Due to He Liang and Lv Hang’s incident, Cheng Rushan’s subsequent investigation became less low-key than before.

It was not easy to keep internal investigations confidential.

After all, everyone knew each other well, and there were frequent business interactions.

With so many people involved, it wasn’t hard for them to find out what was going on.

Moreover, Cheng Rushan’s investigation into the enterprises in the old county had uncovered what seemed like a “treasure trove,” revealing numerous scandals.

Each case was like a festering sore that couldn’t be ignored.

The fact that loans were monopolized was only part of the issue.

Many state-owned coal mines were also being openly exploited by private interests for personal gain, which was clearly a serious problem.

Those guilty or nervous about their involvement would quickly become aware of the investigation and suspect Cheng Rushan was looking into them.

Bian Haitao was especially concerned.

However, he only knew that an investigation was underway but not how deep it went.

Besides the normal investigation, Cheng Rushan had also arranged for undercover agents.

After a meeting, Cheng Rushan received a report from Bie Dongshan, “Director Cheng, there’s been some movement.”

This indicated that Bian Haitao did indeed have improper relations with others, with the primary aim being to amass wealth, and potentially other motives as well.

As someone without a significant background or connections but wanting to greatly increase his own standing and rise higher, Bian Haitao would need either exceptional talent to achieve substantial accomplishments or he would need to find a powerful backer.

Finding a backer required spending money, providing effort, and mobilizing people.

“Keep an eye on him.” Surveillance wasn’t easy, especially with familiar faces, so Cheng Rushan borrowed a few people from elsewhere.

Bie Dongshan handled the arrangements directly to avoid any leaks.

After arranging this, Bie Dongshan went off to coordinate, and Cheng Rushan headed to see Jiang Lin.

Lately, both he and Jiang Lin had been quite busy.

Jiang Lin was frequently on business trips or staying at the construction site.

During crucial construction periods, engineers and decision-makers had to be present around the clock to address any issues promptly.

Cheng Rushan usually made time to visit her, and Da Bao would often bring Wen Sheng and Little Bao Sheng to deliver treats.

Cheng Rushan drove to the nearby makeshift office housing for the construction site.

Jiang Lin, like everyone else, was not receiving any special treatment.

Despite this, she still appeared vibrant and refreshed, showing no signs of fatigue.

Su Xingyun and the others had long grown accustomed to Cheng Rushan’s visits to their construction site. “Director Cheng, we’re having hot pot tonight. Would you like to join us?”

Cheng Rushan smiled and asked, “Is there meat? If not, I’ll go buy some.”

Zhang Shaopeng came over with a chicken and two fish, smiling, “We have some ready. Director Jiang wanted to have sauerkraut fish, so we bought some sauerkraut and will try making sauerkraut fish slices.”

The three of them had become a close-knit technical trio at the provincial construction group.

Their families were well-acquainted, and they often gathered together.

They made chicken soup as the base for the hot pot, served with various vegetables, and prepared a separate small pot for cooking sauerkraut and black fish slices.

Cheng Rushan helped slice the fish thinly and transparently, cooking it quickly in the hot pot.

The fish was fresh and tender, and incredibly delicious.

Jiang Lin had a bowl of fish and a bowl of cooked vermicelli and felt full.

After turning thirty, she became more mindful of her diet, eating until she was seven-tenths full and avoiding overeating.

After dinner, she took a walk to aid digestion and prevent accumulating fat around her belly.

After the meal, Cheng Rushan accompanied Jiang Lin for a walk.

Su Xingyun and Zhang Shaopeng continued eating, drinking wine, and gossiping.

Zhang Shaopeng remarked, “Can you believe Director Cheng is so busy and still finds time to walk with Jiang Lin?”

Su Xingyun replied, “You should know, when he first came to the provincial capital, it was to be with his wife while she studied.”

Zhang Shaopeng was momentarily speechless, and after slurping up some of the flavorful vermicelli, he said, “I’ve never seen someone so doting on their spouse. Usually, people spoil their children, but Director Cheng is quite exceptional.”

Su Xingyun continued, “Director Cheng does spoil his children as well, but his family spoils his wife even more. You’ve seen Da Bao and his siblings; each one is more indulgent towards their mother. When they haven’t been home for two days, they come back bringing treats. I even saw Da Bao giving Jiang Lin money the other day. He said…”

He glanced outside, and Zhang Shaopeng leaned in closer, “What did he say?”

