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Chapter Eighty-Six: An Unforeseen Entanglement
"That's Beiluan No. 1 High School," Zhang Qiu said with a smile.
"Beiluan No. 1 High School! Brother Qiu, you can't be serious," Zhao Pingchuan nearly fell off his seat. "Beiluan No. 1 has Zeng Fan and his group, along with strict school rules; it doesn't seem advantageous at all."
Zhang Qiu smiled lightly and asked, "Haven't you noticed how lenient our grade's Director Zhao has been with me?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Pingchuan recalled the events of the past few weeks. First, the police came to the school to take Brother Qiu away, but it seemed that his uncle was willing to let him go. After Brother Qiu returned to school, Director Zhao immediately told him to go home and reflect. Then, for some unknown reason, Brother Qiu came back to class shortly after.
Zhao Pingchuan also thought about the fight that night; after the incident was exposed, they were all called into the Director's Office for a discussion, and Brother Qiu was left alone there when they left. Connecting these events together led Zhao Pingchuan to a surprising conclusion: Director Zhao had indeed been favoring Brother Qiu. But what could possibly explain why the usually authoritative grade director would protect a student who had made mistakes?
"Brother Qiu, why is Director Zhao so lenient with you? I remember when the police came that time, he was extremely angry and didn’t seem like someone who would favor you," Zhao Pingchuan asked, voicing his doubts.
Zhao Pingchuan considered himself quite analytical, which showed in his math problems. However, he couldn't see through Zhang Qiu. From being arrested and returning unscathed to Yang Yu suddenly rushing out during the fight that night, and now this early end to their reflection session—all these incidents seemed intricately connected to Brother Qiu. This older brother always managed to surprise him.
After listening to Zhao Pingchuan's words, Zhang Qiu suddenly burst into laughter and said, "Because Director Zhao has something on me." He paused for a moment to let everyone absorb this shocking revelation before continuing, "While it's not exactly a reliable relationship, he certainly doesn't dare push me too hard. So regarding our matters, Director Zhao will turn a blind eye. Do you understand?"
Zhang Qiu noticed the joy on his brothers' faces and felt happy himself. It seemed he had instilled confidence in them. Believing in something was essential to achieving it; this was a conviction Zhang Qiu held firmly.
Wang Zhengxiang listened to the conversation between Zhang Qiu and Zhao Pingchuan and felt guilty inside. He spoke up loudly, "Brother Qiu, so you’re this confident? Don't blame me; I'm with you."
Zhang Qiu chuckled and said, "What are you talking about? How could I blame you? Listening to all sides brings clarity; bias leads to darkness." He then looked around at everyone and added, "You all should feel free to voice your opinions; differing views are especially welcome. This way, we can move forward more effectively."
At that moment, Yang Yu turned to Wang Zhengxiang and said, "Brother, I was a bit hasty earlier; I’m sorry about that. Please don’t take it to heart." He picked up a glass of wine and said, "Let this drink serve as my apology." With that, Yang Yu downed the drink in one go.
Wang Zhengxiang also raised his glass and said, "It's okay, we're all brothers. Brother Yu, you're right; we should unite. I firmly support Brother Qiu's decision!"
Zhang Qiu watched as the atmosphere became harmonious and smiled knowingly; this was what he wanted to see. A scattered group cannot achieve anything; only a united team can accomplish great results. Zhang Qiu raised his glass and said, "Come on, don't just drink by yourselves; let's all have a toast together!"
The six men stood up with their glasses, and the atmosphere reached a new climax. Each person's face was filled with determination as their glasses clinked together, splashing wine everywhere, and they drank heartily. In that moment, Zhang Qiu felt a powerful force surging from within.
...
In a room of a duplex apartment in Longhu District, Beilan County, an orange bedside lamp emitted a dim glow. The curtains were tightly drawn, blocking out sunlight and any suspicious gazes from outside. On the large double bed, Wang Guodong sat against the headboard with a weary expression, smoking a cigarette. Wen nestled in Wang Guodong's arms, her delicate hands tracing circles on his chest. She noticed that her man was in a bad mood and chose not to disturb him, simply providing quiet companionship.
Wang Guodong exhaled smoke rings, his furrowed brow showing no signs of easing but tightening further. After a long while, he finally spoke the words he didn't truly mean: "Wen, this might be the last time I come to see you. You should find a good person to marry."
Wen jumped up from Wang Guodong's embrace like a startled cat, looking at him with disbelief. Her eyes reflected both doubt and sadness.
Seeing Wen's reaction broke Wang Guodong's heart; he almost wanted to take back his words. However, the last shred of rationality stopped him; he understood he couldn't do that. Once the words were out, Wang Guodong braced himself for Wen's stormy reaction.
Wen stared intently at Wang Guodong without saying a word, standing before him like a lifeless statue. Wang Guodong wanted to pull her back into his arms, but she pushed him away forcefully and shouted, "Don't touch me!"
The once gentle and lovable cat had suddenly transformed into a wildcat with bristled fur and bared teeth. The drastic change in Wen felt like a knife stabbing Wang Guodong's heart. Yet he also understood that this was all his fault.
"Wen, I'm sorry; I let you down."
Wen scoffed coldly and replied, "Don't say sorry; I had already anticipated this outcome; I just didn't want to believe it."
"Wen..." Wang Guodong futilely raised his hand.
"Just go," Wen said coldly, looking at Wang Guodong. She wished she could return to the sweet times they once shared. But she also understood that everything was impossible now. The man before her could not be someone who didn't love her; she felt Wang Guodong's love deeply, and for that, she didn't even mind that he had another wife and couldn't give her a title.
Wen had heard about Wang Guodong stepping down. Just when she was preparing to share in his hardships during his toughest times, Wang Guodong proposed a breakup, which truly broke her heart.
"Wen, I hope you can understand my situation..."
"Enough! Don't say anything more. Just go, as if we never knew each other." Before Wang Guodong could finish, Wen interrupted him with a scream, and then she burst into tears. Between love and power, Wang Guodong chose the latter.
Wang Guodong sighed deeply; he did this out of necessity. The posts online had stirred up a lot of noise, and his wife had long suspected he was seeing someone else. This incident confirmed her suspicions. His wife was not one to shy away from drama; she was clamoring to cause a scene at his workplace. If that happened, it would be disastrous—he had already stepped down from the position of Police Chief; if there were any more disturbances, he might lose his position at the tax bureau as well. Wang Guodong managed to persuade his wife not to escalate the situation and promised to cut ties with Wen immediately.
"Wen, please stop crying." Wang Guodong's words were weak; even though he had a thousand things to say in his heart, they were hard to express at this moment.
Suddenly, Wen grabbed a pillow and raised it high to throw at Wang Guodong while crying out, "Get out! You get out! I don't know you, just leave!" Wang Guodong did not resist; he sat dumbfounded on the bed as Wen hit him with the pillow.
Once, twice, again—Wen suddenly tossed the pillow aside and threw herself into Wang Guodong's arms, holding him tightly as she cried. Wang Guodong felt a stir in his heart and gently stroked Wen's smooth back as tears streamed down his cheeks.
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