Ultimately, he decided to return to China and found Li Ruo to take his place as Zhou Luming. He used her as a shield to bear the risks for him, while he stayed by her side as Xu Yan, offering advice and solving her problems, eventually finding the real culprit who murdered his parents.
As for the constraints imposed by the Zhou Group, neither Father nor Xu Yan wants them.
The security guard at the gate had seen all sorts of luxury cars parked there, but he had never seen a dilapidated van stop there before. He assumed that the delivery driver had come to the wrong gate and was about to send the driver to the side gate when a beautiful young woman with an elegant demeanor got out of the van.
The girl was dressed head-to-toe in designer brands, and her watch was quite expensive and didn't seem fake. However, she arrived in a dilapidated Jinbei van, which puzzled the security guard.
Xu Yan glanced at her watch, ignoring the puzzled security guard beside her, and called Zhou Luming to urge him, "Hey, are you down yet? I'm downstairs."
Zhou Luming: "I'll be there soon. I ran into an acquaintance and was delayed. I'm going into the elevator now."
The security guard overheard the call and guessed that she was a friend of one of the employees, so he let her continue to wait at the front gate. In any case, her appearance wouldn't be an eyesore and wouldn't affect the grand image of the Zhou Group.
Xu Yan waited a while longer before a group of people poured out of the door. Zhou Luming, surrounded by the group, was chatting happily with everyone. The people around her were men and women, young and old, all wearing employee badges and were employees of Zhou's headquarters.
In the Zhou Group, everyone, regardless of position, must wear an employee badge. This was a rule established when Mr. Zhou was still alive. He believed that this was the only way to distinguish social rank and let employees know the difference at a glance.
So Zhou Luming immediately made an employee badge and wore it around her neck, and she took a picture of herself for Xu Yan. Xu Yan looked at it and silently pressed the download and save button.
"My friend is coming to invite me to lunch, so I'll take my leave now," Zhou Luming said to the people around him.
"Has Mr. Zhou's friend arrived? Let us reserve a private room for you as a welcome gift," a middle-aged woman said.
“Mr. Zhou is the general manager of Shanhai Catering, so why would he need to book a private room? He can just go to the restaurant in the building, pick a seat he likes, and order his food,” another male employee said.
"On the second floor of the building next to the Zhou Group headquarters is the flagship store of Shan Hai Catering, which has many original dishes that are not available in other stores. Mr. Zhou can go and try the dishes."
"Yes, yes, today's tuna was air-freighted and is very fresh. Mr. Zhou, you must try it."
Zhou Luming smiled and nodded, but her mind was already completely on Xu Yan. She was still surrounded by people in the lobby of the building, all trying to flatter her. Xu Yan stood outside the glass door, standing straight and waiting, looking up at the clouds in the sky and the people coming and going, a scene of serene beauty.
“Alright, you all go ahead and get busy. My friends and I have our own plans, so don’t follow me. I’m going on an incognito trip,” Zhou Luming said. “Let’s make this clear beforehand: if I find anyone secretly following me, or if the waiters at the restaurants I’ve been to leak the news that I’m going to dinner, I’ll deduct their wages.”
"Yes, yes, we'll do whatever you say, Mr. Zhou."
"We assure you that we will not disclose your privacy."
"I hope Mr. Zhou enjoys his meal."
Zhou Luming finally escaped the flattery and stepped outside to enjoy a rare moment of peace. That morning, she truly understood what fawning and flattery meant. Being flattered felt good, but too much of it became irritating.
“Let’s go have a quiet lunch.” Zhou Luming jogged over to Xu Yan’s side and naturally took her arm. “After all the noise this morning, I’m starting to feel tinnitus.” She shook her head and mumbled.
Xu Yan was still carrying pan-fried buns in her hand; although they were cold, they still looked very tempting.
Zhou Luming noticed the bag of pan-fried buns. "You don't mean to make me eat this, do you?" she asked, a little disgusted.
Xu Yan glanced at her employee badge and said, "Please treat me to a meal at your Shanhai Restaurant, and tell me what happened this morning, and what's the deal with the acquaintance you mentioned on the phone."
