The plane took off from North City Airport carrying Ji Xia and her dreams for Deep City piercing through the clouds and heading toward the warm south. Leaning against the window she watched the outline of the city below shrink gradually her heart brimming with excitement and anticipation.
Meanwhile in the private elevator hall of the underground parking lot at the headquarters of Chenzhou Technology in Deep City the scene was entirely different.
Remember this site Taiwan Novel Network is incredibly practical for all your reading needs.
Mr. Jiang! Mr. Jiang I beg you I know I was wrong! Please give me just one more chance! I was blinded by greed! I will pay every penny back double triple whatever it takes!
A middle aged man in a rumpled suit with a cut above his left eye sobbed uncontrollably as he tried to break through the security cordon and throw himself at Jiang Yanqin who had just stepped out of his private elevator.
Jiang Yanqin did not break his stride his gaze did not shift even slightly as if the man lunging toward him were nothing more than a cloud of foul air. Li Yang his assistant took a neat side step blocking the manager’s line of sight with perfect precision.
Manager Wang if you had thought of that sooner you would not be here now Li Yang said evenly. Every cent of this company’s money is assigned a purpose it is not there to bail you out of your gambling debts in Macau.
I will pay it back every last cent! Please beg Mr. Jiang for me! Spare me this once! Manager Wang struggled on the verge of dropping to his knees. I have been with you for years Mr. Jiang! Surely I have earned something for all my hard work!
At that Jiang Yanqin finally stopped.
He did not turn around only tilted his head slightly revealing the sharp unyielding line of his jaw. The dim light of the garage fell over him lowering the air around him to an icy chill.
Hard work he said slowly his voice quiet yet cutting like a shard of ice to the bone. I put you in charge of Southeast Asian operations so you could smuggle contraband in our company’s ships?
Manager Wang went ashen. He had thought only the embezzlement had come to light never imagining Mr. Jiang knew of this deeper far more secret offense.
No that is not how it was it was only…
Jiang Yanqin showed no interest in his excuses deigning not to glance at him even once. He simply flicked a look at Li Yang.
Li Yang understood instantly. Stepping forward he looked down at the man slumped on the floor. Whether you return the money is no longer your decision. Every asset registered under your name including the apartment you bought for your mistress will be reclaimed by the company through legal channels.
Manager Wang crumbled completely his last shred of hope shattered. He wrenched free of the guards and dropped with a heavy thud to the hard concrete kowtowing frantically.
Mr. Jiang! I give up! I will confess to everything! I beg you show mercy! Spare my wife and daughter! They had nothing to do with this! They are innocent!
His forehead struck the cold floor with a dull heavy thud.
Only then did Jiang Yanqin deign to turn his gaze briefly upon him. There was no anger in that look no contempt not even the faintest ripple of emotion only the cold indifference of someone regarding a failed experiment.
Innocent He seemed to have heard something absurd a thin icy smile touching his lips. How do you think your son got into that international school two years ago?
Manager Wang lifted his head face streaked with tears and blood his eyes now filled with utter despair.
Li Yang answered for him Every comfort your family has enjoyed came from Mr. Jiang’s goodwill. When the blessings run out so does the protection from the consequences of your sins.
Those words extinguished the last flicker of light in Manager Wang’s eyes.
Jiang Yanqin appeared to have grown weary of the spectacle. He turned away and walked toward his black Maybach.
Li Yang signaled to the security detail. Clean this up. Call the police and hand all evidence over to the Economic Crimes Investigation Unit.
Two guards hauled the limp ashen man away as if he were dead weight toward the garage exit. Moments later the wail of sirens rose in the distance and drew near.
A short time later two officers in uniform entered. They exchanged brief serious words with Li Yang reviewed the paperwork and took custody of the broken man.
Flanking him on either side they led him to the waiting police car. Once they were well clear of the garage’s suffocating atmosphere the younger officer exhaled quietly and murmured to his partner Trying to pull a fast one under Jiang Yanqin’s nose is like drinking arsenic just to live longer. He really had it coming.
The older officer cuffed Manager Wang and settled him in the backseat before closing the door. He glanced at his junior with the calm of someone who has seen how the world works. What did you expect The Director of Police himself passed the word special instructions from higher up maximum priority strictest enforcement.
Higher up The younger officer frowned. City government Provincial department
The senior officer did not answer immediately. He looked up his gaze drifting toward the towering headquarters of Chenzhou Technology then raised a finger and pointed subtly north.
That single gesture paired with his knowing look said everything.
The younger officer caught his breath. No words came only a look of stunned realization. He closed his mouth and when he glanced back at the gleaming towers his eyes held a new profound awe.
Some things are better left unspoken. But what lay in that direction carried weight that no one in the system could ignore.
The police car sped away carrying Manager Wang toward a future that was already decided.
Back in the garage Li Yang checked his phone and spoke respectfully to his employer. Sir the transfer has been completed. And Miss Ji Xia’s flight is due to land in thirty minutes.
Jiang Yanqin sat with his eyes closed as if the scene that had just unfolded and the ripples it sent reaching to the highest levels of authority were no more significant than dust motes.
Good he murmured. Take me to the airport.