Within a week?
"Yes, I'll be testing you in a week."
Zhou Luming was struck dumb. "I was just injured and haven't recovered yet."
“You seemed to have plenty of energy when you ate pan-fried buns and moved house, so it doesn’t seem like you haven’t recovered.”
"Xu Yan—" Zhou Luming put a pile of documents on the desk, hugged Xu Yan from behind, wrapped his arms around her waist, and leaned on her shoulder affectionately, "Can I read a few less books, or can you give me more time, like finishing them in a month?"
Xu Yan grabbed her hand and let go. "No, there's no room for negotiation."
"Wouldn't half a month be alright?"
"Okay," Xu Yan agreed.
Zhou Luming was taken aback, then caught the smile on Xu Yan's lips.
"Xu Yan, did you never intend for me to finish reading it within a week in the first place?"
"For a layperson, even if they finish reading these books in a week, they cannot digest them all. It would take about half a month to grasp the basics."
Zhou Luming covered half of his face and said helplessly, "We've fallen for their trap."
“Alright, we have an important mission tonight. You need to get to know these people and memorize their background information.” Xu Yan took out several individual photos and used magnets to attach them to the whiteboard one by one.
Zhou Luming sighed deeply. She had thought tonight would be a romantic evening, with the two of them enjoying a sumptuous dinner and a few drinks, hoping that the usually reserved and stiff Xu Yan would relax a bit under the influence of alcohol...
"Are you listening?" Xu Yan's voice came through. "What I just said is crucial; it's not in those documents."
"Hmm? I'm listening... please continue." Zhou Luming maintained his smile.
Although she was wearing a loose blue striped hospital gown, it made Xu Yan appear even more ascetic and sensual. Her hair smelled of shampoo, just like the scent lingering on her fingertips.
Xu Yan's serious and rigid demeanor when she's working makes her seem old-fashioned, but it's precisely because of this that Zhou Luming feels an urge to break free from her constraints.
"Ahem—" Xu Yan said, "What are you laughing at?"
Zhou Luming replied, "Why don't you come with me? You clearly know everything and understand everything. If you go, I won't need to memorize these things; I can just ask you directly."
“You can’t rely on me for everything. I won’t be by your side all the time. Tomorrow is the first battlefield you will face alone. Consider it a test for you,” Xu Yan said.
Zhou Luming stared at her for a while, pondering the meaning behind Xu Yan's words, and finally resignedly said, "It seems that earning your commission is really not easy. It's already 9 pm. Hurry up and finish telling me the background information of these high-level elites. I want to get some beauty sleep."
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Volume Five: Absent Fatherly Love
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Chapter 67
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Xu Yan thought she wouldn't sleep well in the new environment, but she slept soundly all night.
When Xu Yan woke up in the morning, she found Zhou Luming asleep on the sofa in the living room. Xu Yan covered her with a blanket and turned up the air conditioner to make sure she wouldn't catch a cold.
In his hazy state, Zhou Luming suddenly grabbed Xu Yan's wrist, frowning and muttering, "Xu Lang, male, current chairman of the Zhou Group, the second largest shareholder besides me..."
“Lu Yong, male, purchased a large number of shares of Zhou’s Group through the secondary market, holding approximately 2% of the shares. His only son, Lu Ke, was once my fiancé, but he is now awaiting trial for suspected criminal offenses.”
Xu Yan reached out to smooth the wrinkles between her brows. Last night, he had her memorize the information on the Zhou Group's board members. While the number seemed small, there were actually countless intricate connections behind them, including their positions, other businesses, and family relationships. Judging from Zhou Luming's expression, she had probably been memorizing all night.
Xu Yan went back to her room to change her clothes and came out to find Zhou Luming still asleep. She glanced at her watch, got ready, and went out. She had arranged to meet Old Liu, the owner of the pan-fried bun shop, at his hometown to make her will yesterday; Old Liu was already waiting downstairs.
Xu Yan quietly closed the door and got into Lao Liu's minivan.
Old Liu's van was usually used for carrying vegetables and goods. The beige-yellow back seat was covered with a layer of stains and even had a few vegetable leaves on it, giving off a strange smell. Xu Yan frowned as she got into the van and sat up straight, trying not to lean her back against the seat.
