Urban Martial Saint

The visitor was none other than the deputy director of the Shenchuan City Police Department, bureau chief Zhao Chengshuang.

Although no one knew Zhao Chengshuang, He Guoen had been talking about Director Zhao just now. So, when they heard He Guoen call the person that, everyone’s eyes widened immediately. Especially Yuan Yuan, who quietly tugged at He Guoen’s clothes and whispered, ”Is this... is this the Deputy Director Zhao?”

He Guoen nodded quietly, and everyone was even more astonished. Was this the most promising police officer in Shenchuan City? Especially Ding Ling, whose husband was a secretary in the municipal government and was well aware of these internal matters. Naturally, she understood Zhao Chengshuang’s stature in Shenchuan City. Not to mention her husband, even deputy mayors had to be respectful to Zhao Chengshuang. No wonder, since Zhao Chengshuang was both capable and well-connected!

No one expected that they were just discussing the most promising police officer in Shenchuan City, and now, in a matter of moments, they saw this person standing at the entrance of their private room. Everyone had the same question in their minds: Could he have entered the wrong room by mistake? Such a coincidence?

He Guoen quickly walked to the door with a smile and said, ”Director Zhao, are you here too?”

Zhao Chengshuang casually nodded, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the room, and finally said in surprise, ”Isn’t this room reserved by Ye Qing?”

”Ah?” Everyone in the room exclaimed in unison. Was Zhao Chengshuang looking for Ye Qing? Ye Qing? Which Ye Qing? Was it their classmate, that Ye Qing? Could it be he mistook someone else?

Zhou Yong had guessed Ye Qing’s identity earlier; he was the first to react and quickly said, ”Director Zhao, just now... Ye Zi went out...”

”Went out?” Zhao Chengshuang was even more surprised and said, ”Why did he go out? Isn’t he supposed to be hosting old classmates tonight?”

Upon hearing this, everyone was certain that the Ye Qing Zhao Chengshuang was looking for was indeed their classmate. But what was Zhao Chengshuang’s relationship with him, and why did he come looking for him?

Everyone’s minds were muddled, unable to think logically. Because no one could have imagined that their seemingly taciturn and silent classmate was capable of stirring winds and rains in Shenchuan City—Ye Qing!

”He went to the hospital...” Zhou Yong quickly said, ”A friend of his is hospitalized, so he went to visit.”

”Friend!?” Zhao Chengshuang’s expression changed, and he asked urgently, ”Is it... is it Liu Yuan?”

”Director Zhao, you know him too!” Zhou Yong’s eyes widened; he didn’t expect Zhao Chengshuang to be quite familiar with Ye Qing’s friends.

”Oh my gosh!” Zhao Chengshuang couldn’t maintain his composure any longer and quickly turned to run out.

The people in the room watched Zhao Chengshuang run off with faces full of surprise, looking at each other without knowing what had just happened.

After a while, Yuan Yuan finally whispered, ”Was that just now... that Deputy Director Zhao from the City Bureau?”

”Yes!” He Guoen nodded and said, ”That’s Deputy Director Zhao from the City Bureau, the bureau chief. I’ve met him several times; there’s no mistake!”

”Then why did he run to find Ye Qing?” Yuan Yuan asked in a low voice.

No one answered this time, as nobody could understand the reason behind this. After a while, Wang Tong suddenly whispered, ”Do you think our old classmate could be the same Ye Qing who is Li Lianshan’s brother?”

This statement was like a lightning bolt, freezing everyone in place. After a long time, He Guoen clapped his hands and said, ”Right! Why didn’t I think of it? Same name, same surname—who’s to say they can’t be the same person?”

”But didn’t Ye Qing say he sells wine?” Ding Ling said urgently, ”If he had that ability, wouldn’t he be doing something other than selling wine?”

”That’s not right!” Zhou Yong waved his hand and said, ”Let me be honest with you, Ye Zi has a good relationship with the Lin Corporation. Especially with Director Mu and your Shenchuan City’s renovation king Liu Yuan, who are all good friends of Ye Qing. My current project was arranged for me by Ye Zi while he was in the Capital. Manager Liu Yuan and Director Mu only gave me this opportunity out of respect for Ye Qing. Think about it, with Ye Zi’s good connections with the Lin Corporation, why would he need to sell wine to make money?”

”Why didn’t you say so earlier!” Wang Tong’s eyes widened, and he said, ”Damn, Liu Yuan controls 90% of the renovation business in Shenchuan City. I’ve spent so much money and used so many connections, trying to get a small job under him, and I couldn’t even manage that. If I’d known he was so familiar with Ye Qing, with my old classmate relationship with Ye Qing, wouldn’t it have been easy to just ask him to put in a word?”

”Oh, come off it!” Zhou Yong sneered, and said, ”Your old classmate relationship with Ye Qing? Hmph, Ye Qing has been in Shenchuan City for so long; has any of you seen him? Has anyone invited him for a meal? Has anyone even given him a call?”

