Chapter 185: Set Up by Someone

"However, if you happen to know someone inside the procuratorate, perhaps there is still a glimmer of hope."

"Even then, the chances are slim. At best, it might help your brother-in-law shed some of the blame, but don't even dream of getting him completely off the hook."

Niu Sanquan hesitated for a moment before saying this to Chen Huajiang.

Chen Huajiang nodded slightly, mentally abandoning the idea of pursuing legal avenues right then and there.

The next day, at the match factory.

"Word is that the person taking over the factory is old Lin Gen's son-in-law, Lin Jianguo's brother-in-law."

"That's the guy, Chen Huajiang. He used to be an employee at the Red Flag Factory, but later he opened the Kunlun Restaurant in the city and made a small fortune."

"Whoever takes over the match factory is none of my business. My only demand is that they pay me the wages I'm owed. If they don't pay, they can't blame me for being impolite."

Nearly a hundred workers in the factory were buzzing with chatter, gathering in small groups based on how close their relationships were, discussing animatedly.

"He's here! The guy surnamed Chen is here!"

"He's here, and he's brought quite a few people with him."

"Everyone stick together! If he dares any funny business or fails to pay up, we won't let him leave!"

Soon, someone near the entrance spotted Chen Huajiang arriving with Ermao and the others, and the news quickly spread from the gate into the depths of the factory.

The match factory was quite small. Just ten meters or so past the main gate stood two connected workshop buildings. About four or five meters away from them was a dilapidated warehouse, and right next to that was a bicycle shed—though it could hardly be called a shed anymore, as even the roof was gone, leaving only a few iron pillars to which people chained their bicycles.

Chen Huajiang walked into the workshop and swept his gaze across the crowd.

"Who is Wang Changjiang?" Chen Huajiang asked in a deep voice.

Wang Changjiang was the mastermind who had framed Lin Jianguo, as well as the chairman of the factory's trade union. In those days, the power of a factory trade union was immense, sometimes even surpassing that of the factory director. This was because their domains differed: the director managed the factory's development and operations, while the union chairman handled personnel and ideological reinforcement. Of course, this also stemmed from the match factory's lower administrative rank and small scale; places like the Red Flag Factory not only had a union chairman, but a factory committee secretary as well.

"I am."

At Chen Huajiang's words, a stout man stepped out from a group on the right. In his forties, he wore a Zhongshan suit and black-rimmed glasses, sporting a prominent belly. At first glance, he looked round and amiable, the very picture of a trustworthy person.

Yet, you can know a person's face without knowing their heart; who could have imagined he was capable of hatching such a vicious scheme?

"Director Wang, is it? Let's start by taking stock of the match factory's assets," Chen Huajiang said apathetically, his eyes fixed intently on the other man's face.

"Of course." Wang Changjiang did not panic at all, nodding and speaking in a straightforward manner.

This left Chen Huajiang feeling suspicious. What kind of game was this fellow playing?

The match factory was tiny—by future standards, it was merely a small workshop, not even as large as some garment factories in rural areas. The factory grounds were completely empty: no machinery to speak of, no raw materials, just a barren space. Ah, right, there were still some unsold matches left in the warehouse, but aside from that, absolutely nothing else.

"It seems this match factory is nothing more than an empty shell," Chen Huajiang said, looking straight at Wang Changjiang.

"Boss Chen jokes. How could it be an empty shell?"

"You must remember that when we signed the contract with Lin Guoshan, the factory had both machinery and raw materials. After the contract was signed, the factory was his to operate and manage exclusively. What he ended up doing with it afterward is beyond our control," Wang Changjiang said, narrowing his eyes with an expression of utter innocence.

This made Chen Huajiang boiling mad and finally made him understand the other party's intentions and the reason for setting up this trap. Obviously, the financial deficit was so severe that these scoundrels had taken a desperate gamble, using Lin Guoshan as a scapegoat. Although if the matter blew up and a thorough investigation followed, these people wouldn't be able to escape either—after all, no one would believe that Lin Guoshan, an employee who had already left, possessed such capability. Still, Lin Guoshan was guaranteed to bear the blame.

Yet this also filled Chen Huajiang with lingering doubt. What was the point of a plot purely designed to drag Lin Guoshan down with them? It was nothing more than adding another drowning soul to the mix.

Unless—

As Chen Huajiang looked at Wang Changjiang's confident demeanor, a terrifying possibility flashed through his mind!

It was that the other party had known about him all along, knowing that he had money and would step in to take over this烂摊子 (mess).

If that was the case, this was never a trap set to frame Lin Guoshan; it was a trap set for him, Chen Huajiang. Lin Guoshan was merely the bait.

"Director Wang is truly formidable. It seems you knew about my relationship with Lin Guoshan and were determined to trap me from the start."

Having figured it out, Chen Huajiang folded his arms and stared at Wang Changjiang.

Sure enough, at his words, Wang Changjiang's expression shifted abruptly. Although he quickly put on an act of confusion, that split second of nervousness and anxiety was captured clearly by Chen Huajiang.

"What is Boss Chen talking about? I don't understand a word."

"What do you mean by knowing your relationship with Lin Guoshan and being determined to trap you? That's quite a joke. I only found out today that you're Lin Guoshan's brother-in-law."

Wang Changjiang spoke with an aggrieved expression, spreading his hands to signal his innocence.

However, Chen Huajiang sneered, turned around, walked out of the warehouse, and returned to the previously empty workshop.

"I, Chen Huajiang, will put my words right here today. Lin Guoshan is my brother-in-law, and since he has been framed, I will naturally save him."

"In a sense, I will also take over the match factory he agreed to operate—which is this very mess lying before us right now."

Chen Huajiang spoke in a deep voice. At his words, the expressions of the workers eased somewhat, and several let out long sighs of relief. The most obvious among them was Wang Changjiang.

"However!"

Chen Huajiang's tone abruptly changed as he turned his gaze back to Wang Changjiang.

"Before taking over, I need to make a few things clear to everyone, especially to certain individuals. Affection has a price; whether it is affection between friends, among relatives, or even between parents and children, it all has a price."

"Just like when children try to save their parents, or parents try to save their children—if the point comes where you've given everything, lost your entire fortune, and still cannot save them, you naturally have to give up, because you have no other choice."

"Twenty thousand yuan is something I, Chen Huajiang, can scrape together. Even thirty thousand yuan, by emptying out my entire household, I could manage. But do you really think I would bankrupt my entire family to save my brother-in-law, Lin Guoshan?"

Chen Huajiang spoke with absolute solemnity, every word ringing with strength, his gaze finally locked unwaveringly onto Wang Changjiang.

"What do you mean?! Boss Chen, what on earth are you trying to say?"

"That's right! Didn't you say you were going to take over our factory and save our match factory? Are you trying to go back on your word now?"

"Wasn't this all agreed upon? What are you trying to pull by saying this now?"

Stirred by Chen Huajiang's words, the workers in the factory fell into a panic, buzzing with nervous agitation as they glared at Chen Huajiang with a mix of anxiety and anger.

Chen Huajiang ignored their outcries, keeping his eyes locked firmly on Wang Changjiang.