Chapter 398: Phantom Moon
A solitary cloud emerges from the mountains, its departure or stay unaffected by anything.

The mirror is suspended in the air, and the static and noise are irrelevant.

In the chairman's office on the top floor of Phoenix City Group, on the wall behind the desk, there is a pair of words like this hanging on both sides of "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains" by Wang Ximeng of the Northern Song Dynasty.

Gao Shan stared at the words with his hands behind his back for a long time, so long that the white hair on his temples seemed to have increased a little. The sunlight outside the floor-to-ceiling window gradually dimmed, and the dark clouds seemed to be coming again.

At that time, the middle-aged man's favorite opera, "Peach Blossom Fan: Aftersong" by Kong Shangren of the Qing Dynasty, was playing in the office. However, the melodious and graceful opera sounded like a slowly ringing death knell in his ears: "I once saw the orioles singing in the jade palace of Nanjing at dawn, and the flowers blooming early on the waterside pavilions of Qinhuai. Who knew that the ice would melt so easily? I watched him build a red building, I watched him entertain guests, and I watched his building collapse. I once slept in this pile of green moss and blue tiles, and watched the rise and fall of fifty years."

If the problem that Huangcheng Group is facing now is the problem of broken capital chain, although it is difficult, as long as they can find a way to find a source of funds to fill the hole, or negotiate with financial institutions through administrative power to postpone loan repayment, then there is still room for maneuver. To put it another way, even if the money cannot be repaid and Huangcheng Group collapses, it will only be Gaoshan starting over. However, the two reports of "Jiangchuan Daily" seem to have completely destroyed the psychological defenses of this middle-aged man.

Gao Shan left the Phoenix Group office building.

The main entrance and underground parking lot of Phoenix Group have been blocked by suppliers.

Now, it seemed as if the entire Jiangchuan City knew that the Phoenix Group had a serious financial problem. Gao Shan was surrounded by security guards as he left the Phoenix Group. He looked very embarrassed. Many suppliers threw things at him, and reporters pointed their cameras at him and took pictures.

Gao Shan couldn't help but recall that a similar scene had occurred at the gate of Liansheng Group more than ten days ago.

The target at that time was Zhang Yunqi.

Time has changed.

It's just that times are changing too fast.

When returning home.

Gao Shan cleaned the dirt off his body before entering the house.

He knew very well that tomorrow morning, all major media outlets would publish news about the Phoenix Group. The news about the Phoenix Group would spread all over the city. Phoenix would collapse, the Gao family would fall, and Gao Shan would be completely finished this time! However, at least the family was still peaceful at this moment. He also wanted to keep the family peaceful for one last night.

Gao Shan turned off his cell phone, cut off all communication, and asked security not to allow anyone to approach the gate.

His wife was busy in the kitchen.

There is a nanny at home, but when he goes home for dinner at night, his wife will cook for him.

His wife was Wu Xiuqin, from Guiping. Her family was well-off and her parents were both employed in a state-owned enterprise. When she was young, many men pursued her, but she chose him, a poor rural boy with nothing.

Gao Shan still remembers the day he was assigned to work in a state-owned cement factory in Guiping County after graduation. It was mid-July and the weather was extremely hot. He was wearing a thick blue coat and was ridiculed by some old co-workers. His wife Wu Xiuqin was also an employee of the factory at the time and said to him, "I'll lend you 5 yuan so you can buy a shirt."

As she said that, she handed 5 yuan to Gao Shan.

Gao Shan blushed and used the 5 yuan to buy a white shirt. From that day on, he decided that this kind and simple woman was the one he should find in his life.

Over the years, the couple has gone from being penniless to where they are today, they have survived desperate situations, enjoyed glory, and experienced everything. But Gao Shan suddenly felt that he still had nothing except his wife and a pair of children, and his energy had been exhausted.

His daughter Gao Xin is only 8 years old this year, and his son is Gao Ming. He has been busy with official duties and social events all year round, and has been neglecting to care for and educate his daughters.

When he returned home, Gao Shan looked at his extremely adorable daughter who was eating snacks and watching cartoons, and sat down over to her. Suddenly, this middle-aged man was filled with love for his daughter. He smiled and wanted to touch his daughter's little head. He wanted to chat with his innocent daughter about the childish past, because who knows how many years it would take for them to chat again.

However, Gao Xin called "Dad" sweetly, turned her head, and continued to hold the snacks, eating them while watching cartoons.

Gao Shan smiled and withdrew his hand.

He suddenly realized that he seemed to have hardly played with his daughter or had a good chat with her over the years. He suddenly found that he seemed to be unable to remember what grade his daughter was in. His daughter also subconsciously thought that he, the father, just wanted to say hello and he was going to the study to work as usual. An unstoppable sadness surged in his heart.

Dinner today was the same as usual.

Four dishes and one soup, simple, clean and nutritious.

Gao Shan seemed to have a good appetite. He didn't drink any alcohol and ate two bowls of rice.

His son Gao Ming was at home today, playing games all day. He had experienced some setbacks in recent years, and although he was still lazy as always, he was less domineering.

