Chapter 203: If You’re Sick, Go To The Hospital
The next day, the results of the water sample inspection came out.
The executives of the Liang family at Qingxi Valley and the relevant persons in charge of Gu Corporation’s new ancient city area held a small meeting in the construction site office.
He Jinian reported the inspection results, “The water sample is severely polluted, mixed with a large amount of white trash such as foam, rubber, coatings, and paint, as well as toxic and harmful substances, which is characteristic of improper landfill treatment of construction waste.”
An executive raised his hand, “This is impossible. Last year, the central ecological and environmental protection inspection team reported seven companies, and we went to the site to see. Most of them occupied basic farmland, rivers, and riverbanks, and it took years to cause water pollution.”
“From the beginning, we have followed the principles of reduction, resource utilization, and harmlessness. Some of the stone and concrete waste needs to be buried, and the location is far from the Qingxi Valley water source, with a small hill in between. To say we are polluting is a huge joke.”
Another executive added, “Insufficient geographical conditions are one aspect. On the other hand, we had previously applied to the relevant departments for the treatment location according to normal procedures. After the year, when the municipal government started working, the deputy mayor visited the site for inspection and specifically praised us for maintaining environmental protection.”
Liang Chaosu sat at the head of the table, his rimless glasses perched on his nose, the lenses reflecting a bright silver light that obscured his gaze.
He casually flipped through the inspection report, calm, steady, and unfazed.
The two executives exchanged glances, unsure of his attitude.
The executive who spoke first decided to shut up. The other executive couldn’t hold back, his gaze swept around, and he noticed He Jinian’s furrowed brows, full of worry.
He immediately decided to elaborate, “Since the conflict occurred yesterday, the people of Liu Li Village have been very quiet. Everyone, I’ve received information that they are not waiting for the water sample results, but have sent several elders to the provincial department to appeal overnight. Yesterday morning, several departments of the provincial department held a joint meeting.”
Everyone was shocked.
“It actually alarmed the provincial level.”
“A joint meeting of multiple departments, this doesn’t seem like a sign of trust in us.”
“It’s definitely not trust. In officialdom, both large and small meetings fear joint departmental actions; a joint action is the precursor to rectification.”
The discussion gradually spread to fear. The executives present were not so easily frightened by a few words, but their psychological defense was pushed to the brink, a kind of anxious uncertainty.
They were all sharp and observant old foxes. A single environmental pollution issue was something they could handle, but what they truly worried about was the mastermind behind it.
Many of the executives knew Director Liang’s methods. He had supported the branch family even after retiring; how could he be willing to “travel the globe”? He must want to return to the country.
Liang Chaosu leaned back in his chair, legs crossed, his posture casual, his face hidden in the shade, his expression also vague.
He had been silent since the meeting began, and everyone present couldn’t help but nervously speculate about him.
The executive who spoke earlier was particularly anxious, constantly glancing at him, trying to analyze any flaws from his actions and expressions.
Liang Chaosu showed no joy or anger, observed everyone’s reactions, and then slowly called out, “Mr. He.”
He Jinian stood up, coughed, silencing the room, “Regarding the joint meeting at the provincial department, Director Liang knew about it yesterday.”
“There were radical opinions at the meeting for the public security bureau to take immediate action, seal the construction site, and detain the involved executives.”
Everyone’s expression turned serious.
He Jinian’s tone was optimistic, “But it was immediately rejected. The provincial authorities still value the Liang family and are willing to give us time. They first sent a group of people to investigate. Director Liang’s opinion is that although the mastermind seems to be aggressively coming at us, they have not yet covered the sky with one hand.”
“Let’s prepare the relevant materials and evidence ourselves. The provincial team will arrive this afternoon.”
“Alright, this meeting is now adjourned. Everyone go back and prepare.”
The executives could hardly believe it. They understood how ruthless and sharp Liang Chaosu’s schemes and methods were. His offense was always greater than his defense, and his courage and ability far surpassed ordinary people.
Now, this was… another plan?
The crowd filed out. The two executives who had spoken first lagged behind the crowd. After leaving, they silently returned, avoided the cameras, and circled to the back of the house.
