Free Web NovelChapter 237: Chapter 198: Offering a Cigarette to the Big Shot
’It’s true that I know some influential people in the golf world, but none of them have any connection to economic crimes investigation.’
’But Lin Chu...’
’This information clearly came from the economic crimes investigation unit.’
’Am I already being watched?’
Taking a deep breath, he glanced at Lin Chu. Seeing the playful mockery in Lin Chu’s eyes, he maintained his smile and said, "President Lin, you must really have me confused with someone else. Hahaha, the more you say, the less I understand."
Under the table, however, his palms had already begun to sweat.
Lin Chu stood up, gave him a thoughtful look, and waved his hand dismissively. "Fine, fine. Hah, have it your way. This is getting boring. Let’s go, it’s time to eat."
Lan Yuzheng followed him out of the tea room.
...
At that moment, Zhou Luan was already waiting at the entrance of the private room.
Zhou Ming and a tall, gray-haired old man walked over from the entrance together.
"Dad!"
Zhou Luan immediately took light steps toward him, holding the hem of her dress and mincing forward.
"Hello, Uncle Jiang."
Then she greeted the old man.
As the three of them were laughing and chatting, Lin Chu led Lan Yuzheng out of the tea room. When Lan Yuzheng saw the "lineup" over there, his pupils suddenly contracted.
He then looked at Lin Chu.
’This dinner... what’s the meaning of this?’
Lin Chu patted his shoulder. "What’s wrong?"
He gave a casual smile. "It’s nothing. They’re just old acquaintances, President Zhou and Elder Jiang."
"Oh, you know them?"
"Old Zhou said he needed to borrow money from me urgently and wanted to meet for dinner tonight, so I just put it all together. Hey, what does Elder Jiang do? Tell me about him."
Lan Yuzheng sniffled.
For a moment, he couldn’t tell if Lin Chu was genuinely teasing him or truly didn’t know.
"He’s an old army buddy of President Zhou’s, from the political and legal sector, but he’s already retired."
He said with a nonchalant smile.
Lin Chu immediately understood. Zhou Ming was using the same kind of coping strategy.
If Elder Jiang was retired, then everything was naturally easier to talk about.
However, he didn’t look that old; he probably hadn’t been retired for more than a few years.
An old man like that certainly wouldn’t have as much power as when he was in office, but it was more than enough to suppress a scoundrel from the business world.
At this moment, Lin Chu suddenly had a thought.
’Lan Yuzheng might indeed have influence in the golf world. He could cause all sorts of trouble for the golf course, or even, if things got really ugly, force it to shut down.’
’Trying to "defend" on that front would be troublesome and messy, and it might not even be effective.’
’But if I change my approach...’
’—If you dare mess with my business, I’ll just go after you directly.’
’Now that’s a much more satisfying way to handle it.’
’Of course, I’m just borrowing power here—relying on intelligence to align with this approach, without even needing to involve "Uncle Nine."’
’But Zhou Ming, he has a real army buddy.’
"Oh, then I really don’t know him. But come on, since we’ve run into each other, let’s have a drink together. It’s all about making friends."
Lin Chu said casually, then walked over with a smile.
Lan Yuzheng: ...
He stood frozen on the spot for a few seconds, took a deep breath, and forced himself to walk over.
’Has the relationship between Lin Chu and Zhou Ming already reached this level?’
’Or is there some inside story here that I don’t know about?’
...
Lin Chu walked over, and after a couple of pleasantries, he didn’t say much more before leading everyone into the private room.
Zhou Ming glanced at the two of them and felt that the atmosphere was subtly strange.
It didn’t seem as tense as he’d expected.
Mulling it over, he took the initiative to make introductions with a smile. "My old friend, Jiang Fangguo. He’s also a golf fan, though he doesn’t play much. Back when I was here, he avoided coming to my course to prevent any suspicion. Now that he’s retired and I’m retired, we’re both free and easy."
Lin Chu deliberately used the wrong title, saying with a smile, "Welcome, President Jiang. Playing golf is great. You get to climb high and gaze upon the landscape, which is so refreshing. You get some exercise, and your body feels good. You’re welcome to come often. Xiaoluan works here now, so if you want to come in the future, just let her know."
Lin Chu didn’t mention giving him a membership card; there was no need to overdo it.
Zhou Luan immediately smiled. "Of course."
Hearing this, Jiang Fangguo also laughed. "Excellent. Young people today are truly outstanding. You’re a white knight. Old Zhou told me about you—so young, yet you have a knack for making money and a fine character. Truly, the new generation surpasses the old."
He praised Lin Chu profusely, though it wasn’t really flattery, just normal courtesy.
It seemed his relationship with Zhou Ming was genuinely very good.
"You’re too kind."
Lin Chu exchanged a couple more pleasantries, then went to tell the waiter to bring the food.
They were the ones talking the entire time. Lan Yuzheng didn’t say a single word, as if he were invisible.
He was now calculating that perhaps Lin Chu really didn’t know Jiang Fangguo.
’After all, nobody would act like this.’
’What kind of status does Elder Jiang have?’
’Would he really "condescend" to praise a young man to the skies like that?’
’On the contrary... it seems like Zhou Ming and Elder Jiang are the ones who want something from Lin Chu?’
This thought shocked him even more.
’I’ll just have to wait and see.’
...
"President Zhou, about that matter you mentioned to me today, I have no problem with it. But even though we’re friends, we still need to keep business and friendship separate."
"In terms of funding, I can help you out. But we’ll need to agree on an interest rate and have the necessary collateral. Of course, both of those things are negotiable. Something just a bit higher than the bank’s deposit rate will be fine."
After they had been eating for a while, Lin Chu brought the matter up himself before Zhou Ming could.
By now, the matter with Lan Yuzheng could be considered completely resolved.
There was no need to worry about him at all.
Lan Yuzheng himself knew his place, quiet as a mouse, as if he had become Lin Chu’s assistant.
Zhou Ming gave Lin Chu a deep look, momentarily moved by such generous terms.
He had spent all this time on business trips, praying at so many temples and to so many Buddhas, only to find that the real deity was right here all along!
