Huang Zixuan's face was somewhat strained, but he still managed to squeeze out a smile and said: "Wang Ke, you're joking." He looked at Lu Zheng with an inquiring gaze, unsure of how to introduce him or whether to reveal his identity.

  After all, it's not a glorious thing to talk about now. Old Zheng from the Public Security Bureau also left after introducing Huang Zixuan and Yang Chaoyang, and he wouldn't openly participate or eavesdrop on their conversation.

  Lu Zhong walked over, smiling and extending his hand to Yang Chaoyang, saying: "Young Master Yang, I've long admired your great name. I'm from the Accounting Committee, my name is Lu Zhong."

  Lu Zhong's two words didn't seem to have caught Yang Chaoyang's special attention, and looking at Lu Zhong, he stretched out his hand and shook hands with him.

  This person is very gloomy.

  This was Lu Zhong's first impression of Yang Chaoyang.

  Huang Zixuan listened to Lu Zhong mention his workplace, and then introduced him on the side: "Yang Shao, this is Director Lu of the Municipal Planning Commission, Deputy Director." The reiteration of Deputy Director was because no matter which department or bureau, there were many section chiefs, so if he didn't explain, Yang Chaoyang would think that Lu Zhong was just a director of some small institution in the Planning Commission.

  He also introduced Yang Chaoyang's entourage to Lu Zhong and said: "This is Director Wang from the Provincial Bureau."

  Director Wang heard that Lu Zhong was a deputy director and took a serious look at him, smiling: "Director Lu's face is very tender!"

  Lu Zhong smiled and sat down beside them, opening a bottle of wine and pouring himself a cup. "I've long heard of you, Yang Shao," he said with a smile. "Come on, Yang Shao, Wang Ke, let's have a drink."

  Lu Zhong knew that Gao Zhi Kai might mention himself to Yang Chaoyang, but he would never go on and on about his own affairs all day. He and Yang Chaoyang were close because he wanted to use the Yang family's connections to advance himself, not because he was an important topic of conversation between them. At most, Gao Zhi Kai might occasionally mention him in passing. Otherwise, spending all day talking to Yang Chaoyang about office politics would make him seem incompetent, especially since he was being suppressed by a younger cadre. Besides, Yang Chaoyang didn't need to exert any effort in his struggle with Lu Zhong.

  Yang Chaoyang, it seems that in the provincial hall, he is just a nominal figure, and making money by borrowing from this is true. As for things within the system, I'm afraid he won't pay much attention to them either.

  Now time has passed and Yang Chaoyang will be even less likely to know who this Lu Zheng is.

  Yang Chaoyang nodded slightly, clinked glasses with Lu Zhong, and took a small sip.

  Director Wang smiled and said to Huang Zixuan: "Fourth, Yang Shao gave you enough face, but will you give Yang Shao face?"

  Huang Zixuan glanced at Du Juan and Wei Xiangxiu with a hesitant expression.

  Yang Chaoyang slightly furrowed his brow, nodded and said: "Zixuan, it's okay if you're having a hard time. It was my fault to begin with, I misunderstood the situation and put you in an awkward position. Let's just forget about it."

  This was Lu Zhong's first time speaking up after entering the house. His voice was low and deep, not too old, but he seemed to be used to being pampered and had a strong presence.

  Speaking softly, as if nothing matters, but it makes one wonder about the terrible consequences of really refusing his request.

  Finally, Huang Zixuan, whose face had changed color several times, suddenly shook his head and laughed: "Yang Shao, that's it, I won't interfere anymore. You and Du Juan's matter, you two discuss it yourselves."

  Yang Chaoyang turned the jade ring on her nameless finger and nodded slightly, saying: "Good."

  Wang Kezhang smiled and patted Huang Zixuan's shoulder: "Fourth son, be friends, in the future if there is anything in the provincial city that you can't find Yang Shao to handle, come find me."

  Huang Zixuan nodded and walked over to Lu Zhong's side, whispering in his ear: "Zhongzi, let's go."

