"She hasn't contacted you? She should have left the city. I picked her up and drove her home, but seeing the bus station full of people waiting to collect debts, she didn't get off and went to the long-distance bus station instead. But from what you've said, it seems she had an appointment with Old Wang this afternoon?"
Shang Kun nodded and said, "Old Wang didn't explain it clearly to me either. It's strange; he was vague in his explanation. But he said he would give me all the answers. We'll have lunch at his place and then wait for Yu Fengmian. If you can't bear to leave, don't come out. Just listen from the next room." Shang Kun thought to himself, "How could you befriend a thief?"
Lin Weiping glanced at the time on the car and said, "They said it was a relaxing weekend, but it turns out they tricked me into coming here to accompany them. By the time we get to Hangzhou and find Old Wang's house, it will be lunchtime. After lunch, we'll have to meet Yu Fengmian. Where will we have time to see West Lake or go shopping? Fine, you guys talk, I'll sleep and sunbathe."
Although he had mentally prepared himself, Lin Weiping was still shocked when he saw the car parked outside a gate guarded by security personnel for registration. To receive such treatment after retirement showed the former status of Old Wang's father.
Entering the gate, one is greeted by lush greenery. The trees lining the path, aged and vibrant, give the entire environment a rich, verdant green that doesn't feel desolate even under the winter sun. The trees next to Old Wang's house are low shrubs, offering ample shade, and their gnarled, strong branches, a striking sight. As Lin Weiping gets out of the car, he sighs, "This is a real villa. If this area could be sold, I wonder what astronomical prices it would fetch in Hangzhou."
Seeing her lingering and looking around outside, Shang Kun pulled her inside. Old Wang, who had already heard the commotion, came downstairs to wait, and a beautiful cold dish was already laid out on the table. Old Wang was slightly surprised to see Lin Weiping, but seeing the way Shang Kun looked at her, he understood. It seemed Shang Kun had already accepted Lin Weiping as his wife, so he no longer hid it from her. Old Wang's home-cooked meals were indeed authentic. The three of them drank a little wine, chatted and laughed, and ate until 1:30. At this time, the doorman called, asking if Yu Fengmian could be allowed in. Old Wang and Shang Kun exchanged a glance and smiled, "You two can leave for a while, okay? I need to take care of some personal matters. Come, sit here and listen." Lin Weiping and Shang Kun went into a small room next door. This room had a large floor-to-ceiling window leading outside, and through the glass, one could see into the living room and hear the conversations inside. Old Wang explained that the glass partition prevented anyone from seeing in from the outside; only those inside could see out. After Lao Wang went to the living room, Lin Weiping smiled at Shang Kun and said, "The arrangements of an official's family are indeed different; they even thought of this mechanism." Shang Kun gestured for her to be quiet, as Yu Fengmian had already appeared at the front door.
Lin Weiping was greatly surprised when she saw Yu Fengmian. What kind of time was this to be dressed so brightly and youthfully, her clothes completely out of place for her age and status? Strangely, she was wearing a thin woolen ball gown, seemingly unfazed by the cold, paired with trendy pointed-toe ankle boots – it looked utterly bizarre. Inside, Shang Kun frowned, but then noticed that Old Wang had disappeared somewhere, leaving the nanny to serve Yu Fengmian tea. Lin Weiping wondered if Yu Fengmian was trying to seduce Old Wang. But would Old Wang fall for it? However, seeing the nanny and Yu Fengmian talking so intimately, it seemed they knew each other – that was strange. Could Yu Fengmian be Old Wang's old flame?
Yu Fengmian sat on the sofa waiting, but since she had come on business, she waited and waited, and finally couldn't help but get up and call out to the housekeeper who was washing dishes in the kitchen, "Why hasn't the old man come down yet? Is he taking a nap?" As soon as she said this, Lin Weiping couldn't help but look at Shang Kun, who was also full of surprise. "The old man"? Could it be that she was looking for Old Wang's father? This was going to be interesting. No wonder Old Wang asked them to leave for a while; it was a bit awkward to involve his father.
Just then, Old Wang's voice rang out from behind: "You've come to ask the old man for help? Why didn't you do your research beforehand? I've already sent the old man abroad for a trip, and now there's no one to help you."
Upon seeing him, Yu Fengmian abruptly stood up, her expression changed drastically, and after a moment of stunned silence, she turned to leave. Old Wang stepped forward to block him, sneering, "Since you're here, why the rush to leave? Tsk tsk, dressed so young, the old man will definitely like you. You really know how to please him. Speaking of which, you've been with the old man for six or seven years now, haven't you? Even the nanny knows you. It seems I was the only one kept in the dark. If you hadn't used the old man's connections to snatch that prime piece of land from me, I wouldn't have thought to thoroughly investigate who your backer is. The old man is truly loyal to you, even willing to abandon his son to please you. I've been stabbed in the back by the old man, and I wonder how many people are secretly laughing at me. You must have laughed at me countless times in your heart, right? Now that things have gotten into trouble, are you trying to use the old man to help you again? Do you want him to pressure me, or Ah Kun? But do you think I would make the same mistake twice? By the way, I sent the old man away because I knew you would come looking for him. And you actually did."
Yu Fengmian's face was deathly pale. Her hands involuntarily gripped the back of the sofa beside her, supporting her entire weight. Lin Weiping could almost hear the sound of her heart breaking. This explained it all. No wonder Old Wang hated Yu Fengmian so much; it wasn't just about winning or losing in business, but also about unspeakable humiliation. The blame lay with Yu Fengmian for going too far. Given her ambiguous relationship with his father, she should at least have avoided directly confronting him. There was more than one piece of land in the city; why did she have to snatch the piece Old Wang was already about to have? Wasn't that a blatant slap in the face? Including her use of substandard steel in the construction of the house—she had only herself to blame.
