214: Chapter 214 Zheng Dongguo is critically ill!

To be safe, Zheng Ze had also arranged for drugs to be placed in the food and drinks.

He stood in the monitoring room, staring at the screen on the wall without blinking.

The screen was divided into several feeds—the lobby, the elevator, the hallway—each so clear that one could count individual eyelashes.

The crystal chandelier in the hotel lobby shimmered brilliantly as the receptionist kept their head down, processing a check-in.

Zheng Wan stood at the counter wearing a black, low-cut bodycon dress. The neckline was plunged very low; that patch of snowy skin was dazzlingly white under the lights, and her deep cleavage was like a canyon that sucked in one's gaze, making it impossible to look away.

The dress clung to her body, outlining an exaggerated waist-to-hip ratio, with the curves of her buttocks being round and full.

A pair of fair, long legs were bare without stockings, glowing white against the backdrop of the black hemline.

She wore a pair of red high heels with heels as thin as chopsticks. Standing there, she looked like a red rose in full bloom, so gorgeous it was hard to look at her directly.

Standing behind her was a young girl in her early twenties, about 1.7 meters tall, with hair dyed in chestnut waves.

She wore a small shirt with a completely open back, and the front was so short it only reached her navel, revealing a flat stomach and a slender waist.

On her lower body was a black bodycon skirt, barely long enough to cover the tops of her thighs, and her straight, long legs were paired with white sneakers.

Her facial features were seventy percent similar to Zheng Wan's, but younger and more vibrant.

Her lips were full and rosy, like freshly picked cherries, making one want to take a bite.

She was Zheng Wan's daughter, Liu Ruoshu, who was currently in university.

Behind the two of them stood two burly men in black suits. They stood straight with alert gazes, clearly professional veterans.

There was also a male driver in his early thirties, wearing a dark jacket and carrying a suitcase.

The receptionist was a young man in his twenties; when he saw Zheng Wan and Liu Ruoshu walking over, the pen in his hand dropped.

He stared at the white skin of Zheng Wan's chest and then at Liu Ruoshu's bare legs. His Adam's apple bobbed several times, his face flushed red, and his mouth hung open, forgotten.

A female colleague beside him nudged him before he snapped back to his senses. He hurriedly lowered his head to process the check-in, his fingers fumbling over the keyboard and hitting the wrong keys several times.

Seeing the receptionist's loss of composure, the corners of Zheng Wan's mouth curled slightly into a charming smile.

That smile was full of allure, like a flower blooming to its limit in an instant, making the receptionist forget to breathe.

She slid the room card from the receptionist's hand, her fingertips lightly grazing the back of his hand—a faint, feather-like touch against his skin.

The receptionist shuddered as if struck by an electric current, his entire body freezing in place.

Zheng Wan turned and walked toward the elevator in her high heels. Her swaying, graceful figure caused the gazes of all the men in the lobby to stick to her.

Liu Ruoshu followed behind. Her open-back top revealed a large area of fair skin, her shoulder blades forming an exquisite silhouette under the lights, and her waist was so slender it could be held in one hand.

Walking together, the mother and daughter looked like a pair of sisters—one mature and glamorous, the other youthful and beautiful, each with her own charm.

The two bodyguards followed on either side, their alert eyes scanning the surroundings, while the driver pushed the luggage cart at the rear.

The elevator doors opened; Zheng Wan walked in first, followed by Liu Ruoshu, and then the two bodyguards and the driver filed in.

The receptionist stood behind the counter, watching the elevator doors close as if he had lost his soul.

Inside the elevator, Liu Ruoshu turned around, leaned against the wall, glanced at the receptionist, and a playful smile appeared on her lips.

"Hey handsome, the way you were looking at my mom just now was a bit impolite, you know?"

Her voice carried a coquettish whine, the end of her sentences curving upward like a feathered hook, gently teasing the heart.

The receptionist's face turned beet red as he waved his hands repeatedly, trying to explain, but Liu Ruoshu suddenly burst into a giggle.

