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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 26: Classmate, What Are You Hiding?
Chen Hu's expression darkened as he said, "Let's go outside and take a look."
Surrounded by a group of his subordinates, Chen Hu arrived at the lobby on the first floor. In the center stood several police officers in uniform, while the Brothers guarding the place watched warily, not daring to act rashly. Chen Hu approached with a smile and said, "Comrades, what brings you to my Blue Demon Entertainment City?"
"What happened here? Do I need to explain?" Ma Zhen pointed at the mess. Although the glass shards had been cleaned up, the stains from spilled drinks were still visible, and the sofa was slashed with deep cuts, exposing its stuffing. The bar was in a state of disarray that could not be concealed.
Chen Hu chuckled lightly and replied, "We were planning to renovate the first floor, but it seems we’ve attracted the attention of the Comrade Police. The public security work in Beilan County is indeed thorough."
"We received reports from the public about unidentified smoke appearing here. What’s going on?" Ma Zhen stared sternly at Chen Hu, fully aware of what kind of person he was; it was just that there was no evidence to take action against him at the moment.
"Oh, really?" Chen Hu feigned ignorance. "It might be due to the laser lights; you know how it is at Blue Demon Entertainment City—there are always more lights."
"It seems Boss Chen is planning to upgrade to a better lighting system?"
Chen Hu glanced at the broken chandelier above and chuckled awkwardly. Ma Zhen continued, "If there are any issues, report them immediately instead of trying to resolve them privately. We live in a society governed by law, and abiding by it is every citizen's responsibility."
"Of course, you can rest assured about that. I, Chen Hu, have always followed the law. Thank you for your hard work, Comrades." Chen Hu waved his hand. "Come on, someone bring a glass of water for our Comrade Police to soothe their throats."
"No need for that; we have official duties and cannot drink alcohol. Even if we weren't on duty, we would buy our own drinks."
"It's not alcohol; it's water—real water."
"That’s also unnecessary." Ma Zhen took one last look around Blue Demon Entertainment City; he understood perfectly well what had happened here. This visit was merely a show of force; he had no intention of arresting Chen Hu based solely on public reports.
About ten minutes ago, Ma Zhen received reports from the public about heavy smoke inside Blue Rose Entertainment City. Sensing something unusual, he personally led a team to investigate. After checking around, Ma Zhen found nothing out of the ordinary; everything seemed normal. He asked nearby vendors about the smoke they had seen; they reported that it dissipated quickly without any injuries occurring. Ma Zhen chose not to delve deeper into what had happened at Blue Rose Entertainment City; he could simply review nearby surveillance footage later.
With a wave of his hand, Ma Zhen led his team away. Chen Hu watched Ma Zhen's departing figure as he left Azure Blue Rose, his gaze turning dark as he instructed his subordinates: "Starting tomorrow, increase personnel at Blue Demon Entertainment City. As soon as it opens, start looking for people; repair what needs repairing and replace what needs replacing. Within two days, I want Azure Blue Rose back in business."
“Brother Qiu, that was so damn satisfying.”
Yang Yu laughed heartily, smashing everything in Azure Blue Rose. He was the most enthusiastic, carrying a stool and smashing anything that could break into pieces.
Zhang Qiu put his arm around Yang Yu's shoulder and said, “Now you feel good inside, right?”
“Absolutely, Brother Qiu, working with you is just exhilarating.”
“Yeah, Brother Qiu, it was amazing. This is the first time I've done something so thrilling.”
“Damn it, keep it down.” Wang Zhengxiang hurriedly covered Gao Zhi's mouth; his loud voice could be heard from kilometers away. They hadn't gone far yet, and if they attracted attention, it would be trouble.
Zhang Qiu watched them playfully and patted Jiang Xue's head, softly saying, “You did well, getting more and more… um, fiery.”
Jiang Xue shot Zhang Qiu a glare, displeased with the description: “Fiery? What does that mean?”
Zhang Qiu chuckled, “Just giving you a compliment.”
“I’ve never heard someone compliment like that.”
Yang Yu squeezed in and asked, “Brother Qiu, should we tell Biao Ge about this?”
“No need to tell him.”
Zhao Pingchuan added, “Brother Qiu, I think even if we don’t tell him, Biao Ge will figure out it was us.”
“Exactly. It’s better he knows. Once he finds out, he’ll naturally come to talk to me.”
"But won't this be too passive? After all, he told us not to act impulsively," Zhao Pingchuan said with concern. He was unsure how Biao Ge would react once he learned about this. Although Zhao Pingchuan had many friends, he had no experience in gang activities and did not understand the consequences of not taking action.
Zhang Qiu smiled and said, "Biao Ge has also told me to take charge of the investigation. From now on, I will be the manager of White Day Fire. If my own place gets wrecked and I know who did it, if I don't retaliate, how can I maintain my reputation?"
Jiang Xue also expressed her worries, saying, "I think Zhao Pingchuan's concerns are worth considering. After all, you just got here and don't know them well. What if..."
"Damn it, if they dare to blame Brother Qiu, then we will fight back."
