Chapter 70#
Chapter 70: Seeing the Bottom Through the Water Surface
“Dear passengers, the flight to Sangzan City is about to take off. For your safety, please temporarily turn off your electronic devices. Thank you very much.”
“Dear passengers, the flight to Sangzan City is about to take off. For your safety, please temporarily turn off your…”
Around 4:24 PM.
Gu Chenzhou closed his eyes in his seat to catch up on sleep, but he didn’t really fall asleep.
The conversation with He Hailou at 5 AM this morning directly changed his itinerary. Gu Chenzhou, who had originally planned to stay at Wei Xiangjin’s place for a few days, called Wei Xiangjin to inform him, then immediately booked a flight to Sangzan for that afternoon. At the same time, he called back to Beijing to chat with his father about this matter, mainly discussing what He Hailou meant and what his fundamental purpose was.
As for the “background” issue He Hailou mentioned during their chat, Gu Chenzhou simply ignored it. This reason really tested one’s IQ—even if He Nanshan was really He Hailou’s biological father, so what? Without He Nanshan, what could He Hailou do?
Having lived under the same roof for so long, although the relationship between father and son hadn’t been very good before returning to the country, he knew their living habits like the back of his hand.
When Gu Chenzhou called, it happened to be the time Gu Xinjun was watching the morning news. After listening to Gu Chenzhou, Gu Xinjun turned down the TV volume, pondered for a moment, and said, “Are you sure He Hailou is serious?”
“He Hailou is not a fool,” Gu Chenzhou said. “He doesn’t need to make a fuss about something true or false that will be exposed immediately.” Then he paused and added, “He will only tell the kind of lies mixed with truth that can trap people.”
“He Hailou specifically mentioned Suilin and He Nanshan…”
Before Gu Xinjun could finish, Gu Chenzhou continued: “Considering from our family’s perspective, what we are interested in now is, first, benefits, and second, He Nanshan’s misfortune. The sentence He Hailou said later about his background can explain the second point. As for the first… I think He Nanshan’s misfortune is inherently a benefit.”
“Did he say Donglin District, Sangzan City?” Gu Xinjun suddenly asked.
“Yes.”
“Have you looked into that place?”
“I checked some information, but not much,” Gu Chenzhou explained. “Time was too tight. I only know it’s a place where ethnic minorities gather.”
“Your Uncle Wei took advantage of Xiangjin’s matter to sort things out at the border and learned something… This riot is not as simple as it seems on the surface.”
Gu Chenzhou was stunned: “Are other foreign forces involved?”
Gu Xinjun didn’t answer directly but continued to talk about He Nanshan: “At that time, your Uncle Wei’s main concern was Xiangjin’s matter, plus there were people on our side helping to cover it up…”
Foreign forces bribed our officials? Even thinking with one’s knees, one would know it’s impossible.
Gu Chenzhou frowned: “He Nanshan also knows.”
Gu Xinjun corrected a term used by his son: “He Nanshan’s people knew first.”
Gu Chenzhou was thoughtful: “A great credit, but not particularly suitable for administrative personnel… It is very suitable for Uncle Wei in the military. If He Hailou was hinting at this matter,” he suddenly couldn’t quite understand He Hailou’s actions, “Even if He Nanshan can’t use this credit himself, he can use it to curry favor with other people in the Yu faction, or use it himself to make friends with military forces. Why would He Hailou bring it out?” He always felt that He Hailou coming to talk to him was He Nanshan’s hint, or if not a hint, at least tacit approval.
Gu Xinjun took a sip of the freshly brewed strong tea: “You’ve been paying attention to He Nanshan’s movements recently, right?”
“Of course,” Gu Chenzhou said.
“Then tell me, what happened to those who took the opportunity to bite him?”
“Very unlucky,” Gu Chenzhou said.
“That person from the Yu faction talked to Secretary Wang a while ago,” Gu Xinjun continued to analyze the matter for his son, “He offered a very appropriate condition, showing his determination to protect He Nanshan. This condition just happened to suppress Secretary Wang’s bottom line. He discussed it with me for two days. He Nanshan has already used fierce means to break the teeth of those piranhas who pounced on him, and the Wang faction suffered a loss that cannot be ignored.”