It has been more than a month since Gao Ming returned from abroad. He often goes to the provincial capital, Lijin City, and the High School Affiliated to Southern Hunan Normal University.

Gao Shan knew that his son liked Li Yufei, the daughter of Li Jilin, the general manager of Liansheng Group. He knew it a few years ago, when the boy was still studying at the No. 1 Middle School in the city. He was jealous of Zhang Yunqi for Li Jilin's daughter and caused a big absurd incident. It was he who cleaned up the mess and apologized to the family of the "victim" Zhang Yunqi.

Time flies so fast.

When he and Zhang Yunqi first met, it was at Zhangji Qifengdu Fish Powder Shop. Zhang Yunqi was still in the first year of high school and he left a deep impression on him. He thought that Zhang Yunqi was indeed an insightful young man, but he did not expect that this young man had grown so fast. This young man now has an understanding of the reform of state-owned enterprises that is ahead of the times, and has a deep understanding of the operation of land property rights, rural finance, and the models and methods of investment and financing of platform companies.

Gao Shan felt that his loss was not unfair.

In a sense, he didn't lose to Zhang Yunqi, he lost to the operating model set on the first day of the establishment of Phoenix City Group, he lost to the mine he buried for himself, he lost because he placed his bet on Yuan Qingsen! Hu Xianxun chose Yang Jiarong and Zhang Yunqi's "Jiangchuan Model".

However, if you lose, you lose.

Any excuses and rhetoric are meaningless. It's just that this price is not so easy to bear.

The bridge loan from Lijin Commercial Bank was about to expire, and his car and property were all used as collateral. Of course, in the current situation, it didn't matter whether it was collateral or not. The bank applied for property preservation, and everyone would take a bite. The sales proceeds account was controlled by the financial institution, the capital chain had been broken, and Yuan Qingsen had already been in trouble, and there was no way to save him.

He needs to deal with the following matters.

After dinner, he called Gao Ming into the study.

In the past, Gao Ming would be scolded by his father when he entered the study room, so he was always nervous and resistant. But today was a little strange. His father asked him to sit down calmly and asked him about his study and life very patiently.

Gao Ming was a little uncomfortable and asked if there was anything wrong. Gao Shan stared at him for a long time before saying, "I have already prepared everything for you. You will go abroad tomorrow to study hard. As for your mother and sister, I plan to let them return to Guiping to live. Everything has been arranged. It is very quiet and good there."

After a pause, Gao Shan continued: "After this period of time has passed and things have calmed down, you can come back and visit your mother and sister more often. Most importantly, remember not to cause trouble for Zhang Yunqi again."

Gao Ming was really confused: "I don't quite understand. Why do we have to move back to our hometown? What happened has been settled? I don't have anything to do with Zhang Yunqi now."

"It's nothing now, but it may not be the case tomorrow." Gao Shan looked at his ignorant son. This matter was too complicated and involved too many aspects. He didn't even know how to explain it to his son who didn't have much social experience. After thinking for a while, he said, "Do you still remember your former classmate Lin Zihao from No. 1 Middle School?"

"Remember, what happened?"

"He's in jail now."

"So what? What does this have to do with me?"

"Tomorrow morning, you will see a lot of negative news about me and the Phoenix Group. There are many reasons for this. You just need to understand one thing now. Phoenix can no longer hold on. I can no longer hold on. You will no longer have such a good living condition in the future." Gao Shan stood up. Although the weight of this matter was so heavy that it made people breathless, this middle-aged man who had gone through countless storms still said to Gao Ming in a calm tone: "Maybe you will slowly hear a lot of rumors and think that all this was caused by Zhang Yunqi."

Without waiting for Gao Ming to speak, Gao Shan continued, "The problem between Zhang Yunqi and I is not about who is right or wrong. You can't understand how deep it is now, but when you have enough social experience and rational analysis ability in the future, you will naturally understand it slowly. What I want to tell you is that before you really understand this matter, don't be controlled by emotions and hatred and do something irrational. Because Lin Zihao is a lesson for you, and because no one can protect you from the wind and rain in the future, you have to protect this family from the wind and rain like a man!"

Gao Ming opened his mouth: "Dad..."

Gao Shan turned around and stood in front of the French window, with his back to Gao Ming, looking at the increasingly dark night. It seemed as if rain was falling. His voice was a little low: "Son, I have never taken good care of you and your sister over the years. Some of your character problems may be caused by me. I want to say sorry to you. You can blame me for many things, but don't blame others easily."

At this point, Gao Shan turned around and looked at his son, whose eyes were already red. He smiled and suddenly stretched out his hand. He wanted to touch Gao Ming's head, but when his hand was in the air, for some reason, he just waved it: "You can cry tonight, but don't cry in the future. When I'm not around, you have to live like a man. Before you do anything, you must remember that you have a sister and mother who need you to take care of them. Go out and think about it carefully."

******
The next day, a drizzle began to fall from the sky.

This is the spring time during the Qingming Festival. It was sunny yesterday, but today it is cloudy and rainy.

Gao Shan has developed a habit of getting up early and running in the morning. He got up at five o'clock. Although the weather was not good, he still ran for half an hour in the quiet hills behind the villa.

