Lin Weiping was deeply moved. He hadn't expected this to be his thought at this moment. He wrapped his arms around Shang Kun's waist, resting his head on his shoulder, but couldn't find the words to say. When the policeman came out of the emergency room, he saw the two standing there so intimately yet not lewdly, both looking at him. He thought to himself, "Rich people are all the same; even the dead one had a young and beautiful woman accompanying him to the afterlife." But when he started asking questions, he sensed something was different. This woman was very assertive. She seemed polite, but she subtly controlled his conversation, preventing him from asking a single question unrelated to the car accident. He then realized that this woman might be slightly different.
A moment later, Old Zhou came out carrying Xiao Liang. Upon seeing them, he said, "You two wait here for Old Guan's wife. I'll take Xiao Liang home to rest first. I have some arrangements for her during the day, which might be quite tiring."
Lin Weiping felt Shang Kun straighten up, and then heard him say, "Alright, if you need anything, contact me. My phone will always be on."
Seeing that Lao Zhou practically carried Xiao Liang away, Lin Weiping asked, "You two seem to be playing a game of cat and mouse."
Shang Kun pulled her to sit down and said, "Several positions in Lao Guan's company are controlled by his wife's family. Lao Zhou's point is that Lao Guan died a violent death and may not have left a will or anything. If we let Lao Guan's wife make the decisions, Xiao Liang will definitely suffer. So he will definitely take the initiative to seal Lao Guan's account books and all official documents to avoid having no evidence later. He can't handle this alone. I need to contact Lao Wang immediately and ask him to send a few people, both legitimate and illegitimate, to go with Lao Zhou."
Upon hearing this, Lin Weiping immediately nodded and remarked, "Old Guan entrusted his daughter to your care, so it seems you've done your best. But something's not right." A thought suddenly flashed through Lin Weiping's mind, "For such an important matter, Old Zhou is being a bit overly concerned, but why are you so uninvolved? We're friends, so why such different attitudes?"
Shang Kun even managed a smile, a rare occurrence: "Silly girl, haven't you figured it out yet? I thought you called Lao Zhou to inform Xiao Liang on purpose."
Lin Weiping's mouth gaped open, unable to close. "So, you mean Lao Guan knew about it too? Because Lao Guan didn't like seeing Lao Zhou take his daughter, Lao Zhou made a gesture of rejecting Xiao Liang to show Lao Guan. Now that Lao Guan is dead, Lao Zhou is filling the void in Xiao Liang's heart. Damn it, this method is disgusting. So Lao Zhou is the same kind of person."
Shang Kun disagreed, "Think about it, Lao Zhou helped Xiao Liang get what he deserved and managed it well, allowing Xiao Liang to live a stable life. Isn't that a good thing for Xiao Liang, who has always been afraid of poverty? Besides, it's not like Xiao Liang doesn't like Lao Zhou."
"But Lao Zhou cares so much about his wife, he's not the kind of person who would get a divorce. What will happen to Xiao Liang in the future?"
"Old Zhou just hasn't met a better person like his wife, otherwise he would have left her long ago."
"So, Lao Zhou was just putting on an act for Lao Guan and me at dinner that day? Aren't you two good friends? Why would Lao Zhou lie to Lao Guan?"
Shang Kun finally frowned and said, "Old Zhou isn't lying to Old Guan. He does have feelings for his wife, but..." Shang Kun suddenly realized that he shouldn't say this, or he would implicate himself, so he quickly stopped himself.
Lin Weiping immediately understood and sneered, "I get it. Old Zhou and Lao Hao will both have their own stories. Now, Xiao Liang is young, beautiful, and rich, and she's different from the little orphan girl before. Her chances have increased significantly. I can already see Bai Yue'er's fate. Although I don't like Bai Yue'er's arrogance, I dislike Old Zhou's pickiness with women even more. You men are disgusting, ptooey."
Shang Kun wanted to defend himself, but after thinking about it, he swallowed his words. After all that Lin Weiping had said, at least he hadn't pulled away from his embrace, which meant he was just stating the facts and hadn't actually hit him. He could only smile wryly and say, "Even friends have their limits. I only know this much about Lao Zhou's thoughts, and most of that is just speculation. Xiao Lin, don't you think you're being really tough on me right now?"
