Luo Ye’s right hand just touched the window sash when he heard a soft "click" by his ear. "Oh no!" Luo Ye quickly pulled Zhao Qianqian down with him.

"Lu Zhishan, what are you standing there for? Thinking of jumping down?" The voice was Zan Wenxing’s! Lu Zhishan was Lu Qingqing’s father.

Luo Ye grabbed the fixed rope, halting his descent. Zhao Qianqian, seeing this, also stopped. She was slower than Luo Ye, just one position above him. As she was about to look up, Luo Ye pulled her back: "You go down, I go up." His tone brooked no argument.

"Okay!" Knowing she wasn’t as agile as Luo Ye, Zhao Qianqian responded and continued to slide down. This way, even if danger really arose, she wouldn’t drag Luo Ye down.

"Jump down?" The voice was mocking, followed by a sneer, and continued, "Zan Wenxing, you’ve underestimated me. Is this little matter worth risking my life for?

I advise you to burn incense to your gods on the first and fifteenth. You may disregard those lives, but the heavens won’t!"

"Lu Zhishan, you always think the worst of others..."

Hearing the voice getting closer, Luo Ye quickly moved to the left, pressing tightly against the other side of the decorative pillar. Zhao Qianqian, who had descended two positions, immediately copied his movement.

"You suspect someone is responding to me? Ha..., Zan Wenxing, seems like you have a guilty conscience." Lu Zhishan’s voice was full of sarcasm.

Luo Ye quietly sighed in relief, giving Zhao Qianqian below an OK hand gesture. As long as Lu Zhishan didn’t say anything, no matter how much Zan Wenxing looked outside, it would be useless.

"Swoosh!" The sound of the window being pulled open, about ten seconds later, another "swoosh!" Lu Zhishan’s voice sounded again: "Feel better? I’d advise you to have people search around this house, or you might not sleep well at night."

The light turned on, and soon Zan Wenxing’s voice followed: "Alright, stop with the sarcasm. Zhishan, we’ve been working together for quite some time. I may be a bit arbitrary sometimes, but in essence, our goals are the same, all for the well-being of the elders and brothers at the mine.

If this matter were really exposed, the punishment for us is secondary. The key is that city leaders would also be implicated. How would the relationship between the city and the mine be afterward?" Zan Wenxing’s tone noticeably softened.

Luo Ye quietly shifted up, peering inside from the side, seeing Lu Zhishan and Zan Wenxing sitting face to face. He resembled Lu Qingqing somewhat, especially the nose, like cast from the same mold.

"Zan Wenxing, can you speak with a clear conscience?" Lu Zhishan sprang up, eyes filled with anger, "Behind every miner is a family. Destroying a person destroys a whole family!

If the city is strict on the mine because of the incidents, it’s also for the miners’ safety; the intention is good.

What is scary is that your thoughts and words don’t align. Zan Wenxing, actions are being watched by the heavens, just wait!"

"Zhishan, look at you, that stubborn temper is flaring up again? Listening to you, it seems as if I’ve conspired with city leaders to disregard miners’ lives.

I truthfully tell you, the miners have all been rescued by Ping An. They’re weak but with proper treatment, they’ll recover."

"Are you telling the truth?" Lu Zhishan stared blankly at Zan Wenxing, filled with doubt.

Zan Wenxing nodded: "Of course, absolutely, rescue teams from the city and the neighboring city came over, and the rescue operation went smoothly."

"There’s some reason, isn’t there?" Lu Zhishan frowned, "I advise you, better speak frankly. If you really intended to do as you claimed, you wouldn’t have tricked me here and locked me up."

"Zhishan, you also hope that the miners are well, right?"

Lu Zhishan nodded: "Of course, after so many years together, I certainly want them to be fine." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"I admit, I was a bit selfish originally. You know, Secretary Qin and Mayor Li have always highly valued our mine.

Yuanzhou City’s annual GDP sees significant contributions from our coal mine. If substantial investments were made in equipment, Yuanzhou Mine might struggle for the next three years.

The secretary and mayor would lose face, and support for our mine might become less robust. For us, we should adopt a long-term perspective..."