However, Sun Ling currently needed Wang Er Biao's help. At the very least, he visited her often and occasionally brought money and supplies, preventing her from living too miserably inside.
Sun Ling put on a show of being touched. "Er Biao, I've realized you're the only one who treats me the best."
Believing he had finally won Sun Ling's heart, Wang Er Biao was in high spirits. He even whistled on his way back.
However, when he pushed open his front door, he found four or five people in uniform inside his house.
"Er Biao, these staff members say they need to ask you some questions." Wang Er Biao's mother stood up, looking at her son who was trembling, and questioned him, "Didn't you promise your father and me that you'd be a good person after you got out and never do anything illegal again? You're being foolish!"
Seeing her mother's face flushed with anger, Wang Er Biao's heart suddenly panicked.
"Mom, you only had surgery not too long ago. Please don't get angry. I've been behaving myself since I got out. The staff might just need to ask me a few questions."
After speaking, Wang Er Biao looked pleadingly at the staff members.
One of them spoke up. "Yes, ma'am, we are indeed here to ask Comrade Wang Er Biao some questions."
Upon hearing the staff member say this, Wang Er Biao was very grateful. As he left with them, he specifically thanked them. "Thank you, comrades. My mother isn't well. If anything were to happen to her, I would feel guilty for the rest of my life."
One of the staff members glanced at him. "I didn't realize you were such a filial son."
Wang Er Biao smiled and asked, "May I ask what this is about? Since my release, I've been law-abiding and striving to be a good citizen."
One of the staff members took out handcuffs and unceremoniously cuffed him. "Zhao Dazhi and Lu Jun have been apprehended. They have confessed to their crimes and, according to their statements, all instructions came from you."
Wang Er Biao, who had been clinging to hope just moments before, was now completely stunned...
By the time Chen Li Shu received the news of Wang Er Biao's sentencing, over half a month had passed. Although Wang Er Biao admitted that he had instructed Zhao Dazhi and the other to set a trap to retaliate against Shu Se Garment Factory due to personal grudges, he persistently refused to disclose the source of the hundred thousand yuan.
Due to his lack of cooperation and the fact that he had reoffended less than a year after his release, coupled with the authorities' intent to intensify penalties for criminal acts, he was directly sentenced to fifteen years of imprisonment.
"We will further investigate your suspicions, but Wang Er Biao refuses to admit any connection with Jiang Yu Wei." Yang Shuang told Chen Li Shu everything he knew and was at liberty to disclose.
"However, you need to be mentally prepared for this. The bank doesn't want to blow this out of proportion, and their attitude is not very cooperative. They don't want to pursue it, and we have no evidence, so this matter might very well be dropped in the end."
"Thank you for telling me all this. I also appreciate your help with this matter." Chen Li Shu said as she stood up. "I won't disturb your work anymore."
Yang Shuang stood up to see her off.
After leaving the Public Security Bureau, Chen Li Shu asked Li Hong Yu to drive her to the prison.
"Chen Li Shu? What are you doing here?" Sun Ling heard someone had come to see her and, assuming it was her parents or Wang Er Biao, was about to express her joy. But then she saw Chen Li Shu sitting in the visiting room.
Chen Li Shu crossed her left leg and smiled at her. "After all, we were classmates. I just sent Wang Er Biao to prison today and suddenly remembered you were still detained, so I came to see you."
Upon hearing that Wang Er Biao had gone to prison, Sun Ling looked utterly stunned. When she finally reacted, she immediately glared at Chen Li Shu and said hatefully, "You did this, didn't you?"
Chen Li Shu shook her head. "He brought it upon himself. If anything, what he did is also related to you, isn't it?"
Sun Ling was enraged. "You damn bitch, why don't you die!"
Chen Li Shu provocatively said, "My life is incredibly good now. On the other hand, look at you, looking like neither human nor ghost. I actually feel a bit sorry for Wang Er Biao. Someone like you could actually find someone as devoted as Wang Er Biao. But you didn't cherish it and caused him so much suffering. People like you who don't cherish things should grow old alone in here." Chen Li Shu's tone was soft, her expression a mix of disdain and mockery.
Sun Ling couldn't tolerate her attitude and was driven mad with anger. She lunged at Chen Li Shu.
"You bitch, I'll choke you to death!"
However, before she could get close to Chen Li Shu, she was restrained by the prison guards who rushed over.
Chen Li Shu feigned a look of lingering fear. "Comrade, I came here with good intentions to see her, and she suddenly went crazy and attacked someone. Could it be a mental health issue? I strongly suggest you have her examined."
Seeing that she was still making sarcastic remarks, Sun Ling's eyes turned red with anger. She pushed away the staff and lunged at Chen Li Shu again.
Seeing her in such a frenzied state, two more staff members immediately rushed in, and finally, force had to be used.
By the time Sun Ling quieted down, she had been sent to solitary confinement and also received a demerit for assaulting a staff member.
Both Sun Ling and Wang Er Biao received their due punishment, and Chen Li Shu's focus shifted back to her work.
After all, people like them didn't deserve to have her energy wasted on them.
The Shu Se brand's spring collection received excellent market feedback, and sales reached a new high after the New Year.
"The factory's production volume is steadily increasing, and all feedback data is positive. I think it's time to open more directly managed stores," Chen Li Shu discussed with Nan Hai Tao.
"Especially in Kyoto and Shanghai. Over the past two years, the living standards of the people have gradually improved, and their acceptance of new things and pursuit of fashion is very strong. Most importantly, the policies are becoming increasingly open, and more and more people are recognizing the business opportunities in the apparel sector. Therefore, we must seize the opportunity and rapidly expand our market to gain an advantage before others make their move."
Nan Hai Tao also had his concerns. "However, if we rush blindly, the personnel alone will be a problem. I don't deny that Kyoto and Shanghai have excellent development prospects, but once we set up multiple directly managed stores, we must have reliable people to manage them."
Chen Li Shu nodded. "I'll go personally. As for personnel, as long as the compensation is right, I believe we can recruit any kind of talent."
Nan Hai Tao was somewhat surprised by her words. "You'll go personally?"
Chen Li Shu nodded. "At most half a year. Once everything is on track, we can step back."
"But your children are still young. If you go for such a long time..." If his wife weren't pregnant and unable to leave, Nan Hai Tao would have offered to go himself.
"This is just an idea, and besides, I won't be going immediately. And I won't be away from Kyoto the entire time. We have not only trains but also planes now. It will just mean more round trips."