Her seat was placed to Shang Kun's right, a decision likely made by the four of them in unison, exchanging knowing glances. Lin Weiping sat down casually, acting as if nothing had happened. Fortunately, Shang Kun didn't make any overly solicitous gestures, otherwise Lin Weiping would have certainly belittled him. Cold dishes were already on the table, untouched, not very plentiful, just light and refreshing; it seemed they had eaten too much at lunch and had no appetite for dinner. As soon as Lin Weiping sat down, Old Wang said, "Alright, Lin, we couldn't talk about today's business or even eat a bite of food without you here. I was just about to pick up a peanut when I was nearly pierced by Ah Kun's glare. Now, you say we can get started, right?"
Lin Weiping thought to herself, "Old Wang loves to mess with people. She's the only newcomer here, so he'll definitely target her today. It's better to back down and make him lose his temper." So she smiled calmly, "I'm starving. Don't blame me for being slow if you don't eat." She slowly picked up a small towel to wipe her hands. Shang Kun, seeing this, picked up his chopsticks and said, "Don't be shy, I'll take the first bite." Old Wang objected, "Kun, you're so unfair! I've never seen anyone so protective of their wife. I want to eat too!" He defiantly pushed Shang Kun's chopsticks aside and took the first bite himself. Old Guan, whose face had been somewhat serious, also smiled, "Old Wang, I've never seen such an impolite host. Alright, let's go with the flow. I've got my eye on your silver cutlery set; I'll take it with me after we finish eating."
Shang Kun laughed along, and the atmosphere at the table immediately became much more lively. It seemed there was a reason why Old Wang had achieved what he had today; who could manipulate people's emotions so well with just a push and a block? And do it so naturally and innocently? That truly required the wisdom of feigning foolishness. Old Zhou, however, still had a long face, looking at this person and glancing at that person, before finally asking Lin Weiping, "You just spoke for me, didn't you? But even if she lets you go, she'll still find the next target."
Before Lin Weiping could speak, Lao Guan interrupted, "This time it was my daughter who caused you trouble. I didn't expect that asking for your help would lead to this mess and even implicate Xiao Lin."
Shang Kun said, "Old Guan, don't blame yourself too much. It's already an anomaly that Xiao Liang is so healthy, especially since you haven't been around since she was little. But it's understandable that she always wants someone like a father to care for her. When Old Zhou offered to help, she misunderstood. Don't be too hard on her. I think she admires Xiao Lin a lot too; just have Xiao Lin change her mind. It's just a small misunderstanding among young people, nothing serious." He then looked at Lin Weiping, who nodded in agreement. To onlookers, the two seemed incredibly in sync.
Old Wang glared at Old Zhou and said, "You guys haven't even seen the root of the problem. This isn't the first time Old Zhou's wife has done this. The root of the problem is that she used to bully Old Zhou, but now that Old Zhou is doing so well, her bullying at home can't overshadow his brilliance, so she's feeling unbalanced and is making a scene outside, trying to get outside support to maintain her dominance at home and outside. I always tell you, I believe in balance in my dealings with people. When you balance the power of all parties and their minds are at peace, things go smoothly. Otherwise, you never know when one side will trip you up. In my opinion, the better Old Zhou does in the future, the more unbalanced Xiao Bai will become, and the more times she'll publicly humiliate Old Zhou to satisfy her own ego. Old Zhou, the one who tied the knot must untie it. Go home and have a good talk with Xiao Bai. If you can reach an agreement, things will be fine later. If not, just let it go. You can follow Ah Kun's example and get a divorce, or follow mine and stay in a hotel, it's up to you. We can't let this go on forever."
Old Zhou, Old Guan, and Lin Weiping were all involved in this matter. Old Zhou was already troubled, Old Guan couldn't say much, and Lin Weiping, being outside their circle, was even less likely to comment. Only Old Wang and Shang Kun spoke about it. After hearing Old Wang's account, Lin Weiping inwardly cheered, perhaps even showing it on his face, for which Shang Kun gave him a light kick. Understanding the situation, Lin Weiping quickly focused on his food, trying not to embarrass Old Zhou. Recalling his conversation with Bai Yue'er in the car, he still felt that this woman was stubborn and psychologically unhealthy. Old Wang was absolutely right, but Shang Kun's restraint was also perfectly justified; this wasn't the time for her to speak.
But thinking back on it again, good heavens, none of the four men present had a smooth marriage. Judging from Old Wang's words, he was the typical type who kept his wife at home while having affairs outside. Shang Kun was a recent divorcee, and Old Guan's early breakup might not have been a bad thing. Old Zhou was now facing a crisis. Good heavens, these four were all top-notch men. Did it really mean that wealthy men would go astray? Lin Weiping had already known the answer; she had never believed that wealthy men were necessarily good wives and mothers. But suddenly seeing several men she was so close to like this still left her with a strange feeling—disappointment? A little.