Lin Weiping couldn't help but curse inwardly. He was truly cunning; with just a few words, he had easily shifted the blame to her. If she continued, it would seem as if she was acknowledging him too much and thus bullying him. She could only glare at him and ignore him, acknowledging that she was a level below him and couldn't argue. She had no choice but to back down, figuring he wouldn't dare to mock her further.
Fortunately, Mrs. Guan arrived. Mrs. Guan was probably married by Old Guan after he returned from his time supporting the border regions and had accumulated some savings. She looked young and beautiful, only in her early thirties. Accompanying her was a young man, who, judging from his appearance, was probably her brother. Upon seeing this, Shang Kun stood up and went to greet her, saying, "Sister Guan, come with me. The body hasn't been taken to the morgue yet; we're waiting for you. But it's best not to look."
Mrs. Guan burst into tears upon entering, but this was a common occurrence in the hospital, so no one paid much attention. Soon, more people came in, mostly Mrs. Guan informing her relatives and friends. Seeing that most of those who were supposed to come had arrived, Shang Kun greeted Mrs. Guan's brothers and walked out of the hospital with Lin Weiping. The air outside was cold, but much crisper. As soon as Shang Kun reached the courtyard, he slung his arm over Lin Weiping's shoulder and said in a muffled voice, "I'm almost at my limit. My mind is filled with images of Old Guan and that woman's bloody face. You have to hold me up."
Lin Weiping glanced at her watch; it was already past 3 a.m. Seeing Shang Kun's half-closed eyes and exhausted appearance, she felt a pang of pity. Thinking of how difficult it would be for him alone at home, she didn't say anything. She drove him to her front door and then nudged him to get out. Shang Kun got out and walked a few steps before realizing this wasn't his neighborhood. Looking at Lin Weiping, who was taking out her keys, he immediately understood what was going on and thought it was a lucky accident. Feeling relieved, he felt much better, but then he thought that if he looked too energetic and Lin Weiping saw him, it would backfire. So he simply kept his eyelids drooping and pretended to be energetic.
The apartment was on the fifth floor. I opened the door and went inside. Seeing the lights were on, I quickly asked, "Do you have any family members home?"
Lin Weiping ushered the man inside and closed the door before saying, "Oh no, letting someone in at midnight has ruined my good image. And then you had to speak loudly in the stairwell. Weren't you trying to embarrass me? Please change your shoes." Seeing Shang Kun change his shoes and go to check the lit room, he quickly said, "No one's here. I was worried about thieves breaking in if I wasn't home, so I left the light on when I left. Besides, I often go out for business dinners, and seeing the light on when I come back at night makes me feel more at ease."
Shang Kun, not wanting to wander around the girl's room, strolled around the living room instead. He noticed the decor was simple and clean; one entire wall was lined with cabinets, seemingly filled with miscellaneous items, making the room feel spacious. There were no typical sofas or low coffee tables, only a soft couch by the window, seemingly for sitting, with several eye-catching cushions. Shang Kun tried sitting on it and found it exceptionally soft. The black marble windowsill was a perfect armrest. Peeking through the white gauze curtains, he saw a dark sky outside. On a spring afternoon, sitting here reading a book and taking a nap would be incredibly pleasant. Sure enough, there was a thick book on the windowsill. He picked it up and saw it was Kissinger's *The White House Years*. He couldn't help but smile; only a woman like Lin Weiping would read such a book. I turned on the wall lamp and flipped through the book. It looked old, but there were no underlines or annotations inside. It was just like the living room: practical but not fancy, exquisite but not ostentatious. And wasn't the owner the same?
After flipping through a few pages and recognizing it as a good book, I looked up and saw Lin Weiping busy in her open kitchen. I went over to check on her and asked, "What are you cooking? It's so late, you don't need to work anymore."
"No, we've finished everything we ate tonight. If we don't eat something, I'll have nightmares. How about some wontons? Oh, right, you love meat, so these are fresh pork wontons. I made them myself, and the filling is extra generous."
"I didn't know how to get through tonight," Shang Kun sighed, gently hugging Lin Weiping from behind. She immediately twisted her waist to avoid him. Shang Kun understood her meaning: she'd let him into her home, but that didn't mean they could stay together. It was the middle of the night, a lone man and woman, unlike on the street or in a car; a misstep could lead to trouble. With someone as opinionated as Lin Weiping, forcing her would only backfire. It was better to take things slowly; there was plenty of time.