"I'm just teasing you. Look how nervous you are."

Her laughter was crisp and pleasant, echoing in the cramped elevator.

The elevator doors opened. Zheng Wan walked out first with Liu Ruoshu following; their two rooms were across from each other.

Zheng Wan swiped her card to open the door to Room 1208. Before entering, she looked back at her daughter.

"Ruoshu, get some rest early. We have to see your grandfather tomorrow."

Liu Ruoshu replied, "Got it, Mom. You should rest early too."

She swiped her card to open Room 1209 and went inside, closing the door. The two bodyguards and the driver took their suitcases into the room next to 1208.

Zheng Wan entered her room, closed the door, threw her bag on the sofa, kicked off her high heels, and walked barefoot on the carpet.

She smelled a faint fragrance—the lavender aromatherapy often used by hotels to aid sleep.

She didn't pay it any mind and went into the bathroom, turning on the shower as warm water poured over her.

She closed her eyes, letting the water wash over her cheeks.

After flying in from Yancheng today and enduring several hours of turbulence, she was exhausted.

She didn't notice that the aromatherapy box on the nightstand was not the standard one provided by the hotel.

Beside the bathroom vanity mirror, a pinhole camera was pointed at the entire room, transmitting her every move clearly to the screen in the hotel's monitoring room.

Zheng Ze sat in the monitoring room, watching his younger sister's every move on the screen.

He watched her take off her dress and walk into the bathroom. Hearing the sound of rushing water, his hands trembled, his eyes became bloodshot, and his breathing grew heavy like a wild beast.

Originally, he only wanted to drug that slut Zheng Wan, but he hadn't expected her daughter, Liu Ruoshu, to be such a stunner as well.

The open back, the midriff-baring shirt, the tiny skirt, and those bare long legs swayed before his eyes.

He plotted in his mind, wondering if this little slut's first time was still intact.

Seeing her dressed so provocatively, she might have gone through countless boyfriends already.

But it didn't matter; he didn't care about her virginity. What he cared about was that face, those legs, that waist, and those breasts that were practically bursting out.

He couldn't sit still in the monitoring room anymore. He stood up, straightened his collar, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.

The hallway was covered in thick carpet, swallowing the sound of his footsteps completely.

He reached the door of 1208; the two bodyguards were gone.

After Zheng Wan entered her room, she had told them to go back to the room next door to rest, saying she would call them if she needed anything.

Wild joy surged in Zheng Ze's heart; even the heavens were helping him.

He pulled out a room card and swiped it. With a "beep," the lock opened.

He pushed the door open and stepped inside, gently closing it behind him.

The room was dimly lit, with only the bedside lamp on. The orange glow enveloped the entire room in an ambiguous atmosphere.

Zheng Wan lay on the bed, the blanket only covering her to her waist. She wore a hotel bathrobe with the belt tied loosely and the neckline open, revealing a large expanse of snowy skin.

Her face was as red as a ripe apple, her breathing was rapid and hot, and her eyes were blurred as if covered by a layer of mist.

The effects of the aromatherapy had begun to take hold. She felt parched and hot all over, as if roasting in a furnace, and her rationality was collapsing bit by bit.

Zheng Ze walked to the bedside and looked down at her with a sickening, wicked grin. His voice was as low as a phantom drifting out of hell.

"Long time no see."

When Zheng Wan saw him, her pupils constricted sharply, and the heat in her body was instantly doused by fear.

She wanted to sit up and call for help, but her body felt as if all its strength had been drained, as soft as a ball of cotton. She couldn't even move a finger.

Her lips trembled, and her voice was hoarse and weak, as if squeezed from her throat.

"You... how did you get in... get out..."

Zheng Ze sat down by the bed and reached out to touch her face. His fingers slid from her cheek to her neck, and from her neck to her collarbone.

Zheng Wan wanted to hide, but her body wouldn't obey at all. She could only watch helplessly as his fingers roamed over her skin.