Old Zhou suddenly said, "Xiao Lin, this isn't the first time we've met. Just say what you have to say. We're both men, and we probably haven't figured out women's minds yet. You should help me figure it out. I suddenly think Old Wang's words are not wrong, but because I've always been studying, I'm not as good as my wife, and I'm not as clever as her. She was already wronged to marry a rough old man like me. I've always been used to accommodating her, so while you guys feel indignant, I don't feel it as strongly. Xiao Lin, tell me what's going on?"
Lin Weiping was stunned. It turned out that Old Zhou had been unusually kind to Bai Yue'er without saying a word. He wondered what Bai Yue'er would think if she heard this. She probably thought it was only natural. She quickly downplayed the issue, saying, "I've never been married, so I guess you can't judge a couple's life by outsiders. There's a saying, 'Only the person drinking the water knows whether it's hot or cold,' and another, 'Only the wearer knows if the shoe fits.' Whether it's good or not, as long as Lao Zhou feels good about it, that's fine. But seeing how tolerant and kind Lao Zhou is, I feel a little indignant for him. But then again, Sister Bai's temper didn't develop overnight; isn't it because Lao Zhou spoiled her? So Lao Zhou deserves to suffer. Thinking about it this way, Lao Zhou can't be angry anymore. He should just go home and accept his punishment today. As for Xiao Liang's matter, President Shang and Lao Wang both spoke very well. Lao Guan, don't worry. I'll help you send her to study for an M degree sooner or later. I won't leave her idle these days; she won't have a chance to cause trouble." As she spoke, she wondered if Lao Zhou's wife would cry to him about how awful Lin Weiping was when he went home. It seemed she couldn't afford to make even the slightest mistake.
Old Wang laughed and said, "I think that little rascal Lin is even more cunning than us old foxes. Even those old women's federation members would have to admit defeat when it comes to what he says. Old Zhou, it seems you should go home. This is a debt you owe from your past life."
Lin Weiping, feeling uneasy, decided to strike first. He poured himself and Lao Zhou each a glass of red wine and confessed to Lao Zhou, "Lao Zhou, I was talking about your wife with something similar to what Lao Wang said on the way here, and it might have been even worse. Luckily, your wife is a highly educated woman, so she didn't fight with me. I didn't mean to bully her, so I apologize to you. I'll drink this, and if you're not angry, you can drink it too." After saying that, he voluntarily downed a glass of red wine.
Unexpectedly, Lao Zhou grabbed his glass and drank it down in one gulp. He then poured another glass for each of them and cursed, "Damn it, I can never win an argument with my wife. Sometimes I say a lot, and she just says something sarcastic and I get the short end of the stick. Xiao Lin, who got the short end of the stick today? If it was you, I'll drink this glass myself as an apology. If it was her, haha, you're happy and I'm happy too. Let's drink together."
Lin Weiping was surprised by this outcome and asked, "Old Zhou, you're really not angry? You're not lying to me, are you?"
Shang Kun laughed, "Old Zhou doesn't need to resort to this self-inflicted injury to get Xiao Lin to drink with him. Xiao Lin, Old Zhou used to ask us for help whenever he argued with his wife, saying he'd drink three bottles of beer if anyone could out-argue her. Who among us bothered with their marital affairs? So Old Zhou never had a chance to drink. Today, Xiao Lin, if you win the argument, don't think you can get away with just a glass of red wine, you won't escape three bottles of beer." Upon hearing this, Old Wang beamed and quickly ordered his men to bring a dozen beers.
Everyone burst into laughter and cheered, and Lin Weiping was relieved. He picked up a bottle of beer and said to Lao Zhou, "I'll have one with you. If you weren't so good to your wife, I wouldn't have confessed. But I was hoping to get you drunk, since you have a high alcohol tolerance, so you can't hear your wife's whispers when you get home."
Old Guan finally laughed and said, "No need for you, Xiao Lin, Old Wang and I can handle this. It's rare for us to get together today. Since Old Zhou started this, let's make sure he goes home on his knees. That'll solve everything. We haven't been happy for days, so we can't let Old Zhou off the hook." Old Wang hurriedly ordered, "Tell the driver not to leave work but to wait and take Old Zhou home later." Only Old Zhou yelled, "Damn it, you got me drunk and threw me home? Do you want my wife to murder her husband?" But no one paid him any attention. Even Shang Kun went all out and downed a bottle with him.
Chapter
Twenty-one
"Are you really drunk?" Lin Weiping didn't get into his own car, but only dared to lean against the car window and talk to Shang Kun, who was sitting in his car.
"You've had too much to drink. Otherwise, why would I need you to bring me here? It's all to help you get rid of the trouble you caused by offending Old Zhou's wife." Shang Kun sat with his eyes closed, his hands on his stomach. "Hurry up, go home and get some rest."
Lin Weiping glanced at Shang Kun's slightly protruding belly and his weary face, and couldn't help but recall Bai Yue'er's earlier summary of middle-aged men: "Their skin is loose, they have a big belly, their eyes are cloudy, their breath is bad, and all sorts of old-age ailments follow one after another. They have to take medicine before eating and sleeping, and don't laugh at me, even their sex life is unpredictable." He couldn't help but think to himself, "That's spot on." "If you're really drunk, I won't see you off. I'll ask Old Wang to find someone to help."
