Chapter 61: The Aunt Takes ChargeYue Zitong said nothing, folding her arms across her chest and regarding him coldly.Li Nanfang felt uneasy under her gaze and involuntarily dropped his head. He cleared his throat and said, "Ahem, Auntie, I'm formally apologizing to you now. On Friday morning, I wasn't thinking straight and said some things I shouldn't have. Please be magnanimous and forgive me.""Alright, I forgive you," Yue Zitong said indifferently as she sat down and picked up a document. "You may leave now."Li Nanfang was taken aback. He wasn't afraid of her yelling or cursing him, or even her laying a hand on him—his thick skin could handle it, treating her half-hearted strikes as mere tickles. He could also endure her ignoring him, allowing him to cling around shamelessly.But she did none of those things. She didn't stay silent, didn't berate him, and didn't lay a finger on him. Instead, she simply accepted his apology and told him to leave. With his request granted, what reason did he have to stay?"Mr. Li, is there anything else you need?" After signing the document with a few quick strokes, Yue Zitong looked up at him, her expression still devoid of any emotion."Auntie—""Don't call me 'Auntie.' I'm just a woman with a short temper. You can address me by my name as you did earlier.""Yue Zitong."After a moment of silence, Li Nanfang's smile faded. "They say killing someone is the ultimate offense, but I've humbled myself here. What more do you want from me?"If Li Nanfang had continued his shameless antics, Yue Zitong might have forgiven him, considering his culinary skills. She might have scolded him a bit more and then let him grovel at her feet again.But his evident impatience irritated her. The knuckles of Yue Zitong's right hand, holding the pen, turned white. Her tone sharpened. "Mr. Li, you may leave now. Do not disturb my work, or I will call security."Li Nanfang said nothing, his gaze steady on hers.For some reason, if Li Nanfang had raged, Yue Zitong could have met his eyes fearlessly. But now, she was the first to lower her gaze, picking up the phone and dialing. "Security? This is Yue Zitong. Send a few men up—I have a troublemaker here."The security guard responded with a loud "Yes, ma'am!" Li Nanfang turned, grabbed his blue shirt from the sofa, and walked out without looking back.The moment the door shut, Yue Zitong felt a void within her, an overwhelming urge to cry. She knew Li Nanfang had stormed in dressed like a rogue to drive away the nitpicking staff on her behalf.But so what? Yue Zitong had her doubts. Even with the Yue family's non-interference, she had her hands full. How could Li Nanfang manage? A rogue, no matter how troublesome, was still just a rogue. Yue Zitong was certain that soon enough, the police would join the investigation team. When Li Nanfang pulled his antics again, they'd take him away without hesitation.With his criminal record and run-ins with Bai Ling, he'd undoubtedly made the Municipal Bureau's blacklist. After a lawful arrest, the police would punish him severely.The retaliate against Kai Huang Group stemmed from Li Nanfang's slip of the tongue at Blue Sky Bar, revealing her identity and drawing Jin Shao's attention. Ultimately, Jin Shao was crippled. Yet Yue Zitong didn't blame him, nor did she intend to shift all responsibility onto his shoulders."I'll take full responsibility!" Yue Zitong declared inwardly.To shield Li Nanfang from the fray, Yue Zitong had contemplated firing him upon learning the district inspection team would arrive today. Little did he know, she'd spent the weekend scrambling to pull strings, trying to resolve the issue through official channels.But her efforts were in vain. Even Director Zhang Honggang of Qing Shan City, the only one aware of her true identity, dodged her when she sought an audience, claiming to be on a business trip. Clearly, Yue's grandfather had intervened, warning others off the case.If Zhang Honggang wouldn't get involved, who else in Qing Shan City would dare cross District Chief Jin for a mere businessman?Yue Zitong was exhausted, realizing that without the Yue family's backing, she was just a businesswoman. To keep Kai Huang Group afloat, she had to stoop to actions she once disdained.Now, even offering a fortune to Jin Shao was futile. The investigation had already commenced. Even if Yue Zitong brought a mountain of gold to the Jin family, Chief Jin wouldn't dare