Xu Chunliang was a bit puzzled about why this guy had the idea of buying into shares. Ding Si told Xu Chunliang that it was mainly because he had confidence in him, and also because the construction and installation industry was not doing well and he had been looking for suitable investment projects.

Everyone knows now that private hospitals are a good investment, especially with Xu Chunliang at the helm. He had his precious son thanks to Huichun Hall’s Ten-Seed Essence Restoration Powder. Ding Si was very superstitious about Huichun Hall and almost worshiped Xu Chunliang.

He even stated that if he were allowed to invest, he could make two hundred thousand worth of shares look like four hundred thousand.

Xu Chunliang never thought the process of attracting investment would be so smooth. He originally thought he would need Mei Ru Xue’s help to deal with the remaining eight million, but now he already had a taker for five hundred and fifty thousand, leaving not much available for investment.

Xu Chunliang did not immediately agree. Although the hospital hadn’t opened yet, it already had several shareholders. Anyone wanting to buy shares had to get the other shareholders’ agreement. The Xu Family, although they held fifty percent of the shares, should respect the opinions of the other shareholders.

Anyway, there was no rush. Ding Si and Xu Chunliang took a walk around the inside and outside of the hospital, and upon seeing the chaotic parking lot scene, Ding Si said, "Next time I’ll talk to the parking lot owner, tell him to get out of here. How dare they occupy our hospital’s territory; I’ll see to it."

Seeing how quickly Ding Si slipped into the role of a shareholder made Xu Chunliang want to laugh. But to be honest, the hospital really needed someone like Ding Si. Running a hospital always comes with societal troubles, but with Ding Si on board, it would save him a lot of hassle.

Xu Chunliang said, "We’ll address it after the lease contract is officially signed. We should always be courteous before resorting to force. No need to make it confrontational."

Ding Si inquired about the price and immediately expressed his intention to negotiate with the leaders of the Chemical Machinery Factory. If he invested in the hospital, then he’d be a shareholder, so logically, the lower the rent, the better. He had the experience and social connections to handle this. In Dongzhou North District, everyone gave Ding Si face.

Xu Chunliang didn’t expect Ding Si to accomplish much in the negotiations, but soon Ding Si brought news that he got the annual rent reduced by one hundred and fifty thousand and extended the lease to fifteen years.

He was skilled at giving gifts and hosting banquets; he knew how to deal with public entities.

Ding Si’s performance also gained unanimous approval from several shareholders, and they agreed to let him join the hospital in the form of investment through renovation. However, the renovation process had to be transparent, and he could only be responsible for the investment without involving himself in the future management of the hospital.

Xu Chunliang reassured them that they could rest easy, even if Ding Si were given the courage of a lion, he wouldn’t dare to pull any tricks here.

On the last day of his break, Xu Chunliang invited Mei Ru Xue to watch a movie at Jianjie Square. After the movie, as they headed to dinner, Xu Chunliang brought up the hospital’s progress. Mei Ru Xue was surprised to learn that the funding gap was now only two hundred and fifty thousand, impressed by his speed in raising funds.

Xu Chunliang was worried she might misunderstand, so he explained why these individuals were investing. Mei Ru Xue couldn’t help but laugh, this was ample proof of everyone’s confidence in Xu Chunliang’s capabilities. It was similar to the current market environment—plenty of people with money wanting to invest, but few good projects available.

Xu Chunliang said, "I’m leaving the remaining two hundred and fifty thousand to you."

Mei Ru Xue rolled her eyes and said, "You have a knack for giving me shares; you’re just a quarter short."

Xu Chunliang laughed heartily, it was purely a coincidence. He didn’t deliberately leave this number for Mei Ru Xue.

Mei Ru Xue said, "At first, I thought you wouldn’t be able to raise the funds, so I wanted to help you solve the investment issue. But seeing how smoothly it’s going now, I don’t really want to get involved."

Xu Chunliang said, "No confidence in me? I assure you, this hospital will definitely make money."

Mei Ru Xue said, "Precisely because of that, I shouldn’t join. Think about it, your Xu Family already has half the shares. If I invest another two hundred and fifty thousand, it means sixty-two point five percent of the hospital would be yours. That’s not good; you should bring in some capable people with the available shares."

Xu Chunliang said, "If Zhao Feiyang and his wife had even half your awareness, Changxing could have taken off by now."

"Are you seriously comparing me to them?" Mei Ru Xue had a distaste for Zhao Feiyang due to his lack of integrity toward Xu Chunliang.

Xu Chunliang said, "I was foolish; wasn’t trying to slander Secretary Mei."

Mei Ru Xue said, "I don’t like Zhao Feiyang, he’s an exquisite egoist."

Xu Chunliang said, "He’s getting married at the end of the month and asked me to invite you to the wedding."

Mei Ru Xue shook her head and said, "I’m not going. I’m not close to them, why should I attend?"

"Chunliang!"

Xu Chunliang stopped walking when he heard someone call him and turned to see Lu Qi and Yu Li.

Mei Ru Xue, who had been holding Xu Chunliang’s arm, quickly let go. Although their relationship was public, she still felt a bit shy since she held a public position.

