【If Heaven Has Feelings】(37)

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

Chapter 37
Mom was tired after a day of shopping and went to rest in her room as soon as she got home. I, however, had other thoughts on my mind. I turned on
the rarely used iMac in the living room and Googled "Dongfang Construction." It's a
listed company mainly engaged in real estate development, currently valued at around 10 billion yuan, ranking
fifth in the city's real estate industry—a very powerful company.
Dongfang Construction's parent company is called Dongjian Group, a wholly state-owned subsidiary of the Municipal State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. Currently,
Dongjian Group still owns 51% of the listed company's shares. The chairman of Dongjian Group is also
the chairman and CEO of the listed company, named Yang Xiaopeng. There's a photo of Yang Xiaopeng on the company's homepage—
a tall, robust middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses, with a slicked-back hairstyle,
looking very confident. His features bear some resemblance to Yang Naijin; this must be Mei Yu's husband, Yang Naijin
's father.
I noticed a "Party Committee Building" section on the Dongjian Group's website, which states that the company has established
a Group Party Committee to oversee Party building work and implement the directives of the higher-level Party Committee.
The Party Secretary is a deputy-department-level cadre appointed by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC). This person, named Chen Tielin, appears in a photo as a bald, thin, and gloomy middle-
aged man, clearly someone who has spent a long time in government offices. There are few reports about him, mostly concerning Party
affairs, and he doesn't seem to participate in the company's daily operations.
Online information suggests that Dongjian Construction is thriving in its core business,
which is undoubtedly related to the current overall rise in the real estate market. However, because the parent company, Dongjian Group,
was formerly a state-owned enterprise, and the group also has wholly-owned subsidiaries in construction, finance, logistics, and raw materials, the
main businesses and profits of these companies are heavily reliant on the listed company. Furthermore, the group itself is responsible for a significant portion of the
city's affordable housing construction. Therefore, the company's actual profitability is not very good.
The latest news online about "Dongfang Construction" is that "Sangang Group," under Lü Jiang's name, once made
a tender offer to acquire a piece of land owned by "Dongfang Construction" on the east bank of the Linjiang River. This land is
the site of the main venue for the city's most important project—the International Expo. "Dongfang Construction" acquired
this project during the previous government's term, but progress has been slow. Due to the project's significant future appreciation potential,
many powerful local and out-of-town companies are vying for a share.
This is all the publicly available information about "Dongfang Construction." Regarding CEO Yang Xiaopeng, there are only
reports of his participation in charitable activities, with no negative news, suggesting it's not yet at
the stage of being released to the public.
I shut down my computer and dialed the number Yang Naijin had given me. The call was constantly busy; the other
party didn't answer. I wondered if Mei Yu and her daughter were in an unpleasant situation. Somewhat disappointed, I hung up
, feeling quite uneasy.
The next day around noon, shortly after I finished lunch, my phone rang
. Yang Naijin's sweet voice came from the other end.
"I'm sorry, my phone wasn't with me when you called yesterday. What's wrong?"
Her voice was noticeably tired, lacking its usual energy and vigor.
"It's okay, I just wanted to ask if something happened to your family, something related to your father, right
?"
I didn't beat around the bush and asked directly. There was
a moment of silence on the other end of the line, only Yang Naijin's intermittent breathing. After a long pause, she finally spoke,
somewhat cautiously, "You guessed it again. How did you know about this? My mother and I
were only notified yesterday at noon."
"I'll tell you later. It's not convenient to talk on the phone. Let's find somewhere to talk."
There were so many things to discuss about Lü Jiang that I couldn't easily explain to Yang Naijin right now, so I wanted to
tell her in person.
"Okay! Uh... wait a minute."
Yang Naijin quickly agreed, but she stopped abruptly, as if someone
was talking to her on the other end of the line. A minute later, she returned to the phone.
"Gao Yan, my mother has something to ask you."
After saying that, she handed the phone to another person, and Mei Yu's mature and serene voice came through
the phone.
"Hello, Xiao Yan, I just overheard what you were saying to Xiao Jin. Did you find out anything?"
"Aunt Mei, I accidentally learned some clues that might be helpful to you, but it's not good
to talk about it over the phone, so I'd like to ask Xiao Jin to come out and talk."
I explained briefly to Mei Yu. This Mei Yu is really alert; she doesn't let her
guard down even when talking to her own daughter.
Mei Yu considered for about 10 seconds on the other end of the line before quickly giving her answer.
"How about this? I was planning to invite you to my house next week, but why don't you and your mother come over
for dinner tonight? We can talk about this then."
I thought to myself that none of the things I knew were convenient for my mother to know. Besides,
although her relationship with Lü Jiang was over, we had never discussed it openly. If I involved her,
how would I explain my stalking of her?
"Aunt Mei, I don't want my mother to get involved in these things. I hope you can understand."
I expressed my meaning tactfully.
"I understand. You're a good child. Then come over by yourself. Aunt Mei will tell you how to get there."
