Chapter 67: My Brain is Buzzing on the Spot
Half an hour later, Huayu's driver, carrying a brand-new silver-white box, wandered around Binhu Park. He soon spotted the Lord sitting at a gazebo, surrounded by a few people, with Fang Hong among them.
The driver immediately walked toward the gazebo, his steps small and deliberate.
At the same time, Fang Hong noticed the driver approaching and said, "Mr. Fang…"
Fang Hong cut to the chase, "Is everything inside?"
The driver glanced at Zhang Li and the others nearby, clearly confused by Fang Hong's association with such street-level figures. These people didn't seem like anyone important.
The driver didn't ask any questions, though, and simply nodded. "It's all inside."
Fang Hong gestured, "Alright, give it to him."
Seeing Fang Hong's glance at Zhang Li, the driver silently handed the box to him. Zhang Li was momentarily dazed. Everything was proceeding so smoothly that he wasn't fully prepared, and his mind felt a little foggy.
However, he didn't overthink it. Upon receiving the box, his immediate focus was on opening it and taking action.
As soon as the box was opened, it revealed stacks of fresh, bright red bills. The boys who had leaned in to take a look were stunned at the sight of the money.
Fang Hong suddenly smiled and said, "No third IOU, right?"
Zhang Li, his mind consumed with the sight of the money, immediately replied, "No, no, no, don't worry. It's all settled from now on."
With that, he tore up the white note right in front of Fang Hong.
"Then I'll take my leave," Fang Hong said with a smile, before turning around.
The moment he turned, his expression instantly changed—his smile disappeared, and his face darkened.
Zhang Li and the others behind him didn't notice the shift, but Huayu's driver, who had been with Fang Hong for many years, saw the change well. The sudden switch in Fang Hong's demeanor caused a jolt in the driver's chest.
The two walked a distance of about ten meters before Fang Hong suddenly asked, "How much do you know about Yuanmao Finance?"
The driver, startled by the question, knew more than most executives at Huayang Group because he had been with Huayu for many years. A thought instantly popped into his mind: Why was Mr. Fang asking? Could this be related to those people…?
The driver cautiously replied, "I know a little. I've heard that it has some connection with Huayang Group."
Fang Hong seemed to nod slightly before casually responding, "That's right."
The driver glanced at Fang Hong and asked hesitantly, "Mr. Fang, who exactly are those people…?"
Fang Hong, seemingly indifferent, replied, "The person who took your box is Zhang Li. He seems to be from Yuanmao Finance. It's a decent private lending institution, though, rumor has it they also engage in some shady extortion tactics. Their business has expanded quite a bit, don't you think?"
The words hung in the air, and the driver's heart skipped a beat as he processed what Fang Hong had said. Although Fang Hong had spoken lightly, the driver couldn't ignore the hint of anger hidden beneath the casual tone.
The driver looked back at the gazebo. From a distance, he could still see Zhang Li and the others, all thrilled with excitement over the money. The driver shook his head and muttered to himself, "These fools have no idea the disaster they're walking into."
Fang Hong then smiled and said, "Alright, let's go."
The driver nodded repeatedly. "Yes, Mr. Fang. I won't keep you any longer."
The two parted ways, and the driver returned to the car. As he sat down, he began reflecting on the situation. The realization hit him: he was merely the messenger.
Immediately, he pulled out his phone and dialed Huayu's number. If the information didn't reach him, Huayu would definitely be dissatisfied. The thought was too embarrassing to ignore.
"Mr. Hua, I need to report something to you…" As soon as the call connected, the driver reported everything he had witnessed in Binhu Park.
Back at Qunxing Capital's headquarters, Huayu was sitting in his office when he heard the driver's detailed report. His expression darkened, and after a moment of silence, he calmly asked, "So, it was Zhang Li?"
"Yes, Mr. Hua. Mr. Fang's name should be accurate," the driver confirmed.
"Did Mr. Fang directly give the money to Zhang Li?" Huayu asked again.
"Yes, Mr. Hua," the driver affirmed.
"Got it. You did well," Huayu replied, before hanging up the phone. He paused for a moment, staring at the phone screen, and quickly found Fang Hong's contact number in his address book.
He made a quick detour, then instructed his driver to pass on the message, telling Fang Hong that there was no need to mention this matter further.
With that, Huayu set his phone aside.
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On the other side, Li Ge was feeling elated.
With 670,000 in cash, he was eager to show his boss. He didn't dare to pocket the money himself, but with a few of his younger brothers around, he'd at least get a good commission.
As he thought about how easily Fang Hong had given him the money, he regretted not asking for more—at least one million, or better yet, two million. But Zhang Li was growing even greedier. He suspected that Fang Hong's money had a dubious origin, so he didn't dare to raise a fuss about it.
As Zhang Li became more excited, the tension inside him began to mount.
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Zhang Li returned to Yuanmao Finance with the box of cash. As soon as he walked in, an employee approached him and said, "Brother Li, President Shi is looking for you. He wants to see you in his office as soon as you return."
Li Ge, still in a good mood, grinned, "I was just about to find Brother Gang."
The employee added in a low voice, "Brother Li, a big shot from higher up came down today. It seems like something serious happened. Mr. Shi was scolded like a grandson. He's probably still getting an earful."
Zhang Li raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"
The "big shot" was likely someone connected to Huayang Group, and though most Yuanmao Finance employees didn't know that Huayang Group was a shadow shareholder behind the company, Zhang Li, with his years of experience, was aware of this connection.
The employee shrugged. "I don't know, but it's definitely not good news."
Suddenly, a voice cut through the air. Zhang Li looked up to see Shi Gang, the man he was looking for.
"Mr. Zhou, don't worry, I'll make sure this matter gets resolved," Shi Gang said as he accompanied a middle-aged man dressed in a suit and leather shoes. Zhang Li, noticing the exchange, was left completely ignored by the two.
The man, Zhou Kunlu, stopped near the door of a luxurious Benz. Shi Gang quickly opened the door for him.
Zhou Kunlu cast a cold glance at Shi Gang before getting into the car without saying a word. Shi Gang closed the door and stood there, not daring to move as the car engine roared to life.
As the car sped off, Shi Gang nervously bent down to look through the window. Zhou Kunlu turned his head, glanced at him, and coldly said, "If you can't handle this well, you can go apply for a spot in the sewing machine team, understand?"
"Yes, yes, understood!" Shi Gang immediately nodded, sweat breaking out on his forehead.
Zhou Kunlu, expressionless, turned away, and the car sped off. Shi Gang stood there, dumbfounded, knowing that the situation had to be handled well, or his career was on the line.
Meanwhile, Zhang Li remained unaware of the storm brewing, still caught up in his excitement.
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(Author's note: I've filled in the gaps left by the original loan, and there will be another update in the afternoon. Please remember to cast your votes for the monthly ticket and show your support!)
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