Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 158 Special Relationship?

For men, beautiful women have a natural attraction.

Handsome men also have a natural attraction for women.

Hu Ruoxi is a beautiful woman, and Wu Zhiyuan is a handsome man; it's only natural that opposites attract.

Wu Zhiyuan approached Hu Ruoxi with a clear investigative mission, but undeniably, Hu Ruoxi, a woman of both talent and beauty with a unique temperament, held a certain attraction for him.

This is not merely a requirement of the mission, but also involves a man's instinctive attraction and appreciation for outstanding women.

For this reason, Wu Zhiyuan was worried that if one day in the future there was conclusive evidence that Hu Ruoxi was involved with foreign intelligence agencies, or even deeply involved in them, how would he deal with this complicated entanglement that was mixed with mission and personal feelings?

As an outstanding national security officer, one must not have emotional entanglements with the subjects of investigation; this is a red line of professional ethics.

But the human heart is not a precise instrument; it cannot accurately separate emotions from responsibilities.

Wu Zhiyuan asked softly, "Where does President Hu live?"

Hu Ruoxi blurted out: "Yuefu in Jiangzhou".

Wu Zhiyuan was shocked. It was one of the most famous luxury villa areas in Jiangzhou, mainly consisting of detached villas, with a quiet environment and high prices.

Upon arriving at the villa's entrance, Hu Ruoxi suddenly spoke up: "Would you like to come in, sit down, and have a cup of tea?"

Wu Zhiyuan was overjoyed. This was an opportunity he had been longing for, a chance to observe Hu Ruoxi's living environment and daily life up close. Of course, he wouldn't refuse.

"Alright, then I'll take the trouble to bother you, Mr. Hu."

As Wu Zhiyuan followed Hu Ruoxi into the villa, the luxury inside exceeded his expectations.

The high ceilings, huge floor-to-ceiling windows, and expensive imported furniture and artwork all demonstrate the owner's considerable wealth.

However, in stark contrast to its opulent appearance, the large villa appeared deserted and desolate.

Hu Ruoxi seemed to sense Wu Zhiyuan's feelings and casually explained, "The house is a bit big. Usually, it's just me, my mom, the nanny, and the housekeeper living here. They're probably all resting, so it's quite quiet."

The room was warm, and Hu Ruoxi took off her trench coat, revealing a cashmere dress that showed off her graceful figure.

Hu Ruoxi did not linger in the living room, but instead gave Wu Zhiyuan a brief tour.

She opened the basement door, and sure enough, as she had said, it was a private gym with extremely professional facilities. It was huge, with treadmills, strength training equipment, a yoga area, and a pool table.

The most eye-catching feature is the azure indoor heated swimming pool on one side of the gym. It's not a standard pool; it looks to be about 20 or 30 meters long.

"The exercise facilities here, Mr. Hu, are even more professional than those in high-end gyms." Wu Zhiyuan felt like a country bumpkin visiting a grand garden.

"I like working out, but I don't want to go out, so I can exercise at home," Hu Ruoxi said casually.

Wu Zhiyuan said, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "Mr. Hu, could you give me a gym membership? I can come swimming here when I have time. Of course, I won't skimp on the cost."

Hu Ruoxi actually smiled, which was rare for her: "Mr. Wu, you're joking. This isn't a gym open to the public."

However, if Mr. Wu is truly so passionate about swimming, I would welcome him to come over occasionally for a friendly competition.

The fee is waived; consider it a friendly exchange.

Wu Zhiyuan was secretly pleased, knowing that the door was not completely closed.

He feigned surprise and said, "Thank you in advance. I'll definitely come to Mr. Hu to learn swimming skills when I have the chance."

Back in the living room, Hu Ruoxi brewed Wu Zhiyuan a cup of fine Pu'er tea.

Amidst the fragrant aroma of tea, the two chatted for a few more minutes.

Feeling it was inappropriate to linger on a first visit, Wu Zhiyuan rose to take his leave: "Mr. Hu, it's getting late, I should head back."

Hu Ruoxi did not try to stop him, and stood up to see him to the door.

Just then, my phone rang.

"Ruoxi, I'm right outside your door. I'll keep you company tonight."

"Manli, I'll open the door."

After hanging up the phone, Hu Ruoxi explained, "My best friend Su Manli is here."

Wu Zhiyuan felt a chill run down his spine, but his expression remained unchanged.

Su Manli?

Could it be the owner of the Angel's Kiss milk tea shop?

If so, tonight's discovery is extremely important.

