Coming to her senses, Xu Yan heard the doorbell ring. Wondering who could be visiting so late, she looked through the peephole and saw it was Zhou Luming. Xu Yan opened the door. "Didn't bring your keys?"
But they noticed that Zhou Luming was carrying large bags and small bags, and probably didn't have the energy to take the keys.
"Why did you suddenly buy so many things? Did Wu Fan go shopping with you?" Xu Yan took out slippers for Zhou Luming.
Zhou Luming kicked off his shoes, put on slippers, threw all his bags in the living room, and plopped down on the sofa.
"I'm exhausted..." Zhou Luming turned around and saw Xu Yan had arranged her shoes. She smiled and said, "Wu Fan and I came back after dinner, but we saw that the mall was having a sale, so we went for a walk and bought some things." She got up and pulled a velvet box out of a pile of bags. "A gift for you. Happy birthday."
Xu Yan recognized the logo on the box as belonging to a luxury brand, and guessed that the contents were quite expensive. She wasn't usually particular about food or clothing, but she knew that Li Li had chosen understated luxury for her, while Zhou Luming went against the grain, preferring flashy and extravagant styles. Therefore, Xu Yan was prepared for the worst when she opened the box.
But inside the box lay a pair of understated, simple earrings that shimmered with silver light.
"You don't have pierced ears yet, right? Let's get them pierced tomorrow." Zhou Luming smiled and pointed to her own earlobe. "They're matching couple earrings."
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Author's Note:
Be careful and exercise restraint.
Chapter 79
===================
In a cemetery on the outskirts of Shanghai, most of the people who once lived in the city are buried. Before tombstone B0720 lies a bouquet of fresh white chrysanthemums. Standing before the tombstone is a tall, slender woman with dark hair, wearing a beige long trench coat, her gaze solemn.
She stared blankly at the black and white photo and name on the tombstone, then squatted down and said with a smile, "Mom, I've come to see you."
The woman in the black and white photo is still very young; her appearance is forever frozen at thirty-five.
“Mom, you and Dad have been gone for so long that I can hardly remember what Dad looks like anymore. I only remember the photo of you on your tombstone. If the angle or lighting were different, I probably wouldn’t even recognize you. I thought time would make me forget everything, including what you looked like. I even thought about following my own path, completing my studies, getting married, having children, and starting my own family, just like you and Dad had hoped. However, from the moment Grandpa passed away and left his inheritance to me, I chose to come back. I can’t forget the pain of losing you, and I can’t forgive the person who hurt you.”
Xu Yan reached out to touch the photo, her eyes reddening. "I have a feeling that I'm getting closer and closer to him. I'm about to find him." She pulled her hand back and clenched it into a fist. "When that time comes, I will definitely make him apologize to you."
I got up and left the cemetery, but I ran into someone on my way down the mountain.
"Xu Yan, let's go see the exhibition." Zhou Luming, who was supposed to be having a routine meeting at Shan Hai Catering, suddenly appeared in front of us. She was wearing a white shirt, a black A-line skirt, and a custom-made black suit jacket, exuding elegance and a strong, capable aura.
The hair that was knocked off during the explosion has gradually grown back. In order to maintain the demeanor of the Zhou family heir, she gave up the punk hairstyle of shaving half of her head and turned into her current half-curled black hair.
Xu Yan didn't ask her why she suddenly appeared here, and followed her to a design exhibition held in an art museum. The interior was bright and spacious, and most of the people coming and going were unique and unconventional artists.
"Mr. Zhou, Scarlett is waiting for you." A handsome young man came to greet him, and the name tag on his chest indicated that he was an employee of the curator.
“Okay, sure.” Zhou Luming took Xu Yan’s arm and went to find Scarlett. “Scarlett is really amazing. Although she relied on Xu Lang to set up her studio in the early stages, she later ran it very successfully with her own talent. This exhibition was also very successful. Many famous designers came, especially some independent designers who came because of her reputation and wanted to collaborate with her.”
They walked down a brightly lit corridor lined with paintings on both sides. Xu Yan suddenly stopped in front of an oil painting, squinting as she looked at the vividly colored image.
