In the capital's family compound, the Pei family's house had been unsealed and returned to them.
In the study, Pei Zhengnian sat in a mahogany chair, his fingertips tracing the sealed kraft-paper briefcase on the desk.
Inside the briefcase were the specially forged core blueprints.
The paper had been aged just right, and incorrect paraters were deliberately used for the key data. It looked complete, but it actually lacked the most crucial technical specifications. It was like a car without an engine—an empty shell with no practical use.
"Zhengnian, these blueprints... will they really bait Pei Zhengwei?"
Father Pei stood by the window, holding a half-smoked cigarette that remained unlit.
Ever since he discovered Pei Zhengwei's ambitions, he hadn't been sleeping well at night and even smoked less.
Pei Zhengnian looked up, his gaze firm.
"Dad, what Pei Zhengwei wants is a chance to prove his rit, and more importantly, a bargaining chip to control the Pei family. These blueprints are his key to reaching the top in one step. He will definitely be tempted."
He paused, then added,
"I've already coordinated with the higher-ups. Sun Xuelin is leading n to watch him from the shadows. As long as he dares to touch the blueprints, we will definitely catch him red-handed."
Father Pei nodded and crushed the cigarette in the ashtray.
"Alright, Dad believes in you. Just make sure to stay safe. The wound on your shoulder hasn't healed yet, so don't push yourself too hard."
"I know." Pei Zhengnian stood up and picked up the briefcase from the desk. "I'll call Pei Zhengwei right now and ask him to co with to deliver the blueprints tomorrow."
When the call connected, lighthearted music played on Pei Zhengwei's end, clearly indicating he was in a good mood.
"Lao'er, calling so late, is sothing the matter?"
His voice carried a deliberate warmth, revealing no flaws whatsoever.
Pei Zhengnian intentionally slowed his tone, pretending to be exhausted.
"Eldest Brother, Dad asked to deliver the blueprints Professor Liu requested tomorrow. Are you free tomorrow? Co with !"
"My body hasn't fully recovered yet, so I might have to rely on you to take care of things later."
Pei Zhengwei suppressed his excitent.
"I'm free! Of course I'm free! Lao'er, don't worry. I'll co pick you up first thing tomorrow morning and guarantee everything will be handled perfectly!"
Hanging up the phone, a cold sneer tugged at the corner of Pei Zhengnian's mouth. The fish had indeed taken the bait.
Early the next morning, Pei Zhengwei drove a black sedan, appearing punctually at the entrance of the Pei family's old estate.
He wore a brand-new Mao suit, his hair slicked back and shiny, a determined smile on his face.
Seeing Pei Zhengnian co out of the house, Pei Zhengwei hurried out of the car to greet him. "Lao'er, did you not sleep well last night? Why do you look so pale?"
Pei Zhengnian deliberately frowned, his face as pale as paper.
"It might be because my wound hasn't healed yet. I'm a bit tired. It's fine, let's get in the car. We shouldn't delay delivering the blueprints."
While getting into the passenger seat, Pei Zhengnian accidentally bumped into the car door and intentionally let out a muffled groan of pain.
From the corner of his eye, Pei Zhengwei noticed a dark red patch slowly seeping through the shoulder and neck area of his dark coat—it was blood.
He instantly rejoiced in his heart but feigned a nervous expression.
"Lao'er! Did your wound tear open? How about I take you to the hospital first? I can deliver the blueprints by myself. Don't worry, I will definitely get them into Professor Liu's hands."
Pei Zhengnian clutched his shoulder and gasped, as if he had struggled for a long ti before compromising.
"...Alright. The blueprints are in the briefcase. Be careful on the road, and make sure to hand them to Professor Liu personally. Don't make any mistakes. I'll go to the hospital by myself."
"That works too. Lao'er, you can rest assured!"
Pei Zhengwei took the briefcase. The mont his fingers touched the bag, a flash of greed crossed his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by concern.
"Hurry to the hospital. I'll co see you as soon as I finish delivering the blueprints."
The black car slowly drove away. Pei Zhengnian stood at the door, watching the vehicle disappear at the end of the alley, his gaze instantly turning sharp.
Sun Xuelin also erged from the shadows.
"Sun Xuelin, the target has departed. Proceed according to plan."
"Yes, Commander."
