The repeated accusations and interrogations likely stem from this one sentence.
"I thought Chairman Ling only sent her out of politeness, but her abilities are indeed too strong. It's not that I'm afraid—"
"If I had known that Miss Gu and you were so close, I would never have dared to do it!"
Li Lin pretended to be aggrieved, as if he were the innocent victim.
"Li Lin, you need to understand one thing. Your position is something I'm willing to give you, and it's also something I can take back at will."
Ling Yan stood up from her office chair behind her desk, walked up to Li Lin, and looked down at him coldly.
"Chairman Ling! I really know I was wrong. I will definitely behave myself from now on. Please give me another chance, I beg you!"
Li Lin knelt on the ground and began kowtowing, tears streaming down his face, as if he couldn't live without being expelled.
"I hope you really know you were wrong. Never mind—there's something else I need you to do."
They're all ancient foxes, why bother with ghost stories?
Lingyan was unmoved by his performance, but it wasn't time for reckoning yet. He still had to stay in this position and serve as a stepping stone for Gu Zhong's legitimate ascension to power.
"Chairman Ling, just give the order! As long as you don't fire me, I, Li, am willing to go through fire and water!"
Li Lin agreed without even asking any questions, which showed his loyalty quite diligently.
Based on the clues obtained from Gu Zhong, Ling Yan instructed Li Lin to follow the trail to find the source of the rumors, which was also a test of him once again. If the new rumors were related to him, then the person behind them would be much easier to find.
On the other hand, Lingyan was also secretly investigating, and this two-pronged approach was more prudent.
The final result was somewhat unexpected. Some employees received anonymous messages offering a substantial reward for spreading the rumor.
However, this information is impossible to trace back to its source. Current information tracking technology is limited, and once a clue is lost, it is lost forever, and the matter can only be left unresolved.
Lingyan was very worried about this result. If she was not mistaken, this should have been Xia Xiange's little secret, but she still failed to catch it.
Now all we can do is passively wait for Xia Xiange's next attack. An unseen enemy is the most terrifying.
Fortunately, at the company, Gu Zhong seized the opportunity deliberately given to her by Ling Yan and held several meetings and negotiations with the visitors from the mainland. With her outstanding abilities, she secured two huge orders.
On the other hand, after being summoned for a talk by Ling Yan, Li Lin indeed stopped resorting to any underhanded or hypocritical tactics and began to cooperate fully in suppressing the internal hostility.
The rumors that had been troubling them for days vanished in an instant, and no one mentioned them again, as if nothing had ever happened.
Everything proceeded steadily and peacefully. Gu Zhong's growth became increasingly evident, his dissatisfaction and resentment gradually disappeared, and Yao Zhong's achievements became increasingly dazzling.
Just in time for the forum on future development between the mainland and Hong Kong Island, Yao Zhong managed to secure a seat to give a speech.
As this forum marked the first exchange of cutting-edge technologies since the handover, it played a pivotal role in China's development planning for the next five years or even longer, thus attracting nationwide attention.
If we can gain the favor or cooperation of some investors, the goal of going public will not be too far away.
Despite his busy work schedule, Gu Zhong made every effort to prepare thoroughly for this speech.
On that day, Lingyan also temporarily put aside the cooperation project she was discussing with the authorities to attend this grand event.
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, the largest in Hong Kong Island, was filled with people from all walks of life, moving between the various exhibition halls, marveling at the new technologies and ingenious ideas they had never seen before.
Although these things seem outdated to Lingyan, who has seen the future, they are still epoch-making innovations that represent the rise of an era.
"In the future, Yaozhong will surely lead the technological direction of the entire era and create a new IT era!"
Seeing Gu Zhong's impassioned and inspiring speech come to a successful end, Ling Yan raised her hand and waved to her.
Gu Zhong clearly saw it; she stepped off the stage and walked straight toward Ling Yan.
Halfway there, they were stopped by a silver-haired old man dressed in a neat suit and vest.
--------------------
Author's Note:
Thank you, Jen, for the landmine! Hugs!
Writing even a single chapter is a struggle now; I overestimated myself QAQ
When will this overtime work ever end?! The sorrow of a corporate slave.
//Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 00:10:32 on December 12, 2021 and 00:16:26 on December 15, 2021!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmine: JiaJen. (1 landmine);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 106 The Newly Rich CEO and the Fallen Heiress (Part Twelve)
====================================
Looking at the old man in front of him with a puzzled expression, Gu Zhong stopped in his tracks.
"How can I help you?"
"Miss Gu may not recognize me, but this old man is an old friend of your grandfather."
