Heavy rain poured down on Jiang City during the evening and changed into a fine drizzle by night. Although it was summer, Jiangnan's drizzles accompanied by the mist which surged over the entire city gave it an ethereal feel.
Cheng Hanlin sat together with Deputy Mayor Ye on a boat over the lake. Cheng Hanlin had already recovered his calm. He believed that this entire situation could be reversed if the man in front of him acted.
Ye Zhengqiu was over 40 years old and less than 50, the most active time for a man. He was flushed with success and was also promoted recently, "I had thought that Brother Hanlin would be quite unhappy and worried. But it seems like you're calm enough to invite me over for dinner."
"By having the company of a refined person like Deputy Mayor Ye, my mood would turn better even if it wasn't."
"Hahaha…"
Ye Zhengqiu laughed loudly while nodding towards Cheng Hanlin, "Brother Hanlin is indeed eloquent." If it were before, he wouldn't have had the qualifications to share a meal with a rich and powerful person like Cheng Hanlin. But now, he felt really proud that such a person was trying to fawn on him.
"Brother Hanlin, don't you feel anxious about the Cheng Conglomerate's problem?"
"Anxiety is one thing but having a bad mood is totally another thing."
Ye Zhengqiu commented, "The circumstances don't look too encouraging for the Cheng Conglomerate."
Cheng Hanlin replied in such a way, "The Cheng Conglomerate is a professional and healthy group. I've used my foresight and skill to do work and never overstepped my boundaries. There's no way our work is sloppy. Moreover, how can it be so coincidental that all the projects under the group got reported at the same time? It's clear that someone is trying to make things hard for us."
"I naturally believe that the Cheng Conglomerate is a good company, but it's useless if I alone believe it."
"The government will act if someone reports."
Since when did the government act so efficiently, Cheng Hanlin cursed inwardly. He asked in a low voice, "I'm curious about the person who wants to deal with me, so much that they have used such methods."
"The business world is a battlefield. This is also unavoidable."
These words clearly meant that he was avoiding Cheng Hanlin's question. This made Cheng Hanlin slightly wrinkle his brows. He knew someone was acting behind the scenes and that Ye Zhengqiu knew who it was, but was unwilling to reveal it.
He speculated that the perpetrator's influence was too big.
Ye Zhengqiu's cell phone rang at this moment, "Son, what's up?"
"Father understands that…"
He hung the call after listening to his son prattle again then said with a smile, "Just one word from your darling daughter and my son has kept calling me at my office since noon."
"Only, Susu is indeed a good girl, talented and pretty. Brother Hanlin, I'll be bold and propose marriage for the younguns. What do you think about marrying your Susu to my son?"
Cheng Hanlin was stunned, pondering whether this was the reason he had come to this appointment today.
He felt quite awkward.
Thinking about it, Ye Wenchen was quite outstanding and had a good character. Plus, he also had a father like Ye Zhengqiu, so he was really suitable for Susu. However, Cheng Hanlin had already promised someone else.
Ye Zhenqiu laughed after seeing Cheng Hanlin hesitate, "Brother Hanlin, the situation is much more complicated than you can imagine. It isn't just one or two people who are set out to deal with the Cheng Conglomerate."
"Aaahhh?"
Even though Cheng Hanlin tried to remain calm, he couldn't help but feel shocked a bit. He had tried to figure out the identity of the person behind the scenes but still couldn't find them, and it turned out that it wasn't just one person doing it.
"It's not an exaggeration to say that the Cheng Conglomerate would have ended if not for its work being according to standard."
Ye Zhengqiu continued, "Even if I wish to help you block those evil monsters, the Cheng Conglomerate will have to sacrifice a portion of the projects or else…" He shook his head.
The price for him to make a move was Cheng Lingsu marrying Ye Wenchen.
Cheng Hanlin hesitated over and over again.
He had obtained the capital to start his business through Jiang Xiu's and Cheng Lingran's engagement in that time. He had to persevere with the engagement due to Jiang Yi losing his job from trying to cover for him. He didn't budge no matter what his wife said but now… the Cheng Conglomerate's survival was at stake. If Ye Zhengqiu didn't help him, the Cheng Conglomerate would be truly done for.
No one would respect a person who only has only reputation left after losing both position and wealth.
