"I'm your brother, if I don't care about you, who will?"
"If you've met the wrong person, it's better to break up sooner rather than later." Xiao Shulang felt a warmth in his heart, but he changed the subject, "I'm really good at handling things. How's the company doing lately?"
Speaking of the company, Xiao Mingfeng had a headache: "The board of directors is arguing all the time. They haven't even filed for bankruptcy yet, but they've already started tearing each other apart for their own selfish interests. My father is sentimental and is keeping them around. If we can pull through this time, I'll settle accounts with those parasites one by one."
The head of the Xiao Group was originally the father of the two brothers. Xiao Mingfeng was a technician who was focused on leading his team in research. Unexpectedly, Xiao's father's kind nature allowed those with ulterior motives to repeatedly succeed in their schemes. The accumulated hidden dangers eventually erupted, causing the company to teeter on the brink of collapse.
Xiao Mingfeng then took over the company and assumed heavy responsibilities, but unfortunately, it was all a mess.
Xiao Shulang himself has a double degree in finance and management. Before transmigrating into the book, he was a senior financial executive in a large company. After inheriting the original owner's memories, he had the group's situation in his mind. Although Xiao's Group was on the verge of bankruptcy, it was not completely beyond saving.
Xiao Mingfeng has temporarily scaled back operations and sold shares in some subsidiaries, resulting in a reduction in the group's size. If there's any chance of a comeback, it's only—
Xiao Shulang: "If the development of new products by Weifeng Technology is successful, the returns will be enough to help the company survive."
Weifeng Technology is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the group. Its core R&D department was once led by Xiao Mingfeng. The new products are general-purpose technology products, and billions of yuan have been spent on R&D.
“Actually, we’ve reached the final stage,” Xiao Mingfeng knew all too well, “but the funding… is running out. We’re gambling with time.”
Whether they succeed in developing the technology first, or their funding chain dries up first, is their final gamble.
Xiao Shulang is also someone who won't give up easily: "I'll help find a way to get funding. Since we've come this far, let's not turn back."
Xiao Mingfeng's brows relaxed upon hearing this: "Just take care of yourself. If you really go bankrupt, I'll go find a job. There are plenty of companies waiting to poach me. We can start a new business in a few years."
The heavy atmosphere finally dissipated a bit, and Xiao Shulang jokingly said, "You have to believe me."
After hanging up the phone, Xiao Shulang's faint smile disappeared, and he rubbed his fingers back and forth on the phone case, clearly restless.
Xiao Shulang never met his parents when he was young. He moved from one relative's house to another. When he was a few years old, he was eventually abandoned by his relatives and sent to an orphanage. At a young age, he saw the coldness of human relationships and no longer had any illusions about blood relatives.
But not having expectations doesn't mean not envying.
During holidays and festivals, the children in the welfare home spend time together, and some of them, while laughing in the festive atmosphere, can't help but cry.
The original owner had a harmonious family; his parents and Xiao Mingfeng treated him very well. Little did they know that Xiao Shulang was no longer part of their family...
Xiao Shulang leaned against the cold phone case, his shoulders slumped: He would find a way to help the Xiao family through the crisis... and he would also find a suitable opportunity to tell the Xiao family his true identity.
Telling them the truth would be cruel, but keeping it a secret would be unfair to the original owner and the Xiao family. Xiao Shulang couldn't enjoy their warmth with a clear conscience. As the original owner's closest relatives, the Xiao family had the right to know the truth.
This is so frustrating...
Xiao Shulang stared at the night sky outside the window for a long time, but before he could indulge in his sentimentality for long, Wang Hao called again.
Xiao Shulang suppressed his melancholy and listened to the news brought by Wang Hao.
Finally, someone online has uncovered Xiao Shulang's true identity. You wouldn't believe it until you see it – Xiao Shulang is actually a rich second-generation!
With the young master of the Xiao family entering the entertainment industry, is their family company really going to go bankrupt?
[Didn't he debut a few years ago? Back then, the Xiao family was still very powerful, so is it true that he acts like a diva? After all, he's a rich young master.]
They scanned Luo Tian's Weibo and found that Luo Tian had never portrayed himself as single, but he had never said that he was in a relationship. Xiao Shulang's original Weibo posts were few and far between, with very little content.
However, here's the important part: all the Weibo posts that Xiao Shulang forwarded and liked were related to Luo Tian, with the earliest one even dating back to when Luo Tian participated in a talent show before his debut.
So they've been talking for at least two years?
