"I'm not upset, as long as I can wait for you."
Logically speaking, such sour sweet words should sound very fake, but Xie Wang said them with utmost seriousness, and for a moment Ling Shuangjiang felt that Xie Wang was speaking these true words from the bottom of his heart.
Ling Shuangjiang gently rubbed Xie Wang's ear and then hugged him, saying, "Carry me upstairs, I can't walk anymore."
Xie Wang: "Received."
That night, the two did nothing but whisper to each other under the same quilt.
During this time, Xie Wang tried to help Ling Shuangjiang apply the medicine, but Ling Shuangjiang refused no matter what.
Ling Shuangjiang had initially agreed, but after Xie Wang said, "Bend your butt up for me," Ling Shuangjiang refused outright and even wanted to sleep in a separate bed from Xie Wang.
Xie Wang tried to coax him for a long time, but to no avail, so he had to give up.
—
The next morning, Ling Shuangjiang packed her bags, preparing to return to the film set to shoot.
Xie Wang then said mysteriously, "Shuangjiang, come with me to a place to liven things up."
Ling Shuangjiang, unaware of the situation, put down her luggage and left with Xie Wang.
After a day of rest yesterday, Ling Shuangjiang's walking improved significantly, and her body was no longer inflamed.
Xie Wang was still worried and nervously asked his assistant Jin to prepare two very soft chair cushions.
Feeling somewhat embarrassed under Assistant Jin's meaningful gaze, Ling Shuangjiang sat in the car without saying a word.
Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of a private studio. When Ling Shuangjiang walked into the courtyard, he realized that he recognized the place; it was Atu's personal studio.
Ling Shuangjiang looked at Xie Wang with a puzzled expression, and then she could faintly hear crying coming from inside.
Xie Wang took Ling Shuangjiang's hand and walked into the hall with him.
At this point, Atu, holding the authorization agreement, vehemently denied it: "This really wasn't authorized by me. How could I possibly breach a contract?"
The person in charge at Hengtai gave a formulaic smile: "It has been confirmed that these are your notes and name stamp."
Atu stared at the contracts, sweating profusely, finally remembering when he had signed them. He had been drinking, his vision was blurry, and in order not to delay tomorrow's work, he had signed all the already reviewed documents on the table.
These authorization letters should be mixed in with it.
"I want to see your manager. I've been framed! How can I possibly pay back 50 million US dollars?"
The person in charge said without a trace of emotion, "Our General Manager Xie is right behind you."
Atu hurriedly turned around, but when he saw Ling Shuangjiang, his mind went blank and he was speechless.
"It's you?" Atu's gaze darted back and forth between Xie Wang and Ling Shuangjiang, then suddenly realized something. "You're in cahoots?"
Xie Wang glared at him coldly: "Is this how you talk to clients?"
Atu's brain is no longer capable of thinking.
The moment he saw Ling Shuangjiang, he realized that he had fallen into someone else's trap.
"Mr. Xie, I can't afford that compensation."
Atu sat dejectedly on the sofa like a wilted eggplant, never daring to look at Ling Shuangjiang.
"If you can't afford it, you still have a house. If you don't have a house, you still have a car."
Xie Wang settled Ling Shuangjiang on the soft sofa and leaned against it quietly: "If you really don't have any money, you can still get paid by framing others."
Atu's eyelids twitched nervously.
He had a pretty good idea of what was going on when Xie's Hengtai came to buy his work.
The other party was clearly trying to help Ling Shuangjiang.
If he were to clear Ling Shuangjiang's name for the sake of that breach of contract penalty, he would be out of a job in the design industry.
But if he doesn't help Ling Shuangjiang, he simply can't afford the penalty for breach of contract.
He could also litigate, but he definitely couldn't beat Hengtai's top-notch legal team.
After a long silence, he said, "The Shang family is very powerful and wealthy. I was forced to do this back then. If possible, I am willing to apologize to Mr. Ling."
A punch landed with a "thud".
Xie Wang strode forward and swung his long legs forcefully at Atu.
Atu lay on the ground, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth: "If Mr. Xie can let me go after this, I will accept your punishment."
"Let you go?" Xie Wang squatted down, finding him too dirty to even look at. "Because of you, Shuangjiang has been punished for copyright infringement, and has suffered countless cold stares and slander. Why should I let you go?"
Atu struggled to his feet: "I can issue a statement to make that incident public."
Xie Wang: "Is that all?"
Atu quickly added, "I can also compensate Mr. Ling for some emotional distress and damage to his reputation."
"So what exactly happened?"