It was an ordinary street, the sign indicating it was somewhere overseas. The wide street was bustling with people. Xu Yan found a corner among them where a man and a woman were walking, holding hands with a little girl in a red dress. They were so ordinary, blending seamlessly into the crowd. The man, woman, and little girl all had black hair. Not far from them was a large transportation hub, the traffic lights in the distance faintly turning green.
Seeing Xu Yan stop, Zhou Luming asked, "What's wrong? Do you like this painting?"
Xu Yan shook her head. "It's nothing, we—" She paused because she saw the next picture: a man driving a pickup truck was sitting in the car, patiently waiting for a red light. His license plate number was blurred, and his face was also blurred. She only remembered that he also had black hair, and there was a tattoo on the back of his hand placed on the car window—it looked like the character "tiger".
If one painting is a coincidence, then the other one must definitely not be.
Xu Yan's face turned pale. She walked quickly forward and looked at the remaining paintings one by one, only to find that only these two matched her memory. She looked at the door at the end of the road, which led to Scarlett's exhibition office.
Xu Yan pushed open the door and found Scarlett sitting leisurely on the sofa by the window, pouring tea.
“You’ve arrived, please have a seat.” Scarlett said, pointing to the sofa chair opposite her. In front of the sofa chair was a coffee table with two cups of tea already brewed on it. The rosy color of the tea complemented the fresh flowers on the table, creating a very elegant scene.
If Xu Yan hadn't seen those two paintings, he might have been able to calmly discuss the artworks and today's exhibition with Scarlett, but now he no longer had that mindset.
She sat down and got straight to the point: "There are two paintings in the hallway, and I want to contact the artists."
Which two paintings?
"Traffic Lights and Pickup Trucks".
"You want to buy them?" Scarlett smiled, tapping her chin with her finger with slight hesitation. "These two paintings aren't for sale at today's exhibition."
"Could you help me contact the author?" Xu Yan asked anxiously.
Zhou Luming noticed this as well. Xu Yan seemed to be losing control a bit. She gently placed her hand on the back of Xu Yan's hand, comforting her with her eyes, and then added on her behalf, "Of course we also really like the works of your studio. For example, I really like that black backless dress displayed in Section A, and I'm planning to place an order for it. I also want to buy a set of cuffs in Section F as a gift."
"I heard that Mr. Zhou and Wu Fan have been getting quite close lately. Did you order some cufflinks to give to him?" Scarlett asked, pursing her red lips.
“It feels like it suits him very well,” Zhou Luming replied, brushing a stray hair behind his ear.
Scarlett stared at her earlobe for a moment, then looked at Xu Yan's earlobe with surprise, a faint smile playing on her lips. These two are really interesting; they have pierced ears, but wearing different earrings on different sides, yet they look remarkably harmonious. Their earrings together form a pair, implying they are a couple.
This kind of understated flaunting couldn't have been Xu Yan's idea; it could only have been Zhou Luming's.
“Unfortunately, the artist of these two paintings doesn’t want to reveal his name or contact information. I haven’t even contacted him directly, so I can’t tell you anything,” Scarlett said. “If you want these two paintings, I can help you get them from him.”
Xu Yan certainly needed these two paintings, so Scarlett contacted the artist to buy them.
"Scarlett, will you come to my birthday party?" Zhou Luming asked.
"Of course I will come."
"We look forward to your arrival," Zhou Luming said.
There were no other incidents at the exhibition. Xu Yan noticed that Zhou Luming had grown up without her realizing it. She was now handling such situations with ease. She could easily remember the background information of people walking towards her, then greet them with a polite smile and discuss the latest industry trends. In the next second, she could also discuss the latest fashion trends with an artist, and even recommend a newly opened nightclub with unique cocktails to a playboy.
Xu Yan stood quietly in a corner of the exhibition, watching Zhou Luming wander among the diverse crowd. She thought to herself that she was more suitable to be Zhou Luming than herself, and that the Zhou Group needed this kind of successor.
"Phew, I'm exhausted." Zhou Luming pulled away from the crowd, went to Xu Yan's side, leaned against the wall with her, and casually took the glass from Xu Yan's hand, tilting his head back to drink water.
