Bureau 101, Shi Boren’s office.
"You brat, did you really get into an all-out fight at Bright Moon Palace Club?" Shi Boren started to scold Xia Lei as soon as he walked in. "Is it really worth it for a woman?"
"It's worth it, because she's my wife," said Xia Lei.
Shi Boren pointed at Xia Lei, frustrated at him for not living up to expectations. "You! I wanted to match you up with Yuyan in the past. If you were together with Yuyan, you might have a bunch of kids all calling you Daddy now."
Xia Lei was speechless.
"Look at what kind of woman you've married now. She's way too audacious!"
Xia Lei tried to probe for more information. "Boss Shi, did you hear some sort of news?"
Shi Boren glared at Xia Lei. "Shut the door."
Xia Lei closed the office door before walking back to Shi Boren's side.
Shi Boren sighed. "I heard some news from the prosecutor's office. Somebody reported Shentu Tianyin for embezzling national assets, and bribery."
"Then… Do they have evidence?"
"Of course. Who would dare to talk make accusations if there wasn't? The one who gave me the news used to work for me. The info is legitimate. He said that once preparations were complete, they will arrest Shentu Tianyin."
"Huh?" Xia Lei grew panicked. "They’re really going to arrest her?"
"What, you think our country's laws are just for show? If she had just stolen several millions, or even tens of millions, it could still be swept under the carpet. However, she embezzled almost 30,000,000,000 in national assets. Such a huge sum has rarely been seen, even from the founding of our country till now. Who can cover up such a big thing?" said Shi Boren.
Xia Lei's mind was a complete mess.
"I'm warning you, don't interfere. I know you and Shentu Tianyin are married but your individual assets are separate and you two both run your own businesses independently. What she did has nothing to do with you."
Xia Lei laughed dryly. "She's my wife, how can I stay indifferent when something’s happened to her?"
Shi Boren spoke gravely, "You can't do anything even if you wanted to. Right now the country is under high pressure and is especially strict towards cases of corruption. Can you really bear the burden of such a huge case? It'll crush you to death!"
"Boss Shi, please look at the contributions I’ve made to our country. It should be enough to help Tianyin, right? After all, she's my wife. If she's imprisoned, then there won't be any meaning to whatever I do," said Xia Lei.
Shi Boren glared at Xia Lei. "You brat. Are you trying to say that you won't work here anymore if the higher-ups arrest your wife and put her in prison?"
"When did I say that?" Xia Lei's voice was small. "I was referring to the Alloy X Project. Oh, and the artillery and defense system technologies I brought back from Rheinmetall AG."
"Wait! What did you say?" Shi Boren's eyes suddenly widened.
"Ahem." Xia Lei cleared his throat before continuing, "I'm talking about Rheinmetall AG's artillery and defense system technology, their armored cars, their tanks and so on. I stayed there for three months and those three months weren't for nothing."
Shi Boren heard him clearly this time, but was still stunned for quite some time before he said, "So you mean that as long as you want to, you can produce Rheinmetall AG's artillery and defense systems?"
"And their armored cars and tanks,” added Xia Lei.
"What about the performance?"
"Better than Rheinmetall AG, of course. I studied the intelligent lathe in Germany back then and produced an even more advanced one after I returned to China, didn’t I? Oh, right, and I also used it in exchange for the Eurofighter Typhoon engine production line. Shouldn’t such big contributions be enough to guarantee my wife’s safety?" said Xia Lei rather shamelessly.
He was even willing to become a scoundrel if it could help Shentu Tianyin.
"This is this, that is that. Don't mix the two of them up."
"Then can you help me, and speak on my behalf?"
"Boy…" Shi Boren seemed to have reached his wits end with Xia Lei. "All right, I'll talk with the higher-ups. I’ll tell them what you said just now, but I can't intervene with their final decision. Go home first, and wait for my news."
"All right then, I'll be going now." Xia Lei turned to leave.
"Wait a moment." Shi Boren suddenly called Xia Lei to a stop. "Can you really make a more advanced model of Rheinmetall AG's artillery and defense systems?"
Xia Lei shrugged. "Of course. Would I joke around about such with you, Boss Shi?"
"I'm just worried that you won't be able to do as you claim after I go talk to the higher-ups. We won't have any way to account for it, then," said Shi Boren.
Xia Lei laughed. "Don't worry, Boss Shi. I can't give you a guarantee for other things, but when it comes to producing and improving firearms, I can even bet my head on it. There's nothing I can't make."
"Good! I was waiting for you to say that, Boy." Shi Boren waved his hand. "Now scram, go."
Xia Lei left Shi Boren's office.The results were not out yet, but he could already relax a little in advance. He was quite certain about this. Could 30,000,000,000 buy Rheinmetall AG's artillery and defense technology? There was the German armoured vehicle and tank technology too. He believed that as long as Shi Boren told the higher-ups this, they would definitely be tempted and make a decision.
For the country's benefit, there was nothing that could be pardoned. However, there was also nothing that could not be pardoned. The key word here was 'benefit', and the benefit he gave them could tempt anybody.
