Chapter 65 The Tongue Slithers In

Chapter 65 The Tongue Slithers In

The Qi'an Apartment (a residential building in Hong Kong) is located next to the Zhen'an Apartment, the base of the 3rd Group of the Security Department. The Security Department had arranged for President Zhong to stay at Qi'an Apartment to ensure his safety.

No one expected that President Zhong would be killed and important documents and seals stolen right under their noses.

When they couldn’t reach Director Gao, Zhuang Ziguang and others bypassed the chain of command and reported directly to Director Qiu, who had accompanied Vice Premier Zeng to Hong Kong.

Director Qiu was livid when he heard the news. "Why were only four people assigned to protect him? How are we supposed to explain this to the higher-ups?"

Zhuang Ziguang could only lower his head and admit his mistake, "It was my mistake. I shouldn’t have moved the team tonight."

"Your Security Department is really slipping—less and less competent by the day."

But President Zhong’s safety wasn’t the Security Department’s responsibility—it fell under the Hong Kong Office. Zhuang Ziguang wanted to argue but hesitated and ultimately stayed silent.

As the direct superior of the Hong Kong Office, Director Qiu naturally shifted the blame to the Security Department.

Zhuang Ziguang's defense was useless.

With a sigh, Director Qiu turned to Xiao Zepeng. "Where were you when this happened?"

Xiao Zepeng: "Deputy Director Zhuang told me to watch Zhao Zhiao."

Zhao Zhiao?

Director Qiu frowned. "Why watch him?"

Zhuang Ziguang had no choice but to explain everything.

Finally, Zhuang Ziguang concluded, "Based on what we know, Zhao Zhiao looks highly suspicious. Today, they set up a diversion at Gangxing Paper Mill, forcing us to move our team there and leaving this place exposed. It’s a classic 'Besiege Wei to rescue Zhao' tactic!"

Director Qiu was skeptical, "Are you saying Zhao Zhiao sent someone to kill President Zhong?"

Zhuang Ziguang nodded, "It’s very possible."

Xiao Zepeng, standing nearby, interjected, "But Shen Te and Chen Bing, Zhao Zhiao’s usual enforcers, were stationed outside Shengji Diner the whole time and never left my sight."

Zhuang Ziguang pressed, "What about Zhao Zhiao himself?"

"Zhao Zhiao was at the diner," Xiao Zepeng recalled, "but he spent a long time ordering and in the restroom—at least ten minutes. Shengji Diner is just around the corner, behind this street. It’s a short drive, but walking might be quicker."

Zhuang Ziguang pondered and suspected, "Could Zhao Zhiao have used the restroom as a cover to come here and kill him?"

Director Qiu was puzzled, "He’s a big shot. Why would he do the dirty work himself? What are you suggesting?"

Zhuang Ziguang explained, "This time, they took sensitive documents. The Communists might not trust anyone else to handle this—they’d do it themselves."

Director Qiu said with certainty, "Zhao Zhiao is not a Communist."

Zhuang Ziguang: "Even if he’s not a Communist, he could be a financier backing them."

Xiao Zepeng said, "I questioned the guys at the scene. They said one of the three was a woman, and the man shot in the back was tall—slightly taller than me, which fits Zhao Zhiao’s description."

Zhuang Ziguang analyzed, "The woman is probably Dong Zhen, now going by Zhang Aiming, Zhao Zhiao’s Third Concubine. He uses her to funnel money to the Communists."

Director Qiu frowned. On the mainland, we could just search and find out, but this is Hong Kong—British territory. It’s not so simple here.

The room fell silent for a moment.

*

The third floor of the Zhao Family Garden, Zhang Aiming’s bedroom.

The curtains were tightly closed, and all the lights were turned on.

The room reeked of a mix of disinfectant alcohol and liquor.

Zhao Zhiao held a towel in his hand, his forehead covered in fine sweat.

Lin Yufan aimed the flashlight at the wound, too scared to look at his mangled back.

After quickly cleaning the wound, Zhang Aiming held a pair of bullet forceps, figuring out how to get the bullet out.

"Fortunately, you were wearing a bulletproof vest. The bullet didn’t go all the way through."