Su Xingyun said, “Da Bao said, ‘When I buy clothes, they say they don’t look good, so you should buy them yourself.’”

Zhang Shaopeng was stunned, “Really?”

“Absolutely. Da Bao and Xiao Bao earn more money than we do. They even bought Bao Sheng an Omega watch.”

Zhang Shaopeng’s eyes widened, “Really?”

Su Xingyun responded, “Have you not seen Bao Sheng wearing it several times?”

Zhang Shaopeng said, “I thought it was just a regular watch.”

He was impressed that the young girl had a foreign watch!

But Bao Sheng had never cared much about it, so he hadn’t realized it was an expensive luxury item.

He felt he could no longer look at Bao Sheng the same way.

The construction site was in a demolished area with ongoing road repairs and building constructions.

The floodlights were set up about ten meters high, brightly illuminating the area.

With summer not yet fully underway, the night breeze carried a slight chill mixed with dust, which wasn’t very pleasant.

Jiang Lin took the opportunity to explain the future development trends of the area as they walked.

Cheng Rushan listened with great interest.

At eight o’clock, Jiang Lin said, “It’s getting late. You should head back. Once this busy period is over, I’ll have some time to rest.”

Currently, in this intensive construction zone, taking a continuous break was impossible.

For those in the construction industry, promotions didn’t mean they could stop managing projects; she still needed to oversee each one to avoid any uncontrollable issues.

Cheng Rushan said, “I’ll stay here with you.”

Jiang Lin replied, “It’s too rudimentary here.”

Cheng Rushan put his arm around her waist and said, “My dear, you might have misunderstood me. I didn’t grow up enjoying a luxurious life.”

If she could stay, so could he.

Jiang Lin laughed.

He always wanted to share her hardships, and as long as she was enduring them without special treatment, he was determined to experience it fully himself.

She said, “There’s a guesthouse nearby; we can stay there.”

Cheng Rushan still refused to go to the guesthouse, insisting on staying at the construction site.

Even when Jiang Lin suggested going home, it didn’t sway him.

Seeing that he was set on experiencing the rough conditions of the construction site, Jiang Lin gave in.

After all, he was someone who had slept outdoors before, and being Director Cheng hadn’t made him forget his past.

It wasn’t bedtime yet, so Jiang Lin asked him to drive her to see Lv Hang.

She had been on a business trip before, and upon returning, she heard about Lv Hang and He Liang’s incident.

Without resting, she went to visit them to offer support to Guo Yanqiu, hoping to uplift her spirits.

Cheng Rushan drove her to the hospital.

He Liang had lost a lot of blood but recovered quickly after a transfusion and was discharged a few days later.

He Liang took a month off from work, and during his leave, he helped Bie Dongshan,

He Changjiang, and others with the case investigation.

Although they had captured the five thugs and Wang Houzi, He Liang still felt aggrieved and frustrated.

He had a sense of indignation as if, despite being formidable for years, he had been defeated by a few idle criminals.

He would have preferred to die in a flood, landslide, earthquake, or fire rescue rather than being beaten to death by a few highway robbers.

So even though the case had been solved, he still couldn’t come to terms with it and continued to work tirelessly, disregarding the doctor’s advice to rest more.

When Jiang Lin and Cheng Rushan entered the ward, Guo Yanqiu was helping Guo Sheng with his homework.

During the day, Lu Hang’s parents stayed by his side, and at night, Guo Yanqiu would come.

Guo Sheng had grown up a lot and was very sensible.

He went to school regularly and came to accompany his father after school, doing his homework while telling Lu Hang about school.

He had previously hated going to school and would argue with Lu Hang, saying things like, “Why force me to go to school when you don’t study well yourself?” which used to infuriate Lu Hang.

Now that Lu Hang couldn’t call out or scold him, Guo Sheng had become more mature.

When Jiang Lin and Cheng Rushan arrived, Guo Sheng immediately stood up to greet them and talked about his father’s condition.

Jiang Lin nodded and praised him, “Guo Sheng, you’re a young boy who takes good care of your parents. I’m proud of you.”

Guo Sheng asked, “Does Baosheng sister also feel proud of me?”

