Name: My father is Zhao Dehan, and I hope he will become a dragon!

An inconspicuous teahouse in the old town of Jingzhou.

Blue bricks and gray tiles, wooden lattice windows, and a faded "Qingxin" (meaning "peace of mind") curtain hanging at the entrance.

The private room on the second floor has no windows facing the street, but excellent soundproofing.

Zhao Chongming was slowly sipping his tea.

A few minutes later, Hou Liangping pushed open the door and came in carrying a black briefcase. He was dressed in dark casual clothes, without a tie, but he looked even more sharp than when he wore a suit.

"Director Hou, please have a seat!"

Zhao Chongming smiled and waved, gesturing for Hou Liangping to sit down.

Hou Liangping didn't exchange pleasantries, only coldly asking, "Where are the things?"

Zhao Chongming wasn't annoyed. He opened his bag and took out a USB drive and a paper document: "Recordings, bank statements, POS receipts, facial recognition comparison report—it's all here. The USB drive is encrypted; the password is 123456."

Hou Liangping took it and quickly flipped through it.

When he saw that the biometrics of the cardholder who made the 48 yuan purchase at the Hermès boutique matched 92.7%, his fingers paused slightly.

"You're very quick."

Hou Liangping raised his eyes: "Something that happened three days ago has already been compiled into a complete chain of evidence today?"

"I'm used to planning ahead."

Zhao Chongming poured himself a cup of tea: "Besides, I actually feel this is a bit outrageous. How dare she ask me for that!"

Hou Liangping stared at him, then suddenly asked, "Didn't she know your father was the vice governor?"

Zhao Chongming smiled and said, "You should know!"

"Knowing it, you still dared to do it!" Hou Liangping also found it unbelievable.

"Because of ignorance, there is no fear!"

Zhao Chongming smiled and slowly said, "Director Hou, I know you've been investigating me, and you've always suspected my son and me of corruption. But I can tell you one thing clearly now: for me, corruption is the last thing I need!"

"I hope you stay this confident!" Hou Liangping put away the documents. "Just don't let me catch you!"

"You know what? Your tone has always been unsettling!" Zhao Chongming said with a smile. "But let me tell you, I really don't need to embezzle, much less do I need my father to pull strings or give me special approvals!"

Hou Liangping was taken aback: "Oh?"

"Let me put it this way, anyone who has dealt with me knows that Zhao Dehan is my father. Just those six words can solve 99% of the problems in Handong Province."

He counted on his fingers: "Business registration was completed on the same day; environmental impact assessment approval was expedited; police patrols would circle around to check if my factory was safe; even local thugs would avoid me when they heard about my background. Nobody dares to mess with me, not because I'm so powerful, but because they're afraid of messing with the wrong person."

Hou Liangping remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded—this was indeed the reality.

The "hidden privileges" of children of high-ranking officials are not in the documents, but in people's hearts.

"I know very well how I got everything I have, so I'm careful and obey the law. Of course, you can criticize my private life from a moral standpoint, but it's not illegal!"

Zhao Chongming's tone shifted, and his eyes turned cold:

"But Ouyang Jing is different. She lives in her own illusion—she thinks that she got the position of vice president because of her ability, that those loan approvals were her 'professional judgments,' and that Li Dakang never interfered in her affairs because he 'didn't help her.'"

He sneered, "She doesn't realize that the only reason she's in that position is because of the words 'Li Dakang's wife.' But she treats those words like air, as if they're a given, even as a burden."

Hou Liangping said thoughtfully, "So, that's why she dared to target you?"

"right."

Zhao Chongming shrugged: "In her eyes, I'm just a wealthy overseas-educated businessman. So what if my father is Zhao Dehan? I can still control her. After getting the 75 million, Ouyang Jing will run off to America and live a very comfortable life!"

Hou Liangping was taken aback: "She's going to America?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Zhao Chongming shrugged. "It was bound to happen sooner or later!"

"Even so, she is indeed very bold to extort money from the son of the vice governor!" Hou Liangping sighed.

Zhao Chongming shrugged and slowly said, "She's not bold, she's ignorant. So ignorant that she thinks the rules of the entire Handong region can be rewritten with a single word!"

Hou Liangping closed the document and gave Zhao Chongming a deep look: "Actually, you didn't have to report it. You wouldn't have let Li Dakang target your Zhao family. After she was caught, you could still get the loan, and you would have avoided trouble."

"Wait for her to be caught? Wait for your anti-corruption bureau to get the evidence, when will that ever happen?"

Zhao Chongming laughed: "This woman, I feel physically nauseous just looking at her, and you expect me to continue facing her?"

Hou Liangping said, "Aren't you afraid Li Dakang will turn against you?"

“I’m a businessman, not a gambler. Li Dakang won’t turn on me. He values ​​GDP more than his own life. Besides, he’s already been dragging this out for three days; that’s giving him enough face!” Zhao Chongming stood up and straightened his sleeves. “What I need is certainty—certain policies, a certain environment, and a certain future. People like Ouyang Jing are the source of uncertainty.”

Hou Liangping was taken aback, but he knew perfectly well that Zhao Dehan and Li Dakang had probably made some kind of deal in private.

That's not hard to guess.

It's all predictable afterward, but it doesn't really matter.

It's an unspoken understanding!

He walked to the door, then turned back and smiled: "Director Hou, don't hold back when you arrest her. Some people only realize who they are once they're in the interrogation room."

The door closed, but the aroma of tea lingered.

……

……

When Zhao Chongming returned to the provincial party committee compound, it was already 11 p.m.

The spring night was slightly cool, and the magnolia trees cast swaying shadows.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw Zhao Dehan sitting on the living room sofa, holding a cup of hot tea. The TV was on, but there was no sound—he was obviously waiting for him.

"You're back?" Zhao Dehan looked up, his tone calm. "How did things go with Hou Liangping?"

"Successfully." Zhao Chongming took off his coat and sat down opposite his father. "All the evidence has been handed over—USB drives, paper documents, and audio recordings—everything is there. I reckon Hou Liangping will take action soon, probably tomorrow!"

Zhao Dehan nodded, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes: "That Hou Liangping kid, he certainly dared to take action!"

"Yes!" Zhao Chongming suddenly laughed, "It seems you still remember how you were trembling when he was supporting you not long ago!"

"Get out!" Zhao Dehan's old face flushed red. "Your father is honest and upright, I'm just tired from walking too much!"

"Yes, yes, you must be tired!"

Zhao Chongming poured Zhao Dehan a cup of tea and asked with a smile, "By the way, what are your plans for tomorrow?"

Zhao Dehan put down his teacup: "Gao Yuliang invited me to have tea at the Provincial Party Committee's Retired Cadres Activity Center at 10 a.m. tomorrow."

Zhao Chongming was taken aback, then narrowed his eyes: "Oh? He finally couldn't sit still anymore?"

Zhao Dehan sneered: "Of course, Governor Liu has started to hand over power, and Sha Ruijin, I, and I have gone to Lincheng City. It's clear that we support Li Dakang—if he doesn't take action soon, the Han University gang will truly become history."