Zhao Zhiao muttered weakly, "Lucky."

Lin Yufan hadn’t expected that Zhao Zhiao’s work for the Communist Party would be so dangerous.

She was really scared.

But in front of Zhang Aiming, she didn’t say much, only remarking, "I thought something was up when I saw you downing that strong liquor. You didn’t tell me to hurry up and head home."

Zhao Zhiao explained, "The Secret Police are watching us outside. They’re sneaky as hell. Eating too fast would make them suspicious."

Lin Yufan sighed, "I didn’t even notice we were being watched."

Zhao Zhiao: "You’re not trained for this. It’s no surprise you didn’t notice."

Zhang Aiming studied for a while, preparing to remove the bullet, and reminded, "I’m starting."

Zhao Zhiao bit down on the towel.

Zhang Aiming carefully clamped the bullet casing, pulling it out with force. Halfway through, the bullet slipped.

The flesh around the bullet gripped it too tightly.

She clamped again...

Lin Yufan peeked but couldn’t bring herself to look again. She grabbed a handkerchief to dab Zhao Zhiao’s sweat, trying to take his mind off it: "The day after tomorrow, there’s a screening for 'The Gold Heist.' Want to come check it out?"

Zhao Zhiao asked, "Where is the screening?"

Lin Yufan: "At the cinema."

"Who else is going?"

"Just me, Director Shen and his wife, my Fifth Brother, and the lead actors..."

When he heard the male lead was going, Zhao Zhiao got defensive: "I’ll go."

As he spoke, his brow furrowed...

Clang! The bullet hit the metal tray.

Lin Yufan let out a sigh of relief, looking at Zhang Aiming with admiration, her eyes brimming with respect.

She could never have pulled this off.

She said, "Thank you, Aiming!"

"It's me who should say thank you," Zhang Aiming quickly treated the wound. "That bullet was meant for me, but Zhao Zhiao took it for me."

Zhao Zhiao put the towel aside and let out a heavy sigh. Afraid that his wife might overthink, he said, "That bullet could have hit Zhang Aiming's neck, which would have been fatal. Hitting me here, it just struck the bulletproof vest. It’s not the same."

Zhang Aiming sighed, "I’ve been cooped up at home every day, and my limbs aren’t as nimble anymore."

Lin Yufan comforted her, "You’re still recovering from a cold, yet you charged into the fray. You're much stronger than us. Who says women are inferior to men? You're stronger than many men."

Zhao Zhiao said, "Back in the day, the collaborators and Japanese soldiers she killed could form a whole company."

Zhang Aiming laughed, "It’s not that big of a deal."

After treating the wound, Lin Yufan quickly helped Zhao Zhiao put on his clothes.

Zhang Aiming packed up the medical kit.

Zhao Zhiao reached out to put on his clothes, this time the pain was excruciating, "You should really keep some painkillers in that medical kit."

Ring ring!

The phone rang.

Zhang Aiming went to answer the phone, "Yes?"

Lin Yufan helped Zhao Zhiao tidy up, knowing they still had things to discuss, she stuffed the bloodied clothes into her handbag and left first.

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Aiming said, "Yang Liu took care of it over there—same spot as yours—and shot that guy, Gao."

The fall guy was all set.

Zhao Zhiao nodded, "That Gao guy finally proved useful. I’ve arranged for a ship to leave port tonight with the documents, seals, and cash, heading to Tianjin."

Today was a bit dicey, but they finally pulled off the mission the organization assigned.

Zhang Aiming: "You’ve done enough. Go rest and explain things to Yufan."

Zhao Zhiao stood up and walked out, "She gets it."

Lin Yufan went downstairs back to the living room, Gui Xiang greeted her, "Miss, Tie Long has called several times looking for Mr. Zhao, saying the Hong Kong office brought the police to raid the Gangxing Paper Factory again, and they damaged quite a few things. When we couldn’t reach you earlier, Shen Te stepped in to handle it."

"What did they damage?"

"Something about a crate."

Lin Yufan roughly knew, it was the trap she and Zhao Zhiao had set up earlier, and Zhao Zhiao had used it today, probably hadn't had the chance to tell her yet.

