"Bill, let's see how long it takes you to catch up with me!" This was their usual tactic: Song Qing would swim a distance first, and Bill would then chase after her after weighing his options.
Bill shook his head helplessly, and only when her figure was almost at the finish line did he plunge into the water and swim over with all his might. For a time, he trained himself in this way, and chasing her heart was more effective than any pressure.
They went on a series of activities, including diving, skateboarding, and surfing. Bill was always waiting for her at the finish line. Every time she hit the water, she would scream. Only when she got up again, swaying slightly, did Bill take her ashore to rest.
Sometimes, life needs a cathartic release.
This is an open-air swimming pool. Its highlight is that the poolside lounge chairs face the sky, the water reflects the stars and the moon, and the edges are complemented by the city's dark red lights.
By now, the poolside was neatly filled with people resting, chatting occasionally and snacking to regain their strength. Autumn had been here for some time, and the moon grew fuller each day. When no one was on the water, the moon sat clearly and quietly, evoking endless longing.
Song Qing, panting, watched as people continued to jump in and out of the water, splashing around tirelessly.
"Sports are really great."
Bill agreed, "Unfortunately, the chairman doesn't think so."
"Think of Haotian as a huge swimming pool, Bill. Your aunt has had such a hard life," Song Qing sighed. It seems that all the people in the Song family are like this.
Bill pursed his lips, relaxed his limbs on the recliner, and said lazily, "That's why I don't find it exciting or challenging enough."
Song Qing covered her mouth and smiled, nodding in agreement, "Auntie is truly admirable."
"Yes, thankfully she went to England and wisely settled down; otherwise, she would still be like her father-in-law, never giving up until her death."
Song Qing remained silent.
"You know what?" Bill stood up and shrugged. "Before you left, I had a long talk with the chairman late at night. She and I agreed on this point, and she had already predicted that this would be the outcome today."
My aunt knew my father too well, and she knew her too well. This seemed to be her destiny.
"I'm so sorry." Her aunt had worked hard to cultivate her for ten years, but she gave up halfway. All the vows and hardships she had made in the past were like waves falling into the water when she arrived in Linchuan.
"So..." He looked regretfully at the pool, where the surface was calm and as blue as a mirror.
Just as they were talking, a couple from next door walked over. He seemed to have been watching Song Qing for a long time.
"Song Qing?" He stood in front of Song Qing, his arm around the beautiful woman beside him. Bill looked at the woman with her model-like figure and whistled.
The woman didn't seem to mind; she glanced at him up and down and gave him a flirtatious wink.
Song Qing was taken aback, then stood up.
"Xu Kai!"
She got up and hugged him, like a long-lost friend.
"It really is you." Xu Kai released the beautiful woman beside him, broke free from her embrace, crossed his arms, took two steps back, and sized her up.
This was a clear sign of hostility. Song Qing withdrew his hand, somewhat surprised by the unfamiliarity his childhood playmate had shown.
Bill stood up, displeased, and went to stand next to Song Qing. He put his arm around her, feeling sorry for her. That's just how she is; she's always a few beats behind others—no, not just a few beats, but dozens, even hundreds of beats. Her senses are always stuck in the past, while others have long since changed.
Little did Bill know that Xu Kai was not just a casual old friend. Back then, the Song sisters, Xu Kai, and their cousin Yan Xunan were often together. For every Yan Xunan in those youthful days, there was a Xu Kai; he was an indelible figure from that past.
"You should know that we've already withdrawn from Weisheng," Xu Kai said grimly, pulling the beautiful woman beside him close and holding her tightly. Bill couldn't help but click his tongue at his utterly heartless behavior.
Song Qing's expression hardened, and he nodded.
"Why do this? Because Xunan has already done too much to make amends for your engineering accident."
"Stop pretending! This is all part of your conspiracy!"
"What are you talking about? Weisheng is now in grave crisis because of your actions!"
"Stop pretending. He's on such a good relationship with you, why wouldn't you give him the project? This whole charade is just a ploy to squeeze the Xu family out of Weisheng, leaving us with no chance of recovery!"
Song Qing found it utterly unbelievable, but she only found the accusation amusing.
"If I'm not mistaken, the accident at our project was definitely caused by someone. We've already asked the police to get involved, and we won't let this go until we get to the bottom of it!"
Xu Kai looked somewhat dejected. Withdrawing from Weisheng was something they were extremely reluctant to do. The Xu family was an established enterprise; although their engineering profits weren't high, they held a significant stake in Weisheng, second only to Yan Xunan, essentially creating a 50/50 split. In recent years, since Yan Xunan took over Weisheng, the company had developed extremely rapidly, and the Xu family was secretly delighted with their initial investment in Yan Yaping.
If Yan Xunan harbors ambitions and desires to monopolize Weisheng, it's understandable. In recent years, the Xu family has essentially squandered its wealth due to its successor, Xu Kai, who has been indulging in philandering. Xu Kai is a second-generation heir who has squandered the family fortune, and the Xu family itself has undoubtedly made numerous negligences and mistakes in its management—this is the information Song Qing has gathered in the past few days. Therefore, the Xu family's engineering failures are well-founded, have a clear origin, and are also plausible.
"If you don't work hard, being eliminated by the market is an inevitable outcome. Xu Kai, complaining won't help."
"What did you say!" Xu Kai was furious and embarrassed, clearly offended. He stood up and was about to attack. Song Qing was full of disappointment, her impression of this former friend completely destroyed.
Bill was already annoyed, so he went over without any politeness. With his strong physique, he shoved Xu Kai into the water, causing the beauty next to him to scream.
"You dare touch her and see what happens!" Bill gestured with his hands toward Xu Kai, who had just emerged from the pool.
"Bill, you can't do this." Song Qing pulled Bill back, both amused and exasperated.
Song Qing felt no sympathy for Xu Kai in the water. In the business world, victory or defeat is due to the company's own reasons, and she had always seen through that.
"Xu Kai, I hope you can look for the reasons within yourself. If you work hard, with the Xu family's reputation, making a comeback will be a piece of cake. If needed, I will definitely assist you."
Xu Kai angrily wiped his face and roared, "Who wants your pity! Get out of here! You've always thought you were better than men since you were little, no wonder Yan Xunan dumped you and wanted your cute and gentle sister!"
Bill reacted swiftly, immediately catching Song Qing and then jumping into the water. He grabbed Xu Kai and beat him mercilessly, pulling him by the hair and repeatedly pressing his head down, leaving him no chance to cry for help.
"Never mind, Bill!" Song Qing shouted.
Bill saw her about to leave, and, still not satisfied, kicked her before finally getting ashore.
"You cold-blooded woman! Our Xu family is in this state because of you! If you hadn't come back, none of this would have happened!" Xu Kai, having caught his breath, roared defiantly at their retreating figures.