The tranquil tea house was filled with the fragrance of tea.
Li Jing sat calmly and leisurely on a wooden chair, a faint smile on his lips as he looked at Feng Peng, who had been "invited" over.
Compared to Li Jing’s composure, Feng Peng’s face looked much worse.
He had seen Li Jing in so public places before, so the mont he stepped into the tea house, he recognized Li Jing and felt his heart sink.
Li Jing was the person Gu Zhenbang, his backer, had been dealing with recently, and also the owner of the Cultural Park that had beco quite a buzz in the city recently.
Upon realizing it was Li Jing who had called him over, uneasiness filled his heart, and he felt a slight urge to leave.
But after glancing at Ah Liang standing by the door, he quickly quashed that thought.
"President Li, I don’t think we’ve had much contact, right? I wonder what brings you to call over at this ti? Could it be that President Li has so project to collaborate on?"
Feng Peng could only feign calmness, betting that the other party did not know about his relationship with Gu Zhenbang, and tried hard to make his voice appear steady.
Li Jing smiled slightly, his expression kind yet unfathomable: "Boss Feng, since I invited you here, it’s naturally to talk about collaboration."
Upon hearing this, Feng Peng subtly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the other party was unaware of his relationship with Gu Zhenbang and that he had been overthinking, when suddenly Li Jing changed the subject:
"Boss Feng, I’ve heard that you’ve been having a rough ti recently?"
Li Jing’s eyes twinkled with amusent: "You’ve owed so money, there are nurous rumors in your company, your wife is even in the process of divorcing you, and even Gu Zhenbang, President Gu, probably no longer has the trust he once had in you."
At the ntion of Gu Zhenbang’s na, Feng Peng’s face turned pale instantly.
He wasn’t afraid if Li Jing knew about his gambling, but if his relationship with Gu Zhenbang were discovered...
At this mont, Feng Peng already had the intention to back down.
As Li Jing knew about his relationship with Gu Zhenbang, it was impossible for him to genuinely want to collaborate; this eting was surely not a good thing.
"My affairs are none of your concern."
Seeing how thoroughly he had been investigated by Li Jing, Feng Peng knew the other party must have an ulterior motive, his face turned cold, and his fingers subconsciously gripped the armrest of his chair.
Li Jing noticed the restlessness in Feng Peng and continued with a smile, at an unhurried pace:
"What if I told you I could help you resolve your current predicants? Would you still think it doesn’t concern ?"
"You can help out of my current dilemmas?!"
Feng Peng’s expression slightly changed.
He indeed was in a dilemma, one from which he found no escape.
His penchant for gambling had led him to greater losses than ever, not only wiping out all his savings but also leaving him indebted everywhere.
He wanted to stop, yet he couldn’t, for the more he lost, the more unwilling he beca, and the more unwilling he was, the more he wished to win it back, only to lose even more.
Even though reason told him he shouldn’t keep gambling, he couldn’t stop hoping he could stage a coback.
Unless he hadn’t gotten involved with those gamblers in the first place, perhaps he wouldn’t be in this quagmire.
So when Li Jing spoke of helping him out of his current predicant, he couldn’t deny a flicker of hope had arisen within him.
But soon, he masked his mont of hesitation, replying in a low, incredulous voice: "You help ? How would you help ? By dispelling company rumors? Or restoring family harmony?"
"I certainly can’t guarantee those things."
Li Jing extended five fingers: "But there’s one thing I can help with. Bald Cat told that apart from your lost savings, you owe about five million outside in total.
I can give you five million to pay off the debts, which should solve your problems at the root, shouldn’t it?"
"You’re giving five million?!"
As soon as he heard this, Feng Peng couldn’t help but his pupils slightly contracted, but he imdiately regained his composure, closely scrutinizing Li Jing, though his heart wavered, he still didn’t believe him: "Why would you help ? Who would give a stranger five million for nothing?!"
"This five million is certainly not a free gift."
Li Jing’s lips curled slightly upward: "It is in exchange for information about Gu Zhenbang. If the information you provide is valuable enough, why not give you this five million?"
Hearing this, although Feng Peng’s face appeared calm, inside he was already turbulent; the loyalty he had felt towards Gu Zhenbang was now wavering under the opponent’s persuasion.
