New funding and talents from all over the country along with professional experts from Hanwu Weapons came barging into the Thunder Horse Organization like a tsunami. The ease of access to such resources boosted the performance of Thunder Horse Organization!
If Thunder Horse Organization was described as a computer, then Xia Lei would certainly be its CPU. The gargantuan funding and hordes of talent worked their respective tasks under his careful management. Xia Lei himself was involved in technical research, triggering the knowledge that had settled in his brain into new chemical reactions.
Back in Germany, Xia Lei had stored most of Rheinmetall’s technology in his brain in all aspects like tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, explosives defence systems and even the construction of work garages and relevant machines along with electrical engineering. An entire floor plan of a factory was stored in his head. Now, he’d join the knowledge of the Artificial Intelligence Information obtained from the Hattori clan and the pieces of technology information learned during the Expositions de Villepinte with it. Though there was an influx of information floating about his mind, Xia Lei was still able to manage it. Filtering off all unwanted excess information to leave behind its essence, the essence was put into further processing and countless improvements to become better techniques. Then, Xia Lei would channel off everything in his mind to relevant departments and each workshop.
To the Thunder Horse Organization, Xia Lei was not only its leader but also its nutrient base.
Soon, the date of Shi Boren’s sixtieth birthday celebration came.
Before Xia Lei had arrived at the venue, he had thought that Shi Boren had arranged for it to be at a grand hotel with hundreds of guests. However, when he arrived, it wasn’t anything like he imagined. Shi Boren’s birthday celebration was set in a rural resort. The resort was by no means fancy. It was just a regular hillside resort, having nothing else to marvel over except its scenery.
Emerging from the car was a smartly dressed Xia Lei in a well-tailored suit, who held a gift box in his arm. Around his arm was a dressed-up Tang Yuyan who had on a dark navy Qipao. She looked like a noble lady from the early twenties. Walking in toll, they made a good pair, attracting gazes of envy from the people around them.
However, there were also gazes of hatred.
Liang Siyao was one of them.
“She really believes that she is Xia Lei’s girlfriend, huh?” Liang Siyao frowned as she said to Long Bing.
Long Bing had a stoic expression on her face. She calmly uttered, “Not only that, but I’m also pretty certain that she thinks herself as Xia Lei’s fiancée.”
“How shameless,” spat Liang Siyao.
“Any woman would be as shameless for the sake of her love life and future,” said Long Bing monotonously.
Laing Siyao looked at Long Bing. “How are you not bothered by this?”
Long Bing slightly shrugged. “Why should I be bothered? That would be looking for trouble.”
Liang Siyao remained speechless. Her soul was in pain but she had nowhere to turn to.
Life really was weird. When we acquire something, we tend to not appreciate it until we lose it. If it wasn’t for Liang Siyao, how would there be Shentu Tianyin and even Tang Yuyan?
“You’re not the only one regretting their decisions.” Long Bing continued, “The Xia Lei now has become a national treasure and the Thunder Horse Organization is favoured by the government. The interest of Thunder Horse is now the strategic interest of the country. Thunder Horse’s assets had now far exceeded that of Vientiane Group, one particular Miss Shentu should be the most regretful.”
Liang Siyao scoffed. “She’s too smart for her own good. If she had given up on Vientiane Group and joined Thunder Horse Organization, there wouldn’t even be a Tang Yuyan involved. The Tang family is obviously after Xia Lei’s political prospects and assets, that’s why they’re so eager for Tang Yuyan to sleep with Xia Lei. The Tangs are just nothing more than a power-hungry bunch.”
“If the Tang Family had managed to survive hundreds of years in Shudi without crumbling, they must have their own skills.” Long Bing’s tone was still soft. “You’re Xia Lei’s first girlfriend, don’t you know what his weakness is?”
“His weakness?” That certainly bought Liang Siyao’s attention.
“Well, he doesn’t know how to say no, especially to women.”
To that, Liang Siyao could only smile bitterly. Long Bing wasn’t wrong. She has always known it. This, she had to admit. Xia Lei was a very kind person and he would never raise a hand against anyone who treated him well, especially women. For all the things she and Shentu Tianyin did to him, Xia Lei still had the heart to forgive them both. There weren’t many men out there who was as forgiving as him.
Tang Yuyan and Xia Lei walked over.
Xia Lei couldn’t help but feel awkward. In front of his other two lovers, Tang Yuyan was still around his arm intimately. What kind of situation was this? He had assumed that Long Bing would be unfazed by the display. After all, the woman wasn’t too sensitive over things like this. However, Liang Siyao was a different story and she was a very jealous woman.
No matter what, he still had to greet them out of courtesy. With a tensed scalp, Xia Lei smiled.
“Ah, you’re both here early.”
Long Bing nodded slightly.
Liang Siyao flashed Xia Lei a smile in response. “There weren't any tasks today so we came over early. Initially, I was planning to go get you from Bailu town but Boss Shi had asked for me and Ah Bing ‘s help to set up the venue.”
Xia Lei didn’t know how to respond to that.
Abruptly, a smiling Tang Yuyan mentioned, “Ah Bing, Siyao, what do you think about my Qipao? Doesn’t it go well with Xia Lei’s suit?”
