This person's temper and behavior are completely unpredictable; she's a difficult person to deal with. How can he possibly gain her approval? Zhou Luming is completely clueless and feels he has encountered a tremendous challenge.
After washing his face, Zhou Luming went downstairs and saw Xu Yan already changing his shoes at the door.
“Come with me to visit clients,” she said, wearing large sunglasses that almost completely covered her small face.
Zhou Luming hurriedly changed her shoes, and Xu Yan tossed her the car keys.
"You drive." He got into the passenger seat.
Zhou Luming fastened his seatbelt and was about to check on Xu Yan when he saw that Xu Yan had already fastened it himself. It seemed that this person valued his life quite a bit.
Where to?
“The Metaverse Building,” Xu Yan said.
The Metaverse Building is the headquarters of X Company. It seems that Xu Yan is going to take Zhou Luming to find Li Li's will.
Zhou Luming glanced at the car's center console; there was no playlist. "Want to listen to music? What kind?"
"Whatever." Xu Yan seemed uninterested in these things, only turning his head to look at the scenery rushing past outside the window.
Zhou Luming casually turned on the radio and listened, then couldn't help breaking the eerie silence by asking, "You graduated from law school in the US and even passed the bar exam, so why didn't you practice law there but instead returned to China to work as an estate administrator? What is an estate administrator? I don't think I've ever heard of such a profession. What exactly do they do? How are they different from lawyers in China?"
Xu Yan turned her face away, her expression unreadable behind her sunglasses, but Zhou Luming could clearly sense her impatience.
"I have already answered your first question. As for the second question, I do not have a domestic lawyer's license and cannot practice as a lawyer. You will soon be able to figure out the answer to the third question yourself."
"My own conclusion?"
“If you can’t summarize, then we’ll terminate the agreement,” Xu Yan said. “The assessment is over, and you can’t inherit the estate yet.”
Zhou Luming almost slammed on the brakes. "Why are you so arbitrary?"
“I don’t like procrastination.” Xu Yan tightened his grip on the seatbelt. “Focus on driving. I just checked your driving record; it’s almost zero.”
Zhou Luming was speechless and could only swallow his anger and continue to be Xu Yan's driver.
The Yuan Universe Building is located in a newly developed area of Hai City, which is about to be transformed into Hai City's Silicon Valley, thus attracting many technology companies through investment promotion. X Games is one of the key companies being nurtured in this area.
Once downstairs, Zhou Luming parked the car and followed Xu Yan into the company. The receptionist on the first floor greeted them and gave them two visitor cards, allowing them to smoothly ascend to the chairman's office.
Song Tao, the chairman of X Games and Li Li's partner, was a charming and successful man in his forties. Li Li himself held the titles of general manager and head of the R&D department, focusing on game development, while Song Tao was in charge of logistics and investment.
The two have a clear division of labor, each with their own strengths, and are partners with a great understanding.
When Xu Yan and Zhou Luming arrived, Song Tao was packing and organizing some things in his office.
"Miss Xu, you've arrived. I'm sorting through the things Li Li gave me. It'll be packed soon. Please wait a moment." Song Tao was wearing a white shirt, black suit pants, and leather shoes.
The office was warm, and his long black coat hung on the rack by the door. The man was well-maintained; his hair was neat, and he was clean, except that his beard looked freshly shaved and had a few scratches. He didn't have the greasy beer belly of a middle-aged man, nor did he have oily skin or eyes; his face was just tired, as if he hadn't had enough rest in a long time.
There were already several cardboard boxes on the carpet, containing all sorts of things, including a group photo frame, some books, an autographed basketball, cufflinks, and a fountain pen.
"He gave you so many things, and you left them all in your office instead of taking them home?" Xu Yan asked.
"Yes, we have kids at home, and we're worried about them breaking or losing them." Song Tao paused in mid-air with the figurine in his hand before answering. He then took the model out of the cabinet and carefully placed it into one of the cardboard boxes. "This is a custom Lego set that he spent a month building. It's one of a kind in the world. He'd be very upset if it got damaged."
Looking at the large Lego model in Song Tao's hand, Zhou Luming thought that this was probably not the only one in the world, because she had found one in Xu Yan's house, except that Xu Yan's was a miniature version, while Song Tao's was a bit bigger.
"It seems like everything is here. Take it. I hope you can find Li Li's will soon," Song Tao said.
Xu Yan said, "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you can't stay out of this, because Li Li's email asked you to help us sort through his belongings and find his will."
Chapter 3, Page 3
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After organizing the items handed over by partner Song Tao, a large conference room was arranged for Xu Yan and Zhou Luming.
Looking at the several boxes of belongings piled up on the table, the floor, and the chairs, Zhou Luming felt that he had to work 996, and maybe even 007. Recalling the generous compensation in the "Employment Agreement", Zhou Luming realized that Xu Yan was not just going through the motions and treating him as a decorative vase, but really wanted him to be her hardworking assistant.
