Siheyuan: I am a trader in both worlds!

"Either you say what you mean completely, or you shut up! Why leave things half-said?! Lao Luo, who are you trying to disgust?!"

This is truly a terrible injustice to Lao Luo!
Therefore, seeing that Bai Ling took his timely silence as an insult, Lao Luo hurriedly swore an oath.

"Who am I trying to disgust? Nobody! I swear to God, I absolutely did not mean to disgust you in the slightest!"

"So what do you mean by hiding half of it?"

"I'm not afraid."

"What are you afraid of? Afraid that mentioning Zheng Chaoyang will make me uncomfortable? Please, this happened eight hundred years ago! It's an old story, something that's long gone! I've repeated it so many times, I don't care about this anymore, and you're still bringing it up. What else can you be but disgusting people?"

I genuinely felt that Lao Luo was being incredibly unreasonable, and I also felt it was necessary to explain things clearly to him, so that he wouldn't keep brooding over things all day long and making me unhappy.

Bai Ling reiterated this point.

"Zheng Chaoyang and I are just ordinary colleagues, understand?! Of course, I also admit that I did act impulsively back then. For example, I went to his door with a gun and even thought about shooting him. These are all facts."

"But that was all because I was young and naive, you know? I had just graduated then, and I was just beginning to experience romantic feelings. It was the age when it's easy to mistake friendship and my heartfelt sympathy for Zheng Chaoyang for love!"

"Old Luo, you've been through this, you should know how this feels, right? You should be able to understand me!"

Don't say it, you really don't say it.

Although Lao Luo was indeed an experienced person, he really couldn't understand Bai Ling's feelings!
It's not just because his emotions are rather rough and not delicate enough.

Also, at that time, he was busy saving the nation and actively participating in the revolution!

They had no time to think about matters of the heart or love between their children.

Therefore, Bai Ling's attempt to make Lao Luo understand her feelings was absolutely misguided.

For such delicate emotional issues, she should have gone to Director Wang, who is also a woman, instead of this rough old man.

Although, at that time, Director Wang, who was also busy saving the nation from peril, probably wouldn't have understood.

But expressing affirmation and understanding immediately is an attitude that Lao Luo absolutely must demonstrate.

So even though Lao Luo doesn't understand, pretending to understand is still not a problem.

Therefore, there was no question about it.

While she had never missed Director Wang so much, she immediately nodded vigorously, expressing her understanding and support.

"Of course! I've been through your age, so I completely understand! After all, life was really tough for Chaoyang back then! Look, their family only had a few people in total!"

"It turns out the older brother was a major spy, and the sister-in-law was also a major spy! There were only three people in the family, and two of them were major spies! If you add the at least middle-class parents, there's also the brother who's a spy."

"His family background is absolutely amazing! Seriously, you could search all over Beijing and you wouldn't find many families as exceptional as his! And you, as his partner, are so sensitive and naive about relationships. It's perfectly normal to make a mistake for a moment, it's perfectly normal."

I must say, as expected of Luo Yonghao.
Even though he couldn't truly empathize, he managed to explain it in a very logical and persuasive way, directly touching Bai Ling's heart.

Therefore, it's clear that Lao Luo truly understands him.

Bai Ling also opened up completely, reminiscing about her youthful days while expressing her feelings to Lao Luo.

"What I mean is, his family situation was just too complicated, so complicated it was almost abstract! I simply can't imagine how desperate he must have been at the time, and I'm an extremely compassionate person. And then, this compassion..."

"Of course, all of this happened in the past, when we were young and didn't understand much. Looking back now, it's nothing at all. So now, we're really just colleagues who used to work together."

"At most, we have a good relationship, but that's it. Besides, my man is Ah Lang, and he has his wife and children. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

This is absolutely what Lao Luo, and all of Bai Ling's elders, most wanted to see!
Therefore, seeing that Bai Ling had truly let go completely, Lao Luo couldn't help but sigh.

"Oh dear, if you had said that earlier, I would have understood long ago! And if only you had understood it so clearly earlier! You have no idea how worried your elders were when they found out that you had gotten involved with Chaoyang Tiankeng."