Old Liu handed over the packaged pan-fried buns, saying, "Miss Xu, you haven't had breakfast yet, have you? These are freshly made, please don't mind them."
Xu Yan accepted the gift and thanked him.
Old Liu explained his family situation: "I'm the eldest child in the family, with three siblings, but we've all started our own families and don't live with our father anymore. Our mother passed away five years ago, and our father has been living alone ever since. But recently, he's been feeling unwell, so he hired a caregiver, who is currently staying with him. A few days ago, I overheard an old neighbor telling me that our father has been inquiring about making a will and asked me to take a look. I asked him, and it turns out he really wants to make a will, so I came to you hoping you could help us take a look at it, how to write it, and whether there are any pitfalls."
The minivan entered a dilapidated street, with large "demolish" signs painted on the doors of the houses on both sides.
Xu Yan asked, "Is this place going to be demolished?"
Old Liu said, "It was only decided not long ago, but the area in my hometown hasn't been demolished yet, but I've heard it'll be done soon."
Xu Yan thought that once the demolition was decided, the compensation would be a huge sum of money. The timing of Old Man Liu making a will was too coincidental, and there was probably something else going on behind it.
The minivan twisted and turned through the alley, and Xu Yan almost threw up. She found a box of mints in her pocket, popped one in her mouth, closed her eyes to calm herself, and held the tin box in her hand, wondering when Zhou Luming had put it in her pocket.
We finally arrived at our destination, a single-story stone farmhouse with a front yard. The yard was fairly clean and hygienic, with the toilet inside and the living room and bedroom directly opposite the door.
For a modern city like Haishi, such houses are far outdated, and it is reasonable for the government to demolish them.
The van was parked outside, and Xu Yan and Lao Liu walked into the yard.
A woman in her forties was hanging clothes out to dry in the yard. When she saw Xu Yan, she was taken aback at first, but when she saw Old Liu behind Xu Yan, her smile froze, and she greeted him awkwardly, "Brother, you're home? Is this—your daughter? She's grown up so much!"
Old Liu coughed lightly and explained, "This is Miss Xu. My husband is going to make a will, so I asked Miss Xu to write it." Old Liu introduced Xu Yan, "This is Aunt Lin, the caregiver my husband hired."
Aunt Lin's expression changed slightly, then she forced a smile, "Come in and have some water, my brother is reading the newspaper inside."
The "older brother" she mentioned was Lao Liu's father.
Old Liu led Xu Yan into the house, which served as both a dining room and a living room. There was a dining table, several chairs and stools. The table was set out for meals, and cleared away to store other things outside of mealtimes, making it a multi-purpose space.
Old Liu sat in a grand chair reading a newspaper. His hair was gray, he looked rather thin, and his complexion wasn't good. Seeing his son arrive, he glanced up and said indifferently, "You've come."
Old Liu grunted in agreement and had Xu Yan sit on one of the three wooden armchairs. He then said to Old Man Liu, "This is Miss Xu, whom I invited. She is a professional estate administrator and can help you write your will and serve as a witness."
Old Liu glanced at Xu Yan and asked suspiciously, "This girl is so young, is she any good?"
Old Liu said, "She is in charge of the estate management of many large corporations and wealthy individuals. She studied abroad and is very professional."
Xu Yan said, "I can help you write a will and witness it, but I suggest I take you to the China Will Registry to make the will on the spot."
Old Liu and Old Man Liu asked at the same time, "Why?"
Xu Yan noticed that Aunt Lin was eavesdropping at the door. "Your family's situation is too complicated. Disputes can easily arise among the heirs. Without other witnesses present, my unilaterally written will could easily be invalid due to flaws. So I still suggest you go to the China Will Registry to make a will. At least there won't be any procedural problems."
Old Liu hesitated, and Aunt Lin came in carrying a bucket of water and interjected, "If we go to the China Will Registry to make a will, will what we write down be valid?"
Old Liu interrupted, saying, "Have you been waiting impatiently for this demolition and to divide the property? Let me tell you, this house belongs to our family, and you won't get a single penny!"