Shang Kun panicked and quickly poked his head out to ask, "What's wrong? What's wrong? I've had too much to drink and you're not even seeing me off?"
Lin Weiping waved the Mercedes keys in his hand: "I'll drive your car back. Don't you think it's like inviting a wolf into the house if I get into a car with a drunk?"
Shang Kun sighed helplessly and said with a smile, "Don't worry, I haven't had too much to drink. I'm just really tired today and don't want to drive. I've been standing all morning. You know how tiring it is to deal with people from government departments. Listen to me, get on."
Lin Weiping rolled her eyes repeatedly. "Obedient"? He was treating her like a child again. She muttered "old man" to herself, trying to regain some balance. Shang Kun, seeing her smiling somewhat maliciously as she sat down, asked, puzzled, "What are you laughing at so happily?"
Lin Weiping touched his chin, straightened his face, and said, "I wasn't laughing at anything. I just remembered what Old Zhou's wife said about old men, and I found it amusing. Thinking back, Yu Fengmian seems to have said something similar. Hehe."
Shang Kun suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. Lin Weiping's last two "hehe" laughs were sinister, clearly indicating ill intent. But for now, he could only pretend not to know, lazily changing the subject with a smile: "It seems that Feng Mian has been getting quite close to you lately."
Lin Weiping smiled and said, "No, it's just that she suddenly finds arguing with me incredibly fun, so she occasionally picks on me to get a few sarcastic remarks from me. I also doubt her motives. Is it because she senses your tactics and wants to use me to curry favor with you?"
Shang Kun said with a half-smile, "Then she's found the right person. Now I'll listen to whatever you say, since the money's in your hands. Old Wang admires you so much that he gave you his most valuable VIP card today. Hmm, now your word is law."
Lin Weiping knew what he meant and laughed, "Boss, exchanging the VIP card for an injection card might be more useful to me. I don't have time to go there to sing and dance. Even if it's for business dinners, the discounts would still save the boss money. What does it have to do with me? I'll take the favor, but all the benefits will go to you. You're the most insidious one."
Shang Kun opened his eyes and placed his hand on Lin Weiping's right hand, which was resting on the steering wheel. He then moved that hand to the handbrake before saying, "Take care of your health. You can earn money anytime, but there's no guarantee of success. You only have one body."
Lin Weiping had no choice but to honestly say, "You'd better let go of my hand, otherwise I suspect I'm capable of running red lights, crossing double solid lines, driving erratically, and hitting people. If the police catch me, it will be a case of drunk driving with conclusive evidence."
Shang Kun smiled and let go, but a question lingered in his mind: what exactly had Bai Yue'er said to her that made her smile so furtively?
So after getting off the bus, he didn't do anything but call Bai Yue'er: "Has Lao Zhou arrived yet?" He had to come up with an excuse so that Bai Yue'er wouldn't know his intentions.
Upon hearing this, Bai Yue'er screamed, "What? You're already done? But he hasn't come back yet. Where did he go this time?"
Shang Kun had to move the phone away a little to avoid piercing his eardrums: "Don't worry, he's had a bit too much to drink. Old Wang asked the driver to take him home. I won't come over to check on him. By the way, what you and Xiao Lin were talking about today about old men was quite classic, but she was also drunk and couldn't explain it clearly. We all laughed so hard. Tell me it again, I need to remember it."
Bai Yue'er was worried about where Lao Zhou had gone, so when Shang Kun asked, she told him everything without thinking, and remembering what Lin Weiping had said, she also told him what Lin Weiping had said. But the other party remained silent, without a sound of laughter, and then said, "Okay, that's all. Get some rest, goodbye," and hung up. Only then did Bai Yue'er realize that she shouldn't have said that to Shang Kun, who was currently interacting with a young girl like Lin Weiping. Wasn't this blatantly undermining him? It seemed this feud was now set in stone. However, thinking of Lin Weiping's sarcastic remarks towards her, she felt a sense of satisfaction, but she dared not mention it to Lao Zhou, fearing that if Lao Zhou found out and apologized to Shang Kun, she would lose face.
Shang Kun tossed down the phone, pulled out a cigarette, and smoked it in silence. After finishing one, he pulled out a photoshopped image of him and Lin Weiping that Pan Yingchun had had someone create in the safe. He used to think it looked beautiful, but now that Bai Yue'er had pointed it out, looking at the two of them again, he felt utterly pathetic. He sullenly put the photo away, then pulled out another cigarette and lit it. The sleepiness he felt when he left the hotel was now completely gone.
When Yu Fengmian arrived, the sun was shining brightly on the west bank. However, jet lag still caught up with her. Although she was excited to see Gong Chao again, she knew without looking in a mirror what her eyes, which best reflect her age, would look like now. So, she spontaneously brought a pair of sunglasses that she had prepared beforehand when she left the port.
