“Over at the Publicity Department, I’ll be that person’s subordinate again, haha. This time, this mad dog will definitely bite him to death. Definitely,” Chen Jianxing propped himself up against the table with his arms.

  Xu Tingsheng saw that bitter resolve contained within his expression.

  “It’s that difficult?” Xu Tingsheng asked.

  Chen Jianxing understood what Xu Tingsheng meant. He was asking: Even after you’ve married that woman and gained such a father-in-law, will it still be that difficult? It still requires that sort of all-out determination and resolve?

  “If it were that simple, I wouldn’t have needed to go to this extent. Actually, I already had many things on him before. I nearly couldn’t stop myself from going at him a few times. Still, it wasn’t enough. The more I knew about him, the more I understood that all these weren’t enough at all. Do you know what his current position is?”


  Now, Chen Jianxing opened the door, looked outside and closed the door again before leaning closer to Xu Tingsheng and whispering, “Soon to be the department head, probably? Because of those behind him in Yanzhou’s municipal party committee. If I were to bite, how much would be correspondingly affected? It would definitely be all out with heavy casualties all throughout.”


  “If that unlucky tool father-in-law of mine knew that I intend to do this, he would definitely kill me before I could do anything. Still, he doesn’t know. Because of that, I’m free to make a move and work on my preparations using his name. Before I can bare my fangs, I’ll tuck my tail in between my legs like an obedient dog.”


  Xu Tingsheng was already unable to give any opinion at all at this point.

  Chen Jianxing had already waited for many long years. His hatred had not dissipated with time.

  He could have stopped and given up, living defeatedly for the rest of his life. He had already lived like this for quite a few years. If he did this, he would at least have a family, a wife and children, and perhaps he would be happy as well.

  Yet, he had now decided to go all out, his family already broken and no more as all that remained at stake for him was merely his own life.

  Even if he bit down a good couple of people eventually, Chen Jianxing’s enemies would only need some slight remnant power to retaliate against him. At that time, it definitely wouldn’t be something Chen Jianxing who would definitely be ‘cast aside’ at the time could stand against.

  While Chen Jianxing might appear scholarly and weak, even a bit cowardly, it might be this that allowed others to underestimate him as he lowered his head and tolerated those who trampled on him, waiting for so many years and caring not about the potential costs as no one would be able to stop him from taking his revenge.

  Xu Tingsheng’s mind wavered a little as he could not help but feel slightly disbelieving of things.

  A mighty storm had overwhelmed the bureaucracy of Yanzhou in the year 2005, momentous in its intensity as the scope it encompassed had been utterly unprecedented in Jianhai Province.

  This was an incident that Xu Tingsheng had known about all along, which he had constantly been waiting coolly to observe as a bystander.

  Still, his understanding of this incident ended here. It was precisely because of this that over the past one over year, Xu Tingsheng had maintained a distance from the bureaucracy of Yanzhou, not having received any actual benefits at all from them apart from a little bit of encouragement as he had not reached out to forge connections with them as well.

  It was not that he did not want to do it. It was that he dared not to.

  Xu Tingsheng was waiting for this storm to pass, afraid of being drawn into it. Even though his accumulated wealth was increasing unceasingly, his status gradually rising, the tsunami that was to come in the bureaucracy was something no one could be much confident of surviving.

  What Xu Tingsheng was most astonished about was that the source of it all was actually here, the reason for it actually being this. It was about a love relationship, this usually being a minor matter that seemed inconsequential. Yet, it had been major enough to go down in real history.

  And the source of this incident had actually, just so coincidentally, become connected to him.

  This connection was still not a deep one, being something that could still be terminated at this point in time. This was what Xu Tingsheng wanted to do now.

  Ceasing in his thoughts, Xu Tingsheng knew that the true crux of that meal had still yet to be revealed. Chen Jianxing was definitely waiting for him to ask: Why are you telling me all this?

  Xu Tingsheng did not ask him that question, simply retrieving that envelope from his bag and placing it on the table.