Xu Chunliang smiled and said, "What a coincidence."

Lu Qi said, "I just look like you."

Yu Li greeted Mei Ru Xue, "Shopping?"

Mei Ru Xue smiled, "Just finished watching a movie, getting ready to eat."

Lu Qi said, "Join us, I just took a number at Gui Manlong, probably still have to wait a bit."

Xu Chunliang said, "Table for two?"

Yu Li said, "We took both a two-person and a four-person table, more opportunities means more choices."

Seeing it was still early, Yu Li wanted to buy some cosmetics, and Mei Ru Xue went with her.

Xu Chunliang and Lu Qi went to wait for the table first. When getting on the elevator, Lu Qi paused on the third floor, noticing that the nail salon there had reopened but with a new owner.

Xu Chunliang asked, "Know them?"

Lu Qi shook his head and recounted the incident with Chen Weiwei. If Lu Qi hadn’t brought it up, Xu Chunliang would have almost forgotten about Yang Mufeng.

Lu Qi pointed at the elevator and said, "Chen Weiwei slipped and fell from here, broke her neck, and died on the spot." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Xu Chunliang said, "Has that case been investigated clearly?"

Lu Qi sighed, "Because of Chen Weiwei’s unexpected death, I was suspended. Although I am back at work now, I am no longer responsible for the case."

Xu Chunliang patted him on the shoulder, "Enjoy the leisure time, just in time to prepare for the wedding."

Lu Qi said, "This case has too many doubts. On the surface, all evidence points to Chen Weiwei, but these pieces of evidence can’t withstand scrutiny. It’s as if an invisible hand is linking these doubts together, deliberately leading our investigation towards Chen Weiwei."

Xu Chunliang said, "Wasn’t it said that Yang Mufeng spent a lot of money on her?"

Lu Qi said, "In today’s society, the debtor is the boss. Chen Weiwei could have left the debt unpaid. She had no need to kill Yang Mufeng, especially as she now has a stable income and a thriving life. Someone like her didn’t need to take such a risk. If she hadn’t had an accident, maybe the truth would have been uncovered long ago."

Xu Chunliang asked, "What about Yang Mulin, who caused her death?"

Lu Qi said, "He’s still being held and will be charged with manslaughter. Given current sentencing, it’s at least three years or less."

By now, their number was called, and they entered the restaurant. After sitting down, Lu Qi continued, "I went to Hai Zhou, met Yang Mufeng’s ex-wife. She seemed indifferent to his death. It’s said that Yang Mufeng was always indiscreet in his personal conduct, maintaining improper relationships with multiple women. I’m planning to start investigating this angle more deeply, especially focusing on his lovers in Dongzhou."

Xu Chunliang suddenly thought of Pei Lin. He never paid much attention to Yang Mufeng’s death as he wasn’t familiar with him and had only met him a few times without any pleasant exchanges. Pei Lin had once sought him out, hoping he could help deal with Yang Mufeng.

Back then, Xu Chunliang speculated that Yang Mufeng and Pei Lin probably had a past and that he likely held some leverage over Pei Lin. At that time, Pei Lin must have been threatened; she wouldn’t have sought his help otherwise.

Xu Chunliang had agreed to help Pei Lin, but he hadn’t had the chance to act when Yang Mufeng was poisoned. That incident even dragged Seven Star Bar into trouble, and it’s still shut down for rectification.

Now, looking at it carefully, what role did Pei Lin play in all this? Could it be that Pei Lin risked everything to kill Yang Mufeng to cover up a scandal? If that’s the case, then Pei Lin is truly a dangerous woman.

Lu Qi asked, "You and Yang Mufeng are colleagues. Do you know if he had any other lovers in Dongzhou?"

Xu Chunliang almost mentioned Pei Lin’s name but held back. After all, it’s not wise to speak without evidence, and he promised Pei Lin not to reveal their dealings. He said with a smile, "These things shouldn’t be secret. I can give you a suggestion: Yang Mufeng was initially hired by Hua Nian Group’s Tang Jinglun. Tang Jinglun should know him very well."

Lu Qi said, "It’s not easy to get his cooperation. These people think a bit of money makes them superior. We approached him several times, but he declined by claiming to be busy and had his lawyer talk to us instead."

Xu Chunliang said, "The only thing I’m certain of is that Tang Jinglun didn’t value Yang Mufeng for his abilities. Yang Mufeng’s specialty was cardiology, not health management."

Pei Lin woke up from a nightmare with a frightened scream, turned on the bedside lamp, took a few sips of water, and gradually calmed down.

She and Zhao Feiyang were sleeping in separate rooms, not because they had yet to have a wedding ceremony, but because she used her pregnancy as an excuse, saying she got up frequently at night and didn’t want to disturb Zhao Feiyang’s rest. The real reason was she had been having nightmares lately, afraid Zhao Feiyang would find out something.

Pei Lin got out of bed, quietly opened her door, and looked at the room opposite. Light seeped through the door crack, indicating Zhao Feiyang was likely still awake. Pei Lin tiptoed over and pressed her ear against the door.