Gao Bowen went to Su Manli's milk tea shop, which was located near the headquarters of Dadi Company. Su Manli and Hu Ruoxi were best friends, and Hu Ruoxi had studied in the United States...

The villa gate opened, and a glamorous woman wearing a stylish leather jacket and exquisite makeup walked in.

Su Manli noticed Wu Zhiyuan and giggled, "Oh! Ruoxi, what's going on? Hiding a mistress? Getting a boyfriend? This is big news! You've kept it well hidden!"

Wu Zhiyuan recognized the person as Su Manli, the owner of Angel's Kiss Milk Tea Shop.

He had seen Su Manli's photo, but Su Manli obviously didn't recognize him.

Hu Ruoxi blushed immediately upon hearing this, and explained, "Manli, don't talk nonsense! This is Wu Zhiyuan, the deputy general manager of Xingye Trading, and a business partner of our company. We are just ordinary friends."

Su Manli clearly didn't believe it. She looked Wu Zhiyuan up and down, her eyes even more amused: "Oh, I see, I see. We've only known each other for a short time, I understand."

Then, she turned to Wu Zhiyuan: "Mr. Wu, right? Hello, hello, I'm Ruoxi's best friend, Su Manli."

"You're the second guy Ruoxi would bring home at night."

Wu Zhiyuan's heart stirred, and following Su Manli's words, he asked, "Oh? Then I am honored to be the second one."

"I wonder if Ms. Su would be so kind as to reveal who the first one was?"

Su Manli blurted out, "Of course it's Ruoxi's ex-boyfriend!"

Our Ruoxi is very devoted; she only had one unforgettable relationship, but unfortunately…”

"Manli!" Hu Ruoxi suddenly stopped her, "Let's not talk about the past!"

Su Manli quickly stuck out her tongue, made a face, and said awkwardly, "Oh, I was just kidding. Look at you, you're getting all worked up."

Wu Zhiyuan took in all of this.

Is Hu Ruoxi's sensitivity and avoidance of the topic of her ex-boyfriend because she doesn't want to reopen old wounds, or is there another reason?

He took the initiative to ease the awkwardness, saying with a smile, "Ms. Su, you're quite the joker. Mr. Hu, Ms. Su, it's getting late, so I won't disturb your private time any longer."

Thank you, Mr. Hu, for the tea tonight. It was also a pleasure to meet Ms. Su.

Hu Ruoxi softened her tone and nodded, "Okay, then I'll see you to the door."

Su Manli smiled and waved her hand, "Take care, Mr. Wu. Let's chat again next time."

Tonight's harvest exceeded expectations.

Not only did they successfully enter Hu Ruoxi's private residence, but they also unexpectedly confirmed the intimate relationship between Hu Ruoxi and Su Manli, a key person under surveillance.

Who is Hu Ruoxi's ex-boyfriend? Why did they break up?

Su Manli should have known.

But will she tell?

Not long after Wu Zhiyuan left Hu Ruoxi's villa, he discovered that someone was following him.

Upon closer inspection, they were delighted to find that it was Li Xiaoyu and Xiao Zhu from the special task force.

They pretended to be a couple and followed Su Manli to this place. When they saw Su Manli enter the villa, they wandered around outside. Unexpectedly, it was Wu Zhiyuan who came out of the villa.

After getting into the car, Wu Zhiyuan lowered his voice and said, "That villa is Hu Ruoxi's home, and Su Manli is Hu Ruoxi's best friend. She just came to see her."

I treated Hu Ruoxi to coffee tonight and offered to take her home. She invited me in for a bit, and just then, Su Manli arrived.

Li Xiaoyu was astonished and blurted out, "Hu Ruoxi? She and Su Manli are best friends? She's becoming increasingly suspicious!"

Wu Zhiyuan nodded slightly, his expression grave: "This connection is very important. Su Manli is Gao Bowen's base of operations in Jiangzhou, and Su Manli is also Hu Ruoxi's close friend. Hu Ruoxi holds the core management rights of Dadi Company, has access to many core secrets, and has a long-term overseas background."

This is no coincidence. Xiaoyu, did you notice anything unusual while following Su Manli?

"No obvious abnormalities were found, but it is clear that Su Manli has experience in counter-surveillance. This does not mean that she discovered we were following her, but rather that it was instinctive."

Therefore, the possibility that Su Manli is a spy is gradually increasing, and the milk tea shop is her base. She may be a long-term undercover agent planted by a foreign intelligence agency.

Wu Zhiyuan nodded: "Now we can be sure that even if Hu Ruoxi is not a defector, she is at the center of a major manhunt."