“Dad, you mean…”
“As a Vice Premier, although He Nanshan has always been known for his fierce means, being fierce to this extent is rare in both this term and the last, especially when he is already very high-profile.” Gu Xinjun stopped there.
This meant that what He Nanshan was doing now was not entirely his own intention… Gu Chenzhou pondered for a while and wanted to speak, but Gu Xinjun had already ended the conversation and hung up the phone.
Having stayed up all night, Gu Chenzhou put this matter aside for the time being. He finally lay down on the bed to sleep for a while, then got up to eat lunch and pack for the airport. After a series of things, when Gu Chenzhou got on the plane and sat down to think about this morning’s events, half of the day had already passed.
If He Nanshan’s actions were not entirely his own intention, then the one who could instruct He Nanshan was undoubtedly that person from the Yu faction.
“Click, click.” The sound of the stewardess’s high heels.
He Nanshan hinted for He Hailou to come over…
“Hello, is there anything…” The stewardess’s whispered greeting.
He Nanshan didn’t particularly want to be so high-profile at this time…
The rustling sound of clothes rang out nearby. Someone sat down beside him.
But why did He Nanshan instruct He Hailou to point out this credit to him so clearly?
“Bring a… over…” Such a voice came faintly from the side.
Gu Chenzhou gave up thinking. He adjusted his sitting posture and decided to catch up on sleep on the plane. But just like his thoughts earlier, various sounds continued to enter his ears through the earmuffs, faint, tiny, yet persevering, finding various gaps from all directions and angles, running to his side, squeezing into his ears…
Suddenly there was weight on his body.
Gu Chenzhou opened his eyes with slight surprise. The first thing he saw was the blanket covering him, and the second thing he saw was He Hailou, who was grabbing the blanket and covering him.
Gu Chenzhou: “…”
He Hailou calmly pulled the blanket for Gu Chenzhou and then said: “I remember Young Master Gu is very afraid of the cold? It’s better to cover up more when resting.”
“Why is Young Master He here?” With He Hailou sitting next to him, Gu Chenzhou couldn’t continue sleeping. He took off his earmuffs, sat up straight, let the blanket slide onto his legs, and asked He Hailou.
He Hailou smiled: “Going to Sangzan City. It seems Young Master Gu was right this morning. Although we didn’t travel together, fate and coincidence are things no one can predict!”
But even if the two took the same flight because of the same destination, could the seats be “coincidentally” adjacent?
Openly investigating his whereabouts. Gu Chenzhou thought to himself. However, someone like this who was unscrupulous, not afraid of being discovered by the person being investigated, and even deliberately appeared in front of the person being investigated, was probably only He Hailou…
But since he was here, he might as well continue this morning’s business.
Since he decided to go to Sangzan City, Gu Chenzhou didn’t fuss over these details and asked He Hailou: “Which hotel did Young Master He book?”
As soon as this was said, He Hailou pondered, wondering if Gu Chenzhou asked this to temporarily change hotels or to expose his investigation…
While his mind was spinning, He Hailou was not slow to speak and named the hotel Gu Chenzhou had booked: “Tianhai Hotel.”
“What a coincidence,” Gu Chenzhou said slowly. “I’m in 502. What about Young Master He?”
“504.” The answer was really crisp. He Hailou pondered again, then figured it out and smiled: How could Gu Chenzhou change his original plan just because he investigated and followed him? Someone like Gu Chenzhou, if not serious, would probably pretend not to see it. If serious… he would only think of ways to kick him away like a stumbling block and then live comfortably himself, right?
Gu Chenzhou said: “Next door is good too. It’s more convenient if anything happens.”
But how could it be as convenient as being in the same bed! He Hailou retorted in his heart. Just as he wanted to tease the other party, he saw a man and a woman walking in from the cabin door.
The woman walking in front had her hair tied in a ponytail, wearing a small suit on top and jeans below, with big sunglasses on her face, looking very low-key. But the man following her was carrying her bag, lowering the seat back, instructing the stewardess to bring this and that, and specifying the temperature of the warm water. He was incredibly attentive and considerate.
Gu Chenzhou and He Hailou rarely looked at the time in unison.
It was already fifteen minutes past the scheduled departure time. If it weren’t for the flight route and weather issues, then they were really “being waited for” this time…
At this time, the woman sitting diagonally in front of the two took off her sunglasses. He Hailou saw clearly from his position, turned his head, and chuckled to Gu Chenzhou: “A big star!”