Chapter
Twenty-seven
Twenty-seven
Lin Weiping got up early and went to the guest room where Shang Kun was sleeping. The door was not closed, and Shang Kun had the quilt piled all over his head. He looked nothing like he did during the day. He looked more like a child without any guile. Lin Weiping couldn't help but stand at the door with his arms crossed and smile for a while.
She turned on her phone to prepare breakfast in the kitchen, but then it rang. Afraid of disturbing Shang Kun, she immediately ran to answer it, only to hear Xiao Liang crying out, "Sister, sister, I have no choice but to call you. Please save me!"
Lin Weiping was terrified when he heard this. Thinking of Lao Zhou's appearance last night, he blurted out, "Is Lao Zhou alright?" After saying that, he realized that he was right. If Lao Zhou was alright, Xiao Liang could ask him about everything. There was no need to ask him, who was a little more distant from him.
"Sister, let's not mention him anymore, okay? My dad used to say that if Old Zhou divorced his wife for me, he would give half of his assets to his wife, and I would take half of my dad's assets. He would make a huge profit, so of course he would abandon his wife and come to me. I didn't believe it then and had a fight with my dad. Now I know that my dad was doing it for my own good. Yesterday, he actually tried to take advantage of me. What kind of time is this? My dad's body is barely cold, and his old friend would do such a thing. I may not have any other brains, but doesn't he think about how I was born, how much my mom and I have suffered because of this? Would I do something so stupid? That scoundrel, don't ever mention him again."
Upon hearing this, Lin Weiping breathed a sigh of relief, his goodwill towards Xiao Liang increasing even more: "You've called me a lot, haven't you? I'm sorry, I settled things at the hospital yesterday and went home to sleep very late before getting up. You did the right thing, but... have you thought about today?"
Xiao Liang cried, "I've thought about it, but I will never ask Lao Zhou for help again. That guy is an ingrate. Sister, I admire you the most. I have no one else to turn to, so I have to ask you for help. Please have pity on me. I don't know what they will do to me. I'm living in the house that Dad gave me. I don't know if they will kick me out. I don't want to go back to Mom's. I don't want to see my stepfather."
Lin Weiping couldn't answer. She had already seen the lineup of Lao Guan's wife's family last night. How could she and Xiao Liang, two young women, dare to try and seize the inheritance? They might even get ambushed in the middle of the night. Even with Lao Zhou involved, Shang Kun said they still needed Lao Wang's help, let alone themselves. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Xiao Liang, is Lao Zhou at your father's factory? Don't make any absolute statements yet. I'll contact two of your father's other friends and see what they think. Your father's family is large and powerful; the two of us can't handle it alone. We must listen to their opinions. Don't make any absolute statements about Lao Zhou. Let him be busy for now, and we'll talk about it later. Don't go out. Keep your phone on; I'll contact you later."
Xiao Liang tearfully agreed, probably because she had no other options and could only cling to Lin Weiping as her lifeline. Lin Weiping glanced at Shang Kun, who was still fast asleep, and hesitated to wake him. He also didn't want to call Lao Zhou's phone. Just as Shang Kun had predicted, Lao Zhou was indeed up to something. It was disgusting; what kind of money couldn't a grown man earn? Making money that way was worse than Yu Fengmian. Just as he was thinking this, another call came in. It was an unfamiliar number. "Xiao Lin? It's me, Lao Wang."
It's like he appeared out of nowhere; I had thought about contacting him, but bypassing Shang Kun and contacting Lao Wang directly felt like there was a barrier, and many things wouldn't be convenient to say. Now that he's come to me, I still feel that there are some things I might not be the best person to say myself. "It's me, Lao Wang, you're back?"
“What happened? Old Zhou said you saw Old Guan get into a car accident. I’ve been calling all morning but I can’t reach A-Kun. His home phone must be disconnected again, and his cell phone is off. Your phone is also constantly busy. I’m at A-Kun’s door right now, but no one answers the door. Are you with him?”
Lin Weiping blushed at his words. Shang Kun was with her, and they knew what was going on, but to outsiders it looked different. Feeling awkward about what to say, she could only evade the issue, saying, "Yesterday we were coming back from Hangzhou, and there was a traffic jam on the highway. When we finally got through, we realized it was Lao Guan's car that had been in an accident, so we stopped to help the police check it out and recognized it was indeed Lao Guan..." Unexpectedly, Shang Kun took the phone. He had woken up sometime earlier, and perhaps feeling cold, he jumped back into bed and burrowed under the covers to talk. "Old Wang, where are you? At my door? Come over to Xiao Lin. Xiao Lin, give him an address and tell him to come right away."
