Chapter 87 - 83: Utter Chaos, Song Yuncheng’s Heart
On the second floor of the Innovation Park.
Cao Dahua sat on the sofa, one leg crossed over the other, leisurely sipping his tea. Ever since the FoxTao project was established, he, the Innovation Park’s supervising teacher, was finally starting to feel a sense of accomplishment.
BAM!
Wang Zihao burst through the glass door, looking frantic.
"Wang Zihao, you need to be more composed. What’s with all the panic? Is the sky falling?"
Cao Dahua glanced at him and criticized him with dissatisfaction.
"Director Cao, Brother Sen was taken away by the inspectors in Hu City! Can you contact Principal Tang and ask him to pull some strings and find out what’s going on!" Wang Zihao said hurriedly.
Chen Yansen?
Taken away by inspectors!
Cao Dahua was stunned for a moment, then shot to his feet and demanded in a loud voice, "He’s just a student, what kind of trouble could he possibly have gotten into? I’ll go find the principal right now."
Worried that it would be too complicated to explain over the phone, he hurried downstairs and rushed toward the principal’s office.
The fat on his body jiggled and slapped with every step.
Chen Yansen called him "brother," so he couldn’t just back down when trouble arose. Besides, he was counting on FoxTao to make a good showing at next year’s Huian Province University Student Innovation Competition.
Wang Zihao remained where he was, pacing in a couple of circles before rushing out again.
"Senior, come here a second!"
Arriving at the door to Room 206, Wang Zihao forced a calm expression and waved Song Yuncheng over.
When Song Yuncheng got closer, he asked in a low voice, "Which building is Teacher Wang Jing’s office in?"
Song Yuncheng was the one who had liaised with Wang Jing on the terms for joining the FoxTao B2C marketplace.
"Building D, 512. What’s wrong? Did something happen?"
Song Yuncheng keenly sensed that something was off about Wang Zihao. His eyes darted around, and his hands, hanging at his sides, were trembling uncontrollably.
"It’s nothing. I’m just going to ask Teacher Wang a question," Wang Zihao said. He knew how serious the situation was and didn’t dare reveal a thing.
"Teacher Wang might not be in his office. I’ll send you his phone number." Song Yuncheng’s brow furrowed slightly as she reminded the flustered Wang Zihao.
"Ah, right, right, send it to me quickly." Wang Zihao slapped his thigh, annoyed with himself for being so scatterbrained.
"Wang Zihao, you’re not acting right. Tell me, what’s really going on? Did something happen to Chen Yansen?"
Song Yuncheng had just taken out her phone, but she stopped and asked seriously.
"Hurry up and send the number!" Wang Zihao grew anxious when he saw her pause.
"You tell me what happened first," Song Yuncheng said, shaking her head, her tone firm.
Wang Zihao stared at her intently. Seeing her determined expression, he frowned and scratched his head frantically. "Let’s talk outside."
Song Yuncheng’s heart tightened. Wang Zihao’s behavior made her realize that something major must have happened.
"Brother Sen was taken away by the local inspectors in Hu City. The reason isn’t clear yet. He told me to find Teacher Wang and ask for help hiring a local lawyer," Wang Zihao said in a low voice, stopping once they reached the entrance of the Innovation Park.
"Just keep this to yourself. If anyone on the team asks, remember to keep your mouth shut." Wang Zihao, still uneasy, repeatedly warned her.
’Chen Yansen was taken away by inspectors!’
Song Yuncheng felt a wave of dizziness. She almost instinctively handed her phone to Wang Zihao and stood there, stunned.
’He can’t get into trouble!’ Song Yuncheng’s mind was in turmoil. An image of Chen Yansen’s roguish, smiling face surfaced in her thoughts. Her eyes misted over, but she was completely unaware.
After getting the phone number, Wang Zihao hurried toward the academic building, dialing as he ran.
...
...
"Chen Yansen was taken away by inspectors in Hu City? What’s the specific reason?"
Tang Qingshan shot to his feet and demanded loudly.
"Wang Zihao wasn’t clear about it." Cao Dahua lowered his head, feigning regret for not having brought Wang Zihao along.
