“I carried some contraband goods among Weihan’s clothes last night. The police found them. They must have gone to investigate Shengtian Trading Company now. you’re the manager of the company.” Then Xiao Jinchong pauses and stares at Tang Feng.
“Boss, you mean…”
Wu Zhenxing glances sideways at Tang Feng with disdain, “Don’t you understand or do you feign ignorance? Boss hopes you can take responsibility of it. So long as you admit it’s done by you, the police won’t be suspicious of our boss. Now, it’s the time for you to pay a debt of gratitude.”
Tang Feng ignores Wu Zhenxing and doesn’t respond immediately. Instead, he looks at Xiao Jinchong and says in a deep voice intentionally, “Boss, I’m wondering what the so-called contraband goods are, drugs or munitions?”
Wu Zhenxing looks more disdainful, “Boss, look, he asks so many questions. That means he doesn’t want to take responsibility for what you did! He usually says he will do whatever he can in return for your help. Bullshit!”
“Zhenxing!” Xiao Jinchong snaps at Wu Zhenxing. But when he looks at Tang Feng, he gives a big smile, “It’s profitable to smuggle munitions and drugs, but it’s a grave crime and even a capital one. You may have no chances to spend the money you earn. I’m not stupid. How can I do such a stupid thing? My friend wants some antiques. But they are banned from being carried abroad, so I put them among the goods you shipped for Weihan. I thought the plan was flawless, but the police were so sensitive that they found them before the goods left port.”
“Smuggle antiques?”
“It’s not smuggling but carriage without permission at most. You won’t be sentenced to many years in prison.” Xiao Jinchong says casually, “After you are sentenced, I will spend money on connections to save you out. Or even if you’re sentenced to several years in prison, I will arrange everything in prison for you. When you come out, Shengtian Trading Company will be yours.”
The number of antiques you smuggle is so large that I will be sentenced to death soon, if I take the responsibility for you. Then no matter how much money you give me, I will have no chances to enjoy it. Tang Feng laughs at what Xiao Jinchong says to coax him in the heart while thinking about how to respond.
Thinking Tang Feng doesn’t agree, Wu Zhenxing snorts before he opens his mouth, “Tang Feng, our boss tells it to you because he thinks highly of you. You’re the manager of Shengtian Trading Company. The police found the antiques among the cargo ship of this company. You should take the main responsibility. Anyway, you can’t dissociate yourself from it. Why not take full responsibility? Then you can not only repay our boss but also protect your woman. Otherwise, don’t expect to see her again.”
Meanwhile, he takes something out of his pocket and throws it on the table.
“Zhenxing!” Xiao Jinchong’s face changes and snaps at Wu Zhenxing.
Tang Feng recognizes instantly it’s the necklace he gave Zhu Ting as a gift. He rushes to Wu Zhenxing and grabs him fiercely, “What did you do with Ting?”
Wu Zhenxing pushes Tang Feng away with force and shouts at Xiao Jinchong, “Boss, the guy is a coward. What’s the point of imploring him? Perhaps he has a personal intention and thinks the whole Brotherhood will be his if you and I are jailed. He wants to pocket Brotherhood that we’ve managed for so many years by this chance. Hum, man, do you think Brotherhood members will listen to you? Why don’t you look yourself into the mirror?”
Xiao Jinchong doesn’t blame Wu Zhenxing for being rash. He says slowly, “Selfishness is human’s nature. It’s not Tang Feng’s fault. You can go now.”
Then he turns his back to Tang Feng, smoking his cigar.
Xiao Jinchong doesn’t mention Zhu Ting. Tang Feng has realized Xiao Jinchong echoes Wu Zhenxing to threaten himself with Zhu Ting. No wonder he couldn’t get through to Zhu Ting. It turns out that she has been caught by them.
Thinking of the marks he left on the way, he glances at the clock on the wall secretly and feels anxious. He spoke slowly just now because he wanted to buy time, but now he has to talk hurriedly.
“Boss, you misunderstand me. How can I be a coward? How can I forget your favor? Your trouble is tantamount to mine. Boss, what can I do?”
“You agree?” Xiao Jinchong feels excited in the heart.
“Yes.” Tang Feng nods heavily.
“I think the police must be hunting us around the city. So long as you stand out actively and claim tonight’s carriage was planned and implemented by you, that’s enough.”
“Anything else?”
“Nothing else.”
Wu Zhenxing interrupts, “You must insist that it’s done by yourself and has nothing to do with others!”
Tang Feng glances at him coldly, “I know what to do. You don’t need to teach me.”
“That’s good.” Wu Zhenxing is made embarrassed by the retort and tries his best to pretend that he doesn’t mind it at all.
“Boss, I think the police may come here soon. I will leave here and go to the company to wait for the police. If they see us together, they will suspect you’re involved in it, too.”
Wu Zhenxing laughs loudly, “This is what the second command of Brotherhood should say.”
Xiao Jinchong pats Tang Feng’s shoulder and promises, “So long as you confess in a smart way, I will do my best to save you out. As for Zhu Ting, you don’t need to worry about her. I will arrange her future life properly. She will suffer nothing.”
“Thank you, boss.”
“Don’t blame me for my selfishness.”
Tang Feng shakes his head, “Boss, if you are jailed, I will try my best to save you, too. But I’m in a low position, so my words are of little effect. I don’t have so many connects and am not as good at dealing with them as you. It’s better the other way round. I go to jail while you stay out to save me. In the final analysis, you are the more tired one.”