Gu Chenzhou didn’t reply.
The riots in Suilin Province had just subsided, and traffic control had just been lifted. Plus, it wasn’t a peak tourist season, so there were few people on this flight. The first-class cabin booked by Gu and He was even emptier. Just as the woman took off her sunglasses and He Hailou spoke to Gu Chenzhou in a low voice, the assistant sitting next to the woman looked around the first-class cabin, skipped over the vast majority of empty seats, and saw He Hailou at once.
He looked at He Hailou twice, his eyes lit up, and he turned to say something to the woman beside him.
The woman also turned her head to look here. Gu Chenzhou saw the other party this time: she was a popular film and television actress, and she also appeared in well-known foreign productions.
At this time, the fuselage trembled slightly, and the plane, fifteen minutes late, finally began to taxi along the runway.
The stewardess’s sweet voice sounded on the broadcast: “Dear passengers, welcome to this flight. The destination of this flight is Sangzan City. The entire journey is expected to take three hours and twenty five minutes. The plane is about to take off now. For your safety, please turn off your communication devices and fasten your seat belts… Repeat, please turn off your communication devices and fasten your seat belts…”
At this time, the stewardess also came forward to check the passengers’ seat belts and electronic devices one by one. After a round, the plane also flew into the sky.
The assistant beside the female star stood up from his seat, walked towards He Hailou and Gu Chenzhou with a smile on his face, and skillfully handed over a business card: “Hello sir, I am Dong Shi from Xinghui Entertainment,” at least he didn’t think everyone should know him, and quickly continued, “I am Miss Jian Wenlin’s assistant.”
Dong Shi saw these two people looking over just now and guessed they should have seen Jian Wenlin’s appearance clearly and confirmed his identity. He got straight to the point: “Forgive my presumption, I wonder if this gentleman has ever been praised for his appearance?”
Gu Chenzhou and He Hailou: “…”
He Hailou twitched the corner of his mouth, revealing a smile that wasn’t happy at all: “Even if there were, it wouldn’t be your turn to praise.”
Dong Shi quickly smiled and said: “This gentleman may have misunderstood. We don’t mean anything else. Miss Jian needs an actor, and we think your appearance fits the character’s requirements very well, so—”
“When did the entertainment industry regress fifty years to recruit extras on a plane?” He Hailou turned directly to ask Gu Chenzhou.
Gu Chenzhou really wanted to laugh. This was too exaggerated. He didn’t mind chiming in: “Perhaps individual companies have taken the opposite path to the times due to management issues.”
These words were too poisonous. Dong Shi’s face suddenly looked bad, but he didn’t say anything to Gu Chenzhou. He just smiled apologetically at He Hailou: “Sir, you misunderstood. It’s not an extra, nor is it anything irregular. It’s a supporting male role, the second male lead. The character setting is the heir of a large enterprise. Miss Jian is just preparing to organize her own film and is looking for newcomers everywhere…”
This explanation was plausible. Even for a big star, moving from actor to director or producer wasn’t that easy. Generally, apart from inviting some A-list stars to play the leading roles based on their own connections, other less important roles were dug from newcomers. Firstly, it was cheap. Secondly, those stars with some fame and choices might not be optimistic about this big shot’s film.
“Alright, not interested.” He Hailou couldn’t be bothered to say more and rejected the other party directly with one sentence, watching Dong Shi return to his seat dejectedly. While flipping through the magazine spread open on his knees, he talked to Gu Chenzhou, “Do I look that much like a rich second generation?”
Gu Chenzhou said: “Generally, if a rich second generation isn’t the protagonist, then he’s the one who has various faults at the beginning but is finally conquered by the heroine’s qualities…” He glanced at He Hailou, “A loser.”
He Hailou looked at Gu Chenzhou with a gloomy face.
Gu Chenzhou laughed slowly again, implying: “But this time, the drunkard’s intention is not on the wine.”
As soon as the voice fell, Dong Shi, who had returned to his seat, said something to Jian Wenlin. Jian Wenlin stood up from her seat and walked over here personally.
“Hello, sir.” Jian Wenlin extended her hand to He Hailou.