  Every word of the conversation was heard by Wei Xiangxiu and Du Juan, who were standing nearby. Du Juan had been comforted by Wei Xiangxiu and her tears had begun to subside, but upon hearing these words, her face suddenly turned deathly pale, and she sobbed: "I... I didn't do it, Xiangxiu..." She tightly grasped Wei Xiangxiu's hand, fearing that she too would leave her.

  Camellia has a very good boyfriend, although she is more avant-garde and has been performing with several companions in the Emerald Dance Hall to make money. Even, under Huang Zixuan's arrangement, she would accompany Huang Zixuan's important clients for drinks and conversation, but if it came to sleeping with them? Wouldn't that be equivalent to being a prostitute, available to anyone? How humiliating! How dirty! And how could she face her boyfriend afterwards?

  That Yang guy had a few drinks, and just now he was secretly pinching her leg with all his might, pinching so hard that it hurt terribly, her thigh must be bruised purple. He seems to be some kind of sadist? She finally couldn't bear it and pushed him away, but instead got slapped twice. Suddenly, she realized that in his eyes, she was no different from a prostitute.

  Now, she suddenly heard that Huang Zong, who had just been persuading Yang Shao to protect himself, was about to wash his hands of the matter. Du Juan felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave and could only tightly grasp Wei Xiangxiu, her sole lifeline.

  "What's with the crying? You didn't cry when you took my money! Now that you've taken it, you should have known this day would come sooner or later! Otherwise, every time we'd drink and chat, you'd just take one hundred to two hundred yuan, who do you think you are?" Huang Zixuan suddenly burst into a loud scolding. Hearing Dujuan's crying made him very annoyed, and since he had already weighed the pros and cons and decided to sacrifice Dujuan, this pawn he had been preparing to use for something, he might as well turn against her. He was originally an unfeeling and ruthless person anyway.

  The most important thing is that Huang Zixuan was suppressed by others today, and in his heart, he had a big fire burning.

  "Shut up, or I'll call Ah Fei and they'll take turns with you, then throw you into the sea to feed the fish!" Huang Zixuan glared at Du Juan menacingly, scaring her so much that she immediately stopped crying.

  Wei Xiangxiu was also stunned, staring blankly at Huang Zixuan. She knew Huang Zixuan's identity and had even eaten with Lu Zheng and Huang Zixuan before, feeling that Huang Zixuan was a good person, like a lively and cheerful young man. So Wei Xiangxiu always thought the rumors about Huang Sier outside were false, but she never expected that Huang Zixuan could be so terrifying.

  Lu Zhong waved his hand at Huang Zixuan and said, "Little girl, why scare her? Let them go out first, we'll talk slowly."

  He smiled and said to Wang Kezhang: "Wang Ke, don't look, that's my girlfriend."

  Director Wang looked away from Wei Xiang's plump breasts and slender legs, a hint of disappointment on his face.

  He thought he also knew that it was impossible for him to get involved with the girlfriend of this young deputy department-level official.

  Lu Zhong turned his head and said to Wei Xiangxiu: "You take Du Juan out first."

  Wei Xiangxiu was taken aback, she was thinking to herself how to help Du Juan. It seemed that the only way was to look for an opportunity to report to the police, even if it meant going all the way to the top leadership of the bureau. She didn't believe that this Yang person could cover everything up by himself. Even if the leadership of the bureau didn't want to get involved, if she reported it personally, they would probably be able to protect Du Juan. But as for what kind of trouble might arise afterwards, she had no idea.

  But unexpectedly, Lu Zhong suddenly told them to leave, and Wei Xiangxiu whispered to Du Juan: "Let's go out for a while." After making up her mind, she hurriedly sent Du Juan home after they left. Lu Zhong was probably thinking the same thing as herself? Then, she brought the duty police officer along, so that Lu Zhong wouldn't be at a disadvantage.