"You've lost weight."

His voice carried a fake concern, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

"Being away all these years, you must have suffered a lot, right? Don't worry, I'll take good care of you today."

His fingers hooked the belt of her bathrobe and gave it a gentle tug. The belt came undone, and the robe slid open to both sides.

Zheng Wan's tears fell silently, dripping onto the pillow and spreading into a small wet patch.

She closed her eyes, not wanting to see that face that disgusted her.

She knew she couldn't escape tonight; she resigned herself to her fate!

Just then, Zheng Ze's phone suddenly rang.

Zheng Ze cursed and pulled out his phone to hang up, but the moment he saw the caller ID, his finger stopped.

It was the Old Housekeeper. He hesitated for a moment before picking up.

"Third Master! The Old Master is failing! He's being resuscitated in the hospital, come quickly!"

The Old Housekeeper's voice carried a sob; the background noise was the sound of hurried footsteps and the beeping of medical equipment.

Zheng Ze's expression changed. He stood up and glanced at Zheng Wan with a complex look.

Zheng Wan lay on the bed with her eyes closed, her face covered in tear stains. Her bathrobe was open, and her body was blindingly white under the light.

He gritted his teeth, turned around, and strode out.

In the hallway, the sound of his footsteps moved from near to far, gradually disappearing at the elevator.

In Room 1209, Liu Ruoshu was taking a shower, the water rushing loudly.

She had no idea what had just happened in the room next door, let alone that her mother had almost fallen into an abyss.

The hallway of the hospital's emergency center was brightly lit!

Zheng Dongguo had been pushed into the emergency room for nearly half an hour, and the entrance was crowded with people.

The Old Housekeeper leaned against the wall with a hunched back, his face covered in tears.

Zheng Dongguo's eldest son was on a plane back, his second son was also on the way, and his daughter Zheng Wan had just arrived in Lvjiang City tonight and was staying at a hotel, unaware that the Old Master was in the emergency room.

The news spread quickly. In less than an hour, Municipal Party Committee Secretary Lin Juncai, Mayor You Chuan, Municipal Party Committee Deputy Secretary Sun Ping, members of the Standing Committee, the Head of the Organization Department, the Minister of Propaganda, the Head of the United Front Work Department, the Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, the Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission... except for those on business trips or sick leave, almost everyone who could come had arrived.

Lin Juncai stood at the very front with his hands behind his back, his expression solemn.

He and Zheng Dongguo did not belong to the same faction. Back when Zheng Dongguo was the Municipal Party Committee Secretary of Lvjiang City, Lin Juncai was still the County Party Committee Secretary of a subordinate county.

To be honest, Zheng Dongguo had given him quite a hard time in those years, deliberately suppressing him on key issues and blocking his candidates for important positions.

He didn't like Zheng Dongguo; one could even say he detested him.

But Zheng Dongguo was, after all, the Deputy Director of the Provincial People's Congress, the former Secretary of Lvjiang City, and a political symbol of this city for decades.

With Zheng Dongguo in critical condition, as the current Municipal Party Committee Secretary, he had to come out of both courtesy and reason.

This was etiquette, political protocol, and a basic quality that a mature political figure must possess.

If he didn't come, people would say that Lin Juncai was narrow-minded, vindictive, and ungrateful for old ties.

You Chuan stood beside Lin Juncai with a heavy expression.

He had been promoted by Zheng Dongguo; it could be said that almost every step of his career was inseparable from Zheng Dongguo's mentorship.

He was genuinely grateful to Zheng Dongguo.

Even after Zheng Dongguo retired, he would visit him during holidays and call to ask for advice on matters big and small.

In his heart, Zheng Dongguo was not just a former leader, but a mentor.

He looked anxiously at the tightly closed door of the emergency room. The red light above was still on, and no sound could be heard from inside.

Municipal Party Committee Deputy Secretary Sun Ping stood further back. What he was calculating in his mind was not Zheng Dongguo's life or death, but what this meant for Xu Weidong.

