Chapter 1097 Director Cao

The more you fear trouble, the more likely it is to come knocking.

Zhao Fusheng never expected things to develop beyond his anticipation.

The very next day after he told Dong Chenxi to politely decline cooperation with Tong Zhenbang, Dong Chenxi called.

"Um, you'd better come to the company," Dong Chenxi said on the phone, sounding somewhat troubled.

Zhao Fusheng frowned. "What, is that Tong guy clinging to us?"

In his view, although Tong Zhenbang's identity was problematic, they were still in the country, and he believed the other party wouldn't dare go too far. Besides, this was a matter of business cooperation; surely they wouldn't resort to underhanded tactics just because the deal fell through.

If that were the case, it would be underestimating the legendary relevant authorities.

Dong Chenxi, however, wasn't as relaxed as Zhao Fusheng. She smiled bitterly. "It's not Tong Zhenbang. It's someone else."

Someone else?

Zhao Fusheng's brow furrowed deeply. He couldn't think of who else would come knocking to make Dong Chenxi so wary.

But regardless, since Dong Chenxi had asked for his help, it meant she really couldn't handle it. So Zhao Fusheng nodded. "Alright, I understand. I'll be right there."

After leaving the house, Zhao Fusheng thought for a moment and said to Zhang Qian, "Come up with me later."

Zhang Qian frowned slightly, then nodded.

Though he didn't know why, since Zhao Fusheng was being so cautious as to have him follow upstairs, Zhang Qian knew something must be up and became more alert.

The car stopped at the office building of Future Investment. Zhao Fusheng stepped out and went upstairs, with Zhang Qian following behind.

Going up to Dong Chenxi's office, Zhao Fusheng looked around and, finding nothing unusual, said to Zhang Qian, "Wait at the door."

Zhang Qian nodded without a word and silently stood by the door.

Zhao Fusheng pushed the door open and walked in.

As soon as he entered, he saw that the office held only Dong Chenxi and a man in a Zhongshan suit. The man was about forty, with a square face, thick eyebrows, and big eyes, looking quite imposing.

"Hello, Chairman Zhao," the man said, standing up with a smile and extending his hand.

Zhao Fusheng shook his hand. "And you are?"

He could tell this man was from officialdom.

Temperament is often elusive, but it had to be admitted that some people carried an aura that let you instantly identify their profession.

The man before him was like that. Zhao Fusheng had seen such an attitude in countless officials in his past life—a seemingly cordial but actually distant, superior demeanor.

When chatting with officials, you'd unconsciously be led into the topics they wanted you to discuss; they had that knack.

"My name is Cao Jianguo. I'd like to have a word with Chairman Zhao," the man said, glancing at Dong Chenxi.

Unexpectedly, the usually poised Dong Chenxi seemed nervous. She quickly nodded and said to both of them, "I have a meeting to attend. You two talk."

With that, she winked at Zhao Fusheng and left the office.

Clearly, Dong Chenxi had already spoken with Cao Jianguo.

...

...

After Dong Chenxi left, Cao Jianguo took a badge from his pocket and placed it on the coffee table. Smiling at Zhao Fusheng, he said, "Chairman Zhao, take a look at my credentials first, then we'll talk."

Zhao Fusheng was startled. He nodded, picked up the badge, opened it, and froze.

"Deputy Director of the Narcotics Control Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security?" Zhao Fusheng looked up in surprise at Cao Jianguo. "You're a police officer?!"

"Don't I look like one?" Cao Jianguo smiled. "I've been working at a desk."

Zhao Fusheng nodded. No wonder the man lacked a police officer's aura; he seemed more like a seasoned bureaucrat.

"Director Cao, are you here about Chen Shijie?" Zhao Fusheng looked at Cao Jianguo and said slowly.

Since the man had found him and was from the Narcotics Control Bureau, Zhao Fusheng was a hundred percent sure it had to do with his high school classmate.

But to his surprise, upon hearing his words, Cao Jianguo's expression suddenly changed. His gaze sharpened, and he stared at Zhao Fusheng's face. "Chairman Zhao, how do you know Chen Shijie?"

As he spoke, he reached for his lower back.

Zhao Fusheng's soul nearly fled his body!

He stiffened instantly. What a joke—was this guy about to draw a gun?