accept it.Did Li Nanfang understand any of this? Of course not. All he knew was that he could treat her however he pleased. Yue Zitong saw the barely contained fury in his calm eyes.Now, he left with a swish of his tail, leaving her to bear the brunt of the pressure alone."Hmph, it's for the best. My sister's matchmaking was likely a mistake from the start," Yue Zitong muttered, her voice laced with a bitter chuckle.As the door clicked shut, Yue Zitong straightened, her vulnerability vanishing. She was once again the unflinching President Yue.Security Captain Wang Defa entered, his eyes scanning the room. Finding no troublemaker, he bowed and asked, "Boss Yue, where's the person causing a disturbance?""He's gone. You may leave," Yue Zitong waved him off, adding a polite "Thank you."Wang Defa, flattered, assured her it was no trouble and exited carefully.Yue Zitong glanced at the clock, then hesitated before dialing a number. "Hello, this is Yue Zitong from Kai Huang Group. Is Director Jin available?""President Yue, good day," came the dignified response after a moment. "Quite the coincidence, I was about to call you. I've heard that Director Kang from the district's joint inspection team was assaulted by one of your employees during their lawful duties and has been hospitalized—"After listening to Director Jin, Yue Zitong explained, "Director Jin, I'm still unclear on the specifics, but I do know the person who offended Director Kang was dismissed last Friday. Strictly speaking, I can't hold him accountable. However, Kai Huang Group will certainly bear some responsibility.""Is that so? And the person's name is Li Nanfang, correct?""Yes," Yue Zitong confirmed, well aware of Jin's implication—that he knew Li Nanfang was the one who'd crippled his son."President Yue, you're quite the visionary," Jin remarked with a cold chuckle. "I'm busy, but—""Wait," Yue Zitong interjected calmly. "Director Jin, is there another way to resolve the matter concerning your son's injury?""There is.""Please enlighten me."Yue Zitong had called Jin sincerely, prepared to pay for peace. She had no interest in further disputes. Li Nanfang was gone, but her life went on. Kai Huang Group was her dowry, the foundation for her and her mother's survival.Director Jin whispered three words, as if in a trance, wary of being recorded."Very well, I understand. I'll respond by tomorrow afternoon at the latest," Yue Zitong said, her expression unreadable as she hung up. Her eyes, fixed on the door, now held a glint of lethal intent.Director Jin had demanded her person, not money. Possessing her would mean controlling Kai Huang Group, and wealth would follow effortlessly.If Jin knew Yue Zitong's true identity, he'd drop the notion instantly. But he didn't. When Yue Zitong took the initiative, it would be his end.Yue Zitong, now retired, had vowed to be a law-abiding businesswoman. She wouldn't consider murder unless absolutely necessary.As Yue Zitong anticipated, that afternoon Min Rou reported that the district bureau had joined the investigation team, their serious demeanor scaring away potential clients."Ignore them. Let them do as they please," Yue Zitong said coolly, then inquired about Li Nanfang."This morning…" Min Rou glanced at Yue Zitong's face and lowered her voice. "He left the company. No one knows where he went. Should I call him?""No need," Yue Zitong replied, dismissing the matter and returning to her work.Min Rou quietly exited and called Li Nanfang.The call connected immediately, with background noise indicating a crowded place. "Secretary Min, what can I do for you?" Li Nanfang answered."Where are you now?""At the station.""What are you doing there?""Leaving. I've been fired. I'm heading back to my hometown to look for work," Li Nanfang replied cheerfully. "Secretary Min, will you miss me?""You'd better die!" Min Rou snapped, hanging up abruptly."Why are girls these days so irritable, always threatening to kill someone? Strange," Li Nanfang mused, scratching his ear. He watched the line of tourists buying tickets, finding their excitement over a mountain climb quite naive.Following a woman in a strap dress into the mountain gate, Li Nanfang lost interest upon seeing she had a companion. He dialed Wang Defa instead."What can I do for you, Captain Wang?" Wang's excitement was palpable.Li Nanfang, pleased with Wang's eager tone, felt a momentary illusion of being a real state security