It had been half a year since they last met. Gong Chao's hair was a bit long, and he had gained some weight, but he didn't look dull. He smiled when he saw Yu Fengmian, but there was a hint of awkwardness in his smile. Yu Fengmian pretended not to notice. It was a miracle that this guy, after being dumped and framed, hadn't lost weight but instead gained weight. Reaching Gong Chao's used car, she opened the trunk, and Gong Chao easily placed two large suitcases, one in each hand, into the trunk with his usual strength. He then opened the door for Yu Fengmian to sit down before turning to his own driver's seat. "Did you book a room, Sister Yu?" His form of address hadn't changed, but his expression had definitely changed drastically.
"I haven't booked anything. With you here, I feel relieved to leave everything to you. Here's what we'll do: I'm very tired and hungry. The salads on the plane made me nauseous. Could you give me some hot white rice and stir-fried vegetables at your place first, and then you can take me to a hotel to stay, okay?" Yu Fengmian was telling the truth, but what she really wanted to know was how well Gong Chao was living here. She unconsciously felt concerned for him.
Gong Chao agreed, "When I came here, I thought it was alright, probably because I'm not very particular about food. Sister Yu, if you're interested, take a look at the architecture along the way. People in our line of work need to travel and see more. This time, whenever I had free time, I would drive around with my classmates, taking a map and saving pictures of anything nice on my computer. After all, they developed early, and their architecture has shifted from pursuing grandeur to pursuing style."
Yu Fengmian certainly wouldn't miss the buildings along the way; it was practically an occupational hazard of hers. "But then again, if we have the chance, we should definitely go to Europe; the architecture of the old empires there is much more stylish."
Gong Chao felt a little down, recalling the ups and downs of his trip to America. He wasn't good at hiding his feelings, and even that small change was noticed by Yu Fengmian, who subtly changed the subject. In just a few words, Yu Fengmian skillfully covered up the awkwardness of their initial meeting.
The car stopped in front of an old, run-down building. Several other cars were already parked outside, but they were clearly secondhand. Gong Chao said, "I share this place with a few classmates. Each of us has our own bedroom. Luckily, they've all achieved some success back in China and brought their own money, so we're not living in poverty." He opened the door, but no one was inside. "We were all planning to go sightseeing on Saturday, but I won't be going today. I'll bring the suitcases in; you can come in and sit down first."
Yu Fengmian went inside and looked around. Thankfully, the place didn't look old and was quite clean. Gong Chao came in and laughed, "I did a quick search, otherwise there would have been at least a few smelly clothes on the sofa." Yu Fengmian smiled, feeling relieved. Although Gong Chao had asked her where she was going at the airport, he had still prepared for her to come here. Just then, she saw Gong Chao enter the large kitchen next door. Yu Fengmian followed and saw Gong Chao skillfully bring out several side dishes: stir-fried pickled vegetables with edamame, halved salted duck eggs, pickled cucumbers, and then a bowl of white porridge. It seemed he had not only prepared, but also put a lot of thought into it.
Yu Fengmian had been traveling a long way, and at that moment, she was craving this simple porridge and side dishes, but she had been too embarrassed to say so on the bus. Seeing these, her heart warmed, and her shoulders, which had been strong for years, suddenly slumped. Sitting at the table facing the porridge and dishes, she felt a surge of grievance, and as she thought about it, she choked up, quickly lowering her head and burying her face in the table, wrapping her arms around herself so Gong Chao wouldn't see. But how could Gong Chao not know? Her suppressed sobs and trembling back betrayed everything about Yu Fengmian. Almost a year had passed. That day, Lin Weiping was feeling down at work, and he had prepared a table of light dishes for her. Her expression then was also strange; she bit her lower lip for a long time, but ultimately didn't cry like Yu Fengmian. Women, though they may appear domineering in public, still have a soft spot in their hearts; a little care can easily break them. She just wondered how Lin Weiping was doing now.
Gong Chao went back to his room to get some tissues, pulled out a few, and stuffed them into Yu Fengmian's hand. Yu Fengmian, after all, wasn't an ordinary woman; having cried her heart out, she quickly grabbed her bag and went to the bathroom to tidy herself up. A young girl's tears can be described as delicate as pear blossoms in the rain, but as she got older, she shouldn't test the audience's tolerance; she needed to have that kind of understanding.
Gong Chao saw that she came out of the restroom looking completely nonchalant; if it weren't for her red eyes, he wouldn't have been able to tell at all. He was quite impressed. Yu Fengmian took a sip of water to moisten her throat before picking up her chopsticks to eat. Seeing that Gong Chao wasn't eating, she asked, "Why aren't you eating? You've been waiting for me for quite a while. Come on, eat with me."
Gong Chao said, "Where would I go hungry? There's food everywhere. I had a hamburger at the airport. I can't eat now."
Yu Fengmian smiled, "No wonder you've gained weight, it's all because of junk food. In another six months, people won't recognize you when you go back." She took a sip of porridge and continued, "Still worried about those rumors? Don't worry, it's nothing. Even Lin Weiping is now my friend. I even ate with her before I came here. I asked her what she wanted to bring, and she was very considerate, saying that if she wanted to take it to America, she wouldn't need to, but she would want to bring it back." As she spoke, she subtly observed Gong Chao's expression.