Ling Shuangjiang, who had been silent all along, got up and walked to him, looking at him quietly.
Atu said, "Back then, after I refused your request for authorization, Shang Qi and Aili came to me and asked me to cooperate with them in this play, firmly accusing you of stealing my work. You know what happened after that."
Ling Shuangjiang's eyes were complicated: "Do you have any evidence to prove what you said?"
Atu nodded: "I have the chat logs from when we were planning this on my computer."
Xie Wang's eyes were cold: "Where?"
Atu: "It's in my notebook. I'll go get it now."
After a moment, Ling Shuangjiang browsed the information, her heart filled with mixed feelings.
He and Aili were very close when they were in school. Although Aili came from an ordinary family, he was hardworking, had excellent character, and was always willing to help others.
He never expected that in the chat logs, the partner he trusted was repeatedly accusing others of plotting to ruin his reputation.
Atu: "I also have a copy of the transfer records that Shang Qi gave me back then."
After copying the evidence, Xie Wang glanced at Assistant Jin. Assistant Jin immediately took Atu to the next room to record a clarification video, recounting the planning process of the group back then.
Ling Shuangjiang sat on the sofa, her eyes calm. Atu's narration inside no longer moved her.
Xie Wang squatted down and held his hand: "Shuangjiang, don't be sad because of Ai Li. That kind of person isn't worth it."
Ling Shuangjiang nodded: "Yes, I know."
After gathering all the evidence from ATU, Assistant Kim rushed to C University to negotiate with the university.
Xie Wang did not follow, but instead took Ling Shuangjiang to one of Xie's branch offices in France.
That company is where Aili recently joined. The HR department poached him with a salary five times that of his previous company.
"Are we going to see Eric?"
Ling Shuangjiang looked at Xie Wang: "Atu didn't say why Aili agreed to collude with Shang Qi. I want to ask him."
Xie Wang: "Okay, let's go."
This is a conference room where Eric, dressed in a sharp suit, is waiting for the head of headquarters.
Since he joined the company's design department, his colleagues have reacted very strangely, rarely communicating with him. Even his superiors don't assign him any tasks.
At this rate, he won't get much commission at all.
Today, he heard that the headquarters boss wanted to see him, and he was puzzled and nervous.
Hearing footsteps, he stood up respectfully. The person who arrived made his smile freeze, gradually turning into guilt and fear.
The design director brewed tea for Xie Wang and said to Ai Li, "This is our CEO, Mr. Xie."
Eric's face turned pale. Forgetting all manners, he stammered, "Hello, Mr. Xie."
Xie Wang looked at Ling Shuangjiang: "Say hello to him too, my love."
Aili's lips trembled: "Hello, Mr. Ling."
The design director, having received instructions, quietly left. Only three people remained in the large conference room.
Xie Wang played the video Atu had just recorded on his computer for Aili to see.
Those dark eyes were deep and sharp.
"Is there anything you'd like to say?"
Eric lowered his eyes, his expression one of utter despair.
He was filled with trepidation over Ling Shuangjiang's matter. He had finally waited for Ling Shuangjiang to return to the country, thinking that the incident would be buried forever and no one would ever mention it again.
But he didn't expect that Ling Shuangjiang would come looking for him two years later.
Ling Shuangjiang stared at his guilty look and said in a low voice, "Why did you team up with Shang Qi to frame me back then?"
Aili's lips were chapped and his hands were trembling involuntarily.
"Because... he promised to give me an offer."
Ling Shuangjiang: "Just one offer?"
Eric clenched his fist tightly, then loosened it slightly.
He seemed to have released all his strength as he said, word by word, "I don't have your talent, nor do I have the wealth of other students. After graduation, I can only find a job that can make ends meet, while you can go to famous studios and art circles. I don't want to live such an ordinary life. I also want to live a better life and not be looked down upon by others."
Ling Shuangjiang knew that Aili's family was not well-off. So he would introduce Aili to all sorts of part-time jobs and opportunities.
That's how their relationship improved.
Unexpectedly, the one who stabbed him in the back was the very friend he thought was good.
"Xie Wang, let's go."
Ling Shuangjiang felt it was unnecessary to say another word to Elido.
Xie Wang glanced at Aili: "Atu has confessed everything. You can foresee Shang Qi's fate. Next up is you."
Ling Shuangjiang remained calm as she left alongside Xie Wang.
Airport.
Xie Wang held Ling Shuangjiang's hand for a long time without letting go.
"I told you, I'd send your private plane back, but you wouldn't listen."