Chapter 58

In Haidong Province, at a villa by Baiyun Mountain in Haizhou City:

Liu Ming was chatting with someone. The man was sitting with half of his butt on the couch, slightly sideways, showing a humble demeanor that revealed his extraordinary status.

The man opposite Liu Ming appeared to be in his early 40s, with a square face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes. He looked quite handsome and had a scholarly air to him in his mannerisms. He wore a Zhongshan suit, and his slightly curly hair was already graying, neatly combed.

This man was none other than the Vice Governor of Haidong Province, Zhou Jianhong.

“Governor Zhou, the situation is roughly like this,” Liu Ming said softly.

Anyone unaware of the context might think Liu Ming was reporting on work, but in reality, he was updating Zhou Jianhong on An Xiaohai’s current situation.

“I see. Xiao Liu, what do you think of this Baiyun Mountain Villa?” Zhou Jianhong suddenly shifted the topic from An Xiaohai to Baiyun Mountain Villa.

Liu Ming was momentarily taken aback, as they had been talking about An Xiaohai, but now Zhou Jianhong had brought up the villa.

“It’s… It’s quite nice, no, it’s actually excellent!” Liu Ming responded quickly, swiftly changing direction.

“Yeah, it’s nice,” Zhou Jianhong nodded lightly. “Compared to Western-style estates, I prefer Chinese-style gardens. Every step reveals a new scene, winding paths lead to serene spots. A curved corridor, a patch of grass, a set of sculptures—all these enhance the overall atmosphere and make people feel relaxed.

Unlike Western gardens, which focus on symmetry and order, grand and imposing, Chinese gardens have a deeper, more distant, and subtle charm.

What do you think?”

“Governor Zhou, you’re absolutely right. Your words are truly insightful! I can’t compare!” Liu Ming quickly offered flattery.

“Xiao Liu, don’t be so formal. Since we are all on the same side now, let’s call each other brothers in private from now on. I’m a bit older than you, so just call me Brother Zhou.”

“That’s great! I will be honored, Brother Zhou!” Liu Ming was overjoyed. Governor Zhou’s gesture was clear, and it showed his satisfaction with Liu Ming’s work.

“Brother, do you know who built Baiyun Mountain Villa?”

“Of course! Baiyun Mountain Villa was built by Huayun Group. I heard they kept several villas here, all top-tier ones.”

Huayun Group was a well-known national conglomerate, involved in nearly every industry, including real estate.

“Right, you’re well-informed. I have a good relationship with Wang Goming, the VP of Huayun Group. He has some assets here. Once he’s free, I’ll introduce you to him.”

“Ah, thank you so much! Thank you, Brother Zhou!”

Liu Ming had trouble adjusting to the informal tone, as he was used to calling him “Governor.”

Although Wang Goming was just a vice president at Huayun Group, he was not someone Liu Ming, a deputy mayor, could easily approach. Building this connection would greatly benefit Liu Ming in future investment and recruitment efforts.

Zhou Jianhong was repaying Liu Ming’s favor.

“Well, you’re a city leader after all. Humility is fine, but don’t be overly modest. Wang Goming is a generous person. Maybe one day he’ll give you a villa here too.”

“Ah! I can’t accept that! This Baiyun Mountain Villa is not something I can own!”

“Don’t worry. It’s not for you to own, just for your use. This way, you’ll have a place here, and it’ll be more convenient for us to communicate. If Wang Goming offers it, you can accept it without hesitation.

Sometimes, we can’t be too impersonal. We need to send the right signals when necessary.”

“Got it! I will remember your advice, Brother Zhou!”

Liu Ming was ecstatic. This was Baiyun Mountain Villa!

Although it couldn’t be transferred into his name, using it was nearly the same as owning it. He fantasized about controlling the situation here with people like Sun Jianchun. His heart raced with excitement.

“Alright, this matter is settled. Just wait for my news.

By the way, you mentioned that someone has been secretly targeting An Xiaohai. Who gave you that information?”