A mont later, he finally spoke again, looking at Li Jing with a dark expression, gritting his teeth as he said: "The forces behind Gu Zhenbang are deeply rooted; making a move against him definitely won’t end well for you."
Li Jing appeared unconcerned, waving a hand lightly: "Hasn’t he targeted nurous tis? And yet, here I am, still fine, aren’t I?
Don’t forget, the last one who got caught wasn’t my person, but his trusted lieutenant, Huang Liangming."
Upon hearing this, Feng Peng’s expression changed once more.
Although Gu Zhenbang had said there was no problem, everyone knew that this confrontation was a loss for Gu Zhenbang, and it was a very humiliating one.
Seeing Feng Peng still in deep conflict, Li Jing continued: "But as for you, in your current situation, will Gu Zhenbang still care for you?
You probably can’t even co up with ten thousand, let alone pay off five million. Keep relying on gambling? If you continue this path, it’s only a matter of ti before everything crumbles, and with Gu Zhenbang’s character, he certainly won’t lend you a hand."
As he spoke, Li Jing slowly leaned forward, peering into Feng Peng’s wavering eyes: "But if you cooperate with . As long as you provide valuable enough clues, I guarantee to keep it a secret, and Gu Zhenbang will remain in the dark. It’s also your only chance to change your fate."
After those words fell, Feng Peng fell silent for a long ti, and the entire room plunged into silence.
Li Jing said nothing more, patiently waiting.
He knew that as long as the other party wasn’t foolish, he would certainly make the right choice.
The real reason Feng Peng was allied with Gu Zhenbang was ultimately due to benefits, not allegiance.
Sure enough, nearly ten minutes later, Feng Peng finally released his grip on the armrest and slowly nodded.
...
Late at night, Li Jing stood at the tea house entrance, watching as Feng Peng drove away.
Ah Liang approached from the side and asked softly, "President Li, are you really going to give him five million?"
Li Jing gazed into the distant night, expression calm: "It’s only five million. If I let Gu Zhenbang continue to cause trouble behind the Cultural Park, the losses would be far greater than that.
Yet if I can bring him and the powers backing him down, the gains would far outweigh five million."
Seeing Li Jing exude a calm and in-command deanor, Ah Liang silently admired him, growing more respectful with each passing mont.
Simultaneously, on the other side, Feng Peng, seated in the car, appeared sowhat dejected, as if the backbone had been drained from him, leaving him slumped in the seat.
Even now, his heart was still riddled with unease and guilty conscience.
After much hesitation, he finally dialed Gu Zhenbang’s number.
He still wanted to confirm one last thing.
But after several rings with no answer, Feng Peng had no choice but to call Gu Zhenbang’s assistant.
"Hello, Xiaowu, I need to speak to President Gu." Feng Peng’s voice carried a slight rasp.
"President Gu is busy." The assistant’s voice was cold and distant.
"Busy? What could President Gu be busy with at this hour? He used to take my calls, why is it so hard to reach him lately?" Feng Peng frowned, persistently asking.
"Boss Feng, don’t you understand why President Gu isn’t answering your calls?" The assistant’s tone carried a hint of mockery.
Hearing this, Feng Peng’s heart sank: "You an about my gambling?"
"That’s right, you couldn’t even manage yourself, how could you handle President Gu’s affairs, and you’ve made it common knowledge, letting debts and gambling reach President Gu’s ears.
And now, I’m not afraid to tell you, President Gu has instructed that no one is to lend you money."
"What? President Gu even instructed such a thing?" Feng Peng’s voice was filled with disbelief: "Why?"
"Because a gambler can’t be trusted, you’re just a piece of mud that can’t be helped up. If you were President Gu, would you trust a gambler? This is all your own doing and no one else’s fault."
The assistant’s words were like a sharp blade, stabbing straight into Feng Peng’s heart.
"But I’ve done so much for President Gu, and he’s cutting ties with over this?!" Feng Peng’s anger flared, mingled with dissatisfaction.
"A mistake bears its own consequences, President Gu has warned you about this long ago."
Having said that, the assistant seed unwilling to continue speaking, hanging up the phone directly.
anwhile, Feng Peng clutched his phone tightly, his breath heavy, and after a while, he finally reopened his phone and sent a ssage to Li Jing:
"The clues I gave you earlier, there are still so details left unsaid, now I’ll tell you everything."
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