Peninsula: The young master is poor and doesn't want to date.

Chapter 10 Detective Ding Wulang

Ding Wulang continued to report on the findings of his investigation.

"CJ Entertainment said publicly that 'the chairman was overworked and resting on the doctor's advice,' but my friend at Seoul National University Hospital told me that he went for three check-ups last month, all through the VIP channel, with the hospital director personally accompanying him."

"What kind of examination?" Li Zhengyi asked.

"I can't find it. VIP medical records at Seoul National University Hospital are encrypted; they're very high-level. But I did get some feedback from the accompanying nurse."

"You have this skill?"

"Being from the National Intelligence Service, you'd have to have some connections. Even though I was fired."

He lowered his voice and moved closer.

"Liver cancer. The exact stage is uncertain, but a nurse saw that he looked sallow and had lost at least five or six kilograms when he was discharged from the hospital."

Li Zhengyi tapped his fingers twice on the armrest of the chair.

Liver cancer.

No wonder.

The old man, a man who could break his own son's leg with a golf club, an ultimate controlling tyrant, would only be absent from the group's shareholder meeting if he truly couldn't hold on any longer.

"And then? What was the group's reaction?"

"chaos."

Ding Wulang pulled two photos out of the folder and slapped them on the table.

"This is from CJ Entertainment's regular meeting last month. Your older brother, Lee Sung-ho, and your older sister, Lee Ji-hye, got into a fight on the spot."

The photo is blurry, and the angle looks like it was taken secretly.

But you could see that in the meeting room, the two people were standing face to face, and everyone around them had their heads down and dared not move.

"What's all the noise about?"

"The details are unclear. But it's said to be because of CJ Entertainment's content investment budget for next year. Your older brother wants to cut the budget by 40% and redirect the funds to logistics and biotechnology. Your older sister disagrees, saying that entertainment content is the face of the group and cannot be cut."

"Who's winning?"

"He's currently your older brother. He has a lot of support on the board, but now that your father's health is deteriorating, the group has split into several factions. The 'future strategy faction,' represented by Executive Director Lee Sung-ho, believes that CJ should focus on logistics and biotechnology, as entertainment and food are sunset industries."

"President Lee Ji-hye's 'content-oriented' side believes that the core of CJ is entertainment and consumption, while logistics and biotechnology are too expensive and risky."

"There is another faction that doesn't take sides and only listens to one person."

"Who?"

Ding Wulang wrote two characters on the table with his finger:

【Yong Zhangzhu】

Li Zhengyi's eyebrows twitched.

"he?"

Long Zhangzhu.

Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of CJ Group.

He's not surnamed Li, but he's been in CJ for thirty-five years.

He has been the head of the secretariat since his grandfather Li Mengxi's time, and has worked his way up to the current vice president.

His position within the group cannot be adequately described as a "veteran of two dynasties".

There's a saying that goes, "The real accountant at CJ Group is actually surnamed Lung."

Although exaggerated, it illustrates the importance of this person.

What's Yong Jang-soo's attitude lately?

"No attitude."

"No attitude?"

"Yes, he doesn't take sides with anyone, and no one asks him to express his opinion in public. But when your father is not around, all major decisions must be 'submitted to Vice Chairman Kim for review.' This is a rule set by your father himself."

In other words.

The current situation for CJ is:

Father is not here.

The older brother and sister were constantly vying for power.

An outsider holds great power, remaining a bystander.

Li Zhengyi remained silent for a while.

A crow flew past the window and cawed twice.

It sounds awful.

"Okay. Anything else?"

"About your second brother, Li Yubin."

"Wait a minute."

Li Zhengyi raised his hand to interrupt him, "There's something else. I need you to add an investigation."

Ding Wulang immediately pulled a pen from the table and opened a greasy notebook.

"Please speak."

"Bae Joo-hyun. The one from Red Velvet. Research her background, family, social circle, and recent activities. The sooner the better."

Ding Wulang stopped writing.

He looked up at Li Zhengyi and his lips moved slightly.

