Chapter 404: Chapter 404: A Powerful Alliance!

Chen Xiao carefully looked at the information about Ah Yu.

She really had no name.

Ah Yu was also named by the old lady who adopted her, because she happened to catch a basket of fish that day.

The old lady lived her whole life in the village.

She didn’t have much education.

Perhaps due to the hardships of life, Ah Yu never went to school.

At a young age, she seemed to know how to do everything.

However, the information Guo Zhengchang had collected was limited. Aside from a few photographs of her daily life, there were just a few lines of introduction.

After sending the information to Lin Xi, Chen Xiao was about to call her but unexpectedly, another person he didn’t expect to contact him at this moment did.

The village chief of Xiangdu Zong Village, Chen Xianzu’s father-in-law, Zong Yuanmao.

Chen Xiao answered the call: "Hello, Mr. Zong."

"Hello, Mr. Chen, are you busy right now?" Zong Yuanmao’s tone wasn’t very good, seemingly filled with confusion.

"Not busy, is there something you need, Mr. Zong?"

"Does Mr. Chen not know why I called?" Zong Yuanmao asked back.

Chen Xiao furrowed his brows.

He actually had a vague guess, but he felt Chen Xu shouldn’t have done it.

After all, Chen Xu had always been cautious before, how could he change in just one or two days?

"Mr. Zong, you can be straightforward with me, no need to question me like this." Chen Xiao’s tone lowered slightly.

His relationship with Zong Yuanmao wasn’t exactly good.

To be precise, he had never considered how to interact with Zong Yuanmao.

Yet, Zong Yuanmao still owed him a favor.

So, he didn’t like Zong Yuanmao’s tone.

Zong Yuanmao seemed to realize his emotions were off, then apologetically said:

"Sorry, Mr. Chen, I was a bit anxious just now. It’s mainly because I received a phone call, someone told me you met Chen Xu, right?"

As soon as Zong Yuanmao said this, Chen Xiao’s gaze instantly froze: "Did Huang Zhaozhong tell you?"

"It was him."

Once it was confirmed to be Huang Zhaozhong, Chen Xiao became unsure.

What’s he up to?

First asking Chen Xu about me, now contacting Zong Yuanmao.

Is he trying to stir things up?

Or does he have other motives?

Chen Xiao was uncertain.

Zong Yuanmao probably was confused too, instinctively thinking Chen Xiao might want to help Chen Xu.

After all, Zong Yuanmao was still suppressing Chen Xu, and if Chen Xiao got involved, it’d be difficult for him.

"Mr. Chen, my previous attempts to contact you weren’t insincere. I, Zong Yuanmao, have wandered the world for many years, understanding the importance of the word ’friend’ most clearly."

"I owe Mr. Chen a favor and have always wanted to return it, finally becoming a good friend with you. But you’ve been busy, and I’ve never had that opportunity, so I’ve been waiting for this chance."

"However, Huang Zhaozhong’s call really left me baffled. Chen Xianzu was captured by you, Chen Xu trained by him, logically speaking, you shouldn’t have any further interaction, right?"

Upon hearing Zong Yuanmao’s thoughts, Chen Xiao solemnly replied:

"I did meet Chen Xu, but it was because I went to Hai City for a case, so our meeting was coincidental."

Upon hearing this, Zong Yuanmao breathed a sigh of relief, but before he could say anything, Chen Xiao continued:

"However, I am indeed considering whether to help Chen Xu."

"Mr. Chen, what does that mean?" Zong Yuanmao immediately became tense.

"You know the connection between me and Chen Xu, frankly speaking I want to keep him under my watch, do you understand what I mean?" 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Chen Xiao expressed his thoughts, yet Zong Yuanmao fell silent.

After a long while, he tentatively asked:

"If I recall correctly, Mr. Chen once mentioned that in the coming years Xiangdu’s hotel and entertainment industry would reach unprecedented prosperity."

"Back then I was curious, will anyone really leave money unearned? But after understanding your work, I always thought you wanted to focus entirely on criminal investigation."

"But later you joined Dragon Cauldron and have done well in Shencheng City. That confused me even more, since you want to make money, why not get involved in the Xiangdu hotel industry!"

"I pondered many times, finally thinking perhaps your sense of crisis made you unwilling to do so?"

Zong Yuanmao indeed proved to be an old hand.

And Xiangdu’s hotel and entertainment industry really requires people with connections and different mindset than conventional businessmen, to stand firm in this unique city these days!

However, the more you need connections, courage, and extraordinary means, the sooner such industries will explode.

Once that explosion happens, many people will die!

Seeing Chen Xiao not responding, but merely chuckling lightly, combining with Chen Xiao’s earlier statement about keeping an eye out, Zong Yuanmao instantly understood Chen Xiao’s meaning.

"Mr. Chen, I have a suggestion that I don’t know if you’re willing to consider?" Zong Yuanmao’s tone lightened considerably.

Chen Xiao smiled: "Go ahead."

"Why don’t I team up with Chen Xu, what do you think?"

Chen Xiao narrowed his eyes: "Mr. Zong can let go of the past?"

"In business there’s never a concept of eternal enemies, rather than exhausting each other, it’s better to join hands, then he’d be under your watch, wouldn’t he?" Zong Yuanmao laughed.

Chen Xiao believed in the notion of no eternal enemies in business.

But he also believed the relationship with Zong Yuanmao couldn’t reach the point of willing sacrifice.

"What do I need to do?" Chen Xiao asked.

Zong Yuanmao replied: "Mr. Chen saved our Zong Family, how could I possibly require you to do anything!"

Though Zong Yuanmao spoke righteously, Chen Xiao laughed: "Mr. Zong, since we’re friends, we should be open with each other."

"Actually, I just want Mr. Chen to buy a stake in my hotel!" Zong Yuanmao expressed his thought.

"Reason?"

"I find you quite peculiar, peculiarly as if you can foresee things. Of course, I want you to invest, essentially it’s a gamble too. And the reason I decided to gamble is just letting out a bit of profit."

"However, if the benefit I’m letting go could bring safety in times of future crisis explosion, I think it’s worth it."

Chen Xiao replied meaningfully: "Seems like Mr. Zong also has a strong crisis awareness."

"One learns from failures, my career is my lifelong effort, previously nearly taken entirely by Chen Xianzu due to lack of crisis awareness. Now, I can’t be careless, and I clearly understand any industry’s wild growth inevitably leads to disaster, so... "

"Mr. Chen, are you willing to accept my proposal just now?"

Chen Xiao thought Zong Yuanmao’s proposal was quite good, after considering, he said:

"Sure, but you’ll need to send me the details of your hotel, and after I look through it I’ll give you my final decision. Also, give me Huang Zhaozhong’s contact info, I want to see what this President Huang is really planning to do!"