[What if Xiao Shulang was just a fan back then? It shouldn't be difficult for a rich person to get a trainee's contact information, right?]
Wang Hao told Xiao Shulang about the situation online: "Luo Tian's fans and online trolls have already joined the fray. They still want to dig up the dirt they made up before, but this time our PR team blocked them. So they're seizing on the fact that you must be the one with problems in your relationship."
"Oh, by the way, after his family left nearly 10,000 comments on your Weibo, Luo Tian finally posted a Weibo saying that the breakup was over and he hoped everyone would stop bothering you."
After he finished cursing and stirred up the storm, he would then post a fake "rational" Weibo post to make himself seem magnanimous and Xiao Shulang seem like a persistent pest.
Xiao Shulang twirled a pen between his fingers and scoffed, "So much for being innocent. Now his fans will praise him again, right? His PR team always uses the same old tricks."
Wang Hao: "Why don't you delete those Weibo posts? Now Luo Tian's fans are saying that you can't let go, that you haven't deleted your posts even after breaking up."
"No rush." Xiao Shulang deftly twirled the pen. "Hang it up for now. I'm keeping it specifically for them to see. Let them see how long this relationship has lasted, so they can know how ungrateful Luo Tian is later."
Luo Tian used online platforms as a means to deal with him, and Xiao Shulang could naturally use them as well. He wasn't incapable of playing tricks.
Xiao Shulang received two long phone calls in a row, and time flew by. Xu Baichang had wanted to talk to him, but she didn't get to hear from him.
Luo Tian also couldn't have a proper chat with Xu Bai, because he was also in contact with his agent and keeping an eye on online public opinion.
Xiao Shulang usually doesn't stay up late, but he stayed up a little later tonight. Around midnight, he opened Weibo, deleted some of the reposts, and canceled some of the likes.
But he didn't delete them all at once; he left some behind, and after a long time, he posted a Weibo update:
[Xiao Shulang V: I haven't used Weibo for a while, so I haven't been managing it. I also don't want my account to be full of content related to a certain person, so I'm deleting it now. I only realized how much I'd accumulated over three years while deleting it; my hands are sore. It's too late to continue tonight; sleep is more important. You guys should also get some rest. While gossip is enjoyable, staying up late is bad for your health, so please take care of yourselves.]
Late at night, those who hadn't gone to sleep yet discovered that Xiao Shulang had posted on Weibo. They immediately perked up and clicked on it, thinking there might be some exciting new gossip. But upon closer inspection, although it wasn't what they wanted, they inexplicably found Xiao Shulang's tone quite amusing.
Moreover, some people who stayed up late for revenge actually calmed down a bit when they saw the words "cherish yourself"... It was quite heartwarming.
However, some astute observers noticed the hidden meaning: three years—does that mean they dated for three years? Doesn't that cover Luo Tian's entire career?!
Luo Tian participated in a singing and dancing talent show, but when he debuted, he didn't sign an idol contract. Some people found this strange at the time, but his fans insisted that he was talented and suppressed the rumors.
It's important to know that idol contracts typically specify the duration during which dating is prohibited.
As soon as he debuted, he immediately landed likable roles and entered the film and television industry, earning the label of an all-around entertainer, and has been thriving ever since.
He has such good resources, and coupled with his daily attire, his fans are convinced that he is a rich second-generation.
But now it seems that whether he was a rich second generation or not is unknown, but Xiao Shulang definitely was back then.
Could his success be related to Xiao Shulang?
Now that they've broken up, and the Xiao family is in decline, Xiao Shulang has openly expressed his disapproval of Luo Tian. Could it be that Luo Tian is truly abandoning his benefactor after using her?
Also, since Luo Tian doesn't want to follow the idol route, why doesn't he dare to announce his relationship?
Many people have started to fill in the blanks with their imaginations, and some of them have actually come up with the truth.
Furthermore, regarding the malicious rumors circulating online that smeared Xiao Shulang, Xiao Mingfeng directly posted a message on the company's official Weibo account.
[Recently, malicious speculation and defamation have surfaced online against our shareholder, Xiao Shulang, regarding his private life and work. These false statements have severely distorted his positive image. Our company reserves the right to pursue legal action against those spreading these rumors. Please stop spreading rumors; the internet is not above the law!]
Their legal department hasn't been disbanded yet!
Xiao Shulang dropped a key piece of information, and the self-media started a new round of crazy speculation. The attitude of Xiao Group also deterred a wave of trolls who were just trying to muddy the waters: after all, even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. What if they really take it to court?
