Chapter 208: Night Talk

In the evening, in the Dock Workers Association courtyard, a car stopped and Gu Baishun pushed open the door to get out.

Not far away, Zhang Ming walked out from the main building, waving and calling to Gu Baishun: "Come over, come over!"

"Uncle Zhang," Gu Baishun bent forward and quickly went to meet him. "Is there something urgent?"

Zhang Ming grabbed Gu Baishun's arm, leading him toward the main building while quickly explaining: "The Chairman is back. I found a chance to mention you to him, told him about your family situation."

"Thank you, Uncle Zhang," Gu Baishun replied with repeated bows.

"Listen to me - no matter who takes care of you, it's not as good as being able to take care of yourself," Zhang Ming instructed softly. "Now in Zha'nan and Longkou, the gang leaders haven't been decided - you have a chance. This meeting with the Chairman is very important - you need to perform brilliantly."

Gu Baishun was stunned hearing this and looked anxiously at Zhang Ming asking: "I... how could I be gang leader? Uncle Zhang, I can't do this!"

"Who the fuck was born a gang leader? This thing needs practice, needs learning!" Zhang Ming walked quickly forward, continuing in a lowered voice: "Even if not gang leader, being a hall master or team leader still means having power in hand! With power, would you still fear people dealing with you?"

Gu Baishun swallowed: "Then... then what should I do?!"

"The Chairman likes people with education and brains," Zhang Ming instructed again. "Later if he asks about Longkou District matters, you must actively discuss your thoughts with him. You can be wrong, but you can't stutter and say nothing. Didn't you study management? Just talk about all your professional views! But remember, if the Chairman shows interest in putting you in Longkou to manage things, you definitely shouldn't agree immediately - first decline, say your abilities aren't enough, you still need to learn, then don't worry about the rest."

"Oh, oh, good," Gu Baishun replied very nervously.

"Remember, you must try your best to strive for it, I can help you too," Zhang Ming stared at Gu Baishun's face, saying very seriously: "Your father is gone - you need to find ways to make yourself capable, then no one will dare move against you."

"Understood, Uncle Zhang!"

"Mm!"

With that, Zhang Ming brought Gu Baishun to the second floor and pushed open the Chairman's rest room door with a full smile: "Chairman, Baishun is here."

"Mm, let him come in," Jing Yan's response came from inside.

"Go on, go on!" Zhang Ming pushed Gu Baishun's back. "Remember what I told you."

"Un... Uncle Zhang, I'm a bit nervous."

"Go quickly!" Zhang Ming pushed him into the room and closed the door.

Gu Baishun stood in the spacious doorway, took a deep breath before stepping inside, and saw Jing Yan sitting by the window on the balcony, fiddling with a tablet computer.

"Baishun, come sit," Jing Yan called out.

"Ah," Gu Baishun walked onto the balcony and bent down to sit on the small sofa opposite Jing Yan. "Chairman!"

"No need to be so formal - your father was an association elder and had a good relationship with my father. If we talk about generations, though I'm much older than you... you should actually call me Big Brother," Jing Yan looked up replying.

Gu Baishun's forehead broke out in sweat, so nervous he seemed not to know what to say.

Jing Yan looked Gu Baishun over, asking with a light smile: "You've graduated?"

"Graduated," Gu Baishun nodded in reply.

"Is everything good at home?" Jing Yan picked up his cigarette pack.

Gu Baishun immediately picked up the lighter from the table and lit it in front of Jing Yan's face: "My father's gone... my mother was shocked and has been sick a few times recently, but just minor ailments, nothing serious."

Jing Yan looked at Gu Baishun's slightly trembling hand, lowered his head to light his cigarette and took a deep drag: "Baishun, I have something I want to hear your opinion about."

"Please speak, Chairman."

"If I let you be Zha'nan's gang leader, would you be willing?" Jing Yan asked very suddenly.

Gu Baishun stared at Jing Yan blankly, his eyes very panicked, because Zhang Ming hadn't instructed him beforehand how to answer this question.

In the brightly lit room, sitting on the sofa, every subtle expression and movement of Gu Baishun's was captured in Jing Yan's eyes - there was no room for secret mental activity.

After a long silence between them, Gu Baishun finally forced himself to reply: "Chairman, I'm afraid I can't be Zha'nan's gang leader, and... I support Brother Wei taking this position."

Jing Yan sat cross-legged on the sofa, took a deep drag on his cigarette, and looked at Gu Baishun through narrowed eyes, asking in a cold voice: "Are you hiding your talents from me?"

At these words, they stared at each other as Jing Yan's gaze became sharp and full of aggression.

"I... I don't know what you mean, Chairman!" Gu Baishun replied with unchanged expression. "I truly think Brother Wei can be Zha'nan's gang leader. He values loyalty and is righteous - most importantly, if he can rise up, he can also take care of my family - I trust him."

"He killed your father!"

"I don't believe that at all - that was all Xu Hu's scheme," Gu Baishun replied nervously. "Xu Hu found me before, and I also know that Cheng Gang was just a bought ghost - they did this just to let Xu Hu legitimately rise to power."

"Hehe," Jing Yan laughed hearing this. "Oh, so you know the inside story."

"Yes," Gu Baishun looked at him nodding.

Jing Yan looked at this youth in his early twenties and made two judgments in his heart: either he was a coward as timid as a mouse, completely lacking the courage to avenge his father; or he was someone with brains and depth whose true nature couldn't be seen.

Having made his judgment, Jing Yan also made his decision. He put down his tablet and began chatting softly with Gu Baishun.

......

Half an hour later, Gu Baishun left Jing Yan's rest room but didn't find Zhang Ming, instead meeting his secretary.

"How was the talk with the Chairman?" the secretary asked.

"Very good - Uncle Zhang calculated so accurately, many things the Chairman asked about were what he had told me in advance," Gu Baishun wiped sweat from his face.

"Your Uncle Zhang, he just thinks of you, cares for you," the secretary replied with a light laugh. "He really wants to put you in charge of Longkou."

"Yes, he told me."

"Hehe, maintain a good relationship with your Uncle Zhang, definitely won't go wrong," the secretary patted Gu Baishun's shoulder, saying seemingly casually: "Oh right, those two vases from last time - your Uncle Zhang really liked them! He asked me to ask you if your family has any more similar antiques? If so, he's willing to pay to buy some. You're young, probably not interested in these things, right?"

"Yes, we have more!" Gu Baishun immediately nodded, pulling the other along saying: "Come on, I'll take you to my home to pick some."

"Alright, I'll go look with you."

That night, the secretary went home with Gu Baishun and stayed for an hour and a half. A full third of the treasures from Gu Tongshan's secret room while he was alive were taken away.

......

At the Yu family.

Yu Jinrong received an email on his computer regarding Su Tianyu's family background information, but what he never expected was that in Su Tianyu's file, Zone One's political department had made a clear blemish notation.

Six words: Politically recommended never to be employed!