Lin Weiping had no choice but to give the address. After turning off her phone, she complained to Shang Kun, who was lying on the bed and grinning at her, "Oh no, you've ruined another one. Get up, it's not far from where you are."
Shang Kun glanced at his watch and laughed, "It's so comfortable sleeping here. The bed is so soft and the blankets are so warm. I slept very well the last time we watched a movie together. I've found that I sleep very peacefully whenever you're around. I'll make this my home from now on."
Lin Weiping rolled her eyes at him, and seeing that he was about to get up, she quickly turned and left. Resignedly, she went to the large closet and pulled out a soft chair and coffee table, arranging them in preparation for when Old Wang came over. She hadn't originally planned to entertain anyone, so the living room was empty; she watched TV on the bed. She hadn't expected Shang Kun to make this decision for her without her consent, but since he had already spoken, she had no choice but to go along with it. Of course, she knew Shang Kun was intentionally making a fuss. But she was annoyed that he wouldn't get up.
When Lao Wang knocked on the door, Shang Kun was still in the bathroom. Lin Weiping didn't want to ask him anything, so she had to open the door for Lao Wang herself. She knew that Lao Wang would have a flirtatious look on his face when he saw her. She had originally wanted to ask Shang Kun to deal with it, but now she had no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it.
Old Wang greeted her with a smile and eagerly came in, asking, "Where's Ah Kun? Where's Ah Kun?"
Lin Weiping pointed to the bathroom inside and said, "We've let a wolf into the house."
Old Wang laughed heartily, and after a long pause, he said, "It seems I'm still smart; I came to you instead of him."
Lin Weiping, fearing he would continue on this topic, had to change the subject: "I'll make a three-point agreement with you: never mention how Lao Guan looked last night," he said, pointing to the bathroom. "It was a huge shock. I was watching from afar and just thinking about it makes me want to vomit. He even went to identify the body nearby."
Old Wang winked and said, "So you took pity on him and picked him up? Ah Kun is lucky, he turned misfortune into blessing."
Shang Kun came out from inside and said, "Don't make wild guesses. What do you want? Do you want me to help you instead of helping Lao Zhou?"
Old Wang hurriedly laughed and said, "How did you guess? You said that Old Guan's company has such a big connection with me, wouldn't it be much easier for me to take action than for Old Zhou? Besides, Old Guan's company is full of relatives, and Old Zhou can't suppress them. They'll come to me anyway, so I might as well take action myself."
Lin Weiping, listening nearby, was wide-eyed. What kind of brothers were these? They all changed their tune when it came to profit. But since he didn't want to interrupt, he poured water for the two of them. Shang Kun, seeing this, said, "It's getting late. I'll combine my breakfast and lunch. Lin, do you have anything here?"
"How about beef noodles?"
"Sure, sure, we're not picky at all. I came straight from Hangzhou after hearing the news, and I didn't even have breakfast. I'm starving."
Lin Weiping thought to herself: Damn it, two hungry wolves. Looks like the noodles in the fridge won't be enough. I'd better cook something. She replied "Okay" and turned to cook. Seeing her leave, and noticing Shang Kun's beaming face, Old Wang couldn't help but tease, "Be careful you're too nice to her, or she'll take advantage of you."
"Go ahead and ride if you want, but I'm afraid she won't even look at you." Shang Kun took out a cigarette, but after glancing at Lin Weiping, he put it back. He was certain she wouldn't like him smoking in the room. He hadn't gotten his hands on her yet, so it was best not to overstep his bounds. "I think that's what you're after. Old Zhou was so attentive to Xiao Liang yesterday for the same reason. But I can't help you with this. Old Guan's wife will definitely not give up her shares. I don't know if Old Guan left a will, but even if he didn't, Xiao Liang can get her shares with our backing. You'll have to ask Xiao Liang to buy them."
Old Wang took Shang Kun's cigarettes, but after thinking about it, he put them back. He was counting on Shang Kun, and Shang Kun was going along with Lin Weiping, so he couldn't afford to offend Lin Weiping. "You show me if there's any possibility. You're in business, and I've always been in real estate. I have no clue about your company. Do you think it's possible for me to get a controlling stake if I go in? I don't want to be controlled by Lao Guan's wife after I get in."