Gong Chao was taken aback, and after looking at Yu Fengmian for a long time, he said, "That's good, she no longer misunderstands me, but she probably doesn't care about me anymore. How is she now?"
Yu Fengmian thought to herself with satisfaction: That's good, I just want him to understand the result. Of course, she wouldn't say aloud, "She's in high spirits now, the new company she manages has already started production, and production and sales are going well. It seems the boss will definitely be satisfied with her."
Gong Chao simply said "Oh," and then stopped asking. Whether it was good or bad, knowing how Lin Weiping was doing was enough; there was no need to discuss her situation with others.
Yu Fengmian wouldn't be so tactless as to say too much; she just needed to reduce Gong Chao's misunderstandings about the study abroad incident and dispel his longing for Lin Weiping.
In the following days, she didn't rush to adjust to the time difference. Since Gong Chao had classes during the day and only had time to see her after class, she could sleep during the day and spend her evenings refreshed with him. Until the eighth day of the first lunar month, the day before she was scheduled to go home, Gong Chao picked her up and took her to his dormitory for dinner, showing her the things he wanted her to take home for her family. After dinner, Yu Fengmian suddenly remembered something and hurriedly said, "Gong Chao, can you check the weather back home for me? It's so light here, I need to pack a jacket in my bag so I don't get cold."
Upon receiving the order, Gong Chao went online and retrieved the hometown website from his bookmarks, immediately finding the weather forecast. As Yu Fengmian noted it down, Gong Chao scrolled down with the mouse, chuckling, "I used to check the news every day, but I haven't these past few days, so I don't know what's on. Huh? Latest report on the substandard steel bar incident? Who was so careless as to use substandard steel bars and get caught? Let's take a look."
Yu Fengmian, who was watching TV on the sofa, rushed over upon hearing this. Unfortunately, the internet speed in China was very slow, and it took a long time to load. When she finally saw the report, she was stunned. Unlike usual reports that vaguely referred to it as a local real estate company, the report directly named her company. Gong Chao remained silent, reading the entire report before saying, "Sister Yu, with you here, the newspaper couldn't contact you, allowing your competitors to take advantage. But now that they know, it's good. It's already daytime in China. Contact the relevant departments immediately and try to minimize the damage."
Yu Fengmian remained silent. She had already figured out what Gong Chao was thinking the moment she saw it, but what use was it to go to the relevant departments now? Even if they wanted to protect her, they couldn't withstand public scrutiny. Would they dare to cover it up and fail to give the city a proper explanation? Would homebuyers in the city still buy her properties after knowing she used substandard steel? Needless to say, the project under construction was ruined by her own greed. She wondered what the bank would do in this situation. If they ruthlessly stopped lending, her entire financial operation would be stalled. She had very little cash left after paying Pan Yingchun for selling the factory, and even the funds for bribes and networking would be a problem. The more she thought about it, the colder she felt, and her face turned pale.
Gong Chao knew he was far less cunning than Yu Fengmian, so he decided to remain silent. He picked up the mouse and checked the news from a few days ago, only to find that the article had been published on the 28th day of the lunar calendar before the Lunar New Year, the day after Yu Fengmian left for the United States. It seemed that someone had timed it perfectly, waiting for Yu Fengmian to have an opening to strike. This was definitely not a coincidence; someone must be behind it all. Thinking this, he moved the computer screen towards Yu Fengmian and whispered, "Sister Yu, this is the earliest news I found about your company. It was published the day after you left the country. Someone must be manipulating things behind the scenes."
Yu Fengmian leaned closer and silently observed, pondering in her mind, "Who could this be?" She instructed Gong Chao to find and read all the articles, but remained silent. Her mind was a jumble of chaotic thoughts. She wondered who had done it, what the next step should be, and what the worst possible outcome would be. Of course, she couldn't help but inwardly blame herself. Why, at this age, had she suddenly become so lustful, and why, after being away from her post for so long, had someone sabotage her? But no one would sympathize with her if she said this; it might only make her a laughingstock. She couldn't even tell Gong Chao. She resolutely stood up and said, "Xiao Gong, take me back to the hotel. Tomorrow, you'll pick me up on time for the airport. I'm going back now to make a few phone calls to find out what's going on."
Gong Chao took her back to the hotel as instructed. Yu Fengmian didn't say a word the whole way, and Gong Chao naturally didn't dare to say anything either, firstly because it wouldn't be relevant to the topic, and secondly because he didn't want to disturb her thoughts.
Yu Fengmian returned to her room and first tried to call, but no one answered the company phone. She called the vice president's mobile phone and learned that many construction teams and companies that had initially paid for the work at her site were now on edge, demanding their money from the company as soon as the news broke. Unable to find Yu Fengmian, they panicked, and being mostly uncouth, acts of vandalism and looting were inevitable. They had called the police, but it was impossible to prevent such behavior, causing company employees to be afraid to come to work. They didn't know who was manipulating the newspaper. Knowing she wouldn't get any more information, Yu Fengmian hung up. After thinking for a long time, she finally found Lin Weiping's number and called him. She had a feeling that either Lin Weiping had deliberately discovered the substandard steel bars at the dock, or Old Wang had planted spies at her construction site; the latter seemed more likely. If it was Old Wang, it was hard to guarantee he was working with Shang Kun, who still harbored resentment towards her. It was possible that Lin Weiping knew something about it.
