"What's there to panic about!?" Though Young Master Zheng Zhengbin immediately barked out, his face still changed color several times. His hands were clenched, and a hint of panic flickered deep in his eyes.

Even though Jin Zhenglin wielded considerable power, to their Zheng Family, he wasn't a huge deal—not the kind of person their family would genuinely fear. But the problem now… was just as Hua Ming had said before. Although Zheng Zhengbin bore the Zheng surname, he couldn't represent the entire Zheng Family! To put it bluntly, he was just a good-for-nothing wastrel who wasn't valued by the family; only his father held some real status.

But even his father probably wouldn't dare to offend Jin Zhenglin lightly, right? Yet here he was, the son, mindlessly causing such a scene. This naturally filled his heart with unavoidable worry and regret! He feared the issue would escalate and he'd have to bear the responsibility.

Even so, he refused to lose face in front of people like Zhou Zhengxu and Huang Kai. He forced a look of arrogance and said coldly, "What's there to fear!? So what if Jin Zhenglin is all high and mighty? Is he really going to disrespect my father and my family!?"

By now, he could only resort to bluffing to bolster his own confidence. In his view, given his status as Zheng Zhengbin, it was unlikely that Jin Zhenglin would push things too far and pursue the matter to the end, right?

"Of course, of course. As long as Bureau Chief Zheng is willing to step in, this major issue can be turned into a minor one, and a minor one into nothing at all. Why don't you call your dad, Young Master Zheng?" Hearing Zheng Zhengbin's nonsense, Huang Kai felt a wave of contempt but still put on a fawning expression.

There was no other way. At this point, only a major figure like Bureau Chief Zheng personally intervening could possibly quell Deputy Mayor Jin Zhenglin's anger. As for Zheng Zhengbin? What was this ignorant playboy good for?

"Call my dad?" Hearing this, Young Master Zheng Zhengbin's face fell.

If he really had to call his father over this, it would be a miracle if he wasn't scolded to death, or even beaten to a pulp when he got home!

"Yes, Young Master Zheng, now is not the time to be headstrong. If Deputy Mayor Jin really decides to punish us, we'll all be in deep trouble," the portly Huang Kai said, his expression changing. He couldn't hold back any longer when he saw Young Master Zheng Zhengbin still hesitating at a time like this. Clearly, his words were also an indirect warning to Zheng Zhengbin. If I, Huang Kai, go down, you, Young Master Zheng Zhengbin, certainly won't get away unscathed! We'll all have to face the music.

"Are you threatening me!?" Young Master Zheng Zhengbin flared up again, his voice cold.

"Not at all, not at all," Huang Kai replied.

"Director Huang, Young Master Zheng, both of you calm down. Actually, I think this situation might not be as bad as you're imagining." Zhou Zhengxu immediately stepped in to smooth things over. "Think about it. If Jinnan Jewelry really had such a strong connection with Deputy Mayor Jin Zhenglin, they probably would have entered Tongzhou with great fanfare years ago. Why wait until now?"

"That's true." Huang Kai couldn't help but nod. Deputy Mayor Jin Zhenglin had been entrenched in Tongzhou's political scene for at least ten or twenty years; his roots ran deep!

So if Jinnan Jewelry really had a close relationship with the Deputy Mayor, they wouldn't have waited until now to open a branch here, would they? Thinking of this, he couldn't help but ask, "So you mean…"

"I think that since the relationship between Jinnan Jewelry and Deputy Mayor Jin Zhenglin isn't as close as we imagined, we shouldn't scare ourselves. As long as we quickly unseal the shop and sincerely apologize to the Deputy Mayor, I believe a man of his status won't be petty enough to keep hounding a few juniors like us. Besides, don't forget Young Master Zheng is here. Would Jin Zhenglin dare to disrespect the Zheng Family?" Zhou Zhengxu truly lived up to his name as Young Master Zheng's Dog Head Military Advisor, proving to be somewhat useful at critical moments! Just like now, his analysis was quite coherent.

"That's right! With my status, even if Jin Zhenglin is the Deputy Mayor, he can't possibly keep pressing this forever!" Young Master Zheng Zhengbin's confidence was bolstered by his advisor's analysis. He regained his arrogant expression and declared loudly.

Just then, the portly Huang Kai's phone suddenly rang again. The shrill sound made his heart leap into his throat. "Director… Director Duan!?" He pulled out his phone, glanced at the caller ID, and his eyes filled with panic. The call was from the top man in their city bureau, Director Duan Lingxing!

"Director Duan, Duan Lingxing!?" Hearing the name, Zheng Zhengbin also turned pale. He didn't expect that after the news about Jin Zhenglin, Director Duan Lingxing would also call. Could it be…

"Hello, Director Duan? It's me, Little Huang." The portly Huang Kai, already drenched in sweat, answered the phone. His heart was pounding as he spoke with cautious reverence.

There was no helping it; a distant magistrate is no match for the official on the spot. As the direct head of their city bureau, the pressure Director Duan could exert on him was more direct and tangible than even Deputy Mayor Jin's. Of course he was scared.

