"Don't look at me like that, your eyes are about to pop out. I'll take you to Yuan Yuzhou Technology to see Sister Anjing." Zhou Luming picked up the car keys and winked at her. "From now on, I'll be your personal driver."
Xu Yan followed her out the door without realizing it, got into the passenger seat, and drove to the Yuan Universe Technology Building.
Along the way, Zhou Luming openly held her hand or linked arms with her, and occasionally suddenly approached Xu Yan, taking a bite out of the toast that Xu Yan was eating without any politeness.
Xu Yan felt a pleasant sense of closeness to someone; so this was what love felt like. Although it was cloying, it was also delightful, like stepping on cotton candy—even the most childish actions felt joyful.
Upon arriving at Wang Anjing's office, one could see employees repairing internal cables along the way; the tech company resembled a construction site, exceptionally busy and chaotic.
Wang Anjing's office has become a "secret room" with no internet access whatsoever.
"I'm so sorry to have shown these two ladies such a chaotic scene. We've been working on our internal network, updating and replacing the security system. We're also doing final testing on the upcoming new generation of the Metaverse game system, so everyone's been incredibly busy." Wang Anjing looked a little tired, with dark circles under her eyes.
Xu Yan asked, "Any news from the dark web?"
Wang Anjing shook her head, "Not yet. They probably guessed it was bait, so they haven't taken the bait."
"No need to wait. He won't contact an unfamiliar account. Try logging into this account and contacting him."
"What is this account?" Wang Anjing asked with her eyes.
“It belongs to Xu Lang,” Xu Yan said. “I found his dark web account and deduced the password.”
Chapter 87
===================
One month later.
The lights were blazing in a historic Gothic hotel by the river. Reporters swarmed around the red carpet, eager to photograph all the guests present that evening. But their primary focus was on Zhou Luming, the reclusive heir to the Zhou Group.
Reporters belatedly discovered that this mysterious heir had actually returned to China long ago, but had been keeping a very low profile. They didn't know where Zhou Luming was or what he looked like. They rushed over here like madmen after receiving the news, only to find that their colleagues were just as bewildered as they were, like headless flies.
Tonight is Zhou Luming's 22nd birthday party, her first public appearance. All the reporters, including business weekly and even gossip magazines, are eager to get firsthand information about Little Zhou.
But after standing shivering in the cold wind all night, all I saw were the two young ladies of the Zhou family—Zhou Jiayi and Zhou Jiasang. These two had always been excluded from the Zhou Group by Old Master Zhou. They had no right to interfere with the group's operations. Those in the industry who gave them face would cooperate with Zhou Jiayi on a few small projects, while those who didn't want to cooperate could refuse without hesitation, and Old Master Zhou wouldn't interfere.
Zhou Jiayi and her son Sun Ren are still active in the business world, but recently it was heard that Sun Ren's game company is about to go bankrupt. No one knows who is behind it, but they have ruined this young master's company. Sun Ren is overwhelmed and busy dealing with shareholders and creditors, and has not been seen for a long time.
Doctor Zhou Jiasang seemed indifferent to business matters. As a member of the Zhou family, she unexpectedly chose to be an ordinary doctor, a choice that puzzled outsiders. However, after seeing how Grandpa Zhou treated his children, the outside world suddenly understood.
Old Master Zhou only groomed his son as his successor; as for his other two daughters, he did not allow them to have any connection with the Zhou Group.
Therefore, Zhou Jiasang's choice was wise in the eyes of outsiders. She took the initiative to choose another path, so as not to fall into a desperate situation like Zhou Jiayi.
The long wait and the cold wind gradually wore down the reporters' patience. Just as they were wondering if Zhou Luming had secretly entered the venue, a Rolls-Royce arrived. The person who got out of the car was very imposing; it was Xu Lang, the current acting chairman of the Zhou Group.
The woman arm in arm with Xu Lang was his new wife, Scarlett, who was twenty years younger than him. The two of them looked more like father and daughter than husband and wife.
The reporters understood perfectly; they had all received "bribes" and knew what to write and what not to write.
Xu Lang's son, Xu Yi, also came, but he didn't bring a female companion. It's said that Miss Lin Xiaowan, who wanted to marry into a wealthy family, has recently disappeared, and rumors are circulating that Xu Yi was dumped by her.
Xu Yi was thin and frail, and the expensive suit jacket looked like it had been stolen and didn't suit him at all. His chin was unkempt, with a layer of bluish stubble and some scratches. He drove a car behind Xu Lang's Rolls-Royce, silently following Xu Lang into the venue.
Compared to his spirited and vigorous father, he seemed like a stray dog with its tail between its legs.
