For the sake of harmony, some modifications were made to this chapter!Chapter Name: 127

She nestled in his arms, breathing softly. Her black hair curled around her face, half of it exposed, clean and beautiful, as if forever untouched by pollution.

Rong Ling looked down at her, gently, unable to help himself. He reached out and softly brushed away the strands of hair covering her face, revealing her profile completely. She had slept very late last night and was still drifting in a sweet dream. His movements were so light that they wouldn't wake her. He stared at her intently, not understanding what kind of spell had taken hold of him. Logically, he should have no qualms about leaving her behind. Yet, the thought of letting her go irresponsibly was unbearable.

He leaned in and kissed her cheek softly. She didn't know what she had dreamt, but the corner of her mouth curled up into a cute smile, very slight, gone in a blink. Her rosy lips still explored the unknown dreamland.

He smiled softly and carefully climbed out of bed.

It's not early anymore. The two of them slept late last night, almost until five in the morning, and now it's past nine o'clock in the morning. Rong Ling has only slept for four hours.

The battle has already begun, so he cannot afford to slack off.

He pulled out his phone, found a number, and dialed it. After a moment, a deep and pleasant voice answered.

"Rong Ling, you kid rarely call me!"

"Heh heh, I'm here uninvited as usual!"

"Oh!" the man teased. "Could there be anything that could stump you, Rong Ling!"

"You're teasing me! I'm serious, there's something I need you to do!"

"Then just speak up, you don't get to ask someone for a favor easily, haha, I consider myself lucky!"

Rong Ling slowly told Lin Meng's story. "This matter should be simple, but because of me, it became complicated. I can't trust other people, so I want to ask you old man to help!"

"Well, it's no big deal, I can go. But, give me a little time, I have to hand off some things here. Um, how about this, I should be able to finish up here this afternoon and I'll take the evening train to you!"

"Alright then, I'll send a private jet to pick you up. That way you can arrive tonight. Rest for the night and start work tomorrow, how about it!"

"Haha, you're still the generous one. Alright, let this old man take a private jet ride too, why not enjoy it while we can!"

So agreed, Rong Ling hung up the phone!

Regarding the police system in city J, Rong was at his wit's end. He didn't trust these people, so he would have to use his own methods to wrap this case up sooner.

The man he found was named Fang Daquan, a nationally renowned detective with a wealth of experience solving cases of all sizes. Although he was only the captain of a city bureau, he was an old man who did not crave power. He devoted his whole heart to catching criminals and ensuring peace and prosperity for the people. Therefore, he rejected all opportunities for promotion. Despite his low rank, if he truly put his mind to it, even the director of the provincial Public Security Bureau would have to give him some face.

Before joining the army, Rong Ling had encountered this old man because of an incident. Back then, they happened to be together and developed a mutual appreciation for each other, finding common ground and becoming close friends despite their age difference. Otherwise, even if Rong Ling held immense power now, he wouldn't be able to persuade this old man without that past connection.

The officialdom in this country is incredibly complex, with intricate webs of connections. There are many who abuse their power to oppress and harm others. While Fang Daquan possesses a certain integrity, he also knows his limits. He only protects his own turf. When it comes to matters outside his domain, it's not his style. He finds it troublesome and worries that even if things go smoothly, he might end up embroiled in a mess. So, persuading him to help is no easy feat! However, if you manage to convince him, then rest assured, this case will be solved with absolute certainty.

Now Rong Ling was relieved. His own affairs were a bit messy right now, with some long-standing resentments that he feared wouldn't be resolved anytime soon. Then, let's quickly solve this woman's problem first. Don't let her suffer unjustly because of him, becoming a pawn anyone could use at will!

And as for that Wu Yong, he's practically asking to die - driven by an insane desire for self-destruction. We already have some pretty solid evidence of his corruption, and we're just waiting until we have enough to bring him down hard.

