Siheyuan: I just came across and wanted to chase me away

Chapter 1121 Can Only Agree

What terrified him even more was that if his daughter, Zhang Xue, saw these photos—photos of Li Jianjun with his arm around that strange woman, grinning lewdly—she would probably throw a tantrum, threatening suicide, smashing things, going on a hunger strike, turning the house upside down. Then he, as her father, would have to clean up the mess, humbly coaxing and persuading her, and perhaps even using his connections to salvage Li Jianjun's situation. This was something he absolutely couldn't let his daughter know about!

He took a deep breath, the anger surging in his chest almost bursting from his throat. He tapped his fingertips hard on the smooth coffee table, leaving a few shallow white marks. When he looked up at Ah Hu, his tone was so heavy it seemed to drip water, every word filled with barely suppressed rage: "Tell me, what exactly do you want? Money? Or do you want to find a job? As long as it's not too outrageous, I can think of a way for you."

Ah Hu looked directly at him, his gaze neither humble nor arrogant. He didn't flinch because the other was a prominent official in the district; his back remained ramrod straight. Nor did he become smug because he held leverage over him; his face showed no frivolity. "I don't want anything, neither money nor official position," he paused, then said clearly, "but I hope you can rescue my girlfriend, Lili—she was tricked by Li Jianjun. She didn't do anything wrong; she was just an accomplice, kept in the dark. Li Jianjun said it was just a show, that she should cooperate to scare people, and that's why she agreed." He emphasized, each word as clear as a nail: "If you can't rescue her, or refuse to rescue her, then I'll send these photos directly to Li Jianjun's wife, Zhang Xue. Then their house will be in chaos, the whole neighborhood will know, and whatever happens to them will be none of my business."

Zhang Li stared at Ah Hu for a long time, his cloudy eyes scanning Ah Hu's face, trying to find any hesitation or falsehood in his pupils. But Ah Hu's gaze was too firm, like a piece of tempered steel, without the slightest evasion. He knew this kid wasn't joking; he was determined to get Lili out. He secretly calculated: rescuing a thug's girlfriend was just a matter of making a few phone calls and passing on a message to his old buddy at the police station—not a difficult task; but if he didn't agree, once these photos were exposed, that bastard Li Jianjun would be finished, and he himself would lose face, not to mention how he would explain it to his daughter, who might even get sick from the stress. After a moment's hesitation, he finally nodded, as if he had made a major decision. His Adam's apple bobbed twice. "Alright, I'll find a way to save your girlfriend. Tell me the details first. How was she arrested? How much was she involved with Li Jianjun? I need to know the whole story before I can pave the way, so I don't miss any details and end up making things worse."

Seeing that he had relented, Ah Hu felt a huge weight lift from his heart, and his shirt instantly soaked with sweat, sticking stickily to his body. He quickly recounted how Lili had been persuaded by Li Jianjun's sweet talk—Li Jianjun had said he was being bullied by Gu Nan and wanted Lili to help him stage a "honey trap," promising her two hundred yuan afterward; how she had agreed to go to room 302 of the Peace Hotel to cooperate in the act; and how the police suddenly stormed in and the two were arrested on the spot. He didn't even hide the detail that Li Jianjun had secretly given Lili a packet of white powder, asking her to find a way to put it in Gu Nan's throat—these things would be found out sooner or later, and there was no way to hide them, so it was better to be clear and avoid Zhang Li thinking he was hiding something. Finally, he looked at Zhang Li, his eyes carrying the meaning of an ultimatum: "Uncle, I'm giving you three days. If I don't see him after three days, what I do afterward is none of your business."

Zhang Li was speechless, momentarily at a loss for words—this young man, though seemingly inexperienced, was a tough nut to crack, refusing to back down and sticking his tongue out. He waved his hand, his tone irritated, as if shooing away a fly: "Alright, you can go back now. I'll figure something out. But remember this: for the next three days, you'd better keep these photos safe, locked away, and not let a word slip out. If the photos are released prematurely, even if I have extraordinary abilities, I can't protect you, let alone your girlfriend! We'll all be finished!"

Ah Hu's mind was completely focused on rescuing Lili; he couldn't care less about anything else. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, his knuckles throbbing, and said in a deep voice, "Fine, I admit it. But if you try anything funny, we'll fight to the death, and neither of us will get away unscathed." With that, he turned and left, his steps quick and hurried, like a gust of wind rushing out the door, without looking back once more.

Silence returned to the room, leaving only Zhang Li staring at the crumpled photos, his face alternating between pale and flushed, like a spilled palette. He suddenly grabbed the black telephone on the table, his knuckles turning white from the force, his fingertips pausing on the dial pad—it seemed he would have to use some connections he wouldn't normally bother with, such as Chief Wang of the suburban police station, who owed him a favor, and that would come in handy.

Zhang Li initially thought that getting his son-in-law, Li Jianjun, out of trouble would be a piece of cake. With over thirty years of experience at the steel mill, rising from workshop director to logistics manager, he had connections and acquaintances throughout the department. He figured a few friends could pull strings, maybe spend a little money to smooth things over, and he could get him out. But he never expected the matter to involve the police chief. The impeccably dressed leader sat behind his desk, a cold smile on his face. No matter how much Zhang pleaded, from his contributions to the factory to his family's difficulties, even subtly hinting at a small bribe, the only response was a curt "follow the rules." All his pleas and reasons were like a pebble thrown into a lake—they didn't even cause a ripple. No one would budge.

Zhang Li emerged from the police station, seething with anger. His leather shoes felt like lead, each step heavy. He had initially thought it was just a trivial matter, perhaps a momentary lapse in judgment by Li Jianjun, a minor conflict and mistake. Who would have thought it would be so difficult? Along the way, he approached his former colleague, Section Chief Wang, who waved his hand, saying he had long since stopped dealing with public security matters. He then went to an acquaintance, Sister Li, at the neighborhood office, who stammered for a long time, only saying, "This matter is murky; don't get involved." He even sought help from a distant cousin with whom he could make some connections. This relative, a police auxiliary officer at the station, replied, "Someone is holding this back; it can't be touched. The higher-ups are watching closely."