Mei Yu kindly told me their address and arranged to arrive promptly at 6:30.
Around 5 p.m., I drove my Land Cruiser to Mei Yu's house. Before leaving, I
lied to my mother, saying I had a date with Yang Naijin. So, she not only didn't object, but happily
urged me to leave early and even spent nearly an hour helping me get dressed.
An hour later, my Prado entered the Bihai Community on the north bank of the Beijiang River. This
community is mainly inhabited by high-level executives of multinational corporations and top professionals. Due to its quiet environment and high level of privacy, it also houses many high-ranking government officials and retired employees of state-owned enterprises.
We all chose to settle here. Mei Yu's community is called "Mei Yuan," situated at
the foot of a small hill called "Han Shan." The road leading up the hill can only accommodate two cars going in opposite directions. Less than 200 meters in,
a hexagonal, antique-style guardhouse appeared, with a red and white automatic barrier blocking the way.
A security guard wearing a red beret came over, saluted, and asked me to show my resident card. It turned out that this
area was within the "Mei Yuan" community, and the entire Han Shan was included in the community. Without a resident card, vehicles are
not allowed to go up the hill. However, Mei Yu must have already informed the property management beforehand, so after I gave her
name, the security guard immediately and respectfully raised the barrier, allowing my car to pass.
I drove slowly up the mountain road. The plum garden was indeed very quiet. The small hill was covered with plum
trees. It was almost the end of the year, and most of the plum trees had shed their green leaves, leaving only bare branches and gnarled trunks that twisted and turned
. Under the cool moonlight, they transformed into countless shapes, casting a desolate
and chilling atmosphere on the empty road.
Along the winding road, the designer had cleverly utilized the surrounding environment, not destroying
the original appearance of the mountain and wildland, but rather integrating the buildings into the terrain as if we were weeding them in. They were then embellished with flowers, trees, and scenery. Every now and then,
a three- or four-story building would appear, sometimes hidden, sometimes revealed among the plum trees. These buildings had slightly different designs,
but the style was consistent, mainly featuring the white walls and gray tiles of Jiangnan-style houses. The layout of front yards and back gardens provided ample
space for rest.
After navigating several bends, following Mei Yu's directions before I arrived, I turned onto a side road halfway up the mountain and
found a secluded courtyard hidden behind plum trees. The number "28" was marked in vermilion on the high gable wall;
this was Mei Yu's house. I parked the car in an open space in front of the gate, turned off the engine, got out, and walked to the
antique-style nanmu wood gate. I took off my gloves and rang the doorbell a few times.
Three minutes later, with a series of light footsteps, followed by the sound of the bolt being pulled open, the dark red
lacquered gate opened, and Yang Naijin stood in the doorway, wrapped in a long black knee-length down jacket. Her delicate and charming
face was hidden under a fur-trimmed hat, and her slender legs were covered in gray leggings,
with a pair of UGG snow boots on her feet. She stood gracefully before me, and although her almond-shaped eyes seemed slightly swollen
, they couldn't hide the joy in her eyes as she looked at me.
"You came so quickly! My mother loves punctual people the most,"
Yang Naijin smiled and led me into the courtyard.
I followed her across the meticulously maintained lawn and into the white-walled, blue-tiled building. Upon entering, there
was a 5-meter-high screen wall, its blue bricks adorned with reliefs of dragons and phoenixes symbolizing good fortune. Stepping inside
, the temperature was noticeably higher than outside; the house must have central heating, a
rarity south of the Huai River.
Yang Naijin reminded me to take off my coat. I then realized my navy blue wool coat
was a bit too thick, so I took it off along with my scarf and hung it on the coat rack in the entryway. Underneath, I was only
wearing a black silk shirt and slim-fitting trousers. I didn't feel cold inside. I noticed that besides
women's coats, there were also several large, long men's coats on the rack, presumably belonging to the male head of the household.
Yang Naijin also took off her long down jacket, revealing only a thin white cotton-linen
shirt underneath. The open neckline revealed her beautiful collarbone, and a short black
skirt with an irregular hem flared outwards around her slender waist. As she moved, one could vaguely see her small, pert buttocks, tightly encased in gray leggings.
Her long, straight legs were still swaying. She led me into the living room, a
spacious and airy space of over 100 square meters. The light from two antique-style palace lanterns with paper gauze shades was soft and not glaring.
The Chinese-style furniture was made of huanghuali wood, and the white walls were decorated with paintings of flowers, birds, landscapes, and flowers. A whisk and a ruyi scepter were placed on the table
, and lush green plants were scattered among the tables and chairs. Incense from a bronze beast's mouth wafted out, creating
an atmosphere of a scholarly family.
Yang Naijin had me sit on the Luohan bed, which was about 1.5 meters long, in the living room. Then she turned and went into
the next room. Soon after, she brought me a rosewood tea tray with two celadon bowls filled with a bright red tea
. I picked up a cup and took a sip. The taste was mellow and rich, like a fiery dragon sliding down my throat,
warming my whole body. I exclaimed, "It's delicious! What kind of tea is this?"
