Chapter 134: Returning the Favor, Part One

Page 1 of 3 — Living Again in 1993

Seeing his son’s uncharacteristically serious expression, Gao Feng quickly regained his composure. He looked at Gao Jie in disbelief and said, “Come with me.”

With that, he strode into the study.

Gao Jie followed him in and casually locked the door. Wearing a triumphant smile, he looked at his father and said, “Dad, do you know who wrote that letter of denunciation?”

The moment Gao Feng heard this, he understood what had happened. A surge of anger shot straight to his head.

“What? You little bastard, you’ve caused a huge disaster! How dare you—”

He stopped halfway, then hurriedly lowered his voice.

“How dare you do something like this? If you’re found out, you’ll end up behind bars. And when that happens, even your father won’t be able to save you!”

Gao Jie chuckled. “Dad, I’ve told you not to judge people by your old standards. Since I dared to do it, naturally I have a way to keep anyone from finding out.”

He deliberately paused, wearing an unbearably smug expression. Only when his father looked ready to explode again did he continue, addressing the bewildered man:

“You must have checked the bank’s records for the transfer to Qin Shu’s account, right? The computer contains a record of Li Changtian making the transfer, but the surveillance footage has already been deleted.

“That Li Changtian was me. I had already found out that the bank routinely deleted its surveillance recordings after a month. So I waited until a month after transferring the money under Li Changtian’s name before sending out the letter of denunciation. That way, there would be only a written record and no video evidence. It would be enough to establish that Zhang Yong had accepted a bribe…”

As Gao Jie continued speaking at length, an almost imperceptible smile flickered across Gao Feng’s lips. Before Gao Jie could finish, he waved a hand and interrupted him.

“Does anyone else know about this? How did you get the account number from the passbook your mother opened? Zhang Yong said he had never even known that his wife had an account at Huashang Bank.”

Gao Jie picked up his father’s cup and took a long drink before answering with a smile. “Don’t worry. The account was opened by a friend of mine, and Qin Shu herself agreed to it. She would never imagine that I had anything to do with it.”

As he spoke, Gao Jie was secretly laughing at his own scheme. The only person who could guess that he had done all this was Jiang Xiwen—and that was because Gao Jie had publicly declared that he would ruin Zhang Yong after Jiang Xiwen snatched Yu Ziqing from him at the café.

Now, the only person who might cause trouble had voluntarily surrendered to him. Naturally, Gao Jie could not tell his father about Jiang Xiwen. If his father learned that he had gone to all this trouble over a woman again, he would certainly lecture him.

“Hmm…” Gao Feng nodded and fell into deep thought. After a long while, he finally spoke.

“All right. Stay in Modu for the next few days and don’t create any complications. The investigation team will handle everything else. You can go.”

What a joke. If I listened to you, all my effort would have been for nothing!

Thinking this, Gao Jie said aloud, “Dad, Zhao Changfeng is your political enemy, and Zhang Yong is one of Zhao Changfeng’s people. I went to all this trouble for you this time. Aren’t you going to show some appreciation?”

Gao Feng grunted and looked up at his son.

“All right. You did well this time. Consider my scolding earlier retracted. From now on, stop concerning yourself with those women, and don’t waste your mind devising schemes for me. It’s too dangerous. Put that cleverness of yours into your little company’s business and work steadily. That would be the greatest favor you could do for me.”

“Dad, stop nagging. Well, the thing is, I’m short of money again…”

“You little bastard! I knew you’d come back asking for money. Your father is a government official—where would I get that much money?”

“No, just talk to Uncle Zou. If he awards me the contract for the new athletic field at his school, I’ll have money, won’t I? I guarantee I won’t cut any corners. I’ll use premium turf exactly as he requires.”

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Gao Jie retreated toward the door as he spoke. He still remembered the time a girl had nearly killed herself because of him. His father had smashed a cup at him then, so if he angered his father again this time, he planned to open the door and run immediately.

Besides, he had never intended to make money from the project. What he wanted most urgently was to return to Yangjiang and watch Jiang Xiwen apologize to him and obediently hand Yu Ziqing over.

“The project?” Gao Feng’s anger vanished at once. He looked at his son and waited several seconds before speaking.

“Son, not bad. You finally know how to take on outside projects and make money. Good—you’re making progress. Once Zhang Yong’s matter is over, I’ll speak to your Uncle Zou when I return from the investigation team.”

Seeing how approving his father was, Gao Jie grinned.

“Dad, I told you not to judge people by your old standards. Aren’t you going to stay home for dinner before you leave?”

“What dinner? The fact that I managed to come back at all already counts as a breach of discipline. This is all because of you.”