This old geezer, even at this point, doesn't realize his own situation, still being used foolishly! Gazing at the latest newspaper in his hands, Rong Ling coldly snorted.

Wu Yong's so-called "redouble efforts" was to get himself on the newspaper, looking distressed and claiming he was forcibly removed from the case due to warnings from a powerful figure. He implied that Rong Ling manipulated this situation. He stated that he had some evidence of Lin Meng's crimes but they mysteriously disappeared after his transfer, suggesting someone intentionally erased them. He also claimed that while assisting in the interrogation, he was attacked by Lin Meng, showcasing a magnified close-up of his bitten arm as proof. Finally, he declared that Lin Meng had been taken away by Rong Ling, blatantly undermining judicial fairness.

He cried out his grievances in the newspaper, and this statement only further aroused public anger towards Lin Meng and her backer Rong Ling. Other newspapers even wove various versions of reality and imagination about their relationship, then extensively described them. This was naturally because these media personnel received some information or had some confidence to attack Rong Ling without restraint. A few newspapers that were obviously hinted at by interested parties used this opportunity to point out that Rong Ling conducted business irregularly, colluded with officials, maliciously suppressed competitors, and even had a hint of black society nature.

Things are looking bad!

Rong Ling saw everything, but he just watched. This kind of hype generated by the news media was nothing more than a temporary trend. He waited, waiting for this matter to pass its initial period of white-hot intensity. The domestic news media industry has always been all talk and no action, blindly following the trend, but they wanted to bring down Rong Ling with this That was impossible. Because the benefit of power is that you can completely shut these news media's mouths afterwards. They are just barking like mad dogs now, but they can't really hurt anyone!

The real harm is caused by the people who are leading this media war, powerful individuals or a group of them. They are the true enemies to be confronted.

"Industries in other places are a bit turbulent. Don't you think it would be good to go and inspect them yourself!"

Miao Qing frowned and asked.

"No need!"

This vast Rong family estate hasn't reached such a fragile state. Domestic industries, influenced by domestic policies, might experience some turbulence, but they won't collapse. Furthermore, the Rong family's true assets are spread across the globe. Even if these domestic industries were to fail, they wouldn't inflict a fatal blow on the entire economic chain of the Rong family. Instead, it would be the government departments who should be worried. If all these domestic industries were to fail, the first ones to panic would undoubtedly be the local governments. They, wanting GDP and performance indicators, wouldn't be foolish enough to kill the golden goose; they should instead do everything possible to protect those industries.

Rong Ling saw the situation very clearly, so he was not in a hurry at all. Miao Qing hesitated to speak, seeming to disapprove of his insistence on staying in City J, but Rong Ling didn't intend to explain.

Turning back, he returned to the guest room to find Lin Meng. Seeing that she was still asleep, her small frame curled up like a little shrimp. He sat down by the bed and picked up her fair, delicate hand lying outside the blanket, playing with it gently. She remained oblivious, her eyes tightly closed, her eyelashes, long and neatly lined, standing erect and slightly curled, an air of tranquility surrounding her.

He reached out and gently pinched her tiny nose. He lowered his head and tenderly took her small mouth, sucking on it softly. She hummed in her dream, a little unwillingly. Her small hand instinctively moved towards her face to push away whatever was preventing her from breathing. But there was no way she could move it. She whimpered a few times, and finally, he kissed her awake.

He let go, but she was still a little reluctant. I guess everyone has a bit of morning grumpiness.

""

He lowered his head and nibbled on her earlobe, whispering softly, "Be a good girl and stay inside. Don't answer any phone calls. Don't go out if anyone asks you to. Understand"

She mumbled a vague "hmm" and wasn't sure if she even heard it. Her smooth arm hugged the thin blanket, pulling it to her face and rubbing against it, then closing her eyes. She looked like sleep was all that mattered, even if the sky fell, she wouldn't care.

