Capítulo 57: Chapter 59: The Aspirations of a Ruler
At the airport.
Wu Mengjie spread her arms wide, saying to Wu Zhiming, "Hug me. A farewell hug."
Wu Zhiming shook his head and said, "Hurry up, or you'll be late."
"No way!" Wu Mengjie insisted, pouting.
The sight of a beautiful woman acting coy was enough to make everyone around them stop and stare, mesmerized by her charm.
With no other option, Wu Zhiming reluctantly opened his arms and gave Wu Mengjie a quick hug.
"Wait for my return!" Wu Mengjie whispered softly.
"Mm-hmm," Wu Zhiming responded briefly, gently pushing her away.
Dragging her suitcase, Wu Mengjie walked towards the airport, turning back every few steps to look at him.
Once she had disappeared into the terminal, Wu Zhiming got back into the car.
Li Sina started the engine and headed towards the Wu Group offices.
"Your sister likes you," Li Sina remarked.
Wu Zhiming looked out the window, his expression indifferent. "A good bodyguard shouldn't talk much."
"My apologies," Li Sina said, sounding genuinely sorry.
Just then, Wu Zhiming's phone rang. It was Dong Jian calling.
"Boss, Dishu has arrived in Haixia City," Dong Jian reported.
"Send me the location," Wu Zhiming instructed.
"Will do."
Dong Jian sent the location to Wu Zhiming, who then directed Li Sina to turn the car around and drive to the address.
Before long, they arrived in front of a two-story building.
"Wait in the car," Wu Zhiming said as he got out.
Li Sina also stepped out, intending to follow, but soon realized that Wu Zhiming had vanished into the maze of alleys around them.
Alarmed, she looked around but couldn't determine which alley he had taken. Frustrated, she frowned, then reluctantly got back into the car.
Meanwhile, Wu Zhiming slipped through one of the narrow alleys and entered an ordinary-looking house. He climbed to the second floor, where he found two men waiting.
One was Dong Jian, and the other was a man with sharp features and a small, wiry frame, standing at about 1.5 meters tall—a man unlikely to easily find a wife.
Upon seeing Wu Zhiming, the man grinned and greeted him quietly, "Boss."
His voice was so soft, the word "boss" barely audible unless you paid close attention.
"Dishu, it's been a while. How was the journey?" Wu Zhiming asked with a smile.
"Not too bad. When I was leaving the battlefield, that old bastard tried to block me. I had to take out six of his men before I could get away," Dishu, the wiry man, recounted.
"With me gone, he must feel like it's his prime time," Wu Zhiming chuckled.
"Absolutely. He's practically taken over the entire battlefield now and keeps trying to recruit our men. But no one gives him any attention. It's just because you're not interested in dealing with him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have any place there," Dishu said disdainfully.
"That old guy just can't seem to tire of it. I've moved on, but he's still at it," Wu Zhiming shook his head, smiling.
"Boss, I heard from Mr. Dong that your plan has officially begun?" Dishu inquired.
"Yes," Wu Zhiming nodded.
"That's a monumental task. I hope you achieve your goal!" Dishu said sincerely.
"Let's see how it unfolds," Wu Zhiming replied with a smile. "The Shen family was willing to marry off Shen Hongyue to my father and plan for over twenty years for that thing. Others will undoubtedly be scheming for it as well. Soon, the entire Dragon Country will become incredibly lively."
Dishu nodded. If the legends were true, the entire Dragon Country would indeed become very animated soon.
"Everyone thinks the Master rose to power just for the family head position. They have no idea that you endured all these years to strike now, all for that thing. But the Shen family must have noticed by now," Dong Jian observed.
"Let them notice. I've waited until now to catch them off guard. They have no way to counteract me now. They can only watch as I move to seize it!" Wu Zhiming declared proudly.
"The Shen family must be fuming, seeing their twenty-plus years of effort go down the drain. They must hate you to the core!" Dong Jian chuckled.
"Let them hate. Whether they do or not, the old and new grievances between us and the Shen family will have to be settled," Wu Zhiming said, turning to Dishu. "Dong Jian should have briefed you on your mission, right?"
"Yes, my mission is to infiltrate the police station and identify the person who stopped Greedy Wolf a few days ago," Dishu said.
"Good. Finish it tonight. I want to know who intervened back then. I have some guesses, but I need concrete evidence," Wu Zhiming replied.
"I won't let you down," Dishu nodded confidently.
"Dong Jian, brief Dishu on any other details he needs to know. Once you've completed this task, Dishu, don't return. After taking out so many of that old guy's men, he's surely itching for payback," Wu Zhiming advised.
"I'm flexible. If you need me, I'll stay. If not, I can go back and continue our game with that old guy," Dishu grinned.