Sun Xuelin's figure quickly vanished.
anwhile, inside the sedan, the hands Pei Zhengwei used to grip the steering wheel were trembling slightly.
Looking through the rearview mirror and confirming that no one was following him, he slamd on the brakes, parking the car in a hidden spot by the road.
He picked up the briefcase from the passenger seat and tremblingly unzipped it—the blueprints inside were wrapped in kraft paper.
"Finally, they're mine!"
Pei Zhengwei let out a low, excited growl and pulled a miniature cara from his pocket—he had asked soone to buy it from the black market specifically to photograph classified docunts.
He carefully unfolded the blueprints and clicked away at the contents. The cara flash blinked repeatedly inside the car, illuminating his twisted smile.
After taking the photos, he wrapped the blueprints back up, returned them to the briefcase, and double-checked everything to ensure he left no traces. Only then did he restart the car and drive toward Professor Liu's research institute.
Arriving at the institute's entrance, Pei Zhengwei specifically straightened his clothes before carrying the briefcase into the building.
Upon eting Professor Liu, he plastered a respectful smile on his face. "Professor Liu, these are the blueprints my dad asked to deliver. Please check if this is the right copy."
Professor Liu took the briefcase, opened it for a glance, and nodded. "Yes, this is it. Thank you for your hard work, Comrade Pei."
"It's no trouble at all. Contributing to the country is my duty."
Pei Zhengwei exchanged a few more polite words before turning around and leaving.
Walking out of the institute's main gate, Pei Zhengwei looked up at the sky, the smile on his lips growing wider and wider.
As long as he delivered the film, he would receive the promised rewards. When that ti ca, everything in the Pei family, and even more, would be his.
But Pei Zhengwei wasn't stupid. After getting the film, he didn't rush to take action. Instead, he went to work and got off work on ti every day, just like usual.
Sun Xuelin and his n watched from the shadows for three days, observing Pei Zhengwei travel between two points every day. He didn't contact any strangers, nor did he visit any suspicious places.
"Captain Pei, what's going on with Pei Zhengwei? He hasn't made a single move since getting the film. Could he have noticed sothing?"
Xiong Lei couldn't help but ask.
Pei Zhengnian sat in his hospital room, lightly tapping his fingers on the table as he pondered.
"He didn't notice anything. He's just waiting for an opportunity."
"Pei Zhengwei is ticulous. He wouldn't act right after getting the blueprints. He wants to wait for the heat to die down before finding a chance to deliver the film."
"Keep a close eye on him, especially his whereabouts over the weekend. He will definitely make a move."
Sure enough, on Saturday morning, Pei Zhengwei changed into lightweight clothes and went to Xiangshan alone.
He slowly climbed up the mountain path, stopping from ti to ti to greet the tourists he encountered, looking just like an ordinary hiking enthusiast.
Sun Xuelin led his team, following from a distance, secretly on high alert. The terrain in Xiangshan was complex and heavily wooded, making it an excellent place to hide things and make handovers.
When he reached halfway up the mountain, Pei Zhengwei found a secluded stone bench to sit on, pretending to drink water and rest.
He looked around, and after confirming that no one was paying attention to him, he quickly pulled an object wrapped in a plastic bag from his backpack. It was exactly that roll of cara film.
He stood up and walked over to the nearby bushes. Crouching down as if to tie his shoelaces, he swiftly stuffed the roll of film into a small crevice in a large boulder by the road, then covered the opening with fallen leaves. Only after completing all this did he nonchalantly continue his hike up the mountain.
Sun Xuelin and his n held their breath, keeping their eyes fixed on the rock.
About half an hour later, a slender young man in a gray jacket walked over.
With his head lowered, he approached the boulder and also pretended to tie his shoe. His fingers darted into the crevice, fished out the film, and slipped it into his pocket. Then he turned around and headed down the mountain, his movents entirely smooth and seamless.
"Move out!"
Sun Xuelin ordered in a low voice, and the team imdiately split into two groups.
One group continued to tail Pei Zhengwei in case he made any further moves. The other group followed the young man, planning to follow the trail and track down his contact.
Surprisingly, however, Pei Zhengwei stayed on the mountain for over an hour without interacting with anyone or doing anything else suspicious. He simply finished his leisurely climb and went back ho.
Over the next few days, he continued to commute to and from work on ti, acting as if the incident at Fragrant Hills had never happened.
...
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