"Huang Kai, you've got some nerve! Can you tell me who gave you the order to shut down Jinnan Jewelry!? Do you realize that Deputy Mayor Jin Zhenglin himself just called me? He said he's coming to our bureau to personally and thoroughly investigate why the Jinnan Jewelry store was sealed!" The voice of Director Duan Lingxing on the other end of the line immediately launched into a tirade, roaring without any reservation. "I don't care where you are right now, get your ass back here immediately! Otherwise, don't even think about coming back after tonight! You can go rot in a cell!"

The director on the other end didn't wait for Huang Kai to react and abruptly hung up the phone.

As the head of the city's Bureau of Industry and Commerce, Duan Lingxing was certainly aware of the shady dealings that went on under the surface. But a little underhanded play was one thing; dragging a major figure like Deputy Mayor Jin Zhenglin into it was another. What was this? Courting death with style!? But if you want a damn death wish, don't drag me, Duan Lingxing, down with you! Fuck! Utterly brain-dead! The man's eyes must be on his ass, completely blind!

Hearing the busy tone from the receiver, the portly Huang Kai was completely stunned, followed by an overwhelming sense of panic.

Just a moment ago, he felt that Zhou Zhengxu's analysis was correct, that Jinnan Jewelry likely had a casual, not-so-close relationship with Deputy Mayor Jin Zhenglin. But now? The Deputy Mayor himself was coming to their bureau to personally investigate the store's closure!? If this was investigated, what would happen? This was entirely their own private action, with only a casual mention to their superiors. More importantly, there was Deputy Mayor Jin Zhenglin's attitude… This was a clear sign of making a major issue of it, a sign of his fury! Otherwise, why would he get personally involved!?

"Director Huang, what's going on?" Seeing Huang Kai's dazed and soulless expression, Zheng Zhengbin felt a surge of panic.

"Deputy Mayor Jin is on his way to the city bureau. He said he wants to personally investigate the closure of Jinnan Jewelry," Huang Kai replied, looking up. His expression was dazed, his eyes wide with panic and emptiness.

"What!?" Hearing this, both Zheng Zhengbin and Zhou Zhengxu's faces instantly paled. They cried out in shock, and Zhou Zhengxu immediately fell silent, not daring to utter another word.

The Deputy Mayor is investigating personally!? Doesn't that mean we've fallen into a huge pit this time? We're finished, aren't we? Because the closure of Jinnan Jewelry was entirely the result of their scheming and pulling strings behind the scenes. In other words, they were the masterminds, the chief culprits!

"Damn it, is Jin Zhenglin sick in the head? It was just a misunderstanding! Does he have to be so ruthless!?" Young Master Zheng couldn't help but curse, though his heart was in complete turmoil.

If this matter was thoroughly investigated, he, Zheng Zhengbin, would definitely have to face the music! Even jail time wasn't out of the question!

"Young Master Zheng, don't panic yet. Even if he's the Deputy Mayor, your Zheng Family isn't to be trifled with! Why don't you call your father right now and ask him to have a word with Jin Zhenglin?" At that moment, Zhou Zhengxu finally couldn't hold back any longer.

"That's right, Young Master Zheng. You should hurry up and call Bureau Chief Zheng. If this matter goes through official channels, it's going to be a real disaster," urged Huang Kai anxiously.

"Alright then, I'll call my dad." Hearing this, Zheng Zhengbin hesitated for a long moment before finally giving in. There was no other choice; he couldn't afford to wait for this to become an official proceeding. If that happened, it would be real trouble. He, Young Master Zheng Zhengbin, might actually end up in prison. With that, he dialed the number of his father, Zheng Changhong.

Zheng Changhong of the Zheng Family of Jiangnan Province was one of the family's more successful members operating in the province. His current position was Deputy Director of the Provincial Bureau of Industry and Commerce. Since he indirectly oversaw economic affairs, his implicit authority was immense, and he carried considerable weight within Jiangnan Province.

Of course, compared to a deputy mayor of the provincial capital, he was still clearly outranked. When he heard that his own son was secretly engaging in illegal activities—strong-arming, extorting, and bullying people—and worse, had targeted someone like Deputy Mayor Jin Zhenglin, he was both furious and anxious. After barraging Zheng Zhengbin with a string of 'moron,' 'idiot,' and 'imbecile,' he demanded with a grim face to know what had happened.

But after listening to his son's explanation, he, too, was somewhat confused. He couldn't understand what Jin Zhenglin was up to. After all, hadn't his son, Zheng Changhong's son, already offered to back down? Why was he still pursuing the matter so relentlessly? What was the point?

As the saying goes, even if you hold the monk in contempt, you must still show respect for the Buddha he serves. Yet here was Jin Zhenglin, making such a big fuss over such a 'trifle.'

Could it be that the guy had a problem with him, Zheng Changhong, and was using this to come after him!? At this thought, Zheng Changhong's expression grew dark. He snapped into the phone, "You little bastard, your nerve is getting out of hand! How dare you pull a stunt like this... I'll deal with you properly after I've handled this! You just wait! Hmph!" He then hung up the phone.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.