The blanket, pulled by his movements, quietly slid down her body, revealing a sliver of alluring white—her smooth and delicate back. Two kiss marks remained on it, testaments to his conquest from the previous night. He couldn't quite describe the feeling in his heart at that moment, but there was a sense of pure satisfaction washing over him. So, he lowered his head and kissed each mark again. She twitched her dainty shoulders with a sensation akin to an itch, bumping her head against the pillow and rubbing it softly like a kitten.

"Sleep..."

He sighed softly, reaching out to gently pull the thin quilt up over her back, tucking it in around her.

That's pretty good, sleeping carefree like that!

He got up and left, there were still many things he needed to take care of!

When Lin Meng finally woke up, Rong Ling was naturally gone. But she remembered being woken up by Rong Ling, and then Rong Ling had spoken to her, roughly meaning that she should not go out or answer the phone. She repeated these two sentences to herself in her head, and then went out of the room.

"Sister Miao Qing, you're here!" Lin Meng was a little surprised and embarrassed. After all, she was at someone else's home, but she slept in like a lazy bum until this late. She felt it was quite rude! Especially since Miao Qing had even prepared food for her.

"Just make do with what we have!"

There is heated milk, eggs, toast, and jam!

Lin Meng didn't refuse and sat down to eat.

Miao Qing was over there reading the newspaper, seemingly waiting for her. Lin Meng was also a little anxious to see what today's paper had to say, so she ate quickly. In less than five minutes, she devoured everything. But since she was at someone else's house, she couldn't be too carefree. She first cleaned up her used dishes before making her way to Miao Qing's side.

"Miao Qingjie, what were you saying up there!"

"You read it first!" Miao Qing shoved the newspaper into Lin Meng's hands, her expression serious. "After you finish reading, we'll talk!"

This was still Miao Qing's first time looking at her with such an expression, even when she obeyed Rong Ling's orders and sent her away, there wasn't such seriousness before. Lin Meng's heart tightened, she immediately had a bad feeling, and hurriedly took the newspaper to read it. After reading it, her face turned pale.

She...she's such a jinx!

The situation is also... very bad!

Rong Ling told her not to go out and not to answer the phone. Is it... because of this! But isn't she considered escaping justice if she does this! Hiding like this, how long can she hide for!

"Done watching!"

Lin Meng nodded.

"Alright, let's talk then!"

Lin Meng raised her eyes to look at Miao Qing.

Miao Qing smiled bitterly. "You probably don't know my true identity, do you!"

Lin Meng frowned.

"Hmph, do you think I'm just some errand boy working for Rong Shao!"

Lin Meng nodded, then shook her head.

Miao Qing didn't ask Lin Meng what she meant. She just continued talking to herself: "I'm an orphan, raised by the Rong family. The Rong family raises a certain number of orphans every year, and among these orphans, those who are more outstanding will be chosen to work for the Rong family and serve them. I am one such example. I was finally chosen to serve Rong Shao, helping him manage some business, considered as Rong Shao's subordinate. But in reality, I am loyal to the entire Rong family, not just Rong Shao alone."

The Rong family has two heads of household, one in the open and one in the shadows. When we usually talk about the head of the Rong family, we're simply referring to the one in the open. The one in the shadows goes by a different title. The one in the open, you should already know, is Rong Shao. As for the one in the shadows, I can't tell you his name, but I can tell you he's a very influential figure in the military and political circles of this country.

You need to know that if you want to expand your business, then colluding with officials is a necessary path. And if you want the business to be even bigger, you have to use some illegal means.

Rong Ling is responsible for business and black.

As for his third uncle, he was in charge of the government!

The two complement each other, so they have always continuously promoted the development and growth of the Rongjia!

Generally speaking, this yin-yang household pairing consists of two members, one older and one younger. When the household head rotates, the elder member can mentor the younger one. This is a way to ensure that the Rong family thrives for generations!

