Siheyuan: I just came across and wanted to chase me away

Chapter 1086 Find a way

Zhang Li simply nodded indifferently, his face expressionless, and said calmly, "That's right, I am Zhang Li. I'm here to see someone named Li Jianjun, my son-in-law. I heard he's been in some trouble lately, so I came to see what happened."

Director Wang inwardly groaned—he had just received a clear notice from his superiors that morning that Li Jianjun's case was of a special nature, and no one was allowed to visit him for the time being, not even his lawyer. But now his direct superior had called him personally, and the unquestionable tone in his voice was clear to anyone with common sense; this Zhang Li was obviously someone with an extraordinary background, someone he couldn't afford to offend. He dared not disobey, and could only be extremely cautious, his smile becoming even more ingratiating: "Oh, it's your son-in-law. I've heard a little about this. Please come in, Mr. Zhang, I'll take you there right away."

Upon entering the detention center's visiting room, Zhang Li immediately spotted Li Jianjun sitting there dejectedly, his hair a mess, his clothes wrinkled and stained, a far cry from his usual spirited self. Seeing Zhang Li enter, Li Jianjun's previously dim eyes lit up instantly, as if grasping at a lifeline. He jumped up from his chair and shouted through the glass, "Dad! You've finally come! You have to save me! Find a way to get me out!"

Zhang Li glanced at Director Wang standing beside him without changing his expression. He knew that some things should never be said in front of outsiders, so he turned to him and asked in a neither loud nor soft tone, "Director Wang, I would like to have a few words with my son-in-law alone to talk about family matters. Is that convenient for you?"

Director Wang knew perfectly well that this was clearly against the rules, but the other party had powerful connections, and he, a mere director, dared not utter a single word of "no." He could only smile awkwardly and say tactfully, "Alright, Mr. Zhang, please take your time talking. No rush. I'll wait outside. Please call me anytime if you need anything." After saying that, he quietly withdrew, closing the door behind him and leaving them with the privacy of the room.

The door clicked shut as Li Jianjun lunged at the glass partition, his face pleading and his voice trembling with tears: "Dad, I knew you'd come to save me! Please think of something, I really don't want to stay here! This place is no place for a human being, it's dirty and cold, and I have to put up with everyone's attitude. I can't take another day!"

Zhang Li frowned instantly at his pathetic and spineless appearance, a flash of disgust crossing his eyes. He lowered his voice and scolded sharply, "Are you stupid? Have you lost your mind? What did I tell you before? I told you a thousand times to behave yourself, keep a low profile, and not to do anything underhanded. Why didn't you listen? Who told you to act recklessly? Now look what happened, you got caught red-handed, serves you right! Tell me everything honestly, don't try to hide anything!"

He knew Li Jianjun too well. He was shrewd and calculating, full of tricks and schemes. He certainly wouldn't tell Zhang Xue everything. What his daughter knew was mostly superficial and insignificant, not even the tip of the iceberg. Zhang Xue probably had no idea about the dirty tricks Li Jianjun did behind the scenes, let alone know the inside story.

Li Jianjun shrank back, looking like a frightened quail, but his will to survive overcame his fear, and he quickly tried to defend himself: "Dad, it's really not my fault! Really! It's all that kid Gu Nan's doing! If it weren't for him constantly opposing me and setting traps..."

Zhang Li slammed his hand on the table, the heavy mahogany surface emitting a dull thud. The enamel teacup on the table jumped half an inch before crashing back to its original position, scalding tea splashing over the rim and leaving a light yellow mark on the table. His eyes widened, staring intently at Li Jianjun opposite him, his voice brimming with anger like embers suppressed in a furnace, ready to erupt at any moment: "Li Jianjun! Haven't I told you eight hundred times? Things are tense right now, the inspection team is watching from the next city, it's the most dangerous time! Who gave you permission to act on your own? Embezzling project funds, forging acceptance documents, do you want to die even sooner? Don't you even respect me as your father?"

Li Jianjun instinctively shrank back, his thick cheeks trembled, and a fine layer of cold sweat instantly seeped from his forehead, trickling down his temples. He knew he had truly botched this operation, dragging several partners down with him. Gone was his usual arrogance; his voice trembled with tears, and he almost knelt down: "Dad, I know I was wrong, I really know I was wrong! Please save me one more time, just this once! From now on, I promise I'll listen to you obediently and never dare to cause trouble again. If you tell me to go east, I'll never go west..."

"Listen to me?" Zhang Li was furious at his spineless appearance. He stood up abruptly, pointed at his nose, and yelled, "Do you know how big a mess you've made this time? That project fund is a special fund that the higher-ups are keeping a close eye on. You dare to touch it? The forged documents have the seals of three departments, and now they're coming to our door! Any one of these issues is enough to put you in jail for ten or eight years! Even if I had the power to do whatever I wanted, I couldn't fill the hole you've dug!"

Li Jianjun tried to lean closer, pleading with soft words like "You loved me the most when I was little" and "My mother asked you to take care of me before she died," but Zhang Li abruptly raised his hand to interrupt him, his eyes as cold as ice: "Alright, stop wasting your energy. I've already thought it through. At this point, I can only let you 'bear' it for a while. Even if you go to jail, I'll have someone take care of things for you there, so you can have a single room and won't be bullied. How about that?"

"Jail?" Li Jianjun looked up abruptly, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. His eyes were filled with disbelief, and his chubby face instantly turned a deep purplish-red. "Dad? You're going to abandon me? You know I've never been able to stand hardship since I was little. Prison is a place... mosquitoes can kill you, and cornbread can pierce your throat. How can I stand it? You can't just abandon me!"

Li Jianjun did not expect Zhang Li to say such a thing; it meant he was giving up on himself.

"Can't stand hardship?" Zhang Li sneered, his eyes almost overflowing with disappointment. "When you took the forged documents to sign the contract with your partner, did you not think about the consequences? When you accepted that bribe, did you not think about how hard it would be to eat in prison? Now you're scared? Too late! All the mistakes you made are on full display, and the investigators have a chain of evidence. I really can't save you."