Zhou Luming hummed in agreement, his gaze darkening slightly. "It is indeed a bit troublesome."
When we arrived at the flagship store of Shan Hai Catering, located in the Zhou Group's subsidiary building, there weren't many customers because it was a weekday. Moreover, since the prices here are not low, most of the seats were empty.
Zhou Luming and Xu Yan found a window seat where they could see the office workers coming and going during their lunch break, as well as the busy traffic below.
"Who is the acquaintance you ran into?" Xu Yan was most worried about this "acquaintance".
Zhou Luming frowned. "I never expected to run into him here. He knows me—" He paused, then lowered his voice and said, "He knows the old me. He's met Li Ruo before."
Chapter 69
===================
The bright and airy restaurant had only a handful of guests, including Xu Yan and Zhou Luming, who had just been promoted to "Junior General Manager Zhou".
Zhou Luming gently stirred the steaming hot beer, resting his chin on his hand and said leisurely, "His name is Wu Fan. He was one of the targets I was commissioned to handle before. I was responsible for getting close to him and extracting information from him. From pretending to bump into him to arranging for him to play the hero and save the damsel in distress, everything went smoothly. After I got the information and disappeared from his side, I heard that he was looking for me all over the world. A year has passed, and I had almost forgotten about this incident and this person. I never expected to meet him again at the Zhou Group headquarters. He became Xu Lang's special assistant and is now Xu Lang's financial advisor."
Xu Yan fell into deep thought, his expression serious. "What was Wu Fan's reaction when he saw you?"
Zhou Luming shook his head. "He didn't have a particularly strong reaction. Xu Lang was also there at the time. He came over to shake my hand and greet me, but he mentioned that I looked like a girl he used to know. I think that was his way of provoking me."
How much does Wu Fan know about you?
“He knows my real name is Li Ruo and has also investigated my family background. Other than that, he shouldn’t have any other information. Generally, after completing a mission, I will hide for a period of time to transition and erase traces. During this time, I will not let them discover my whereabouts. After the storm has passed, I will go to another place to start over. But this time I underestimated Wu Fan’s patience and ability. I suspect he is after me.” Zhou Luming was a little worried.
Xu Yan held her coffee cup, tapping her fingertips lightly on the ceramic surface. The background information on Wu Fan in her hand wasn't extensive; while his education and experience were impressive, they weren't particularly outstanding in the talent-rich Zhou Group headquarters. Furthermore, his position as Xu Lang's temporary assistant was unimportant, so she overlooked it.
Unexpectedly, this person knew Li Ruo and had even had close contact with her.
Xu Yan picked up his black coffee and took a sip, then looked up at the restless Zhou Luming: "There are two possibilities why he didn't expose your identity on the spot. First, he's unsure if Li Ruo is really Zhou Luming, so he's still observing. Second, he's certain you're not the real Zhou Luming, but he doesn't expose you because he can use this as leverage to threaten you into doing things for him under Zhou Luming's identity."
Which possibility do you think it is?
"Anything is possible."
How am I supposed to face him after this?
"Don't feel guilty, just do what you normally would. I can guarantee that no one can expose your identity."
Zhou Luming smiled and said, "Xu Yan, you were really domineering when you said that. If you were to reveal your true identity, you would definitely be a domineering CEO."
Xu Yan coughed lightly to cover it up, but the tips of her ears were already pink.
Zhou Luming picked up a cookie from the table and took a small bite. "Besides me, who else knows your true identity?"
"It turns out that Li Li knew as well, and later Wang Anjing probably knew as well as well."
Zhou Luming chuckled lightly, as if casually, "Oh? If I bribe Wang Anjing and then get rid of you, can I then peacefully be my little CEO Zhou and inherit the Zhou Group? Aren't you worried about raising a tiger that will turn on you? That this cunning and ruthless woman will one day silence you, control the few people who know the truth, and then steal your identity and inheritance to become a tycoon herself?"