"Just keep your worries to yourself; I have my plans for this matter." Zhang Qiu took out his phone to check the time. "It's almost eleven; everyone should head back and rest. We have classes tomorrow. My punishment is over, and I will study with you all. In this last month, let's all work hard to get into college so we can stay together."
"Yes, we need to stick together! Let's go for it!"
"Let's do it!"
Everyone cheered together, their youthful energy on full display. In a month, each of them would face their first turning point in life, heading to different cities, meeting new people, and starting a brand new chapter. Before that, they had one last month to give their all for just a little more—every point mattered. In H Province, just one point could mean the difference for thousands of candidates. To get into a prestigious university, they needed to score dozens or even over a hundred points more than candidates from other provinces.
At the intersection, the good brothers parted ways. Zhang Qiu took Jiang Xue home, where they shared a tender moment before falling asleep in each other's arms. The next morning, Zhang Qiu arrived at school. During morning self-study, Xu Qing Chu walked over to Zhang Qiu's desk and smiled, "Are you prepared this time?"
"Yes, I'm ready," Zhang Qiu replied as he pulled out the questions he had prepared earlier for Xu Qing Chu to review. Xu Qing Chu quickly skimmed through them and smiled, "Not bad; these questions are great. I have high hopes for you."
"Thank you, teacher." Zhang Qiu felt a deep respect for Xu Qing Chu; she always gave off a warm and welcoming vibe. Interacting with her felt equal and relaxed without any pressure or constraints. Zhang Qiu wondered if the educators from decades ago were like this too.
After morning self-study ended, Zhang Qiu held Jiang Xue's hand as they walked to the cafeteria. At school, they no longer needed to hold back their affection for each other. Jiang Xue gradually adapted to being close to Zhang Qiu in this environment and felt much less fear towards teachers.
As soon as they stepped out of the classroom door, Zhang Qiu was stopped by Song Weidong. Looking at Song Weidong, Zhang Qiu asked, "Is there something you need?"
"Yes, I need to talk to you."
"Alright, let's head to the cafeteria and talk while we walk."
Although Song Weidong never went to the cafeteria for meals, he still nodded.
On the way, Song Weidong curiously looked at Zhang Qiu and Jiang Xue holding hands and couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you afraid of being seen like this?"
Zhang Qiu smiled and said, "What's there to be afraid of when holding my wife's hand?"
Song Weidong laughed as well, "I meant, aren't you worried about the director or the teachers seeing you?"
"Not at all. Everyone in the school knows about us now; there's no need to hide," Zhang Qiu replied with a smile. "Besides, the director and teachers have their own cafeteria; they won't come over here."
"That's true."
"What about you? How are things?"
"I'm fine. After parting from you two, I went to find my dad."
"Is your uncle okay?"
"He's fine, just... sigh." Song Weidong sighed deeply, a hint of unspoken melancholy in his eyes. "It's just that the plan to acquire that piece of land fell through. My dad backed out at the last moment because he was worried about my safety."
Zhang Qiu's playful demeanor shifted to seriousness as he said, "He is a great father."
Song Weidong nodded. After a long pause, he continued, "My father wants to invite you for a meal and hopes you will definitely come."
"You want to treat me to a meal?" Zhang Qiu was surprised.
"Yes. I've told my father about how you've helped me; he really wants to see what kind of person you are," Song Weidong said sincerely, his gaze earnest. "Please go; don't refuse."
"Besides your father, is there anyone else?"
"There's no one else, just my father. How did you learn to speak so formally like that Shop Owner from Beilan County?"
"You keep calling him 'father,' I can't just keep saying 'your dad,' that sounds bad. It's better to say 'your esteemed father.' The language of the ancients is rich; there are different terms for different occasions, so anything works."
Song Weidong was amused by Zhang Qiu and nodded, saying, "You don't have to be like that; just call him 'your dad,' I don't find it awkward. By the way, my dad is still around, you should bring Jiang Xue along."
Zhang Qiu looked at Jiang Xue with a questioning glance, and Jiang Xue smiled lightly, saying, "Sure."
"Great, it's settled then." Seeing Zhang Qiu and Jiang Xue agree so readily, Song Weidong clapped his hands in excitement. His father had helped him; even a small favor should be repaid with great gratitude, let alone a life-saving one.
On the way to the cafeteria, many people greeted Zhang Qiu. Upon entering the cafeteria, the crowd parted to make way. Zhang Qiu was surprised by the clear path as he walked toward the food counter. A few people at the counter who were diligently serving food were puzzled by what was happening. After finishing their servings and turning around, they were stunned to see Zhang Qiu approaching and quickly stepped aside.
Zhang Qiu felt uneasy and called out to one of them, "Classmate, why are you hiding?"
"Brother Qiu, Sister Xue." The classmate who was called out held his tray and lowered his head as he spoke. Upon seeing Song Weidong beside Zhang Qiu, he added, "Dong Ge," before explaining to Zhang Qiu, "Brother Qiu, I wasn't hiding from you; I just wanted you to go first so I wouldn't block you."
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