"Alright," Wu Zhiming nodded and then turned to leave.
"Boss seems different now," Dishu remarked to Dong Jian after Wu Zhiming left.
"You noticed too?" Dong Jian asked.
"Yeah, he smiles more," Dishu observed.
Dong Jian smiled and nodded in agreement.
"Why?" Dishu asked, curious.
Dong Jian shook his head and remained silent.
Elsewhere, Wu Zhiming emerged from the alley and got back into the car.
"Boss, did you forget what I told you earlier?" Li Sina turned from the driver's seat, staring at Wu Zhiming.
"I went to meet a friend. It wasn't appropriate for a third person to be there," Wu Zhiming explained.
"But it's my duty to ensure your safety! What if you were attacked? Someone has already targeted you, and they might still be watching!" Li Sina responded seriously.
"I'll be more careful in the future," Wu Zhiming assured her.
Though clearly frustrated, Li Sina said nothing more and started the car, driving away.
Back at the Wu Group, Wu Zhiming had just sat down when Yao Jing walked in.
"My mom wants us to have dinner tonight at the Crowne Plaza Hotel," Yao Jing said.
"The Crowne Plaza? That's not her usual style for inviting us to dinner. Is someone else coming?" Wu Zhiming asked.
"Yes, my uncle and aunt's family are visiting," Yao Jing replied.
"Oh, Zhou Kaixuan's family. I remember them," Wu Zhiming nodded. Over the past few years, he had often been ridiculed by Zhou Kaixuan's family. Zhou Kaixuan and Zhou Yanqiu liked to compete subtly, making Wu Zhiming the target of Zhou Kaixuan's jibes during family gatherings. They mocked and belittled him at every opportunity.
However, this time, Zhou Yanqiu's choice of the Crowne Plaza likely aimed to reclaim her dignity, since Wu Zhiming was no longer the person he once was.
"I'm not going," Wu Zhiming shook his head.
Going to the Crowne Plaza just to humiliate Zhou Kaixuan's family felt petty. Despite their past insults, he found the idea of gloating over them distasteful, especially if it meant seeing Zhou Yanqiu basking in their defeat. To Wu Zhiming, stepping on people like Zhou Kaixuan, who were now inconsequential, seemed trivial and beneath him.
"My mom rarely invites you to a nice dinner. Can you give her some face? And me too," Yao Jing pleaded.
"You know as well as I do that she just wants to use me to humiliate your uncle's family. She doesn't really want to treat me to dinner," Wu Zhiming said.
"Sometimes my mom can be a bit manipulative, but you're still her son-in-law," Yao Jing argued.
"If you want me to go just to help your mom put down your uncle, then I'll go," Wu Zhiming said.
"Maybe we can find a middle ground," Yao Jing suggested.
"Forget it. You go. The car you drive, the jewelry you wear, and the bag you carry all show that you're doing better than your uncle's family. You don't need me there," Wu Zhiming waved her off.
Seeing his firm stance, Yao Jing had no choice but to leave.
Wu Zhiming knew Yao Jing was upset, but his decision remained unchanged. He disliked her uncle's family, but they only mocked him once a year, amounting to three or four times in total. In contrast, Zhou Yanqiu had belittled him countless times over the years. While he could let go of those past grievances with Zhou Yanqiu, he couldn't bring himself to boost her pride by showing up at the dinner.
It felt beneath him.
For a moment, Wu Zhiming felt a pang of melancholy. He had always considered Yao Jing a smart woman, one who understood how to support a man. But in this case, she seemed more concerned about Zhou Yanqiu's feelings.
Then he quickly regained his composure. His relationship with Yao Jing lacked deep emotional bonds, so it made sense that she would prioritize her mother's feelings.
After all, humans are driven by emotions, and the closest bonds are often blood ties. No matter what kind of person Zhou Yanqiu was, as long as she was Yao Jing's mother, Yao Jing would naturally lean towards her.
Wu Zhiming wasn't one to dwell on trivial matters, especially not with his wife. In his eyes, more pressing issues needed his attention. He had wealth, influence, and skills, but he still wasn't at the pinnacle. He wasn't yet among the true elite. Years of oppression had taught him that to avoid being trampled on or looked down upon, one must continually strive upwards. Only by reaching the summit could one escape being bullied.
This resolute character, formed from years of suppression, drove Wu Zhiming. Even though he had achieved what many coveted, he remained unsatisfied. He harbored grander ambitions. He wanted to leave a lasting legacy.
Affairs of the heart were mere distractions on the path to greatness.
Throughout history, great rulers were often devoid of sentimentality. Wu Zhiming aspired to be such a ruler, one whose name would echo through the ages.
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