"Got it, go brew some ginseng tea; I’m feeling lightheaded."

Gui Xiang stepped closer and pressed the back of her hand to Lin Yufan’s forehead, relieved to see she wasn't running a fever before going to make the ginseng tea.

Lin Yufan went into the bathroom and burned the clothes Zhao Zhiao had been wearing when he was shot, flushing the ashes down the toilet.

Then she opened the windows to air out the room.

A little later, Zhao Zhiao came back, Lin Yufan handed him the hot ginseng tea, "Drink up."

Since he’d been drinking, Zhao Zhiao didn’t look as pale as he might have from the blood loss. After a sip of the hot ginseng tea, he felt a lot better.

Before the couple had a chance to speak, Shen Te knocked on the door and entered, briefly updating them on the situation at the Hongxing Paper Mill.

"I called Superintendent Charlie's secretary to lodge a complaint and also reached out to the Hong Kong Office. Director Gao was unavailable, but his subordinates assured us of standard compensation. I informed them that we would not accept such an arrangement. Just moments ago, Director Qiu's assistant from the State Council called. Director Qiu is set to accompany Vice Premier Zeng back to Guangzhou early tomorrow morning. They are currently at the base of Yunping Mountain and inquired if they could come up to offer a personal apology."

Zhao Zhiao lifted his head slightly: "Director Qiu wishes to come and apologize?"

"Yes. Director Qiu wants to personally apologize."

At this juncture, it's probable that Director Qiu merely intends to assess his situation.

Refusing to see him would only arouse suspicion.

Zhao Zhiao gestured with his hand: "Let him come."

Shen Te nodded and hurried downstairs to drive to the mountain's base to fetch Director Qiu and his party.

Fifteen minutes later, Director Qiu alighted from the car at the entrance to the Zhao family garden.

As he entered the house, Zhao Zhiao and Lin Yufan welcomed him.

"Director Qiu!"

"Mr. Zhao, Mrs. Zhao, I deeply apologize for disturbing your rest at such a late hour." The moment they shook hands, Director Qiu detected the strong scent of alcohol on Zhao Zhiao.

Zhao Zhiao softly explained: "I merely shared a drink with my wife. It's unfortunate timing for Director Qiu's visit, but I hope you'll overlook it."

Director Qiu apologized: "The disturbance is mine."

Lin Yufan smiled as she ushered him inside: "Director Qiu, please come in and sit."

In the living room, Director Qiu appeared deeply remorseful: "It's entirely due to my subordinates' mishandling of the situation, and I have to return to Guangzhou early tomorrow morning. Had I not come to apologize in person, I would have been deeply unsettled."

Speaking, Director Qiu turned to retrieve a wooden box from his attendant, "I came specifically to apologize today. This is a modest token of my sincerity, I trust Mr. and Mrs. Zhao will accept it."

Director Qiu handed it over, Zhao Zhiao didn't move, so Lin Yufan went to receive it.

Unexpectedly, the wooden box was very heavy, and Lin Yufan didn't hold it steady, calling out: "Zhi Ao!"

Zhao Zhiao reached out and gently supported it, joking: "Can't you even handle this little weight?"

Seeing him hold it, Lin Yufan secretly sweated, really afraid it would pull at his wound.

Director Qiu observed secretly; even after drinking, Zhao Zhiao didn't seem injured at all, holding the wooden box with ease and freedom.

Lin Yufan complained with a smile: "It must weigh at least ten pounds. Director Qiu, what kind of grand gift is this?"

She then signaled Shen Te to come over, "Shen Te, open it and see."

Shen Te took the wooden box, and Zhao Zhiao secretly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the wound on his back bleeding.

Opening the box, inside was a strangely shaped three-eyed bronze statue.

Director Qiu explained with a smile: "I found this ancient statue in Sichuan. I'm not sure which dynasty it's from, but it's definitely a token of my sincerity."

The statue only cost 3 silver dollars, and after consulting many antique experts, they couldn't determine its age.

In the morning, he took it to sell, hoping to get some money, but the buyer only offered 100 Hong Kong dollars. Director Qiu thought it over and decided that selling it for 100 Hong Kong dollars wasn't worth it, so he might as well give it as a gift.