Rong Ling's ascension to power can be largely attributed to Rong Sanbo's efforts. When changing the head of the family, the opinions and suggestions of another family head were highly valued. As the illegitimate son of the previous head, Rong Ling returned to the Rong family at the age of 17, already quite old. Although he was eligible to compete for the position of the next head, his chances of taking over were slim at that time.

At that time, Rong Sanbo admired him very much and arranged for him to join the army for training. He was determined to cultivate him well and make him his successor. However, he later discovered that he was intelligent, ambitious, decisive, and possessed inhuman perseverance. Moreover, Rong Ling also expressed his interest in going into business. Therefore, Rong Sanbo secretly arranged for him to come into contact with some business content. As a result, it turned out that Rong Sanbo was right. Rong Ling's performance completely exceeded Rong Sanbo's expectations.

At that time, it was almost time for the head of the family to change. Rong Sanbo transferred Rong Ling from the army and asked him to focus on Rong's business wholeheartedly. Thus, when he was twenty-five years old, Rong Sanbo single-handedly pushed Rong Ling into the position of head of the family.

At that time, there were some criticisms of Rong Ling's new position within the Rong family. But after Rong Ling's performance, they couldn't say anything more. However, now, with the emergence of various negative news about Rong Ling, people in the Rong family have begun to stir!

Lin Meng, do you know what they want to do!

Miao Qing looked at Lin Meng with cold eyes, her sharp gaze piercing through him.

Lin Meng's face paled. She actually understood a little, but she still shook her head.

Miao Qing said heavily, "They are planning to bring Rong Ling down and prevent him from becoming the head of the family again. You have to know that once Rong Ling is removed from the position of head, even if he performs exceptionally well in the future, he will never be eligible to become the head again. The rules of the Rong family state that a person has only one chance to be the head of the family in their lifetime. If they make a mistake, they will never be considered again. Lin Meng, do you understand the seriousness of this whole situation!"

Lin Meng's face, was becoming increasingly pale!

Miao Qing wryly smiled, a cold and stern expression on her face. “Then you should also know who I represent when I come to talk to you today, shouldn't you!”

Lin Meng nodded lightly.

Miao Qing nodded, not concealing it. "That's right, I was instructed by Rong San Bo to come talk to you. I know you are a good girl, but times have changed, your current status will only burden Rong Shao. Although I am loyal to the Rong family, I have followed Rong Shao for many years, and I also hope he can get better and better. He is an extraordinary person, I have never seen anyone who is more suitable to be the head of the family than him. He is a natural king, besides him, no one else is suitable for that position."

It's also obvious to me that Rong Shao is very good to you, so good that he loses his sense of proportion, so good that he puts himself in a predicament!

To this, Rong Sanbo was extremely angry! He practically treated Rong Shao as his son, raising him with care. You know, people like him, the elderly, most intolerable is to see their own hands cultivated sons, but by another irrelevant woman easily destroyed. So, in order to save this son, he does not mind using some extreme measures, to get rid of that woman. This woman, needless to say, is you!

“He… what does he want to do!” Lin Meng trembled, despite desperately trying to suppress the fear in her heart. But her experiences these past few days were enough for her to recognize the terrifying nature of a powerful person. They could easily erase someone from existence!

"Uncle Rongsan doesn't want to have a falling out with Rongling yet, so his meaning is for you to take the initiative to leave Rongling. As for the excuse for you leaving Rongling, you can think of it yourself. If you do well, then naturally you can retreat unharmed, and he can protect you from harm. But if you don't do well, you, and your family…"

Miao Qing hesitated for a moment, very reluctant to say it, but had to. "Probably...disappear without a trace!"

Lin Meng's heart skipped a beat, her teeth clenched tightly. Despite the threat veiled in Miao Qing's words, she didn't doubt it for a second. Although she was afraid, what she felt more deeply was a sense of desolation.

"I…am I a burden to Rong Ling!"

This — is what she truly cares about!

