aircannonsinc Chapter 1100 Lili Agrees
Chapter 1100 Lili Agrees
Li Jianjun cursed the woman inwardly for being greedy and difficult, a complete idiot, but he could only force a stiff smile, his lips twitching and the lines around his eyes looking unnatural: "Alright, I understand. I'll definitely handle things properly for you, I guarantee you'll be satisfied, so don't worry. I'll head back now and wait for your message." With that, he tried to get up and leave, feeling uncomfortable for even a second longer, as if the air was filled with the woman's pungent, cheap perfume, sickeningly sweet and making him dizzy.
"Hey, what's the rush?" Lili reached out to stop him, the colorful plastic bracelet on her wrist jingling sharply. Her eyebrows were raised high, her eyes filled with mockery, as if she could read his mind: "You're just going to leave after you've said that? Isn't that a bit disrespectful of me? What if you leave and then deny everything? Who am I supposed to complain to then? You make a good point, don't you?"
Li Jianjun chuckled twice, his voice strained, "Look at what you're saying, how could I deny it?" But inwardly, he was a hundred times unwilling—what was the point of writing a certificate? This thing was a ticking time bomb. With the document in black and white, if it fell into Gu Nan's hands, or if some busybody reported it to the factory, it would be a huge problem. But seeing Lili's posture—arms crossed, leaning against the table, blocking his way—it was clear she wouldn't let him leave without writing it. He hesitated, rubbing his fingers on his trouser leg, making the already pilling fabric even rougher. "Look," he said, "I've found you such a way to make money, would I lie to you? If you ask me, there's no need for the certificate. Besides, you still have the photos, don't you? Those are more effective than any other certificate, clear and simple. Aren't you reassured?" He tried to appeal to her emotions, his tone ingratiating, but his eyes were quickly calculating how to get away with it.
Lili was a little swayed by his words. Yes, the photos had already been taken, and there was plenty of evidence. Why bother with a written agreement? Just as she was about to nod, the older man who hadn't spoken until now suddenly coughed. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.
Lili was taken aback, unsure of what her older brother meant, but she obediently walked over and asked, "Big brother, what's wrong?"
The eldest brother sat in the corner, a cigarette between his fingers, his eyes deep and thoughtful amidst the swirling smoke. He glanced at Lili and lowered his voice, saying, "Are you stupid? Photos are useful, but what if they claim they're photoshopped and deny it? A written agreement is different. It's in black and white, with his signature and seal—that's solid evidence, understand?"
Lili then realized what was happening and nodded in understanding: "Big brother is so thoughtful!" After saying that, she turned around and went back into the house, her eyes becoming firm again as she looked at Li Jianjun.
Li Jianjun's heart skipped a beat, realizing something was wrong. Just as he was about to say something more, Lili spoke up first: "Brother Jianjun, this isn't right. I think Big Brother is right. Let's write a written agreement first, just to put my mind at ease. Don't worry, once this is over, I will definitely return the agreement to you and will never tell anyone."
Seeing her unyielding attitude, Li Jianjun knew he couldn't avoid this ordeal today. He gritted his teeth, cursing these people for their cunning, but he could only admit defeat. "Fine, fine, I'll write it, okay?" he replied irritably, taking the paper and pen from Lili's hand, leaning over the table, and carefully writing a note, stating his promise to help Lili find a job. Finally, he reluctantly signed his name, then pulled out his rarely used personal seal from his pocket and slapped it on, the red ink starkly against the white paper.
Lili picked up the document and examined it carefully. After confirming that there were no problems, she put it away with satisfaction and then stepped aside to make way for her: "That's right! Wouldn't it have been fine if we had done this earlier?"
Li Jianjun glared at her irritably, grabbed his coat, and walked out, his heart filled with anger—today was truly unlucky; not only had he been taken advantage of, but he had also been left with a future problem. Life was getting more and more frustrating.
Li Jianjun paced back and forth in the room, his mind racing with calculations. He finally stopped, a ruthless glint in his eyes—he was determined to use the previous incident to his advantage. Those written agreements, held in someone else's hands, were like a sword hanging over his head; he had to find a way to steal them back. Then he would implicate those who had set him up and Gu Nan, letting them fight like dogs, and finally send them all to jail. He could already picture Gu Nan's helpless expression, and he sneered inwardly: "Let's see how you clear your name then. You'll probably have ten mouths and still not be able to explain yourself."
Having made up his mind, he stuffed the few bills he had left in his pocket and went out the door, but didn't turn back towards home. In this situation, he knew he couldn't fight alone; he needed some trustworthy men to turn the tide. He took a deep breath and headed straight for the low, dilapidated shantytown in the south of the city—a place teeming with all sorts of ruthless characters, including some of the henchmen he had once recruited.
Among the people he was looking for was a man named Zhang San. Years ago, Zhang San was caught stealing steel bars from the factory and lost his job at the steel rolling mill. Li Jianjun used his connections to find him an apprenticeship at a car repair shop. Although it wasn't as respectable as being a regular employee at the steel rolling mill, at least it provided food and lodging, and he got a few yuan of pocket money each month, making it a decent job. However, Zhang San was a wild and restless person who couldn't sit still. He quit after less than three months and spent his days hanging out with street thugs. With his ruthlessness, he managed to make a small name for himself in the shantytown. But he always remembered Li Jianjun's kindness and would tell everyone he met, "If it weren't for Brother Li giving me a hand back then, I, Zhang San, would be rotting away in jail by now. I wouldn't have this job today."
When Li Jianjun found Zhang San's house, he and two henchmen were drinking around a broken table with a missing leg. On the table were two plates of fried peanuts, a dish of greasy pig's head meat, and a chipped bottle of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) that was more than half empty. Zhang San was shirtless, revealing a crooked dragon tattoo on his arm. When Li Jianjun pushed open the door, he instantly sobered up, quickly stood up, swallowed the liquor in his mouth, and put on a warm smile. He hurriedly found a clean glass and personally filled it for Li Jianjun: "Brother Li, what brings you here? Please sit down! Want a drink? I just poured a bottle of Erguotou, it's strong!"
Li Jianjun waved his hand, not daring to touch alcohol again—the incident a few days ago when he was drunk was still a thorn in his side, and if he got drunk again, who knew what kind of trouble he might cause, and then it would be too late to cry. He looked at Zhang San, his tone becoming serious and carrying an undeniable air of authority: "Alright, that's enough drinking. I've come to you today because there's something I need to do, and only you can help me with it."