Xu Yan: "If you really wanted to do this, you wouldn't have told me your plans. Although you love money, you love freedom even more. You don't want to be tied down by marriage and family, which is why you keep accepting commissions and tasks to save money, instead of marrying someone like Wu Fan and becoming a rich housewife. You've had many opportunities to be a wealthy lady, but you've given them all up. From your resume, I can see what you really want, which is why I chose you to take over the identity."
Zhou Luming's smile vanished. "Perhaps it's because the compensation wasn't generous enough, or their assets weren't substantial enough, that's why I abandoned my sugar daddy and went elsewhere to continue making money."
Xu Yan shook his head. "Your family background makes you feel unsafe relying on others, so you prefer to take control of your own life. You're all alone, without any connections or family or friends. Money is everything to you, so you're saving it like crazy. I bet after this mission, you'll take your reward and run away to some unknown corner of the world, buy some land, build a house, hide your past, and start a new life as an ordinary person."
“So you won’t kill me, because you don’t want to live here as Zhou Luming for long. The name Zhou Luming isn’t an honor, it’s a shackle,” Xu Yan said, his black coffee empty.
“I never thought that the Zhou Group, which so many people are fighting over, would be a shackle in your eyes? If Old Master Zhou were alive, he would probably be furious.” Zhou Luming sprinkled the biscuit crumbs on the plate onto the Ori White, took a bite and was very satisfied. “Xu Lang only gave me Shan Hai Catering this time, and didn’t let me enter the Zhou Group headquarters. I have to find a way to transfer back to the headquarters to continue to help you with the investigation.”
Xu Yan looked at the little bit of white foam on her upper lip, and just as he reached out to wipe it off, he stopped in mid-air and pointed to his own mouth to indicate the location, "You have something on your lips."
Zhou Luming wiped it with a tissue.
Xu Yan stared at her glossy lips for a while, then guiltily looked away: "Don't rush things, because your birthday is at the end of this month. According to the will, I will give you 30% of Zhou's shares after your birthday."
"30% of the shares?!" Zhou Luming quickly opened his phone, glanced at Zhou's stock price, and exclaimed, "I'm really going to become rich overnight!"
Xu Yan was much calmer than her. "Old Master Zhou gave you all his shares, totaling 70%, which is rare in listed companies, but it gave him absolute control of the Zhou Group. In addition to the shares in the Zhou Group, there are also cross-shareholdings and investments in other companies, which are also considerable income, and they will gradually be transferred to your name in the future. The will stipulates that you will receive 30% of the shares when you turn 22, and the remaining 40% will be transferred after your marriage."
"After marriage? I have to get married to get the remaining 40%?"
“That’s how it is in theory, but don’t worry, my goal isn’t to inherit the estate, but to find out the truth about my parents’ murder. I won’t force you to get married,” Xu Yan reassured her. “Once you get 30% of the shares after your birthday, you will become the largest shareholder of Zhou’s Group and join the board of directors as the largest shareholder, returning to Zhou’s Group headquarters.”
“It’s a real headache. Old Master Zhou is so old-fashioned. He only gave out the shares after his birthday, and another portion after the wedding… I understand why you don’t want to be Zhou Luming again. Besides having to be constantly on guard against being murdered, every step you take is planned and restricted. It feels like being a canary, imprisoned and bound every moment. Even in death, Old Master Zhou still gives off such a strong sense of oppression. How domineering and tyrannical he must have been when he was alive. Your father betrayed him, ran away, and married your mother. I admire him as a man,” Zhou Luming sighed.
Xu Yan seemed unwilling to bring up the matter.
“By the way, Xu Yan,” Zhou Luming grinned, picked up his coffee cup, and said, “Happy birthday to you in advance.”
Xu Yan was taken aback, then raised a glass of water as well, saying, "Thank you."
Outside the floor-to-ceiling window, a man in a long woolen coat looked at them and quickly walked into the restaurant.
Zhou Luming scoffed, "What a small world." He turned to Xu Yan and said, "That's Wu Fan. Looks like he's itching to confront me and negotiate."
Xu Yan said, "He won't tell you the truth while I'm here. I'll leave first, you two talk."
