Chapter 364: The Game Behind the Scenes

"Zhou Ming, who are you calling naive? I think it's you who are naive—your whole family is naive!" 

Tan Qianjun slammed the table and shouted at Zhou Ming, his anger flaring uncontrollably. He couldn't even explain why he was so furious, only knowing that Zhou Ming's patronizing comment and Du Peng's thoughtless laughter made him feel deeply insulted and provoked his pride.

Tan Qianjun's anger was hard to contain. He had come with good intentions to offer advice, and he saw it as a sign of respect, but Zhou Ming's lack of gratitude and his comment about naivety felt like a deep personal affront.

Zhou Ming remained unaffected by Tan Qianjun's fury. "Tan Shao, if I say you are naive, then you are naive. I believe what you say—that perhaps the Tan family has genuinely sacrificed a weakness for long-term gain. I believe this. But do you really think the central government would be afraid to act against you? Or what makes you think that?"

Tan Qianjun suddenly seemed to realize something. He hurriedly asked Zhou Ming, "What do you mean by that?"

"Let me put it this way: There are some things your father might not have mentioned to you…" 

Before Zhou Ming could finish, Tan Qianjun impatiently asked, "What did he say?"

"That when I was still in the capital, your father came to me to apologize," Zhou Ming said. Tan Qianjun was stunned, unable to believe it. Zhou Ming continued, "Whether you believe it or not, it's true. Your father told me that if it hadn't been for my appearance, these events would never have occurred. Tan Shao, you should consider this carefully."

"Impossible! How could this be?" Tan Qianjun murmured, glaring at Zhou Ming. "You must be lying, right?"

"Lying? I'm not that bored. I just hadn't considered some things before," Zhou Ming shook his head, feeling helpless.

Zhou Ming was speaking from the heart. He hadn't thought of certain things before, such as when Tan Li had said Zhou Ming was the key back in the capital. This had troubled Zhou Ming for a long time. As Tan Qianjun spoke about the Tan family's intentional weakness, Zhou Ming began to recall the oddities surrounding cases like the Jiangnan fundraising scandal and the ** case, which had always seemed strange but lacked explanation.

It became clear that the Tan family's plan was to retreat from politics and focus on economic ventures. This was a sharp observation, as the rise of the Tan family had shifted from politics to business, a move that seemed to guarantee their survival and eventual growth. 

Zhou Ming thought back to the previous life, realizing that the Tan family, despite facing challenges, had managed to fade from the political scene while continuing to thrive economically. The central government might have to intervene eventually, but the Tan family had managed to avoid a direct confrontation by adjusting their strategy.

Tan Qianjun continued to argue that his new company, as a symbol of the reform and opening-up policy, represented a significant achievement. Removing him would be equivalent to rejecting this policy. Zhou Ming found this confidence misplaced, questioning if the central government was truly afraid of the Tan family's achievements.

Tan Qianjun's insistence was that his company was too significant to be dismantled, but Zhou Ming questioned where this certainty came from, implying that the central government could find ways to address the issue regardless of its importance.

The conversation escalated as Zhou Ming's probing questions seemed to crush Tan Qianjun's confidence, pushing him to the brink. Tan Qianjun, overwhelmed by the realization, covered his face in despair, muttering about how things shouldn't be this way.

"Maybe it shouldn't be, but who told you to run into me?" Zhou Ming said, rising to leave with Du Peng. Tan Qianjun grabbed Zhou Ming's arm, pleading, "Zhou Ming, you won't push things too far, will you?"

Zhou Ming coldly replied, "I'll do exactly what you did."

With that, Zhou Ming shook off Tan Qianjun's hand and walked out of the private room with Du Peng.

Zhou Ming was unsure what impact his words would have, but he could still hear Tan Qianjun's anguished cries of "No!" echoing in the hallway.