Seeing my satisfied expression, Yang Naijin smiled happily. As she
poured tea for me with an antique purple clay teapot, she slowly explained, "This is tribute Da Hong Pao, the best Zhengshan Xiaozhong from Wuyi Mountain in Fujian. My father
has an old friend in Fujian who sends us three jin every year. That's all they send. It's very precious."
"My mother says that black tea warms the stomach and is suitable for drinking when the weather turns cold. However, we usually
only drink Lapsang Souchong to entertain distinguished guests. Ordinary people can hardly afford it. You're lucky to be able to drink
this tea,"
Yang Naijin said with a gentle smile. Her slender, fair fingers gripped the dark teaware, and her slim waist was ramrod
straight as she poured tea for me with an extremely graceful posture. At this moment, she was completely devoid of the spoiled rich
girl she had first met. Instead, she possessed the quiet and serene temperament of her mother, and from every angle, she looked like
Mei Yu, who was twenty years younger.
"Hehe, you're quite skilled. I didn't expect you to have such a talent for brewing tea,"
I said with a smile, admiring her graceful figure.
"What's this? My mother is the real tea master, okay? I just learned
a little bit from my upbringing. You should see her tea ceremony sometime; that's true art."
Yang Naijin spoke of her mother with great admiration, as if Mei Yu was the most perfect
woman in her eyes.
"By the way, how's things at home? Did you cry all night yesterday? Your eyes are so swollen."
I took a couple of sips of tea and got to the point.
"No, I'm not that prone to crying. I just couldn't sleep last night and stayed up all night, which is why I
look like this."
Yang Naijin covered her eyes with her slender hand, answering somewhat embarrassedly.

"However, my mother has suffered the most. Although she 's acted as if nothing happened 　　since she came back from the procuratorate, I know very well that she's more anxious and saddened than anyone else, yet she doesn't want
to show weakness in front of us and has been forcing herself to stay strong."
I silently agreed. These reactions were very much in line with Mei Yu's personality. She's such a strong-willed woman;
even though her family has been hit by this sudden storm, she will still firmly steer the ship, preventing the storm from destroying
her family.
I gently comforted Yang Naijin for a few moments and then asked her about what she had seen and heard yesterday afternoon. Yang Naijin truthfully
recounted their experience at the Huahui District Procuratorate that afternoon.
According to Yang Naijin, until she stepped into the Huahui District People's Procuratorate yesterday, she didn't
know why Mei Yu had brought her there. Mei Yu didn't have time to tell her the details. During the
security check at the procuratorate, she even got angry because of the staff's deliberate harassment.
Mei Yu, who is usually intolerant of any wrongdoing, was surprisingly restrained and calm, quickly stopping her daughter
's argument with the staff and quietly apologizing.
The procuratorate's procedures were extremely inhumane, treating people like criminals. There were over
ten forms to fill out, each one trying to probe into citizens' privacy. Yang Naijin, heavily influenced by Western education, found
this very offensive, but to avoid embarrassing her mother, she cooperated and filled out the forms.
Filled with resentment, Yang Naijin walked through a narrow passage barely wide enough for one person, past five locked
iron bars, and was led into a small room of less than 10 square meters with Mei Yu. Yang Naijin couldn't help but
ask her mother why they had come here and were being manipulated like this.
Only after entering the room did Mei Yu tell Yang Naijin the truth: the
phone call she received that morning was from her father, Yang Xiaopeng. His usual firm and wise demeanor was gone; he sounded somewhat helpless and
told Mei Yu that he was now under the control of a group of prosecutors and they were about to take him away. He urged
her mother to take immediate action to rescue him, and then the call was abruptly ended before he could finish speaking.
Upon hearing the news, Mei Yu was still in shock, but she quickly regained her composure. Since
this was a family matter, she didn't want outsiders to know, so she first broke up with me and then used
her connections and resources within the Huaihai City judicial system to search for her husband. Unexpectedly, the procuratorate
's actions were very secretive; she inquired at several district procuratorates but received no definite answer.
Left with no other option, Mei Yu contacted her old classmate, Cao Yaming, who is currently the deputy chief procurator of the city procuratorate. Through
his connections, she learned that the Huahui District Procuratorate was responsible for this operation.
After learning the exact location, Mei Yu immediately asked Yang Naijin to go to the Huahui District Procuratorate together. Unfortunately
, her car had been towed away again. If it weren't for the mother and daughter running into each other, they might have really missed something important. Fortunately,
they arrived at their destination smoothly. Although the staff at the procuratorate made things difficult for them, Mei Yu remained
calm and controlled her and her daughter's emotions. She knew that confronting the judicial personnel in the current situation was pointless,
especially since this rare visit was something Cao Yaming had worked very hard to secure for her.
Just as Mei Yu finished explaining the situation to her daughter, Yang Xiaopeng was brought in by bailiffs.
