Chapter 43: The Despicable Ones Clash

  "Is it you?" Ji Zheng had a deep impression of the boy who rushed in without saying a word and pulled away his daughter. The suppressed anger when he kicked open the door, the solid back that protected Ji Su as they left, made Ji Zheng feel a sense of losing his daughter in that instant.

  He understood Ji Su, from young to old, Ji Su was clever and sensible, intelligent and lively, with a gentle and open-minded personality. As long as he communicated with her sincerely and let her know that he had an unavoidable reason for his mistake, she would slowly forgive him. It wouldn't be difficult to get her to agree to Gu Wen Yuan's request either. Even if things didn't go back to the way they were before after leaving, it was still much better than being like strangers.

  Before she had a chance to explain, Ji Su was taken away by the young man in front of her. Watching her daughter cling tightly to his side as if she had found a sense of security, Ji Zheng felt a pang of inexplicable melancholy. Unbeknownst to her, the man who had shielded her from wind and rain had become someone else, while she, who had always protected her growth, had done something that hurt her the most.

  Things in the world are always full of irony!

  Wen Ze walked to the back of the table and sat down beside Zuo Yu Xi, staring at Ji Zheng's stern face across from him. He smiled and said: "Director Ji, I think our intentions have already been made very clear by Sister Zuo just now. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them now and I'll do my best to give you a satisfactory answer!"

  Ji Zheng fell silent for a moment, then said: "Director Zuo, I think it's unnecessary for us to continue talking. If the cooperation you mentioned can even involve children of this age, my decision will not change in any way."

  "Don't rush to conclusions," Wen Jian maintained a smile on his face, "Director Ji is talented and knowledgeable, but doesn't he know that from ancient times to the present, how many young people have accomplished great things? In business, it's about comparing three houses, if you want to sell, why not sell at a good price!"

  Zuo Yu Xi reached out from under the table and pushed him gently on his thigh. Although they hadn't known each other for long, this 16-year-old boy had always given Zuo Yu Xi the impression of being calm in the face of danger, composed in times of crisis, and well-versed in human nature. It was rare to see him speak so rashly. Zuo Yu Xi feared that he would be blinded by his anger over Ji Su's matter and say something unbecoming, which not only wouldn't help the situation but might even make things worse if Ji Zheng became enraged.

  Wen Cheng's expression didn't change as he grasped her small hand, drew an "=" on her palm, and refused to let go. Instead, he turned his hand over and pressed it against his thigh, waiting for Ji Zheng's response. Zuo Yuxi tried to pull away several times but couldn't escape, fearing that Ji Zheng would discover them. She had no choice but to allow Wen Cheng to be so presumptuous. Behind the curtain of her black hair, a faint blush rose up on her earlobe.

  "What he says is what I say, Director Ji. Don't tell me you think I'd go to so much trouble in the middle of the night just to come and chat with you?" Zuo Yuxi's stunning face was calm and collected, but who could have imagined that under the table, her soft and smooth small hands were being pressed onto a boy's thigh and groped at will?

  "You're right, Wang Mian, Gan Luo, Wang Bo, Li He, and Yan Shu were all young and promising, and became the best of their time. My previous words were a mistake." Ji Zheng was scolded by a child in front of him, but instead of getting angry, he seemed to have some interest in Wen Ze due to Zuo Yu Xi's extremely firm tone. "Since we're doing business, we need to look at everyone's sincerity. I'll speak openly and honestly, Mu Ze Chen has already agreed on the price last night, not only will I be acquitted and retain my position, but after Qing Hua Factory falls, I can still jump to the Workers' Committee to do some research, and after a year or two, I can go to the Planning Committee or other units to do a real job. The only cost I need to pay is something you already know, no matter how you look at it, this deal is very cost-effective, and I have no reason to refuse. What about you? What kind of conditions can you offer to convince me?"

  After hearing Ji Zheng's quote, Zuo Yuxi frowned slightly, and Mu Zechen intervened at this time, undoubtedly adding many variables to Wen Qian's entire plan. The current situation in Qingzhou is that the forces of Xu and Zhou are evenly matched, and both sides have taken Qinghua Factory as the entry point, launching a comprehensive struggle in various fields and levels. With Gu Shi Tong's energy, no matter which side he joins, he will form an overwhelming advantage over the other side. This situation is something that everyone does not want to see, and Gu Shi Tong also knows this, so before the situation becomes clear, he stays hidden in Guanshan without showing his face, and strictly orders Mu Zechen to pay attention to his measure, neither supporting nor offending either side, but saying some ambiguous words to get through this period. This is also the main reason why Qi Shu was left in Qingzhou to preside over the situation.

  Being able to do this doesn't mean that Gu Shi Tong's power has grown to the point where he can ride roughshod over Qingzhou without fear of freezing to death. The main reason is that the Ming Hua Group's current main business is concentrated in Guanshan, and although Qingzhou is important, it has already jumped out of the predicament with those poor people who are trapped in the situation. Whoever truly controls the situation in Qingzhou will not be foolish enough to go after Gu Shi Tong to settle old scores. This is a different era now, and officials want to achieve political achievements, they least want to offend the god of wealth who has tens of millions of taels of silver and can go wherever he wants! If they really push him to the limit, there are many places all over the country that want to attract investment, and at that time, they will not only collect taxes but also scold the officials in Qingzhou as S.B.

