"Really?" William Carter also started to laugh. He could tell that Lawrence Cole didn't care much about this kind of thing; maybe it was a huge deal down below, but in some people's eyes, it was just trivial. "Looks like my long-distance call wasn't in vain after all."

"Hehe, Big William, how's your job assignment going? Are you happy about getting into Factory 195? You can be with your girlfriend again, right? When are you coming to Beijing? I'll show you around properly."

"Hey, my assignment changed a bit, but it's nothing. By the way, about what I mentioned earlier, I'm counting on you. See if there's anything you can do." William Carter steered the conversation back.

"Alright, it's nothing serious. With your personality, if you dare to vouch for it, how big could the issue be? Hold on, my mom's at home. I'll go tell her. Don't hang up." On the other end, Lawrence Cole seemed to be asking the housekeeper who answered earlier to call his mother.

Chapter 7: At Ease

When a woman's voice with a slight Sichuan accent came through, William Carter finally started to feel a bit nervous.

"Xiao Lu, ah, I'm Lawrence Cole's mother, my surname is Yang. You can just call me Auntie Young. Lawrence Cole just told me a bit about the situation. He said it's your girlfriend's father?"

"Yes, Auntie Young, it's my girlfriend's father. I know what kind of person he is. Maybe he's not perfect in other ways, but when it comes to financial matters, he's absolutely clean. This investigation is definitely inaccurate." William Carter chose his words carefully. Facing a true expert, he knew that any irresponsible boasting would only backfire.

"So you're saying you can guarantee that the issues in this investigation are absolutely untrue?" The voice on the phone was very calm, but William Carter could sense a hint of displeasure and skepticism in her tone.

If it were him, he probably wouldn't trust a complete stranger either, even if that person had some special connection with his own son. But in matters like this, it's indeed a bit presumptuous to expect someone to believe you so easily.

"Yes, Auntie Young, maybe Lawrence Cole has told you about my character. I never exaggerate, but my girlfriend's father has absolutely no problems financially. That's the absolute truth, I can guarantee it. However, his relationships at the factory aren't great, maybe..." William Carter paused, then finally said, "Maybe he got involved in some conflicts he shouldn't have."

There was a moment of silence on the other end, as if she was weighing the meaning of William Carter's words. After a while, that slightly solemn voice came again: "I understand, Little Carter. You're Lawrence Cole's closest classmate, and you even saved his life. You're considered a benefactor to both the Cao and Yang families. By rights, I shouldn't say more, but I think this is for your own good—consider it a word of advice. There's no smoke without fire, and as the saying goes in my hometown, 'flies don't bite seamless eggs.' In the future, you must be careful with yourself. I'll look into this matter for you. If, as you say, the investigation is really unfounded, I don't think there will be much of a problem."

When Emily Jennings saw William Carter almost cradling the phone with both hands, nodding respectfully and holding his breath as he answered, she was truly shocked.

William Carter could handle himself with composure even in front of Factory 195's top leader, 辜应良, showing no sign of nervousness or lack of confidence. But on this call, he became so cautious and respectful. It seemed like he was just calling a classmate, but then someone else took over, and William Carter instantly became so careful. She even noticed that when William Carter put down the phone, he almost subconsciously let out a deep breath, as if he had just set down a heavy burden.

After Lawrence Cole's mother hung up, William Carter knew that this matter was basically settled.

Some people are born with a commanding presence. Even separated by a thousand miles, William Carter could still feel that pressure from afar.

That was the aura cultivated by being in a position of authority for a long time, especially in a department like the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. What he thought were clever and thorough words sounded like a child's lie to her—easily seen through. But she still gave him some face and didn't say more.

All the way until he got on his bicycle to head back, William Carter's mind was still a bit dazed, and Emily Jennings didn't dare interrupt his thoughts.

She didn't know who William Carter had called, but she could sense that the person on the other end was someone extraordinary. And after the call, William Carter seemed to relax all at once. This confidence made Emily Jennings feel both reassured and curious, though she was still a little worried.

Today, William Carter's behavior suddenly made her feel a bit of awe toward this man in front of her. The man she never really noticed before suddenly seemed so unfamiliar and mysterious. Outwardly, he hadn't changed at all, but Emily Jennings felt that the William Carter who used to chase after Nancy Jennings and the William Carter now were two completely different people. And all this had changed in just half a month—how could that be?

"Big William, who did you call? What did they say?" Emily Jennings asked tentatively. "Is there anything else we need to do?"