Chapter 95: Six Men and Three Women at the Scene

"Secretary Duan, you have impressed me once again," Yang Meng said, sighing as he watched the recording on his phone. "Isn't your efficiency a bit too fast?"

Duan Bowen waved his hand with a smile. "It's just a minor trick. People like us don't have the great talents of Mr. Yang, so we have to rely on interpersonal relationships to get by!"

Yang Meng shook his head. "Aren't you trying to make ordinary people like us feel ashamed with that kind of talk?" He turned off the video on his phone and said, "After watching for so long, it turns out this is just 'The Legend of Zhen Huan: Training Manual'."

Duan Bowen asked, puzzled, "'The Legend of Zhen Huan: Training Manual'? What does that mean?"

Yang Meng explained, "Look at that Zhen Huan. The Emperor said she was 'pure, innocent, and indifferent to worldly gains.' Yet, she turned around and gave the Emperor a 'green hat,' bearing a child with another prince. And if having the child wasn't enough, she killed that prince in the end to save herself. What do we call such a person today? A 'green tea bitch.' Everything Liu Zhaoting taught in her lectures boils down to training people to be 'green tea' types. Do they really think men are all idiots?"

Duan Bowen coughed twice. "Your friend and Mr. Zhang fell for it."

Yang Meng laughed upon hearing this. "Well, they are idiots!"

Duan Bowen pointed at Yang Meng's phone. "I have to admit, these tactics are specifically designed to handle men. They are quite lethal to some."

Yang Meng nodded. "Exactly. To put it bluntly, it’s just the 'Three Obediences and Four Virtues' wrapped in modern clothing! I have to say, many men buy into it."

Duan Bowen thought for a moment and suddenly asked, "Tell me, Brother Yang, what do you think of Sister Long Xixiang?"

"Long Xixiang?" Yang Meng paused. "She has lived her life like the lead actress of a workplace drama; what else could I think?"

"A workplace drama lead actress? What does that mean?" Duan Bowen asked, confused.

Yang Meng laughed. "There are only two types of lead actresses in current workplace dramas: one is the naive, clumsy rookie who has incredible luck; the other is the 'strong woman' archetype. Isn't Long Xixiang the latter type? Her taste relies on luxury brands, and her authority relies on raising her voice."

"Pfft." Duan Bowen chuckled. "Alright, now that I think about it, what you said makes perfect sense. But these so-called 'workplace dramas' nowadays are unwatchable. I feel like those screenwriters have never even stepped foot in a real office. For instance, the 'strong woman' characters you mentioned—how many dramas actually show them working hard? They only focus on their romantic entanglements. They are all just romance dramas disguised as workplace shows."

"Oh?" Yang Meng smiled. "Secretary Duan, you actually watch these dramas?"

Duan Bowen nodded. "Everyone needs some time to relax, don't they? But I never watch workplace dramas. I'm in the workplace every day and I'm already sick of it. Seeing those messy, so-called 'workplace dramas' on TV, I don't even know how to begin complaining about them."

Yang Meng asked, "Is it really that exaggerated? I don't have any experience working in an office."

Duan Bowen said, "Look at those workplace dramas; they’re all cut from the same cloth: if it's a woman, she must be covered in luxury brands; she can't distinguish between work and personal time; there's always a caring benefactor by her side; ability doesn't matter, only luck does. I'm not exaggerating—do people like that exist in a real workplace? The odds of them surviving in a company are one in ten thousand! They would have been eliminated and sent home long ago. The workplace is the most ruthless place for survival of the fittest. That’s why I don't watch those dramas; they’re all a joke."

Yang Meng pondered. "Can I take that as you saying Long Xixiang is a joke? Doesn't she wear luxury brands every single day?"

Duan Bowen explained, "That’s where you’re wrong about Sister Xixiang. She studied abroad in Europe for a long time, and wearing those clothes has simply become a habit."

Yang Meng laughed. "Secretary Duan, why are you so nervous? If I had Long Xixiang's upbringing, I wouldn't guarantee much else, but if it came down to who could burn through money faster, I could beat her by five city blocks!"

Duan Bowen thought for a moment and changed the subject. "Mr. Yang, how do you plan to handle this video?"

Yang Meng looked at his phone. "I'll give it to my buddy and let him make his own decision."

"And what do you intend to do about this woman?" Duan Bowen asked.

Yang Meng scratched his head. "It's hard for even an honest official to settle family affairs. I'm a bit confused myself. You say I should go all out and destroy that girl to vent his frustration? What if my buddy finds out and feels bad about it? Ling Feng isn't like Qi Kun. Qi Kun talks easily but has a ruthless heart; his cousin is the type who acts tough but has a heart softer than anyone—otherwise, he wouldn't be a policeman, right?"

Duan Bowen nodded. "Fine, I'll help you look into the background of that training institution."

"Then I thank you very much!" Yang Meng said.

Duan Bowen continued, "By the way, Lawyer Wang told me today that the judge in charge of your case has been changed. This judge reached out to Lawyer Wang, implying that he hopes you can be magnanimous and give those young people a chance."

