With Lu Zhixin’s personality and principles, Xu Tingsheng knew that probably nothing he said now could work. Still, he turned to look at her, saying in a low, usual tone as if only the two of them were present, “Zhixin.”
Calling her name was equivalent to asking her.
Lu Zhixin expressionlessly stood up from her seat. Even though she was expressionless, the current her looked colder and more aloof than the Lu Zhixin from the stands.
Many people felt that it was a good thing that Lu Zhixin had met Xu Tingsheng. They all felt that Xu Tingsheng had given her a stage to realise her dreams. Lu Zhixin herself felt this way too, in fact.
Behind the scenes, unbeknownst to others, Xu Tingsheng had even enabled her to save her father.
Yet, it might not be the case that a powerless Lu Zhixin would not be more well off, if she had hypothetically never met that person called Xu Tingsheng.
Still, she had met him. She had once ingested alcohol to the point of internal bleeding for him. There had been times where he had planned and she had implemented. There had been times where she had helped him to do things he could not do...she would be dissatisfied with him before, wanting to change him. Still, in hindsight, she found she was actually very happy.
At the end of the day, of the two of them, one wanted to retain those days where they worked hard together, youthful days of passion and spirit. The other had actually aspired elsewhere from the start.
The one who had tried to get the other to stay had used a wrong method. Still, this did not change the fact that she was ultimately still that Lu Zhixin on the stands, he the Xu Tingsheng in her heart.
The way this girl loved was just like her manner of doing things, akin to the sharpest blade. She had thought of making him lose everything, returning to her side to apologise. She thought that she did not care about the fate of others at all, so long as he was okay.
“Sorry, I’m only being impartial,” Lu Zhixin got up and grabbed her bag, saying, “I’ll be returning to Yanzhou first.”
Some had ridden in her car when they had come. There probably would not be anybody on the return journey.
“Big Sis Zhixin, can you please not get people to arrest him?” Xiang Ning cried.
“Don’t be like this, Zhixin…” Apple, Yu Qing, Fang Chen said.
“Lu Zhixin.”
“Boss Lu.”
Whoever it was, Lu Zhixin ignored them all as she strode away calmly.
This was already not a matter of profits and feelings. As many people saw it, her very morals were being called into question as she was shameless to the extreme.
“Bitch! Backstabber.”
It was unknown who spat the first glob of saliva. Hiding in the crowd, someone threw a bunch of noodles at her. Following that, someone threw a prawn, and others more things...this wedding banquet suddenly turned into the public shaming of a villain.
Those policemen called for them to stop but to no avail. This was not violence, and the law could not stand up against the outrage of the masses.
Lu Zhixin’s white blouse and hair were filled with filth. She did not wipe it off, did not even glance at Xu Tingsheng as she simply left just like that.
One could only imagine how after she had returned to Yanzhou, Old Wai would flaunt his seniority and kick up a mess in the company, as well as what sort of gossip, rebukes and disdain she would face on campus...still, Lu Zhixin would definitely not explain herself to anybody whatsoever. It did not matter even if Xu Tingsheng ultimately rejected what she one-sidedly had done for him.
After learning of the fate of the Fang family’s third generation and asking someone to verify the Fang family’s situation and opponents, Lu Zhixin had only had one thought on her mind-she could not let Xu Tingsheng be dragged down together to share the Fang family’s sad fate.
……
Lu Zhixin got into a lift. The door closed.
The door of the other lift opened. Those who emerged were again policemen.
“Let’s go, Mister Xu.”
After the mess that had just occurred at the wedding banquet, the policemen spoke a bit more genially and did not whip out handcuffs on the spot. It might be that they were being careful not to incur the animosity of the masses.
Whatever the case, it was impossible to openly enact violence against the country’s enforcers. It seemed that there was no helping it then. Xu Tingsheng turned, wanting to have a few words with Xiang Ning. Amidst many varying emotions, the one that stood out most was fear that Xiang Ning might be badly startled by what was happening to him.
“Xiang Ning…”
“Sob.”
“Don’t be scared. In a few days…”
He had just started speaking when the other batch of policemen walked in and asked, “Who is Xu Tingsheng?”
It was just that they next asked for another person as well, Fang Yuqing.
“I don’t want to have my importance highlighted by being simultaneously arrested by two batch of policemen! It’s not like this is the world of pirates, wherein having a bounty is an honour,” Xu Tingsheng felt so lost.
Right, this batch of policemen was here for him too. The reason was that Ning Garden was now being officially investigated for bribery and internal deals. As a result, Zhicheng’s boss, Fang Yuqing, as well as Zhicheng’s largest shareholder, Xu Tingsheng, were being arrested to cooperate with the investigation.
Then, the two batches of policemen began to chat. Oh, let’s communicate. Probably, maybe...I think we should arrest him. No, I think we should do it. We came first. We’re from the province. How about one each? No. What’re you showing off for? At least give me one…
This batch of policemen, almost certainly, was the handiwork of the Ling and Xiao families. If this was a contest between Xu Tingsheng and Ling Xiao, in this conflict between the families thus far, Ling Xiao had already reeled in her scheme yet had failed to succeed in a single go. With that, the rhythm was actually being grasped by Xu Tingsheng.
After basically grasping the bottom line and reservations of the Ling and Xiao families, there were now more choices available to him.
Therefore, Ling Xiao’s first countermeasure was to incapacitate them, not just Fang Yuqing but Xu Tingsheng as well. First, this was to disrupt Xu Tingsheng’s rhythm and plan. Even though she did not know what he would do next, not letting it go his way was definitely correct. Next, this would also cause a lull in the incident. Since she did not have a next step, pressing the ‘pause’ button would simply suffice…
Third?
Xu Tingsheng could only think of these sole two points for the time being. Ling Xiao? A headache-inducing woman indeed. It’s hard for women who are too clever to be happy. Accursed bitch...hurry up and go concentrate on giving birth already!
While the two batches of policemen were engaged in a discussion, Xu Tingsheng coaxed the crying Little Xiang Ning and reminded Du Jin to take good care of her.
Next was Fang Chen.
“Don’t do anything,” Xu Tingsheng instructed Fang Chen, “Whatever your understanding of the situation, don’t do anything at all.”
“I…”
Xu Tingsheng indicated to Tan Yao with his eyes, “Keep an eye on her.”
As expected, the officers of Yanzhou City did not prevail against those of the province in the end. Xu Tingsheng and Fang Yuqing were restricted by two policemen each, to be escorted away and imprisoned.
This was Fang Yuqing’s wedding night.
The entire event hall had already devolved into chaos: Yu Qing’s disheartened, grieving parents, the jabbering relatives and colleagues, the furious friends from Yanzhou, the weeping womenfolk.
Yu Qing did not cry.
“I’ll go to work at Zhicheng after this. I don’t know anything at all, but I’ll slowly learn,” When Zhicheng had been at its most glorious, despite Fang Yuqing’s and Xu Tingsheng’s multiple invitations, nothing had been able to make Yu Qing give up on her job in her hometown of Suzhou that paid 2000 yuan a month. Now, as Zhicheng was under assault and faltering, however, she was saying that she would go.
“I’ll wait for you,” She said.
While this was no joyful moment, many people inexplicably found themselves counting blessings for Fang Yuqing now: With a wife like this, what more could a man wish for?
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