Whether the small business owner failed to grasp the refusal in Lin Weiping's words or pretended not to, he continued, "We filed an appeal, but it ended in mediation. My mother gave up all her properties there in exchange for 50% of the shares in this company, so now my mother and I will ultimately stay in this city. My mother said she also wanted to apologize to you, but I told her I would handle it. She has worried about me for so many years, and I can't let her suffer any more. I know that an apology requires sincerity; words alone are useless. I asked Mr. Fang, and he said that your biggest worry right now is the price of this bid. So I asked him to give you his phone number, and I told him I had a solution."
Lin Weiping listened, unsure whether to believe it or not, but decided to listen anyway. "Actually, why take it so seriously? The past was just a matter of fact, purely a work dispute. What's past is past, there's no need to think too much about it. That's how it is in business, it's either you squeeze me out or I squeeze you out, it's normal."
The young boss said, "Perhaps that's what you think, but I feel uneasy. And I still feel that the methods my mother used to drive you away back then weren't fair, not the kind of fair dealing you talk about in the business world. But I won't say anymore, or you'll get angry. I believe I've found the right way to apologize. I participated in setting the bid price this time, and only the three of us—Waldo, myself, and my mother—knew the final price." Then he announced a number.
Lin Weiping's eyebrows twitched when he heard the number, and he immediately said gently, "I really don't know how to thank you, but wouldn't that be inappropriate? I think you should talk to your mother about it, after all, this bid is of great importance to you as well."
The young boss said, "I don't want my mother to worry anymore. I can do a good job. I'll feel at ease if you win this bid. I'll enter the market that will be vacated after you win the bid. I don't think I'll lose out."
Lin Weiping didn't want to say much to him, so he gave a few perfunctory words, turned off his phone, and returned it to Fang Ye in his office. "The young boss told me their bid price, and I calculated it to be roughly cost plus eight hundred yuan. What do you think of the price he mentioned?"
Fang thought for a moment and said, "It's too much, which makes it seem fake. However, the young boss sounded very sincere when he spoke to me. Although I haven't known him for long, I know he has the air of a rich kid, but he's not a bad person. He probably wouldn't come up with this apology to deceive us. But it's hard to say. His mother is with him now, and I heard she has a bad reputation."
Lin Weiping laughed upon hearing this: "I feel the same way. Even though this price is higher than what we sell for loose goods, and even if their raw material costs are a bit higher than ours, it's not that much higher. This tactic isn't clever; the Second Madam is still stuck in her old ways. Fang Ye, I think we shouldn't discuss this anymore. They're giving us this price that's 800 higher, probably hoping we'll happily fill in a number that's 500 or 600 higher, which is the level we're at when selling loose goods. Then they can fill in a normal bulk price, which will defeat us in one fell swoop without reducing their profits too much. Hmm, so how much should we fill in?" He said, smiling as he looked at Fang Ye.
Fang Ye laughed: "That's exactly what they're planning. It's a pity that the young boss has to step in. He's definitely indebted to you. Fortunately, he doesn't get involved. As long as he doesn't take the initiative, he won't have a chance to see you anyway, so there's no need to worry about an awkward meeting. But I think the minimum price of adding 200 is still too low. I'm very unwilling. They might not be able to control the cost so low and still make a profit. A little more, even 250 would be fine, haha, that number sounds bad."
Lin Weiping slapped the armrest and laughed, "Deal, it's settled then. Fill in the price and seal it tightly, then send it to the bidding office immediately. It's the second-to-last day. I absolutely have to go to Beijing tomorrow, but I'll definitely be back as soon as possible. We'll open the bids together that day."
Fang watched Lin Weiping leave, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He had known all along that his feelings were unrequited. The moment he entered the company, Lin Weiping had given him a bag of wedding candy; he wondered if she had sensed his unrequited love. So, to avoid suspicion and to extinguish his own wild thoughts, he had brought his wife from Guangdong. He wasn't some naive young man in his early twenties anymore; he understood the importance of his job versus his feelings. In the few days since joining the company, at least so far, Lin Weiping had given him a warm and welcoming feeling. She trusted him completely, and her work was handed over thoroughly. Where their responsibilities overlapped, she didn't handle everything herself, but rather decided on things together. Her performance was the best example for everyone else in the company, so in just a few days, he had officially and effectively secured the second-in-command position. In the past, Fang would have been extremely grateful, but with Lin Weiping, he couldn't quite describe his feelings. Gratitude was certainly there, but even more so, there was a growing admiration and pity. He only hoped he could help her.
On the day of the bidding, Lin Weiping returned a day early and had dinner with Shang Kun and the relevant personnel. For the sake of the money, both of them drank alcohol. Feeling unwell afterward, they went to bed early. The next day, thankfully, he wasn't too out of shape. Lin Weiping dressed lightly and, under Shang Kun's sour gaze and words of farewell, went to meet Fang Ye and the others. They arrived at the venue together, where the second wife, Waldo, John, and even the young boss were already present. The young boss seemed to smile slightly when he saw them enter. It was unclear what he meant.
