hesitation, haha." Tang Jing said with a smile, "It's a bit of a shame that your boss, Mr. Xu, calls you 'uncle'."
"Of course, if we were to become sworn brothers, you two would be young and have a huge advantage, while I would be at a disadvantage. I don't want to get old so quickly," Xu Zhengyang joked casually, but he was also surprised. Hmm, it had been a while since he had said these words. He still remembered when they were exchanging millet, he was most skilled at making these kinds of amusing jokes without ever being annoying when he was bargaining and arguing with the women from the surrounding villages.
Hu Bayi grinned from ear to ear and nodded hurriedly, saying, "If you need anything in the future, just ask your Uncle Tang. He's so bored all day that he can't find anything to do."
"You were the one who suggested this today," Tang Jing said with a smile, shifting the blame back onto Hu Bayi.
Xu Zhengyang smiled and chatted with the two for a few more minutes before getting up to take his leave.
Xu Zhengyang had mentioned earlier, with a hint of complaint, that he had other things to do, so Tang Jing and Hu Bayi didn't try to keep him any longer. They simply smiled and said they would definitely make time to sit with the two of them, and then got up to see Xu Zhengyang and Chen Chaojiang off.
Outside the repair shop, watching the white Audi A4 drive away, Tang Jing laughed and said, "Looks like we're getting old."
"Not old at all. Talking with Xu Zhengyang, I actually feel younger than him, haha." Hu Bayi had a relaxed and contented expression on his face.
Tang Jing nodded, then suddenly said, "By the way, Chen Chaojiang, who was with Xu Zhengyang earlier, is a very strange young man. I heard from Master Gu that he's quite a fighter..."
"Well, but what Master Gu said is a bit of an exaggeration. He actually said that this kid can fight Meng Kui. I absolutely don't believe it. Although he is young and strong, when it comes to skill, he is far from it." Hu Bayi said with a smile and shook his head.
"It's just a sparring match. It doesn't mean he can win. Besides, when Master Gu praised Xu Zhengyang, neither of us really believed it," Tang Jing reminded him with a smile.
Hu Bayi paused for a moment, then smiled wryly and said, "It seems that the Fuhe River area is truly a place of outstanding people and beautiful scenery."
"This young man, Chen Chaojiang, is a bit cunning. He reminded me of someone who looks quite like him..."
"Guan Changge?"
Tang Jing smiled and nodded.
"No way, what kind of person is Guan Changge? Look at Chen Chaojiang, he's completely willing to be Xu Zhengyang's subordinate." Hu Bayi shook his head with a smile, then said, "If Chen Chaojiang were really like Guan Changge, do you think we would all be too ashamed to lift our heads in front of Xu Zhengyang?"
"A tall tree catches the wind, but what's rare is that Xu Zhengyang is so young yet has such a broad mind and magnanimity."
“That’s called simplicity. After living most of your life, it’s hard to go back and find that simple feeling again.” Hu Bayi chuckled and turned to walk back, saying with a smile, “Hey, as your uncle, you can’t embarrass Xu Zhengyang. If your subordinate companies in Beijing have any logistics needs, give them to him.”
Tang Jing laughed and said, "You know perfectly well that I'm too lazy to deal with these things."
...
The Audi A4 drove onto the West Fifth Ring Road and headed towards the South Fifth Ring Road.
Xu Zhengyang sat in the back seat, his eyes half-closed as if he were dozing off. Su Peng's ghost had already sent him back to the territory of Fuhe City.
Even before coming to the capital, Xu Zhengyang had considered bringing the ghost messengers Su Peng and Wang Yonggan, but after careful consideration, he abandoned the idea. After all, although he was now the City God, he only had these two ghost messengers under his command. Su Peng, whom he trusted, was to perform his duties as a ghost messenger within the Fuhe River region to accumulate merit and increase Xu Zhengyang's faith. Most importantly, Xu Zhengyang didn't want Su Peng's ghost to be too involved in his mortal life. Thinking back to how he had let Cheng Jinchang and Cui Yao know about his mortal identity and certain matters, he felt some regret, although… the reborn Zhan Xiaohui and Deng Wenjing had indeed been a great help, providing Xu Zhengyang with a so-called company and more legitimate sources of income.
Putting that aside, Xu Zhengyang believed that unless some particularly dangerous or unexpected situation occurred, with his current skills and the super-abnormal Chen Chaojiang protecting him, his safety would not be a problem.
Moreover, although he was thousands of miles away from Fuhe City and the City God's supernatural powers were limited due to his location in another place, summoning the ghost messenger Su Peng was just a matter of seconds.
The capital city is a treacherous place, and supernatural events frequently occur to him, a country bumpkin who has plunged headlong into this place. It's inevitable that some issues will arise. The supernatural events used to accumulate merit and strengthen faith should be kept away from him, or at least not in the eyes of ordinary people.
It's not that I'm afraid, but I want to avoid getting into unnecessary trouble. The suspicion that Li Bingjie's family has about me is a lesson from the past.
As for the ghost messenger Wang Yonggan, who hadn't yet been officially appointed, Xu Zhengyang felt it necessary to take some time to visit the underworld and let this guy taste the bitterness of the River of Three Crossings. Only then would he be truly terrified, submissive, and dare not act recklessly or show any resistance, thus ensuring Wang Yonggan's peaceful service. Xu Zhengyang didn't believe that a few beatings would make this wicked, shameless, and heartless fellow obedient. Who knew if he might take the opportunity to sabotage things and seek revenge when Xu Zhengyang granted him authority to do something?
If you wait until he creates an uncontrollable situation and then beat him up, even if you shatter his soul, what good will it do?
So now, the shameless and scoundrel Wang Yonggan is following Su Peng around, learning the skills of a ghost messenger, and getting brutally beaten whenever Su Peng is in a good or bad mood.
Zhan Xiaohui had previously sent a text message with the branch office's address and directions clearly, so there was no need to call him again. Exit at the Falang exit on the South Fifth Ring Road and drive east on Jingfang Road for about three kilometers. On the right side of the road, a courtyard occupying no more than two acres is Jinghui Logistics Company's Beijing branch.
The branch office's main gate faces north, against the west wall of the courtyard, less than ten meters from Jingfang Road. A company sign hangs above it, bearing the name "Jinghui Logistics Company." Below the large characters are smaller print: "Dedicated routes to Beijing, Hedong Provincial Capital, and Fuhe City," along with the smaller words "Accepting full truckload and less-than-truckload services nationwide," and a phone number. The branch office is quite small; it doesn't have the large courtyard and brand-new office buildings and warehouses one might expect from a larger Jinghui Logistics company in Fuhe City. The north side of the courtyard has a row of ordinary single-story buildings serving as offices, while the south and east rows are open-plan warehouses constructed of corrugated steel sheets, with cement storage platforms. The west side is the courtyard wall, with the main gate adjacent to it.
Across the street is a large parking lot, which houses more than a hundred logistics companies, freight companies, freight forwarding agencies, and warehouses of all sizes.
After briefly stopping by the roadside and casually looking around, Xu Zhengyang had Chen Chaojiang drive into the branch company's compound.
Two large vans were parked in front of the warehouse on the west side of the courtyard, and a smaller van was parked in front of the warehouse platform on the south side, where two workers were loading goods. In front of several offices on the south side, a white van and three cars were parked, including Zhan Xiaohui's black Passat.