Chapter 363: So Innocent That It's Endearing

The next morning, Zhou Ming and Du Peng drove to a tea house at Dongmen Commercial Plaza. A young man in his thirties was waiting for them at the entrance. This young man was none other than Tan Qianjun.

Tan Qianjun, dressed in a grayish-blue Zhongshan suit, exuded the grace and demeanor cultivated from over thirty years in a prestigious family. He appeared every bit the refined prince as he greeted Zhou Ming and Du Peng with a smile.

Zhou Ming and Du Peng were taken aback by Tan Qianjun's demeanor, given the current dire situation for the Tan family. Last night, Jiang Chunhua, whom Tan Qianjun considered his right-hand man, had been arrested by the Nanjiang Public Security Bureau. It was clear that Zhou Ming's revenge was unfolding step by step, leaving Tan Qianjun in a precarious position.

Under normal circumstances, Tan Qianjun might have been worried sick, but he maintained his relaxed and pleasant demeanor. Whether this was due to genuine resilience or exceptional composure, it was evident that Tan Qianjun was no ordinary person.

As the saying goes, "It's hard to hit someone who's smiling." With Tan Qianjun presenting such a courteous stance, Zhou Ming and Du Peng had no choice but to reciprocate politely.

The three exchanged pleasantries at the entrance before Tan Qianjun invited them inside the tea house to a private room he had already prepared.

Once they were seated and the waiter had served the porridge and tea, Tan Qianjun picked up his tea cup and said, "I've just arrived in Lingnan and learned that people here have a habit of enjoying morning tea. So, today, as a northerner, I will follow local customs and propose a toast to you both with tea instead of wine."

Tan Qianjun took a sip of his tea, followed by Zhou Ming and Du Peng. Zhou Ming smiled and said, "I didn't expect Mr. Tan to adapt to this habit so quickly. You're certainly better at it than Du Peng and I."

Tan Qianjun responded, "Zhou Ming, are you implying that I have too much free time? Although morning tea is a good habit, it requires some leisure time. By saying that, aren't you indirectly suggesting that I'm idle and useless here in Lingnan?"

Du Peng sarcastically remarked, "How could Mr. Tan possibly be idle? From the shutdown of the Nanjiang Nightclub to the Jiang Chunhua incident, if Mr. Tan is still considered idle, I don't know what being busy looks like." Tan Qianjun did not respond.

Zhou Ming, unlike Du Peng, laughed heartily. "I hadn't thought of it that way. It seems Mr. Tan is more meticulous in this regard than I am."

Tan Qianjun sighed and said, "It's not so much about being meticulous as it is about being naturally sensitive. I've known both of you for quite a while, and I've long wanted to invite you out for morning tea. It would be delightful to chat and catch up, but due to various reasons, this is the first opportunity I've had."

"It's quite rare. After all, with both of us having so many things to do, finding a chance to align our schedules is not easy," Zhou Ming said.

Tan Qianjun's expression stiffened slightly, clearly not pleased with the implied criticism. However, he did not show his displeasure and said, "Zhou Ming, please don't mock me. I realize that what I've done this time is rather foolish. I'm sure you've guessed the purpose of this invitation, right?"

The purpose was not hard to guess. Tan Qianjun had called them last night, the same night Zhou Ming led the police to arrest Jiang Chunhua at the Golden Splendor Nightclub. With such a major event, the prominent Tan Qianjun surely knew about it. Given the previous incidents in Beijing, including the resignation of Tan Qianjun's father, the current situation seemed to be leading to a straightforward conclusion: when you can't win, you settle with compromises.

On the surface, this seemed to be the case. But Zhou Ming was aware that Tan Qianjun was here for more than just a simple concession; he was presenting an unexpectedly revealing answer.

"There are some ideas, but the specifics depend on Mr. Tan's intentions," Zhou Ming said diplomatically.

Tan Qianjun smiled proudly and said, "Do you think you've already won and that I'm here to beg for mercy? You're very wrong. I'm here to formally warn you: playing a few tricks and gaining an advantage is fine, but continuing down this path will only bring misfortune upon yourself!"

