Zhang Jianguo watched Lu Xuan's slender fingers slide unhurriedly across the phone screen, his fingertip pressing three numbers, finally resting on the 'call' button of the dial interface, as if he was about to press it the next second.
His mind buzzed, and all his official authority, calculations, and anger were instantly washed away by fear.
The cold phone screen, at this moment, was more terrifying in his eyes than a death warrant.
"Don't! No, no, no!"
Zhang Jianguo practically scrambled up from his chair, his movements so violent that his knee hit the corner of the table hard, making him wince in pain, but he couldn't care less.
He took a few quick steps, jogging to Lu Xuan's side, his face covered in a fawning smile uglier than a cry, and grabbed Lu Xuan's wrist just as he was about to press the dial button.
"Lu... Lu Xuan! Son-in-law! Oh, my good son-in-law!"
Zhang Jianguo's voice was almost tearful, but the strength in his hand wasn't too great, for fear of angering this lord. "Misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding! Just kidding! Uncle was just joking with you, trying to liven up the atmosphere! Look at you, child, why did you take it seriously?"
With his other hand, he fumbled tremblingly in his pocket for a cigarette pack, not bothering to check the brand, haphazardly pulled out one, and offered it to Lu Xuan with both hands, his back almost bent at a ninety-degree angle: "Come, come, come, son-in-law, have a cigarette, calm down, calm down. We're all family, family doesn't speak in two tongues!"
That servile demeanor, where was there even half an ounce of a Deputy Director's dignity? He was a spitting image of a bowing and scraping waiter.
Zhang Yining watched from the side, dumbfounded. When had she ever seen her powerful father like this? For a moment, she even forgot to be afraid, just staring blankly.
Lu Xuan didn't even bother to lift his eyelids, letting Zhang Jianguo hold his wrist, his tone flat: "Family? Deputy Director Zhang, I can't afford to associate with you."
"Oh, my dear son-in-law, you're speaking like a stranger, aren't you?" Cold sweat poured down Zhang Jianguo's forehead as if it were free, and the back of his clothes were soaked. "Your cousin's matter, isn't it just a word? Uncle will definitely handle it perfectly for you! It's just... it's just a small misunderstanding, listen to me explain, listen to me explain!"
He swallowed, carefully choosing his words: "Son-in-law, it's not that Uncle won't help you, it's just... it's just that this matter is a bit tricky. I've secretly investigated, and your cousin's grades were indeed tampered with, just disappearing into thin air."
"But the other party did it too cleanly, leaving no trace. I suspect that the person behind this has considerable influence, and the waters are very deep!"
"So... so I didn't dare to act rashly for a while, afraid of alerting the enemy and ruining things, don't you think?"
Zhang Jianguo spoke, secretly observing Lu Xuan's expression. Seeing no reaction from him, he felt a little relieved and continued to lament: "Think about it, if it weren't for the other party's immense power, how could they have done it so flawlessly? I'm also doing this to protect you, to protect our Yining! If we anger someone we shouldn't, the consequences..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was already clear: he wanted to shift the blame to a fabricated "powerful opponent."
Lu Xuan finally reacted. He slowly raised his eyes, his gaze like two ice-tempered knives, piercing directly into Zhang Jianguo's heart.
"Oh? Is that so?" Lu Xuan's lips curled into a sarcastic arc. "You mean, you can't handle my cousin's matter?"
"No, no, no! I can! I definitely can!" Zhang Jianguo's heart trembled under Lu Xuan's gaze, and he quickly waved his hands. "It's just... it just needs a little time, a little room for maneuver. Son-in-law, don't worry, Uncle will stake this old face and definitely..."
"Enough." Lu Xuan impatiently interrupted him, suddenly flicking his hand, and Zhang Jianguo's hand, which was holding his wrist, released as if electrocuted.
The cigarette that Zhang Jianguo had held for so long also fell to the ground with a "thud."
"Then why the hell have you been wasting my time for so long? Are you just spouting nonsense?" Lu Xuan's voice suddenly turned cold, devoid of any warmth.
Zhang Jianguo was startled by the sudden reprimand, his smile instantly froze, and he felt utterly humiliated.
He was, after all, a Deputy Director, a figure in Dongting City whose stomp would make the ground tremble. When had he ever suffered such direct humiliation?
He had been bowing and scraping, offering a fawning smile, and yet this kid was still taking advantage of him?
A surge of anger suddenly flared up from the bottom of Zhang Jianguo's heart, instantly overwhelming his meager rationality.
"Bang!"
Zhang Jianguo slammed the table, making the teacups and dishes clatter.
"Lu Xuan!" His face flushed red, veins bulging on his neck, he pointed at Lu Xuan's nose and roared, "Don't be ungrateful! I am Yining's father, your elder! What kind of attitude is this?!"
Zhang Yining trembled all over, startled by her father's sudden outburst. Tears instantly welled up in her eyes, and she looked timidly at Lu Xuan, then at her father, at a loss.
"Elder?" Lu Xuan scoffed, his eyes filled with disdain, as if looking at a mere clown.
He slowly took out his phone from his pocket, unlocked the screen in front of Zhang Jianguo, and quickly tapped it a few times.
"Pah!" Lu Xuan spat on the ground, his voice not loud, but full of extreme insult. "With your character, do you even deserve to be an elder? Go spout your nonsense to the Disciplinary Committee!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the phone screen already displayed progress bars of several files rapidly uploading.
"Zhang Yining, don't blame me for being heartless." Lu Xuan's gaze turned to the tearful Zhang Yining, his tone icy, "If you want to blame someone, blame your muddled father for seeking his own death!"
With that, he suddenly flicked his hand, throwing Zhang Yining aside.
Zhang Yining fell back to the ground, disoriented, watching Lu Xuan's resolute back through tear-filled eyes.
Lu Xuan straightened his collar, as if he had just brushed off a few specks of dust, pulled open the private room door without looking back, and walked straight out, leaving behind a mess and two people plunged into endless despair.