Daily Intelligence: Forced to Save the Beautiful President at the Beginning

193: Chapter 194 A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime.At the end of the bluestone path in Jiangcheng’s old city district, the wooden sign of ”Fuji Restaurant” was soaked warm by the twilight, its corner copper nails polished to a smooth patina. When the door was pushed open, the copper bell on the lintel gave a ”ding-ling” chime, which, mixed with the aroma of soy sauce wafting from the back kitchen, instantly dissipated the tension after the trial.

Zhang Fan chose an inner square table. The edges of the white porcelain bowls on the table bore slight chipping marks, a sign of the lived-in atmosphere found only in old establishments.

He smiled as he poured rice wine for Li Yong. ”Uncle Li, you said before that you don’t like the ostentation of big hotels, so I specifically asked around for this place. The owner has been stir-frying for thirty years. Let’s have a simple meal and a chat.”

In fact, he himself preferred such places—back when he and Gu Jingshen used to huddle in small restaurants, drinking beer over a plate of peanuts and chatting about the trivialities of starting a business; those were the most grounding times.

”Good, a good place.” Li Yong touched the blue and white checkered pattern on the tablecloth, his eyes full of relaxation. ”It’s much more comfortable than those dazzlingly bright big hotels.”

The dishes were served quickly: sweet and sour pork ribs coated in amber sauce, and stir-fried seasonal vegetables still carrying the ’wok hei’.

Zhang Fan picked up a rib and handed it over. Suddenly remembering something, he laughed. ”I should have called Old Gu; he craves these sweet and sour ribs the most. But this morning he said he had to meet with Qin Xue’s family to discuss the wedding date—you remember him, right? The one who went to your clinic, he’s my best friend.”

Saying this, Zhang Fan sighed. ”Old Gu and his girlfriend are both from single-parent families. Their mothers hit it off immediately. Apparently, they’ve even decided on the pattern for the wedding banquet tablecloths. I reckon we’ll be drinking at their wedding feast in a while.”

His tone carried a bit of a smile, but also hid a slight regret for not having invited his friend.

Listening to this, Li Yong couldn’t help but nod. ”It’s not easy for young people to come together; it’s better this way, knowing each other’s backgrounds well.” As he spoke, he picked up the white liquor glass in front of him, his fingers lightly stroking the rim, his eyes growing slightly warm.

The liquid swayed, reflecting the white hair at his temples and the table full of home-cooked dishes—if not for the young man before him, he would likely still be in the detention center right now, unable to sit here eating a hot meal.

”Xiao Zhang,” Li Yong’s voice was slightly hoarse from the alcohol but exceptionally solemn. He tilted his glass toward Zhang Fan. ”If not for you, these old bones of mine would likely have been buried in prison without even a chance to see the light of day. Great kindness transcends words of thanks; I will remember this debt for a lifetime.”

A few days ago, he was still in the detention center, staring at the cold iron bars and worrying about his innocence and the safety of his formula. Now, he could sit in a warm little restaurant, eating with the person who truly helped him.

He picked up the white liquor glass in front of him and tilted his head back to drain it in one gulp. The spicy liquid slid down his throat, yet it warmed his heart.

Zhang Fan also raised his glass and took a small sip. ”Uncle Li, those words are too formal. You’ve saved so many people; you shouldn’t have ended up being framed. I only did what I should have done; it’s not worth calling a great kindness.”

After three rounds of drinks, the dishes on the table were nearly finished, and the neighbors gradually dispersed, leaving only the two of them in the small restaurant.

Li Yong set down his glass, and his expression suddenly became incredibly solemn. He reached up to unbutton his collar and took out a palm-sized black USB drive from an inner pocket close to his skin. The USB’s casing was made of matte metal with fine patterns engraved on the edges; it clearly wasn’t an ordinary model.

”This is...” Zhang Fan was stunned.