Chapter 3: A Fortuitous Opportunity

"What can you do?" the old man raised his head to look at the young man in front of him and asked

"It's nothing, Old Qin, I have plenty of people at my disposal, until you are satisfied," Chen Tang joked

If they truly hate me, then that would be ungrateful. How about I call this young man in, and you can take a look before making any judgments? If we do not see eye to eye, then I will just take him away.

"Big brother, I have never interacted with such a prominent figure before. This person was a high-ranking leader in the past. Do you think I can manage? What should I pay attention to when dealing with someone like this?" Chen Lubing asked sincerely

That evening, they analyzed the preferences of Qin Wunong from their respective perspectives, considering how to please him, serve him well, and strive to remain there, so that they could achieve their goals in the future

This was the first time he met Chen Tang, a man who instilled fear at first glance, for there was no expression visible on his face, and one could not discern what he was thinking. However, when Chen Lubing saw him, his first feeling was one of fear

However, Chen Lubing speaks the truth; he indeed cannot.

So will I not have to work in the future?

If you say so, then I will not feel sad; perhaps I will return in three to five days

However, this is also a good opportunity; you still need to put in some effort to seize this chance. At least for the next few years, you won't have to sew jeans anymore. However, after you leave, the three of us old fellows might not be able to complete the task, and we will occasionally face penalties. " Shanyue Cheng smiled and said.

You, do not waste your time on me anymore. My connections and networks have already been nearly exhausted by others. I fear that I cannot provide you with a commensurate return for all the time and effort you have spent on me. After saying this, Old Qin steadily placed a chess piece on the board

Chen Lubing nodded. At that moment, a scene from the movie "The Shawshank Redemption" suddenly came to his mind, where the warden called the young man outside to discuss matters. Thinking of this, he began to look around at the heights, checking if anyone was aiming a gun at him.

"Do you know who that old man is? His name is Qin Wunong. He used to be a leader in Tiandu Province, but he is quite difficult to get along with. He has selected many service personnel, and without exception, they have all been sent back within a week. Perhaps in three to five days, you will be moving back again," Lu Jingshan said with a smile.

Indeed, after Chen Lubing fell silent, Chen Tang uttered some bland remarks that seemed to warn Chen Lubing to be more honest, but in reality, he was subtly guiding him on the rules for conducting himself in the future

Qin Wunong raised his head to look at Chen Lubing and asked, "Do you know how to play chess?"

Chen Lubing sat at the edge of Lu Jingshan's bed, and Lu Jingshan placed a hand on his shoulder, whispering: "Little brother, this is a great opportunity for you. Old Qin Wunong is quite influential; it is said that even the warden of the prison has to consider his feelings. So make sure to perform well. Who knows, in the future, your three older brothers might benefit from your connections. Look at us, we are exhausted from working like dogs all day long. If you can establish a connection with Old Qin and speak a few good words for your brothers, it might reduce our workload..."

I did not think this way; it is just that the labor intensity is too high now. I am not able to eat enough every day, and I still have to do so much work. I cannot hold on any longer

I heard that you do not want to participate in labor, so what do you want to do? Just sit in the room and wait for three years to pass before you are released? Chen Tang spoke very slowly, each word striking Chen Lubing's heart like a heavy hammer.

"Do as you wish, I just feel that it is unnecessary. I am quite fine here by myself, it is quiet, and no one disturbs me. I can do whatever I want. If you send someone else to me, they might be driven away by me again in a short time."

"Xiao Chen, thank you for taking care of us during this time. Please take this; it may be useful in the future." Shi Wenchang handed Chen Lubing a jade filter tip.

At the beginning, the three individuals were taken aback, not expecting such a situation to fall upon Chen Lubing.

If everyone else can endure it, why can't you? Then tell me what you want to do? Choose a task, or should I let you take my position?

The jade cigarette filter of Shi Wenchang, which Chen Lubing had seen him never part with since he entered, is now unexpectedly being given to him, leaving Chen Lubing both flattered and astonished

Chen Lubing knew that this was Sang Luoning entrusting the relationship to Chen Tang. At that time, he had only mentioned it casually, not expecting that Sang Luoning had such a strong network of connections. It seems he truly underestimated her.

"Alas, at my age, if I die, then so be it. After I am gone, those outside will feel relieved. You have taken such good care of me, yet they have no idea how much they hate you," joked Old Qin.

"Take it, after all, it is our fate. The doctor told me that if I don't quit smoking, I might not have many years left to live. I still want to live to see my grandson, so here it is," Shi Wenchang said, waving his hand.

Chen Lubing originally thought that Sang Luoning would not agree to his request. Half a month has passed, and there has been no news.

On the way back, Chen Tang suddenly stopped and turned to Chen Lubing, saying: "Pack up your things and move here tomorrow. Report to me at any time about his situation, including his health condition."