agent. His tone turned aloof. "Find out why the district is thoroughly investigating Kai Huang Group."Chapter 62: The Officialdom Is a JungleAfter Director Kang was slapped, the joint investigation team erupted with an unprecedented work ethic. Even after Yue Zitong left for the day, they were still rummaging through mountains of account books, showing every intention of working late into the night.Yue Zitong didn't interfere. She instructed Director Zhang to ensure the audit personnel were well-received, then got into her car and drove out of the parking lot.For some inexplicable reason, as her car approached the bus stop at the intersection, Yue Zitong slowed down and glanced out the window. She was hoping, against hope, to see a certain scoundrel with a shifty grin approach her car and ask for a ride.There were many people at the bus stop—over a dozen young men in their twenties, all dressed more stylishly than Li Nanfang. They had noticed her looking out the window, her expression seemingly searching for someone. Yet, none dared to approach. Instead, after making eye contact with her, they hastily averted their gaze.The daily commuters were well aware of the insurmountable divide between them and the都市 woman in the luxury car. At most, after the car had driven away, they might mutter in their hearts how wonderful it would be to have such a woman by their side.Yue Zitong drove home at a leisurely pace, taking twice as long as usual. Only when she turned onto the small road leading to the villa district did she accelerate.For no particular reason, she had a premonition that upon parking her car in the courtyard, a man wearing a paper hat and a floral apron would rush out from the living room with a fawning smile, greeting her with "You've had a hard day."She parked the car, turned off the engine, and looked toward the living room entrance. No one emerged. After waiting for a full five minutes, her slightly uplifted mood sank once more. Yue Zitong leaned back in her seat, closed her eyes, and after a long while, let out a self-mocking chuckle. "Yue Zitong, what's wrong with you? Your mood is swayed by him. Could it be that you've fallen in love with him?""Impossible. How could I love a monster, a scoundrel? Yue Zitong, pull yourself together. The Earth keeps turning without anyone, and so will you!"After a few punches into the air, Yue Zitong opened the car door and stepped out.The living room was empty. The door to the guest room on the east side stood open, revealing a spotless wooden bed. The bed linens and laundry were gone, indicating Li Nanfang had returned, packed his things, and left."Good riddance. So what if he's gone? It's no big deal!" Yue Zitong sneered, kicked off her shoes, and sat on the sofa. She propped her feet up on the coffee table, retrieved a pack of cigarettes from beneath it, and lit one.Through the curling smoke, Yue Zitong noticed the high heels she had carelessly kicked off earlier. She stood up, walked over, and placed them on the shoe rack behind the door.For three consecutive evenings, she had eaten instant noodles. Each time, coincidentally, it was when Li Nanfang had just prepared dinner. What is personality? Personality is ignoring a feast laid out before you and eating instant noodles instead!How delicious could instant noodles be? Yet, Yue Zitong, sitting before that feast, managed to savor her noodles as if they were a sumptuous meal. Such a state of mind was beyond the reach of ordinary people.But tonight's instant noodles were unusually hard to swallow. It dawned on her that the perception of deliciousness is dictated by one's mood.When in high spirits, even the simplest fare tastes like a gourmet delight; when downcast, even the finest feast tastes like bland porridge.Pushing her barely touched noodles aside, Yue Zitong lit another cigarette, lazily curled up on the sofa, and stared blankly out the door.As dusk fell, she didn't bother to turn on the lights, gradually merging with the encroaching darkness.Perhaps spurred by monetary incentives or seeing himself as a informant in a crime thriller, around nine in the evening, Wang Defa called Li Nanfang. His tone was as excited as ever, each sentence repeated for emphasis, as if fearful that Captain Li might not grasp the meaning.According to Xiao Li from the finance department, the district's decision to dispatch a joint investigation team to Kai Huang Group was proposed