158: Chapter 158 Design

The marriage between the Xu Family and the Mu Family was no secret in their circles, but it hadn't been announced with great fanfare.

Yet, there are no walls without cracks in this world, especially regarding something as significant as the union of two great families.

Some were happy, some were worried, some were indifferent, and some were on edge.

Those who had suffered losses under Xu Tianhua, those who were political rivals of Mu Qing, and those who disliked the growing power of the Xu Family were all stirring in the shadows.

They could not allow this marriage to proceed smoothly, nor could they let the alliance between the Xu Family and the Mu Family become as solid as iron.

They wanted to muddy the waters, splash filth on this marriage, and ruin the reputation of Xu Tianhua's son.

The message was passed down layer by layer: from Yancheng to Fengtian, from Fengtian to Lvjiang City, and from Lvjiang City to Changyuan County.

Eventually, a man named President Zhou Hai appeared in Changyuan County.

President Zhou Hai, in his early forties, was the "white glove" for a certain big shot in Yancheng; having navigated the business world for many years, he was ruthless and meticulous.

His only mission in coming to Changyuan County was to find Xu Weidong's weakness and deliver a fatal blow.

He learned that Xu Weidong had once supported a woman named General Manager Wei Xue; relying on the care of Xu Weidong, General Manager Wei Xue had swallowed the market space left behind by the Sihai Group and established the Dongxue Group, becoming known privately in Changyuan County as the "Underground Business Queen."

A cold sneer appeared on the lips of President Zhou Hai: "Underground Business Queen?"

In the eyes of the nobles in Yancheng, she was nothing more than an ant that could be crushed at any moment.

President Zhou Hai pulled a few strings and arranged a meeting with General Manager Wei Xue.

The meeting place was the most upscale club in the county, featuring a magnificent private room with shimmering crystal chandeliers and a long table laden with delicacies.

General Manager Wei Xue wore a capable black suit skirt, her hair tied up at the back of her head, her makeup exquisite, and her presence imposing.

Having been tempered in the business world for so long, she was no longer the little woman who had begged everywhere to save her brother.

She brought her secretary and driver to the appointment with confidence, wanting to see what this big boss from the provincial capital was really up to.

President Zhou Hai stood up, greeted her with a beaming smile, extended his hand, and spoke with an enthusiasm as if he had met a long-lost relative.

"General Manager Wei, I have long admired you. I am President Zhou Hai, just doing some small business and making a living in the provincial capital."

General Manager Wei Xue shook his hand, her fingertips touching his only briefly before pulling away, and she sat down opposite him, saying neither humbly nor arrogantly: "You are too polite, President Zhou. Since a big boss from the provincial capital has come to our small place, may I ask what the purpose of your visit is?"

President Zhou Hai smiled as he poured her wine, saying: "General Manager Wei, you are joking. Although Changyuan County is small, it hides dragons and crouching tigers. I have even heard of the great name of Dongxue Group in the provincial capital."

"It is not easy for a woman like you, General Manager Wei, to support such a large operation. I came today precisely to discuss cooperation with you."

General Manager Wei Xue picked up her wine glass, did not drink it immediately, sniffed it, put it back down, and said with a smile: "President Zhou, I don't really drink, as I am afraid of making mistakes. Please tell me your ideas for cooperation; I am listening."

The smile on President Zhou Hai's face did not change, but he sneered inwardly.

Not drinking? That was even better.

He drained his own glass and poured another for General Manager Wei Xue, his tone impeccably sincere.

"General Manager Wei, you must drink this glass. It's not about giving me face, but about showing sincerity in our cooperation."

"I have come all the way from the provincial capital; you must at least let me show my sincerity, right?"

General Manager Wei Xue looked at him, hesitating for a few seconds.

Having been in the business world for so long, what kind of situation hadn't she seen?

She had seen plenty of tactics for persuading people to drink at the dinner table. However, she had not yet figured out President Zhou Hai's background and did not want to offend him rashly.

She picked up the wine glass, took a small sip as a gesture, and put it down.

President Zhou Hai did not press her further, smiling as he invited everyone to eat, and began chatting about interesting anecdotes from the provincial capital's business world, talking animatedly, and the atmosphere gradually warmed up.

General Manager Wei Xue relaxed her vigilance and drank a few more sips of wine.

Half an hour later, she began to feel dizzy.

