"Mr. Jiang, my itinerary here has concluded. I'm preparing to return. Are there any further arrangements?"
Guo Xuyang returned to his room and called Jiang Qixin.
"Brother, you've worked hard. I knew that with you taking action, there's nothing that can't be accomplished."
Jiang Qixin laughed heartily over the phone.
"Please don't praise me like that, sir. I know you're setting me up for failure."
"No, no, I'm being sincere. When you make a move, it's always a sure thing. What's the situation? Is it really that coincidental?"
"This whole thing is rather messed up. Liu Yiyi discovered some unsavory dealings by Zhao Qingchun. As it happened, Zhao Qingchun was also trapped by people from a special department here. He informed the special department about Liu Yiyi's itinerary, and as a result, they arranged for someone to cause a traffic accident."
"Zhao Qingchun? He's colluding with outsiders to frame a loyal person!" Jiang Qixin said indignantly.
"The main thing is, Zhao Qingchun didn't know he was being set up by the special department. So, in that regard, there's some room for understanding. However, he's quite corrupt, having acquired numerous properties and kept many mistresses. That's not something I can manage."
"Can you bring him back?"
"Mr. Jiang, you overestimate me. He's someone assigned by your end. It's your responsibility to recall him for investigation. Besides, for the few days I've been here, he's been at my beck and call, even assigning a young assistant to provide full service. If I were to do that, my conscience wouldn't allow it," Guo Xuyang said.
"Then forget it. You come back, and we'll find a way to deal with that fellow later."
"What about Xiao Yu's situation?" Guo Xuyang asked.
"Have you reached an agreement? Where are you planning for her to go?"
"My opinion is that she should stay in Canada for a while until the baby is born, and then return. However, she doesn't want her child's nationality to change."
"If she returns now, and Old Li demands the child, I can't guarantee we won't hand her over," Jiang Qixin said.
"Then it's best she goes to Canada."
"Alright. Have her travel with that Xiao Lu. Someone will pick her up upon her return."
"Can't I go to see her off?"
"You can, but your current identity is very sensitive. I don't want her to have too much contact with you, as it would increase her danger."
"Is Xiao Lu one of your people?" Guo Xuyang asked.
"Unofficially. His current identity is a Chinese-American, specifically responsible for business dealings in America."
"This kid has been close to Zhao Qingchun. Didn't he report Zhao Qingchun's situation to you?"
"He reported some of it, much like what you've told me, primarily about properties and keeping mistresses. Those are minor matters. Men, having multiple wives and concubines is quite normal, especially abroad. Some things can be overlooked with a blind eye. However, this Zhao Qingchun sold out Old Liu's whereabouts, which strictly speaking, can be considered treason."
"He shouldn't have known about the work Liu Yiyi was doing."
"Whether he knew or not, he did it. He caused us to lose an excellent comrade, which is unforgivable."
"I understand. This has nothing to do with me. One more thing, I asked Xiao Lu to help me purchase a farm here. I paid for it with my own hard-earned money."
"You can trust him with it. Xiao Lu is quite shrewd."
"He must have reported our movements to you quite a bit these past few days, hasn't he?"
"That's part of his job. Don't make things difficult for him," Jiang Qixin said with a laugh.
"I was wondering why you said someone would come over, but no one contacted me. It turns out he was by my side all along."
"How is he? Give me a fair evaluation."
"Good. Very perceptive and knows how to handle things."
"I heard you also got Xu Dahai's niece?"
"Mr. Jiang, you believe such gossip? Then I'll retract my previous evaluation of Xiao Lu. He should be accused of spreading rumors, lacking integrity, and framing loyal individuals."
"Oh, come on. You're a hypocrite yourself. Anyone who treats you well is good, but someone who reports the facts honestly becomes a loyal person being framed?"
"Isn't that right? If Old Xu found out, he'd chase me home to scold me," Guo Xuyang said.
"You can't just take advantage of her and then deny responsibility, can you? I heard she's an unmarried young lady. If you ruin her and refuse to take responsibility, not only will Xu Dahai be unhappy, but I'll be the first one to object."
"Mr. Jiang, please have mercy on me. I just couldn't restrain myself at the time. Besides, aren't the women in my life already chaotic enough?"
"Then why did you go and mess with her? I heard she's a legitimate graduate from a prestigious university, a good match for you."
"It's not like I don't want to, and she's willing, isn't she? You know a forced melon isn't sweet. Stop worrying about it."
"Did you leave any traces when you went out this time?"
"No. What's wrong?"
"Several groups of people came to the provincial capital looking for you, but they were apprehended by our people. After interrogation, it was traced back to the batch of spacecraft you brought."
"That's why I shouldn't have agreed to go out with you in the first place. Now, all the attention is on me."
"Don't you start complaining after benefiting. If you hadn't made such significant contributions, where would I find people to protect your family? Fortune and misfortune are intertwined; gains and losses are normal. You've made such great contributions to the country, and the country won't treat you unfairly."
"Please don't lecture me, sir. I understand all the basic principles. I'm just afraid of trouble."
"You've caused enough trouble, haven't you? Your women are more than enough for a platoon now, aren't they? Otherwise, do you think those departments wouldn't investigate your home? You should be secretly happy. These are the benefits of your contributions. I also have some good news for you: our spacecraft technology has made significant progress thanks to the parameters of the spacecraft you provided. They're even planning to reward you."
"I'm not in a hurry for those rewards. I also have some news from the secret room of the woman close to Zhao Qingchun. It pertains to an investigation into me. I've identified another accomplice of hers, but I haven't found her superior yet."
"What's the situation? Tell me in detail," Jiang Qixin said.
Guo Xuyang then recounted his findings and the information he had gathered to Jiang Qixin.
"This indicates that the other party is monitoring me very closely. They've even used satellites for real-time surveillance. Fortunately, I was wearing makeup in the hotel at the time. You must keep Liu Yifan under tight watch. If I don't return, absolutely do not let him go out. Otherwise, who knows what kind of upheaval will happen here," Guo Xuyang said.
"Liu Yifan has that much awareness, you can rest assured."