Chapter 2323 - 2323:

As he said this, Zhang Xiaoyang felt an overwhelming sense of superiority inside.

Liu Zhizhong could see it too. This bastard was here just to show off, just to step on him a bit.

Liu Zhizhong gave a calm smile and said, "Vice County Magistrate Zhang, you win, okay? As long as you're happy, isn't that right?"

His tone was really light, no hint of joy or anger.

Zhang Xiaoyang's smile, however, was dark and sly. He nodded, "Yes, yes, yes, I'm indeed quite happy. Thank you for the happiness you brought me, haha…"

As he spoke, he patted Liu Zhizhong on the shoulder. "Junior, learn properly! Southeast belongs to the Zhang Family, it's the Zhang Family's officialdom. If you learn well, learn to be obedient, the benefits are huge. I know who you've got backing you, but Mayor Xiong and Mayor Zhang are outsiders after all, who knows when they'll be transferred away, right? And you and Mr. Wang in the Provincial City, haha… to put it bluntly, besides you handing over money, what else would make them really look up to you?"

Liu Zhizhong was feeling uncomfortable inside. This bastard really knew how to analyze a situation; shame his analysis was a bit off.

He couldn't be bothered to argue. He just wanted to get out of here, didn't want to look at Zhang Xiaoyang's face for another second.

So Liu Zhizhong merely nodded, took a deep breath, and said, "Let's leave it at that, Vice County Magistrate Zhang. I've got things to do, I'll be off."

Zhang Xiaoyang gave a chilly smile and nodded. "Go, go. Just remember this in your heart: this is Southeast. In front of Zhang Family Members, even a dragon has to coil up, even a tiger has to lie down!"

Liu Zhizhong couldn't be bothered to respond. He got straight into the car, started the engine, and just wanted to leave first.

Southeast Zhang Family, huh… Just don't regret it if one day I make it to the top, okay?

Back home, the first thing Liu Zhizhong did was call Yu Haiping and explain the situation. The company's accounts had to connect with the relevant donation recipients tomorrow. It was only right to tell Yu Haiping about this.

As for Wang Chenglong, he held technical phantom shares, so it was really something you could mention or not mention. And what Liu Zhizhong was thinking was: don't tell Wang Chenglong!

You can't trouble Brother Wang with everything, right? Handling things yourself, solving them yourself, is also a way of proving your own capability.

When Yu Haiping heard what Liu Zhizhong said, he let out a deep sigh and said, "Brother Zhizhong, these people have such an ugly way of feeding, don't they? Southeast Zhang Family really eats people without spitting out the bones! No wonder Dongnan City can't keep enterprises, and no enterprises are willing to come and settle and develop. The root is the Zhang Family!"

Liu Zhizhong said calmly, "Hai Ping Brothers, don't complain about that. This is reality. We're all small players. No matter how much money we have, we're still small players, you get it? Right now, we can only swallow it and move on."

"But…"

Yu Haiping understood, but he still couldn't swallow this anger. So he said, "Aren't we going to talk to Young Master Wang about this?"

"No need to talk, just don't bother him. We can afford this level of loss. And also, haha… once we've spent the money, the Zhang Family won't make things too hard for us for a while, and life will be a bit more comfortable. Even if the money won't all be used where it really counts, our name on it is solid, and that's good enough. Young Master Wang, we really have to use him where it counts, haha…"

"All right then! Brother Zhizhong, I don't mix in officialdom. I just freely run our company and our self-media accounts, it's pretty good. But with you in officialdom, it really feels like we've got insurance, haha…"

"Work hard, brother. The good days will only get sweeter, hahaha…"

"Hahaha…"

As for Zhang Xiaoyang, after he finished the meeting, of course he went back to the Zhang Family Mansion to report to Grandpa Xiang, carrying the joy of victory.

Zhang Taikang was satisfied with his grandson's performance. Besides, now that he was old, he enjoyed this little world where he alone was supreme. Any Party and government personnel trying to survive on the Zhang Family's turf had to obey, had to pledge their loyalty.

He even brought up Liu Zhizhong's donation and said to his grandson, "Xiaoyang, do you think that kid Liu Zhizhong has truly pledged loyalty? Has he really submitted to the Zhang family?"

Zhang Xiaoyang gave a casual smile and said, "I know this kid; he's stubborn to the bone. Even if he's unhappy, so what? In Southeast, our Zhang family can crush him whenever we want, till he can't breathe. I don't think today's money counts as him pledging loyalty, because he's still far from doing enough."

Zhang Taikang said, "Mm, it is a bit not enough. This kid's got a big life. He woke up from being a vegetable and then quickly amassed huge wealth. He's not ordinary. Have you thought about his relationship with the Wang Family?"

"The Wang Family in the Provincial City?"

"Yes."

Zhang Xiaoyang thought for a moment and said, "Grandpa, aren't you overthinking it a bit? Mr. Wang's family name is so big in the province. Would they really fancy Liu Zhizhong? It's just that the old man likes fishing and happened to help him a bit. Of course, there might be some benefit exchange between them, but how much can it really be?"

Zhang Taikang said seriously, "Your grudge with Liu Zhizhong is already very hard to resolve, you understand? You took his woman and almost killed him. Do you think Liu Zhizhong would let go of that hatred?"

"Well…" Zhang Xiaoyang went quiet for a moment, not out of embarrassment, then said dismissively, "Even if he can't let it go, so what?"

"This kind of hatred is something very few men can let go of. So you'd better be a bit more careful and test him properly."

"How do we test him, Grandpa?"

Zhang Taikang thought for a bit and said, "Next month, on my birthday, you invite him over for a birthday banquet. I'll test this kid myself."

"Huh? Invite him to your birthday banquet? Is he worthy?"

"You just invite him. Whether he's worthy or not doesn't matter."

"All right, I'll do as you say."

Only after accompanying Grandpa for dinner did Zhang Xiaoyang return to his own home outside.

At that time, Gu Man had just gotten home from eating out, and Zhang Xiaoyang excitedly told her all about Liu Zhizhong's donation.

Looking at her husband's gloomy, smug expression, Gu Man suddenly felt a nameless sense of nausea.

At the same time, Gu Man truly felt that her ex-boyfriend was really too pitiful. He'd just been squeezed for so much money that easily?

She knew Liu Zhizhong had come up from poverty. Donating that much money, his heart had to be aching, right? Sigh…

Gu Man thought for a moment and then said, "Xiaoyang, treating Liu Zhizhong like this, aren't you afraid he'll hate you even more?"

"Even if he hates me, what good does it do? What can he do to me? If he doesn't behave, my Zhang Family will just make him earn even more and spit out even more, believe it or not?"

"Sigh… forget it. It's not easy for him either. You don't need to crush him to death, do you? He donated so much today. Let's just leave it at that between you two; let the river in its well and the water in its river never mix."

A playful smile flashed across Zhang Xiaoyang's face. "Oh? Wife, you're starting to feel sorry for your ex-boyfriend now?"