  “Thank you for all you’ve helped me with in the past, Bro Chen. I’ll go and settle the bill.”


  The two were well aware of what this signified. This signified Xu Tingsheng’s attitude with regard to this matter. As soon as he’d left, he would delete Chen Jianxing’s phone number, pretending that he had not heard anything at all that night.

  “Help me to take care of my wife and child. If it’s possible, let their lives be a little smoother,” Chen Jianxing said from behind him.

  Xu Tingsheng clearly could not dissuade him now by advising him against how his deeds might negatively affect his family.

  “I can’t do it. I’m just a university student who runs a small company,” Xu Tingsheng said.

  “I ran background checks on those people who came to the park that day, every single one of them,” Chen Jianxing said, “I won’t ask you to try to keep me safe. Still, with all those people around, it won’t be too difficult for you to help keep my wife and child safe.”


  Xu Tingsheng did not speak.

  “One of them is surnamed Fang, and has a very close relationship with you,” Chen Jianxing continued.

  Xu Tingsheng did not speak.

  Chen Jianxing persisted, “The key is you. The main reason that I chose you is actually you yourself. I’ve investigated all there is to investigate about you. I found it to be inconceivable.”


  “Perhaps you believe that you currently still lack power. Still, that doesn’t matter. There’s still two years at least before that father-in-law of mine will step down. I will need at least a years’ time to prepare as well. I can’t predict what extent you will grow to in a year, but it will definitely surpass my imagination.”


  Xu Tingsheng did not speak.

  “The good thing is that I will help you with all my power over this one year. I will tell you what you can take, and I can help you to take it. I will be very cautious, severing everything which leads back to you such that no one will be able to tell. You needn’t worry; I do not fear death.”


  Chen Jianxing was not exaggerating. Though his status was still temporarily insufficient, he was someone who could enter the core social circles. Also, with that experienced first deputy mayor father-in-law of his who only had just that one daughter, there was really quite a lot he could do.

  The key thing was that the relationship he was offering to Xu Tingsheng was different from the usual kind between officials and businessmen.

  Generally, such a relationship would be that of advantages and remuneration with the mutual interest of both sides being involved. As soon as it deepened, it would be equivalent to them being inextricably linked together, having gotten on the same boat.

  As for the relationship offered by Chen Jianxing, it was a pure service type. Not requiring any remuneration was secondary. The main thing was that everything fishy which led back to Xu Tingsheng would be severed, this being equivalent to Xu Tingsheng always standing on the shore and just waiting for the fish to be thrown over to him.

  However great the waves were, even if they were at risk of capsizing, no one on the boat would extend a hand towards him.

  This was virtually equivalent to having a great, mighty warrior sworn unto death, this being a relationship that was usually virtually impossible to exist between businessmen and officials.

  How much benefits could be attained through relationships with the bureaucracy in this day and age? And especially in an economically developed region like Yanzhou and at the level of a first deputy mayor?

  This could vastly shorten the time required for Xu Tingsheng’s accumulation of power.

  Still, Xu Tingsheng smiled, “All this hold no allure to me at all. Since you’ve investigated me, you should be aware of that. I have no reason to be involved.”


  Xu Tingsheng got ready to open the door.

  “Help me,” Chen Jianxing said.

  Xu Tingsheng opened the door.

  “I won’t call you. If you need me, just call me. I’ll wait for your call. Since I’ll surely be biting anyway, I don’t mind biting a few more people. You doing things to this extent, it’s impossible that no one has designs on you.”


  “Therefore, this mad dog will definitely be of use to you in some matters. I’ll be even more useful than the Fang Family. The Fang Family has many things they need to consider. I have nothing,” Chen Jianxing continued.

  Xu Tingsheng exited the room, paid the bill and left.

  If there had still been a glass of wine remaining to toast Chen Jianxing with, Xu Tingsheng actually wanted to say: Toasting you, is equivalent to paying respects to the dangers and warmth of this world.