Chapter 2345 - 2345:

"Ah? That?"

Gu Man really was stunned, and she did feel a bit complicated inside.

Isn't this digging a pit for Liu Zhizhong?

Liu Zhizhong's background wasn't easy, and getting to where he is today was even harder!

Grandpa of the Zhang Family taking a shine to Liu Zhizhong is a good thing, so why is Zhang Xiaoyang being so petty?

Of course, Grandpa of the Zhang Family wanting to recruit a grandson‑in‑law also made Gu Man very awkward.

Zhang Xiaoyang said mildly, "What's wrong, Manman? You don't want to? Don't tell me… you're still hung up on your old flame?"

Gu Man's face suddenly flushed red, and she said in a coquettish voice, "How could that be? What nonsense are you talking about? I just think… if we're going to screw over Liu Zhizhong like this, aren't we being a bit too unscrupulous?"

"Scrupulous?"

Zhang Xiaoyang raised his brows slightly, his chubby face taking on an indescribably odd look.

A moment later, he said coolly, "Officialdom is like the battlefield, got it? If Liu Zhizhong became the Zhang Family's son‑in‑law, he'd get a ton of officialdom resources. Wouldn't he be defying the heavens then? I'll be fair: this kid is a real talent, sometimes I really can't match him, and I can't suppress his limelight either. So, you want your husband in the future to be ranked under Liu Zhizhong?"

So this guy Zhang Xiaoyang does have a bit of self‑awareness after all, heh…

"No, that's not what I mean! I'm just saying, can't we use some other method?"

"At this point, what other method is there? I've already been forced to accept Grandpa's mission, to go play matchmaker for my own sister with Liu Zhizhong! What do you want me to do? Or how about you go be the matchmaker?"

Zhang Xiaoyang also looked thoroughly depressed, and even kicked the ball back to her.

Gu Man looked embarrassed. "What are you saying? I'm not going to be that matchmaker!"

"If you won't, then we'll just have to think of something together and smear Liu Zhizhong a bit, okay?"

"But…"

Gu Man was really being forced into a corner by her husband, but at that moment a lightbulb suddenly went on in her head, her eyes sparkling. "Hey, hubby, how about this?"

"How about what?"

Zhang Xiaoyang even felt like he'd grabbed a life‑saving straw.

"Doesn't Xiao You have a Little Japan boyfriend? Then when she comes back to the country this time, just bring him back directly! I don't believe the two of them haven't already cooked the rice and done the deed. With reality right in front of him like that, Grandpa will have to agree even if he doesn't want to, right? Otherwise, if it gets out, it'll sound pretty bad, don't you think?"

"This…"

Zhang Xiaoyang took a deep breath and gave his wife a very meaningful look. "Won't that make Grandpa so mad something happens to him?"

"How could it? Grandpa's in great health. I just looked at his routine quarterly physical report a few days ago—his physiological age is equivalent to forty‑eight. He's doing just fine!"

Zhang Xiaoyang nodded. "Alright then, as long as it doesn't piss Grandpa off, we'll go with that for now, heh… But as for Xiao You, you're the one who's going to talk to her, right?"

"Me? No, no, no. You two are siblings, you've been close since you were kids, she listens to you more."

"Okay then, I'll go talk to Xiao You…"

"…"

That very night, Zhang Xiaoyang dialed his sister's number.

It was an international call, but so what? Zhang Xiaoyang used the office landline to call his sister, Zhang Xiao You.

After the usual pleasantries, Zhang Xiaoyang realized he really did miss his sister.

His sister was very beautiful, very gentle; he really didn't want this sister ending up with Liu Zhizhong—that'd be way too much of a bargain for that kid.

Zhang Xiaoyang still told her everything honestly about Grandpa wanting to find her a husband, and of course he mentioned Liu Zhizhong.

After listening, Zhang Xiao You said gently, "Brother, you mean that Liu Zhizhong who got beaten into a vegetative state?"

"Uh…" Zhang Xiaoyang was a bit embarrassed. "Sis, that's all in the past, don't go poking right where it hurts! Your brother's talking business with you here! No matter how you look at it, from any angle, you can't end up with Liu Zhizhong, right?"

"Mm, I understand what you mean. And then?"

"And then, I really don't want to go to Liu Zhizhong and propose on your behalf. That would make our Zhang family look so low‑class and without dignity, wouldn't it?"

"Mm, I understand that too. And then?"

"And then I was thinking, aren't you doing great with that Island‑something husband of yours?"

Zhang Xiao You supplied, "Qingping Island Husband."

"Oh, right, right, that name. So, when you finish your studies this time and come back to the motherland, you can bring him along to meet the family. I actually really support you two. Only then can we dispel Grandpa's unrealistic ideas."

Zhang Xiao You was silent for a moment before saying, "We've already broken up."

"What?!"

Zhang Xiaoyang's voice went up an octave; he practically couldn't believe his ears.

"No, wait… Sis, didn't you two get along really well? And he comes from such a famous family…"

"Brother, stop. Broken up means broken up. But don't worry, it's not as bad as you think. I have the right to choose; Grandpa can't just arbitrarily dictate my life and marriage. So, when I come back, I can go on a blind date with Liu Zhizhong, but whether it works out or not is another matter, right? Anyway, there's no way I'll actually end up with him."

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaoyang finally felt relieved. "Alright then, Xiao You, that makes your brother feel much better. I support your freedom in marriage and love too. As long as it's not Liu Zhizhong, everything else is negotiable, heh…"

"Alright, that's that. You can go propose to Liu Zhizhong for me. When I get back, I'll meet him once. It's not going to work out anyway."

"Got it! Your brother will get this done as soon as possible…"

"…"

A few days later, Zhang Xiaoyang went to the city for a meeting, and it just so happened that Liu Zhizhong was attending as well.

Zhang Xiaoyang deliberately arrived early at the city government's main hall, and parked in the hall's parking lot to wait.

Not long after, Liu Zhizhong's car drove in.

He didn't notice Zhang Xiaoyang's car; after all, today Zhang Xiaoyang was riding in the County Government's official vehicle.

With so many official cars around, who could tell which one belonged to whom?

As soon as Liu Zhizhong got out of his car, Zhang Xiaoyang also got out from not far away and walked over, calling, "Director Liu, morning!"

Liu Zhizhong suddenly turned around and saw his enemy wearing a perfectly proper smile. He couldn't help giving a faint smile himself. "Oh, County Mayor Zhang, you're even earlier, heh…"

Zhang Xiaoyang came over and offered Liu Zhizhong a cigarette.

Liu Zhizhong couldn't be bothered to refuse; he took it and lit up. "County Mayor Zhang, what's the matter? You don't smile like that often."

The kind of person you are determines your judgment of others; Liu Zhizhong happened to have very sharp instincts.

Zhang Xiaoyang nodded. "I've got something serious to talk to you about. Can we step aside for a word?"

Liu Zhizhong frowned slightly. "Did you find out the truth about that fake‑gold case at your home?"

"You… give it a rest. That's that for that case; what's the point in digging it up over and over, right? In the end, no one lost out, and you handled it very well—you didn't go running your mouth everywhere, right?"