The old man looked very kind and spoke in an extremely gentle and kind tone. His pronunciation was a blend of mainland and Hong Kong accents, which sounded quite strange.
"Many years ago, I went to the inland areas by chance, and only today have I been able to return to my hometown. I never imagined the Gu family would fall into such ruin; it's truly unexpected..."
As he spoke, the old man sighed, his eyes welling up with tears, as if he were grieving over the unpredictable changes of the world.
"...When an old friend returns home, things have changed, and it's hard not to feel sad. Please don't be too sad."
Seeing the old man's genuine reminiscence and sighs, and knowing that she was not familiar with her grandfather's estranged friends, Gu Zhong could only guess that the old man might really have some connection with the Gu family. So she patiently comforted him.
"Miss Gu, may I ask where you are staying now? Would you allow me to pay you a visit another day?"
After a moment, the old man slowly spoke again, inquiring about Gu Zhong's current residence.
"Now... staying at a friend's house might not be very convenient."
Gu Zhong glanced in the direction of Ling Yan and looked rather troubled. She was also secretly wary of the old man's suggestion.
Although it's very likely that he wanted to remember a deceased friend, he wasn't someone she knew well, and Gu Zhong wouldn't trust him just because of a simple sentence.
"Alright, I'd like to visit your grandfather's grave tomorrow to pay my respects. I wonder if Miss Gu would like to come along?"
The old man sighed slightly and then offered another suggestion.
"Sir, what's this for?"
Anyone with eyes could sense that something was wrong. Gu Zhong looked at him with a strange expression, his eyes full of scrutiny.
“Miss Gu, there’s no need to be so wary. I’ll be returning to the mainland in a few days. However, there are some things I’d like to discuss with you privately.”
The old man noticed Gu Zhong's resistance and quickly explained.
"There are many things I want to say to your grandfather."
He then added a sentence, seemingly indicating that he truly has a deep affection and connection with the Gu family.
"good···"
With some doubt, Gu Zhong finally agreed. Her grandfather was buried in the cemetery, and she had been busy with other things lately and hadn't visited the grave in a long time. She figured it would be a good opportunity to talk to him, since she wouldn't lose anything anyway.
"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. Miss Gu, my surname is Fang. Your speech just now was very impressive."
The old man suddenly remembered something, gave his surname, and then offered a word of praise.
"Thank you, Mr. Fang."
After politely thanking him, Gu Zhong bid farewell to the old man and reconfirmed the agreed time.
"That person—"
Ling Yan didn't go over while they were talking. It wasn't until Gu Zhong finished his pleasantries and walked to her side that she frowned and spoke.
“He claimed his surname was Fang and said he was an old friend of my grandfather.”
Looking at the silver-haired old man who was walking shakily toward the gate, Gu Zhongwen repeated the conversation he had just had.
"So he invited you to visit your grandfather tomorrow?"
Lingyan's brows furrowed even more.
"Yes, is there a problem?"
Seeing her like this, Gu Zhong asked her with some concern.
"His identity is not in question. His name is Fang Yu, and his ancestral home is indeed Hong Kong Island. He is now considered a king of merchants in the mainland. It's just that we don't know why he is looking for you. It's best to be careful."
Knowing his identity but not knowing whether he was a good or bad person, Lingyan was even more worried.
"I'll go with you tomorrow."
Finally, after a moment's thought, she added another sentence.
"Miss Ling, you don't need to worry about me so much."
To find a vivid description of her reaction, one would compare her to an old mother worried that her chicks would be snatched away by a fox, a situation that Gu Zhong found rather amusing.
Not knowing how to express her concerns to Gu Zhong, Ling Yan could only stubbornly stick to her own opinion.
Ultimately, Lingyan personally escorted Gu Zhong to the cemetery where the Gu family was buried, and accompanied her to meet Mr. Sun.
That day, perhaps because the weather had been so gloomy for too long, the heavens finally took pity on us and sprinkled some rain.
From early morning, a light drizzle enveloped the entire city in a hazy mist, washing away the sweltering heat of the summer.
Two women, sharing an umbrella, climbed the wide stone steps of the cemetery, heading towards the graves above.
There was another black round umbrella waiting there. As you got closer, you could see that the silver-haired old man was dressed in a pure black suit and overcoat, looking like he was in mourning.
He stood alone in the rain, his eyes downcast in thought, with a newly opened bottle of wine and a fresh bouquet of flowers placed on the cemetery in front of him.
"Mr. Fang."
Gu Zhong called out softly, and the old man finally snapped out of his reverie.
He looked at the two people who had come together, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
Who is this?
“A close friend of mine, Miss Ling, has been helping me a lot during this time.”
Gu Zhong's tone was very intimate.