"I'll make a phone call, you can listen in."
"Um."
Xu Yan hid in a private room, and Zhou Luming dialed her number, placing his phone next to her to listen in.
As soon as they met, Wu Fan asked, "Was that Ms. Xu Yan, the estate administrator appointed by Mr. Zhou? I didn't expect her to be so young and beautiful. I thought she would be a middle-aged woman with thick glasses, short stature, and a face full of age spots."
Zhou Luming smiled faintly, "Xu Yan is the most professional and most beautiful woman I have ever met."
Wu Fan leaned back in her chair, staring intently at the woman opposite her, and said, "She's gone now, so you don't need to pretend to flatter and fawn over her anymore. If it weren't for the inheritance she managed, why would you, Miss Zhou, have played the game of sisterly affection with her for so long? Oh, perhaps neither she nor they know what a cold-hearted, vicious, and ruthless woman is hiding beneath your beautiful exterior."
"You came here just to vent?" Zhou Luming raised an eyebrow dismissively. "I've already finished lunch, and I have to go to the Shan Hai Catering headquarters this afternoon to be their mascot. I can't keep you company."
"Stop!" Wu Fan stood up and reached out to grab Zhou Luming's wrist. "Li Ruo, do you know how long I've been looking for you?! Do you know how much my heart ached after you disappeared, and how much I hated you after I found out you were the one who reported my father for bribery and got him imprisoned?!"
Zhou Luming realized he couldn't break free. "Sorry, you've mistaken me for someone else. I'm not the person you're talking about."
Wu Fan sneered, "You can't fool me. After you disappeared, I had someone investigate your background. Your real name is Li Ruo, you're an orphan, and your adoptive parents were scumbags, so you ran away from that family and disappeared without a trace. You used countless aliases and were hired by an organization to do some dangerous missions. You're not Zhou Luming at all, not the eldest daughter of the Zhou Group. You're here now impersonating someone else."
"Let go, or I'll call the police."
"Fine, go ahead and call the police. Let's see how you get away with DNA testing, you imposter." Wu Fan sneered.
"You think they didn't test my DNA after they brought me back?" Zhou Luming said. "Do you think Xu Yan and the Zhou family are pushovers who can be easily fooled? Aren't they all powerful, wealthy, and influential people? If I were an imposter, they would have found evidence long ago and kicked me out. Would they have let me join the Zhou Group as the general manager of a subsidiary? Would they have let me attend a banquet at the Zhou family's old mansion? Wu Fan, Li Ruo is an orphan. Who says Li Ruo can't be the real Zhou Luming? You're still as brainless as ever. You haven't improved at all over the years."
After finishing his sentence, Zhou Luming left the shocked Wu Fan behind, picked up his bag and phone, and turned to leave.
"Wait—" Wu Fan caught up with him again after regaining his senses.
Zhou Luming stopped, turned around, and looked at him with a frown.
Wu Fan stared at her face, a face that kept replaying in his memory, causing him unbearable torment. Logically, she had destroyed his family and deceived his feelings; he should hate her to the core. He had spent the years with that same feeling, vowing to utterly destroy her if he found her. But after seeing her, his resolve began to waver.
She was still so beautiful, so captivating and enchanting. How wonderful it would be to embrace her and kiss her...
Wu Fan clenched his fist, then released it.
"You say you're Zhou Luming, and I hope you really are. Now I have a question for you: when you accepted my proposal and spent the time we were together, did you ever truly love me?"
"No," Zhou Luming said lightly. "Back then, my contact with you was just a task I was assigned. I never developed any feelings for you."
The phone screen, lying to the side, remained lit, while Xu Yan remained silent on the other end of the line.
"Heh, what exactly do you want?" Wu Fan heard himself ask. "Money, I can give you that. Power, I can give you that too. We were so happy and fulfilled back then. If you hadn't reported my father, we would have—"
"Freedom," Zhou Luming said. "What I want is something you can't give me, because I don't want to be bound by anyone."
Chapter 70
===================
“He still likes you,” Xu Yan said, sitting in the passenger seat and looking out the window.