Luo Tian and his team thought they could finally rest tonight, but Xiao Shulang pulled another stunt, causing another wave of trouble.
After sending the message, Xiao Shulang put down his phone, pulled up the covers, and lay down to sleep. As for whether Luo and his team could sleep tonight, well, that was none of his business.
A note from the author:
Xiao Shulang (sleeping): ZZZZ;
Luo Tian (dark circles under his eyes)
Chapter 13 "Which eye of yours thinks he's attracting your attention?"
Xiao Shulang slept until he naturally woke up. He looked at the weather outside the window, changed into his sportswear, and prepared for a morning run.
Just as he opened his bedroom door, the door to the bedroom opposite also opened.
Xiao Shulang and Qin Shuang, holding the doorknob, locked eyes.
Qin Shuang, dressed in a black tracksuit, added a touch of crispness to her stern temperament. The timing and movement of the two opening the door were so synchronized that they both froze.
Qin Shuang was the first to snap out of her daze, nodding in greeting: "Good morning."
"Ah, good morning." Xiao Shulang closed the door. "You're going for a morning run too?"
Qin Shuang: "I'll go for a run whenever I have free time."
Besides her good looks, Qin Shuang also has a fantastic physique. In one drama, she wore a simple T-shirt and showed off her clean and beautiful arm muscles, with her abs faintly visible under her clothes, making viewers go crazy for her.
He also pays great attention to his physique, not only for work purposes but also to take responsibility for his own health.
Since they had run into each other, the two decided to go for a morning run together.
The fresh morning air and soft sunlight, birds chirping in the green branches, the two of them walking along the paths and roads, creating a vibrant rhythm.
After running for twenty minutes, they both slowed down on a scenic stretch of road. Noticing the unspoken understanding between them, Xiao Shulang couldn't help but chuckle.
"Huh?" Qin Shuang turned her head to look at him.
Xiao Shulang waved his hand: "I couldn't help but smile when I was in a good mood. Speaking of which, Teacher Qin, don't you think this road looks quite similar to some of the filming locations for your new drama?"
"A little." Qin Shuang didn't look away. "Have you watched the new drama?"
"Yeah, it's a pity I only had time to watch three episodes. I had too many things to do." Xiao Shulang stretched. "I'll definitely finish watching it when I have time later. This show is so exciting. Watching only a little bit is just too tantalizing."
The new drama is a suspense drama with a solid script and a really good story. Before Qin Shuang could say anything, Xiao Shulang picked up his pace again, took two steps ahead of Qin Shuang, and turned around to smile at her in the morning light.
"Of course, Teacher Qin's acting skills are also one of the reasons for watching the series!"
Xiao Shulang ran out of the forest path a step ahead of him. Without the shade of the trees, the awakened sunlight suddenly shone down. Qin Shuang watched him rush into the light and suddenly felt that it was incredibly dazzling.
A gentle breeze ruffled Xiao Shulang's hair and brushed past Qin Shuang's ear, and Qin Shuang suddenly understood why she found Xiao Shulang's smile so beautiful.
—There is light in Xiao Shulang's smile.
That's the most touching part.
He followed Xiao Shulang and asked, "Have you ever thought about becoming an actor?"
“I’d be happy to try if I had the chance,” Xiao Shulang said, “but I haven’t done it before, so I have to learn first.”
The two quickened their pace again, which affected their breathing rhythm. Qin Shuang steadied her voice and said, "If you want to learn someday, you can come to me."
"Phew... Haha, okay, I got it, Teacher Qin."
Just call me Qin Shuang.
Following the program's rules, the two didn't ask any questions about the task cards. They ran until they were sweating and felt refreshed as they returned to the cabin to get some water from the kitchen.
When they got to the kitchen, they found that there was someone else there, and to their biggest surprise, it was Luo Tian.
Luo Tian barely slept last night because of the news online. He got up early and asked the program's makeup artist to do his makeup to make him look better before going to the kitchen.
He may not be good at cooking other dishes, but he can heat up some bread in a bread machine, then chop some tomatoes and lettuce, sandwich them in the bread to make a vegetable sandwich, heat up a cup of milk in the microwave, and that's enough for breakfast.
Breakfast was prepared for Xu Baichang, mainly because he felt things couldn't go on like this; it seemed like things were slipping out of his control, and he felt a sense of crisis.
He could have come much earlier to make breakfast, but he just happened to arrive right on time. It's almost 8 o'clock now, so when the live stream starts, everyone will be able to see him tinkering in the kitchen, and his fans will rush up to praise his improved cooking skills.