At least he could earn some goodwill.

This will come in handy immediately, and I can even claim it as an over-expense when I return.

Lin Yufan didn’t think the statue was valuable either, but she went through the motions, smiling and saying, "Oh, this bronze statue is absolutely stunning. Whether he likes it or not, I love it."

Director Qiu: "Mrs. Zhao, I’m thrilled you like this gift. I was just worried that you might find it unworthy."

"Not at all. This clearly looks like a treasure from an ancient civilization," Lin Yufan complimented with a smile.

After sitting down in the living room, the maid served tea.

Speaking of the recent misunderstanding, Zhao Zhiao, emboldened by the alcohol, complained without holding back: "Those troublemakers at your Hong Kong office, and that Zhuang guy, I shot him once before, and I’m sure he’s still holding a grudge. They say these troublemakers are hard to deal with, and today I saw it firsthand. If I don’t pursue this matter, they’ll walk all over me in the future. Superintendent Charlie just called me, saying they won’t be so quick to cooperate with your gold search case anymore."

Director Qiu knew that the toughest people to deal with were the local power players, and the one before him was a wealthy and influential local who had just donated a significant sum to them.

Logically, regardless of whether Zhao Zhiao was betting on multiple political parties, it was his right after all. As the declining Nationalist Government, they naturally wanted to win over as many allies as possible.

So he could only apologize, with an extremely humble attitude.

"Today, it was a Captain Dong who acted on his own to conduct the inspection. I will definitely deal with him strictly when I get back."

After chatting for about ten minutes, Director Qiu felt it was time to leave and quickly said his goodbyes.

After leaving, he shook his head at Zhuang Ziguang, who was waiting outside, indicating that he saw no signs of Zhao Zhiao being injured.

Meanwhile, Zhao Zhiao held back the pain until he got to the bedroom, where he let out a sharp hiss.

Lin Yufan quickly helped him take off his clothes, and sure enough, the wound on his back was bleeding. "That Director Qiu is really something else."

Zhao Zhiao snorted: "He’s probably taking orders from that Zhuang guy. That Zhuang has a few tricks up his sleeve."

They still suspected him.

She changed his dressing and bandages again, "Do you regret not taking him out with a shot at the paper mill last time?"

Zhao Zhiao laughed: "He’s got a few tricks, but not many, just a couple. It’s good to keep people like him around. If someone more cunning comes along, it’ll be even more troublesome."

After changing the dressing, she asked, "How are you going to sleep tonight?"

He could only lie on his stomach.

Zhao Zhiao sighed helplessly: "Lying on my stomach is exhausting no matter how I do it. Unless I’m lying on top of you."

Lin Yufan laughed at him, saying, "Just a second ago, you were a respectable gentleman, and now you sound like... a scoundrel!"

The scoundrel in her words pinned her down, "Is this scoundrel enough?"

Lin Yufan, laughing, tried to push him off but was afraid of hurting his wound, "Zhao Zhiao!"

Zhao Zhiao didn’t get up; instead, he started telling her an amusing story about Queen Dowager Xuan of Qin.

"The state of Han sent an envoy to Qin to ask Queen Dowager Xuan for a favor. She told the envoy that when she served King Huiwen of Qin, she felt the weight of his leg on her, and it was heavy and uncomfortable. But when the King of Qin’s entire body pressed on her, she not only didn’t feel the weight but found it quite comfortable."

Lin Yufan scolded him again: "And you still say you’re not a scoundrel."

"I’d love to be a scoundrel, but my heart’s willing and my body’s weak," he said, shifting his weight onto the pillow, his hands still sneaking into her clothes.

Lin Yufan, pinned under him, had no choice but to let him have his way.

*

Director Gao got home very late after having the bullet removed at the hospital.

When he got back, Director Gao found Wang Liu waiting at his doorstep.

Wang Liu watched as Director Gao weakly got out of the car, a servant trailing behind with medicine.

Wang Liu lowered his voice involuntarily and asked with concern, "Director, what happened to you?"

After the assassination attempt, Director Gao was on edge. He stared at Wang Liu and shot back, "Why are you here so late?"

