Chapter 391: Reactions

After the two interviews scheduled by Lu Zhixin had been published, the situation became a bit chaotic.

The media entities that had previously reported on this issue remained silent, no longer feeling confident of things. They had merely received information and benefits from a good-intentioned person. Since they were going to create some positive news anyway, it had seemed acceptable and okay to do, really. This was what they had been thinking.

Sometimes, something that appears to have been done out of goodwill can really still harbour malicious intent and additional motives.

Zhicheng was the stablest. Someone gathered a few dozen people and caused a scene at its construction site, wanting to check the falsity of things and see if it really was the case that the Black Horse Club had already fallen out and no longer cared about anything as was rumoured.

In the end, they were ambushed by a few dozen of Wu Kun's burly security guards as around half of them were sent into the hospital as a result.

It was not hard to guess who was behind this. The next day, a shirtless Hu Shengming came over to the construction site with a few chicks in bikinis, treating the piles of sand there like it was some beach. He lazed there for the entire day with the full assortment of parasol, music and alcohol.

He uploaded photos of it on Weibo, entitled: If the ocean is in your heart, everywhere is the Maldives.

The underlying meaning here was: Wanna see who can be more shameless? Heh, come on.

The very same day, an uncle of Fang Yuqing's went to the hospital to visit the injured, calling this a pernicious incident that they definitely had to get to the bottom of.

The ones behind the incident did not show up as it was the underlings themselves who said, "Thanks for your concern, sir, but it isn't actually like that. We were just drunk and unable to control ourselves. Because of that, we ended up charging over and causing a ruckus there."

These people were not dumb. If those of the Fang family wanted to investigate the incident, would it end up pointing at Zhicheng? The Fang family's own Fang Yuqing was just right there.

In having come here, this was equivalent to brandishing a sabre and riding over on horseback, declaring: My Fang family's here. If you still want to play, come on then.

As people who were merely seeking profit where it might be found, they would definitely not risk aggravating the Fang family that had suddenly gone crazy recently.

Old Mr Fang had previously asked twice about Xu Tingsheng's situation. As his own condition was already getting worse, during the third time that he thought about it, the person whom he asked to go pay a visit to him was not Fang Yuqing but Fang Chen.

The old man took out a 300-year-old ginseng that some subordinate had gifted to him in the past, handing it over to Fang Chen and asking her to give it to Xu Tingsheng.

A 300-year-old ginseng might not really be able to extend one's life as it was said in the legends. Still, how valuable was it? It had been used as tributes even in ancient times.

Fang Chen said, "Grandpa, you aren't in such good health yourself. You should keep it. Why benefit that guy?"

The old man said, "It's destined for me. When the time comes, it won't matter whatever I eat. That kid, though, still has a long way to go. Well, how about you take it as a dowry? Grandpa can make the decision and get you two married…"

Fang Chen exclaimed, "Gah! No, Grandpa, I'm not gah-ing you. I'm saying I'm not interested in him. He's not interested in me too. You wouldn't know this, but right now, there are a grand total of four of them staying by his side all day round."

"So what," The old man said, "Send it over and invite his parents to our house for a meal. If I say that you will get married, then he must marry you. If he won't, put a gun to their heads. You only see people charging forth in waves when fighting wars in movies. Behind these are the ends of guns."

As the old man gradually approached the end of his life, he was becoming more and more like how he had been in his youth, wanting to flick his sleeve and act recklessly whenever a matter cropped up. An old boy, an old boy. That might be a name for it.

An embarrassed Fang Chen clarified, "But I really don't like him."

"Go snag someone then! Not someone in the bureaucracy. If it's business, someone well-known. Otherwise, someone overseas would be good too. You could leave with him. Grandpa would like to see you get married before he dies. Actually, the Xu family kid is pretty good…forget it, let's not talk about him."

"Anyway, I acted too ruthlessly in the past and left behind many seeds of trouble for our Fang family. Once I pass, our family's roof will start to leak. Hail or fireball-whatever there is, hell will break loose. Your Dad's generation is already too deeply involved to avoid this. You young ones should protect yourself and live out your lives peacefully. Don't look back."

The old man spoke very candidly.

Fang Chen said, "Grandpa."

The old man inhaled deeply, saying, "Off you go then. I'm tired.”