She didn't mind sharing a cup with Xu Yan at all, and even wanted to drink from the same cup of water because Xu Yan was holding it in his hand.
"I originally wanted to take you to the exhibition and buy things to make you happy, but I didn't expect those two paintings to make you even more upset. Xu Yan, what is the origin of those two paintings, and why are you so concerned about them?"
“That was the last moment before my parents passed away. After crossing that street, we were going to get in the car and go home. Then we encountered that pickup truck on the way, and then—” Xu Yan forced a bitter smile, “I lost my parents.”
Zhou Luming reached out and hugged her, letting her lean on his shoulder. "Let's go home."
Those two paintings hold the secrets of that year, and Wu Fan has also made new progress. They are facing a vicious and ruthless enemy. Now is not the time to be gentle, but to confront them head-on.
Back on the sixth-floor rooftop, Xu Yan looked at the skyscrapers shrouded in a gray haze in the distance. "Western realist painting was originally used to depict trial scenes. Back then, there were no photographs, so painters had to come to the scene and paint. The two oil paintings at the Scarlett exhibition used the same technique, only more complex and more abstract. But I can confirm that the person who painted these two paintings was an eyewitness at the scene, and he might even be someone with inside information, so I need to find him and have him testify."
"But if that person can't even find Scarlett, how can we?"
“Let’s give it a try, but more than finding him, I want to know why he’s only come out now. He’s been hiding for so long, but he’s suddenly showing up with two paintings. Where did he go and what did he do all those years? Why is he suddenly appearing now?” Xu Yan asked a series of questions. Before Zhou Luming could give his analysis, Xu Yan muttered to himself, his gaze suddenly fixing on Zhou Luming’s face, “It might be because of you.”
"Me?" Zhou Luming pointed at himself, looking completely bewildered.
"He learned through some channels that you would be in charge of the Zhou Group in the future, and he knew you were rich, so he specially exhibited these two paintings to ask you for money."
Zhou Luming snapped his fingers and said casually, "That makes it simple. Name your price. As long as we can find clues, we don't care how much it costs."
Xu Yan: "Any news from Wu Fan?"
Zhou Luming said, "He helped me get an overseas account from Xu Lang's drawer. Then I asked Sister Anjing to check it for me. We found that the account only had a few transactions, which he used to buy digital collectibles. It's not worth much. It seems that he is also wary of Wu Fan. Last time, he even wanted to get rid of Wu Fan together. Wu Fan is a pawn and is no longer useful to us."
"Are you going to give up on Wu Fan too?"
“Since he’s no longer of any use, there’s no need for me to continue acting, right?” Zhou Luming said, arms crossed. “I’ll hint to Xu Lang to transfer him here, and then send him to another city to work, so he can stay away from the troubles here and safely become a professional manager.”
Looking up at Xu Yan, Zhou Luming smiled and said, "Don't you want me back by your side?"
Zhou Luming thought that the reserved Xu Yan would not answer her question directly as usual, but would instead brush it off lightly. However, on the breezy rooftop, Zhou Luming, who had asked the question but did not wait for the answer, heard Xu Yan's reply.
Xu Yan said softly but clearly, "I want to, I dream about it."
--------------------
Author's Note:
Zhou Luming's birthday drama begins.
Chapter 80
===================
The Zhou Group headquarters building is located in the prime commercial center of Shanghai, with a building area of 40,000 square meters. It is a symbol of the business empire built by the founder of the Zhou Group, Mr. Zhou.
Li Ruo, who was using the name of Zhou Luming, the heir of the Zhou family, was standing on the 88th floor of this building, at the top of Shanghai. She was there for a routine meeting at headquarters. As the head of the most important subsidiary of the Zhou Group, she was required to report to headquarters every month.
Although she has been eating, drinking and having fun almost every day since joining Shanhai Catering, going to exhibitions, buying luxury goods, dating Wu Fan, shopping, going to nightclubs, etc., she has participated in all the things that playboys in Hai City like to do. She even went out to sea on a yacht with her nominal cousin Sun Ren to enjoy a round of Hainan Rendez-Vous.