Zheng Ze was the behind-the-scenes shareholder of Cuican Fireworks and General Manager Hu Dakuan's biggest backer, and Cuican Fireworks had been shut down by Xu Weidong.

Zheng Ze had called Deputy Secretary You Chuan, but You Chuan had refused him.

Zheng Ze then sought out Deputy Director Gao Qiang and Deputy Director Li Wenfu, but they were also blocked by Xu Weidong.

Now that Zheng Dongguo was in critical condition, the great banner of the Zheng family was about to fall.

Without the Old Master's protection, Zheng Ze would be like a stray dog with a broken spine, unable to stir up any more trouble.

He walked to the end of the hallway, pulled out his phone, and dialed Xu Weidong's number. He bowed slightly, keeping his voice very low, his tone carrying the respect of a subordinate reporting to a superior.

He never dared to put on the airs of an elder in front of Xu Weidong; he knew his place clearly.

Minister Sun Ping was only able to reach his current position because of the fact that Xu Weidong called him Uncle Sun, which allowed him to gain a firm foothold in Lvjiang City.

Without Xu Weidong and Xu Tianhua behind him, Minister Sun Ping would be nothing.

"Weidong, it's me. Zheng Dongguo is in critical condition and is being resuscitated in the hospital."

"The city leaders have all arrived; Secretary Lin and Mayor You are both here. Zheng Ze just rushed over from outside; he looks quite anxious."

Xu Weidong's voice on the other end was very calm, showing no emotion.

"Uncle Sun, I understand. Old Master Zheng is a former leader. Please express my concern regarding his condition."

Minister Sun Ping quickly agreed and then asked, "Regarding Cuican Fireworks, should we turn up the pressure on them?"

"Zheng Ze is a shareholder there. Now that the Old Master is failing, the Zheng family is about to fall. They've lost their backer; it's the perfect time to close the net."

Xu Weidong was silent for a moment, his tone still calm, but every word carried an unquestionable certainty.

"Uncle Sun, the shutdown of Cuican Fireworks was carried out according to laws and regulations. it has nothing to do with the Zheng family, and even less to do with Zheng Ze."

"Regardless of whether the Zheng family falls, what needs to be investigated will be investigated, and what needs to be closed will be closed."

"Do things according to the law; don't let anyone catch any leverage."

Minister Sun Ping nodded repeatedly in agreement, his admiration for Xu Weidong growing.

If it were anyone else hearing that their opponent's backer was failing, they would have been unable to resist crushing the other party to death.

Xu Weidong wasn't like that. He always spoke of laws and regulations; it wasn't for show, it was his bottom line.

Such a person could go much further.

Of course, Minister Sun Ping only learned from Xu Weidong's call that Cuican Fireworks had already been shut down.

It couldn't be said that his information was lagging; it could only be said that Xu Weidong's side had acted too decisively, leaving absolutely no room to breathe.

At the end of the hallway, Zheng Ze burst out of the elevator, running so fast he almost fell.

His face was pale, his forehead was covered in sweat, his collar was crooked, and his hair was a mess.

Seeing the hallway filled with city leaders, he froze for a moment, then forced an anxious expression and rushed to the emergency room door.

"How is my dad? How is my dad?"

The Old Housekeeper stepped forward to support him, sobbing as he said the resuscitation was still ongoing.

Zheng Ze leaned against the wall, gasping for breath.

Lin Juncai glanced at him, his gaze devoid of any emotion.

A beast who could lay a hand on his own biological sister wasn't worth wasting any expression on.

You Chuan walked over and patted Zheng Ze on the shoulder, wanting to say a few words of comfort, but ultimately, whatever he thought of made him say nothing at all.

But his disgust for Zheng Ze was forcibly suppressed at this moment.

The gesture of patting the shoulder was very light, but he withdrew his hand very quickly.

The hallway was very quiet; no one spoke, and the light for the emergency room remained on.