Qi Songlu was cooking, with Little Wang and Yuanyuan helping out. Little Wang was pulling the kudaimian, a dish his dad loved. The long noodles snapped open, white and glistening, then were drenched in hot chili oil, making them incredibly fragrant.
Today's meal held significant meaning; these noodles were made entirely by Little Wang himself. It was the first time in his life that he was cooking for his dad. He wanted his dad, who had been abroad for over two years, to quickly enjoy a bowl of these hand-pulled noodles.
Yan Zhao was also waiting for his son's noodles.
Over two years had passed. There was flour abroad, but the southern flour couldn't compare to the winter wheat from Xinjiang. No matter how you kneaded it, you couldn't pull it into the dish he loved the most.
Just as the aroma of hot oil and chili filled the air, the phone rang.
Yan Peiheng was sitting next to the phone. Initially, the old man was lounging lazily, but as soon as he picked up the phone, he straightened up instantly.
"Professor Gu, hello, this is Yan Peiheng," he said.
Hearing it was Gu Xiao on the phone, Yan Zhao perked up his ears to listen, though Gu Xiao's gentle voice was hard to make out clearly.
Yan Peiheng's expression grew increasingly serious as he listened to Gu Xiao.
After hanging up, he said, "Yan Zhao, you need to go to the VIP Building. Gu Xiao is waiting for you there; he says he has something to discuss with you. Go quickly and see what tricks he's up to now."
"What did he say to make you so angry?" Yan Zhao asked, seeing his father's obvious anger.
After a long pause, Yan Peiheng said, "He called us bandits ruling the country, saying there's collusion between military, politics, and business, darker than the Jiang, Sun, Kong, and Chen families of the Republic of China era. He also said that given the current state of Hua Country's officialdom and military, instead of donating, he will leave Hua Country forever after obtaining his company's equity."
Yesterday, Gu Xiao had mentioned discussing the establishment of a fund with the Charity Federation.
How could he suddenly call Hua Country bandits ruling the country and compare them to the Jiang, Sun, Kong, and Chen families today?
This warranted a visit.
Yan Zhao immediately stood up, signaling to Chen Meilan, "Let's go and see."
But just as Little Wang's oil-splashed noodles were brought out of the kitchen, his dad was leaving?
"Dad, why not eat the noodles first?" Little Wang said.
"Tomorrow, I'll eat your noodles tomorrow," Yan Zhao replied.
Yuanyuan brought out a plate of pork ears, another favorite dish of his dad. She had sliced them so thinly that her hands were blistered, but it seemed they would have to wait until tomorrow to be enjoyed by their dad.
Yan Zhao returned the official car and prepared to go see Gu Xiao, needing Chen Meilan to drive their own car.
It was dinner time, and both were hungry. They drove straight to the VIP Building under the night sky.
Because of his company's substantial foreign exchange reserves in Southeast Asia and his promise to deposit all foreign exchange in Hua Country's banks once his equity was recovered, Gu Xiao was currently a VIP of the Ministry of Public Security, still enjoying national-level treatment. He stayed in the top-floor suite, complete with a living room, dining room, sofas, a flat-screen TV, and even a swimming pool on the same floor, making it the most luxurious suite in the most upscale five-star hotel in the capital.
The door was open, and someone inside was chatting with Gu Xiao. The person's voice carried to the staircase. Seeing this person, Yan Zhao understood why Gu Xiao was so angry and furious.
This person was Hu Baiye, whom Yan Zhao had met once in the capital.
It was because of Hu Baiye that Gu Xiao's shareholders turned against him. Hu Baiye had gone to Southeast Asia to propose partnering with Gu Xiao on international waste business, which Gu Xiao, devoted to Hua Country, had refused.
This angered the shareholders, leading them to turn against and even plot against Gu Xiao.
Yan Zhao had been a UN peacekeeper in Southeast Asia for two and a half years. The evidence he had gathered showed that Hu Baiye was not only involved in importing international waste into Hua Country but also operated as an international human trafficker, smuggling women and children between Southeast Asia and Hua Country.
He had connections in the capital that helped him evade port police inspections.
Yan Zhao's mission upon returning was to investigate Hu Baiye and his backers.
But how did this man find Gu Xiao?
The door was open. Yan Dongxue saw Yan Zhao and his wife standing outside and said, "Third Brother, come in."
Hu Baiye turned around, seeing Yan Zhao, and grinned, "Comrade Yan, do you remember me? It's me, Hu Baiye. We met two years ago."
Yan Zhao shook his hand, "Hello."
"Do you know Feng Yu? He's your brother-in-law. We're now business partners," Hu Baiye added with a smile.
Feng Yu had bragged about being Yan Peiheng's son-in-law and that Feng Ha was Yan Peiheng's grandson.
Hu Baiye, failing to corrupt Yan Zhao before, later encountered Feng Yu after his release from prison. Unaware of the true relationship within Yan Peiheng's family, he likely mistook Feng Yu for Yan Peiheng's son-in-law.
Of course, Hu Baiye probably still didn't know the truth, which was why he openly mentioned his connection with Feng Yu in front of Yan Zhao.