“I’m supposed to be a rich second-generation heir who’s going to inherit billions, and I’m actually going to work for someone else…” Zhou Luming sighed, covering his forehead. He glanced at Xu Yan out of the corner of his eye. She found a spot and set up a laptop. Next to her was a Lego model that her client, Li Li, had given to Song Tao—an aircraft carrier.
Song Tao went to arrange the work, and after he finished, he would come back to join them in searching for Li Li's will.
"First, number the boxes, then categorize and organize the contents, and make a list for me," Xu Yan said meticulously, his fingers flying across the computer keyboard.
Zhou Luming was stunned. "With so much stuff, do we have any help?"
“No, for the sake of data accuracy, only you and I will do this work.” Xu Yan paused for a moment and looked at her. “This is one of the duties of an estate administrator.”
"Are we compiling a heritage list?" Zhou Luming concluded.
"Not bad, you're starting to get it. Continue in this direction," Xu Yan nodded and said.
"Then why did you let Song Tao participate in this job as well?" Zhou Luming began numbering the boxes as instructed by Xu Yan.
“Song Tao was specifically assigned to participate by Li Li. He was only responsible for finding things that belonged to Li Li, not for compiling and organizing the estate inventory. This does not conflict with our work,” Xu Yan said. “The most important will has not yet been found. Li Li never discusses work with me. In a sense, Song Tao is probably the one who understands Li Li best. This is the significance of Li Li’s arrangement for him to participate.”
"So you actually know Li Li? Is he your friend?" Zhou Luming seized on the key point.
"Well, we've known each other for about ten years." Xu Yan said this calmly and without any fluctuation in his emotions, as if he were talking about everyday things.
This statement shocked Zhou Luming. She knew that Li Li had emailed Xu Yan to explain the will and that Li Li had appointed Xu Yan as his estate agent, but she never expected that the two of them were old friends who had known each other for ten years. Logically speaking, people who have been friends with Xu Yan for ten years should have a deep relationship, but from Xu Yan's words and actions, she could not feel any sadness at losing this friend.
Is Xu Yan a cold-blooded and heartless monster? How could she be so indifferent to the death of her best friend?!
“I know what you want to ask, but work is work. Estate administrators should not let their personal feelings interfere with their work, as this would interfere with their work and be unfair,” Xu Yan said.
"I understand, you're a cold-blooded work machine." Zhou Luming said in a low voice, took out a graduation photo, and then looked at the several frames below that contained Li Li's degree certificate and award certificates.
It seems that Li Li is truly a programming genius. He has been outstanding since childhood, winning numerous awards and being handsome. It's just a pity that he was born with a disability and is confined to a wheelchair; otherwise, he could be considered a perfect person.
"Do estate administrators have a recusal system similar to that for lawyers and judges in China?"
"Currently, this area is a blank in China, with only a few simple legal provisions and no specific details. We are all feeling our way across the river, but we are occasionally subject to the constraints of industry associations," Xu Yan explained kindly, which was a rare occurrence for him.
Zhou Luming's eyes darted around. "Have you ever developed any emotional connection with your clients?"
Xu Yan glanced at her disdainfully. "My clients are basically dead."
Zhou Luming: ...
What a boring person.
After tidying up for a while longer, Zhou Luming found it tedious and turned on his phone to play loud, jarring electronic music. Employees passing by outside curiously peered into the meeting room. Zhou Luming carefully observed Xu Yan's reaction; her straight back, upright and dignified, was reflected in the transparent glass window behind her.
Xu Yan indeed said, "Turn off the music."
Why? Don't you like it?
"Obviously, I don't like it, and our job doesn't allow us to listen to this kind of noisy music." Xu Yan felt that Zhou Luming was provoking him.
"Oh." Zhou Luming picked up her phone. Xu Yan thought she was going to obediently turn off the music, but unexpectedly, she changed the song, this time to a classical piano piece. Zhou Luming smiled and said, "Then let's each compromise."
Xu Yan did not refuse this time, which should be considered tacit consent.
Zhou Luming simply sat down on the ground, a question gradually surfacing in his mind. He tilted his head and asked Xu Yan, "Why are we looking for Li Li's will at the company instead of at his home? Where are Li Li's family members? Aren't they the heirs? Why haven't they shown up yet?"
Before he could finish speaking, a report was thrown at him in a flurry of activity.
Zhou Luming caught the report quickly and opened it. It turned out to be Li Li's background information.
Li Li has had a leg disability since childhood, but he has a talent for computer programming. His family didn't have a computer when he was young, so he spent his days at internet cafes to learn, which led his family to misunderstand him as wasting his time. He eventually got into university, barely managing to complete his studies with scholarships. His parents were farmers, and their lives were uneventful until he participated in a programming competition, where he soared to new heights, winning a gold medal and meeting Song Tao, one of the competition's judges.