Xu Lang smiled and accepted an interview with one of the big-name media reporters. The questions were obviously censored, and they were nothing more than the progress of several recent projects, his happy married life with Scarlett, and the Zhou Group's future plans.
Xu Lang and Scarlett answered a few questions methodically, then walked arm in arm into the hall. He was habitually late, and almost all the invited guests had already arrived.
Tonight, the will of Mr. Zhou will be announced, formally transferring a portion of his shares to his granddaughter, Zhou Luming, who will become the richest woman in Shanghai after tonight.
Xu Lang remained calm and composed, casually exchanging a few words with the people who came over to greet him.
They're all just ants, clinging to my big tree to get even the slightest benefit and survive... Once upon a time, I was also an ivy clinging to Old Master Zhou, but things are different now. Old Master Zhou handed over his shares to a young girl. He only trusts his own bloodline and refuses to trust me, the old man who helped him build the Zhou family empire. Now, don't blame me for being rude to his descendants, because this is what the Zhou family owes him.
But there was one thing Xu Lang couldn't understand: why would Old Master Zhou rather hand over the shares to a grandchild than to his two daughters—Zhou Jiayi or Zhou Jiasang?
Although Zhou Jiayi is a good-for-nothing and Zhou Jiasang has no interest in business, if they spend time cultivating her, they can still ensure that the Zhou family firmly controls the Zhou Group, instead of pinning their hopes on a granddaughter, Zhou Luming, who has been allowed to be unrestrained since childhood and whose personality they don't understand at all.
But none of that matters anymore. After tonight, the Zhou Group will be his for the taking. Xu Lang has been waiting for this day for a long time. All these reporters outside and all these prominent guests inside will be his witnesses.
He will reach the top tonight, becoming the de facto and nominal number one business person in Haishi.
"Scarlett, have you seen Zhou Luming?" Xu Lang looked around but didn't see him, so he turned to Scarlett beside him and asked.
Scarlett shook her head in confusion. "I didn't see her either." She hadn't seen Zhou Luming, nor Xu Yan. The two of them were inseparable, practically glued together, yet they both disappeared on such an important day.
“Call them,” Xu Lang said.
Everything he had meticulously planned would come to fruition tonight, but the main character hadn't yet appeared, which made him a little uneasy.
Did she discover my scheme and decide to hide? Could there be a traitor among my ranks?
Scarlett dialed Zhou Luming's cell phone, but there was no answer. She then dialed Xu Yan's cell phone, but it was switched off.
Did these two really escape?
Even Scarlett was confused this time.
"Dad, did you do this?" Xu Yi came to their side, staring intently at Xu Lang, and questioned in a low voice, "Lin Xiaowan suddenly disappeared. I called her but she didn't answer. I looked for her place but it was empty. I asked everyone and they all said they hadn't seen her... She's completely vanished. You did it, didn't you? You made her leave me, didn't you? Please tell me, where did she go?"
Scarlett frowned, thinking that Xu Yi's cowardly appearance would anger Xu Lang.
Sure enough, Xu Lang's voice was tinged with anger, "I gave her two choices. The first is to give her a sum of money so that she can live a worry-free life for the rest of her life, on the condition that she stays away from you. The second choice is that she can continue to be with you, but I will cut off all financial assistance to you and take back the house, credit card limit, and job I gave you."
Upon hearing this, Xu Yi's eyes dimmed and his lips trembled slightly.
Xu Lang chuckled, "Isn't the outcome of her choice obvious?"
Xu Yi took a few steps back dejectedly and leaned weakly against the railing.
Xu Lang ignored him and went to talk to other guests with his champagne.
Scarlett hesitated for a few steps before turning back to Xu Yi and asking, "Is it worth it for a woman who doesn't love you?"
Xu Yi looked up and stared blankly at Scarlett.
Scarlett said coldly, "If I were you, instead of being depressed because of her, you would listen to your father and win over his connections and resources. When you become a powerful and reliable man, she will naturally come back. At that time, it will be a matter of whether you want her or not, not begging her to come back to you."
Xu Yi sneered, "Ocean tears."
Scarlett had said enough; further words were pointless. She abandoned Xu Yi, casually grabbed a glass of red wine from a waiter's tray as he wandered among the guests, and searched for Zhou Luming and Xu Yan. Her intuition told her they had probably arrived long ago, but hadn't been seen yet.
"Are you looking for me?" the waiter asked.
Scarlett looked up, saw her face, and after a slight surprise, smiled and said, "Miss Xu, why are you dressed like this?"