Before the call could even get through, Yu Fengmian went straight to the point: "Do you know what's going on with me? Where are you right now? Can you tell me something? Please help me."
Lin Weiping was surprised to hear it was her and hurriedly said, "You just found out? It was already in the newspapers before the New Year, and it had a huge impact throughout the city. It even appeared on TV. But I don't know the current situation in the city. I went on a business trip to the raw material supplier on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year to urge them to provide materials. But judging from the newspapers online, it seems this matter is still being discussed. When are you coming back? It seems this matter won't be over until you come back."
Upon hearing this, Yu Fengmian asked, "Do you think someone is manipulating things behind the scenes? I think it's impossible for something like this to drag on for so long and have such a huge impact without someone deliberately working on it. Is it Lao Wang or Shang Kun?"
Lin Weiping thought to himself, "You've hit the nail on the head. You've caught both of them in one fell swoop, but how could you reveal this? I'm in a precarious situation myself." "I don't know," Lin Weiping replied, "Even if they were, do you think they would tell such a crucial matter to unrelated people? But if it were them, you'd be in deep trouble."
Yu Fengmian was stunned. These words were pretty much the answer to her; it was Old Wang and Shang Kun, even though Lin Weiping hadn't said it. But anyone even remotely connected to them would have guessed it was those two. Lin Weiping was simply confirming her suspicions. "Okay, thank you. I'll be right back to handle it. You're busy."
Lin Weiping was stunned after hanging up the phone. When he saw the report before the New Year, he didn't think much of it at the time; it was obviously the work of Lao Wang and Shang Kun. Shang Kun had previously tried to recruit people from her former company to secure the SMS project, and he knew about her falling out with the second wife immediately. This was one of the tactics used by businesses. But then the news was broadcast on television, and it became a hot topic online, with numerous passionate comments and further investigations. Clearly, it was a very planned and methodical operation, relentlessly pushing Yu Fengmian, who was enjoying a carefree life in the US, into an abyss of despair. The methods were too meticulous and ruthless, leaving absolutely no room for retreat.
What would happen if such methods were used on him one day? Lin Weiping spent the entire year following each report, barely able to relax. Judging by the timeline, the newspaper would be out on the 28th of the lunar calendar, meaning that while they were having dinner together mediating between Lao Zhou and his wife, they should have already submitted the article to the newspaper and smoothed things over, ensuring its publication the next day. Yet, neither of them had uttered a word that day, and their faces showed no sign of anything amiss. No wonder Shang Kun complained of being tired after dinner; he'd spent the entire afternoon on that matter. How they somehow found out about Yu Fengmian's trip abroad? They'd quietly seized the opportunity. It's also understandable that he'd fallen asleep in the movie theater the day before; all that scheming had gone into this—how could he not be exhausted?
Recalling her secret dealings with Huabei XX Company behind Shang Kun's back, and the fact that most of the previous batches of materials had been sourced from Kaixuan Company, Lin Weiping wondered how Shang Kun would react if he found out. She wasn't naive enough to believe that a simple handshake would make Shang Kun forgive her and pretend he hadn't seen anything, or that it would be a one-time exception. She didn't know if Shang Kun knew yet, but even if he did, he certainly wouldn't reveal his true intentions. He wouldn't fight an unprepared battle; he would only make his move after everything was in order. Regardless of his intentions, Lin Weiping decided to strike first. Before the Spring Festival was even over, she flew directly to her supplier's company, took 50,000 yuan as a bargaining chip, and demanded the immediate delivery of the goods she had made using materials sourced from Huabei XX Company. Money talks, and besides, most companies didn't start work that early, so within two days, Lin Weiping had cleared out the supplier's entire inventory, and on the third day, it was all loaded onto a ship and shipped out. For the rest of the time, she negotiated and finalized the provincial distribution agreement with her boss, who was on time at work on the 8th. She also did her best to help Kaixuan get half of the materials loaded onto the ship and brought back. When Yu Fengmian called her, it was the 9th of the month, when she had just finished a visit to her boss's company, helped Kaixuan with one more shipment, and was planning to go home.
As Lin Weiping had predicted, material prices skyrocketed to an unexpected level shortly after the Spring Festival. When people came to their suppliers with cash, they found that not only were prices much higher than before the holiday, but they couldn't even pay in time, and even if they did, they had to wait in line, with no clear timeline for delivery. Therefore, while Lin Weiping's shipment was still being loaded onto the ship, most of it was snapped up by companies that had heard about it. None of them demanded payment upon delivery; they all signed contracts and processed drafts on the spot. At this rate, the goods would be sold out by the time the ship reached the dock. As long as the goods weren't tied up in her hands, even if Shang Kun took any action, it wouldn't cause her much harm. At most, he might dismiss her as the CEO of Kaixuan Company, but so what? By now, her pre-tax income was close to ten million. Once all the goods were sold and the funds returned to the North China Company, even if she did nothing but keep the money in the bank, it would be enough for her to live comfortably for the rest of her life. Unless Shang Kun could corrupt the bank where she kept her money, but that seemed too unlikely.