  But at this time, Mu Ze suddenly appeared, and Zuo Yu couldn't help but feel a sense of vigilance. In the officialdom, there is no small matter, especially at such a sensitive moment, any slight movement will trigger a series of unpredictable serious consequences. If this was some kind of signal, representing that Gu Shi Tong had finally abandoned his neutrality and joined forces with Zhou Yuan Ting, then what Zuo Yu had to do was immediately abandon his idea of revenge, put aside everything in Qingzhou and go to Lingyang to join Zuo Jing, and wait for an opportunity to seek revenge later.

  The good situation that has been carefully built up step by step is about to succeed, and the day of revenge is imminent. No matter what, we cannot afford to lose at the last moment!

  Zuo Yuxi's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he was about to open his mouth to offer an even higher price. But before he could speak, Wen Ze suddenly burst out laughing: "Not bad, not bad! Mu Zechen indeed has vision, and he said what I wanted to say first. Alright then, my price is similar to his - first become the director of a large factory, and three years later go to the Planning Commission as a deputy director. As for how far you can go in the future, that will depend on your own luck!"

  Looking at Wen Qian's serious face, Ji Zheng felt both a sense of eeriness and an urge to burst out laughing. Had the times changed, or was there something wrong with his understanding of this world? When did it become possible for even a half-grown child to point to the map like a feudal lord, using a tone as if granting a favor, and casually draw a circle: "Here, I'll give you this piece of land..."

  Zuo Yuxi was also surprised, how could such conditions move Ji Zheng who had already made up his mind to surrender to the Gu family? Even if she were to choose herself, under the same conditions, she would still prioritize choosing Gu Shidong who seemed to have a bigger and more prosperous family! This is the misjudgment caused by asymmetric information. Zuo Yuxi couldn't guess Ji Zheng's trump card or Mu Zechen's intention. She didn't believe that all of this was because Gu Wenyuan wanted to get Ji Su, even though she was a woman, but also knew that for people like them, women were just a joke!

  Her body was stiff, her palms were sweating, and her straight fingers betrayed her tension. Wen Cheng gently stroked the back of her hand twice, signaling her to relax, everything was under control.

  Ji Zheng has already decided to end the conversation, saying in a joking tone: "Oh, this condition sounds pretty good, but since it's similar to what Mu Zeqian offered, why would I choose you?"

  She looked at him calmly and quietly, saying word by word: "Because you lied!"

  Observe his words, examine his actions to know his will. Having been lenient with two generations of people, he knew too much about the causes and consequences that others did not know. Just this brief encounter was enough to confirm that the person in front of him was an ambitious and aspiring hero who was frustrated by lack of opportunity!

  A hero with a strong sense of justice, hiding in the darkest depths, enduring hardships and waiting for the right moment. Once he seizes the opportunity, he will rise to great heights and conquer all directions.

  Since his rebirth, Wen Jie had seen all sorts of people, but those who could remain calm and composed like Ji Zheng when faced with desperate situations were rare. Especially his decisiveness, his ability to see the big picture, and his grasp of fleeting opportunities - all of these qualities made him a top-notch individual.

  Why say so? Because just as Ji Zheng decided to have a serious talk with Wen Qian and then make an offer, he cheated!

  If it weren't for the two lifetimes, Wen Ze might have been deceived by him. After Ji Zheng was fished out by Gu Wenyuan in his previous life, not only did he lose his position at Qinghua Factory, but he was also expelled from public office, until two years later when Fan Heng'an was investigated, implicating the Qinghua Factory incident, Ji Zheng appeared again in front of everyone, giving Yuan Dazhu a fatal blow, directly sending him to prison, and indirectly causing Fan Heng'an's complete downfall and Zhou Yuanting's departure.

  That is to say, Ji Zheng got only his freedom in the previous life, and everything else was not included in the agreement. This can also be understood, with Yuan Dazhu's personality, even if he let Ji Zheng go under the pressure of the Gu family, it would not have been possible for him to return to Qinghua Factory and become a time bomb that could explode at any moment.

  But to think about it, in the previous life, there might not have been a scene where Ji Zheng forced his daughter to surrender to Gu Wen Yuan. On that rooftop, as long as Gu Wen Yuan agreed to save Ji Zheng and then subtly expressed his love and hinted that he was doing it all for her sake, with Ji Su's state at that time, whether she was moved or had no other choice, she could only accept Gu Wen Yuan's conditions.

  If it weren't for Wen Qian's sake, Ji Su might not have experienced the heart-wrenching pain of tonight, so no matter what, he had to pull Ji Zheng into his own camp to avoid the tragic confrontation between the two fathers and daughters.

  "You're lying!"

  Wen Lie Meng suddenly stood up, his hands pressed on the table in front of him, his body leaning forward, staring at Ji Zheng's eyes with absolute intimidation: "Apart from pulling you out, Mu Ze Chen can't give you any guarantee!"

  Despicability is the pass of the despicable, since he could sell out the first family, he wouldn't care about selling a few more. Once he casts aside morality and integrity, the only thing that can influence his choices is profit. In negotiations filled with conflicting interests, the most important thing is the trump card each side holds. Wen Xiao's trump card is completely unknown to Ji Zheng, while everything about Ji Zheng is within Wen Xiao's grasp. The outcome of this confrontation has already been decided!

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