Seeing her husband and father in such a disheveled and disheveled state
, Yang Naijin immediately panicked, rushed over, hugged her father, and cried. Although Mei Yu also felt sorry for her husband,
she tried her best to control her emotions, patiently comforting her daughter and asking her
about the facts concerning her husband.
Yang Xiaopeng briefly told his wife and daughter that he was handling some business in his office that morning when several
prosecutors with serious expressions and cold eyes suddenly came to question him. Because they were all in plainclothes and hadn't made
an appointment, they were initially stopped by his secretary and security guards. Only after they showed their identification were the guards allowed to pass,
so he hadn't taken any precautions.
Yang Xiaopeng rarely interacted with people in the judicial system, except for his wife's colleagues and classmates, so
he inquired about their purpose with some suspicion. One of the men, a middle-aged man with a friendly appearance, said they were handling a
financial fraud case involving hundreds of millions of yuan, and that a key criminal had financial ties to "Dongfang Construction," so
they wanted Yang Xiaopeng's cooperation in the investigation.
Yang Xiaopeng was somewhat skeptical after hearing their explanation, but he couldn't refuse
the demands of these powerful departments. When he noticed the weapons and handcuffs concealed on their waists, his suspicions deepened. He
deliberately asked about the people and amount involved in the case, but the other party hesitated and stammered. He immediately sensed something
was amiss; they weren't just asking to investigate. He pretended to go to the restroom and
called Mei Yu, asking his wife for advice. However, before he could finish speaking, the group
burst in, cut off his call, handcuffed him, covered his face with his clothes,
and dragged him out of the company.
Because his vision was blocked, Yang Xiaopeng didn't know where he was being taken. He only felt himself being pushed
into a seven-seater van and then moved with the vehicle. After about an hour and a half, the van
arrived at its destination. However, until he was escorted into a building, the clothes over his head
were not removed, so he didn't know where he was being held. Fortunately, Mei Yu found out in time
; otherwise, she didn't know how long it would have taken to contact his family.
After listening, Mei Yu frowned and said, "The procuratorate's actions are too suspicious. This kind of case handling is completely against
regulations. What exactly is Yang Xiaopeng being investigated for?"
Yang Xiaopeng replied helplessly, "Shortly after I came in, the procuratorate had already taken me in for questioning once.
Although the time was short, their attitude was very harsh. The main questions revolved around several financial accounts
. Although the company is a state-owned enterprise, it's inevitable to have private
dealings with relevant personnel in daily business operations. In industry terms, this is a means of strengthening emotional ties, but in reality, it's a form of bribery."
This practice is an open secret in the real estate industry. This expense has always been recorded as the company's purchase of
employee welfare items. Of course, this is illegal from a legal point of view, but both companies and judicial
departments tacitly accept that such behavior is justified, and few companies are held accountable for it
, let alone state-owned enterprises like "Dongfang Construction".
After Yang Xiaopeng finished speaking, Mei Yu wanted to ask more questions about the details, but at this moment, the prosecutors
rushed in and interrupted their conversation, rudely announcing that the visit was over and that they were going to take Yang Xiaopeng away. Mei Yu
immediately questioned them about the basis for taking away a citizen without following legal procedures. They did not answer Mei Yu's questions directly,
but only said that Yang Xiaopeng was involved in a large amount of money, the nature of the case was serious, and the measures taken were necessary. They told Mei Yu to go back
and wait for formal notification. Hearing their perfunctory answer, Yang Naijin wanted to argue a few more words, but Mei Yu
stopped her. She didn't want to waste any more words with the prosecutors and took Yang Naijin home first.
After arriving home, Mei Yu made numerous phone calls without stopping. She had been out all day, searching for
her and Yang family relatives and friends for help. Mei Yu had only just
returned from Naijin's grandfather's house ten minutes before I received Yang Naijin's call. So, as soon as she heard I could provide information related to her husband's case,
she immediately asked me to come to her house. She took a short break during that time and was almost downstairs now
.
"Xiao Yan, you're here."
As we were talking, Mei Yu's gentle and charming voice came from beside me. I looked up and saw
a mahogany staircase leading upstairs between the living room and the entryway. Accompanied by the sound of high heels on the solid wood floor,
Mei Yu's slender figure gracefully descended the stairs.
She wore a white cotton-linen blouse with blue dragon patterns embroidered below the round collar. Although
the blouse wasn't fitted, the thin fabric couldn't conceal her shapely figure. She
wore smooth black poplin trousers, the wide legs swaying with her steps. On her feet were blue
silk embroidered shoes with heels about 5 centimeters high. The upper half of the shoes was openwork
, revealing her slender, snow-white feet.
"Hello, Aunt Mei, I just arrived a little while ago."
I stood up with a smile. As Mei Yu walked in, under the warm yellow light, her
bare face, without a trace of makeup, was almost translucent. Her skin, still flushed from her bath, had a faint blush. Her black hair shone with
the luster of a bath, the ends curling outwards, two large curls falling just beside her earlobes
. Two small jade studs, about the size of my little finger, adorned her fair, rounded earlobes.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
Mei Yu gestured for me to sit down. She sat sideways on a low-legged rosewood chair next to me. As
she approached, a faint fragrance wafted into my nostrils. Although incense was burning in the living room, it
was still easy to recognize the scent emanating from Mei Yu.