At this moment, Lu Jingshan gestured to Chen Lubing, indicating for him to sit beside him

Old Qin, look at what you are saying, I have never had such thoughts. Moreover, these are all things I should do; after all, who put me in this position? The reason I was able to attain this position back then was precisely because you spoke up...

Chen Lubing had never been given such importance before, and although these three were in prison, they were billionaires. The people they met and the experiences they had were all far superior to his own. Therefore, when Lu Jingshan spoke these words to him, Chen Lubing truly felt taken aback.

Qin Wunong glanced at Chen Tang, who was sitting beside him, and found this young man to be quite interesting, completely different from the others he had brought before. He nodded and said, "Then let's give it a try"

Chen Tang nodded in satisfaction, stood up to take his leave, and departed with Chen Lubing

There is someone here to play chess with you and chat, which makes me feel more at ease. After all, you are getting older, and if anything were to happen, I would not be able to bear the consequences, " Chen Tang continued.

"Old Qin, that's not how it should be said. Since you are here with me, I have the responsibility to take good care of you. A young man just came in, and he seems quite clever. Moreover, I have looked into it, and he has no criminal record or prior offenses..." When Chen Tang said this, he himself felt a bit ironic. How could someone with no criminal record or prior offenses end up here?

If it were someone else, with such a good opportunity to no longer work in the workshop, they would surely try their utmost to curry favor with this old man in front of them. As long as they could win his favor, the remaining days in prison would not be so difficult to endure.

After reprimanding Chen Lubing, Chen Tang took him out of the office. Throughout the journey, Chen Lubing felt anxious; he did not know where Chen Tang would take him. However, it was unlikely that he would be dealt with in a prison, as that would imply the Qi family's influence was too great.

"No." Chen Lubing replied succinctly and decisively

Everyone has the tendency to be a teacher. After Chen Lubing consulted Lu Jingshan, he suddenly opened the conversation with these three individuals. They indeed wanted to connect with Qin Wunong through Chen Lubing, as they had long been aware that Qin Wunong was serving his sentence in this prison and enjoying extraordinary treatment

Brother Shi, this doesn't seem quite right

After an unknown number of turns, they finally stopped in front of a small gate; this was a small courtyard of a single-story building within a prison

One morning, he was summoned to the office of the prison authorities

"Work hard, and perhaps you will truly be able to stay. In the future, the three of us will rely on you..." Shi Wenchang said with a smile, patting Chen Lubing on the shoulder

Chen Lubing did not speak again, for since Chen Tang had called him here, it indicated that he had already considered this matter and made arrangements. Otherwise, how could Chen Tang be here wasting words with him? Wouldn't it be simpler to just ignore him? Having understood this, Chen Lubing chose to remain silent

"Why are you here again? I have already said that you should focus on your work. I am just here to read a book and play chess with myself, which is quite nice. There is no need to arrange for someone to be with me again."

"Do you not understand what I am saying? If it were not for someone entrusting this relationship to me, such a good opportunity would not have fallen to you. Therefore, you had better be smart and monitor his every move, reporting to me at any time. Otherwise, do you know what the consequences will be?" Chen Tang's face remained dark and frightening, but Chen Lubing understood that he had been sent to serve this old man not out of Chen Tang's kindness; he must have his own ulterior motives.

From beginning to end, Chen Tang's expression was extremely gloomy, so gloomy that it seemed to be dripping with water. Chen Lubing stood there, not daring to move at all. Although one cannot write two 'Chen' characters with a single stroke, he was the warden of the prison, while he was merely a convict serving his sentence

Chen Lubing certainly did not know about these conversations inside the small door; if he had known, he would have been greatly astonished. However, he was soon called into the door, and this was also his first time meeting the old man named Qin Wunong

That evening, after Chen Lubing prepared foot bath water for his three older brothers in the same dormitory, he sat on the edge of his bed to tidy up his belongings, and then bid them farewell

"You wait here." After Chen Tang stopped, he turned back to Chen Lubing and said

His name is Chen Lubing. Before coming here, he worked as a waiter in a five-star hotel and has undergone rigorous training in the service industry. Therefore, I believe he is capable of handling the service work here. If, after the probation period, he still does not meet your expectations, I will assign him a different position where he will have to make one hundred pairs of jeans every day; if he cannot finish, he will not be allowed to eat. This statement is directed at Chen Lubing, serving as a warning for him to work diligently and not to cut corners.

Inside this small door, Chen Tang was sitting on the sofa, facing an old man who appeared to be in his fifties or sixties.

In fact, I am not capable of anything; I used to be just a laborer.

Chen Lubing firmly etched the words of the three individuals in his mind. Although they were currently analyzing Qin Wunong like blind men touching an elephant, much would still depend on Chen Lubing's ability to adapt and respond during his interactions with Qin Wunong. This was because none of the three had ever interacted with Qin Wunong; they could only analyze based on their own experiences and summarize useful information from past hearsay.