Tang Yuyan appeared at the end of the corridor. She leaned against the wall as she stared at Xia Lei. It seemed she wasn't passing through, but waiting for Xia Lei.
Xia Lei braced himself and walked over with a greeting, "Yuyan, what are you doing here?"
"Waiting for you," said Tang Yuyan evenly.
"Did you need me for something?" said Xia Lei.
"Let’s talk," said Tang Yuyan.
Xia Lei hesitated, but still nodded. "Where do you want to go?"
"Let's go to my office." Tang Yuyan led the way.
After entering Tang Yuyan's office, Xia Lei didn't take a seat but asked, "What did you want to discuss?"
"What? You don't even want to sit down in my office? You can fall asleep on Ling Bing's sofa in her office like it’s your own home." Tang Yuyan seemed discontent.
Xia Lei smiled wryly. "You know what I’m involved in right now. I'm not in the mood to chat meaninglessly with you, so I'm leaving if you don't have anything important to say."
"It's about Shentu Tianyin," said Tang Yuyan.
Xia Lei was about to leave but he stopped in his tracks. "Do you know something?"
"I’ve got some inside news," said Tang Yuyan. "Our Tang Sect has many people in the government and some in the prosecutor's office. I can tell you with certainty that what I know is definitely more than my godfather."
"Then hurry up and tell me, what’s your inside news?" Xia Lei was a little anxious.
Tang Yuyan plopped herself down on the sofa and adjusted the black skirt, folding it around her knees before crossing her legs. "I'm thirsty."
‘Then die of thirst!’ thought Xia Lei, but he wore a flattering smile on the outside. "I'll get you a cup of water."
Xia Lei went to fetch Tang Yuyan a glass of water and he served it to her with both hands. "Miss Tang, please have some water."
Tang Yuyan giggled. "All right, all right, take a seat. You poured me this cup of water, so I'll tell you the inside scoop." Before Xia Lei could sit, she suddenly grabbed his arm and pulled him down to sit beside her.
Tang Yuyan's lovely hips were right next to his hip, and they were practically touching with less than a tenth of a centimetre between them. Her black-stockinged legs were right in front of him, smooth and delicate, a sight too wonderful for words. However, he was currently in no mood to be admiring Tang Yuyan's sexiness. There was only Shentu Tianyin and her troubles in his mind.
"Are Shentu Tianyin's legs as beautiful as mine?" Tang Yuyan cocked her head at Xia Lei, and a corner of her lips was curled into an alluring, fox-like smile.
Whose legs were more beautiful, Tang Yuyan's or Shentu Tianyin’s? He had seen both their legs but Xia Lei had no answer for that question. Moreover, what was Tang Yuyan trying to do by suddenly changing the topic to legs?
Tang Yuyan's left hand slid gently up her left leg. Her delicate, snow-white hand made a rustling sound as it brushed up against her stockings. She straightened out her leg as she did this, showing off its perfection. It was slender and straight, both full and flexible. The length of her legs took up two thirds of her entire bodylength and could truly be described as perfect.
What the internet described vulgarly as 'legs that could be played with for a year' were precisely these legs.
As a woman who also practised martial arts, Tang Yuyan's legs were actually comparable to Liang Siyao's.
However, Xia Lei was in no mood to appreciate her beautiful legs. He gave her an awkward laugh as he forced himself to pander to Tang Yuyan. "Ahem, Miss Tang, what about the inside scoop you promised me?"
Tang Yuyan rolled her eyes at Xia Lei. "So you would even be nice to me like this in order to help clean up after Shentu Tianyin's mess. Where did that domineering aura from when you pointed a gun at yourself to help me escape go?"
What she was concerned about was all mixed up. Xia Lei's lips moved but he did not know what to say.
"I can remember that scene every time I close my eyes, but what can you think of now, other than Shentu Tianyin's stupid thing?" said Tang Yuyan.
This made Xia Lei angry, and he had already been anxious to start with. He didn't know what overcame him as he suddenly slapped Tang Yuyan’s black-stockinged thigh. His voice was savage as he said, "Enough. Stop talking nonsense and say it!"
Tang Yuyan paused for a bit, then laughed. "Now this is the Xia Lei I know. Shentu Tianyin tamed you. Broke you. I’ve straightened you out again."
Xia Lei was speechless.
"Okay, okay, I'll stop teasing you. The one who gave me the news was my uncle. He has a pretty high position in the prosecutor's office. He said that they had a closed door meeting specially about Shentu Tianyin. Because of how much money was involved, they've already reported it to the higher-ups and signed an arrest warrant for Shentu Tianyin. All they're waiting for is the word from the higher-ups."
"They've signed an arrest warrant for Shentu Tianyin just based on one phone call report? Isn't this too negligent?"
"They definitely had ample evidence, otherwise an arrest warrant wouldn't have been signed. Shentu Tianyin isn't some ordinary woman either and has a large influence in the country. She also has you, the Father of Rifles, for a husband. Think about it. How could they arrest her without conclusive evidence?"