Everyone looked a bit embarrassed. He Guoen whispered, ”Well, there’s nothing we could do. We didn’t know he came to Shenchuan City. When he came here, he didn’t contact any old classmates. If you hadn’t come tonight, we still wouldn’t know he’s here. We’re all old classmates; if we knew he was here, how could we not reach out?”

”Hehe...” Zhou Yong chuckled, and said, ”Oh well, let’s not dwell on it. Actually, Ye Zi is really good to old classmates. But honestly, back when we were in college, we didn’t help him much. Think about it, how many people bullied him in college? I can responsibly say that in our department, apart from Gao Shibao, no one helped him!”

No one could refute these words. It’s a fact; back in college, only Gao Shibao helped Ye Qing, and others weren’t even willing to give him a second look.

”Ye Zi is also very clear about it,” Zhou Yong said. ”You guys might not know this, but the last time Ye Zi went to the Capital, he happened to meet Gao Shibao. You know Gao Shibao’s situation; he’s been stuck at that local administrative office in the Capital for five years, unable to get out. But what happened? After Ye Zi went over, it took less than a day to get Gao Shibao transferred. Hey, do you know where Gao Shibao has been transferred to now?”

”Where to?” Everyone looked at Zhou Yong with anticipation, each one filled with excitement, wanting to see how capable this old classmate was in the Capital.

”Gao Shibao, who was just an office worker at the local administrative office, got directly transferred to the City Finance Bureau, and is now a secretary for a section chief!” Zhou Yong paused, looking at everyone’s gaping astonished faces, and continued, ”Moreover, I heard that this section chief will be transferred to the Ministry of Finance in half a year. As a secretary, if he wishes, he could follow the section chief in the transfer. Even if Gao Shibao doesn’t follow into the Ministry of Finance, when that section chief gets promoted, he’ll definitely arrange something good for his secretary. This time, you could say Gao Shibao has risen overnight and firmly established himself in the Capital!”

Zhou Yong’s way of speaking was full of rhythm and exclamations, and with a story like this and his way of telling it, it indeed got everyone excited.

”Ye Qing has such connections in the Capital too?” Ding Ling was full of excitement and said, ”Wasn’t he just hanging around in Shenchuan City all this time?”

”Who knows!” Zhou Yong shrugged and said, ”Ah, I’m telling you, in this society, never underestimate a poor young man. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west. Think about what kind of life Ye Zi was leading during school days. But looking at it now, I dare say, Ye Zi probably isn’t simple even in Shenchuan City!”

”He’s more than not simple!” He Guoen said, ”To be honest, Li Lianshan’s position as the underground king of Shenchuan City was given to him by Ye Qing. Therefore, Li Lianshan and Ye Qing have a great relationship, as close as brothers!”

Yuan Yuan had stars in her eyes, yet also with doubt, she asked, ”But how can it be that Ye Qing is selling wine?”

”If he says he sells wine, you really think he only sells wine?” Wang Tong said. ”If this Ye Qing is really Li Lianshan’s brother, then do you know how many establishments he has in Shenchuan City? Which of these places doesn’t need alcohol? He says he sells wine, and it’s understandable. Just the wine sold in those places every day probably makes him millions!”

”A million!?” Everyone exclaimed in disbelief, having never done business, they had no idea it could be so profitable.

”Of course!” Wang Tong said. ”Think about it, a bottle of some foreign wine costs a hundred or so bucks wholesale, and it sells for thousands. Ye Qing has twenty or thirty establishments under him, and each place sells at least four or fifty bottles a day. How much does that add up to? As for the cheaper ones, it’s countless. And the pricier ones, we don’t even understand, but just selling wine can earn big!”

”Is this money still considered money?” Yuan Yuan looked at her diamond ring. When she came in earlier, she flaunted it endlessly. Now, she suddenly realized her branded outfits seemed so shabby compared to Ye Qing.

No one answered her; everyone was lost in thought. Especially He Guoen and Ding Ling, He Guoen, though a police officer, had no connections or background in Shenchuan City. He had been relying on his father-in-law to climb up, but now that his father-in-law retired, he had no more opportunities. He would go around giving gifts and favors every year to find a patron, but without close ties, who would help you?

Now it’s good, old classmate Ye Qing, and Zhao Chengshuang are as close as real brothers. He doesn’t ask for much; even being transferred under Zhao Chengshuang’s command would mean a promising future.

Ding Ling was also deeply stirred. Although she had always been proud of her husband, their situation was similar to He Guoen’s—they all needed a strong backing. Finally meeting a potential backer, she regretted misjudging, not recognizing it at all. She was filled with remorse.

If only she knew Ye Qing had such capabilities, she would have at least toasted him a few more times earlier!

Inside the room, everyone was now harboring the same thoughts, but unfortunately, Ye Qing had already left.