Chapter 240: Aren’t You Annoying?
Zhou Dazhi finished one cigarette and lit another. The match hissed, and silence fell again in the interrogation room. This interrogation room had a door but no window, only a small crack opened.
Faintly, it was the misty sunlight. The police officers, having finished their cigarettes, were discussing ordering takeout.
Green pepper and shredded pork, minced pork with eggplant, and pickled radish braised pork.
Zhou Dazhi gave a bitter smile, the scarlet cigarette butt trembling.
“Thank you for this cigarette. I’m not the kind of person who is loyal through and through; I’m far from being as devoted as your subordinate He Jinian. But your kindness is as heavy as a mountain, as if you’ve given me a second life, and I truly dare not forget it.”
Liang Chaosu saw through him, his tone indifferent, “Are you so certain he can win?”
Zhou Dazhi’s eyelids twitched. “Director Liang has already lost. He is not as ruthless and cruel as you. He never expected that you would also exploit Liancheng despite your profound affection.”
Inside, there was only a single lamp above Zhou Dazhi’s head, its dazzling white light forming a beam that enveloped him, making it impossible to see anything clearly.
The surrounding shadows were like an undercurrent, closing in on him. The silhouette directly in front of him, sitting with a calm posture, tall and imposing, was the source of the surging tide.
“It’s not exploitation.”
Liang Chaosu leaned back against his chair. The more he understood Liancheng’s character, the more he wanted to sway her.
Hating someone to the bone isn’t terrifying. So many people in this world are ordinary and fickle, and love doesn’t last.
Naturally, hatred doesn’t last either.
From a human nature perspective, how does one eliminate a woman’s hatred?
Constant companionship, unconditional tolerance, and unbreakable protection.
Plus wealth, fame, appearance, and demeanor.
Gaining their favor is merely a matter of time.
The most frightening thing is an unyielding character. Her grudges are truly irreconcilable, her revenge is righteous and aboveboard, allowing no room for any darkness.
Without a crack to pry her open, there is only sentencing.
The moment she gains justice, it’s a straight path. She goes south, you go north. For the rest of your life, gazing into the distance, you won’t see even a shadow of her.
“Since last year, I’ve been sparring with him. He loses some, but wins and then loses again in the blink of an eye,” Liang Chaosu crossed his legs, his trousers straight, the crease sharp and decisive.
“The Qingxi Valley incident is now public knowledge. As the murderer who deceived the public, how do you think he will protect you, raise your daughter for you, and continue to pay the high medical fees for your mother? If he can, and is questioned about why he supports your mother and raises your daughter, how will he answer? How will he make choices if his opponents seize this as a weakness?”
Zhou Dazhi silently extinguished his cigarette. The burning pain in his thumb and middle finger, the heat left a layer of skin, scorched.
“‘On the golden terrace, I cherish your will; I’ll escort the jade dragon and die for you.’ It is you who are virtuous, but is he? Are you worth it?”
Zhou Dazhi stared at the shadow in front of him for a full two minutes, then suddenly smiled. “Whatever happens in the future is your speculation. The boat will reach its destination naturally. Worrying too much about the future will only make you see ghosts in the shadows.”
Liang Chaosu composed himself and stood up. “It seems he is quite confident about winning against me this time.”
Zhou Dazhi wavered twice but became firm again at the last moment, having calculated it in his heart and firmly believing that Liang Zhengping could achieve a great victory.
It wouldn’t be enough to save him from punishment, but it could ensure he wouldn’t die, and his family would be safe.
Such a result could be considered a great victory. Judging by that reporter, they were focusing their breakthrough point on Liancheng.
Zhou Dazhi remained silent.
Liang Chaosu walked out of the interrogation room. The corridor window was wide open, facing a sparse, desolate cherry blossom tree in the courtyard. Six or seven police officers were leaning on the windowsill, eating takeout.
“Our Qi Province’s climate isn’t good, it’s not a place for growing cherry blossoms. Look at this tree. Of the twenty-odd female colleagues in the bureau, they almost worship it, but it still doesn’t bloom.”
A woman’s voice drifted from the end of the corridor, “Yu Dong, stop gossiping behind people’s backs. That place in Nan Province isn’t suitable for growing cherry blossoms either. This year, their flowers bloomed spectacularly, and the whole city saw couples pairing up. People online don’t talk about lucky stars anymore, they talk about cherry blossom luck. No wonder your second team is all single dogs.”
The police officers, with their backs to the interrogation room, didn’t notice Liang Chaosu.