"Um... Third Young Master, is the person you asked me to investigate the same person as Bae Joo-hyun from SM Entertainment?"

"Um."

"Oh my god, you..."

He wanted to say something, but he held back.

In this line of work, you can only survive if you don't talk too much.

"Also, please keep an eye on my second brother, Li Yubin, as much as possible."

Ding Wulang scribbled notes in his notebook.

Then he raised his head, and the expression on his face changed from serious to that fawning smile.

"Well, Third Young Master, speaking of this, the final payment from last time has been received from the overseas account, hehe."

"It's good that I received it."

"But you see, this time you've added another investigation and surveillance, and the cost of that..."

"Increase the budget by 30%."

"make a deal!"

Ding Wulang slapped his thigh, afraid that he would change his mind.

Then he rubbed his hands together, a more fawning smile spreading across his face.

"Well, Third Young Master, since you're here today, I have a favor to ask of you—no, I mean, something good I'd like to discuss with you."

"explain."

"My daughter."

Li Zheng frowned: "Your daughter?"

"Yes, yes, Lilan, Ding Lilan. She's twenty-two years old and just retired from the Army Special Operations Command Women's Task Force."

"Special Operations Command?"

"Yes, she won the national women's taekwondo championship in middle school, is a light weapons expert, ranks first in reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance subjects, and is among the top three in close combat ability in the task force."

Li Zhengyi's expression changed from frowning to serious.

This resume is highly sought after anywhere.

"If you're that good, why don't you just go to the security department of a big company after you retire? Why are you looking for me?"

Ding Wulang rubbed his hands together more frequently, forcing a bitter smile onto his face.

"She did want to go. She applied to Samsung, Hyundai, and Lotte, and passed the interviews... but was rejected by all of them in the end."

"reason?"

Ding Wulang's expression was complicated, like he was constipated.

"...Well, she had a minor flaw in the military. Of course, it wasn't her fault. That military Hummer just slid into the ditch; she shouldn't have been allowed to drive it in the first place... And that transport truck—she deliberately swerved to avoid a child who had wandered into the lane, which is why it overturned. It wasn't her fault at all."

Li Zheng was stunned for two seconds.

"Wait, you mean your daughter isn't a very good driver?"

Ding Wulang fell silent.

Li Zhengyi understood.

Vehicle killer.

No wonder big companies don't want them.

When the security department goes out on missions, it's common for bodyguards to drive.

Which chairman would dare ride in a car driven by someone who can drive a military Hummer into a ditch?

"So you've come to me wanting me to hire her?"

"Yes, yes, yes! Young Master, you see, you're living alone in Kowloon Village now, and the security here isn't good. What if you run into trouble?"

"I'll handle my own problems."

"Well, the convenience store needs someone too, right? Leland is very hardworking; she can do anything, from serving tea and water to cashiering and stocking shelves."

"My convenience store doesn't hire."

"Xiao Lan!"

Ding Wulang suddenly shouted into the inner room.

Holy crap.

Only then did Li Zhengyi notice that there was another door at the very back of the office.

The door opened.

A woman walked out.

She looked to be only seventeen or eighteen years old.

She was about 1.7 meters tall, with her hair tied in a high ponytail, and one side of her hair forming a natural cone shape.

Loose-fitting sportswear on top and tight-fitting leggings on the bottom.

She looks slim, and apart from her perky butt, she doesn't seem to have much of a training history.

On the contrary, it's more like he's an idol trainee.

Her face was quite pretty, with curved eyes and a very gentle smile.

At first glance, he looks like a dashing high school student.

But Li Zhengyi could sense it.

This person was standing behind the door just now.

There was no breathing sound.

There were no footsteps.

They were completely unaware.

Their counter-surveillance capabilities are indeed quite sophisticated.

"Dad, your voice is too loud, we can hear you all over the house."

She frowned at Ding Wulang, then turned and bowed to Li Zhengyi.

"Third Young Master, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Ding Lilan."