Jiang Lin smiled and said, “Of course.”

She then told Guo Sheng to continue with his studies and started talking with Guo Yanqiu.

Guo Yanqiu had lost a lot of weight and her eyes were often swollen.

She didn’t cry on purpose, but she was easily moved by memories of the past.

Despite his foolish appearance, those memories were filled with joy and sweetness.

She told Jiang Lin, “Actually, I’m not as upset anymore. I’ve prepared myself, even if he…”

“Don’t say that. Dr. Fang said he will definitely wake up,” Jiang Lin interrupted.

Lu Hang and He Liang had returned.

Fang Chengxia had provided a lot of care, organizing consultations and treatments with great attention.

However, Guo Yanqiu thought Fang Chengxia was just offering comforting words and wasn’t truly hopeful about the treatment.

Jiang Lin encouraged her, “Lu Hang can still hear. He might not be able to move or speak, but he can hear.

I’ve read about similar cases where patients in comas can still hear. We should talk to him often, share daily events, happy news, and past memories. This might help revive his senses.”

Guo Yanqiu nodded, “Okay.”

She held Jiang Lin’s hand and said, “Lin Lin, thank you.”

There were many things she wanted to say, but she felt that a simple thank you wasn’t enough.

She couldn’t express her gratitude fully or offer anything substantial.

Jiang Lin said, “Don’t be formal. If you need anything, just let me know.”

Lü Hang wasn’t a soldier, so even though Commander Han had given permission for care, the medical expenses weren’t fully covered.

Guo Yanqiu refused to let Lu Hang’s parents use money from the textile factory, so finances were tight.

Jiang Lin transferred some of her own money to Lü Hang’s hospital account to help with the treatment.

As a result, Da Bao and Xiao Bao thought she was short on money and wanted to give her some.

After talking for over half an hour, she said goodbye to Guo Yanqiu and comforted her with a few words.

Everyone hoped Lu Hang would wake up soon. Wen Sheng and Da Bao visited him regularly and read to him.

Although Jiang Lin encouraged Guo Yanqiu, the shadow in her heart remained heavy because Lu Hang might never wake up again.

With current medical technology, if he remains in a coma, he might not last much longer.

After leaving the hospital building, Jiang Lin got into the car with a look of helplessness and anger. “The bad guys are rampant, and it’s the relevant departments’ negligence. It’s understandable for ordinary people to criticize them.”

Cheng Rushan squeezed her hand, trying to help her calm down.

Jiang Lin was genuinely furious. It was a mix of resentment, powerlessness, and complaint from being an ordinary person. “From now on, it’s best to wear a helmet when going out to avoid suddenly getting hit. Bicycles aren’t safe either; you might get your throat cut. Driving might mean getting hit by a falling rock from the sky!”

Her anger grew, and tears streamed down her face. “I have to warn Dabao and Xiaobao not to drive out of town for fun anymore, in case they run into bandits.”

Ever since she learned about Lu Hang and He Liang’s incident, she had been warning Dabao and Xiaobao not to leave the city and especially not to travel at night, even though they were now quite capable.

To her, they were still the two little children who once made her heart ache.

The thought of those damn scoundrels, hiding somewhere and potentially harming her son or others, made her heart ache deeply.

Cheng Rushan leaned in to hug her, gently stroking her back, and said softly, “Don’t be afraid. It will get better. I promise.”

As long as pressure is applied from multiple angles, the provincial Public Security Bureau will take notice and send more capable and tough officials to the county and township police stations to replace the ineffective ones.

They will crack down on local hooligans and gangsters, and within a year, public security will definitely improve.

Cheng Rushan took Jiang Lin back, and she was relatively silent on the way, not like before when she would chat and laugh with him.

He felt even more distressed seeing this.

The only comfort was that in front of him, she didn’t need to pretend to be strong or force a smile; she could be her true self.

He held her hand and said, “Linlin, trust me.”

Jiang Lin glanced at him, leaned her head into his arm, and said, “Shan Ge, you need to take care of yourself. Rest well, and be safe on business trips.”

Cheng Rushan patted her hair and said, “They don’t dare to target government vehicles; they’re only after wealthy individuals.” After a moment, he continued, “I’ll ask Guan Chengguang for a portable alarm. If you must travel at night, install it. Of course, I hope you won’t need to.”