Chapter 200: Liang Chaosu Gets Married On The Spot
To the east of Qingxi Valley, the new second-generation ancient city development is seventy percent complete. Gray-white cement walls stand with rebar, and bamboo scaffolding is tied crisscross, covered by a large area of green protective netting.
He Jinian, wearing a red hard hat, was the first to rush out of the construction site, followed closely by a small team of managers and supervisors mixed with red and white hats.
Liancheng followed behind Liang Chaosu. His steps were large and his eyes sharp. The pebbles he stepped on were firmly pressed down.
Walking all the way, let alone Liancheng, even Xiao Da walking at the end, his pant legs were not splashed with even a drop of mud.
He Jinian saw them and walked to meet them. He was large and splashed mud everywhere. He deliberately and meticulously shortened his steps in front of Liang Chaosu, leaving his suit pants a mess.
Liang Chaosu took the hand he extended, and He Jinian intended to walk a separate path with him.
Liancheng looked up at the construction site. Xiao Da whispered, “The mountain road is dangerous, and the ambulance hasn’t arrived yet.”
“Thank you.” She didn’t slow her pace, but deliberately kept her distance from Liang Chaosu.
As she passed him, her peripheral vision caught He Jinian bowing his head and speaking in a low voice, obviously reporting.
For most executives who rise to the position of “General Manager,” being observant of their surroundings and aware of everything is a must. When many things begin to happen, they may have already heard rumors from the industry or their connections and dug up inside information.
For example, the environmental protection issue in Liu Li Village.
He Jinian was at a crucial point when he spoke, his voice barely audible. By the time Liancheng and Xiao Da reached the doorway, Xiao Da took away the waiting crowd, and he raised his voice again.
“The relevant departments… Bureau Chief Zhang of Culture and Tourism came forward… The village chief of Liu Li Village is Liu Lishan. He has a son and a daughter. The elder son passed the civil service exam and is now at the Weizhou Development and Reform Commission. The younger daughter’s studies were not successful, and she married into Nan Province. Her husband is a workshop director at Yuanneng, a subsidiary of our Liang Family company. He suddenly resigned half a month before the New Year, didn’t return to his own home, and has been living at Liu Lishan’s house ever since.”
Liang Chaosu walked to the construction site. For the last stretch, the two walked side-by-side, his pant legs and the tops of his shoes inevitably soaked in dark, muddy water.
He Jinian considered himself his confidant and understood his ways. He was indifferent to personal matters, but not to company business. There were white hats at the construction site, involving official supervision, so some things could not be said on the phone just now, nor could they be spoken openly in front of everyone later.
“We have already taken samples for the water source issue and sent them for testing. The results will be out this afternoon, but I suspect the results will not be good. Liu Li Village is too well-prepared on many issues. They have preparations in areas that are very professional and unimaginable to outsiders.”
“The attack on Professor Wang this time was something they were prepared for, but they appeared very frightened when blood was involved, as if it exceeded their expectations. We can actually use this as a breakthrough point.”
Liang Chaosu glanced in the direction of Liu Li Village, “First, check the water source. Send a copy of the sample test results back to Nan Province. There are outsiders in their village. You can focus on them as a breakthrough point.”
He Jinian led the way, walking around a pile of sand, “I thought the same thing.”
As they talked, they reached the construction site office. Through the window, Liancheng was comforting an elderly madam with a scholarly air.
He Jinian hesitated and gritted his teeth, “Director Liang, some things I shouldn’t say, but many of Old Director Liang’s methods and styles are evident in the Liu Li Village matter. Director Wang of Qingxi Valley, who proposed it at the board meeting, and the executive Liu Tongming, who spoke further, one is a loyal supporter of Old Director Liang, and the other is an elite cultivated by your Liang Family’s branch family. You…”
“I know.” Liang Chaosu’s voice was deep and stern, his eyes cold and sharp, exuding a powerful sense of control and pressure.
He Jinian’s advice, which prioritized career over romantic entanglements, gradually extinguished under his gaze and died in the womb.
After the New Year, an internal notice was issued to the senior management of the Liang Family: Liancheng was appointed as the chairman’s secretary at the Liang Family in a temporary position. The work previously handled by Su Chenghuai was relegated to the third secretary. Elder Fan Dazhi, Liang’s father, and Liancheng did not handle daily affairs.
What is worth pondering is that all the documents and materials for projects handled by Liang Chaosu in previous years were accessed by Liancheng.
Compared to the vague speculations of other senior executives about Liang Chaosu grooming Liancheng, He Jinian and a small group of confidants knew more.
