There were no cars available to return to her rented accommodation, and Liu Sandao couldn't just fly away, leaving Bai Suxiang alone.
So, he had to wait for the bus with Bai Suxiang.
Logically, they worked together, so they were acquaintances. However, when they were alone together, the atmosphere became noticeably awkward.
Because Liu Sandao usually didn't talk much, and he had no other thoughts in mind, he stopped talking after a few sentences.
Although Bai Suxiang had many thoughts, as a girl, she was a bit too embarrassed to voice them, so she also fell silent.
At the bus stop late at night, perhaps because it was close to the river, a slight chill swept in, and Bai Suxiang couldn't help but rub her arms.
Liu Sandao, however, didn't feel cold, nor did he notice Bai Suxiang's actions. Perhaps it was because he was not an ordinary mortal.
Bai Suxiang inwardly hoped he would notice and react. But he stood by, looking straight at the road, motionless. Sudancn.com
For a long time, he didn't even glance her way.
Bai Suxiang's eyes held a flicker of expectation, but in the end, all she felt was a sigh of regret: "It's over, my single person's aura hasn't disappeared yet!"
It was impossible to suppress her inner thoughts; since Liu Sandao was so slow to react, Bai Suxiang finally spoke.
"Oh my, it's so cold here at night!"
She had thought that Liu Sandao would look at her and offer her his jacket.
The reality proved that things on television didn't happen in real life.
Upon hearing her, Liu Sandao directly said, "Oh, it really is!"
After speaking, he unconsciously pulled his jacket tighter. At that moment, his mind was nowhere near those scenes from television dramas.
Bai Suxiang was on the verge of despair. This guy was such an idiot; did she have to be so blunt?
Seeing that Liu Sandao was still not making any move to take off his jacket, a mischievous spark ignited in Bai Suxiang's heart:
"Liu Sandao, did you hear what I said?"
"I heard! Didn't you say it was cold?"
"You! Humph! I said I was cold!"
Bai Suxiang pretended to be angry.
They were at the same level in the company. Although Liu Sandao was nominally a special inspector, there was no difference in their positions, so Bai Suxiang called him by his name.
Liu Sandao hugged his clothes even tighter, as if doing it on purpose.
In Bai Suxiang's eyes, there was only anger, and more anger!
"Hey, hurry up and get in the car! Otherwise, I won't stay here freezing with you!"
It wasn't until Liu Sandao called out to her that Bai Suxiang noticed a taxi had pulled up beside them.
What was infuriating was that Liu Sandao had somehow gotten into the car without her realizing it.
From the moment Bai Suxiang got into the car until she returned home, she didn't say a word to Liu Sandao.
...
For the past two days, Jia Shuqing had been somewhat troubled.
Right after praying to the God of Wealth, she received a message from Wu Guozheng. He needed her to handle some matters, saying that the current situation was quite serious and required some "upper-level" arrangements.
Jia Shuqing understood perfectly, and she had also received some information regarding the documents.
Therefore, the money had to be paid. It was just that the amount was rather high: 2 million yuan!
She had hesitated at first, but Wu Guozheng sent word, asking whether money was more important or life itself.
After weighing the options, Jia Shuqing decided to pay the money. Since this involved the Investigation Bureau and Wu Guozheng was its head, seeking help from anyone else would only offend him. If this matter could be resolved smoothly, she would have secured a powerful patron in Wu Guozheng, opening up many opportunities for future financial gain.
She had already made prior arrangements with the bank; as soon as Wu Guozheng provided her with the account number, the transfer could be processed immediately.
Originally, she had 6 million in cash at home, but that 2 million was too conspicuous for Wu Guozheng to accept. So, Jia Shuqing had to comply with his wishes.
Wu Guozheng had no idea how these deities would consume the money. How conspicuous would 1 million yuan in cash look placed on an altar?
Would it be burned, or would it simply disappear?
Uncertain about the process, Wu Guozheng opted for a more conservative approach: transferring it to a bank account. No matter how the deities handled it, it wouldn't make much difference.
The account number provided by Wu Guozheng belonged to a distant relative in a village, opened with their ID.
That relative had never left the village in their entire life and was also paralyzed.
He had opened several similar accounts, just in case.
As soon as Jia Shuqing’s money arrived, Wu Guozheng, using his connections at the bank, proceeded with the distribution. He had a new blank card issued and transferred 1 million yuan into it.
When the messenger arrived to see him, Wu Guozheng respectfully placed the card on the altar.
"Whoosh!"
The card Wu Guozheng had placed on the altar vanished instantly. His heart settled.
Since the deity had accepted it, this hurdle should surely be overcome.
Upon returning to his office, Jia Zhengqing was already waiting for him. This hurdle had to be faced sooner or later.
Wu Guozheng had avoided it many times, but a formal document had been issued, and this matter needed to be resolved. As for how, he still had some role to play.
"Director Wu, I'm here to report on the work at Huaihua Village."
Jia Zhengqing said respectfully.
"Come, come, Old Jia, sit down. No rush, have some water first before you speak!"
Wu Guozheng said with a smile, handing Jia Zhengqing a cup of tea.
Jia Zhengqing accepted the tea, took a sip, and immediately opened the folder of collected and organized materials.
Wu Guozheng wasn't really listening to what he was saying; instead, he was making other plans:
For now, this matter could only be delayed. The longer it was delayed, the better. During this time, he would have Jia Shuqing make another effort to appease the two main instigators. As long as they didn't have too many objections, offering them more compensation, or if necessary, the government could provide appropriate assistance to mitigate the impact of the incident.
After Jia Zhengqing finished his report, Wu Guozheng indignantly declared:
"These damned beasts! This is a new society; how can they be allowed to act so outrageously? They have no respect for the law! They must be severely punished, severely punished!"
After speaking, he took a sip of water and added, "Old Jia, is this evidence conclusive? I think it's still a little lacking. Can it be further supplemented and improved?"
Jia Zhengqing thought he had already organized most of it. If he had to add more, he would need to find information on a few more people to complete it, which would take more effort. But at least the leader acknowledged it, which was a significant step forward.
"Yes, Director Wu. I will revise it immediately and submit it for your review!"
Wu Guozheng nodded with satisfaction.
He had already sent word to Jia Shuqing through other channels, hoping she would truly seize this opportunity.
However, man's plans are no match for heaven's will. What must come will come, and it cannot be avoided!