Chapter 146: Long-Term Play

Glasses clinked and cups exchanged hands amidst a lively buzz. They were all men, after all, and with enough alcohol flowing, the conversation inevitably veered toward risqué topics—these men were well-versed in such matters. Their banter was truly astonishing.

Zhou Sen had seen his fair share, but compared to Lin Dakuan and Li Shaotang, he was far behind. They moved in entirely different circles, so naturally their topics diverged. Reflecting on the company Zhou Sen once kept, he realized that those connections had mostly faded away. Especially after everyone learned of his relationship with Bai Yulan, encounters became scarce. The days of drinking and frivolous talk were behind him; he had turned over a new leaf.

“My dear nephew, you know how many men in Ice City envy you, wishing they could kill you and take your place...” Lin Dakuan teased.

“Uncle, even if they killed me, could they really take my place?” Zhou Sen replied.

“Could it be that you possess some extraordinary talent?” Lin Dakuan asked with a knowing smile.

“Heh, talent might be an exaggeration, but youth and vigor? That’s for sure, Uncle. Not to boast, but this woman—on the surface she looks like a chaste and virtuous lady, but in the bedroom...” Zhou Sen’s eyes twinkled mischievously.

“Nephew, can your body handle that? Maybe you should secretly see an old Chinese doctor. You’re young, but you must protect your kidneys,” Lin Dakuan said with a concerned chuckle.

“Don’t worry, my health is excellent!” Zhou Sen patted his chest confidently.

“I heard that Officer Shibuya is your mentor, but how come we’ve never caught wind of that?” Lin Dakuan’s eyes flickered with curiosity.

“That’s just out of respect for my adoptive father...” Zhou Sen’s gaze grew distant, his words slurred slightly.

“Mr. Anthony?” Lin Dakuan was taken aback. He hadn’t expected such a deep connection between Shibuya Saburo and Anthony. Shibuya was known for his stern and rigid demeanor; without special ties, would he publicly claim to be Zhou Sen’s mentor? Such a mentor-student relationship was no trivial matter—especially in official circles, it was akin to a father-son bond. The protégé inherited the mentor’s political resources and social connections—nothing unusual at all.

Lin Dakuan’s heart leapt with delight. He had assumed Zhou Sen was merely being used by Shibuya, but now he saw the relationship ran much deeper. Zhou Sen was young, but as long as Shibuya Saburo remained unscathed, Zhou Sen’s rise was inevitable. Such a promising junior might one day surpass his mentor. Investing now would be the smartest move.

Though Zhou Sen was not Japanese, ironically, the Japanese were less approachable.

“Uncle Lin, I’ll be heading off for intensive training soon, so I might be too busy to handle things at home. Could you please keep an eye on things?” Zhou Sen asked.

“That’s no problem. Don’t worry about your wife; no one dares to cause trouble,” Lin Dakuan assured, patting his chest.

“Thanks, Uncle Lin...” Zhou Sen finished, then collapsed face-first onto the table, drunk and asleep.

“Sen, Sen...” someone called softly.

“Big brother, shall I pay the bill?” Li Shaotang saw that Zhou Sen was thoroughly drunk and figured he would have to cover the meal himself. Lin Dakuan had initially intended to treat them.

Moments later, Li Shaotang returned and said that Zhou Sen had already paid the bill. Lin Dakuan was pleasantly surprised—this was handled straightforwardly, and he couldn’t help but look at Zhou Sen with newfound respect.

“Let’s talk later. First, let’s get him home.”

...

“It’s noon, and he’s drunk so much. His wounds haven’t even healed yet...” Wen carried the drunken Zhou Sen almost like a child as they got out of the car.

Wen smiled in simple earnestness, uncertain how to answer the question. Bai Yulan wasn’t trying to make Wen uncomfortable; she knew many times even he didn’t know the full story. Asking was pointless.

Bai Yulan ordered Ah Xiang to prepare a bowl of hangover soup in the kitchen. Together, they lifted Zhou Sen inside and laid him on the bed. When the soup arrived, Bai Yulan personally fed him. Without this, the hangover would surely cause aching limbs and a pounding headache.

Zhou Sen slept through the entire afternoon. When he finally opened his eyes and sat up, he realized he was in a room at the Ningxiang Pavilion. Outside, darkness had fallen.

He got up, put on his shoes and coat, and opened the door. The kitchen light was on, and a faint aroma wafted out. Ah Xiang, the young girl, was cooking.

“Ah Xiang?”

“Brother Sen, you’re awake!” Ah Xiang exclaimed happily, spoon in hand as she stirred the pot.

“What’s for dinner?” Zhou Sen asked, stepping into the kitchen.

“Noodles. Uncle Chang has a sensitive stomach; eating hard food at night troubles his sleep,” Ah Xiang explained.

“Oh, so you were making the sauce just now?”

“Yes. Eating noodles without sauce is like missing half the flavor,” Ah Xiang nodded, stirring continuously as the aroma grew more enticing.

“Where’s Yulan? Her room lights are off.”

“She’s up front, working on an important project. She has to finish before she can rest,” Ah Xiang replied.

...