Shang Kun said, "As far as I know, Lao Guan holds 80% of the shares in all his companies. The rest were given to several important people under him, excluding his wife's relatives. Lao Guan told me before that he was afraid his uncles would become too powerful after taking the shares, and he wouldn't be able to get rid of them later. If that 80% is divided into three equal parts, one for his wife, one for his child, and one for Xiao Liang, even if you take Xiao Liang's share and all the others' 20%, you still won't be able to achieve controlling interest. You'll lose money on this deal. Unless Lao Guan has a will and feels guilty towards Xiao Liang, he'll give her a bigger share when he divides the shares. But that's very uncertain."
Old Wang tapped the chair armrest with his finger, thought for a long time before saying, "You're right, let's take it one step at a time."
"The key is whether Xiao Liang is willing to give you the shares. If she is, Lao Guan owns more than one factory. Even with a small share, you can control a factory. Lao Guan's wife knows you're a bully, and she would rather give you a factory than sit on the board with you. But the young girl likes Lao Zhou. Lao Zhou couldn't do anything about it before because of Lao Guan, but now that she's getting close to him, won't she listen to Lao Zhou completely? There's no reasoning with young girls this age. They'll give you anything when they're happy. That's what you should be most worried about."
Old Wang frowned and said softly, "Ah Kun, you're a smart man, stop trying to confuse me. I know you have someone special." As he spoke, he pointed to Lin Weiping in the kitchen.
Shang Kun pressed his hand down and said softly, "Don't even mention it. Last night, when she saw Lao Zhou like that, she almost blamed me too."
Old Wang, still unconvinced, said in a loud, fat voice, "I'm different. I'm a real scoundrel, while Old Zhou is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Rather than letting Old Zhou get the inheritance that Xiao Liang received through such means, it's better to sell it to me openly and honestly. At least Xiao Liang can get real money."
Lin Weiping had just finished brewing the coffee and brought it over to them. Old Wang smelled the aroma and said, "The beans you used are excellent; none of the ones in my hotel are as good as yours."
Lin Weiping chuckled and said, "Your hotel staff even use instant coffee to trick customers; I've tried it once."
Shang Kun laughed and said, "I only know that it smells good, but I don't like the taste. Xiao Lin, just give me water."
Lin Weiping thought to himself, "You're really something, ordering people around." But with Old Wang in front of him, he had to give him face and refilled his water. Seeing this, Old Wang smiled and said, "Little Lin, I didn't expect you to be such a virtuous housewife. Is Xiao Liang still at your workplace?"
"Yes, what's wrong? But she won't be staying here for long, right?" Lin Weiping immediately understood that while she was busy in the kitchen, the two must have talked about Xiao Liang. But since they didn't say anything, she pretended not to know.
Shang Kun looked at her without speaking, but Old Wang still spoke up regardless of the consequences: "You have to help me with this matter no matter what. Old Guan once said that if there's anyone in this world his daughter Xiao Liang would listen to, it would be her mother and you, Xiao Lin. That's why he used to specially invite you to dinner to help him resolve Xiao Liang's issues with Old Zhou. I only ask that you help me persuade Xiao Liang that if she wants to sell her inheritance, she should come to me, Old Wang. I have the ability to pay and I won't delay or default on my debts."
Lin Weiping smiled and said, "Old Wang, I'll definitely help you out. Wait for my news after dinner." Having overheard their conversation from inside, Lin Weiping felt that it would be safer and more reasonable for Xiao Liang to transfer the shares she might receive to Old Wang, since she knew perfectly well. However, he didn't know what she would think and would have to discuss it in detail when they met later.
Shang Kun sensed the veiled meaning in Lin Weiping's words. What did she mean by "I'll do anything to help you"? Did Old Wang have some private conversation with her? The thought made him feel a little sour, and he laughed, "So, you're saying that if I ask you for help, you might not agree?"
Lin Weiping ignored him and left, leaving Old Wang relieved and laughing, "Ah Kun, why are you jealous? I'm not in a hurry to tell you about this now; there will always be a chance later. Anyway, it's not bad for you."
Shang Kun glanced between Lin Weiping and Lao Wang a few times before chuckling, "Why would I be jealous of you? Alright, since Xiao Lin has already agreed to help you, hurry up and go home to make the arrangements. Don't sit here getting in the way and being a third wheel."
Old Wang chuckled and said softly, "You're the one who's kicking me when I'm done with it. I did all my good things for you in front of Xiao Lin, otherwise you wouldn't be getting the treatment you deserve today. It's too good for you two to treat me to a bowl of beef noodles."