He Jinian’s voice was lowered, indistinct through the doors and windows, sounding vaguely furious.
Liang Chaosu took off his glasses and rubbed his temples, “I know it’s not easy to investigate, so I’ll go to the provincial capital myself.”
He Jinian understood, “Those who had radical opinions at the meeting are more or less involved with the people who set a trap to corner you two years ago. At this time, they are adding insult to injury. You suspect it’s—”
His voice lowered again. The two executives outside the wall couldn’t hear clearly and were already breaking out in a cold sweat.
Striking from the political circles was a sharp weapon, but also a pain point. They thought they were fully prepared and had even set up a false trail, but they didn’t expect Liang Chaosu to have noticed and seen through it long ago.
“Yes,” Liang Chaosu’s voice was calm but chilling to the bone, “I know the mastermind’s methods very well. They want to bring me down, but they won’t ruin the Liang family.”
“The pollution at Qingxi Valley will only be a storm in a teacup. The backup plan is in the provincial capital. After I leave tomorrow, you can counterattack according to the plan.”
The two executives involuntarily sighed. Liang Chaosu’s four years of brilliant achievements, his self-preservation and scheming in deception and trickery were first-class. He seemed to have no weaknesses, was always meticulously calculating, and cruelly precise.
In this round, he had miscalculated.
Liang Chaosu turned his head, his gaze sweeping past the window.
It was silent inside for a moment. He Jinian quickly walked to the window, pushed open the window, and stuck his head out.
There was no one around, only cement and sand piles.
He turned back to look at Liang Chaosu, understood his signal, and shouted loudly out the window, “No one.”
Liang Chaosu withdrew his gaze.
He Jinian closed the window, and Liang Chaosu also got up.
After they left, two people stood up from behind the sand pile, dusting themselves off, “They left so quickly, it seems we heard almost everything.”
The other person didn’t waste words and walked away from the scene.
……………………………………
It had been raining in Qi Province recently, and the rain in the provincial capital was even heavier than in the mountains.
Professor Wang had already finished his surgery. His students were all over the world. Knowing that his daughter was abroad and couldn’t return, he automatically created a WeChat group to mobilize his forces, selecting three temporarily available representatives to form a bedside team with Liancheng.
Xiao Da had booked a room at a hotel near the hospital.
Liancheng finished her night shift of accompanying the patient. She was exhausted and returned to the hotel, just about to insert her key card.
The sound of running water came from the bathroom. A broad-shouldered, upright male mature contour was projected onto the frosted door, his body slightly raising his head in the lamplight as he showered.
Liancheng jumped in surprise, thinking she had entered the wrong room, and turned to open the door handle.
The bathroom door opened instantly, and thick white mist billowed out, enveloping Liancheng in heat.
A firm arm reached behind her and pressed against the door. The gap in the door narrowed, and the lock clicked shut.
It was silent indoors. Liancheng’s back was pressed against the door panel. Before her, there was a burning, slightly heavy breath, step by step deterrence, step by step approach.
Liancheng’s nostrils were filled with the rich scent of shampoo, mixed with the warm incense in the room. The surrounding space compressed, and she felt an uncomfortable stuffiness, a restless irritation that crashed down on her as the shadow blinked.
Liancheng reacted quickly, instinctively raising her hand to resist.
Liang Chaosu’s hand supported the door, and he didn’t move. He felt her hand push against his chest, her palm delicate and ice-cold, like a sliver of moonlight desired in an internal burning, and after a long time, it flowed down, flowed onto the incision, melting and seeping into his heart.
It was sour, soft, and then full.
But it was also what blocked him, resisted him.
It was like the torrent of the past ten-plus years of seconds when feelings broke through the earth.
From then on, fate had fallen, not allowing a single minute for choice, without the favor or protection of gods and spirits, only what he could forcefully obtain.
“Do you have medicine?” His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, his cheekbones unnaturally flushed. “I have a fever.”
Liancheng couldn’t push him away, so she withdrew her hand, bent her knees, and crawled out from under his arm.
Her tense vigilance turned indifferent. “If you’re sick, go to the hospital.”