It seemed that not only did some kids pretend to be high-ranking officials' offspring, but Hu Baiye also relied on such false connections to engage in illegal business and flaunt his influence.
Yan Zhao nodded but said nothing more, wanting to hear what Hu Baiye and Gu Xiao had to discuss.
Gu Xiao, with a half-smile, looked at Yan Zhao but spoke to Hu Baiye, "If I give you a thousand tons of international waste each year, Mr. Hu, can you handle it?"
Hu Baiye, plump and pale like a steamed bun, nodded obsequiously, "Professor Gu, our Hua Country is vast and resourceful, with a strong consumption capacity. Honestly, even if you gave me ten thousand tons of international waste, I could handle it. You give as much as you want; we can take it all."
"Besides the Yan Peiheng family, what other connections do you have? If your connections aren't strong enough and you get detained by the Hua Country police, it could lead to a serious diplomatic incident," Gu Xiao added.
Hu Baiye seemed to be counting on his fingers, "I have connections with Commander Chao of the Hua Country Military Commission and Deputy Director Wang Xudong of the Capital Public Security Bureau. With them, everything is smooth. If you don't believe me, I can have my son bring Yan Peiheng's grandson, Wang Xudong's nephew, and Commander Chao's grandson to you tomorrow, okay?"
Chen Meilan and Yan Zhao exchanged a glance.
Without Yan Zhao explaining, Chen Meilan understood the intricacies.
Hu Baiye was adept at building relationships. His son likely mingled with the group of high-ranking officials' offspring that Little Wang knew. Hu Baiye networked with the adults, while his son networked with the young elites, a two-pronged approach.
However, as a businessman, Hu Baiye didn't know about the equity struggle between Gu Xiao and his shareholders.
Hearing that Gu Xiao had returned, he thought he could get more waste from Gu Xiao, so he rushed over to ask for more waste, showcasing his extensive network of connections in the process.
Gu Xiao was a man of both good and evil. He enjoyed drawing out the wickedness in bad people.
But in his heart, he absolutely did not allow anyone to bring waste to Hua Country's land. Not even a single ton.
Unaware of Hu Baiye's true connections, Gu Xiao, after listening to Hu Baiye's lengthy boast, believed that Hua Country was ruled by bandits, a dark, family-dominated regime like the Jiang, Sun, Kong, and Chen families of the Republic of China.
Now, his face dark, a cold smile on his lips, he watched Hu Baiye finish his performance and said, "Mr. Hu, you can leave now. I won't be keeping you for dinner."
"Alright, let's talk another day," Hu Baiye said with a chuckle, backing out with a nod and a smile, waving as he left, "Goodbye, Professor Gu, Comrade Yan!"
Chen Meilan's stomach growled with hunger.
During the conversation, Yan Dongxue had stepped out to order dishes from the second-floor Chinese restaurant, which were now laid out on the dining table.
This is Gu Xiao's taste, Shanghainese cuisine, featuring dishes like oil-sauce hairy crab, Buddha's hand belly, braised intestines, crystal shrimp, and pickled chicken and pig's feet, all spread out on a table.
Yan Zhao doesn't particularly enjoy this kind of food and initially didn't want to eat, but he guessed that Chen Meilan might like it, so he sat down.
Getting straight to the point, he needed to explain to Gu Xiao: "The so-called connections of this Hu Baiye are all fake."
Gu Xiao stared at Yan Zhao and said, "I vaguely know about Feng Yu, who is the son-in-law of Wang Gebi and the husband of Mi Lan. He is likely using your father's name to swindle people, but how do you explain the connection with Commander Chao?"
Pausing for a moment, Gu Xiao continued, "I privately inquired and heard that both of Commander Chao's son and daughter have been laid off. Being poor is the main source of greed."
Yan Zhao immediately responded, "Commander Chao has very strict family discipline. Regarding the connections Hu Baiye mentioned, I can prove tomorrow that they are all fake."
Fortunately, Little Wang knows a group of fake second-generation rich kids, making this matter simple. Tomorrow, they can call those kids over, have them meet the leaders, and invite Gu Xiao to confront them directly.
But Gu Xiao asked again, "My return schedule, known only to the Ministry of Public Security, should not have been known by anyone else. So, how did Hu Baiye find out about it and manage to accurately and swiftly knock on my door?"
Gu Xiao had just returned and, apart from the leaders of the Public Security Bureau, no one knew his itinerary.
However, the unscrupulous businessman Hu Baiye showed up. The only possibility was that a leader within the Public Security Bureau leaked the information. Hu Baiye himself admitted that he had a connection with Wang Xudong, the deputy director of the Capital Public Security Bureau.
Therefore, at least the network connected to Deputy Director Wang should be real.
The truth was evident and couldn't be ignored: there were indeed corrupt elements within the police force, aiding Hu Baiye in smuggling international scrap and facilitating human traffickers. This was not just a disciplinary violation but a severe criminal act.
And it was highly likely that the person involved was the deputy director of the Capital Bureau.
Gu Xiao looked at Yan Zhao, and Yan Zhao looked back at Gu Xiao.
Gu Xiao's skin was sallow and emaciated, resembling a skeleton, while Yan Zhao's complexion was dark, and his gaze was resolute.