"The principal was so anxious that he was about to come all the way from Northeast China to Beijing to settle accounts with me! Of course, they didn't have any objections to Zheng Chaoyang himself. Not only did they not have any objections, they also admired the young man and sympathized with his plight."

"But to be honest, he was definitely not a good match, anyone could see that! So I was under a lot of pressure back then. He called me almost every day, asking about your situation and giving me a good scolding, saying that I ruined you!"

"And you, you're still so stubborn. You know it's a pit of fire, but you still jump in. You're as stubborn as a mule, and I just can't reason with you! I have no choice but to..."

As he spoke, he noticed that Bai Ling was looking at him sideways.

Luo said irritably.

"What kind of look is that? Yes, I admit, there was a slight intention to separate you all. But more than that, it's for work purposes! Besides, it's not like I didn't leave you some options; Songjiang Prefecture and Guangzhou are only a short distance apart!"

"If you two really are... right? This distance is nothing, isn't it? Of course, as it turns out, I was very farsighted. You guys are still young and naive. You've only been apart for a short time, and..."

Actually, there's something else that Lao Luo didn't tell Bai Ling.

That means he did indeed use his status and position to give Bai Ling and Zheng Chaoyang preferential treatment.

Of course, it wasn't about giving them preferential treatment in assigning one to Songjiang Prefecture and the other to Guangzhou.

It was opened specifically for Zheng Chaoyang.

As for the reason for giving him special treatment.
Nonsense, is that even a question?
Of course it's because of this back door; he had no choice but to give them a heads-up!

Although in the end, Zheng Chaoyang's eccentric relatives and friends either died, were arrested, or surrendered.

But so many spies have emerged from his family, and they have the blood of countless of his own people on their hands. They are even super spies who almost succeeded in assassinating several key leaders!

In this situation, even if you, Zheng Chaoyang, had eight hundred mouths, you still couldn't explain it clearly!
In particular, Zheng Chaoyang came from the secret front and made his living from intelligence.

This is troublesome.

If you're an outsider, putting everything else aside, as long as you're genuinely clean and those messy things really have nothing to do with you, you should at least be able to live a peaceful and stable life. (Living a peaceful life before the storm starts is definitely fine, but after the storm starts, it's hard to say.)
But you are an insider who couldn't be more genuine!
If Lao Luo doesn't give any prior notice, the endless rounds of scrutiny alone will be enough to overwhelm Zheng Chaoyang.

There was no need for Bai Ling to know these things, so Lao Luo never mentioned them to her.

But now, it seems a bit impossible not to say it.

Because Zheng Chaoyang has gained weight again.

Originally, given his individual circumstances and family situation, this was already troublesome enough. Old Luo had to go to great lengths to persuade the local officials not to push Zheng Chaoyang too hard.

But now, Zheng Chaoyang has married a wife whose situation is very similar to his own.

This is great.

The two of them are like a bomb!

Even Lao Luo felt the pressure suddenly increase dramatically, and the thought of this matter gave him a huge headache.

Not to mention the local comrades who would inevitably bear joint responsibility, and even primary responsibility, should any problems arise. In short, Lao Luo is finding it difficult to protect the situation.

Therefore, he thought about whether he could find a breakthrough through Bai Ling so that Zheng Chaoyang's life could be a little easier.

After all, Bai Ling's extraordinary status is undeniable.

Based on her superior status, which is in no way inferior to Ximen Lang's, and the favor she receives from her increasingly powerful elders, if she could say a few good words for Zheng Chaoyang...

Zheng Chaoyang's life will definitely be much better now, at least not as difficult as it is now.

So, after hesitating for a while, Lao Luo couldn't help but mention it to Bai Ling.

"Bai Ling, there's something I've been thinking about and struggling with for a long time, and I think it's better to tell you. Of course, all of this is on the premise that you've completely let go of those old things. No, those aren't even a big deal. So, I think it's better to tell you, and that is, the situation in Chaoyang is a bit not good right now."

Originally, Lao Luo only intended to mention Zheng Chaoyang to Bai Ling, without forcing her to.