Miao Qing was deeply moved, looking at Lin Meng, her eyes filled with pity. She knew she was a good girl, she wasn't wrong about that, from the first time she saw her, she knew she was a good girl, and also a unique one! At this moment, being threatened with her life, anyone would panic and think of saving themselves, but she, she still thought of Rong Ling!

Rong Shao went to trouble for her, but it was actually worth it!

This is Miao Qing's true thoughts, but as someone raised by the Rong family, she had to convey Rong Sanbo's meaning completely and clearly to this girl. This girl might be beautiful, but her age and identity are truly sensitive, really unsuitable for being with Rong Shao.

So, she nodded, forced to speak the truth. "You are indeed -- a burden on Rong Shao!"

Then she added, "The head of the Rong family's position can be said to be a throne. Such a position, how could it not attract attention! If Young Master Rong's affairs can be resolved quickly, then he can still hold on. But if it cannot be resolved quickly and dragged on, then over time, others in the Rong family will surely have ideas, thinking that Young Master Rong is at fault, forcing him down, and replacing him with someone more suitable."

"Lin Meng!" Miao Qing sighed deeply. "You don't know, Rong Shao, who had nothing at the beginning, paid so much sweat for that position. Outsiders only saw his brilliance, but they ignored the bloodstains all the way he walked to get there. His efforts were more than any previous head of the family. The hardship involved was something ordinary people couldn't even imagine. So, even I, a bystander like me, can't just watch him come down from that position. It would be too pitiful, pathetic, and painful!"

Besides, Rong Sanbo said what he could do. You'd better get ready quickly, just within the next two or three days. Rong Sanbo has limited patience; he is a man who likes to cut through the mess quickly. You need to be mentally prepared!

Lin Meng smiled wistfully, her eyes shimmering with tears.

"Actually, I feel it too. We're really not a good match!"

From the very beginning, it felt like they were from two different worlds! But she never imagined that such a powerful Rong Ling, many years ago, was also nothing. She didn't know that he was originally a bastard son. With his status, entering the Rong family and then reaching the highest position, just thinking about it, she could feel pain for that man!

He must have suffered a lot!

And she, having received so much from him, how could she possibly be so incompetent as to drag him down and ruin all his efforts!

"Sister Miao Qing, you know so much. I want to ask for your guidance and teach me what to do next. To be honest, I don't really care what happens, no matter how bad it gets, I can accept it. All I want to know is, what should I do to make Rong Ling alright!"

She only wants that man to be good, it's her only wish right now!

Mia Qing abruptly turned her head, unable to bear looking at Lin Meng's current state. It was too pathetic, too pitiful, and it made her heart ache as well. If she could, she really didn't want to be such a messenger.

"You don't need to do anything, just leave him. Without your side of the entanglement, I believe Rong Shao will slowly turn things around!"

Really!

Miao Qing nodded. Seeing Lin Meng sitting there blankly, her face pale as if she had lost her soul, he couldn't bear to see it and comforted her in a low voice.

"Don't worry, everything I said was the truth. As long as Uncle San supports Young Master Rong, then Young Master Rong's position as head of the family should be secure. Uh... before, because of you, there was a conflict between Young Master Rong and Uncle San, which made Uncle San very unhappy. But after you left, with the absence of this conflict, everything will naturally return to normal! So, just leave with peace of mind, it's like an excuse, don't feel too wronged for yourself!"

Lin Meng sat there dumbfounded for a while before softly replying, "I understand, but I need to think about this carefully. ... Is the deadline given by Rong Sanbo three days at the latest!"

Miao Qing said that.

Lin Meng stood up from the chair, her steps unsteady as she walked towards the house. Her back was thin and slender, like a wisp of smoke that could be blown away by the wind.

Miao Qing darkened her eyes, unable to help but let out a soft sigh in her heart!ttle girls!Four little kids were trained to stand in their positions. The boys held lilies and the girls held lily of the valley, taking small steps to lead the way ahead. Behind them, Rong Ling held...