Standing behind the glass curtain wall of the high-rise building, she looked out at the other high-rise buildings that were subservient to the Zhou Group building. Her slightly sharp eyebrows were relaxed, and her expression was relaxed and carefree, unlike the trembling heads of other subsidiaries.
This was the last headquarters meeting before her birthday banquet. After the banquet, she would become the largest shareholder of the Zhou Group and officially take control of the company. She would then convene a shareholders' meeting and join the board of directors as the largest shareholder. At that time, she would have the ability to compete with Xu Lang.
Sherly, the secretary of the Zhou Group who was in charge of logistics for the meeting, came over to ask Zhou Luming if he needed coffee.
Zhou Luming smiled faintly and declined. She didn't want to drink any random stuff here, or she would ruin her image if she got diarrhea during the meeting.
Sherly thoughtfully refrained from disturbing her, allowing her to stay in the lounge outside the conference hall, just like the other subsidiary heads.
The meeting was scheduled for 10:00 AM, but it didn't really begin until Xu Lang arrived. Xu Lang's domineering nature became increasingly apparent after Old Master Zhou's death. As a key figure in building the Zhou Group, his style gradually shifted from reserved to flamboyant after Old Master Zhou's passing.
Sherly and others had been with the company for a long time and knew that this was due to the fact that the ministers were strong and the master was weak. As the parachuted successor, Zhou Luming had shares in the Zhou Group but no business connections or management skills. So, people here respectfully called her "Little President Zhou" on the surface, but in reality, they did not take her seriously.
The employees at Zhou's headquarters treated her like a Buddha statue, praying that this living ancestor wouldn't squander the Zhou family fortune. They were still waiting for their salaries to support their families, and they couldn't afford to have a spendthrift as the group's chairman.
Sherly sat respectfully behind his desk outside the main conference hall, diligently guarding the hall that symbolized the Zhou family's highest authority.
Her female colleague was also quite shrewd. After pouring Sherly coffee, she glanced at Zhou Luming, who was standing to the side with his back to them, and said cautiously, "Sister Sherly, you know, this little CEO Zhou spends his days indulging in pleasure and doesn't manage Shanhai Catering properly, yet he still comes to the monthly meeting on time. It's unbelievable. What do you think she's thinking? Is she afraid that Chairman Xu won't give her money to spend?"
"What do you think?" Sherly asked slyly.
She couldn't help but glance at Zhou Luming's back again. Zhou Luming was slender and tall. Today, she had chosen a beige trench coat with bohemian-style patterns, over which she wore a white long dress and light-colored high heels. She looked every bit the part of a successful businesswoman.
Sherly couldn't help but recall Zhou Luming, whom she had bumped into by chance at the nightclub. Her wavy, slightly curled hair was swept to one side, revealing her smooth jawline, swan-like neck, and beautiful V-shaped collarbone. She wore alluring and flamboyant lipstick and tilted her head as she talked to the man next to her.
The scene flashed before her eyes, and Sherly belatedly came to her senses, involuntarily admitting that the young CEO Zhou in front of her and the demon wandering at night felt like completely different people, even though they both had the same face.
The female colleague said thoughtfully, "I really don't understand Ms. Zhou. If I were her, I would take the money I could never spend in my lifetime and live a carefree and happy life. Why would I come back to attend the regular meeting? I think Chairman Xu wouldn't want to see an outsider here either. He would be happy if she took the money and lived a life of leisure."
Sherly gave a perfunctory "hmm".
But deep down, she vaguely sensed that what Zhou Luming was after wasn't the phrase "a life of wealth and leisure." That woman was using her extravagant lifestyle to mask her true intentions.
My female colleague gossiped again, "I heard she broke up with Xu Dong's male assistant. Tsk tsk, what a pity for such a handsome guy. When Xu Dong brought Wu Fan into the company, so many single young women were asking about his background. They dated for less than half a month, and then CEO Zhou got bored and transferred him to another city. It was a promotion in name only, but it effectively cut off any further opportunities for Wu Fan. CEO Zhou is really ruthless when it comes to men..."
Sherly glanced at the time on her computer without changing her expression, and then said, "Chairman Xu should be here soon. Put away your curiosity and get ready for the meeting."