But soon, Yu Fengmian stood up straight, biting her lip, and said with a cold smile, "Old Wang, why don't you ask your old man? Who is he? Who am I? Even your house is heavily guarded. If he hadn't been lustful because of my appearance, how could I have gotten close to him? If he took a liking to me, would I dare to refuse him? Would I still be able to live my life? Do you think that old man is so lovable that I have to beg for him? I endured humiliation with him, can't I ask for compensation? Besides, you also used your old man's connections to get that land. Although it sounds better than my methods, what's the difference? It's equally despicable. Since that's the case, you have no reason to blame me. Blame your old man. Who told you to have no standing in his heart?" Lin Weiping thought to himself, Yu Fengmian is no pushover either.
Old Wang snorted and said, "That's strange. So our methods are the same. I'm going to tell everyone in the city and let them judge who will end up losing face. Is that alright?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Fengmian's face turned ashen. She knew very well that if word got out, Old Wang would consider it perfectly acceptable, but she would never be able to hold her head high again. Even Old Wang's father wouldn't be in trouble, since he was already retired; at most, it would be considered a matter of conduct. But men in society often pride themselves on being promiscuous and aren't ashamed of it, leaving only women to suffer. She finally collapsed onto the sofa, and after a long pause, managed to say, "How are you going to deal with me?"
Old Wang stared at her for a while before raising his voice, "Ah Kun, please come out." Lin Weiping, seeing Yu Fengmian's pitiful state, felt a pang of sympathy. She couldn't help but stand up and grab Shang Kun's sleeve, who was about to leave. She looked at him, then at Yu Fengmian, and after thinking for a moment, swallowed the words of pleading that were about to come out. She knew that if Shang Kun agreed to her plea, Old Wang might not. With the two of them working together, it was impossible for one to say one thing and the other to say another. Besides, Shang Kun's concession could mean tens of millions of yuan in losses. Lin Weiping knew she couldn't gamble that much, to see which was more important to Shang Kun—herself or millions of yuan. So she let go and said softly, "I'm going out for a walk. You two talk." With that, she jumped out of the floor-to-ceiling window and left. Shang Kun, seeing her like this, understood her thoughts perfectly well. But since she had given up on her own, he pretended not to know. He was also furious with Yu Fengmian.
Chapter
Twenty-five
Lin Weiping drove straight out, circled around Bai Causeway, and then stopped at Flower Harbor Park. He picked up two bags of bread at the entrance, sat down at the side gate of Flower Harbor Park, and fed the fish on a large rock under the Su Causeway Bridge. But his mind was far from at peace. As he tore open the bread, his thoughts were constantly on the negotiations on the other side.
Yu Fengmian is indeed domineering, so it's understandable that Lao Wang would punish her severely. Shang Kun was just riding on Lao Wang's coattails, but no matter what he did, he couldn't get a factory for free, so Yu Fengmian should still get something. The key issue is the construction site she snatched from Lao Wang using substandard steel bars; it's unclear how the debts in that area will be settled. Her coming to Lao Wang's patriarch today wasn't to ask him to smooth things over with Lao Wang, but rather to get him to negotiate with the bank. Since Lao Wang has such extensive connections, and with the powerful Shang Kun, it's not impossible for them to manipulate the bank's loan process for Yu Fengmian. Since Lao Wang preemptively sent his patriarch abroad and made his phone unreachable, it shows he anticipated Yu Fengmian's actions. Having been in the underworld for so many years, Yu Fengmian quickly realized the situation was hopeless, hence her despair and resignation to her fate. Old Wang, taking advantage of her arrival, immediately used her past misdeeds to deliver a scathing rebuke, instantly crushing Yu Fengmian's arrogance. She was clearly at a disadvantage, both psychologically and practically. To avoid further entanglement and a protracted conflict, Yu Fengmian had no choice but to sacrifice herself, auctioning off her assets to Old Wang and Shang Kun. It can only be said that Shang Kun benefited the most this time.
Thinking of this, Lin Weiping suddenly felt a chill. Shang Kun's son was still young; how would he view her relationship with Shang Kun in the future? Almost no one can be neutral in their treatment of their parents' subsequent spouses. Although Yu Fengmian's relationship with Old Wang's father was illicit, it had still lasted for many years, yet Old Wang acted with even greater hatred. The conflict of interest, coupled with the loss of face, was like adding fuel to the fire.
And how would others view her relationship with Shang Kun? Yu Fengmian had used her body, but how many sex workers had achieved her success? Wasn't it all due to her own abilities? But when it comes down to it, who cares about her abilities? Women are most easily ruined by the scorn of the world, and Yu Fengmian, as strong as she was, was no exception. Lin Weiping could live a carefree life without Shang Kun; on the contrary, being with Shang Kun meant her achievements would be seen as a result of his support. And inevitably, uninformed and resentful people would fabricate ambiguous relationships for them. Such rumors spread the fastest, and even if they were baseless, how could an unmarried woman like her bear it?
Thinking of Shang Kun, Lin Weiping couldn't help but look at her own hands, which were holding the bread. These hands weren't small; to describe them as having slender, jade-like fingers would be an exaggeration. Her hands were even quite strong; she'd handled heavy machinery and personally inspected equipment at the company, and at home, she'd do everything herself—plumbing, lighting, even changing tires occasionally. Her face and figure complemented these hands perfectly. Everyone knew she was a woman, but few treated her like one. Even those who initially mistook her for a woman changed their attitude and never dared to treat her as one again. She herself hadn't seemed to cherish herself much like a woman. The usual descriptions of a woman were gentle, graceful, beautiful, and charming, but Lin Weiping always heard descriptions of her as shrewd, generous, straightforward, and dashing. She wondered what Shang Kun saw in her? Was it because he was stronger, allowing him to see through appearances, penetrate her hard exterior, and discover her soft heart?