Long Bing said nothing but had her eyes glued to Tang Yuyan.
Liang Siyao, on the other hand, shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
Suddenly, the smile on Tang Yuyan’s face vanished.
Liang Siyao smiled. “How do Qipao and suits go hand in hand?”
Tang Yuyan forced a smile as she turned to face Xia Lei. “Lei Zi, what do you think?”
Xia Lei’s head was about to explode.
How could he step into a battle between females? If he had commented that Tang Yuyan didn’t look good, the woman would be unhappy. If he had commented that she looked pretty, Liang Siyao would be angry. Xia Lei was stuck in between the devil and the deep blue sea! There was no pleasing everyone in this situation!
As Xia Lei was troubled about the feud of jealousy ongoing between Liang Siyao and Tang Yuyan, someone entered through the resort entrance.
Shockingly, Yu Shanhe and Ling Han had arrived.
Utilizing the opportunity, Xia Lei quickly switched the topic. “Why are they here? Did Boss Shi invite them?”
“I’m not sure, I’ll go ask my godfather later,” said Tang Yuyan.
Long Bing said, “Lei Zi, look for me later. I have something for you.”
“Got it.” Xia Lei didn’t press on, agreeing to her request directly.
At this moment, Yu Shanhe and Ling Han approached him. From that, Xia Lei could see that they had come empty-handed. There wasn’t a single gift in their hands.
“Director Xia.” Ling Han greeted her with a smile. “Things sure are looking good for you lately. Your business is a success, and you’ve even got a beautiful wife. You look terrific together with Miss Tang.”
Hearing those polite words from Ling Han was shocking to Xia Lei. The man couldn’t help but think to himself. “Did this motherfucker take the wrong pills today?”
Though his heart had acknowledged Ling Han’s presence, Xia Lei opted to ignore him.
The comments delighted Tang Yuyan. But as soon as she noticed that Xia Lei had stayed silent and wasn’t smiling, she kept quiet. Tang Yuyan stared at Ling Han and Yu Shanhe without a word playing her role as Xia Lei’s woman. Any enemy of her husband was an enemy of hers. Given the scenario, of course, she was going to treat Ling Han and Yu Shanhe as a fiend from Xia Lei’s perspective.
“What’s the matter?” Ling Han threw his arms open and grinned. “Are we not even on greeting terms anymore? We’re business competitors but there’s no need to make an enemy out of each other.”
“Yeah, we’re not enemies. Not only are we not enemies, but we’re also good friends,” replied Xia Lei with a wide smile.
“You’re a magnanimous man, I like you. Let’s head in for some tea,” offered Yu Shanhe with a smile.
A tea session with them? In your dreams! Xia Lei politely declined. “I’m sorry, Officer Yu. I’ve got some matters to tend to, how about next time?”
Yu Shanhe’s expressions darkened terrifyingly. Who did Xia Lei think he was? If this was the ancient times, Yu Shanhe would be a fearsome general who led a massive army that was worshipped no matter where he went. However, this private entrepreneur had dared to speak to him in this tone?! What worse was that Yu Shanhe had no choice but to endure his own wrath because this private entrepreneur was none other than Xia Lei.
Xia Lei in the past was someone he could simply ignore. But now, Xia Lei was someone Yu Shanhe couldn’t afford to ignore!”
This encounter ended on a bitter note.
Yu Shanhe brushed his shoulder against Ling Han.
“He’s just a petty villain who is too full of himself!” Yu Shanhe’s eyes glimmered with fiery disdain. “If I knew he would turn out this way, I would’ve destroyed him earlier on!”
Ling Han sighed. “Officer Yu, you can’t blame yourself for that. I had also underestimated him.”
“Fucking hell. I’ve already offered a chance to bury the hatchet. I’ve even personally tried to appease him but he dared to decline my advances!” Yu Shanhe fumed over Xia Lei’s tone of ridicule.
“It’s difficult to go against him now. Xia Lei’s the apple of the government.”
“Difficult? There’s no capitalist with an absolutely clean record in this world. Xia Lei had only used a few years to get to where he is today. I don’t believe that Xia Lei hadn’t committed a single sin to achieve that.”
“Officer Yu, do you mean…” Ling Han halted in his tracks.
Yu Shanhe took a careful glance back to make sure no one was around before whispering into Ling Han’s ear. “Go dig out all his records.”
“I’ve already run a background check on him. The little bastard doesn’t have a single crime or scandal to his name.” Ling Han continued, “But I’m sure he has done something of that sort, but we can’t do much to him based on those alone. If it was doable, Station ZN would’ve probably done it a long time ago.”
“If we can’t mess with him, are we not going to try to involve the people around him?”
Ling Han furrowed his brows slightly. The current Xia Lei was certainly someone he wanted nothing with! Sadly, Yu Shanhe was too blinded by revenge and hatred.
Yu Shanhe heaved out a huff of laughter. “I know what you’re thinking. I’m not a hot-headed person. So, here’s the plan…”
Ling Han continued to listen with an occasional nod here and there. Then, a smirk appeared on his lips.