Gu Xiao asked again, "If the deputy director of the Capital Bureau is involved in international scrap smuggling, what would you do?"
Yan Zhao replied without hesitation, "Arrest."
Gu Xiao pondered for a long time, probably satisfied with Yan Zhao's attitude, and then said, "I once wanted to establish a foundation in Hua Country and transfer all my foreign currency to banks under Hua Country. However, I need a commitment from Hua Country that its political governance must be as transparent as in South Ocean. Yan Zhao, can you give me that commitment tomorrow?"
Logically, by this point, Yan Zhao should have expressed his stance, but he said, "No."
These two words were crisp and clear, unhesitating, and particularly straightforward.
Gu Xiao, holding his cane, looked at Yan Zhao in disbelief.
Chen Meilan and Yan Dongxue also looked at Yan Zhao.
Gu Xiao merely had the idea of donating his money through a foundation after his death.
But he had many grievances with Hua Country.
At this moment, shouldn't they soothe Gu Xiao? At least Yan Zhao should have said he could do it.
But with his resolute tone, was he trying to anger the old master?
Chen Meilan wanted to ease the atmosphere and was about to speak when Yan Zhao said again, "Hua Country covers 9.6 million square kilometers, with the latest census showing 1.3 billion people. South Ocean only has a mere three million people, less than the population of Xiping City, and not even a tenth of the Capital's population. We are just beginning our reform and opening up. How can we achieve the political governance level of South Ocean?"
The weak national power necessitates reform and opening up, and reform inevitably means there will be chaos.
Confront difficulties, correct problems.
For Yan Zhao, it was that simple.
Gu Xiao was an extremely proud and self-confident person. He couldn't stand people with moral flaws. Even if there was just one such person in society, it was like a grain of rat feces in a pot of porridge. He would be angry, furious, and feel that the entire society was rotten.
People like Hu Baiye and Deputy Director Wang Xudong, in Gu Xiao's eyes, being able to make money and work in the public security sector indicated a major problem with the country.
He wanted a commitment from Yan Zhao before discussing the charity foundation.
But regarding this matter, Yan Zhao, being cautious, couldn't promise Gu Xiao because he was just about to take up a new position in the Ministry of Public Security and, upon entering, would only be a small section chief.
As he said, the country was vast, with many leaders, and he could only act according to his conscience.
This era had not only white but also black, with more gray areas.
Corruption and bribery among leaders were common, as were favoritism and relationships.
Yan Zhao could only do his best but couldn't control others.
Because the times were changing, with the emergence of various commodities and pleasures, people were faced with too many temptations.
Hua Country might eventually become like South Ocean, but not now, because times were developing, and nothing could be achieved overnight.
The conversation reached an impasse.
At that moment, Chen Meilan, smelling the drunken crab on the table, couldn't help but let out a rumbling stomach. Yan Zhao then said, "Professor Gu, let's discuss things later. Let's eat first."
He picked up a piece of pickled pig's feet for Gu Xiao and then the largest pickled crab for Chen Meilan. This was the good family education passed down from Su Wen. Whenever eating, even at home, Yan Zhao always let the elders first.
After the meal, Gu Xiao probably still wanted to talk more.
But Yan Zhao needed to leave and rest.
He hadn't had a good rest for two consecutive nights before returning, and last night he didn't sleep well either. He had to get up at three in the morning tonight, and there was a whole day of meetings tomorrow. If he didn't rest now, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to hold up tomorrow.
"See you tomorrow," he politely said goodbye to Gu Xiao.
Gu Xiao also said calmly, "See you tomorrow."
Seeing Yan Zhao about to leave, he personally wheeled his chair to Yan Zhao's side and said again, "Yan Zhao, even if you can't achieve political governance as transparent as South Ocean, tomorrow you must provide me with evidence that Commander Chao is not colluding with unscrupulous businessmen. He is the first commander of the military and everyone in the public security and justice system is his subordinate, his soldier. If you can't provide me with that, if you can't convince me, I will not trust any official in Hua Country. And you must also investigate who exactly is colluding with Hu Baiye. I want to see the results of Hua Country's handling of these criminals tomorrow!"
If it turns out that Commander Chao is colluding with criminals, Gu Xiao won't continue talking and will leave immediately.
Because that would prove that the military of Hua Country is rotten at its core.
And if it's someone else, Gu Xiao also wants to see the results immediately. He can't tolerate even a grain of sand in his eyes, let alone let it stay overnight.
"Good!" Yan Zhao replied again.
With that, he turned and left.
Since they were already at the hotel and the room was still reserved.
The couple could stay in the hotel for another night.
Yan Zhao naturally liked staying in the hotel because the hotel had his buckwheat pillow.
It must be said that Chen Meilan had opened up a new world for him. Using the buckwheat pillow was really comfortable.
But then came a bolt from the blue. The couple still had their room cards and could open the door, but upon opening it, they found that his buckwheat pillow was not on the bed. Yan Zhao searched the cabinets and the bathroom, but it was nowhere to be found.
This was unacceptable. Could the hotel staff have thrown away his buckwheat pillow?