Though he said this, Gao Feng was secretly pleased. This time, they could bring Zhang Yong down without a sound, removing one of Zhao Changfeng’s pieces from the board. Zhao Changfeng would not be able to find the slightest fault with him.

Gao Feng had always believed that although Zhang Yong currently held a position in the Yangjiang Municipal Party Committee, he would eventually be transferred to the provincial level—and might very well interfere with his own future promotion.

Gao Jie hurriedly flattered him. “Yes, Dad. You’re right. You’re eliminating a menace for the people. I admire you too much to say otherwise.”

“Don’t bring the flattery you use on women over to your father. Move aside. I’m leaving,” Gao Feng said with a stern face.

“Yes, sir.”

Gao Jie quickly stepped aside and opened the study door for his father. After Gao Feng entered the living room, he opened that door for him as well and escorted him all the way out.

“Whew…”

Gao Jie let out a long breath, collapsed onto the sofa, and began dreaming of possessing both beauty and power.

He did not return to Yangjiang a week later as they had discussed over the phone. Instead, he came several days early, keeping his eyes open in case Jiang Xiwen tried any tricks.

After speaking with Fang Si on the phone, he asked Zhu Wen to keep a close watch on Jiang Xiwen’s movements over the next few days. The answer he received was that everything was calm as still water, which finally put Gao Jie at ease.

Of course, he had no idea that Jiang Xiwen had already prepared everything and was simply waiting for this big fish to take the bait.

At dismissal on Saturday afternoon, Gao Jie took the initiative and called Jiang Xiwen. He told him that he had arrived in Yangjiang and that there was no need to choose another day when today would do. He was free that evening, but the location had been changed to the Southern Hotel. He had eaten enough river fish lately and was tired of it.

Jiang Xiwen readily agreed and said they would meet in an hour.

“That bastard is pretty cautious. He’s afraid I’ll set him up,” Jiang Xiwen said with a laugh after hanging up.

Qi Huan Chang rubbed his fists eagerly. “No problem. The Southern Hotel it is. I’ll go scout the place now and wait for you there.”

“Fatty, be careful not to expose yourself. Just pretend to be an ordinary customer. Find a good spot and keep an eye out for the flash,” Jiang Xiwen said seriously, patting him on the shoulder.

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“The wind is mournful…”

“Stop fooling around and get going,” Jiang Xiwen said irritably.

“I’m off…”

Qi Huan Chang picked up the first Canon digital camera that Ning Yu had obtained through one of his former comrades and hurried out of the office.

About half an hour after Qi Huan Chang left, Jiang Xiwen called the Southern Hotel and reserved a table by the window. He then left Yangjiang No. 2 High School. Just as he was about to hail a taxi, he ran into Ning Yan.

The moment Ning Yan saw him, she walked over with a cold expression.

“Jiang Xiwen, we’re practicing martial arts again tomorrow morning. Are you coming or not?”

“Uh… well…”

Jiang Xiwen suddenly looked past her and shouted, “Old Ning, you’re here! I was just telling your daughter that I’m in love with her…”

“What did you say?”

Ning Yan instantly became both embarrassed and flustered. She hurriedly turned around to look, only to find nothing there. Realizing she had been tricked, she spun back—but Jiang Xiwen had already climbed into a taxi and disappeared in a flash.

“Bastard! You complete bastard!”

Ning Yan glared at the green taxi speeding away and cursed under her breath. After a long while, tears unexpectedly began to fall.

“I’m leaving soon. Don’t you know that? You never cared about me as a friend…”

Jiang Xiwen could not hear Ning Yan’s sobs. He was leaning back in the taxi, rapidly going over what he would say to Gao Jie, determined to leave no room for error.

Soon, the taxi arrived at the Southern Hotel. Jiang Xiwen first exchanged a few words with a waiter, then spoke briefly with the doorman and waited outside the hotel. He deliberately put on an anxious, apprehensive expression, determined to make Gao Jie believe that he was frightened and sincerely intended to apologize and repair their relationship.

He waited for more than half an hour before Gao Jie finally arrived in a car belonging to one of his friends. The vehicle looked familiar to Jiang Xiwen, but he could not remember where he had seen it. Still, he was certain that Gao Jie had deliberately arrived late. His haughty expression made that obvious.

“Brother Jie, then I’ll—” the driver called out with a smile, leaning his head out of the window.

“You stay here,” Gao Jie said, turning back with an expression of disdain. “Wait until I’ve finished meeting my friend and discussing some business. I’ll come back down afterward.”

Damn it, he makes me steal my father’s car, and I don’t even get a meal out of it.

The driver cursed silently, though he continued smiling.

“All right, Brother Jie. Go on up. I’ll wait here.”