by Director Jin at an important unit meeting.Typically, as a major taxpayer in the district, any official considering such a move would think twice. After all, launching a large-scale operation based solely on consumer complaints was rather reckless.However, Director Jin insisted, overriding objections. He argued that officials must serve the people. If Kai Huang Group's actions had indeed caused significant harm, then officials had a duty to stand up for the populace. They couldn't turn a blind eye to immoral behavior just because the group was a major taxpayer."Admit and correct mistakes if they exist; strive for improvement if they don't." These eight words encapsulated Director Jin's conclusion for the meeting."I also heard from Xiao Li that his cousin in the district's tax department said neither the city nor district leaders agreed with sending a team to investigate our group. But Director Jin, standing on the principle of serving the people, pushed ahead regardless," Wang Defa added.Finally, Wang Defa revealed, "Actually, Xiao Li's cousin mentioned that Boss Yue had offended Director Jin. How exactly, she wouldn't say—quite secretive. Xiao Li pestered her several times, but to no avail. I was going to treat her to a hotel meal, but she refused. So, I ended up giving Xiao Li two premium cigarettes instead."Old Wang's lengthy account boiled down to this: he wasn't just taking money without action; sometimes expenses were necessary."Good job, Old Wang. You've done well. Once this matter is resolved, you'll be duly rewarded," Li Nanfang said with a smile, hanging up after exchanging a few more words.Li Nanfang understood the implications of Old Wang's remarks. The mention of Director Jin made it clear what was happening. Reflecting on the events at the company today—audit personnel in the finance department and individuals in the president's office demanding explanations from Yue Zitong—it all seemed ordinary on the surface.But something was amiss.Given Yue Zitong's fiery temper, would she tolerate such insolence from minor officials? A single phone call from her, and Director Jin would be stripped of his power for daring to retaliate against her. The idea that the Yue family would stand idly by while their daughter was bullied was laughable.Yet, the investigation team had indeed moved into Kai Huang Group, and Yue Zitong didn't appear to have the upper hand. Her feigned indifference suggested otherwise."Intriguing. Could it be that she's been abandoned by the Yue family?" Li Nanfang mused.He decided to call the old man for clarification. Sure enough, the old man knew about the predicament at Kai Huang Group. "Young man, the troubles you two have stirred up should be resolved by yourselves. If you seek help for every little issue, how will you ever grow? Just as fledglings are pushed from the nest by their parents after a full moon, you two are like those fledglings. You can't rely on our protection forever," the old man lectured.Li Nanfang interrupted irritably, "Just spit it out—does Yue family deliberately ignore this matter?""Indeed," the old man concisely confirmed."Why?""To foster your relationship and provide a trial by fire," came the reply."Damn it," Li Nanfang cursed. "When Yue Zitong was targeted on the OF platform, you could ignore it because I could handle it—it's my specialty. But now it's involving officialdom. You can't expect me to use underworld tactics against officials, can you?""And why not? Have your stepmother's years of instruction gone to waste? Haven't you heard the phrase 'different roads lead to the same destination'? What's the difference between officialdom and the underworld? Officialdom is but another jungle!"The old man's tone brimmed with frustration. "I had thought that after years of weathering the underworld, you'd grasp this essential truth. Evidently, you're still green. Yue Zitong's handling of this situation surpasses yours. After all my efforts to mentor you, you're outdone by a woman."Li Nanfang hung up, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks. For the first time in years, he'd been scolded by the old man without a retort. It was humiliating.The mighty Black Phantom, savior of humanity—when faced with this minor setback, his first instinct was to rely on the Yue family's influence rather than employ underworld tactics against Director Jin. The old man was right; Director Jin had broken the rules first.