If Bai Ling is willing to lend a hand out of consideration for our past camaraderie, that would be wonderful.

If you don't want to help, that's fine too. Once you've said what you wanted to say, that's the end of it.

Unexpectedly, Lao Luo had barely uttered these words when Bai Ling hadn't even replied yet.

Suddenly, Ximen Lang's voice came from outside the door.

"Who? Who did you just say was in a bad situation?"

This really terrified Lao Luo.

We should open the door and check immediately.

When they opened the door, they saw that it really was Ximen Lang, who had returned.

Everything went black before his eyes, and Lao Luo was completely stunned.

Faced with Ximen Lang's repeated questioning, he couldn't utter a coherent sentence for a long time.

Upon seeing Lao Luo, he immediately became incoherent.

Ximen Lang wondered.

"No, Lao Luo, what's wrong with you? Why haven't you said anything for so long? And with that expression! You don't have Alzheimer's, do you? But I remember you're only in your early 50s. Alzheimer's at 50? Really? This is no small matter. If you really have this disease, we have to get treatment as soon as possible. Don't forget everything, even me."

As he spoke, Ximen Lang was about to call the medic over and ask him to quickly take a look at Lao Luo and see what was wrong.

How serious is it? If it is, get to the hospital immediately for early detection and treatment.

Bai Ling carefully observed Ximen Lang's demeanor as he spoke, and saw that Ximen Lang was not displeased by their private discussion about Zheng Chaoyang.

Bai Ling, who was also a little nervous, breathed a sigh of relief.

Then, it became as open and aboveboard as could be.

With a pure heart and naturally upright posture, Bai Ling directly exposed the reason why Lao Luo had become like this.

"Alright, Ah Lang, don't bother the medic. Lao Luo is fine. He's just too petty. He's petty himself, and he thinks we're petty too. He thought talking about Zheng Chaoyang would upset you, so he acted like this."

This completely shocked Ximen Lang.

I quickly checked on Lao Luo's condition after Bai Ling said those words.

It really is true.

Ximen Lang immediately let go of the hand that had been supporting Lao Luo's body, and said with extreme disgust and contempt.

"I'm not trying to be mean, Lao Luo, but you have such wide eyes and eyebrows, why are you so petty? You're not even wearing glasses, why do you always look at people with prejudice? I've already said it's all in the past, it's nothing at all. You're becoming less and less lovable, I'm telling you! The image of you in my heart, suddenly, very quickly, is reduced to this little bit."

Ximen Lang really didn't care much about this kind of thing.

Of course, that doesn't mean he's not petty.

In fact, he is still not very magnanimous.

Like the tip of a needle.

If you really offend him and touch his sore spot, he'll have to find a way to get back at you and save face.

However, he didn't really care about this matter.

The reason is simple: no one knows Bai Ling better than him!

Just kidding, how could I not know what's going on with my own wife?

Not to mention that Zheng Chaoyang is already married, he even has children.

Just not!

Bai Ling could never change her mind!

I can't guarantee anything else, but at least on this point, Ximen Lang is absolutely certain!

"Your abilities are right here, understand? You'll never understand my power in your entire life!"

Seeing that Ximen Lang was getting more and more out of line, even saying such things, he really had no integrity whatsoever.

Bai Ling quickly slapped Ximen Lang, interrupting his boasting.

Their fierce gazes, which seemed to want to bite him to death, finally stopped Ximen Lang from spouting nonsense.

Bai Ling wondered.

"Weren't you busy with those construction machines? Why are you back so soon? What's wrong, is there a problem over there?"

He was surprised to see Bai Ling questioning him and the future generations who had made China's manufacturing industry the best in the world.

Ximen Lang scoffed.

"This little thing is nothing! It'll be done in no time, how could it not go smoothly?! It's precisely because it went so smoothly, with absolutely no difficulty, that I came back here, afraid of delaying things here."

After briefly explaining to Bai Ling and the others why he had returned so quickly, Ximen Lang brought up the old topic again with curiosity.

"What's going on? What happened to Zheng Chaoyang? Why is he in such a precarious situation?" (End of Chapter)