Gong Chao is undoubtedly a thing of the past. Now, Shang Kun is the closest she can get, but does she truly love him? She has feelings for him, admires him, that's for sure, but along the way, there's been so much manipulation, suspicion, and a bit of resentment. Only recently have things begun to balance out. But to love Shang Kun unconditionally, or without any other ulterior motives, seems impossible. But then again, does she even have the capacity for such unwavering devotion now? Her journey through society, the experience she's accumulated, hasn't made her believe the world is a better place; instead, it's made her think things through carefully and question everything.
It's a real dilemma. If we measure the relationship with Shangkun using the common business metric of "worth it," then Shangkun's conditions, when quantified, would certainly carry weight. However, the relationship between the two isn't a business partnership or merger, so how can it be measured?
Just then, she noticed a commotion around her. Looking up, she saw a large crowd gathered around her, all staring intently at the lake in front of her. Lin Wei calmed herself and looked too. She saw countless small fish gathered there, crowding together like dark clouds flowing beneath the surface. She threw a piece of bread about two fingers wide, and the fish immediately swarmed towards it in unison, disappearing from the surface in an instant. The density was like that of a market vendor selling loaches in a bucket. Seeing that more small fish continued to gather around, and that the fish in front of him showed no sign of leaving, Lin Weiping was amazed. He thought these pomfret were much cuter than the picky red carp that tourists at the Flower Harbor Park were fed. He got carried away and tore off a piece of bread and threw it into the water a little further away where there were few fish. Instantly, the fish changed from being surrounded by stars to being chased by colorful clouds, crowding over in a dark mass. He heard a soft gasp of amazement from the people behind him, and he was also dumbfounded. He tore the bread even faster, and even when Shang Kun called on his cell phone, he almost ignored it, hurriedly giving him the address and asking him to bring more slices of bread.
Shang Kun was driven there by Lao Wang. The two of them, carrying bread, went to the first bridge at the entrance of the Su Causeway, which Lin Weiping had mentioned. They saw a crowd gathered below the bridge, gesturing and making quite a scene. The person sitting in the middle was none other than Lin Weiping. Lao Wang asked curiously, "What's Xiao Lin doing? Did he drop something into the water?"
Shang Kun didn't believe it, saying, "No way, everyone's so cheerful, they must be doing something good. If Xiao Lin dropped something, there wouldn't be any noise." The two of them went down together, pushed through the crowd, and squeezed in to take a look. They looked at each other and smiled. Just a moment ago, they were at home fighting with Yu Fengmian, but now they were all relaxed, playing the kind of games children like. It really didn't seem like something Lin Weiping would do. Shang Kun breathed a sigh of relief. He had seen Lin Weiping looking unwell when she jumped out the window and was worried that she might be overthinking things. Seeing her having fun, he was finally at ease.
The sudden appearance of so much bread brought smiles to everyone's faces, and the fish, presumably even more enthusiastic, joined in the festivities. After a while, the bread ran out, and the fish gradually swam away and dived deeper, leaving only one or two reluctant small pomfret on the surface of the lake. And then, the sky began to darken. Old Wang, without waiting for a reply, said, "You two, either Ah Kun or Xiao Lin, get in my car. We'll find a place to eat and go back together. I don't trust you two to stay together; I'm sure you'll slip and run off with me."
Shang Kun glanced at Lin Weiping cautiously. She only glared at Lao Wang but didn't react in any other way. He still said, "You lead the way. I have something to say to Xiao Lin. I'll definitely follow you."
Old Wang snorted and threw out a harsh threat before getting into his car: "If you dare to go to any red light without me seeing you, the police will search the whole city for you."
Shang Kun ignored him and said to Lin Weiping, "I'll drive. This guy drives too recklessly; I'm afraid you won't be able to keep up." Sure enough, Old Wang got into the car and sped out of the parking lot, startling the parking attendant he swerved around. Shang Kun followed closely, but said, "It's fine if you don't follow. This guy always goes to the same restaurant; he never tries anything different." At the first red light, Old Wang's car was nowhere to be seen. "You seem troubled. Is it about Feng Mian?"
"Yes, what happened to her? Seeing her like this today really touched me. She used to be someone important, after all." Thinking of Yu Fengmian, who was so old, dressed in such bright and colorful clothes, I felt sorry for her and thought it was a waste of her talent.
"Old Wang will take over all the debts and assets of the construction site that she took from him. The factory will still be returned to me. However, I have to give Old Wang 10 million yuan as compensation for Yu Fengmian's insolvency of the construction site. There is no down payment for the money I give Yu Fengmian. It will be paid off in four years at 2 million yuan per quarter. Yu Fengmian's life will not be too difficult in the future."
Lin Weiping quickly calculated the numbers in his mind and asked, "What's your target price for your factory?"
Shang Kun smiled and said, "It's good that you finally thought about whether I had suffered a loss. I am very relieved. This price was already lower than my expected price, because Yu Fengmian knew that she could not continue to operate the business, and Lao Wang was pressuring her, so she had to get rid of it as soon as possible. In addition, I paid in installments over four years, so the pressure was not great. It was almost the same price as leasing a factory elsewhere."
Lin Weiping laughed and said, "This price is quite reasonable for Yu Fengmian now. You didn't kick her while she was down. However, it's still a huge loss for her."