Lin Sao's face darkened, and so did Old Liu's.
Old Liu said, "You're not allowed to be so rude to Xiaolin. She's your elder, and she'll be your stepmother in the future. Show her some respect! After I had my stroke, I would have died long ago if it weren't for Xiaolin taking care of me. Where were you all while I was lying in bed? Apart from you visiting me on the first day, none of your brothers and sisters came to take care of me. If it weren't for Xiaolin, I would have died long ago!"
Old Liu sneered, "You know perfectly well why we haven't come to see you. As for Aunt Lin, she's only after your house and the demolition compensation. She wanted to trick you into getting a marriage certificate, but we stopped her. Now she wants to trick you into making a will and giving the house to her. Don't you know what she's up to? Once you transfer the house, she'll kick you out again. Let's see what you do then!"
Old Liu pointed angrily at the empty bedroom on the east side and said, "We used to have a bunch of brothers and sisters crammed into this room, and now some nobody's moved in. We have no problem with Sister Lin living here as your caregiver, but what's with her son moving in here too? Her son is able-bodied and an adult, why should he move into your house? Have you thought about that? They're gradually taking over your house, and she dares to do this even though her name isn't on the property deed yet. What will happen when her name is on it? You'll be ruined by her sooner or later!"
Sister Lin explained anxiously, “Brother, I’ve been taking good care of you and haven’t been paid for this time. You can feel my feelings for you. My son came from the countryside and is looking for a job. He’s just staying here temporarily and will be moving out soon.”
Old Liu comforted Lin's wife, "Don't think so much, I won't doubt you." He then turned to Old Liu and said, "If you want a share of my inheritance, come and take good care of me, and stop talking nonsense. Lin has been good to me, so I'll protect her. You're using the household registration book to prevent me from marrying her and changing the property certificate, fine, I'll make a will and leave the house to her. When I die, none of you bastards will get a single penny!"
Old Liu clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, saying, "Fine, we don't want your house. Don't come looking for us if you get kicked out!" He said to Xu Yan, "Miss Xu, let's go. There's nothing to talk about. Let the old man do what he wants. You heard it too, we don't need to worry about him. He got scammed, and that's his own fault!"
Xu Yan had no choice but to follow Lao Liu out the door and leave.
Once inside Lao Liu's van, Xu Yan looked at Lao Liu, whose ears were turning red, and said, "The houses here are all going to be demolished, and there will be a lot of compensation depending on the location. Why don't you talk to the other heirs about how to handle this? If your father makes a will and leaves all his property to Aunt Lin, you might lose this money."
Old Liu's family wasn't well-off either; according to his description, his other siblings weren't exactly well-off either. Even with such difficult circumstances, they stubbornly insisted on cutting ties with their elderly father, just like Old Liu. Xu Yan believed there must be some unknown reason behind this.
“Miss Xu, thank you for reminding me. I’ll go home and discuss it with my brothers and sisters. If they all agree to leave the old man alone, then we’ll let him do whatever he wants. If he wants to transfer the property, he can; if he wants to get married, he can get married. We won’t have to worry about anything else after that.” Old Liu was still angry.
Xu Yan's phone vibrated; it was a text message from Zhou Luming: "Miss Xu, how was your work this morning? I miss you. Would you do me the honor of having lunch with me?"
What followed was an employee ID card that read: Zhou Luming, General Manager of Shanhai Chain Restaurant.
Shan Hai Chain Restaurant is a high-end chain restaurant brand under the Zhou Group. It usually cooperates with hotels to provide catering services for star-rated hotels, and also has its own independent stores with flagship stores.
Xu Yan thought to herself that Zhou Luming had performed well at the board meeting, and Xu Lang had also done a good job, placing her in a highly sought-after position.
He casually replied to the text message: "Okay, I'll wait for you downstairs at the Zhou Group headquarters in an hour."
Chapter 68
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Looking at Xu Yan in the rearview mirror, Lao Liu said, "Miss Xu, you received a text message from your boyfriend? You seem very happy." Ever since he met Xu Yan, Lao Liu had felt that this young girl was always cold and unapproachable, and he had even doubted whether she could do her job well. Now that he saw her smile, he felt a little more at ease.