Caught in the spring rain, he found the feeling of youth.

At eight o'clock, Gao Shan went out on time as usual, but the difference was that he did not call a driver. He drove to Beihu Park alone.

We parked the car at Beihu Park. As we came down the mountain, we saw a few old men and women dancing in a large shed next to us. Na Ying’s high-pitched voice came from a small radio hanging on a treetop: “Seeing flowers in the mist, the moon in the water, can you tell the difference in this ever-changing world…”

Gao Shan walked alone through the quiet path and arrived at the fish-catching pavilion. It was exactly nine o'clock and Zhang Yunqi was already there.

The Fish-Forking Pavilion is located on a small island in the middle of the lake. There is a charcoal stove in the pavilion with hot wine warmed up. There are snacks prepared in an open thermos box. There is a woolen mat on the stone bench where Zhang Yunqi is sitting, reading a book. There is a stone fence outside the pavilion, and it is decorated with Ming Dynasty stone lions, stone sculptures, Podocarpus, flowers and green grass. It is surrounded by water on three sides, and a winding path leads to a secluded place. The sunlight and water reflections on the lake are like a poem and a painting.

Gao Shan's mood suddenly improved a little, and he said with a smile: "I really didn't expect that, brother Yunqi, you would still be so petty bourgeois."

Zhang Yunqi put away the tattered book in his hand and told the truth: "No, I'm just a country bumpkin. Old man Zhao Jianqiang is familiar with this area. He fishes for the fish in Beihu Lake here every day. He heard that you asked me to meet you last night, so he arranged it for me."

"It seems that Chairman Zhao is also very concerned." Gao Shan sat cross-legged beside Zhang Yunqi. In the hazy spring rain, he looked out at the green lake and the vast mountains and sea. If he just drank and enjoyed the scenery with old friends, it would indeed be a carefree thing in the world.

Zhang Yunqi filled a glass of warm plum wine for Gao Shan: "Now that you have removed this thorn, he will be the most proud and successful person in Jiangchuan City."

Gao Shan said, "I know you are very proud of yourself. From today on, Jiangchuan City will no longer be named Yang, and no one in this area will dare to challenge you, Mr. Zhang. But there is one thing I am curious about. Don't you care about your sister Chunlan at all?"

"Do you really need my thanks?"

"It seems you already knew it."

"There is no kidnapper in this world who doesn't need a ransom. Chunlan was taken away in Hongshan Lane, but I never received another call from the kidnappers asking for a ransom. The sensational news published in the Chunjiang Morning News the next day was published by you. All signs point to you, Mr. Gao. Most importantly, you arranged people in the Foreign Affairs Department of Lianzhong. That's nothing. I also arranged people around you. It's just that the Foreign Affairs Department was responsible for investigating this matter during that time. They knew about it, so you knew about it too. But a big figure like you wouldn't kidnap my family. There is no benefit in this. Anyway, I would rather believe that you rescued Chunlan from that Brother Dao, but you were unwilling to give her to me directly."

"Whether you rescue her or kidnap her, you should understand the saying that a dying man speaks kindly. To me, your sister's incident was just an accident. Of course, I did use the opportunity of Chunlan's kidnapping to cause chaos in your Zhang family and launch an action against you. As for the situation at the scene, I couldn't control it. I only issued one order to my men to take Chunlan away safely without any harm. Then, I want to send your sister to you intact at the right time."

"Gao always knows how to plan ahead."

"My men killed Brother Dao and Heizi for you without my consent, and then filled the river with cement and sank them."

"Thank you."

"He had a daughter who was hurt when she was 14 and died. He took revenge on the person and was imprisoned for a long time. After he was released, he followed me. When he saved your sister Chunlan, he took the initiative to kill someone. I was a little shocked at the time, but now, in a sense, he helped me by doing this." Gao Shan picked up the glass and drank it all: "How much do you think these two lives are worth to you?"

"You make a price."

"Chunlan lives on the 12th floor of the Fulaisen Hotel. I hired a psychologist and the best chef for her. Apart from the lack of freedom, she lives a good life. She is unharmed."

“Your chips are getting heavier.”

"These chips in my hand are only for you to make me a promise."

"please say."

"I hope you will treat my family and Gao Ming well. You know, Gao Ming had conflicts with you in the past. I am really worried that he will do something irrational in the future. I only have this one son."

"I will. I will keep an eye on Gao Ming for you. I promise that something like what happened to Lin Zihao will not happen again." Zhang Yunqi filled Gao Shan's glass with wine again, picked up his own glass and said, "Mr. Gao, you have finished what you wanted to say, right? Then it's my turn to speak."

Gao Shan said: "Please speak."

Zhang Yunqi drank the wine in his glass, stood up and said, "I have no interest in Gao Ming, but I am more interested in the industries under your Phoenix Group. Mr. Gao, the banks and suppliers are chasing after the debts very closely, right? After you go in, a lawyer will ask you to sign the relevant industry transfer agreement of the Phoenix Group. I hope you can cooperate."

******
(End of this chapter)