Shang Kun said, “We can’t force her to her death. If she keeps delaying the sale of that factory, I’m in a difficult position too, because I still have that tender document in hand. If I don’t succeed, the losses are obvious, and I won’t be able to hold my head up in the industry afterward. Old Wang is also in a difficult position. Housing prices are soaring now, and everyone says there’s a big bubble. We don’t know when it will burst. Old Wang is also afraid that Yu Fengmian will drag things out. The longer it goes on, the more problems will arise. Nobody knows if the original prime land will become useless in the long run. Moreover, Old Wang has a supporting project next to that land that has already started. He has always planned to make Yu Fengmian’s land the main project. If it drags on, his supporting project will be ridiculous. So we can only stop here today. We can’t completely destroy her. We know that Yu Fengmian must have also considered the pros and cons. That’s why she has been reluctant to show up since returning to China. We couldn’t do anything about her. We didn’t want her to come forward on her own. So Old Wang took the initiative to bring up his old man’s relationship with Yu Fengmian, which unexpectedly broke Yu Fengmian’s composure and made her sit down to talk. Don’t take it to heart. This has nothing to do with bullying a woman.”
Hearing the last sentence, Lin Weiping felt a warmth in her heart. She hadn't expected Shang Kun to see through her thoughts. He said, "This is a very normal strategy. I would have used it too. But what I'm thinking about is something very unfair. If it were a man, the matter between Yu Fengmian and the old man of the Wang family wouldn't be used as leverage. At least the old man wouldn't be unable to face people. In this respect, women are at a disadvantage, and not just a little bit."
“I know what you’re worried about.” When the car arrived at the hotel Lao Wang had mentioned, the two got out together. “Let me tell you something else. Originally, I was considering Huang Bao for this collaboration with Linde. He was relatively free in the early stages and helped me with a lot of preparations. But as you saw the other day, no one can replace you. Huang Bao himself admitted during his break that he was withdrawing. Everything you have today is due to your own efforts and has nothing to do with me. But if we are fortunate enough to work together in the future, I won’t ask you to go home and be my shadow. I’ve said that you and I are very good partners, and I think discerning people will notice that. As for what irrelevant people say, you can ignore them. Time will tell. Don’t let this become an obstacle between us.”
Lin Weiping nodded, but didn't speak. Shang Kun was right, but the problem was that she had her own mental block. Shang Kun walked and looked at her, as if wanting an answer, so she could only keep her head down. Seeing this, Shang Kun had no choice but to sigh and say softly, "What do you want me to do? You know I can't say sweet words, but you should know that I understand you best."
Lin Weiping's mind was in turmoil, filled with mixed feelings. Just as he was about to speak, Old Wang stepped forward, clapping his hands and laughing, "You two usually have so much time to talk, why do you have to do it in front of me now? You're clearly taking advantage of the fact that I'm all alone today. Don't be arrogant, I've already called someone over, a stunning beauty. Little Lin, I'm not targeting you, I just can't stand Ah Kun's smug attitude of acting like he's tougher than me." As he spoke, he glanced sideways at Shang Kun.
Shang Kun smiled at him, but then turned back to look at Lin Weiping. Lin Weiping could only say, "Anyway, the beauty hasn't arrived yet. I'll go check out the mall next door first and come right back." He left as if fleeing.
Old Wang watched her leave and quietly asked, "What's going on? What are you two up to? Is Xiao Lin going to plead for Yu Fengmian? If you're in trouble, I'll speak for you."
Shang Kun laughed and said, "How could she be so brainless? No way." As he spoke, he took out a cigarette, lit it, took a puff, and then said with half-open eyes, "I'm proposing to her, so you have to help me out today."
Old Wang was startled and exclaimed, "What? You just spent so much money to get the factory back from Yu Fengmian that was awarded to your ex-wife, haven't you suffered enough yet? Xiao Lin is good, very good, and I like her very much, but you also need to know that with her methods, half of your assets will naturally be in her hands in the future. You should think it over carefully, and wait a year or two before making a decision. I'm not afraid of offending either of you, but I advise you to be cautious." As he spoke, the phone in his hand was almost poking Shang Kun's chest.
Shang Kun thought to himself: What if we drag this out for another year or two? Would Xiao Lin still be a threat then? But of course, he couldn't tell anyone this. He just smiled and said, "I've thought about all of this. I liked Lin Weiping the moment I saw her. I have so much to talk about with her. She understands everything I say, and I love listening to what she says. What I like most is her elegant demeanor, her conscience, and her shrewdness tempered with humanity. Yu Fengmian is another strong woman, but she's not on the same level as her. Damn it, what do you think I need so much money for? I'll give her half. As long as she's happy being my wife, that's fine. She's not a heartless person."
Old Wang was speechless for a moment before finally saying, "What you said makes sense. I didn't expect you to be so insightful. Old Guan always said that someone like you who went to university is different from us; you see things clearly. Brother, if I don't help you, who will? Who's calling?" He answered the phone, but it was a beautiful woman calling. He suddenly felt a bit annoyed, mumbled a few "uh-huhs" and hung up. "Look, she's just left. Every beautiful woman has to be fully made up before she'll go out." She said, tapping several times on her phone.
Shang Kun said, "The first and second time I met Lin Weiping, she came to see me wearing a T-shirt and jeans without any makeup. She's not pretty, but the more you look at her, the more charming she becomes. Old Wang, to be honest, it's good to have someone to talk to about your feelings. What do those young girls know?"
Old Wang chuckled, "What you say is true. Fortunately, my wife isn't too strict with me, but she's always on my side. However, I'm just like my husband; I have a strong liking for beautiful women, and I doubt I can change that, unlike you. Actually, Old Zhou treats his wife the best. I wonder if you'll surpass him in the future? But since it's an older man with a younger wife, you'll definitely have to pamper your wife more." He then winked and grinned.
