Chapter 766 - 339: He Asks, and I’m Supposed to Go? Who Is He Looking Down On

That settled it.

The sudden change of tides instantly infuriated a certain someone who had just started to feel a glimmer of hope.

He frantically called his people one by one, demanding to know what was going on.

’After all, some of these people used to be my grandfather’s subordinates. There’s no way they wouldn’t give me this little bit of face.’

However, they all said that since the leadership had spoken directly, they didn’t dare to go against the order. After all, their careers were still tied to this place.

After learning the reason, the man hesitated for a moment before deciding to call the leader himself.

"Hello, Uncle Wang."

The man sat in his office and said with a smile, "It’s me, Ah Tian. I hope I’m not interrupting your lunch break?"

"Xiaotian, what made you think of calling me?"

"How’s your grandfather’s health?" the middle-aged man asked with a chuckle.

"He’s doing well."

The man replied, "Before I came here, he told me I should pay you a visit. He said that since I’m doing business in your city, he hoped you, Uncle Wang, could look out for me."

"Don’t you worry about that. The investment environment here in Jiangcheng is excellent."

The middle-aged man chuckled. "Tell your grandfather that as long as you conduct your business here lawfully and don’t cause any trouble, no one will give you a hard time.

And if someone does, you tell me. I’ll personally deal with such a black sheep."

"Uh, yes, of course."

The man said awkwardly, "My grandfather often warns me not to take shortcuts in business, and to never stray onto the wrong path."

"You have a good head on your shoulders, Xiaotian."

The middle-aged man said, "I have a meeting to get to, so I can’t talk long. Please give my regards to your grandfather."

"Of course, Uncle Wang."

After hanging up, the man’s expression turned grim.

’He actually played dumb with me, and even had the nerve to warn me.’

He looked at his manager, Li Deshui, and asked, "What have you found on that guy, Xu Yun? What’s his background?"

Previously, he figured the guy just had some local connections. At most, he thought, his influence reached Zhang Heping’s level.

After all, it had been Zhang Heping who had been fighting him on this from the very beginning.

But now, things were clearly different.

Just when it looked like Zhang Heping was about to buckle under his pressure, everyone had suddenly and unequivocally thrown their support behind him. It was a curious turn of events.

’This meant something had happened to make Uncle Wang change his mind and suddenly stop turning a blind eye to my activities.’

’For someone like Uncle Wang to offer his support, even at the risk of offending my grandfather, it must mean a greater power has intervened, forcing him to choose a side.’

"Boss, I didn’t find anything."

Li Deshui sounded troubled. "I even reached out to my contacts within the government, but none of them could find any information on him."

"..."

"Boss, should you ask your family to run a check from their end?"

Li Deshui added tentatively, "Maybe he’s like you... from one of the big compounds."

The man frowned, saying nothing.

’What my subordinate said isn’t impossible.’

’The compounds are vast and the factions are complex. With all the distant aunts, cousins, and in-laws, there are plenty of people with backgrounds similar to mine.’

’In truth, aside from a few close friends and relatives you grew up with, you don’t know everyone.’

’Besides, given my standing as part of a lesser branch of the family—or rather, our family’s overall standing—my name only gets me so far outside the capital.’

’Back in the compounds, I’m a nobody.’

’I’ve just been relying on the family name to run a few small businesses out here.’

’I never expected to meet my match here in Jiangcheng.’

’Uncle Wang didn’t even give the "Old Master" face. He even took the chance to put me in my place.’

"Alright, I want you to set up a meeting with that Xu Yun."

The man hesitated for a moment, then said, "Tell him I want to treat him to dinner to apologize for what happened last time."

’To accomplish great things, you have to know when to bend the knee.’

’As long as there’s money to be made, there are no permanent enemies.’

’If he has this kind of power, what’s the big deal about me backing down a bit?’

’Worst case, I’ll just make a little less profit.’

Li Deshui nodded. "Yes, Boss. I’ll get in touch with him right away."

"Remember, be polite."

"Understood."

...

Meanwhile, Xi Huaimin, being a man within the system, had a keen nose for these things and quickly sensed the changing political winds.

Zhang Heping, who had been so anxious before, was in a surprisingly good mood during the work meeting today, a constant smile on his face.

After the meeting, he went to Zhang Heping’s office privately to ask about it.

"Old Zhang, what’s going on?"

Zhang Heping laughed. "What else could it be? That kid Xu Yun finally couldn’t stand by any longer and made his move."

???

Xi Huai’an asked in confusion, "How did he do it?"

"How would I know?" Zhang Heping retorted with a laugh. "Aren’t you his future father-in-law? You’re asking me when you don’t even know?"

"I don’t know shit!"

Xi Huai’an said, "After I told him about it that night, he didn’t say a word and just went home.

No, wait...

Old He said he just sat in the garage alone with his eyes closed for a few minutes. Then he pulled out his phone, glanced at a message, and went upstairs.

Could it be that he was waiting for a message from someone all along?"

"Probably so."

Zhang Heping replied, "I don’t know the details. All I know is that on the morning of the third day after you talked to that kid Xu Yun, the provincial leadership set the tone. They gave me a heads-up and affirmed my actions."

"..." Xi Huai’an.

’No wonder the tides turned so fast. Someone powerful had entered the fray.’

’For Xu Yun to be able to get such a powerful figure to personally intervene... just how immense must the power behind him be!’

’This only served to further confirm Xu Yun’s mysterious identity.’

’At dinner last time, Xu Yun had refused their offer to pay his family a visit, and Xi Huai’an had felt a little slighted. But now it seemed Xu Yun’s parents truly weren’t people they could meet just by asking.’