Chapter 258: Preparing the Set Menu

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Ming noticed that Cao Jianing was staring at him in disbelief.

"Advisor Zhou, did you really speak to Colonel Tao like that? Aren't you afraid?" Cao Jianing asked, stunned.

Zhou Ming seemed nonchalant as he replied, "What's there to be afraid of? He's just a colonel, not the commander or the political commissar."

"My goodness, Advisor Zhou, don't you understand the military hierarchy?" Cao Jianing said, incredulous. "Colonel Tao is the chief of staff for our Lingnan Military District. He's not some office clerk; he's a major general, a real general who commands an entire army group! You're talking about someone who can mobilize tens of thousands of troops!"

"Oh, so the person who called me was a general?" Zhou Ming asked, feigning surprise. But his surprise was brief, and he continued innocently, "But what does being a general have to do with me?"

"Do you realize that with just a moment's notice, he could send a reinforced battalion to smash up your nightclub?" Cao Jianing said.

Zhou Ming displayed an even more bewildered expression and said, "But why would he come and smash up my nightclub? I only stated the facts. I'm merely a whistleblower and truly have no influence over the actions of the armed police. He can't possibly force me to do something against my will."

Zhou Ming shook his head. "I really don't understand why he would come after me. Obviously, it would make more sense to confront you, General Cao, the descendant of a marshal."

Zhou Ming paused for a moment and then added, "Besides, aren't our soldiers supposed to protect the country and its people? As a general in the people's army, shouldn't he uphold these noble responsibilities and not ignore the law by sending troops to destroy my legitimate business? Such actions are certainly wrong and should be punished by military tribunal."

Faced with Zhou Ming's stern and righteous demeanor, Cao Jianing was at a loss for words. It was hard to believe that Zhou Ming genuinely didn't understand. Cao Jianing knew that Zhou Ming was aware of what he was talking about, but the fact that Zhou Ming continued to make such statements left him utterly confused.

Seeing Cao Jianing's stunned expression, Zhou Ming smiled and said, "Alright, General Cao, I'm not saying this to imply anything else. I just have great confidence in our legal system and the central government's policies. I believe the country will never tolerate someone behaving so lawlessly, even if that person is a general."

Cao Jianing couldn't comprehend where Zhou Ming's confidence came from. If Zhou Ming were the child of some influential leader, it would be understandable, but he had no such background. How could he have such confidence?

However, Cao Jianing didn't delve further into it, because Zhou Ming continued, "General Cao, the events unfolding now are all playing out according to the script we've written. As long as we handle this correctly and achieve the results we want, you should be able to handle things on your end, right?"

This statement made Cao Jianing's eyes light up. He nodded and said, "That's right. Although many people seem to support my elder brother now, they're actually just waiting to see how things develop. After all, not everyone dares to challenge the central government. If we can remove a few key figures, my elder brother might come to his senses. Even if he doesn't, he will lose his ability to resist the central government."

Cao Jianing became increasingly excited as he spoke, "As long as the path for my elder brother is blocked, the Cao family will believe that my ideas are correct!"

"Alright, since your end is all set, I'll head back to Nanjiang now. Let's save the meal for another day. After all, I've struggled so hard to start from scratch; I don't want General Tao mobilizing the military to dismantle my place!"

Zhou Ming joked and then left the private room. As he reached the door, he turned back to Cao Jianing and said, "General Cao, I've found that the old-fashioned mobile phone is quite useful. The future of mobile signal networks in Lingnan and across the country will depend on you. Also, if the old phone could be made smaller, that would be great."

Cao Jianing was momentarily stunned, and by the time he came to his senses, Zhou Ming had already left the room. Cao Jianing stared at the door and muttered, "Could it be that this guy is eyeing the future mobile phone market too?"

---

Outside, after Zhou Ming left the private room, his relaxed expression gradually gave way to tension. After all, he had offended a major general and was now on someone else's turf. Zhou Ming wasn't truly indifferent and couldn't help but worry. He hurried back to Nanjiang, which took over three hours by car due to the less developed roads of the time.