“Is the situation in Nan Province the same as in our Qi Province? Those cherry blossom tree species are specially supplied by the botanical garden. The procurement price for a single tree is shocking. People online are already questioning Nan Province’s municipal corruption, spending a lot of money on precious trees, a waste of resources and labor.”
The female police officer, holding a pen, rushed out of the room. Before she could deliver her prepared retort, she glimpsed Liang Chaosu.
It had been nearly two months since the Qingxi Valley incident. The Public Security Bureau had mobilized several times, and almost everyone in the bureau, from top to bottom, recognized Liang Chaosu’s appearance.
“Mr. Liang, have you finished your visit? It’s exactly twelve o’clock. I’ll go report to the Bureau Chief. Please wait a moment.”
Liang Chaosu held his mobile phone, the dialing interface displayed. His complexion was not good, and his tone was distant. “No need. I have other matters. Please convey my regards to the Bureau Chief.”
People in Qi Province are generally 1.8 meters tall. Liang Chaosu is 1.88 meters tall, nearly 1.9 meters with shoes. He has a strong and upright physique. He wore a long trench coat, a black shirt, and black trousers. His demeanor was stern and calm. Despite the recent online public opinion that was devastating, he appeared completely unaffected.
He possessed a natural demeanor of strategizing and having everything under control.
The female police officer watched him go downstairs. The male police officer who had been arguing with her earlier mischievously drew out his words and teased her.
The female police officer rolled her eyes. “Tease me for what? You men are so funny. One glance and you like someone, two glances and they’re falling for you, three glances and you’ll get married tomorrow. No shame, no substance, just filled with lewd thoughts.”
……………………
Liancheng drove back to Qingxi Valley. Her phone ran out of power on the way, and she’d forgotten her charger in Professor Wang’s hospital room. She stopped at a service area to charge her phone with a shared power bank.
When she turned her phone back on, there were over a dozen missed calls and text messages.
As she was scrolling through them, Liang Chaosu called again.
“Blocked me?”
A waiter came to deliver their food. Liancheng unwrapped her burger. “Yesterday, yes.”
Liang Chaosu anticipated her honesty. “Why are you answering my call now?”
“You keep asking this question, don’t you find it annoying?”
Zhang An was startled.
He cautiously peeked at Liang Chaosu through the rearview mirror. The man leaned back against his chair, his already troubled expression growing colder. After a long pause, he precisely raised his eyes and met Zhang An’s gaze.
Zhang An regretted it and immediately raised the partition.
Liancheng drank her cola. After a long silence on the phone, she spoke again, “People avoid problems because they don’t want to face them. You’re impatient with me, you don’t want to face me, and you can’t be bothered to deal with me.”
Liang Chaosu’s style of action was clearly decisive and overbearing.
When he said this, it inexplicably sounded like he was wronged, resentful, but mostly sinister and manic.
“Then how should I treat you?” Liancheng’s mood was foul. “Whatever you say goes. I’ll tolerate you, forgive you, and grovel before you.”
Liang Chaosu recognized her sharp tone and fell silent for a moment.
Liancheng thought of Lin Xianzi’s situation and felt even more irritated on top of her already bad mood.
She took a bite of her burger. The fast-food restaurant at the service area wasn’t skilled; the patty wasn’t fried thoroughly, showing bleeding inside, and the meat was also fishy. She almost gagged.
Liang Chaosu heard it. The emotions he had suppressed for two days could no longer be contained.
“Leave Qingxi Valley and block my contact information.” He had a gloomy, restless agitation, and he blurted out, “Does Madam Liang still remember the engagement?”
“You’re asking all these questions, is this your purpose?”
Liang Chaosu’s face froze, and his voice suddenly became calm. It was as if he had prepared for the worst, a more obscure danger than his previous subdued and muffled tone leading to an explosion.
“Where are you?”
Liancheng pushed the meal tray away and walked out of the restaurant. “I’m at the highway service area back to Qingxi Valley.”
An unexpected answer caused Liang Chaosu to pause.
After a long moment, “I’ll come pick you up.”
Liancheng returned the power bank. Her phone vibrated; Feng Shien had sent a message.
“No need. I’ll arrive at the resort in two hours.”
After speaking, she hung up the phone and tapped on the message interface.
—Liancheng, the appraisal has already begun. Just now, Far East Pharmaceutical suddenly had an issue. Ms. Lin is about to go to Europe for an investigation, and before she leaves, she wants to see you in Qi Province.