“Son-in-law, aren’t you supposed to be unable to drink?” Uncle Chang said sarcastically at the dinner table. “How did you get so drunk at lunch?”

“Uncle Chang, you just wanted to force me to drink. I was determined not to give in,” Zhou Sen teased, clearly seeing through the old man’s intentions.

“Hmph!” Uncle Chang snorted.

“Uncle Chang, Sen was just entertaining guests. When has he ever drunk at home?” Bai Yulan defended Zhou Sen.

“Miss, you’re too biased.”

“Enough, eat.” Bai Yulan held firm as the household’s authority. With her command, all voices except the slurping of noodles fell silent.

After dinner, Uncle Chang wanted to argue further with Zhou Sen, but Bai Yulan called him into the study before he could. Uncle Chang grumbled and withdrew, hiding his thoughts.

Inside the study.

“This morning, Su Wenqing sent over 15% of Xin Stage’s shares from the Wen family,” Bai Yulan said, handing a stack of documents to Zhou Sen.

“I won’t look at them. Keep them for now,” Zhou Sen said, passing them back. Bai Yulan was far more experienced in business than he was.

“By rights, we could confront Tang Peiyuan tomorrow. But I want to wait a bit longer,” Bai Yulan explained.

“You want to buy more shares from Tang Peiyuan? Ideally, take over all his holdings?”

“Yes. Publicly, Su Wenqing and I are competing for control of Xin Stage. The Qin family is stirring trouble behind the scenes. I know Tang Peiyuan—he’s bold and decisive. If he sees no chance of winning, he’ll cut losses quickly. He now controls only 46% of the shares. With prices falling sharply, I can buy out the rest from the Tang family.”

“That would drive up the price in the bidding war with Su Wenqing—wouldn’t that just benefit Tang Peiyuan?”

“I’ll have Qin Lang leak information to sell shares below the buyout price. You’ll need to handle that, and I’ll coordinate with Su Wenqing,” Bai Yulan said.

“If he’s not a fool, he’ll cooperate,” Zhou Sen replied.

“We’re in an unbeatable position now. No need to rush. Once Xin Stage shares drop low, we buy them back.”

“I fear you might be too impatient and want to take control immediately. That would stabilize the share price, and Tang Peiyuan might refuse to sell.”

“I understand. We’ll just have to inconvenience Xiaorou and the others for a while. They still have opportunities to perform,” Zhou Sen said with a nod.

“Alright. Should I talk to Xiaorou about this, or will you?”

“You go. You women communicate better. I’m too busy,” Zhou Sen said.

“You were drinking at Houdefu with Lin Dakuan and the others at noon?”

“You know about that?” Zhou Sen wasn’t hiding anything. Between husband and wife, openness was essential; otherwise, mistrust would breed and lead to collapse.

“I know. Wearing those clothes, you often have no choice but to deal with these people. But remember, they will never truly trust you. They may call you brother one moment and sell you out the next without you realizing it,” Bai Yulan warned.

“I know. Birds of a feather flock together. But sometimes, using them a little isn’t a bad thing,” Zhou Sen nodded. He only drank because he was in a bad mood.

“Uncle Chang’s words can be harsh. Don’t take it to heart.”

“He’s just a sparring partner. It’s amusing, really. How could I get angry?” Zhou Sen smiled.

“Are you leaving for a while?”

“Yes, probably within a few days. The exact time isn’t set,” Zhou Sen said. He had found the roster and had to attend special training.

His training might differ from other police promotions, but he had no way out. He had to tough it out.

“What do you need to prepare?”

“No preparations necessary. I’ll have food and drink taken care of. Don’t worry,” Zhou Sen assured. “While I’m gone, if you go out, have Wen accompany you.”

“Alright.”

“How are your wounds?”

“Almost healed. Just change the dressings once more,” Zhou Sen gently tapped his left chest.

“Remember to take the medicine I made these past days.”

“I will.”

...

At No. 3 Yiyuan Street, Nangang District, stood a European-style two-story building with a fountain and garden at the entrance. Its bright yellow walls and floor-to-ceiling windows gave it an imposing presence.

This small mansion was the secret service headquarters of the Japanese Kwantung Army stationed in Ice City. Originally, it had belonged to a Jewish tycoon.

After the tycoon’s death, his son sold the splendid mansion to the Japanese, and since then, it became a place that instilled fear among the common folk of Ice City.

Officially, it bore the sign “Kwantung Army Field Communication Department,” but once the walls enclosed it, the place took on a grim and ominous air.

Inside the second-floor reception room, several people sat scattered about: Shibuya Saburo in a police colonel’s uniform, an older, portly Russian man, two Japanese army captains, and a thin, bespectacled Japanese army major general.

The room was clearly led by the major general—Qin Yanzang Major General, head of the Japanese Kwantung Army’s secret service in Ice City, the highest-ranking spy chief here.

“Gentlemen, since we have obtained the list of operatives left by Anthony concerning the ‘Trojan’ plan, we can now proceed with our next steps. Feel free to share any thoughts,” Qin Yanzang said casually.

It was clear that today’s meeting was no ordinary affair.