These words struck a nerve with Shang Kun, who immediately retorted, "What do you mean by 'old man, young woman'? It doesn't count unless there's a full twelve-year age difference."
As the two joked with each other, Lin Weiping, inside the store, received a phone call. The number was Old Wang's, but when she answered, it was Shang Kun's distorted voice mixed with background noise. "I've considered all of this. I liked Lin Weiping the moment I saw her. I have endless things to say to her. She understands everything I say, and I love listening to what she says. I especially love her confident attitude, her conscience, and her shrewdness tempered with humanity. Yu Fengmian is on a completely different level than her, even though they're both strong women. Damn it, what do I need so much money for? Take half, as long as she's happy being my wife, that's all I need. She's not heartless." Then there was a blank. Lin Weiping immediately realized that Old Wang had kindly recorded this and played it to her. She was stunned. Even if this wasn't Shang Kun's entire thought, it was certainly part of his true feelings. She had always been wary of him using her, but it turned out she had misunderstood him. Why didn't he tell her himself? Was this what he meant by not being good at sweet talk? But his words weren't sweet talk; they were interspersed with "damn it," as if he'd said them with a heavy heart. Right, he'd been a boss for so long, he probably wouldn't dare say these things to a young girl who was still his subordinate. Actually, he'd given many hints, but I was too wary at the time and didn't fully grasp them. I stared blankly at my phone for a long time before continuing to buy things, quickly finishing and returning immediately. Meanwhile, the two of them were still sitting alone at the table with cold dishes already laid out; the beauty hadn't arrived yet.
Lin Weiping felt very awkward at this moment. Old Wang was grinning at her slyly. Shang Kun probably didn't know that Old Wang had done something. When he saw her coming over, he reached out and beckoned her to sit down next to him, and asked with a smile, "What did you buy? It seems like you bought quite a lot."
Lin Weiping looked at Old Wang and finally couldn't help but scold him, "Don't laugh, or I'll deal with you today."
Old Wang slammed his hand on the table and said, "Then what are we waiting for? Miss, pour the wine, we're not waiting anymore, let's eat now." He then pointed to the seat reserved for the beautiful woman and said, "Fill her wine glass completely. What kind of nonsense is this, making us wait so long?" The young lady was very sensible; she poured wine for Shang Kun first, then for Old Wang, and finally for Lin Weiping. As soon as Lin Weiping's glass was poured, he immediately raised it to Old Wang and said, "Old Wang, thank you, I'd like to toast you." Shang Kun, unaware of the situation, inexplicably glanced between the two men, wishing he could warn Old Wang not to interfere.
Old Wang laughed, "Ah Kun, don't try to kill me with your eyes. Go away, you can't hold your liquor. This cup isn't unfair to me at all; Xiao Lin should have toasted me three times." He downed his drink with Lin Weiping in one gulp, poured another, and then the three of them clinked glasses and took a sip. Just then, the beautiful woman entered. She was indeed beautiful, her young skin glowing like jade. Although Old Wang had grumbled about her lateness earlier, he was all smiles when he saw her in person. Lin Weiping couldn't help but look at Shang Kun, seeing his eyes behind his glasses looking at her with a smile full of teasing. Lin Weiping knew without asking that the next thing he meant by that smile was, "Are you jealous?" Her face flushed, but she didn't want to turn away and ignore him. After a moment's thought, she leaned over and said softly to Shang Kun, "I'll treat you to coffee later. Don't drink too much; I have something to say." But saying it felt awkward. Calling him "President Shang" would feel too stiff, but saying it like that felt too intimate. Shang Kun's eyes lit up, and he nodded. Fortunately, Old Wang truly inherited his father's genes; he didn't have time to serve others with alcohol and had long forgotten his friends for the sake of a pretty face. After the four finished eating, Old Wang had completely forgotten his promise to go home with them. He got into his car with the beautiful woman and drove off.
Lin Weiping and Shang Kun went into a coffee shop with a decent storefront nearby, but their real intentions were not coffee. Shang Kun even said with a smile, "I don't like coffee the most, but this shop is not dark, and it's comfortable to sit and talk."
Lin Weiping felt the restaurant was too brightly lit, illuminating their expressions in every detail, and hesitated to speak. Seeing this, Shang Kun deliberately tried to ease the tension by talking about random things. He knew Lin Weiping had something to say to him, so he was nervous and had to find a topic to discuss: "Old Wang's food is much more enjoyable than what we eat at night, although the ingredients are definitely better then. The restaurant food has too much MSG; the smell alone makes me nauseous."
Lin Weiping raised an eyebrow and asked, "Then why don't you hire a nanny or a part-time worker to cook for you?"
Shang Kun said, "It's troublesome. I have asked for help before, but the place I'm living in now is temporary. The place I bought from Lao Wang is still unfurnished and just sitting there. The place is too small, and it would be uncomfortable for a nanny to bump around. I don't have time to manage a part-time housekeeper either, so I just need her to clean the house properly and wash my clothes so I can wear them. It's also convenient to eat at the cafeteria when I don't have any social engagements."
Lin Weiping smiled, but the smile was a little stiff. Shang Kun could tell at a glance that she was very nervous, so nervous that even this usually composed person showed signs of awkwardness. Lin Weiping thought for a moment, then decided not to say anything. She reached into the shopping bag she had just bought and took out a small dark blue box, handing it to Shang Kun. Still feeling very awkward, she said, "This is what I just bought for you. I think this aftershave smells nice." Of course, Shang Kun grabbed her hand as well. "Courtesy first, then force. I gave you a gift, and you've already accepted it. You can't be too harsh on me."