The dispute over the Qingxi Valley project this time was fierce.
He Jinian was not afraid that Liang Chaosu could not defeat Liang’s father, but he feared that the prince might be willing, but the princess might be unfeeling. Liancheng had a heart of iron, and would not let him go.
Liancheng had not seen her godmother for many years. Madam Wang’s eyes were red as she held her hand, wanting to ask about her recent situation, but Professor Wang lay on the bed, his hip bone in excruciating pain, sweat beading all over his forehead.
Madam Wang’s heart was also breaking with his suffering. Grinding her teeth, she managed to utter fragmented sentences, “Has the ambulance come? He’s sixty-three years old. He exercises diligently every day, climbing up and down. His physical condition is good. It should just be a fracture, he won’t need surgery.”
The plank road stairs in Qingxi Valley are steep, and the section at the very bottom is only as wide as a palm. Even a strong person falling down such a slope would be hard to say.
The site supervisor, who had experience with falls, after examining Professor Wang’s injury, reported to Xiao Da that it was at least a fracture, with the possibility of it being comminuted.
Liancheng knew Madam Wang needed affirmation now, not other forms of comfort, “Teacher has been practicing Tai Chi for many years. His skills are flexible and supple, strengthening his body in all aspects. Moreover, Teacher knows how to protect himself when falling unexpectedly. Please rest assured.”
In reality, she felt uncertain.
Liang Chaosu strode in, bypassing the junior executives, and with an air of effortlessly controlling the situation, took Madam Wang’s hand from Liancheng, briefly clasping it.
“Old Wang was injured during the restoration of the ancient building due to the project, Madam, please don’t worry. I have already contacted an orthopedic expert from the Provincial Hospital to come over. If the injury is severe, I will contact the director of orthopedics at Jishuitan Hospital in Jingdu.”
Madam Wang thanked him, unable to say more.
Liang Chaosu had already released her hand and looked at Liancheng. Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her, her backhands red and bruised, conspicuously noticeable against her fair skin.
Some of it was from her own clenching, but most of it was from others gripping her.
“Are you worried that surgery will affect Old Wang’s health?” He took a step back and loosened Liancheng’s arm. “I’m not an expert in this area, so I can’t guarantee it from a professional perspective, but I know Kang Heming in Jingdu. You should have heard of him. He is a master in elderly nutrition and related health preservation.”
Madam Wang had certainly heard of him. Kang Heming was currently the nutritional consultant for retired central government officials, combining Chinese and Western theories. A leader who had undergone a second heart surgery, under his plan, went from being bedridden and breathless to moving freely within half a year.
If surgery were needed, it would be at Jishuitan, the top orthopedic hospital in the country. For post-operative recovery, there was Kang Heming. Liang Chaosu had already made arrangements by phone: regardless of domestic or international treatment, the Liang Family would bear all pre- and post-operative expenses, along with considerable compensation and comfort.
Everything she could and could not think of had already been taken care of, providing a sense of solid, stable, and tangible security.
Madam Wang’s heart settled, and she could no longer hold back her tears. She threw herself by the bedside, held Professor Wang’s hand, and choked up.
Liancheng stood to the side, subconsciously looking at Liang Chaosu.
The man met her gaze, stepped closer, and loosely embraced her. He was wearing ordinary casual clothes, without the oppressive aura of a suit and leather shoes. His broad shoulders, straight back, and height created a significant disparity. He had lost weight but still possessed a physique that offered immense security.
As he drew near, he was like a wall of bronze and iron, invincible.
Liancheng took a step back, avoiding him.
On the small single bed, Professor Wang had recovered from a bout of severe pain. He raised his hand to cover Madam Wang’s hand, “Azhi, trust Director Liang.”
He then looked at Liancheng, “Teacher originally wanted to take you to see the repaired and completed Matchmaker Temple today. It was your first time coming alone without classmates. You prayed for your brother’s marriage inside, and I heard it all.”
Liang Chaosu raised an eyebrow, and Liancheng tensed.
Professor Wang thought she didn’t believe him, “You said that wild mountain temples could house ghosts as easily as deities, and that a proper deity couldn’t protect your brother. You only hoped that he would be so bewildered that he would get married immediately and stop mistreating you. You also said that if it came true, you were willing to give up ten years of your life.”
Professor Wang was an old-fashioned intellectual, upright and pure in his thoughts.
However, with age, there were some taboos.
“You siblings bicker a lot, but your relationship is good. However, such jokes should not be made in temples in the future.”