The entire process proceeded smoothly, step by step, according to procedure. To Lin Weiping's surprise, their price was indeed as high as the young boss had said; he was telling the truth. It was truly unexpected that the young boss's apology was genuine. She wondered how he would feel upon hearing the price of Triumph. Lin Weiping slightly turned her head and saw the young boss looking over as well. His face was expressionless, much like his usual demeanor when they met—still that aloof indifference. However, Lin Weiping saw something in his eyes; it wasn't anger or disappointment, but a deep, dark darkness, like a starless, moonless night. Lin Weiping didn't know why, but she didn't dwell on it. She appreciated the young boss's kindness.
Before it was over, the young boss left without looking back. Lin Weiping glanced at him but said nothing, though she felt a pang of guilt. Knowing him as she did, she believed he was angry—angry that no one appreciated her sincerity.
The two companies' prices differed significantly, and even the most eloquent explanations couldn't resolve the issue. Ultimately, Kaixuan emerged victorious, a true triumph for Lin Weiping and his team. After finalizing the follow-up matters with the bidding office, Lin Weiping came out to find her second wife and the others waiting for her by the car. Seeing this, Lin Xiaoxiao quietly slipped out of the car and stood beside Lin Weiping.
Lin Weiping felt a surge of warmth and a renewed sense of confidence. A woman working outside the home fears nothing more than being outmatched physically. She stopped ten paces away from the second wife and her group, remaining silent and watching them. It was a strange group; inside, they argued fiercely over the family fortune, yet now they stood united, like an impenetrable whole. The second wife spoke first: "Congratulations on winning the bid. We just discussed it, and you've poached all our technical staff and management personnel. We were hoping to win this bid and bring them all back, but that seems impossible now. This is our current situation. If you're interested, we'd like to contract the entire company to you. The price is negotiable. Please consider it, Miss Lin."
Lin Weiping noticed that the second wife's tone was very polite, lacking her previous aggressive manner and the chilling falsetto she used to speak. However, her appearance had changed drastically; her face had aged considerably, and even makeup couldn't conceal the large dark spots. It seemed she had first endured Lin Weiping's constant suppression of her company, then the death of her husband leaving her emotionally and physically devastated, and the lawsuit must have left her exhausted. No wonder the young boss had become so sensible, knowing he needed to share the burden with his mother; everyone could see the second wife's haggardness. But Lin Weiping didn't want to take over the company, at least not yet. They weren't at their wits' end; the contract price would certainly be high, and there was no need to rush into taking it over.
Upon hearing Lin Weiping's refusal, the second wife and her family exchanged a few helpless glances before turning to leave. The second wife, however, lagged behind, taking a few steps before turning back. Without looking at Lin Weiping, she spoke in Chinese, seemingly to herself, "I was the one who proposed the contract. I already know I can't manage this company well; I'm no match for you. So, if I give it to you, I can still have some income. I hope you won't hold a grudge, and I urge you to seize this opportunity. Waldo is young and ambitious, and he has ample funds. He's only temporarily considering retreating because of his failed bid. I think if he fights desperately with no other option, it might not benefit you, and it will be even less beneficial for me. They will eventually squeeze out the shares I worked so hard to acquire. I hope you'll have pity on my son and me." With that, she left. Lin Weiping watched her departing figure, her former arrogant and haughty demeanor gone.
Sitting in the car, Lin Weiping thought it over and over again and felt that what the second wife said was true. No matter how you looked at it, it couldn't be false. So when he got out of the car, he made up his mind and instructed Fang Ye to contact them about the contracting.
The second wife, upon returning to the company but not finding her son, felt a strange unease—a mother's intuition. So she hailed the driver and practically sped to the young boss's seaside apartment. Entering, she found the apartment quiet except for the sound of running water coming from the master bathroom. Anxious, she approached and saw a large pool of water slowly overflowing, soaking the bedroom floor and even spilling into the living room. Inside, she found her son, still dressed, sitting motionless in the bathtub, eyes downcast, oblivious to the cold water cascading over his head.
The second wife panicked and called out her son's name in a trembling voice. Only then did she see her son raise his head. He didn't even try to avoid the water rushing down on him. His eyes, visible beneath the splashes, were unfathomable. He suddenly smiled and said clearly, "Mom, I will definitely give you a good life and never let you worry about me again." After saying that, he slumped to the side.
The second wife was terrified. She screamed and rushed over, frantically turning off the water, catching her son's slumped body, and miraculously dialing for help with only her left hand. She vaguely sensed the confusion in the dark depths of her son's eyes.
Standing beside her son, who was perfectly fine but unconscious, the second wife was filled with anxiety. She didn't know what his condition would be when he woke up, or whether the clarity in his eyes would return. But she knew that with her protector gone, she could no longer survive in this cutthroat society. Everywhere she looked, people were packed together, one wrong move and she could become someone else's prey. Yesterday she was the one eating, and now she was the one being eaten. She felt utterly powerless to resist.
Son, I just hope that when my son wakes up, he will be truly awake.
(over)