It was not the dizziness of being drunk, but a kind of uncontrollable drowsiness.

Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, her consciousness became increasingly blurred, the lights before her eyes became dazzling, and the laughter of President Zhou Hai became distant.

She wanted to stand up, but her legs were as soft as cotton. She heard her secretary calling her, the voice sounding as if it were coming from behind a wall.

Then, everything went black.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the county, Xu Weidong was also entertaining guests.

The other party was an investor who claimed to be from a certain southern province, surnamed Boss Qian, with several titles printed on his business card, saying that he wanted to invest in building a large cold chain logistics base in Changyuan County, with an investment amount as high as 200 million.

Xu Weidong had indeed been feeling a bit carried away recently; the Tianmu Group had invested 100 million, policy dividends from the province and city were coming wave after wave, the changes in Hukuang Township were happening daily, leaders in the county and city praised him incessantly, and even Minister Ma Fuqiang and Governor Zhou Wenbin from the province had specifically called to encourage him.

He felt that he could finally let go and work on a grand scale, felt that he had the ability to handle any situation, and felt that in this small territory of Changyuan County, no one dared to touch a hair on his head.

Therefore, when Wang Jianguo submitted the meeting request from Boss Qian, he did not think much of it and agreed.

An investor, after all; meeting and chatting, if it could be implemented it would be best, and if it couldn't, there would be no loss.

He took Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming and Wang Jianguo, and arrived on time at the private room of the most luxurious hotel in the county.

Boss Qian was in his fifties, chubby, with a face full of smiles, speaking with a heavy southern accent; upon meeting, he grabbed Xu Weidong's hand, as enthusiastic as if he had found a long-lost son.

"Secretary Xu, I have long admired you! I have heard about the development of Hukuang Township; it is remarkable! I came today precisely to conduct a field inspection and see if there are any opportunities for cooperation."

Xu Weidong smiled and shook his hand, then sat down in the guest of honor seat at the dining table.

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming sat beside him, and Wang Jianguo sat at the end of the table. Dishes were served one by one, and wine was poured cup by cup.

Xu Weidong did not drink alcohol, using tea instead; there was no one in Changyuan County who did not know this rule.

Boss Qian did not force him, drinking a few cups himself, his face turning as red as a boiled shrimp, and he began to talk more.

He talked about his entrepreneurial history, his business map, and his unique insights into cold chain logistics.

Xu Weidong listened, nodding from time to time, occasionally asking a few questions, all of which were professional; Boss Qian answered quite fluently, but there was always a feeling of recitation, as if it had been prepared in advance.

More than half an hour later, Xu Weidong began to feel that something was wrong.

His head felt a bit dizzy, not the dizziness of excessive fatigue, but a kind of indescribable drowsiness.

He thought it was because he had been too tired lately, having run several projects in a row these past few days and staying up late at night to read documents, so his body couldn't take it anymore.

Xu Weidong picked up his teacup and took a large gulp, wanting to sober up, but the drowsiness not only did not subside but became increasingly intense.

His eyelids began to fight, his vision began to blur, and even the voice of Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming became distant.

"Secretary Xu? Secretary Xu? What is wrong with you?"

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming's voice was filled with panic.

Xu Weidong wanted to answer, but his mouth opened and closed, unable to make a sound.

He wanted to stand up, but his legs felt as if they were nailed to the floor.

Then he heard the voice of Boss Qian; the voice was no longer enthusiastic, but had become calm, as calm as if he were talking about something unrelated to himself.

"Secretary Xu is probably tired; help him go upstairs to rest; I have already opened a room."

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming wanted to stop them, but two burly men appeared from nowhere, grabbing him from the left and right, and took him to another room.

Wang Jianguo was also stopped; because they had drunk a lot of alcohol, both were a bit dizzy, so they were taken to their rooms by others.

Xu Weidong was supported by two people, walked out of the private room, entered the elevator, walked down a long corridor, and was finally helped into a room.

The room was dimly lit, the curtains were drawn tightly, and the air was filled with a sweet, cloying scent of perfume.

Xu Weidong was placed on a large bed, the soft mattress sank, his body sank with it, his consciousness became increasingly blurred, and the last bit of light disappeared.

On the other side of the large bed, General Manager Wei Xue was curled up, her clothes disheveled, her face flushed, her breathing rapid and hot.

She was also in a coma, instinctively searching for a heat source, and crawled toward Xu Weidong.