"Something terrible happened. President Zhong was killed. We called your home but no one answered, so I came over to wait for you."

Director Gao was stunned: "What happened?"

Wang Liu filled him in on Zhong Dinghui's murder. When he heard that the assassin had been shot in the back, Director Gao froze.

The masked assassin who took out President Zhong took a bullet in the back.

He had also been shot in the back. Just like me.

Director Gao double-checked: "Where exactly on the back was the assassin shot?"

Wang Liu prodded Director Gao's back: "Here!"

"Ah!" The sudden prod made Director Gao yelp, "Damn you!"

Wang Liu glanced at his finger, stunned in disbelief.

A chill ran down his spine as Director Gao was drenched in cold sweat. He asked, "What's the plan now?"

Wang Liu: "Director Qiu came personally and chewed out that Zhuang guy, scolding their security department for becoming increasingly useless."

Director Gao glanced at Wang Liu: "Did Director Qiu summon me back?"

"Isn't that why I'm here?" Wang Liu tentatively asked, "Director, why did you go to the hospital? You look like hell."

Director Gao swallowed and casually made up an excuse, "I think I ate something off tonight; my stomach's been acting up."

"Oh." Wang Liu sounded skeptical, "It's so late now, Director, maybe you should rest first and we'll talk tomorrow."

After seeing Wang Liu off, Director Gao gritted his teeth and cursed again under his breath. Was the assassin setting him up?

If others found out he was also injured in the back, he'd be screwed.

Director Gao spent the night tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

The next day, he arrived at the office early and found everyone busy, eyeing him as they always did. Only then did he slightly relax.

But before he could sit down, hurried footsteps were heard outside.

The office door was pushed open, and Director Qiu, Zhuang Ziguang, and five or six others entered in a grand manner.

"Director Qiu!" Director Gao walked over.

After the door closed, Director Qiu fixed him with a stare and demanded, "Gao Dongming, where did you go after last night's banquet?"

"I went home."

"And then?"

"And then..." Looking at Director Qiu's stern face, Director Gao's ears buzzed with nervousness. If they really investigated, his trip to the hospital to remove the bullet would be impossible to hide.

He decided to tell the truth, "I... I ran into an assassin, who shot me in the back."

"Really? Where in the back?" As he spoke, Director Qiu poked Director Gao's back.

Director Gao's eyes widened in pain, and his whole body shivered.

"So, it's here," Director Qiu said with a cold snort. "Then why did you claim you had a stomachache last night?"

Director Gao glared fiercely at Wang Liu in the corner.

Wang Liu quickly waved his hands, "I didn't say that."

Director Gao knew he was done for but still wanted to salvage the situation, "Director Qiu, I was really shot by the assassin last night. You can ask my driver and the servants."

"We're already looking into it. If you come clean now, I might still be able to put in a good word for you."

"No, Director, I'm telling the truth. I was set up."

"Who set you up?"

"The assassin! The assassin set me up."

Seeing his obstinacy, Director Qiu decided not to waste any more breath, "I've got a train to Guangzhou at ten. As for you, head back to Nanjing to explain yourself."

Back to Nanjing?

Hadn't most of the government relocated to Guangzhou?

Director Gao stood in despair, watching Director Qiu walk away, and in a fit of anger, he swept everything off the table.

He'd always been careful not to step on anyone's toes. What had he done wrong?

*

Today, Director Shen rented out a small theater in a cinema to screen the rough cut of "The Gold Heist" for Lin Yufan's review.

In the darkness, the room was silent, the music began, and the opening credits slowly rolled.

The first credit read—

"Original/ Screenplay: Lin Yufan"

The second credit read—

"Producer: Lin Yufan"

Lin Yufan wasn't a vain person, but seeing her name magnified and floating before her eyes, she was moved to tears.

In her past life, she had never dreamed she would achieve such success.

She had the talent but lacked the opportunities.

Seeing his wife visibly moved, Zhao Zhiao, sitting beside her, gently patted the back of her hand. He got her.

After all, as a widow who'd been cooped up at home, the changes over the past six months had been huge.

The ninety-minute movie was tightly plotted, and it flew by.