Sitting in the waiting room, Lin Weiping touched his bag and thought about the photocopies of several large bank drafts inside. He finally felt a little relieved. This battle was won, it was over, but it would be a pity to let such a valuable exclusive distribution right go to waste. He needed to figure out how to use it without conflicting with Shang Kun's interests. Just then, the phone rang. Seeing that the number was from overseas, he answered without hesitation, "HLLO."
Unexpectedly, it was a call from Gong Chao: "Weiping, Happy New Year. How are you?"
Lin Weiping was taken aback for a moment: "Okay, Yu Fengmian is with you, right? Is she alright? She just called me."
After a moment of silence, Gong Chao spoke again: "I think she's really gotten herself into trouble this time. I called her company to find out what happened, but no one answered. I asked people in the industry, and they all say she's in trouble now; she must have offended someone. She's been good to me. I can't help her with anything else, but I just want to ask you for one thing. I hope you can agree for my sake. According to the schedule, Sister Yu is leaving from the US tonight and should arrive in Shanghai tomorrow. I'd like to ask you to pick her up. I doubt anyone from her company will go, and she probably doesn't trust anyone to know her exact return time, fearing her creditors might be waiting at the airport. I trust you won't tell anyone, so please go pick her up. She's in a pitiful situation right now."
Lin Weiping understood from Gong Chao's words that things weren't going as Yu Fengmian had hoped—that the two had developed feelings for each other during their time together. For some reason, he felt quite comfortable hearing this. He recalled Gong Chao's words when he was in trouble, "At worst, you can just go home and eat at my place," and now Gong Chao was so considerate of Yu Fengmian, showing that he was still kind-hearted. So he smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'm going back now. I'll drive to pick you up myself tomorrow; I won't let anyone know."
Gong Chao had a thousand words in his heart, but he already knew that Lin Weiping no longer had feelings for him. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so accommodating in the face of such a request. He wasn't unaware of Yu Fengmian's intentions, and Lin Weiping was probably aware of them too. Since she had no feelings for him, it meant she no longer had any feelings for him. After thanking him, Gong Chao didn't say anything more and hung up. He knew Lin Weiping's personality; once she made a decision, there was no turning back. Saying more was useless and would only make it difficult to even see her in the future.
Chapter
Twenty-two
Lin Weiping got off the plane and saw Shang Kun standing outside chatting and laughing with several people. He looked to be in excellent spirits, his hair seemed to have been freshly trimmed, and he wore a dark gray suit with a dark gray tie with small silver dots, paired with a white shirt. He looked very neat and stood out from the crowd. The people around him were also quite capable, all in their thirties or forties, and they all had shrewd and efficient appearances. Shang Kun smiled as Lin Weiping approached before saying, "Luckily, your flight caught one of those earlier flights. Come, let me introduce you to the three general managers of my three companies." Lin Weiping listened to Shang Kun's introductions, shook hands with each of them, exchanged business cards, and then Shang Kun said, "Kaixuan Company will also be under my name from now on. I hope you will keep in touch."
At this moment, a young man hurried in, greeted Shang Kun, and immediately smiled at Lin Weiping, saying, "You must be Miss Lin? It's an honor to meet you. I was under Ms. Pan's command a while ago, and now I will be under Ms. Yu Fengmian's command. I am Huang Bao, the loyal general manager of that factory. I am very grateful to you for taking over my batch of employees a while ago. I may have to ask you to take them back soon, which has caused you a lot of trouble."
Lin Xiaoxiao, who had been watching for a while, finally decided to bravely come over. Lin Weiping, seeing him, quickly apologized to everyone, pulled him a few steps away, and handed Lin Xiaoxiao the drafts and delivery slips from his bag, instructing him to give them to the accountant at the dock. Only then did he turn back to Huang Bao and say, "Don't tell me this. I hate hearing that. When President Shang handed those people over to me, he didn't say he'd take them back. Now I'm using them all effectively. If anyone asks for them back, I'll be furious." He said this, but upon seeing the news about Feng Mian's accident in the newspaper, Lin Weiping had already instructed the HR manager to notify the selected workers to register for work after the Spring Festival. His words were merely an emphasis on his own difficulties, but in the end, he would still help him. Huang Bao should remember this favor. Huang Bao's name was truly comical—a name that evoked sloppy workmanship and shoddy workmanship.
Shang Kun just smiled. He remembered how, before he could even voice his question about needing people from her, he'd only uttered a few words, and Lin Weiping had fainted and ended up in the hospital on an IV drip. Now, he dared not act rashly again, and would let the cunning Huang Bao keep Lin Weiping occupied. Sure enough, Huang Bao grinned and said, "Miss Lin, I'm not in a hurry. You have at least some time to prepare. Besides, I'm free right now. Why don't you let me handle the task of finding backup personnel for your company? I guarantee that everyone I've seen will be useful and easy to use. Only after I've prepared enough people for you will you hand over my people to me; otherwise, you can completely ignore me, okay?"