He Hailou lifted his eyelids lazily, with no intention of raising his hand at all.
The smile on Jian Wenlin’s face remained unchanged. She naturally withdrew her hand and explained: “How should I address you, sir? I came to apologize. My assistant was a bit hasty just now and ran over without figuring anything out. Working in the entertainment industry, apart from reporters, the people he contacts every day are newcomers dreaming of becoming big stars. So he didn’t switch gears for a moment and presumptuously asked without knowing your profession.” She spoke lightly. In fact, this was indeed not a big deal: wasn’t it just asking? Even if some people didn’t want to be stars or didn’t like stars, in this era of developed entertainment industry, it was an objective fact that stars had extremely high popularity and a large number of fans. Even if some people disapproved of this profession sought after by most people, they wouldn’t get angry just because they were asked.
Then Jian Wenlin looked at Gu Chenzhou sitting next to He Hailou and asked tentatively: “Are the two gentlemen together? This one—”
Originally not intending to answer the other party, He Hailou’s radar stood up as soon as he heard Jian Wenlin mention Gu Chenzhou. Before Gu Chenzhou could speak, he said: “My surname is He, this one’s surname is Gu.”
Jian Wenlin smiled: “Mr. He, Mr. Gu.” Having stood for a while and said a long string of words without any reaction from the other party, she had already figured out the attitude of the person in front of her. So she nodded slightly and said, “Mr. He, I apologize again. I won’t disturb you.”
He Hailou glanced at Jian Wenlin’s back and whispered to Gu Chenzhou: “Which link do you think went wrong for her? Career problem? Entangled by second or third generation officials or rich kids?”
As a big shot in the entertainment industry, Jian Wenlin must have her own great abilities. Her attitude just now was also very natural and consistent with her public image.
But who were Gu Chenzhou and He Hailou? Even in the circle of third-generation red descendants, they were the smartest of the smart. Basically, they reacted as soon as they heard the phrase “rich second generation character setting”: This was Jian Wenlin recognizing He Hailou and trying to connect with him to get out of her own trouble!
Gu Chenzhou didn’t care about Jian Wenlin’s affairs at all. First, he wasn’t a fan of stars. Second, he never had the habit of keeping stars—he knew this point, He Hailou didn’t either—plus the person the other party was looking for was He Hailou, not him. Gu Chenzhou just treated it as a daily laugh. However, He Hailou’s subsequent move of leaning over made him raise his eyebrows slightly. He thought to himself that they were already sitting so close, yet He Hailou had to lean towards him every time he spoke… What kind of habit was this? —Or did he want him to get used to it?
He Hailou really had the latter intention, and looking at it now—He Hailou felt himself—it was very effective!
The episode on the plane passed quickly.
After a full three-hour journey, by the time Gu Chenzhou and He Hailou got off the plane and made their way to the hotel, it was exactly 8 PM. Neither of them had eaten dinner. Gu Chenzhou put down his luggage, washed his face to wake up, and went to knock on He Hailou’s door.
He Hailou opened the door and saw it was Gu Chenzhou, looking surprised: “Young Master Gu?”
“Does Young Master He want to eat in the hotel or go out to eat?” There were usually many local travel brochures at the hotel service desk. Gu Chenzhou picked one up and was flipping through it, adding, “Or does Young Master He have other arrangements tonight?”
He Hailou thought to himself that this was simply unscientific! When did Gu Chenzhou become so easy to talk to? But thinking was one thing, his speed of agreeing was not slow at all: “Let’s do as Young Master Gu says.”
“Then let’s go out and eat something authentic.” Gu Chenzhou put away the travel brochure and asked He Hailou, “Does Young Master He have any recommended places?”
As soon as this was said, He Hailou understood.
“Eat something authentic”, “any recommendations”, on the surface it was about tonight’s dinner, but thinking deeper, wasn’t it hinting that he should start talking about the next step?
“Young Master Gu asked the right person. Although it’s my first time here, I really have some recommendations—” He Hailou said with a chuckle, making a gesture of turning sideways to imply that Gu Chenzhou could come in.
Gu Chenzhou indeed walked into the room.
He Hailou closed the door with a smile, thinking: Although playing dirty won’t work for now, if planned well, even if I can’t eat the big meal completely, tasting the soup first, like being in the same room and the same bed, is still very possible!