After the final scene, Lin Yufan couldn't help but start the applause.

Lin Yuwu enthusiastically joined in the cheering from behind.

"Wow! What a show! What a movie!"

Shen Jie is a talented director with a strong artistic vision, and the final product surpassed Lin Yufan's expectations.

"I didn't feel moved while writing the script, but the movie really touched me," Lin Yufan praised generously. "This is the best film I've seen in years. It's both popular and has a certain depth, truly striking a balance between sophistication and mass appeal."

Hearing Lin Yufan's praise, Shen Jie was delighted: "I was so nervous last night I barely slept, fearing I might disappoint you. President Lin, any suggestions for improvements?"

Lin Yufan: "The pacing is smooth, and your editing is top-notch, so I won't suggest changes. However, I feel the soundtrack fell a bit short. Can this be changed?"

This resonated with Shen Jie: "I also know the soundtrack could be better. But making changes will require additional funds."

Gu Huiling leaned over and whispered, "For better music, we might need to spend an extra one or two thousand Hong Kong dollars."

Lin Yufan looked back at Lin Yuwu: "Isn't there still some budget left? Let's set aside some for the music."

Lin Yuwu nodded quickly: "There's still some budget left. I'll talk it over with Director Shen and Mrs. Shen later."

Gu Huiling then asked Zhao Zhiao: "Boss Zhao, your thoughts?"

Zhao Zhiao had some minor opinions, but he knew it wasn't appropriate to voice them, so he just smiled and said, "It's fantastic, on par with Hollywood movies. I believe it will be a big hit."

Gu Huiling happily said, "That's also thanks to the opportunity provided by Boss Zhao and Mrs. Zhao."

Gu Huiling then went to ask others for their opinions.

Zhao Zhiao was still nursing injuries on his back, so Lin Yufan decided to head back first.

Before leaving, Lin Yufan shook hands with the lead actors, praising their performances.

The lead actors, facing their boss and screenwriter Lin Yufan, were naturally humble, flattering, and cautious.

Once in the car, Zhao Zhiao started to complain: "It's too focused on personal heroism."

Lin Yufan didn't think so: "Director Shen stuck closely to the script. Why didn't you say it was too heroic when you read the script?"

"That's because when I read the script, I didn't have that face right in front of me. Sitting in the front row made it even more noticeable," Zhao Zhiao sat upright, not daring to lean back, as even sitting was tiring for him now.

Lin Yufan realized Zhao Zhiao had an issue with the actor playing A Long, which amplified the male lead's presence.

She asked, "What's the name of that A Long again?"

"Duan Yongping," he remembered clearly.

Lin Yufan smiled: "Both Director Shen and I think he's talented and want to push him forward. If 'The Gold Heist' gets a good response, we plan to make a movie for Duan Yongping."

Zhao Zhiao's face darkened: "..."

He didn't speak for the rest of the journey.

When they got home, Lin Yufan changed Zhao Zhiao's bandages and teased him on purpose: "Watching my movie today really filled my heart with joy. My script is reliable, the director is reliable, the actors are reliable, and A Long's performance was truly captivating. I can imagine how many movie fans and their wives will be captivated once the movie hits the screens."

Zhao Zhiao, expressionless, wanted to roll his eyes, "I see you're already enchanted."

After changing the bandages and securing the gauze, Lin Yufan sighed: "Completely enchanted, I can even have sweet dreams tonight."

As soon as she finished speaking, he flipped her onto the sofa, "Seeing me injured, you're deliberately provoking me, aren't you? Do you think I can't do anything to you?"

Lin Yufan gently traced his eyebrows with her fingers, knowing he couldn't do much due to his injuries, "Not even letting me dream, you're worse than a tyrant."

Who said he couldn't do it?

Zhao Zhiao reached his hand through the side slit of the cheongsam, pulling down the inner fabric in one swift motion, and buried his head, his tongue skillfully slipping in.

Lin Yufan's words caught in her throat, one hand clutching the sofa, the other reaching to grab his hair.

Her attempt to pull his hair failed, turning instead into a gentle caress.

"Let me go wash up first."

No need to wash—he loved her natural scent.