Taking Cao Jianing's hint, Zhou Ming went straight to the nightclub upon arriving in Nanjiang and found Kong Xiaolin. Without any small talk, he said to her, "Xiaolin, I know you work hard at the nightclub every day, even during the holidays. Tonight, I'm giving you time off to rest. Your salary will still be paid as usual."

While most people would be thrilled to receive paid leave from their boss, Kong Xiaolin immediately sensed something and asked, "Boss Zhou, has something happened?"

Zhou Ming sighed inwardly, realizing that Kong Xiaolin was a perceptive woman who saw through his attempts to keep things hidden.

Since he couldn't hide it, Zhou Ming decided to be honest. "There might be some trouble at the nightclub tonight or in the next few days. For your safety, it's best if you avoid it."

Kong Xiaolin frowned. "Boss Zhou, are there going to be disturbances at the club?"

"It seems you're still worried about what happened last time," Zhou Ming said with a bitter smile. "Xiaolin, if someone else asked me, I'd say there's nothing to worry about. But I won't lie to you. This time it's more serious and might involve a major general who commands hundreds of thousands of troops. So it's best if you leave…"

Before Zhou Ming could finish, Kong Xiaolin interrupted him. "I'm not leaving. I don't care if he's a major general or a marshal. As long as you're here, I'll stay!"

Zhou Ming was taken aback, staring at Kong Xiaolin. He knew of her feelings for him but didn't expect her to be so determined.

"Boss Zhou, I'm no longer a little girl. I know I'm not worthy of you, but I just like you and want to be with you!" Kong Xiaolin said.

They say adversity reveals true feelings, and Kong Xiaolin's declaration in this moment deeply moved Zhou Ming.

Zhou Ming thought for a moment, then patted Kong Xiaolin on the head. "Xiaolin, I'm touched that you say this now. Alright, I agree that you can stay, but no matter what happens, you must ensure your own safety. Do you understand? Because if anything happens to you, I will be very heartbroken."

Women are often more emotional, especially in front of someone they like and admire.

Upon hearing Zhou Ming's words, Kong Xiaolin's tears welled up, and she choked out, "Okay, I will make sure to protect myself."

"I trust you, Xiaolin. As long as you're safe, I'll be at ease," Zhou Ming said with a sigh of relief. "But Xiaolin, I'd like to ask you for a favor. There's a naive girl named Tang Ran in Nanjiang. She's not very resourceful, and I'm worried she might get into trouble. Could you help me look after her? You should know where she lives, right?"

Kong Xiaolin nodded. "I know. I'll handle things at the nightclub and then go arrange it for her."

Kong Xiaolin agreed and immediately went to the general manager's office. Zhou Ming watched her leave, sighing, "I hope General Tao doesn't drag this out."

Zhou Ming's request for Kong Xiaolin to look after Tang Ran was deliberate, aimed at keeping her away from potential trouble. Zhou Ming had a premonition that trouble would occur at the nightclub tonight. Even if he and Kong Xiaolin had no future together, he didn't want her to get hurt.

After pondering, Zhou Ming decided to agree to her staying but used arranging for Tang Ran as a way to send her away.

Kong Xiaolin seemed to sense something, and as Zhou Ming was considering this, she quickly came back. Zhou Ming was surprised by how fast she had completed the arrangements. Kong Xiaolin smiled and said that the nightclub's supervisors were capable of handling things on their own, and she quickly left again.

Shaking his head and clearing his mind, Zhou Ming picked up the old-fashioned mobile phone and dialed a number. The call was answered quickly, and Zhou Ming said, "Hello, Zhang Heng? This is Zhou Ming. Can you come to the Nanjiang nightclub tonight? I need your help with something… Yes, that matter I mentioned before. Please be prepared… Thank you for coming."

After ending that call, Zhou Ming dialed another number. "Hello, Director Zhao? This is Zhou Ming…"

With several calls made, Zhou Ming finally let out a deep breath. He muttered to himself, "General Tao, I've prepared a set menu for you tonight. Don't back out now!"