"No, I came half an hour early. I don't know if I disturbed Aunt Mei's rest."
Sitting so close to Mei Yu, her unique charm and fragrance made me dizzy and feel like I was
floating on clouds. For the first time in my life, I felt a little nervous in front of a woman.
"Aunt Mei just took a bath, but I thought you should be here soon, so I came downstairs to check. You're already
sitting here."
Mei Yu smiled gently, raising her jade wrist to brush away a strand of hair that fell from her temple. Her wide sleeves slid down,
revealing a slender, snow-white arm that was as beautiful as snow, which made me droop.
"Xiao Jin, did you take good care of your guest?"
"Mom, I was very attentive to him. I personally greeted him at the door and made him tea myself. Gao Yan,
what do you think of my hospitality?"
Yang Naijin replied somewhat unconvinced.
"Hehe, good, your tea is quite delicious."
I smiled and nodded at Yang Naijin, praising her performance.
"Of course, I was personally trained by my mother. You must have accumulated a lot of good karma in your past lives to be able to let me
serve you like this."
Yang Naijin's pouty lips from a moment ago transformed into a sweet smile, displaying the demeanor of a young girl
.
"Alright, Xiaojin, Xiaoyan," Meiyu quickly interrupted, seeing her daughter getting increasingly absurd.
"It's getting late, Xiaoyan is probably hungry too, we can eat now."
She turned to her daughter and instructed.
"Xiaojin, go to the kitchen and ask Aunt Wu how dinner is going."
After receiving her mother's instruction, Yang Naijin obediently agreed and
skipped off towards the kitchen in her UGGs.
Mei Yu looked at her daughter with love, then turned to me with a smile and said, "Xiao Jin
has been spoiled a bit since she was little, so you'll have to be more tolerant of her."
Her gaze and words made me blush, and I replied somewhat awkwardly, "Yes, I know. Actually,
Xiao Jin is quite cute, and she doesn't throw tantrums for no reason."
"It's good that you know. She's actually a very simple girl. Don't be fooled by her sometimes arrogant appearance; she
's just protecting herself and doesn't want to get hurt again."
Mei Yu's words were filled with deep emotion, but I didn't know who she was referring to. She probably knew about her daughter
's first love and the knot in her heart, but no matter how wise and capable she was, a heart
ailment ultimately requires a heart remedy, and whether it would be effective depended on the effort of the person involved.
"Mom, Aunt Wu said dinner is almost ready, we can start now,"
Yang Naijin said as she walked out of the kitchen.
"Okay, Xiaoyan, let's eat first, we can chat while we eat."
Mei Yu smiled and stood up. I followed her, and the two of them walked into the dining room next to the kitchen.
Mei Yu's dining room was square. At the entrance was a wine rack as tall as the wall,
displaying mainly white and red wine bottles. Judging from the packaging, these were rare, high-quality products. The other three walls
were painted with delicate lotus flower patterns in gold lacquer. A round table large enough to seat eight people sat in the center of the room.
The base of the table was carved from a single piece of boxwood root, with the craftsman's skillful hands creating
a sculpture of the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea. Four black-lacquered rosewood chairs were placed diagonally opposite each other, suggesting that
not many people usually ate together in this family.
Yang Naijin and I sat down on either side of Mei Yu. The brocade cushions on the chairs were very soft,
not at all as hard as I had expected. The round table was a bit too big; I felt
the distance between myself and Yang Naijin suddenly increased. I imagined how
lonely it must be when the three of them ate at this large table. I still prefer the long rectangular table at home, at least I can
eat face-to-face with my mother.
After we were all seated, a middle-aged woman of about forty years old brought over a steaming bowl of food.
I initially wanted to help, but seeing that Mei Yu and her son were sitting comfortably without moving, I withdrew my
half-raised body. This middle-aged woman must be Aunt Wu. After she had served seven or eight dishes,
Mei Yu nodded slightly and said softly, "Aunt Wu, thank you for your hard work today. You can go and rest after you finish eating
. You don't need to clean up here."
"Yes, thank you, Aunt Wu."
Yang Naijin also nodded with a smile.
"Okay, Madam, Miss, Sir, please enjoy your meal."
Aunt Wu greeted us politely and then walked out with light steps, seemingly hoping she wouldn't
have to serve us the meal.
While I wasn't entirely used to the stratified wealth and grandeur of Mei Yu's family, I wasn't particularly surprised.
With a family background like theirs, they were naturally pampered from childhood, and Mei Yu's innate
aristocratic air was something most people couldn't imitate.