The Lawyer Wang he mentioned was a member of the Long Group's legal team, named Wang Zhihao. He was highly skilled and nicknamed 'The Undefeated.'

Yang Meng widened his eyes. "Damn it, that’s the kind of thing I hate the most! They keep preaching about being magnanimous, which reminds me of that load of crap: 'You should be grateful to those who hurt you, because it is because of them that you become strong.' Pfft! They hurt me, I suffered, and now I have to be grateful to them? Hurt is hurt! If you commit a wrong, you should bear the responsibility! Want me to forgive them? No way!"

Duan Bowen said, "However, Mr. Yang, Lawyer Wang wanted me to tell you that some of those kids come from very wealthy families. If you want to achieve a satisfactory result in this lawsuit, it might cost quite a bit of money."

Yang Meng thought about it. "No matter how much it costs, I want a satisfactory result! I'll find a way to earn the money, but I want two things: justice! Damn, I don't get it. I’m the victim, so why is it so difficult for me to get a fair result?"

Duan Bowen remarked, "Mr. Yang, don't complain. In this society, 99% of things can be solved with money."

"And what about the other 1%?" Yang Meng asked curiously.

Duan Bowen said as if it were obvious, "Of course, that requires even more money!"

Yang Meng burst into laughter.

Nearby, Long Teng watched Yang Meng and Duan Bowen whispering and asked curiously, "Brother Yang, Bowen, what are you two chatting about so intensely?"

Yang Meng pointed at Qi Kun and Zhang Cuijian and said, "We’re betting on which one of them will drink the other under the table."

Qi Kun and Zhang Cuijian were currently drinking heavily, while Hu Erleng was adding fuel to the fire on the side.

Long Teng and Bai Ze exchanged glances, just about to ask Yang Meng for some martial arts advice, when Yang Meng's phone rang. Seeing the number, Yang Meng frowned.

The caller was none other than Ling Feng, whom they hadn't been able to reach.

He glanced at Qi Kun, who was busy drinking. *Well, after what just happened, and with these two drinking, it's probably better they don't know Ling Feng is calling.*

Yang Meng decided to act on this thought. "You guys keep drinking; I'm going outside to take a call."

Hu Erleng grumbled loudly, "What kind of business requires going outside to take a call?"

Qi Kun shouted, "It must be a woman, that goes without saying! Tell me, Meng, are you going to play secret agent like 'Crazy' too?"

Yang Meng laughed and cursed, "Shut up and worry about your weight-loss endeavor! This is an era where people judge by appearances. No one can tell at a glance if your brands are fake or real, but everyone can see your big belly from ten meters away! Enough, I'm done talking to you!"

He jogged out of the room and answered the phone when he saw no one was around. "Tell me, Crazy, what's wrong with your phone? It's harder to get through to than the mayor's hotline! We tried to get you for dinner today and couldn't reach you."

Ling Feng said, speechless, "You took so long to answer, and the first thing you do is complain? Didn't I have a mission? Today's mission was a bit special—a drug bust."

Yang Meng sighed. "You’re dealing with drugs now? Be careful! Use your head!"

Ling Feng said, "Don't worry. That last incident was a special case. Our city has been peaceful for so many years, and that was the first time something like that happened, and I just happened to be there! I've only just been officially appointed; can I afford to slack off?"

Yang Meng laughed. "Alright, alright, every cloud has a silver lining. Why are you calling me all of a sudden? Actually, I have something to talk to you about. Are you free now?"

He had wanted to talk to Ling Feng privately about Liu Zhaoting, but Ling Feng misunderstood. "Look, Meng, don't try to persuade me. I want to be a policeman; it has nothing to do with salary or status. It's been my dream since I was a kid! I won't resign just because of some barbecue shop. I appreciate you leaving me a share, but you can leave that for Long Xia."

"To hell with your dream! You also dreamed of the Isle of Man TT!" Yang Meng laughed and scolded. "I'm not calling to make you quit; there’s something else! Real business!"

"Oh? That's convenient, I have real business with you too!" Ling Feng said.

"What kind of business could you possibly have with me?" Yang Meng asked, puzzled.

But the moment Ling Feng spoke, Yang Meng froze: "Is your ex-girlfriend named Wang Xinnuan, a third-year student in the International Trade Department at Handong University?"

"How do you know that? Did you secretly investigate me?" Yang Meng frowned.

Ling Feng retorted, "Investigate you, my foot! Do I look like I have nothing better to do? We received a tip-off tonight about a group drug-use party. We arrived at the scene and caught nine people, six men and three women. The scene... I won't even tell you, it would only upset you. Your ex-girlfriend, Wang Xinnuan, was one of them."

"What?" Yang Meng widened his eyes. "Are you kidding me?"

Ling Feng sighed. "Didn't I just confirm it with you? Do you think I'm kidding? But listen, buddy, I have to tell you—an administrative detention is certain for her. The only difference is whether it's five days or fifteen. What do you want to do?"

Yang Meng was silent for a moment, then said, "Ling Feng, wait for me. I'm coming over to take a look."

"Come over to look at what, you idiot! Hello? Hello? Damn, he hung up so fast!"