He clenched his teeth, "I'm also quite fond of a talented youth like Wenchen!"
"If Deputy Mayor Ye will uphold your end, we shall settle on this deal."
Ye Zhengqiu laughed heartily.
Nowadays, the best pair up was between the government and commerce. One has the authority and the other money so they would benefit each other. Ye Zhenqiu thought that it might be possible to become the Secretary of Jiang City by next year.
"Deal!"
Cheng Hanlin's heart was filled with worry as he didn't know how to explain this matter to Jiang Yi.
"Deputy Mayor Ye, just who is making things hard for the Cheng Conglomerate in the end?"
Ye Zhengqiu laid the facts bare since the marriage was a done deal now, "Tang Zhenshan, Zhong Liyong, Wen Zuolin, Wu Degui…"
Cheng Hanlin was shocked by each one of the names and left dumbstruck by the end. These names included more than half of the upper-class circle of Jiang City, and each one of them had a troublesome character.
"I have never offended them!"
"Those who don't incur envy are just mediocre in the end. The Cheng Conglomerate's development has been outstanding these past two years. It has good positioning in the market as well as a good sales concept. How can those old fogies compare with you? This is all that they are capable of."
"As the Cheng Conglomerate has worked properly, I won't let them act recklessly."
Cheng Hanlin laid down the worry in his heart after hearing these words.
The following feast was quite jovial. Ye Zhengqiu returned to his ride after the dinner ended then called his son, hoping to tell this news he had been waiting for a long time. Naturally, Ye Zhengqiu also felt quite happy as he had a lot of expectations from this marriage between the families. "Your Uncle Cheng agreed."
Ye Wenchen was stunned for a second then went mad from the happiness rushing to his head, "Really? Uncle Cheng really agreed to it?"
"Foolish son, why are you still calling him Uncle Cheng? You should call him father-in-law from now on."
"Very good, this is very good…"
Ye Wenchen wished he could howl towards the sky. He had finally achieved his dream. This feeling was something only a boy who has chased after a girl could understand. It felt as if the entire world was in his palms.
He hung the call and impatiently called Cheng Lingsu, "Susu, my father has agreed. Your father has also agreed to our matter!"
Cheng Lingsu was with her mother and sister right now. They were all worried right now. Even that Li Junfei had left due to the Cheng family meeting this inconvenient matter. "That's good…"
"Hmm? Our matter? What's that?"
"Our marriage!" replied Ye Wenchen.
Actually, he felt a tad bit nervous. Although everyone believed he and Cheng Lingsu were a couple, and they both had similar intentions, they had never gone ahead with it.
"Uncle Cheng agreed to our marriage."
"Hah!?"
Cheng Lingsu cried out, her cell phone almost slipping from her grip. She realized that this must have been the condition for Deputy Mayor Ye to help the Cheng family and that her father had promised it.
The sound of the door opening came through. Cheng Hanlin had returned in quite a tipsy manner. Only, his mood was already better, so he fell on the sofa. He was terrified today. "It's fine. The matter is settled now. Deputy Mayor Ye said that everything will return to normal tomorrow."
"Father, did you promise Uncle Ye that you'll marry me to Ye Wenchen?" Cheng Lingsu's face turned pale.
Cheng Hanlin sat upright, "Yes."
"B-But I'm engaged to Jiang Xiu."
"Are we going to break the engagement?"
Cheng Hanlin said helplessly, "Nothing can be done about it. If I didn't agree, our Cheng Conglomerate would end. Our family will go bankrupt. Only misery will await us then."
Cheng Lingsu replied with a pale face, "If you break the engagement, we'll end up even more miserable than that."
"Father, we cannot break the engagement."
Cheng Hanlin pondered whether his daughter had fallen in love with that brat Jiang Xiu.
"It's a happy occasion."
Sun Xiaohong was quite excited and couldn't help but clap. She had waited for this day to arrive for a long time. "Susu, what foolish things are you saying? We should celebrate since your father has agreed to this with great difficulty. We have finally become free of the Jiang family. I feel so light right now."
Cheng Lingsu's face turned uglier as her body trembled slightly, "No way, absolutely no way."
"Father, listen to me. We cannot break the engagement, or the consequences will be unimaginable. We cannot afford to offend the Jiang family and even more so Jiang Xiu."