"Misunderstanding! Misunderstanding! Misunderstanding!" Zhao Fusheng quickly raised his hands and explained rapidly to Cao Jianguo, "Director Cao, Chen Shijie and I were high school classmates. I recognized him when I saw him yesterday. I knew he went to police academy..."

He had no choice; he was truly panicked, afraid that Cao Jianguo would lose it in the next moment, since Chen Shijie was undercover and he had just blurted out his identity.

If a fight broke out, even Zhang Qian rushing in would be useless, given that the man was armed.

"Classmates?"

Cao Jianguo looked at Zhao Fusheng suspiciously.

Zhao Fusheng smiled bitterly. "Director Cao, Chen Shijie and I are both from Ninghai. We were in the same high school class. I knew he went to police academy after graduation. But after years of no contact, he suddenly appears beside the shady Tong Zhenbang as a bodyguard. What would you think?"

Cao Jianguo was speechless for a long time.

Zhao Fusheng lowered his hands and continued, "Since you know who I am, you should also know that I once wrote a script called 'Infernal Affairs.' To be honest, the prototype for that story was Chen Shijie."

"What do you mean?" Now it was Cao Jianguo's turn to be stunned. He looked at Zhao Fusheng in surprise. "You knew he was undercover all along?"

Zhao Fusheng nodded and, without hiding anything, recounted how he had helped Fan Baobao's family repay debts and unexpectedly encountered Chen Shijie at an arcade. He concluded, "I know Chen Shijie. He's not the type to go astray. So there's only one possibility: he was sent undercover while at the police academy."

He sighed. "To be honest, I thought he had already met with misfortune. Over the years, though I didn't attend the high school reunions, I kept an eye on them. Occasionally, when I asked classmates, they said there was no news of him. I thought he had..."

Though he didn't finish, Cao Jianguo understood. Anyone would assume an undercover agent with no news for four or five years had been lost.

"Have you told anyone about this?" Cao Jianguo asked seriously, looking at Zhao Fusheng.

Zhao Fusheng quickly shook his head. "No, not even my fiancée."

This was true. In Zhao Fusheng's view, Chen Shijie lived a life hanging by a thread, in constant danger. Although he knew his identity from past memories, he couldn't interfere unless Chen Shijie sought his help.

He believed Chen Shijie felt the same.

Otherwise, yesterday they had both recognized each other but did nothing extra, not even making eye contact.

"Thank you," Cao Jianguo said, relieved. He apologized to Zhao Fusheng, "I'm sorry, Chairman Zhao. I was a bit tense just now."

Zhao Fusheng waved his hands repeatedly. "No problem, Director Cao. I understand. Honestly, I'm also very worried about Shijie."

After all, he was a classmate. Even if their relationship wasn't close, Zhao Fusheng sincerely admired him for the profession he had chosen.

Not everyone was willing or brave enough to go deep into the tiger's den as an undercover agent, especially in narcotics work, which was even more dangerous and often required living incognito.

Zhao Fusheng had always respected such people, because it was precisely their backbone that made our lives more peaceful.

"Thank you for understanding," Cao Jianguo said with a bitter smile. "Chen Shijie's identity has always been top secret. Originally, he was an undercover agent directly managed by your provincial department, known only to two people there. Now that he's under me, besides me, only the bureau director and the deputy minister know. When you suddenly called out his real name, I panicked."

He sighed. "Being a police officer isn't easy. Being an undercover police officer is even harder, let alone a narcotics officer. I once had a senior colleague I worked well with. After his identity was exposed, his entire family..."

Zhao Fusheng remained silent. He understood what Cao Jianguo meant. His dislike for certain media outlets stemmed from the fact that journalists often lacked common sense in pursuit of news exposure.

Perhaps these journalists were used to being uncrowned kings, shouting about so-called press freedom without restraint. During interviews, they would promise one thing, but in their reports, they often published photos that shouldn't have been released.

The final result was often a sigh.

The most infuriating part was that these people often had no idea how serious their mistakes were, acting as if they were doing it for your own good. So it wasn't unreasonable that journalists later came to be called 'prostitutes.'

"Director Cao, rest assured. I guarantee that Chen Shijie's identity will not be leaked through me," Zhao Fusheng said earnestly to Cao Jianguo.

Cao Jianguo nodded and looked at Zhao Fusheng meaningfully. "I trust your character, Chairman Zhao. Since that's the case, I think you'd be willing to do me a favor."

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