wavenovel Chapter 80 Trading
Chapter 80 Trading
Just as the two were talking, footsteps came from the other end of the corridor, and Jiang Fanglong walked over with a briefcase in his hand.
"What, are you still talking about Ren Qi?"
Zhou Shouzhen nodded. "Chief Jiang, what's your opinion of this person in Guangzhou?"
"I have many opinions." Jiang Fanglong tucked his bag under his arm. "If it weren't for Xiao Gu, we wouldn't even know that Ren Qi exists. This person is meticulous in his work, and all his business dealings are spotless. Even the employees he hires are relatives."
"Have you checked the waterway?" Gu Huai asked.
"We're investigating." Jiang Fanglong nodded and said, "I just met with the head of the Economic Crime Investigation Department. They're taking this very seriously and said they'll be focusing on him going forward."
Gu Huai nodded. As long as Yangcheng takes this seriously, Ren Qi will eventually slip up, no matter how careful he is.
Seeing that there were no other questions, the group followed Jiang Fanglong into the conference room.
After everyone was seated, Jiang Fanglong walked to the whiteboard and spoke.
"The report just came back from the Panyu branch. The water police said that there are at least several hundred boats passing by on the Pearl River every day, including fishing boats, cargo ships, ferries, and sand barges. Some of them are not registered. There were heavy rains during the days when the incident occurred, and all the traces on the shore were washed away. We searched for half the night, but found nothing."
"Nothing at all?" someone couldn't help but ask.
"There's nothing there." Jiang Fanglong repeated. "The people from the Panyu branch even went through the hydrological records near the location where the body was found, and they also asked people upstream and downstream, but no one had seen a suspicious boat."
The meeting room was silent for a few seconds.
"So, all our hopes are now pinned on Ren Qi?" Zhou Shouzheng asked, his face grim as he stubbed out his cigarette. "If his information is false, we'll have to start all over again."
"However, we cannot abandon other aspects of the investigation," Gu Huai said.
Although Gu Huai had a feeling that Ren Qi's news was likely true, criminal investigation work requires rigor, and there is no such thing as 100% certainty before things are verified.
Everyone agreed with what Gu Huai had said.
After the morning briefing ended, Gu Huai checked his watch and, finding it was almost time, got up and walked towards Zhou Shouzhen.
"Team Leader Zhou, it's almost time, I have to go to Fangcun."
"Give me money?"
"Yes, the deposit." Gu Huai nodded. "I have to bring Dr. Xia with me."
Zhou Shouzhen thought for a moment, "Okay, then I'll arrange for a few people to go with you. Don't try to tough it out if something happens."
Having learned from yesterday's lesson, Gu Huai did not insist on going alone and nodded in agreement.
Gu Huai turned and walked downstairs. When he reached the corner of the corridor, Xia Wanying was leaning against the wall waiting for him.
Today she changed her clothes again, wearing the same outfit she wore when she came to Guangzhou with Gu Huai that day, but she tied her hair up, making her look more capable.
"Let's go." Gu Huai walked past her.
Xia Wanying didn't ask any more questions and followed Gu Huai outside.
After waiting for his colleagues from the Second Brigade at the entrance for a while, Gu Huai explained the location to them and then got into a taxi.
The taxi ride from the Municipal Bureau to Fangcun took thirty minutes.
Gu Huai didn't say much along the way, his mind was constantly thinking about Ren Qi's connection.
He had always had a feeling that this person was hiding much more than he showed.
Let's see if they can find anything wrong with him in Guangzhou.
The car stopped at the entrance of the tea market. After paying the fare, Gu Huai led Xia Wanying inside.
The market this morning was completely different from yesterday afternoon. All the stalls were open, and the aroma of tea filled the air. Some shops even had tea tables set up in front of them, with the owners inviting customers to try the tea.
The tall gatekeeper from yesterday was still at the entrance of Friends, sitting leisurely reading the newspaper and drinking tea.
Seeing Gu Huai approach, he glanced at him and then continued reading his newspaper.
Upon entering, the same shopkeeper from yesterday was still calculating accounts at the counter. When Gu Huai entered, he pointed upstairs.
Gu Huai didn't ask any more questions, and told Xia Wanying to wait at the door while he went upstairs.
Ren Qi was not in the private room on the second floor. Only the woman named Ah Hong from yesterday was sitting at the tea table, still wearing a fitted cheongsam, fiddling with a set of purple clay teapots.
When she saw Gu Huai come in, she smiled and pointed to the chair opposite her.
"Sit down. Brother Qi had something come up and asked me to take care of you."
Yesterday, Gu Huai could tell that the two had a close relationship, and now Ah Hong's actions only confirmed Gu Huai's thoughts.
"I brought the money." Gu Huai placed the prepared brown paper bag on the table.
Ah Hong didn't go to take it right away, but poured Gu Huai a cup of tea first. "No rush, drink the tea first. You left without finishing your cup of raw Pu'er tea yesterday, so I'll make up for it today."
Gu Huai picked up the teacup, smelled it, and said, "It still tastes the same. Sister Hong's cooking is quite good."
"Of course, it's the same batch of goods." As she spoke, Ah Hong put the paper bag into the drawer of the table. "Brother Qi asked me to tell you that we'll have news about what you wanted within three days. We'll contact Uncle Jian then, and Uncle Jian will contact you."
"Okay." Gu Huai put down his teacup. "Then I'll have to trouble you."
After saying that, Gu Huai prepared to get up and leave.
"Wait a minute." Ah Hong called out to Gu Huai, "Boss Gu, are you in such a hurry to leave? We haven't finished our tea yet, it would be a waste if you left."
Gu Huai turned to look at Ah Hong, thinking to himself, "This person might know something about Ren Qi. Since she wants me to stay, I might as well have some tea with her. Maybe I can get some information out of her."
"There's no rush." Gu Huai stopped and sat back down.
In the midst of this exchange, their eyes met, each wanting to find out about the other, but unable to think of a topic to discuss.
Finally, Gu Huai broke the silence, "Boss lady, how's business at our teahouse lately?"
"Boss Gu is joking," Ah Hong said with a smile. "I'm just someone who helps pour tea, how could I be the boss's wife?"
"I see," Gu Huai said. "Then it was my presumption."
"It's alright," Ah Hong said. "Business is just so-so, barely enough to make ends meet."
"Just enough to eat?" Gu Huai feigned surprise. "With such a large business empire, is that all you have left to eat?"
"The business is large, but we have too many people to feed," Ah Hong said. "The tea business hasn't been good lately, and there aren't many people like Boss Gu coming to ask for information, so it's just time for him to eat."
"So, Mr. Ren usually sells inside information?"
"Not for sale." Ah Hong shook her head. "The message is a gift, the tea is for sale."
Gu Huai silently remembered those words, and then picked up his teacup and drank some tea.
After several rounds of tea, the flavor had gradually faded, and Gu Huai stood up to say goodbye. "That's all for today. I'll go home and wait for news."
"Wait a minute," Ah Hong called out to Gu Huai again.
When Gu Huai turned around, he noticed that she was holding a packet of tea leaves.
"Boss Gu, you haven't taken your tea with you yet."
Gu Huai accepted the tea bag with a smile, turned around and walked out of the private room.
When he came downstairs, Xia Wanying was still waiting. When she saw Gu Huai come out, she quickly got up to greet him.
The two exchanged a glance, and she followed Gu Huai outside.
After the two left the teahouse and walked all the way to the market, Xia Wanying finally spoke, "Why did it take so long?"
"There was a slightly unexpected bonus."
"What?" Xia Wanying asked in surprise.
"Ren Qi is not a simple person."