"Was he taken in for questioning or was he arrested?" Tang Qingshan asked again.
The difference between the two was huge. He had to weigh the pros and cons before deciding whether to use his connections.
The power wielded by the principal of an undergraduate university was far beyond what an ordinary person could imagine.
This was precisely why Chen Yansen had told Wang Zihao to find Tang Qingshan first.
He felt he hadn’t done anything wrong, but he couldn’t rule out the possibility that someone was plotting against him. It was safer to have a backup plan.
"Wang Zihao wasn’t clear about that either," Cao Dahua said with an awkward smile, pretending to know nothing.
Tang Qingshan pointed a finger at him, forcing himself to swallow the curse on his lips. After a moment’s thought, he still took out his phone, scrolled through his contacts, and then slowly dialed a number.
Seeing this, Cao Dahua secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had said that on purpose to force the hesitant Tang Qingshan to make a quick decision.
Tang Qingshan hung up, then dialed another number. After a brief chat, the worried look on his face vanished. He muttered under his breath, "What the hell? They dare to mess with one of my students!"
With that, he strode out of the office.
"Principal, what’s the situation?" Cao Dahua chased after him, his beer belly jiggling as he waddled along.
...
...
"Name."
"Chen Yansen."
"Sex."
"Isn’t it obvious?"
"Just answer the question. No nonsense!"
"Male."
"Do you know why you were summoned?"
"I don’t."
Chen Yansen sat in the interrogation room, answering listlessly.
The two inspectors exchanged a glance. One of them slammed the table and bellowed, "Confess! Don’t even think you can get away with it!"
"I honestly don’t know. I’m a charitable person, I love small animals, I even help old ladies cross the street. I’ve never done a bad thing in my life. Why don’t you help me recall?"
Chen Yansen was spewing nonsense, completely unfazed and not the least bit flustered. His composure was as steady as a rock.
Seeing this, the two inspectors knew they had a tough nut to crack. The usual questioning methods wouldn’t work on him.
"Yesterday, we received a joint complaint from 23 Hu City residents. They bought 49 bottles of 53-proof Feitian Moutai through FoxTao. We contacted the Moutai anti-counterfeiting office for verification, and they were all fakes. What do you have to say for yourself?"
A young Inspector said coldly.
’Fake Moutai?’
’Could it be Wine God Network’s doing?’
’No, they’re the ones who sold the liquor. If there’s a problem, their responsibility is even greater!’
"FoxTao is a CPS advertising company. We provide a shopping guide service for users. The Moutai was supplied by Wine God Network. We followed procedure and sent samples for testing. The report, issued by the China Inspection Institute, identified it as authentic."
"Until the matter is fully investigated, the counterfeit goods have nothing to do with me. Even if it really is fake liquor, the primary responsibility lies with Wine God Network."
Chen Yansen organized his thoughts and replied nonchalantly.
"You’re an accomplice," the Inspector said coolly, his eyes narrowed.
Chen Yansen didn’t say a word. He leaned back, planning to remain silent and wait for Principal Tang or a lawyer to get him out.
He closed his eyes, turning a deaf ear to the angry rebukes, and wondered, ’Was this fake liquor incident an accident, or did someone set me up?’
’If customers received fake liquor, why didn’t the customer service team report any complaints?’
’Could these so-called customers all be professional counterfeit hunters?’
After figuring out the potential reasons, Chen Yansen actually calmed down. After all, FoxTao was a victim too.
The solution was simple. He could compensate the users three times the price for the fakes, or even ten times.
While he was being questioned, the Inspection Station’s phone was ringing off the hook. Colleagues from affiliated departments were all calling to inquire about Chen Yansen’s situation.
「Meanwhile.」
After notifying Wang Zihao, Meng Jie stood helplessly at the entrance of the coffee shop. After a long while, she finally mustered the courage to call Meng Zhen Country and told him everything she knew in a rush.
"You two went to Hu City for a concert. Where did you stay? One room or two?"
Meng Zhen Country asked abruptly after listening to his daughter’s story.
"Dad, are you even listening to me? I need you to use your connections right now! I need to see Chen Yansen immediately!"
