97: The Mysterious Lin Xia

Not long after the Jiang father and son had left,

Li Zhan and Old Zhou were drinking tea and discussing matters related to the Wharf.

Brother Biao walked in with a young man in a sharp suit, his expression rather unpleasant.

"Brother Zhan,

this is Secretary Lin, sent by Young Master Liu."

Secretary Lin appeared to be just over thirty.

His hair was slicked back with pomade,

and behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes held an air of condescending arrogance.

He didn't even bother with a greeting,

directly and brazenly sat down opposite Li Zhan and crossed his legs.

"Boss Li,

Young Master Liu sent me to discuss the matter of that plot of land in the southern district."

Old Zhou's gaze instantly turned cold.

Li Zhan, however, just smiled and signaled for AZu to pour tea.

"Secretary Lin has come a long way. Have a cup of tea first."

"That won't be necessary."

Secretary Lin pushed his glasses up and pulled a document from his briefcase.

"Young Master Liu's meaning is simple. The development rights for that land..."

"Of course, we can continue the cooperation..."

Li Zhan suddenly interrupted him, picked up his teacup, and took a small sip.

"I, Li Zhan, have never been one to hog all the profits."

A flicker of smug satisfaction crossed Secretary Lin's face, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

"Young Master Liu said,

the split will remain the same as what was discussed with Ninth Master..."

"Nine to one?

That's certainly no problem..."

Li Zhan set down his cup, his smile unchanged. "Me nine, Young Master Liu one."

Secretary Lin's expression instantly froze, his eyes widening behind his glasses.

"What did you say?"

"And..."

Li Zhan leisurely added more tea to his cup.

"Young Master Liu doesn't need to put up any money for his one-tenth share. He can just wait for the dividends."

He looked up at Secretary Lin, a hint of mockery in his eyes.

"I'm being quite generous, don't you think?"

The air in the office seemed to solidify.

Secretary Lin's face flushed red, then turned green, and finally became deathly pale.

He abruptly stood up. "Li!

Don't you dare push your luck! Young Master Liu in Dongguan..."

"Secretary Lin..."

Li Zhan remained seated, but his voice turned cold.

"Convey a message to Young Master Liu for me.

If he feels my terms are unsuitable..."

He gently tapped the tea table. "He's welcome to come and discuss it in person."

Old Zhou took a timely step forward,

the fabric of his suit emitting a faint tearing sound as his muscles tensed.

Seeing this,

Secretary Lin forcibly swallowed the harsh words on the tip of his tongue,

grabbed his briefcase, and headed for the door.

"Oh, by the way..."

Li Zhan suddenly called out to stop him,

picking up the gift box Young Master Liu had sent from the tea table and shaking it slightly.

"I'll keep the gift."

A faint, elusive smile played on his lips.

"Go back and tell Young Master Liu that I'll remember his 'kindness'..."

The door was slammed shut with force.

Brother Biao spat in contempt. "What an asshole!"

Li Zhan's smile faded as he turned to Brother Biao.

"Was Ninth Master the one pulling strings for this land before?"

Brother Biao nodded.

"I was the one running the procedures,

but Young Master Liu does have his influence."

He lowered his voice. "His father has deep roots in the Dongguan official circles.

Now that we've torn up the agreement, we need to be on our guard.

I hear this guy holds grudges..."

"Tell Shui Sheng to prepare two teams."

Li Zhan cut in, lightly tapping the tea table with his fingers.

"One to keep an eye on Young Master Liu, one to investigate his father's network of connections."

He glanced at Old Zhou. "Get the most seasoned brothers. The people on that side aren't simple."

In the fish tank,

three Arowana suddenly began swimming frantically, churning up splashes of water.

Li Zhan stared at the turbulent water surface and said softly,

"Matters underground are easy to handle. As for the official circles...

we'll need to find a path there too..."

——

Exactly at noon,

in a private room at a small restaurant in Xiaobian,

Li Zhan had already ordered the dishes and was fiddling with a bottle of Maotai liquor on the table.

When the door opened,

he was surprised to see Captain Zhao followed by a tall, upright middle-aged man.

The man wore a dark gray jacket.

His temples were graying, and his slightly high cheekbones were etched with deep nasolabial folds.

Though dressed in plain clothes,

his slightly sunken eyes held an innate authority, and his every movement carried a stern, imposing air.

Li Zhan immediately stood up and pulled out a chair nearby.

Though he hadn't met the man in person, he had seen his photo.

"Director Li! What brings you here..."

"I've long heard of Boss Li's reputation."

Director Li's voice was low, his palm rough and strong during the handshake.

After the three of them took their seats,

he glanced at the table full of Chaozhou cuisine and smiled.

"Captain Zhao said you have a knack for picking good spots."

After a few rounds of drinks, Director Li picked up a piece of marinated goose liver.

"Changan has been quite peaceful lately..."

He took a sip of his liquor. "It's a skill, being able to consolidate the underground forces so quickly.

It's also a blessing for the common people."

Captain Zhao chimed in appropriately.

"The approval documents have come down.

From now on, both public security and criminal investigation at the Changan Branch Bureau will be under Director Li's direct supervision."

"Congratulations, Director Li!"

Li Zhan raised his glass.

"I've already prepared a batch of materials on my end..."

He lowered his voice. "I guarantee this crackdown on crime and gangs will be spectacular."

Director Li gave him a meaningful look.

"If we're going to strike, we need to make it hurt.

Those using logistics companies to move goods, running gambling dens and loan-sharking operations—don't let a single one slip through."

He suddenly changed the subject. "I heard you've had some friction with Young Master Liu?"