“I don’t back the wrong horse.”
“Boss, let’s leave here now.”
“OK.” Xiao Jinchong responds and then signals Wu Zhenxing to go out and look around.
Wu Zhenxing takes the hint and goes away to call someone.
Then Tang Feng pretends to be worried, “Boss, after I go to jail, I may not be able to see Ting soon. I want to listen to her voice.”
Xiao Jinchong dials a number, says something, and then gives the cellphone to Tang Feng.
“Ting?”
“Tang Feng, help.”
“Ting, don’t be afraid. They are sent by my boss. I have to go on a long journey and ask them to look after you. Listen to my boss’s arrangement and take good care of yourself. If something happens to you, I will be thrown into confusion. Understand?”
Then he gives the cellphone back to Xiao Jinchong.
Of course, Xiao Jinchong understands the meaning of Tang Feng’s last sentence, so he promises at once, “Don’t worry. I won’t break my word. I know she is your dearest woman. You love her more than your life. I also know Miss Zhu is affectionate to you. If a woman loves me so deeply, I will be willing to take any risk for her without hesitation.”
Knowing what Xiao Jinchong is warning him, Tang Feng nods seriously on purpose, “For the sake of Ting, I know what I should do.”
Xiao Jinchong comforts him smilingly, “Don’t worry. You are scapegoated for what I did. I won’t let you suffer losses.”
Wu Zhenxing hangs up the phone, comes over and interrupts them, “Boss, the buddy downstairs says nothing is unusual outside.”
“Let’s go.” Then Xiao Jinchong goes out first, followed by Wu Zhenxing and Tang Feng.
After they get downstairs, the car of Xiao Jinchong and Wu Zhenxing is started. Tang Feng looks around casually and sees two persons come over. He recognizes one of them is Zhen Chao and a thrill runs through him. He takes out the phone immediately and pretends to talk on the phone while walking past Zhen Chao.
“Xiaolong, what happened in the company? Many policemen are there? Don’t take any action. Do as what they demand. Leave other things to me. I will be there soon.”
Then Tang Feng puts down his phone, walks to the community gate, and hails a taxi. After getting into the taxi, he takes out his cellphone quickly and sends a message to Zhen Chao, telling him to follow Xiao Jinchong but not to alert him. Then he heads for Shengtian Trading Company.
Pretending to be looking for someone, Zhen Chao walks around the community with his watchman and sees the car they are searching for. He sends a message to instruct all subordinates to come to the community and wait for a chance to round up Xiao Jinchong and his men. When they pretend to take a walk and want to go over to peep inside the car, they see Xiao Jinchong and others come down and understand Tang Feng’s hint — Don’t take any action. They gesticulate secretly at once to prevent their men hiding in the dark from taking any action.
Soon they find that another car follows Tang Feng secretly and thus understand why Tang Feng still pretended to be a complete stranger to them after Xiao Jinchong and Wu Zhenxing left.
One hour later, Tang Feng is taken by the police to the interrogation room of the police office from Shengtian Trading Company. Only Zhen Chao and Han Siqi are inside the closed room, besides Tang Feng.
With no one else around, Tang Feng asks immediately, “Have you found Ting’s whereabouts?”
Zhen Chao shakes his head, “Not yet. We have trailed Xiao Jinchong to his new residence, but it’s not sure if Zhu Ting is inside it. We guess he may hide Zhu Ting somewhere.”
“The old fox!” Tang Feng curses.
“He is indeed an old fox. Perhaps he has figured out the plan of scapegoating you if his crime is found by the police and intended to catch Zhu Ting this evening long before, because she is the only person that can be used to coerce you.”
“I warned Ting off leaving with strangers. She is also very alert. I think she was forced to leave.”
“Now that Xiao Jinchong had the plan long before, he must be well prepared. But don’t worry. We’ll broadcast the seized antiques in tomorrow’s news, but the principal criminal won’t be mentioned. We’ll just say the investigation is still going on. So long as you are not determined as the principal criminal, Xiao Jinchong won’t do something reckless to Zhu Ting. But before finding her, we won’t capture Xiao Jinchong temporarily. We will accumulate all his crime evidence. After Zhu Ting is found, we’ll capture him immediately. Now the police of B City is cooperating with us to look for Zhu Ting’s whereabouts.” After comforting Tang Feng, Zhen Chao looks at Han Siqi and laughs, “Luckily, you were more alert, or Xiao Jinchong would be suspicious if you met Xiao Jinchong with us in that community.”
Han Siqi smiles. At this moment, his phone rings. Seeing the call is from Zhu Linglong, he answers it immediately.
“Ask Zhengzheng to answer the call. I need to talk to her, but I can’t reach her by cellphone.” Since her pregnancy, Zhu Linglong’s tone has become more overbearing.
“I’m not at home now. You can call the landline in the house.”
“The landline was not answered. Aren’t you together with Zhengzheng?”
“Zhengzheng isn’t at home?” Han Siqi’s face changes instantly.
Since Fu Zhengzheng is pregnant, she has never gone out without him around in the evening. He is seized by a sense of foreboding.
“What an incompetent husband you are! You even don’t know where your wife is! You’re really…”
Han Siqi hangs up the phone and calls Fu Zhengzheng at once.
At this moment, Han Siqi sees a missed call from Fu Zhengzheng at 9:00. He calls it back, but her cellphone has been switched off.
“Siqi, what’s up?” Zhen Chao and Tang Feng both find his face abnormal.
“Something might happen to Zhengzheng.”