  "Zhuangzi, lend me the car for a while." Wei Xiangxiu shouted to Lu Zhuang, wanting to send Du Juan back home quickly and bring people to rescue Lu Zhuang as soon as possible.

  Who knows that Wei Xiangxiu helped her up, Dujuan wiped away tears and said in a low voice: "Can we really leave?" Obviously Huang Sier didn't speak, she was very scared.

  "Exactly! Why must you leave? Fourth son, who's in charge here?" Director Wang shouted discontentedly.

  Huang Zixuan didn't expect Lu Zhong to speak up for Du Juan, and was taken aback for a moment before smiling and saying: "It's all the same, Yang Shao, Wang Ke, Director Lu is a hospitable person... Beijing Shengfa..." He had originally wanted to say that even Director Lu of Beijing Shengfa Company has friends, but Director Lu is very busy and it's not easy to see him normally, so let's discuss the main issue first and talk about other things later.

  Shengfa Company is actually Hu Deli's company, the sister of Lu Zhong. Insiders know that this company has a strong background and even has connections to high-ranking officials.

  Who knew that Huang Zixuan hadn't finished speaking, when Wang Kezhang slammed his beer mug on the tea table and said: "Fourth son, you're treating people like monkeys, huh?"

  Huang Zixuan's face turned somewhat unsightly, and he suppressed his anger, saying nothing.

  Lu Zhong smiled and said, "Is Yang Shao coming to Wushan to make friends or play with women?" It's clear that Wang Kechang is just helping Yang Chaoyang say some things he doesn't want to say himself. In the end, it's Yang Chaoyang who wants Du Juan to accompany him to bed.

  Yang Chaoyang raised his eyes, looked at Lu Zhong for a few moments, his gaze was very cold, and he nodded slightly: "Originally wanted to make friends, but forget it. I said earlier that I would misunderstand the intention, so be it." As he spoke, he slowly stood up.

  At this point, Wei Xiangxiu suddenly exclaimed: "Dujuan, your arm is purple in a big piece, how did you do it? It's very seriously injured!" It was when Dujuan got up that Wei Xiangxiu saw the purple and blue skin under Dujuan's sleeve.

  The air inside the private room was stale.

  Boss Zhao of the song and dance hall has been unable to get a word in edgewise, nor dare he interrupt. This Yang youngster seems harmless enough, but his gloomy demeanor sends shivers down one's spine - it's impossible to guess what's going on inside that head of his.

  At this point, it seemed like the conversation was going to collapse. Boss Zhao couldn't care about anything else and hastily made a joke to mediate: "Let's have Dujuan go rest first, she danced for an entire afternoon and then accompanied us drinking at night, that's physically demanding work, let her rest first, we'll chat, and then call her back later."

  Wang Kezhang sneered, "What if she wants to run away? Zhao boss, are you responsible?" As he spoke, he stared at Wei Xiangxiu's snow-white long legs and suddenly burst out laughing. He said to Yang Chaoyang, "Yangzi, if Director Lu's girlfriend is going to accompany you, how about that?"

  Yang Chaoyang gave Wei Xiangxiu a cold glance and said, "Later, there will always be opportunities."

  "Good, I'll just wait and see."

  Lu Zhuang came in, sometimes like this, sometimes like that, as if playing a monkey trick on them. Director Wang was about to leave, but he couldn't help but humiliate this self-righteous deputy department-level cadre, and his anger was hard to suppress.

  Yang Chaoyang had an extremely disgusting feeling towards Lu Zhong from the very first moment he saw him, as if they were arch-enemies who could not coexist in the same world. He had long made up his mind to think of a way to make this annoying thing suffer until it wished it were dead. As for his girlfriend, she would be thoroughly enjoyed, and thinking about this sexy creature being beaten by himself until she cried tears of blood should be very satisfying.

  Yang Chaoyang and Wang Kechang walked out one after another.

  Lu Zhong smiled and blocked the two people in front of him, saying: "Yang Chaoyang, what did you just say? I didn't hear clearly."