However, Aunt Wu's cooking was truly excellent. The entire table was filled with authentic Shanghainese dishes: grape fish,
braised lion's head meatballs, four-delicacy cabbage stir-fry, foie gras slices, steamed hairy crab, and chrysanthemum yellow croaker soup. Compared to
my mother's cooking, the dishes here were rather mild, not as rich and oily as authentic Shanghainese cuisine,
but I still thoroughly enjoyed them.
Mei Yu and her daughter both had small appetites. Yang Naijin was a typical slow eater, while Mei Yu seemed a bit distracted
. She only ate a few bites in a long time, then just sat there staring blankly at her untouched bowl.
I ate most of the food. When I was almost finished, I put down my chopsticks and
wiped my lips with the soft towel in the delicate white porcelain bowl beside me.
"Xiao Yan, are you enjoying the food?"
Mei Yu asked with a smile, noticing my seemingly hearty appetite.
"Yes, it's delicious. These dishes are lighter than my mother's,"
I answered truthfully.
"Our family's cooking is low in salt and oil. I've eaten like this since I was little, but only my
mother is used to it. My father and I go out for a change of pace every now and then,"
Yang Naijin chimed in.
"I noticed you didn't seem to like the Sichuan food very much yesterday, so I guess you prefer milder flavors.
You should be able to enjoy our food,"
Mei Yu said with a smile.
"It's good. Eating something light once in a while is nice. Experts say that a low-sodium, low-salt diet is healthy. Don't you see
how well you take care of yourself, Aunt Mei? It shows that this way of eating makes a lot of sense."
I turned my head and looked into Mei Yu's beautiful eyes, speaking earnestly.
Mei Yu's face flushed with a rosy hue after hearing my compliment, appearing especially radiant under the bright yellow light.
She put down the bowl she had barely touched and looked at me, asking, "Xiao Yan, we invited you here today for two reasons. One is to let you
get to know our family, and you should know the other purpose, right?" "
Mom, I've already told Gao Yan about what happened yesterday,"
Yang Naijin added from the side.
"Well, since that's the case, I won't say anything more."
Mei Yu nodded to her daughter and turned to look at me.
"You know what happened, so tell me what you know
. Just say anything related to Xiao Jin's father."
"Aunt Mei, first of all, I don't think this is an ordinary legal matter."
I straightened my shoulders, sat up straight, and said to Mei Yu.
Mei Yu gave me a meaningful look, her eyes showing a hint of appreciation.
"The mistake Uncle Yang made is a common problem in this industry, basically an unspoken
rule. If the procuratorate investigated every single case of this kind of business public relations activity, they
wouldn't have time for any other cases. There are hundreds of thousands of companies nationwide; it would take decades to investigate them all." "
Secondly, Uncle Yang's company is a state-owned enterprise, and a leading one at that,
with excellent profits, taxes, and management capabilities. It has long shouldered heavy responsibilities for municipal and public welfare projects,
playing a crucial role in the city's economic and social stability. For such an important and sensitive company, even if
the judicial department were to investigate, the usual practice would be to start with lower-level cadres or deputies, never directly
holding the head of the company accountable." "
Finally, although Uncle Yang is the company's CEO, he is still a deputy-department-level leader. Even if
his problems were to be investigated, it should be done first by the higher-level disciplinary inspection department. If the investigation confirms the facts,
then the case should be transferred to the procuratorate for legal proceedings. There's no reason for the procuratorate to directly investigate a deputy-department-level leader; this is completely against
the rules."
"Yes, please continue."
Mei Yu nodded slightly, seemingly approving of what I said.
"So many illogical points, coupled with the various unconventional methods used by the prosecutor's office, all confirm
one obvious fact: this case is targeted, specifically aimed at Uncle Yang himself
. The so-called financial issues and bribery charges are merely the entry points they could find."
I analyzed layer by layer, my tone full of persuasive power, and both Mei Yu and her daughter
listened attentively.
"Then tell me, who is targeting your Uncle Yang, and why are they using these methods against him?"
Mei Yu didn't deny my conclusion; she continued,
"Judging from the current situation, Uncle Yang's potential enemies fall into only two categories. One is a political competitor
. Although Uncle Yang works in the corporate world, he's a deputy director-level leader,
and he could easily be transferred to the administrative system if needed. Furthermore, his work performance is outstanding, and he's relatively young, so further advancement is highly probable. Therefore
, he might threaten someone with similar qualifications who is wary of Uncle Yang's political potential. This person
is likely a political figure with an equal or similar position to Uncle Yang. As for who this person might be, I
have no way of deduce."
I first offered a guess, a common assumption in political struggles.
"Well said, but that's highly unlikely. Your Uncle Yang is a very upright man who
has always despised the crooked ways of officialdom. Besides, the current municipal leadership doesn't value him much, and he's
long since lost interest in his career, focusing his energy on business operations. Further advancement isn't impossible,
but that's a long way off."
Mei Yu decisively rejected my first conclusion.
"Another possibility is business rivals. Dongfang Construction is one of the top three real estate developers in the city, and
with its state-owned enterprise status and government connections, it inevitably has entanglements and conflicts with other companies in various land auctions and real estate developments over the years.