Shang Kun was puzzled, but Lin Weiping was nearby, so he didn't press the matter and ignored Lao Wang to check his own phone. He found several text messages, some from Lao Zhou, and others from Lao Guan's wife. Strangely, Lao Zhou's wife had also texted him asking about Lao Guan. Shang Kun picked the easiest one and called Lao Zhou's wife first. "Sister-in-law? This is Shang Kun."
Immediately, a loud and urgent voice came from the other end of the phone. Shang Kun had to hold the phone away a little to avoid rupturing his eardrums. It seemed Bai Yue'er was quite upset that her husband had been dragged away by a phone call in the middle of the night. Only after the other person's voice quieted down did Shang Kun dare to speak: "It really was Lao Guan who had an accident. I happened to be passing by and saw it. I couldn't contact anyone else. I thought Lao Zhou was the most honest one; he would definitely be home tonight. So, who else could I contact if not him? It's not an excuse; Lao Guan really went. You know, Lao Zhou could come up with any excuse, why would he choose such an unlucky one? Don't worry. I only went home to sleep after dumping things on Lao Zhou early this morning; I just couldn't hold on any longer. Don't disbelieve me; you can go to the hospital and ask him to see if I'm lying. Where is Lao Zhou now? I don't know either. He might be at the hospital, or he might have other arrangements with Lao Guan's wife. I just got up and saw your message, so I replied immediately without delay. Yes, yes, Lao Zhou said he's at Lao Guan's workplace? Hmm, I'll contact him right away. Don't worry."
Watching Shang Kun finish the call, Old Wang chimed in, "I'm afraid after this, you won't need to answer these kinds of calls for Old Zhou anymore."
Shang Kun shook his head and said, "It has nothing to do with me; it's a matter between the two of you. At most, there won't be any more gatherings like this where the four of you drink and talk together. Lao Guan is gone, and Lao Zhou doesn't want to see you. But it's hard to say. If you win this round, the three of you can still get together in the future, and Lao Zhou will have to endure the humiliation. If you succeed this time, you'll still owe him a favor. Rather than turning against you because of this, he'd rather continue to associate with you and repay the favor someday. Why risk a falling out with you? Doing so will only save face and won't do Lao Zhou any good. But if Lao Zhou wins this round, things will be the opposite. You'll never talk to Lao Zhou again, and he won't dare to see you. So, from now on, my phone will not only have to deal with Bai Yue'er but also with the mutual probing between the two of you. I'll only be busier."
Old Wang shook his head and smiled at Lin Weiping, who had brought out the dishes, saying, "Listen to what he's saying! Such a cunning person. Lin, you'd better be careful of him in the future. Keep my phone number safe. If he bullies you in the future, just call me. I have plenty of hotheads under my command who would risk their lives for money and stand up for you." As he spoke, he sniffed, "What smells so good? Is it time to eat?"
Lin Weiping smiled and said, "The food isn't ready yet. The dishes are simple: beef brisket and radish soup, scrambled eggs, stir-fried cabbage, and fried shrimp. I didn't know you were coming, so I didn't prepare anything. Everything is ready."
Shang Kun walked over to the refrigerator and opened it to look. "What else are you hiding here? The wontons from this morning were pretty good, and the radish and beef brisket soup is my absolute favorite. Sigh, there are still a few pieces of meat left. Why don't you stir-fry some shredded meat?"
Lin Weiping disagreed and laughed, "I was originally planning to make noodles for you guys for convenience, but there aren't enough noodles, so I'll have to cook rice instead. You want to order some dishes? I'm just waiting to finish eating quickly so I can go and persuade Old Wang. I can't waste time eating and cooking."
Just then, Lao Wang's phone rang. After mumbling for a while, he went to the dining room and said, "Lao Guan's wife called me and said that Lao Guan's lawyer has been contacted. The lawyer said that Lao Guan made a will two years ago and that it should be read immediately after his death. He also said that we must be present: you, me, and Lao Zhou. He wants us to meet at Lao Guan's headquarters at three o'clock this afternoon."
Shang Kun was about to answer when his own phone rang. Looking at the number, he said to Lao Wang, "Call me after you." He answered. Unexpectedly, there was a sob on the other end. Shang Kun thought, "It's understandable. Her husband died, and in such an awkward way—surviving alongside another woman. Anyone would be devastated. I guess Mrs. Guan was holding back when she was talking to Lao Wang, but with him, who knew the truth, she couldn't hold back anymore."