"He's not my boyfriend, but could you please take me somewhere?" Xu Yan asked.
"No problem," Old Liu readily agreed. "Miss Xu, what do you think will happen if my husband really registers his will with the China Will Registry?"
Xu Yan said, "If the will is legally valid, the court will generally respect the testator's wishes and distribute the property according to the will." She looked up uncertainly at the back of Lao Liu's head, "Have you really thought this through? If that area is demolished, the compensation you would have received could have helped you improve your current life."
Old Liu chuckled and said, "You just heard it too. The old man plans to hand over all his property to Sister Lin and tells us not to interfere. He desperately wants Sister Lin to take care of him and support him in his old age. In his eyes, we are all unfilial descendants. Since we don't like each other, we shouldn't get in his way. We brothers and sisters are of one mind. Although life is tough for everyone, we are all capable and can manage. We don't care about the old man's dilapidated house, but we are still a little worried that he might be cheated."
Xu Yan understood Lao Liu, “Your father does have the right to dispose of his own property, and you children are all adults. Legally, he has no one to support, so he doesn’t have to leave a portion of his property to you. However, he is indeed your father. I need to remind you that even if you find out later that your share is not in the will, you will still need to fulfill your support obligations if he encounters difficulties. Please remind your siblings to be prepared for this.”
Old Liu nodded. "Thank you for reminding me. I understand. I'll explain the situation to them." He stopped at a red light, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "I'm sorry, Miss Xu, I'm sorry you had to see this. I know you're someone who handles important matters, and this is nothing to you. I'm sorry for taking up your time."
He pulled out a letter containing money, saying, "This is my consultation fee for you. Please accept it."
Xu Yan took out a pan-fried bun, took a few bites, and said, "I've already paid your consultation fee, so you don't need to pay extra."
Old Liu smiled wryly. "Miss Xu is such a good person. I don't know what kind of family could raise a child like you. You can tell, right? My siblings and I hardly ever talk to him anymore. When we were little, our mother took care of us all by herself. All he did was go out gambling and loafing around, not caring about anything at home. Our mother raised us while doing odd jobs to earn a living. She finally raised us, but then she passed away from illness. And he still didn't care about anything. Actually, I was the one taking care of the family. Later, we all got married, started our own families, and moved out. He went out to square dancing and met some shady women. He said he brought a few home, but when they saw that our house was bare, they all ignored us."
Old Liu scoffed, "You're an old man, penniless and without a proper job, who would want to be with you? But then, I heard this area was going to be demolished, and he happened to have a stroke and be hospitalized. That's when Lin Sao came to be his caregiver. Don't you think she's taking care of you without pay? She's obviously after the demolition compensation and the house. She was trying to coax me into getting a marriage certificate with the old man, but we stopped her. Then she started thinking about making a will, and that's how things ended up like this today..."
Xu Yan listened without saying a word. Such things actually happen a lot. There are many irresponsible parents who only know how to have children but don't care about their upbringing and education, and may even pass on this responsibility to their older siblings.
The root of the Liu family's problems lies in their father's lack of responsibility, and they don't want to have anything to do with him anymore. However, things may not turn out as they wish.
"We're here. I'll park it at the entrance for you," Old Liu said.
The van stopped at the entrance of the Zhou Group headquarters building. Looking up, one could see the dozens of stories of the building's facade, dazzlingly reflecting the sunlight. It was a luxurious and imposing building, entirely owned by the Zhou Group.
If Xu Yan wished, she could easily reclaim her status as the heir to the Zhou Group, stepping into this business empire under the name Zhou Luming and wielding great power. However, she was unwilling, because her father had risked his life to bring freedom to the family, and her parents probably wouldn't want her to return to bear such a heavy burden and be confined.
Even though Mr. Zhou is no longer with us, his influence remains. Many people within the Zhou Group are people he left behind, such as Xu Lang, who now controls the board of directors, the CFO, and the HR director.
Because he didn't want to accept Old Master Zhou's arrangements, the father gave up his business empire, fled abroad to get married and have children, but in the end, he was still implicated by the wealth he didn't want and was murdered.