northernbook Chapter 331 Behind the Scenes
Chapter 331 Behind the Scenes
I took out my phone.
The screen is lit up, and the caller ID shows an unknown number.
"Hello?" I swiped to answer the call, my voice sounding a little unsure.
"Zhang Tian, it's me, Wang Dong."
Wang Dong—that name sounds awkward now. He's a "friend" I blacklisted ages ago. Why did he change his number? Or…did he call specifically for this call?
"Just say what you need to say." My voice was low and serious, with no intention of reminiscing.
“Okay, let’s get straight to the point,” he seemed a little anxious. “Listen, the Song Group is under investigation. People from above have been sent down to audit the accounts. I heard from insiders that they’re after a really big fish this time.”
"What the hell are you kidding me for?!" I turned my head sharply and looked at Song Yafei beside me.
She was close enough to hear clearly, and her eyes, which always held a lazy smile, froze instantly, her brows furrowing involuntarily.
"Why would I lie to you? I don't have time for that," Wang Dong said in a low voice. "I know you and Song Yafei have made up, but I don't know the specifics. That's all I can tell you. Think it over yourself, or you'll say I didn't warn you later."
The call ended. I held my phone; the screen had gone dark.
My head was buzzing for a few seconds.
Should I tell her? Or not? How much of this bastard's information can I trust?
"Who is it? Why are you in such a hurry?" She turned her head, her hair brushing against my arm.
“A friend… I haven’t been in contact with for a long time,” I forced a somewhat unnatural smile, trying to lighten my tone, “He’s just making things up, saying that the higher-ups are going to audit the accounts, and even named the Song family.”
Her eyes flashed briefly, but she almost immediately regained her composure, as if she were in complete control. "They never do anything in vain. If they really want to investigate, there must be a problem somewhere."
That's what I said, but my heart felt heavy. Wang Dong's tone just now didn't seem unfounded. We unconsciously stopped in our tracks. She leaned closer to me, her hand that had been on my arm slipped down and instead grabbed mine. Her palm was a little cold.
"Could it be that Yu Zhe, that troublemaker, is up to something again?" She tilted her head slightly, pursed her pretty lips, and muttered to herself, "That guy has been jumping around too much lately, always causing me trouble. I was originally planning to have Assistant Luo take some time these next few days to give him a good talking-to."
"Who knows?" I squeezed her hand back, the coolness of her fingertips washing over me. "Anyway, the wind is blowing. But what are you afraid of? We'll deal with whatever comes our way. Do you think you, Boss Song, will be held back by something like this?"
Upon hearing this, she smiled slightly, shook her head, and said, "I've been dealing with these people for too long. It's time to clean house. I'm getting impatient."
No sooner had she finished speaking than another urgent ringtone sounded; this time it was her cell phone.
She glanced down at the screen and read out the name: "Assistant Luo."
She answered the phone, "Hello, Assistant Luo... um... what's the matter that's so urgent?"
She listened attentively to what was said on the other end of the phone, her expression unchanged. After a few seconds, she replied, "Okay, I'll be right back to the company."
After hanging up the phone, neither of us spoke. Only we knew how chaotic that silence was.
"It seems I really have to go back to the company." She sighed, her breath light but carrying an undeniable determination.
I nodded, didn't ask any more questions, and just followed her steps. It felt like we were two gears, sometimes meshing tightly, and sometimes spinning independently.
"Wait for me at home tonight," she said, stopping as we approached the intersection and looking at me. "Don't worry, I'll handle it."
“Okay,” I replied, “When you get back, even if you’re busy, remember to eat something first.”
Song Yafei understood what I meant, looked up at me, and something flickered in her eyes. "If I really feel uneasy, I'll go and cry in your arms."
After walking a few more steps, we reached the place where we parted ways. She turned and walked towards her car parked by the roadside. I watched her back until the car lights came on and she merged into the traffic.
I stood on the street without moving, my heart still churning with the turmoil caused by that phone call.
The electronic clock on the tall building next door ticked tirelessly. I slowly rummaged in my pocket for a while, then pulled out a cigarette case, shook it out, and lit it.
He took a drag, and the smoke he exhaled swirled under the bright streetlights.
I don't know how much time passed, but my phone rang again. I looked down and saw it was Song Yafei.
When I answered, her voice came through the receiver, tinged with obvious fatigue, yet also with an irrepressible excitement, or rather... the chill of things finally settling down.
"While I was still organizing documents at the company, Assistant Luo followed a seemingly insignificant clue and guess what?" She paused, a hint of mockery in her voice, "Hey, it really is that bastard Yu Zhe who's behind this! The chain of evidence is almost complete!"
I leaned against the cold wall, not wanting to say anything, and unable to react to anything.
"Zhang Tian," she seemed to notice my silence, lowering her voice, "I—"
She seemed to be hesitating about something, but only paused for a moment before mustering her courage again.
"I've made up my mind. No matter the cost, I must bring him down completely this time. This industry needs a good clean-up."
“Okay,” I stubbed out my cigarette on the trash can. “If you want to start a fire, I’ll help you make it burn brighter.”
She chuckled softly on the other end of the phone.
"Wait for my good news!" she said before hanging up the phone.
That evening, I stood by the window, watching the cars that occasionally drove by below, waiting for Song Yafei to return in triumph.
Thinking about Xiaoxiaotian's matching and surgery, I couldn't help but worry; it was destined to be a long night. I stood here, but my mind was uncontrollably wandering to other things.
The ups and downs between Song Yafei and me over the years are perhaps like chains on each other's wrists. Once fastened, we can never break free, and... it's hard to control our feelings.
The phone rang again; it was Song Dehai…
"My child has a slight fever today, and his white blood cell count is high!" he said anxiously, panting heavily.
How's the bone marrow matching going?
"There's still no suitable one!" He hesitated for a moment, then continued, "However, a mysterious person gave me some contact information today, which might come in handy!"