Chapter 185 — Buying Loyalty

"I'm wondering whether it would really be worth handing this money over," Zhong Yongliang said.

"Son, when you're out there in society, loyalty means everything." Zhong Fabai smiled, trying to ease his son's mind. "Take this Zhang Naipao of yours. He's your underling. When he's in trouble and you're his boss, you can't just wash your hands of it. But the key question is, what sort of character does this underling of yours have? Is he the kind who'd walk through fire and water for you? If the time comes when you need him, will he step up?"

"Dad, I can guarantee that. Zhang Naipao might be a bit of a dimwit, but he is absolutely loyal. If I help him this time, I know that in the future, whenever I need him, he'd say even death wouldn't be a problem," Zhong Yongliang said.

"Well then, isn't that settled?" Zhong Fabai chuckled. "When I was young, I helped out an underling of mine too. I helped him, and that was that—there was nothing I needed from him at the time. But years later, when my shoddy construction projects came to light, that underling stepped forward and took the fall for me on his own..." So, Pinliang, you need to read people accurately. If this Zhang Naipao is truly someone worth investing in, then this money—I'll give it to him."

"Dad, I'm not running any construction projects... I don't need anyone to take the fall for me..." Zhong Yongliang still felt reluctant. After all, that was seven hundred thousand.

"Who says you don't? I cleaned up the Black Panther mess for you this time. If he'd fingered you, you'd have gone in too. With this Zhang Naipao around, you could simply shift all the blame onto him—say he was the mastermind and you were just a dupe he talked into it—and that would be that," Zhong Fabai said. "Of course, taking the fall is just one side of it. There are also dangerous jobs—like taking someone out—things you can't handle yourself. You could arrange for him to do those. So if this person checks out, seven hundred thousand is worth it."

"Dad, I understand. I'll talk to him in a bit." Having heard his father's reasoning, Zhong Yongliang felt it made perfect sense. If he ever got into trouble in the future, or had something he couldn't do himself, he could send Zhang Naipao to handle it—essentially keeping a card in reserve.

"Go on, Pinliang. You're a grown man now. It's time to build up your own people and trusted followers," Zhong Fabai said. "This will be invaluable when you step into society later on."

Zhong Yongliang agreed again and again. After hanging up with his father, he dialed Zhang Naipao's cell phone right away.

Zhang Naipao didn't dare take calls casually in the classroom, but seeing it was Zhong Yongliang calling, he scrambled to his feet and rushed out. Glancing left and right, he spotted Zhong Yongliang standing at the entrance to the restrooms, waving him over. He hurried across. "Brother Liang, you were looking for me..."

"Paozi, I talked to my dad about your situation..." Zhong Yongliang paused deliberately, drawing out the suspense.

"Brother Liang, what happened? What did Uncle Zhong say?" A wave of excitement and dread washed over Zhang Naipao. His face drained of color, and he stared at Zhong Yongliang with anxious eyes, waiting for the final verdict.

"My dad said you're my brother, and he's giving me the money." Zhong Yongliang patted Zhang Naipao on the shoulder. "After school today, come with me to my dad's company and pick it up."

"Really? Brother Liang?" Zhang Naipao stared at him, barely daring to believe it. "Brother Liang, you're really willing to lend me seven hundred thousand?"

"It's not a loan. I'm giving it to you." Zhong Yongliang knew Zhang Naipao could never repay this money, and his own family wasn't short of seven hundred thousand. So, following his father's advice, he might as well use it to buy loyalty. "You're my man. When you're in trouble, how could I look the other way?"

"Brother Liang, you really are my boss!" The moment he heard Zhong Yongliang's words, Zhang Naipao was overcome with emotion. With a thud, he dropped to his knees again. "Brother Liang, I, Zhang Naipao, am not someone who fails to repay kindness. Don't worry—ever after, if you tell me to hang myself, I swear I won't drown instead. If you tell me to head east, I'd cut off my own head and toss it east before taking a single step west!"

"Heh." Zhong Yongliang smiled as he helped Zhang Naipao to his feet. "Saying all that now might be a little premature. I know what kind of person you are, Zhang Naipao, but whether you come through when it really counts—that's something we'll have to wait and see."

"Brother Liang, heavens above, if you don't believe me, I'll smash my head against the wall and die right now!" Zhang Naipao was getting desperate.

"That's not what I meant. All right, Naipao—I've heard you, and I believe you, okay? Come on, let's go back to class. When I need you in the future, just don't turn me down." Zhong Yongliang nodded with satisfaction. It looked like Zhang Naipao was firmly in his pocket now—one more fallback plan secured for the future.

Kang Xiaofeng had spent all of last night turning over in his mind the idea of going to Tang Zhi's house for barbecue. He hadn't been able to fall asleep at all.

As the saying goes: what young girl doesn't dream of love? What young man doesn't burn with passion?

In this era brimming with sunlight and youth, with yearning fantasies about the future and hazy hopes of romance, Kang Xiaofeng too hoped he might meet a beautiful girl and begin a beautiful love story with her.

He knew full well that Tang Zhi couldn't possibly like him, yet Kang Xiaofeng was still exhilarated. Going to the The Blossom Guardian house for dinner—even if nothing happened—it was more than enough to become a bragging right.

"Boss, are we going on Saturday or Sunday?" Kang Xiaofeng could barely contain his eagerness.

"I don't know either," Wei Zhao shrugged. "Why are you so fired up?"

"Hey... it's the campus belle treating us, and you're the only one who doesn't take it seriously," Kang Xiaofeng said. "Plenty of guys would give anything for a way to get close to her. You get to be alone with the campus belle, and you're not even excited?"

Wei Zhao was somewhat at a loss for words. Excited, my foot—I've got two campus belles waiting for me at home... But he couldn't say that to Kang Xiaofeng. "About as excited as usual. I think she actually dislikes me."

"Boss, be content with what you've got. Anyone else couldn't get Tang Zhi to dislike them even if they tried—she barely talks to anyone," Kang Xiaofeng said.

"Heh... then I'll go ask her during the lunch break." What Wei Zhao had in mind was buying concert DVDs for Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu. He'd been worrying about having no one to go with, so this time he'd drag Kang Xiaofeng along.

"Great, great!" Kang Xiaofeng nodded repeatedly. "Let's go together, and stop for some barbecue on the way..."

"Barbecue's out. If we go now, Tang Zhi's mom definitely won't take our money," Wei Zhao said. "You can't very well make her fork out twice, can you?"

"Fair enough." Kang Xiaofeng knew the situation at Tang Zhi's home as well. Even a modest meal there would run thirty or forty yuan, and he'd feel bad making Tang Zhi's mother spend that. "But I still want to eat it..."