Li Zhan set down his glass. "His hand is reaching too far."

"Don't worry too much...

We're on Vice Mayor Zhou's side,"

Director Li tapped the table with his chopsticks. "Not the same as his.

But he has indeed been getting more and more high-profile lately..."

He suddenly revealed a mysterious smile.

"I hear you get along quite well with Officer Lin, the one I sent?"

Li Zhan's face flushed red. "We... we get along okay..."

"Boss Li..."

Director Li suddenly let out a long sigh. "You've really hit a stroke of luck.

Go back and ask that girl properly—

her background... is no small matter..."

He watched Li Zhan's shocked expression, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.

Director Li gently swirled his wine glass.

Who would have thought...

he mused inwardly.

Back then, sending Lin Xia over had been a casual move. Who could have guessed it would turn into a crucial step in the game?

He sized up the young man before him—

to have unified Changan's underground forces in just a few short months, this level of skill and boldness was truly extraordinary.

Director Li's gaze lingered on Li Zhan for a moment before he suddenly realized,

perhaps his own next step up the career ladder might depend on this young man.

This thought made him unconsciously sit up straighter,

his fingers lightly tapping on the tabletop.

"If Boss Li seizes this opportunity, what does Young Master Liu... even amount to?"

The private room suddenly fell quiet.

Li Zhan stared at the liquor in his glass,

suddenly understanding something.

This old fox hadn't sent Lin Xia over with good intentions either.

But none of them had expected things to develop this way.

When he looked up, he met Director Li's amused gaze.

"What?"

Director Li laughed and glared at him. "Aren't you going to thank me for my stroke of genius?"

Hearing this, Li Zhan burst into hearty laughter and hastily stood up, holding his cup with both hands.

"Director Li's move was brilliant!"

He respectfully filled both their glasses. "Thank you for the guidance. This cup, I toast to both of you."

He threw his head back and drained the cup in one go.

As his Adam's apple bobbed, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

When he set the cup down, a meaningful smile still lingered at the corner of his mouth.

"It seems I need to take good 'care' of Officer Lin."

Director Li and Captain Zhao exchanged a smile,

and three glasses clinked together with a crisp sound under the pendant lamp.

Director Li set down his glass,

lightly rubbing the rim with his fingertip.

"Boss Li, times are different now...

Some things need to be severed."

He looked directly at Li Zhan.

"The person above Officer Lin probably doesn't want their precious daughter to be with a..."

Li Zhan immediately understood and respectfully refilled their glasses. "Please, Director Li, show me the way."

"Aren't you planning to venture into real estate now?"

Director Li took a sip of his liquor and said unhurriedly,

"The transport business at the Wharf, and those trading companies...

they're all legitimate operations."

He paused meaningfully.

"Some industries need to be cleaned up, some need to be hidden away..."

The private room fell silent for a moment, leaving only the faint hum of the air conditioner.

Li Zhan stared at the liquor swirling in his glass,

suddenly let out a soft chuckle, and raised his cup. "Understood.

Thank you for the guidance, Director Li. I know what to do."

Three glasses clinked together once more.

Director Li nodded with satisfaction. "Young man, you catch on fast."

Outside the window, the midday sun broke through the clouds,

casting the shadows of the three men onto the wall, where they tangled into a blurred, indistinct mass.

——

Leaving Xiaobian,

Li Zhan gripped the steering wheel, a playful smile on his lips.

The street scenes flashed by outside the car window,

but his thoughts lingered on Director Li's meaningful words—

"Who would have thought..."

He narrowed his eyes, lightly tapping the steering wheel with his fingertips.

"That little police officer who cried her eyes out in my bed has such a big background?"

A flash of memory passed through his mind:

Lin Xia, her eyes red, pleading for mercy;

her waist trembling as he pressed her against the wall; and the docile way she curled up in his arms afterward, like a little kitten...

Who could have imagined a girl like that

had someone behind her who even Director Li regarded with caution?

The car came to a stop below Lin Xia's apartment building.

As he reached the door, it opened—

Lin Xia was just about to head out, a bag slung over her shoulder.

Her long legs were encased in tight jeans, each step outlining curves that quickened the pulse.

Her low-cut black sweater revealed a swath of snow-white skin, her full breasts rising and falling slightly with her breath.

A light green trench coat was casually draped over her shoulders, her high ponytail swaying gently with her movements,

the whole image both dashing and sensual.

"Brother Zhan!"

Her eyes lit up.

Like a cheerful little bird, she flew into his arms, lightly pummeling his chest with her fists.

"You've been gone for three days again!"

She tilted her face up, her red lips slightly pouted. "Come to the supermarket with me. I'll cook hotpot for you tonight..."

In the supermarket,

Li Zhan pushed the shopping cart,

watching the girl humming a tune as she picked out ingredients. He asked casually,

"Haven't been coming to work at my place lately?"

"Undercover work is out of the question now..."

Lin Xia shot him a look,

standing on tiptoe to reach the hotpot base on the top shelf, the hem of her sweater riding up.

"Didn't you tell me to wait and collect the credit?"

She turned and tossed the seasoning into the cart, giving a sly blink.

"I'm on vacation now, waiting for Boss Li to bring me good news..."

On the way home, their fingers were interlaced.

Li Zhan carried the shopping bags,

his gaze falling on the alluring sway of her hips ahead of him, his Adam's apple involuntarily bobbing.

As soon as they entered the apartment,

he wrapped his arms around her slender waist from behind...

...

Outside the window, the city lights began to glow,

while inside, the temperature was just starting to rise...