Chapter 546 — Yaoyao's Trail
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
Among them, of course, was Director Wang Zhifeng, an adept schemer who had been chafing for a suitable chance to curry favor with those above him—and then Qing Bo handed him a task. He thumped his chest and guaranteed he would keep a close watch on Zhong Yongliang's movements.
This time Wang Zhifeng did nothing else. Paying no heed to how others might see it, he tucked a notebook under his arm and went to Class Five of the twelfth grade to sit in on a lesson.
It was quite normal for the academic director to come inspect the work, but inspecting for a whole day at a stretch was a first. Wang Zhifeng, however, cared nothing for what others thought; he sat down in the back row of Class Five and would not budge.
And as ill luck would have it, he sat right beside Zhong Yongliang, who was nearly bursting with frustration. What the devil was this? Now he had no chance even to discuss a plan with Gao Xiaofu! He prayed for this plague god to finish his inspection and leave, but the man sat through the whole morning without the slightest intention of going.
At noon, Zhong Yongliang was thinking of going outside with Gao Xiaofu to talk over a plan, but Wang Zhifeng called him back with a dark face: "Zhong Yongliang, where are you two off to? Thinking of hiding in the toilets for a sneaky smoke?"
"I..." Zhong Yongliang put on a mournful face, not daring to refuse to answer. "I'm going to eat lunch..."
"Oh, then let this classmate... Gao Xiaofu, is it? You go buy them and we'll eat in the classroom! Just get them from the cafeteria. I'm hungry too, as it happens, so buy a portion for me as well. My treat!" With that, he fished out fifty yuan and handed it to Gao Xiaofu.
Now that the dean of academic affairs had spoken, how would Gao Xiaofu dare refuse? Still, he could not quite make sense of it. The dean was actually treating the two of them to a meal? Was he mistaken? It was only boxed lunches, true, but such treatment was utterly unheard of!
Seeing that matters had come to this, Zhong Yongliang had no way out either. Still, he was not overly suspicious. Wang Zhifeng had never much liked the sight of him at the best of times, and especially after Jin Gubang had withdrawn as a shareholder, Wang Zhifeng seized every idle moment to make trouble for Zhong Yongliang.
Who knew what had gotten into Wang Zhifeng today? Zhong Yongliang truly did not dare offend the fellow.
Qing Bo had not expected Wang Zhifeng to be so diligent; the man was practically Zhong Yongliang's personal bodyguard. That said, it did afford him some time. Taking advantage of the morning, while no one was at Zhong Yongliang's home, he slipped back in and conducted a careful search. He had not searched Zhong Yongliang's room the night before, so today he might as well search it too.
Yet he found nothing of use in Zhong Yongliang's room either, and by now Qing Bo could be one hundred percent certain that Gu Mengyao was not in Zhong Yongliang's house. But if Gu Mengyao was not at Zhong Yongliang's home, where was she? The crux of the matter was that Shen Yushu had vanished as well; the two had disappeared together. Two living women, and where could Zhong Yongliang possibly be keeping them?
Qing Bo wiped away every trace he had left in Zhong Yongliang's home. If the other party were merely ordinary people, they would never have noticed any sign of his visit, but in Qing Bo's book, caution was always worthwhile; it was a habit by now.
Only after all this was done did Qing Bo steal out of Zhong Yongliang's villa, though he had left a tiny listening device behind in Zhong Yongliang's room. RO