When Fang Chen was at the doorway with the ginseng box in her hand and about to leave, the old man said, "Sole yin doesn't last. It probably also doesn't persist when paired. At the end of the day, it's still better when yin and yang are twinly coexisting."

Fang Chen stumbled, nearly hitting her head against the door.

She had to find a man to marry. She did not want her grandfather's final wish to end a regret. Yet, going by his benchmark, who the heck could she choose?

If it was someone who was a bit more fun and was unrelated to the bureaucracy and those many social circles, someone who still might miss the benchmark by a bit but would meet it sooner or later, with a crucial point being that he would bring no attachments…there was Tan Yao.

Nothing should have come of the relationship between him and Ye Qing, right?

It was fine if they just got married and then fooled around individually.

……

That cooking apprentice's name was Zhao Sishan.

Things had initially been going quite badly for him over this period of time. His family was not well-off as he had only found a job as a cooking apprentice with much difficulty. Wasn't it said that chefs never went unemployed? Their wages after having graduated were not low too. He had truly intended to cherish this chance well.

Yet, just a couple of days into his new job, it was precisely because he cherished it so very much that he had gotten himself scalded terribly, even setting the restaurant itself on fire.

Actually, speaking of burns, his were the most serious. His arms and chest had truly been a sight to behold after the fire. Despite being hospitalised too, he had had no money to pay the bills and the medical expenses anymore. The small sum that the Xiang family had helped him with before had nearly run out.

The hospital had been pressing him for their fees.

His boss had ignored him. It was already very good that he was not suing him. The reason for that was that…he had no compensation money to give even if he suffered a lawsuit. The boss had said: I can only just take it that I was unlucky. You can only do the same too.

His bad luck had suddenly undergone a full reversal.

Money had come in. A very beautiful woman had inexplicably come and paid a huge sum of medical fees for him in advance, having additionally given him twenty thousand yuan. Zhao Sishan had really doubted things, thinking that perhaps he had suddenly turned handsome. Finally, the other party had proposed him a condition.

She wanted him, Zhao Sishan, to be a hero.

Wouldn't he be a fool if he said no?

Pointing at his body that was riddled with burns, Zhao Sishan told the reporter, "If it wasn't me who saved the victim, then who? How else would I be this badly injured?"

The article was published, and Zhao Sishan made headlines.

Various people from varying places came to offer this hero their well-wishes. There were many who chipped in with money and items too. The fruits and flowers by Zhao Sishan's bedside were nearly piling up into a mountain…

Zhao Sishan very much wanted to say, "I want all cash."

After sending away yet another batch of people with some difficulty, Zhao Sishan decided to take a nap.

Yet another person came. It was another unreasonably beautiful woman. She was a bit older than the previous one had been, though.

"Hello, how do you do. I'd like to ask. Was it really you who saved someone that day and not that Xu Tingsheng?" The woman asked.

Zhao Sishan immediately grew vigilant.

"Who are you? A reporter? Of course it was me! Look at how badly injured I am. Also, I don't know this Xu Tingsheng you speak of."

Li Wan'er could not find Xu Tingsheng anywhere. She was all alone and unfamiliar with Yanzhou and was unable to even find where he was currently warded.

"I won't say anything to anyone. I just want to know what happened to Xu Tingsheng."

Just as Zhao Sishan was about to curse.

A wad of cash dropped on the table.

Ten thousand, twenty thousand…

"You won't tell anybody?"

"I promise I won't."

"I think that you're probably asking about the person from that day. He…"

Zhao Sishan recounted the events from that day, including how Xu Tingsheng had been smashed by that broken, blazing beam and how he had not shown any reaction however much they tried to elicit one from him after he had been dragged out.

In order to demonstrate his bravery and the perils of that day, Zhao Sishan soon found himself exaggerating things greatly without realising it…it was literally like corpses were strewn across the ground as everywhere was an endless field of blood.

"I think he's dead. He probably died right there on the spot," Zhao Sishan said, "Otherwise, it wouldn't be me who's benefiting like this. Of course, I did save somebody too. As for why his side's totally silent, it seems like that's because his family's very rich and owns a few businesses…they probably have to make some arrangements for those first…"

Li Wan'er fainted dead away on the spot.

Zhao Sishan hurriedly called for the nurse.

After regaining her consciousness, Li Wan'er refused the advice of the doctor and nurses to remain in the hospital for further observation.

She unsteadily staggered out of the hospital.