Shang Kun listened for a while before saying, "Take a sip of water, speak slowly, don't rush."
Mrs. Guan endured for a long time before finally speaking haltingly, "I've endured this much all day. Old Guan and you have known each other for a long time, and I often ate with you. We all got along well. Why did Old Zhou, with Old Guan's body barely cold, so aggressively gather a group of people to seal off the finance offices of several branch factories? He said it was for the sake of fairness. Does that mean that Xiao Liang is Old Guan's daughter, but my daughter isn't Old Guan's? It's clearly a slap in the face. Old Guan often told me that of the four of you, you, General Manager Shang, are the most reliable, but you often don't like to meddle and are reluctant to take action. This afternoon at three o'clock, the lawyer came to read Old Guan's will. He specified that you, Old Wang, and Old Zhou must be present. Old Zhou's stance is already clear. I don't know about Old Wang. You must stand up for me! My child is still young. Don't let us, a widow and orphan, be bullied."
Shang Kun breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, Mrs. Guan wasn't dwelling on the fact that Old Guan had died with another woman; otherwise, he really wouldn't have been able to handle a woman's tears on that matter. Although he had already guessed that Old Zhou had gone to seal off Old Guan's branch factory's finance office, it was best to pretend he didn't know. So, feigning surprise, he said, "Old Zhou is already with you? Don't worry, he might not be targeting you. I just got up; I'll eat something and come over. You'd better get some rest too; you'll have a lot to do later. If there's anything, feel free to delegate it to your subordinates. Everyone's watching your attitude after Old Guan's passing, and they want to show you their attitude too, so don't worry about not being able to command them; this is their chance to prove themselves."
Mrs. Guan sighed and said, "Thank you, I understand your attitude. Although you didn't express your opinion, you were thinking of me, so I'm relieved. Thank you very much."
After hanging up the phone, Old Wang said, "You get special treatment. Look at Old Guan's wife and Old Zhou's wife, they both like to talk to you like you're some kind of gentleman."
Shang Kun laughed and said, "Your wife is the same."
Old Wang rolled his eyes and said, "My wife is just like Old Guan's wife; she won't come looking for you unless something happens to me."
Shang Kun laughed smugly, "That means your wife's impression of me from you is that of a gentleman, so don't deny it. I'm just wondering why Old Guan would leave a will. He's not that old."
Old Wang said sullenly, "Although it sounds unlucky, I think Lao Guan did the right thing. I'll have to think about finding a lawyer to make a will. I can't leave my inheritance to the old man after I'm gone, so he can fight with his women against my son. Don't try to avoid this, it's a real issue."
Lin Weiping brought the food up, and although she heard their conversation, she didn't respond. She simply set out her chopsticks and urged them to eat. They were discussing a sensitive issue related to a large sum of money, and her relationship with Shang Kun was also in a sensitive period, so it was best not to interrupt. Seeing her come out, Old Wang naturally didn't say anything more and started eating. Shang Kun, however, glanced at Lin Weiping's expression, knowing he couldn't possibly understand what she was saying.
After finishing their meal, they tossed the bowls into the sink and the three set off. Lin Weiping had already arranged for Xiao Liang to wait at Kaixuan Company, as she felt that since Lao Zhou and Xiao Liang had parted on bad terms, Lao Zhou was probably worried that Xiao Liang would find someone else to help her, and might have arranged for someone to keep watch at Xiao Liang's place. If she went to Xiao Liang's house now, it would definitely create a grudge between her and Lao Zhou. Kaixuan and Lao Zhou's companies were so close, they would have plenty of opportunities to run into each other in the future, and she didn't want an awkward encounter. Moreover, judging from Shang Kun's current attitude, he didn't seem to have expressed his opinion on anything, not even to Lao Wang, he hadn't said he would help her outright. She guessed he had some reservations. A businessman always has one or two weaknesses in front of long-time friends, and he couldn't afford to offend them. Although he could handle it, it was better to avoid trouble. Therefore, Lin Weiping felt that she couldn't cause trouble for Shang Kun. As she was leaving, she whispered to Shang Kun, "I've arranged to meet Xiao Liang at the company; I'll try not to show up." Shang Kun smiled approvingly and patted her shoulder, but since Lao Wang was walking ahead, he didn't say anything more. [Copyright protected! Respect the author! Oppose piracy! @opyright o Jinjiang Original]
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