r18novel Chapter 1152 It's time to meet.
Chapter 1152 It's time to meet.
Lu Jia opened her mouth, her tongue touching her teeth, the words "Don't go around telling everyone, lest you cause trouble" swirling around her lips, but then she swallowed them back. Oh well, He Yuzhu was a fool who couldn't keep a secret. If he could make a scene with his little bit of cleverness, maybe he could distract Gu Nan and keep him from watching her little antics. She watched He Yuzhu's hurried figure running towards the cafeteria, his steps as light as if he'd just picked up a gold ingot from the ground, even the hem of his blue work clothes fluttering. A cold glint flashed in her eyes, her fingers secretly clenching the hem of his clothes, wrinkling the fabric—Gu Nan, you wait. You brought our Lu family to such a state back then; I'll settle this blood debt with you sooner or later, with interest.
He Yuzhu, brimming with smugness, walked happily towards the steel rolling mill. He was bubbling with joy. Although he didn't know when he'd be promoted, as long as he clung to the new factory manager, Zhu, and cultivated a good relationship with him, he was sure he'd have a chance to rise through the ranks. At that point, becoming a workshop director, or even a higher position, wouldn't be impossible. The thought of Gu Nan having to defer to him in the future made him want to laugh, and his steps were practically light.
Lu Jia stood there, watching He Yuzhu's figure disappear into the alleyway, a mocking smile playing on her lips. "That idiot," she muttered under her breath, her voice so soft only she could hear, "if there weren't so few others in this courtyard who could be used as pawns, how could he have ended up here?" It was too late for regrets now; the little life quietly growing in her womb had already bound her and this fool together, and she couldn't shake him off no matter what.
She took a deep breath, suppressing her agitation. Right now, the most important thing was to maintain a good relationship with Ran Qiuye. That woman was someone Gu Nan held dear; if she could find a breakthrough by exploiting her trust, she could deliver a fatal blow to Gu Nan. Although Ran Qiuye was still somewhat distant towards her, always speaking politely but lacking warmth, it was much better than before when she would only offer perfunctory words—even He Yuzhu's old yellow dog, which used to bark at strangers, no longer barked at her and would occasionally wag its tail and come over for food. This was a good sign.
She was just one chance away. Lu Jia touched her cuff, where a small silver hairpin was hidden—a keepsake from her mother, and the only thing keeping her going. Once the opportunity arose, she would bring Gu Nan to his doom, and she would do it cleanly, leaving no trace. After all, after killing him, she still needed to raise her child and live a good life; she couldn't let anyone see through her disguise.
She straightened her clothes, turned and walked in the opposite direction. She had to hurry to work and ask for the afternoon off—there were some things she needed to do quietly while He Yuzhu was hanging around Zhu Tao at the factory.
Meanwhile, in the steel rolling mill workshop office, He Yuzhu was fawning over Zhu Tao, showering him with compliments. "Director Zhu, you have such a keen eye! You spotted the problem with that batch of parts yesterday at a glance. If it were us, we'd probably be working on it until dark!" "Your management methods are so modern. If you had come a few years earlier, our factory would definitely be even more prosperous than it is now!"
Zhu Tao leaned back in his chair, listening to the flattery with a faint smile, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. He knew He Yuzhu's little scheme, but it was always comforting to have someone flattering him, especially when his position was still unstable. Having someone so shrewd running errands saved him a lot of trouble. He waved his hand, letting He Yuzhu get back to work, and picked up the production report on the table, a calculating glint in his eyes—Gu Nan's influence in the factory was deeper than he had thought; if he wanted to take him down, he would have to rely on He Yuzhu's help again.
Ten minutes before the end of the workday, the phone in Zhu Tao's office suddenly rang urgently, breaking the silence in the room. He had just signed his name on a production schedule when he heard the caller ID. He put down his pen, his gaze sweeping over the caller ID. The familiar number caused a fleeting, almost imperceptible, emotion to flicker in his eyes. When he answered the phone, a perfectly timed smile appeared on his face: "Teacher, it's you."
Zhang Li's steady voice came from the other end of the phone, tinged with a hint of hoarseness from years of experience, his words clear and distinct. Zhu Tao listened, nodding as he spoke, his fingertips tapping unconsciously on the table. Finally, he smiled and replied, "Teacher, do you mean we can arrange a meeting with Li Jianjun today?"
Zhang Li grunted an "Mmm" on the other end, his tone leaving no room for doubt: "Today is an opportunity. I've already spoken to the guards over there, but it's only for half an hour. Come to me after you get off work, and I'll take you there, bypassing the main gate, so we don't let the news leak out."
"Okay, teacher, I'll be there right after get off work, no delays at all." Zhu Tao quickly agreed, his tone respectful to his elders. When he hung up the phone, he deliberately slowed down his movements and gently put down the receiver.
As soon as he hung up the phone, the smile on Zhu Tao's face vanished like the tide, replaced by an unfathomable calm, as if the call concerning Li Jianjun was merely a trivial matter. He picked up his pen again, flipping through the documents on the table. His gaze lingered on the steel mill's production reports, but his thoughts had already wandered far away—he had been secretly having someone investigate Gu Nan these past few days, but the investigations only made Zhu Tao frown more. Gu Nan had been the deputy factory director for so long, yet he was like a rock that could never be warmed. He hadn't committed any major offenses like embezzlement or abuse of power, nor even minor transgressions like being late, leaving early, or having unclear accounts. He was practically watertight, leaving no loophole to exploit.
"He's a tricky character." Zhu Tao tapped the table lightly with his knuckles, thinking to himself. What he wanted to know most was what methods Li Jianjun had used to deal with Gu Nan, which had backfired and allowed Gu Nan to turn the tables on him. If he could figure that out, he could have a different approach to dealing with Gu Nan, which would be better than running around like a headless fly, unable to find any weakness in the other party.
The get off work bell rang precisely on time, its sharp sound echoing through the factory area. Zhu Tao carefully folded the documents, locked them in the drawer, twirled the key between his fingers twice before slipping it into his pocket, temporarily suppressing his thoughts of dealing with Gu Nan. Seeing Li Jianjun was the more important matter right now. Leaving his office, Zhu Tao deliberately detoured to the grocery store near the factory gate, picking out two packets of steamed rice cakes and a bottle of Red Star Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor), carefully packing them in a mesh bag before carrying them—he couldn't go to see his teacher Zhang Li empty-handed; he knew this basic etiquette.