Zhou Ming replied with a smile, "Mr. Tan, if I were you, I wouldn't say that."

"You wouldn't? Who do you think you are?" Tan Qianjun said disdainfully. "Do you remember what I said when we first met? I still stand by those words. Zhou Ming, you're nothing but a monkey in human clothing. Just because you're dressed like a man doesn't make you one. In reality, you're still just a bare-assed monkey!"

"Now, you think that by using some schemes to smear my father and arrest Xiao Hua, you've won and can drive me to despair? I'll beg for mercy? Dream on!"

Tan Qianjun paused for effect, took a leisurely sip of his tea, and continued, "To be honest, I admire you, Zhou Ming. I didn't expect that, despite using nearly all my family's resources, even pushing Yang Lao to suggest you go abroad, you would still manage to turn things around. That's impressive."

Tan Qianjun gave Zhou Ming a thumbs-up. "Your mind is incredibly sharp, and your control over every situation is superb. You've managed to maximize every resource at your disposal and even noticed many details. All of that commands respect."

However, Tan Qianjun then shifted gears abruptly. "But you have a fatal flaw. Do you know what it is?"

"What is it?" Zhou Ming asked.

"It's your grasp of the big picture. In short, while your tactics are creative and your execution flawless, you have a fatal flaw in strategy. This flaw will prevent you from ever truly defeating me," Tan Qianjun said. "That flaw is your background and your identity."

Zhou Ming gestured for him to continue. "Please explain."

"Since you're so eager to learn, I'll tell you. Because of your lowly background, you can't understand concepts like 'situations' and 'forces.' You'll always rely on your own narrow ideas. Although you've done well and achieved great breakthroughs, you don't have the high status to understand or see the central-level situations," Tan Qianjun said disdainfully. "In simple terms, you can achieve minor victories but suffer total defeats. You'll never be able to pose a fundamental threat to me."

"Is it just because of the lack of central support?" Zhou Ming asked.

"That's one aspect. Without central support and political backing, even the most brilliant ideas are mere tricks. More importantly, you can never truly grasp the central government's true intentions. I'll be honest: this trouble for the Tan family was arranged by us," Tan Qianjun said.

"Arranged by you?" Zhou Ming and Du Peng were surprised.

Tan Qianjun, with an air of confidence, took out a cigarette, lit it, and exhaled a smoke ring before continuing, "Yes, we arranged it ourselves. The Tan family's power has grown so large that even the central government is wary. This is not a good omen. To avoid disaster, we deliberately left a flaw for the central government to address."

"It sounds fantastical, but that's the reality," Tan Qianjun said. "I'm sure you don't understand what the central government truly cares about."

Zhou Ming and Du Peng remained silent, finding it hard to believe. Tan Qianjun, seeing their reactions, smiled even more happily. "I knew you wouldn't understand. I'm not afraid to tell you that as our family's influence grows, the central government will seek to weaken us but will never strike decisively. The reason is the new company I control."

"My new company has been a benchmark for the central government's reforms since the opening up. If we were dealt with, it would mean overturning ten years of reform achievements. The central government will never do such a thing," Tan Qianjun concluded. "So it's simple: no matter how unwilling you are, things have to end here."

After listening to Tan Qianjun's words, Zhou Ming and Du Peng fell into silence, finding it hard to grasp the unexpected twist. Tan Qianjun, unfazed, continued to smoke and watch them with a smirk.

After a long pause, Zhou Ming sighed and said, "I see. I didn't expect there to be so many unforeseen aspects. It's truly eye-opening."

"Indeed, reality often doesn't conform to your expectations," Tan Qianjun said.

Despite his words, Tan Qianjun had a sudden, ominous premonition when he heard Zhou Ming's tone. Zhou Ming's demeanor was odd, showing no hint of defeat.

Zhou Ming shook his head and said, "But I still want to tell you, Mr. Tan, you're too naive. So naive that it's almost endearing!"