The business world is a battlefield. Uncle Yang might have been sabotaged by someone who lost to Dongfang Construction in business
, or someone might have their eyes on Dongfang Construction's valuable resources and want to use this method to achieve
their goals."
I cautiously offered another hypothesis. Although I had ample information, I didn't want to
disclose it to Mei Yu so soon.
"It seems you know quite a lot. Did you learn all this while studying abroad?"
Mei Yu said, somewhat moved, though I felt there was a hint of sarcasm in her last sentence.
"Aunt Mei, you flatter me. I was just guessing randomly. Most things in the world are interconnected
. As long as you are observant and thoughtful, you will always find the connecting thread."
I shrugged easily and laughed casually.
"The second possibility is quite likely. In recent years, Dongfang Construction has been doing better and better, and the scale of the projects it has taken on has also
been getting larger and larger. It's possible that it has harmed the interests of some people. The question is, how do we find this person
?"
Mei Yu frowned slightly.
"Aunt Mei, do you know Sangang Group?"
I asked her tentatively.
"Yes, it's the leading real estate group in the city. Its market value and land reserves are
several times that of us. What? Is this related to them?"
Mei Yu asked in return. Judging from her expression, the name had quite a shock to her.
"I'm not entirely sure about that either, but I saw a news report that Sangang Group
made an offer to Dongfang Construction to purchase a plot of land in the first half of this year, but it ultimately didn't
work out. Aunt Mei, are you aware of this?"
I continued to probe her.
"Yes, I know about it. Your Uncle Yang told me that the land was
intended for the venues of the international expo the city was going to host. The design plan for the project has been out for quite some time, and everything is based on promoting Chinese tradition and
showcasing the city's cultural history. Therefore, top domestic designers were hired, with the aim of providing
a platform for world-class domestic architectural design and
gaining more attention for Chinese cultural creativity at this international event." "
However, Sangang Group's proposal was to rehire internationally renowned designers to create a
landmark building with international influence, pursuing uniqueness and novelty in style, and using it for commercial development after the expo
. But your Uncle Yang didn't agree with any of these points, and Sangang insisted on its own
plan, so the negotiations quickly broke down."
"Another reason is that the Sangang Group has risen rapidly in just a few years. In addition to controlling
a large amount of land resources, it is also adept at using the government's coercive power to complete the relocation and resettlement work. It often uses
powerful departments such as public security and judiciary to help them deal with those holdouts and petitioners. Moreover, it never assumes the corresponding social
security obligations. Therefore, they can often build buildings in a very short time. During this period, various rushing behaviors
emerge one after another, and the quality of the buildings often does not meet the standards. Uncle Yang wants to make this Expo
project a building that can stand the test of history and leave a brick and stone museum for Huaihai City. Therefore, he
is very disgusted by the involvement of the Sangang Group."
"He weighed the pros and cons for a long time before rejecting the cooperation plan.
While the financial resources and influence of the Sangang Group could indeed expedite the project's completion, we've always believed that construction is a long-term endeavor. The Sangang Group's
short-sighted approach would ultimately damage the reputation of Huaihai City as an international metropolis, as well as
the tax revenue and expectations of its 20 million citizens. He's consulted me frequently when he was undecided, asking for my advice.
I ultimately supported his viewpoint, so I'm quite clear about this matter."
Mei Yu's expression became very serious as she discussed the construction project, but it was clear she
had complete confidence and love for her husband.
"So, do you think the Sangang Group was behind the sabotage that happened to Uncle Yang?"
Mei Yu countered.
"Aunt Mei, let me ask you a question first: who oversees the Huahui District People's Procuratorate?"
I didn't answer her question directly, but instead asked her the opposite.
"The Huahui District People's Procuratorate is a prefecture-level (municipal) level procuratorial organ, and its superior department is naturally the Huaihai Municipal People
's Procuratorate."
Mei Yu didn't seem bothered by my question and answered it cooperatively.
"Then, who oversees the Huaihai Municipal People's Procuratorate?"
I continued.
"The Huaihai Municipal People's Procuratorate is a provincial-level procuratorial organ. According to the law, it should be the Supreme People's
Procuratorate or the Huaihai Municipal People's Congress. However—in our specific national practice, the Party Committee at the same level often has direct authority over..."
"Interfering with the work of the procuratorate, especially the secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission in charge of political and legal affairs..."
Mei Yu frowned as she followed my line of reasoning. As she spoke, she seemed to have thought of something
, and her beautiful eyes suddenly lit up.
"The secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, could it be..."
She hesitated, unable to give the answer for a long time.
"Aunt Mei, you should know the name of the current secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, right?"
I added at just the right time.
"Lü Tao, he is the younger brother of Lü Jiang, the chairman of Sangang Group, could it be..."
Mei Yu stared intently into my eyes, her expression as if seeking my opinion. In fact, she had already reached
the correct conclusion, but deep down she still needed me to confirm it.