Shang Kun was puzzled. This was strange; it didn't seem to be what he had expected. He had thought Lin Weiping was giving him the aftershave as a hint, but it seemed Lin Weiping had something else to say. He felt a slight disappointment, and the joy he had felt upon receiving the aftershave was immediately suppressed. However, he still held onto the other hand, even though he saw that it was inconvenient for Lin Weiping to pour milk tea with one hand. He didn't say anything, just stared at Lin Weiping.
Seeing this, Lin Weiping had no choice. She knew she was far inferior in terms of shrewdness, so it was better to be honest. "It's like this, if I don't clarify this matter with you, we can't continue talking about other things, because I'll feel uneasy. You'd better not interrupt, and wait until I've finished speaking before commenting." As she spoke, she pulled her hand back. She felt that having Shang Kun holding her hand made it difficult to speak fluently. Shang Kun looked at her thoughtfully, and finally let go of her hand. But he was even more nervous. He knew what "other things" meant—their relationship. What could prevent Lin Weiping from talking about their relationship? Did she have some unknown private secret? Shang Kun nodded and said, "Don't be nervous, speak slowly, I'm listening."
Lin Weiping glanced at Shang Kun, but ultimately lacked the courage to look him in the eye. She lowered her gaze to her cup, biting her lip, unsure where to begin. Shang Kun, seeing her like this, said with pity, "If you don't want to talk about it, then don't. What serious matters do you have? Even if you do, I'll..." Before she could finish, Lin Weiping interrupted her, finally looking directly at Shang Kun and saying, "Don't jump to conclusions. You might not like this. Do you remember the Tianjin financing I mentioned before? That deal went through." She gestured for Shang Kun not to interrupt, "The first time I received three million, but the goods weren't shipped to Kaixuan; they were shipped to a trading company I registered myself. I immediately transferred the goods to Kaixuan. The situation was like this: half of the six million in working capital you gave me was still waiting for shipment from the raw material suppliers, and the other half..." "Don't let the finished products and accounts receivable from downstream customers weigh on your money. The company's production and business have been going surprisingly smoothly, leading to a material shortage. This is how I calculated the price for Kaixuan: based on the price Kaixuan received by paying the raw material supplier directly, plus bank interest for waiting times and shipping. I gave it to Kaixuan without adding a single penny. However, because my batch of goods was made using raw materials obtained through connections from the supplier's supplier, I still made a profit. But after deducting the profit for the Tianjin company and all the upfront and downfront costs I paid myself, there was basically no profit left." As he spoke, Lin Weiping noticed that Shang Kun's expression didn't change, but his eyes lowered to look at his cup for a moment, and his ears seemed to redden briefly before returning to normal. His gaze towards Lin Weiping remained unchanged, still as deep as ever. However, Lin Weiping noticed that Shang Kun struggled a bit to light his cigarette on the candle under the milk tea pot, suggesting that his inner state wasn't as calm as his outward appearance.
Lin Weiping bit his lip and continued, "I did this mainly because it was my first deal, and I didn't want to leave a bad impression on the Tianjin company due to slow payment. Giving the goods to Kaixuan was the only way I could guarantee the payment wouldn't be delayed. Of course, it would be more direct if the Tianjin company's payment went directly to Kaixuan. After the timely payment, within a few days, the Tianjin company transferred six million to the company I had designated for their investigation, following the same procedure as before. I know they trusted me so much mainly because I had Kaixuan backing me. The last deal was the Spring Festival order. Because the previous collaborations had been pleasant, and with my efforts in bribing officials, they paid tens of millions this time, and I happened to be looking for the perfect opportunity to do this Spring Festival deal." Seeing my steady increase in traffic and monthly order volume, suppliers favored me and gave me priority in supplying goods. I took the opportunity to add Kaisheng to their supplier list as well. However, before the Spring Festival, Kaisheng's mortgage loan was approved, providing sufficient working capital. It seemed my batch of goods wasn't really needed anymore, so I was a little worried during the holiday, fearing that such a large quantity would be stuck with unsold inventory. But I generally trusted my judgment. Sure enough, the market performed as I expected after the Spring Festival, so I followed up on the order on the fifth day of the new year. By the eighth, almost all the goods had been sold, and I've received all the payments. I made a profit on this deal, and because I didn't work with Kaisheng, I made even more. I've already negotiated a general agency agreement with my supplier for the province, which is basically a highly profitable venture. That's all I have to say.”
Shang Kun remained silent, exhaling smoke rings several times before finally speaking: "Since you've told me about this, I'll share my thoughts. First, you're right, Kaisheng's working capital was indeed a problem at the time. Raising funds from Tianjin was a good approach, but your personal motives that time were unfair to Kaisheng. After all, without Kaisheng, even with your good connections, you wouldn't have been able to secure that funding. However, your subsequent actions were reasonable, and I believe everything is as you say. In that case, it's not much different from Kaisheng accepting the funds from that Tianjin company itself. You didn't defend yourself, which is commendable. Second, if we continue, Kaisheng's material needs are limited, and as a manufacturing company, it can't engage in resale trade, so the most..." Ultimately, we'll need to set up a separate trading company specifically to handle this funding. You could certainly do some business with other companies; I believe that's the idea behind your Spring Festival deal. Thirdly, since you've secured the general agency, and judging from your tone, you did a good job with that Spring Festival deal, you should be fully capable of leaving Triumph and going solo. Your staying might be due to three factors: not finding the right opportunity as I suggested, being interested in the cooperation with Linde, and having ties to Triumph and me. My point is that you should stay at Triumph. Actually, let's go back to the beginning." Shang Kun suddenly smiled and said, "If our relationship undergoes a qualitative change, then everything will still be within the family."