Song Tao was a scion of a prominent family with excellent financial conditions. He also had a knack for business and was very optimistic about the game industry. As a result, he repeatedly invested in several startups and became an angel investor. After meeting Li Li, who was only in his early twenties at the time, Song Tao, who was already in his thirties, personally participated in the operation of X Game Company and single-handedly built X Game Company into a leading company in the industry. Li Li also transformed into a young tycoon as a result.
“Li Li’s parents are farmers. After Li Li became successful, they bought a house for them in this city, but they continued to live in their hometown because they were not used to it. Li Li’s own house is near the company. I have been there. It is empty and there are almost no traces of his life. Li Li keeps his personal belongings at the company instead of at home, which shows that in his heart, neither his parents’ place nor his residence in Haishi is his home. His home is the company,” Xu Yan explained patiently.
Zhou Luming glanced at the box containing personal items, which included a toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, perfume, and a change of clothes, as well as bedding and a duvet cover, indicating that Li Li did indeed often stay overnight at the company.
"He's unmarried, doesn't he have a girl he likes?" Zhou Luming asked. "Such a handsome young man, successful in his career, even with a physical disability, surely many girls would like him."
“If she is not the legal wife, she cannot become a legal heir unless the will leaves a copy for this lover whose existence is unknown,” Xu Yan said calmly. “So this will is crucial, and we must find it as soon as possible.”
"Approximately how much is Li Li's estate worth?"
“The estate list is not yet fully sorted out, so I cannot tell you the specific value. Moreover, part of his assets are stocks and financial investments, and their value fluctuates every day…” As Xu Yan was speaking, she noticed that someone had suddenly appeared next to her. Unbeknownst to her, Zhou Luming quietly walked up to her side and leaned close to her, almost face to face, looking at the computer screen in front of Xu Yan.
The warm breath was right next to her, and Xu Yan almost instinctively jerked away, keeping her distance from Zhou Luming. In that instant of separation, Zhou Luming suddenly turned her head, her soft lips gently brushing against Xu Yan's cheek. She was clearly quite surprised, but quickly smiled, indicating with a lighthearted attitude that the surprise was nothing to worry about.
"What are you doing?" Xu Yan asked.
"Let me see how much wealth Li Li actually has." Zhou Luming naturally scrolled the mouse to the bottom of the form and saw an estimated figure, accurate to four decimal places. "Although it's not a small amount, it's not as much as mine."
Xu Yan walked over and stood behind her, looking at the back of her head. The scene from just moments ago was indeed flashing through his mind. Zhou Luming's eyelashes were thick and curled, seemingly natural.
"How did you know I was estimating the data?" Xu Yan asked.
Zhou Luming laughed and said, "You asked me to tidy up these odds and ends, but there's nothing of value in them. Yet, as soon as you entered the meeting room, you were typing away on the computer, occasionally frowning, and sometimes stopping to search for things. This means you're doing something very important, and you even complained about the music I was playing. Although I don't know much about the profession of estate administrator, I know that the core of your work is estate. The first thing you have to do is compile an estate inventory and estimate its value..."
Xu Yan narrowed his eyes, took a step closer to her, crossed his arms, and stared intently at her. "Tell the truth."
Zhou Luming turned around and realized he was being oppressed by her from above. Leaning back against the conference table, he said helplessly, "I'm just telling the truth."
Xu Yan's dark eyes were filled with Zhou Luming's panicked expression, like a fawn's. He took another step closer, placing his hands on either side of Zhou Luming, trapping her firmly between the conference table and himself, leaving her nowhere to escape. "Aren't you going to talk?"
Zhou Luming felt her heart leap into her throat at that moment, her body trembling slightly, unsure whether it was from nervousness or something else. Faced with Xu Yan's "coercion," she instinctively knew she had to tell the truth this time. "Alright, I confess, I admit it. Please, Mr. Xu, be lenient with me."
He pointed to the large glass window behind Xu Yan and said, "I can see you compiling a form from the reflection in the glass behind you, but I can't see some details clearly."
Xu Yan finally let go of her, turned around, and pulled down the curtains of the glass windows one by one to cover the reflective glass.
Zhou Luming breathed a sigh of relief and pressed his hand against his pounding heart.
Chapter 4, Page 4
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Song Tao quickly finished tidying up the company's internal affairs and returned to the conference room. Facing the two young girls who were much younger than him but were responsible for knowing that he had found Li Li's will, he still felt a little reserved.
"I've made all the arrangements. Is there anything I need to do?" Song Tao asked as he entered the conference room.
"Please sit down first, we are waiting for someone else," Xu Yan said.
"Are we waiting for someone? Who are we waiting for?" Song Tao asked.
Zhou Luming was also curious about who this key figure who appeared at the end was. Could it be Li Li's girlfriend?
Song Tao sat on one of the chairs, watching Zhou Luming tidy up Li Li's clothes. After Zhou Luming shook his clothes and a piece of paper fell out, Song Tao picked it up first. It turned out to be a football match ticket.