"Aunt Mei, think about it. Who could mobilize the Huaihai City Procuratorate to crack down on the head of a municipal state-owned enterprise
? Who could gain commercial benefits from this legal action outside the business world? What
kind of relationship exists between these two parties that would make a vice-provincial-level official work for a private business owner? Don't you think the
facts are already crystal clear?"
I finished speaking in an extremely serious tone.
"If it really is Lü Tao, this is much more difficult,"
Mei Yu muttered thoughtfully, a dark cloud settling over her previously calm face.
"Aunt Mei, do you know Lü Tao's background? What are his weaknesses?"
I asked curiously. I didn't know much about Lü Tao; there was very little information about him online, mostly
just official documents.
"I retired from frontline work in the political and legal system a long time ago. Although I've met Lü Tao a few times at meetings
, I've never spoken to him. Most of my knowledge of him comes from what others have told me."
Mei Yu's gaze was fixed on my forehead, as if carefully recalling her memories.
"His career path is quite peculiar. Before he was 28, he was just an ordinary demobilized soldier,
working as a criminal investigation team leader in a suburban county's public security bureau. Later, somehow he solved several major cases and received
commendation from the Ministry of Public Security. After that, his career took off. He was first promoted from an ordinary cadre to a township-level bureau chief, and then in just a few
years, he was promoted to deputy division chief. Then, he was promoted every three years, and every four years, and soon became
the director of the Huaihai City Public Security Bureau. After the current secretary took office, he took another step forward, becoming a member of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee and
the secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission. This speed of promotion can only be described as like a rocket taking off."
"Moreover, he comes from an ordinary working-class family, not the descendant of any high-ranking official. In
the officialdom, which heavily relies on blood ties, his experience is extremely rare. Many of my colleagues
are indignant about this. These are well-educated legal professionals from good backgrounds,
led by a nobody who hasn't even attended university and doesn't understand the most basic legal principles. It
's undoubtedly a great humiliation for them. But that's the reality of officialdom—a higher rank can crush you. What can you do about it?"
Mei Yu sighed deeply, her voice filled with sorrow.
"Aunt Mei, don't be discouraged. No matter how powerful Lü Tao is, he's still just a person. People have
weaknesses. As long as we can find his flaws, we can defeat him."
I tried my best to comfort her, but I felt my words weren't very convincing.
"Yes, you're right, but it's not that I'm afraid of Lü Tao because of that. I'm just worried about your Uncle Yang's situation,
"
Mei Yu said, nodding gratefully to me.
"Although Uncle Yang is temporarily restricted in his freedom, I don't think they would use
excessive methods against a deputy director-level cadre."
"You've never worked in the political and legal field, so there are many things you don't understand. Power and desire can
turn a kind person into a demon, especially in this dog-eat-dog society. Every promotion is achieved by stepping on
the flesh and blood of colleagues and even innocent people—sigh."
I fell silent. Mei Yu seemed to have been reminded of unpleasant memories, and her expression was somewhat desolate. I suddenly felt that
the distance between me and her was very far, not only in terms of age and status, but also in
terms of life experience and worldly wisdom. In front of Mei Yu, I was just a real child. The aura she occasionally exuded made me feel
a lot of pressure, but it was also full of indescribable charm. She was like a beautiful, burning flame,
making moths knowingly rush towards it despite the danger.
"Xiaoyan, thank you for your concern for our family. You've been a great help to me today. Once things
ease up a bit, we'll thank you properly."
Seeing my somewhat distraught appearance, Meiyu assumed I was still worried about her husband's situation and
comforted me with some emotion.
"Auntie, you're too kind. I was just doing what I could to share some of your worries. Besides, I didn't
do anything special; I was just sharing my opinions."
I stared blankly at Meiyu's beautiful face. Meiyu seemed to sense the intense light in my eyes and
couldn't bear to meet my gaze. She took a deep breath and said softly, "Anyway,
you're a good child. No matter what happens with Uncle Yang, you must take good care of Xiaojin. This
has been a huge blow to her. I'm entrusting this to you."
"Yes, I know. Don't worry."
Although Meiyu's words disappointed me somewhat, I still nodded earnestly in
reply.
"Mom, I'm an adult now. I can take care of myself."
Yang Naijin, who had been listening attentively, interjected with some dissatisfaction.
"Hehe, Xiaojin, only when you can truly bear the impermanence of life will Mom be at ease
."
Mei Yu stroked her daughter's hair affectionately.
"Aunt Mei, it's getting late, so I'll take my leave."
I noticed the atmosphere in the room was a bit strange and felt embarrassed to stay any longer.
"Alright, Auntie has some things to take care of. You should go back and rest."
Mei Yu didn't try to stop me and got up to lead me out of the dining room.
"Xiao Jin, Brother Gao Yan is going back. Can you see him off?"
"Okay."
Yang Naijin stood up obediently.
"Goodbye, Aunt Mei. You can call me if you need anything."
I nodded to Mei Yu, picked up my coat from the hanger and put it on, then walked
out the door side by side with Yang Naijin.

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