“Tonight I am the princess’s bodyguard.” Xu Yan tugged at her bow tie. This outfit made her uncomfortable, but she had no choice. “It’s convenient to move around like this, and I won’t attract attention.”
Scarlett laughed again, "Very clever. May I ask where your princess is? Is she also dressed as a waitress and wandering around here like you?"
"She said she wanted to make a high-profile appearance and dazzle everyone." Xu Yan quoted Zhou Luming's words with a hint of helplessness.
God knows how narcissistic this guy is.
"I need to continue delivering wine. Please make yourself at home," Xu Yan said, taking his leave.
Scarlett said, "Be careful."
Xu Lang is planning something big tonight, but there's nothing she can do but watch from the sidelines.
Xu Yan paused, turning her head slightly to the side. "Yeah, I know, thanks for reminding me."
She turned her head and saw a familiar figure from behind; it was also a waitress, not very tall, with a rather youthful face. Her tray held some delicate tea and snacks, and she was attending to the guests.
After seeing her back clearly, Xu Yan's pupils suddenly contracted. She finally recognized her identity—S, the dark web hacker.
Xu Yan did not act rashly, and Xu Lang was also present, so S would not do anything drastic. At the very least, she would not release any explosives, because that would affect Xu Lang and the other guests.
S hadn't yet realized Xu Yan was nearby. Compared to her hacking skills, her reconnaissance abilities and alertness were much slower. Xu Yan planned to secretly observe her every move to deduce her purpose for being there.
S's target is undoubtedly Zhou Luming, whose employer is Xu Lang. However, Zhou Luming has not yet appeared because she has cleverly hidden herself. She said that she would be relatively safe if she were under the spotlight and in the public eye.
There was a live band in the banquet hall, and the grand piano was still empty when we entered.
After Xu Lang arrived, the band entered, and the cellist, violinist and other members took their places, but the pianist was missing.
Xu Yan wondered, Zhou Luming doesn't seem to know how to play the piano, does he?
But she did appear, only she was holding a triangle.
Chapter 88
===================
Scarlett smiled slightly, watching Zhou Luming mingling with the live band with great interest. Playing the triangle? Interesting.
The eldest aunt, Zhou Jiayi, and the youngest aunt, Zhou Jiasang, belatedly realized that their niece had suddenly appeared. Zhou Jiayi quickly huddled together with her son, Sun Ren, and whispered to each other, racking their brains to figure out what Zhou Luming was up to.
Sun Ren felt dizzy. "Mom, have you felt a little dizzy since we came in? I feel a bit uncomfortable."
Zhou Jiayi said, "I did feel a little seasick, but I'm much better now. It's strange, we're not even at sea, so why am I feeling a bit seasick?"
Sun Ren: "Could it be an earthquake?"
Zhou Jiayi: "Nonsense! Look, the chandelier above isn't moving at all, how could there be an earthquake? Have you been playing too many games lately, making you so distracted that you can't even stand up straight? Look at them and then look at you, what a pathetic person you are."
Sun Ren said with a pained expression, "I don't know why I've been getting motion sickness in 3D movies lately. I'll go see a doctor in a while."
Zhou Jiayi: "No matter what, you have to please your cousin tonight. After today, she will be the princess of the Zhou Group."
Sun Ren nodded repeatedly: "Okay, okay, don't worry, leave it to me. I'm the best at pleasing women. My cousin is a woman too, I have plenty of ways to handle her."
"That would be best."
In contrast to the noisy mother and son, Zhou Jiasang remained indifferent, standing in the corner drinking alone from a wine glass. She suddenly stopped, raised the glass, looked at the clear liquid inside through the glass, tilted the glass slightly, and observed it again.
Frowning, she looked up at the chandelier with suspicion, then down at her shadow on the floor. She walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and held up her glass to compare her reflection.
The shadow became distorted and formed a square.
Zhou Jiasang relaxed his brow, having grasped the key point.
Xu Lang finally noticed that Zhou Luming had appeared. A look of surprise flashed across his face. He hadn't expected Zhou Luming to appear in front of everyone in this way. However, he estimated that only less than ten people knew her identity.
Zhou Luming probably entered the banquet hall with the band, which was a clever move, but it wouldn't be long before S discovered her.
S was a hacker Xu Lang found through the dark web. She was not only skilled in cyberattacks but also adept at making people disappear silently using various methods. Through S, Xu Lang successfully disabled the mall's escalators, giving Zhou Luming a small warning. However, she didn't learn her lesson and even showed up at the Zhou Group. Forced to give her a job at Shan Hai Catering, she was still unsatisfied and determined to join the Zhou Group's board of directors.