Meng Jie couldn’t hold it in any longer. She broke down, let out a sob, and tears streamed down her face as she squatted on the ground, pleading.
Hearing his daughter’s sobs, Meng Zhen Country felt a pang in his heart. She had never asked him to pull strings for her, not in high school, not in college. And now, for some punk kid, she was yelling at him.
But the sound of his daughter wailing on the other end of the line made his heart ache. He quickly reassured her, "Xiaojie, don’t panic! Dad has an old classmate who works in the inspection system in Hu City. I’ll ask him about it."
Ever since she was a child, Meng Jie had been a tomboy. She would grit her teeth and say it didn’t hurt even if she scraped her knee until it bled. She had never lost her composure like this before.
Her choked sobs wrung Meng Zhen Country’s heart.
"Thanks, Dad," Meng Jie replied pitifully, wiping away her tears. Her meticulously applied makeup was now a complete mess.
"Chen Yansen, I knew you were no good!"
After hanging up, Meng Zhen Country roared in anger, slamming his hand on the table with a loud THUMP.
After venting his frustration, he remembered his daughter’s plea and, bracing himself, started making calls.
"Hey, Old Wei, it’s been a while. When are you coming back to Chunshen? I’ve saved a good bottle of liquor for you. We can open it when you get back."
Meng Zhen Country hid his feelings and made cheerful small talk.
"You rascal, just spit it out. You think I don’t know you?" Wei Zhe and Meng Zhen Country were old friends of many years. He knew his friend’s personality so well that he could tell what he was up to just by the way he acted. He didn’t mince his words.
"Well, it’s like this..." Meng Zhen Country gave a dry laugh and explained the situation.
"Xiaojie’s boyfriend?" Wei Zhe laughed and teased him playfully.
"I don’t approve!" Meng Zhen Country retorted hastily.
"Haha, it’s not up to you, Old Meng! Since my dear niece is asking, I, as her uncle, have to make a trip myself." After teasing him, Wei Zhe readily agreed.
"Thanks," Meng Zhen Country said.
"That good liquor you mentioned, is it that 15-year-old vintage Moutai? I expect to drink it next time I’m back," Wei Zhe said, seizing the opportunity to call dibs on the bottle.
"Fine. I’ll wait for your news." Meng Zhen Country glanced at the treasured bottle on top of his liquor cabinet and nodded, his face a mask of pain.
...
...
Xuhui District, Longhua Inspection Station.
"Who’s that guy Brother Zhao and Xiaoye brought in this morning? We’re getting nothing but calls asking about him."
The inspector on phone duty nudged his colleague next to him and asked curiously.
"Some guy who sells fake liquor. Didn’t expect him to have so many connections," his colleague said dismissively.
"Huh? Wei’s Office, what are you doing here?" The inspector on the phone stood up to greet him.
"This morning, your station brought in a student named Chen Yansen?" Wei Zhe nodded in acknowledgment and then asked.
"Huh!?" The operator was stunned. ’What kind of connections does this kid have? Even Wei’s Office from the neighboring district came in person.’
...
...
Song Yuncheng sat forlornly at Xucheng East Station, a tan backpack on her shoulders. She stared blankly at the platform, quietly waiting for boarding to begin.
For the first time, she realized just how much Chen Yansen meant to her.
Although Chen Yansen was a bit of a rogue and loved to tease her, he always took care of her, whether intentionally or not.
She knew that FoxTao’s 500-yuan monthly meal stipend existed because of her.
She also knew that every time they traveled for business, Chen Yansen was deliberately mentoring her.
Even though Chen Yansen knew that after she transferred to the Investment Attraction position, her income would grow and grow until one day, she would no longer need her job at FoxTao, and no longer need him.
But Chen Yansen still transferred her to the new post and taught her business negotiation skills.
Her heart wasn’t made of stone. All the way from the university, tears had been dripping and dropping nonstop. She’d wipe them away, only to cry again, then wipe them away once more.
Her eyelids were red and swollen, and her earlobes were flushed, but she was completely unaware that her body was protesting. She was running on pure willpower, gritting her teeth to endure.
At this moment, only one thought remained in her mind: ’Chen Yansen, I really want to see you.’