Lin Weiping tapped the suitcase lightly with her fingers a few times before saying, "Okay, that's settled then. But you have to help me put the suitcase in your car first." Huang Bao quickly smiled and said, "Miss Lin is indeed capable of handling important matters; she's so straightforward. As for the suitcase, even if you hadn't said anything, it would have been my responsibility to carry it to the car. Who here isn't older and more experienced than me? Even if you, Miss Lin, are younger than me, you're a lady of high birth. A lady of high birth shouldn't sit under a dangerous roof; how can I let you carry the luggage?" After saying this, she looked at Lin Weiping very ingratiatingly and took the suitcase from her hands.
Lin Weiping smiled to himself, thinking, "He really is a talent. If it weren't for such a sweet tongue and such a thick skin, wouldn't he have been furious and stormed off after Shang Kun left him at the factory with Pan Yingchun for those few days? I wonder what kind of people the other three general managers are; they must be just as capable. No wonder Shang Kun has been so free; he's good at using people. There are always people more capable than you; I need to be more careful. Shang Kun himself must have some impressive skills to manage so many people; he just hasn't used them on her yet because there's no conflict."
As they were speaking, a group of three blond, blue-eyed men emerged from inside, each impeccably dressed in a suit, the older one exuding a particularly refined and gentlemanly air. It seemed this was Lin De, the president of the large American company Shang Kun had mentioned on the phone as the one with whom he was interested in a new business partnership. While everyone shook hands with Lin De, Lin Weiping noticed that the CEOs' English was rather awkward, especially Shang Kun, who had simply had a translator handle everything. Huang Bao, on the other hand, spoke fluent and beautiful Chinese, but when he spoke English, his expression was undeniably flawed; it sounded like a heated argument, making onlookers laugh.
Only Lin Weiping remained calm. Although his English had been neglected for nearly a year, picking it up again wasn't too difficult. After a few pleasantries, the group left the airport. At the entrance, Lin Weiping volunteered to call out Shang Kun's driver so he could drive the three foreigners. Shang Kun, seeing this, happily said, "Good job! You can introduce them to the city's specialties along the way. Remember not to mention our company yet, or you'll give yourself away. Let's go to Old Wang's restaurant." Lin Weiping smiled, but inwardly thought: Really, am I that stupid? Watching Shang Kun get into the car in front, the driver stood guard at the door for him, closing it respectfully. Lin Weiping found it extremely irritating. Didn't Shang Kun feel uncomfortable?
After the conversation, Lin Weiping was basically certain that Lin De was a pragmatic and shrewd old man, a typical owner of a manufacturing company. Lin De spoke with great tact, not asking many questions about Shangkun's company or Lin Weiping's businesses in the car, but focusing on the facts, discussing only the city's transportation, energy, climate, economy, education, human resource distribution, and the distribution of major industries. Lin Weiping recalled a feasibility study report he had previously read by a foreign investor. It also listed a great deal of relevant data, with an astonishingly detailed examination of the external environment. Some points seemed unrelated to the business, but upon reflection, one could discern that the report demonstrated the investor's foresight. Experienced capitalists, having dealt with numerous lawsuits, naturally developed a set of strategies—a crystallization of experience and wisdom.
They ate a very simple meal at a Western-style fast food restaurant, and then went into the conference room for the meeting. Foreigners are naturally familiar with Western food, so no translator was needed. Lin Weiping happily cut herself a slice of grilled meat and ate her fill. Now, sitting in the warm, air-conditioned conference room, she felt like sleeping. Fortunately, according to the arrangements, she was just an attendee at this afternoon's meeting; she would simply listen. Shang Kun had his own translator. However, she still set up her laptop in front of her, pretending to be attentive.
After the initial pleasantries, once the conversation got down to business, Lin Weiping became increasingly uneasy. The translator was undeniably top-notch; Lin Weiping herself felt like a complete amateur compared to a professional translator. However, when it came to industrial terminology, she was utterly bewildered. After a few sentences, Shang Kun and Lin De were staring at each other, unanimously concluding that the fault lay not with either of them, but with the translator. Shang Kun immediately turned his gaze to Lin Weiping. Helpless, Lin Weiping could only sigh inwardly, stand up, pat the translator on the shoulder to ask her to offer her a seat, knowing she would now have to take notes herself—what a miserable fate!
Shang Kun smiled and turned to her, saying, "Then you'll be accompanying me for the next few days. That's fine; it'll be a good opportunity for you to get to know all the companies under my name. The foreigner seems to be a very knowledgeable person; you can learn a lot from him." Strangely, Shang Kun had a faint fragrance about him today, unlike his usual style. It seemed he had taken some steps to groom himself to welcome the foreigner.
Lin Weiping smiled, but his words were quite different: "No, I promised someone I'd pick up Yu Fengmian tomorrow, so I definitely won't be free. I can arrange the other days, though."