Lin Weiping initially nodded sincerely, feeling fortunate that Shang Kun hadn't blamed her. However, when the second point was raised, she had to admire Shang Kun's quick wit. Indeed, giving funds to Kaixuan was quite troublesome; it would require some effort to transfer the money from the Tianjin company to the trading company later. When the third point was delivered seamlessly with the subsequent lighthearted conversation, Lin Weiping finally felt relieved after two or three months of anxiety. But Shang Kun's treatment of her made her feel guilty, and she frowned, saying, "Why do I sound like I'm in the right? You don't need to make excuses for me, do you? It's fine if you don't blame me."
Shang Kun smiled and sighed, "How could I not be angry? But you've already admitted it, so what else can I say? Besides, how could I dare offend you now? Triumph can't do without you, and the cooperation with Linde also needs you. The worst part is that I can't do without you either. Fine, whatever you want, I have no other choice but to take the roundabout route and marry you. Once we're one family, our economic activities will naturally merge. The more active you are, the more money we'll make. I'll be overjoyed."
Lin Weiping was both amused and exasperated by his half-joking remark; what kind of marriage proposal was this? But upon reflection, she realized he was right. It sounded funny, but it was all true. Shang Kun genuinely liked her, which was why he not only forgave her but also went to great lengths to please her. Yet, this man was still incredibly shrewd, not forgetting to create opportunities for himself while Lin Weiping felt guilty. She had to admire him. But Lin Weiping secretly thought, "So what if he's powerful? In the end, he still won't dare to make a move on her." A warm feeling welled up inside her, along with a touch of smugness. However, no matter how guilty she felt, she wouldn't readily agree to her life's most important matter. With a quick thought, she easily told Shang Kun everything about the second wife, John Chen, and Waldo, etc.
Seeing her complexion return and her bright eyes sparkle like morning stars again, Shang Kun felt a sense of liking, but inwardly he sighed: "Damn it, at her age, she still ends up being cursed by someone." Therefore, he paid little attention to what Lin Weiping was saying, only asking one final question: "What do you mean?"
Lin Weiping smiled and said, "Taking advantage of its chaos, I plan to use methods to disrupt its raw material supply, making it unsustainable. Then we can use it as a substitute for our third phase project. I think we only need to..." After she finished explaining her plans, Shang Kun laughed and said, "Little Lin, have you thought about this? Your operation will inevitably require the use of funds from both Kaixuan and your trading company. How will you settle the accounts then? Or have you already planned to merge our two companies into one, since it doesn't matter if we're mixed together? That would be great. I'd be happiest if that were the case. I fully support you."
Lin Weiping could only laugh and cry again, finally realizing that she couldn't escape Shang Kun's proposal, and she no longer resisted it; it was just a matter of adjusting. And in just today, she already felt that she could discuss things with Shang Kun, compared to always fighting alone before. She felt much more confident, and perhaps Shang Kun truly was her best match.
Chapter
Twenty-six
Having someone in your heart is a warm feeling, even when stepping out of a coffee shop into the still chilly late February wind. This feeling is hard to express in words. It's like when I first settled in this city, constantly renting, always having to move from one end to the other, waking up in the middle of the night startled by the unfamiliar surroundings, filled with a sense of instability. I acted like I was eating fast food, never planning for the long term; even buying a piece of clothing required careful consideration, worrying about whether it would cause trouble during relocations. And when I finally bought a small apartment, having poured all my hard-earned money into it, receiving a huge bunch of gleaming keys from the developer, and immediately hailing a taxi to the empty room, my feelings were the same as now, but even more intense. I could only clutch my shirt and whisper, "I have a place! I have a place! It's my own place!"
Thinking of this, Lin Weiping couldn't help but turn and smile at Shang Kun, who was driving back. For some reason, she couldn't suppress the smile; she felt incredibly happy. She wanted to reach out and touch his face in the darkness, but after mustering her courage several times, she didn't. Finally, she felt the car slightly stop, and Shang Kun opened his arms, pulling Lin Weiping into his embrace and kissing her deeply. After a long while, they separated, panting, the dim light from the dashboard illuminating their burning eyes. Suddenly, Lin Weiping screamed, "I'm doomed! Why did you stop on the highway?" She looked out nervously, only to see a row of parked cars all around her. "What happened?"
Shang Kun pulled her into his arms again, laughing, "God's helping me! It's so late and there's still traffic, otherwise I'd be burning from your stares the whole way. Ignore them." He kissed her again as he spoke. Lin Weiping, busy with her work, finally managed to pull her hand away and turn off the dashboard lights before facing Shang Kun with peace of mind. Yes, after a day, his beard had grown a bit, but the scent of his aftershave lingered, mixed with the smell of his tobacco and his own unique fragrance—a scent she couldn't get enough of. His passion finally encouraged her; after much hesitation, she reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tightly.
They didn't know how much time had passed, until the headlights and taillights illuminated the inside of the car, startling them awake. They found the car behind them honking impatiently. They exchanged a smile and released each other, looking like kittens who had just stolen cream. Shang Kun composed himself and drove off. They drove for nearly a kilometer before reaching the source of the traffic jam. It turned out to be a car accident; a car was completely mangled, its middle section arched, bent the guardrail, and half-lying on the median strip. Since it was still a one-way street, they weren't driving fast. Shang Kun glanced at the car and was shocked. Without thinking, he slammed on the brakes. The car behind, caught off guard, crashed into their rear. Luckily, they weren't going fast, otherwise it would have been a major disaster.
"What happened?"