“It was Yang Yuanbing. He’s the section chief at the First Prison in Deep Sea City. He’s very reliable and has handled the tasks given to him well. I think he has a bright future.”

“Yang Yuanbing… Got it,” Zhou Jianhong muttered the name quietly, nodding.

“Since An Xiaohai is in this situation, let’s hold off on acting for now. There are other people targeting him, so let’s watch and wait.”

“Brother Zhou, do you think it might be someone Hu has arranged?” Liu Ming asked.

“No,” Zhou Jianhong immediately waved his hand. “No matter what Hu does, he reports to me in detail. It shouldn’t be his people.”

“Then… should I investigate who these people are?”

“No need, let’s just watch and wait.

I’ve heard that Gao Zheng went to see Xing Weiguo about An Xiaohai’s case and specifically reminded him to handle it fairly. Do you know anything about this?

Could it be that Gao Zheng has a connection to An Xiaohai? Or maybe An Xiaohai’s family reached out to him?”

“I have some information,” Liu Ming nodded. “Here’s the situation:

An Xiaohai got into a conflict with Zhou Tie and the others over a girl named Lin Xuan’er. Lin Xuan’er’s background is special; her father, Lin Jianguo, was a member of the armed police and died heroically during an undercover mission years ago.

Because of this, Gao Zheng took an interest in the case. Otherwise, An Xiaohai wouldn’t have received just a three-year sentence. It’s a bit unfortunate.”

“I see, that makes things complicated,” Zhou Jianhong rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Gao Zheng is a hardline person. He’s not someone to be messed with. His connections and background are not simple.

Since Gao Zheng is involved, we need to be extra cautious.

Here’s what you need to do: tell Yang Yuanbing to lay low for now.

We’re about to start a round of selection and assessment. This is our priority. Once the positions are finalized, it will be passed down to the city quickly.

For now, just keep a low profile. I’ll have Lao Hu do the same.”

“Understood, I’ll take care of it. Please don’t worry, Brother Zhou.”

“*sigh*,” Zhou Jianhong sighed, collapsing into the couch. “It’s all my fault for those two. Now Zhou Tie is in this mess, it’s my fault!

Let’s wait a bit. We’ll see how things go. No matter what, I need to help Zhou Tie get his revenge.”

As Liu Ming left Baiyun Mountain Villa, his steps felt much lighter. Governor Zhou was indeed a righteous man, reliable in helping him with his affairs!

Zhou Jianhong’s meaning was clear: as long as the restructuring went smoothly and his position was secure, Liu Ming would undoubtedly benefit in the future.

Liu Ming’s mind was racing.

Gao Zheng was a major hidden danger, but one that could be easily dealt with. The key issue now was Lin Xuan’er!

The reason Gao Zheng cared about An Xiaohai’s case was that he was focused on Lin Xuan’er, who had deep feelings for An Xiaohai.

But this wasn’t a big problem—young people’s feelings change easily, and Lin Xuan’er would likely move on from An Xiaohai, especially since he was in prison and couldn’t control her.

“I’ve heard she’s attending a boarding school for re-study, preparing for college… I’ll deal with it after she finishes her exams. Once she’s free, I’ll find a way to make her forget An Xiaohai.

As long as Lin Xuan’er falls for someone else, Gao Zheng will stop paying attention to An Xiaohai.

That’s the plan!”

Liu Ming had made up his mind. As for the person to help, that was easy to arrange.

There were plenty of idle young men from good families in the municipal party compound—although they were useless in many ways, they were great at chasing girls!

Lin Xuan’er wasn’t bad looking, and with a little encouragement, they would jump at the chance.

This was the plan!

—

In sharp contrast to Liu Ming’s good mood, at this moment, Qiu Peng was drenched in cold sweat, his eyes wide with panic like a frightened deer!

His pager displayed a message that made his scalp tingle:

“Captain Qiu, hope you’re doing well! Thanks for your help. To show my appreciation, I’ll be at Hongyun Tea House on April 5th at 11 AM. Don’t miss it! Tianyou.”