“It’s Lao Guan’s car. I can’t mistake it.” As she spoke, seeing the police approaching, she quickly drove the car away and parked it next to the median barrier. The Santana that had rear-ended them wasn’t satisfied and followed to settle the score. Lin Weiping saw Shang Kun frowning and knew he was nervous, so she jumped out of the car to deal with the Santana driver behind them, giving him a thousand yuan to settle the matter privately. When she turned around, Shang Kun had already come out and was talking to the police. Seeing Lin Weiping coming over, he quickly grabbed her, pressed her head against his chest, and murmured, “Don’t look, he’s already dead, don’t look.”
Lin Weiping moved away slightly to get some fresh air and said, "Don't be nervous, it might not be Lao Guan." She felt very warm inside that Shang Kun was still thinking of taking care of her at this moment.
Shang Kun hesitated for a moment before saying, "Xiao Lin, get in the car. I'll help the traffic police confirm the identity of the person inside. Don't look back." He pushed Lin Weiping into the car without further ado, only letting out a sigh of relief after she was inside. Still uneasy, he gestured for Lin Weiping not to get out. Then he quickly walked to the car where someone was trying to pry open the door and pull someone out. Using the flashlight beam from the policeman, he saw it was indeed Lao Guan. For some reason, the airbags hadn't deployed. There was someone in the passenger seat, but the door had been smashed open, and the person was nowhere to be seen. Soon, lights shone up from below the road, and several policemen carried someone up. The person had long, flowing hair and was covered in blood and gore, but it was still recognizable as a young woman. Shang Kun struggled to take a look. Her face, which had been roughly wiped clean, showed no trace of familiarity. Needless to say, it was likely Lao Guan's mistress. After explaining the situation to the traffic police, Shang Kun immediately returned to his car. Seeing that Lin Weiping had taken the driver's seat, he silently moved to the passenger side, opened the door, and sat down, his eyes never leaving the car. Seeing his silence, Lin Weiping reached out and took his hands, cupping them together, and whispered, "Is it really Lao Guan? Who was that one he flung out? It couldn't have been Xiao Liang, could it?"
Shang Kun pulled her hands, buried his face in her hands, and said in a muffled voice, "It's not Xiao Liang, but Lao Guan... I've been busy since after the Spring Festival and haven't seen him. I didn't expect to see him here like this."
Lin Weiping was about to speak when he saw the police approaching again, so he quickly pulled his hand away and rolled down the window. The policeman said politely, "Sir, could you come back with us to help notify the family of the person involved in the accident? We need his help. Thank you."
Lin Weiping quickly replied, "Sure, you go ahead and we'll follow. It's only right."
Turning around, Lin Weiping saw Shang Kun take out a cigarette. He thought to himself that even witnessing a car accident firsthand would make someone nervous, let alone seeing an old friend crash. Shang Kun must be feeling all sorts of emotions right now. He reached out and helped him open the sunroof. Looking up, he saw Lao Guan finally being pried out of the wrecked car. His bones were broken, and he looked limp. He was immediately taken to an ambulance. Lin Weiping suddenly had a thought and called Lao Zhou. "Lao Zhou, this is Lin Weiping. Shang and I encountered Lao Guan's car accident on the highway. Yes, he's gone. Could you please pick up Xiao Liang and take her to the hospital? I'm afraid she won't be able to handle it alone. We need to go to the highway patrol to help them with some things. Lao Wang? Lao Wang isn't here. We'll contact Lao Guan's wife later." Lao Zhou readily agreed, and Lin Weiping trusted him. However, he worried that this would make Xiao Liang even more dependent on Lao Zhou.
Shang Kun had calmed down a bit by then. He exhaled a smoke ring and said, "Don't worry about Xiao Liang and Lao Zhou. Relationships are all about fate. How they end up is not something you can interfere with."
Lin Weiping nodded: "Don't worry, I'm not one to fuss over nothing. They've left, let's follow them."
Shang Kun asked, "Are you alright?"
"She's better off than you in every way. You won't be able to sleep anyway, so you might as well do a good deed. I never expected this." [Q]
"Looking back now, I'm terrified. I was so excited and distracted when I left Hangzhou that I didn't concentrate. Luckily, nothing happened. It seems that Lao Guan also lost his composure. Otherwise, no one would have crashed into him, and he would have killed himself."
Lin Weiping finally couldn't help but say, "Don't talk to me. My mind is in a mess right now. Luckily, their police car wasn't driving fast."
Shang Kun sighed, reached out and stroked her hair, then sat there silently. Lin Weiping really wanted to comfort him, but when she thought of Lao Guan, all she could think of was his and the limp body of the woman she had thrown out, so she had to restrain herself and focus on the road.
The police car didn't go to the police station, but went straight to the hospital. Lin Weiping saw a woman rush towards the ambulance as soon as it stopped; it was Xiao Liang. Although there were conflicts between father and daughter, a daughter is always the closest to her blood ties, and is most heartbroken when her father is in trouble. Old Zhou naturally followed behind, but seeing Xiao Liang hindering the doctors' actions, he had to hold her tightly to prevent her from moving. Lin Weiping watched Xiao Liang cry in Old Zhou's arms and sighed: This is definitely going to cause problems.
Lin Weiping went out to take over Xiao Liang's care, but Shang Kun immediately stopped her, whispering, "Old Zhou is more effective than you right now." However, Lin Weiping felt Shang Kun's hand tremble slightly as he held her. She realized that although he hadn't shown it much, witnessing his old friend's tragic condition must have been incredibly painful for him, and he needed comfort too. And in the cold night, standing in the drafty hospital lobby in only a suit, he must be freezing. She quickly took off her scarf and wrapped it around Shang Kun. Shang Kun looked at her, didn't refuse, but simply put his arm around her waist, their bodies pressed together. "Human life can be so fragile, Xiao Lin," he said, "from now on, I will cherish every moment I spend with you."