Yi Zhengwei lay peacefully in her arms, his face resting against her palm—a touching and melancholic scene.
Song Jingmo threw the newspaper aside with a dark face, but Yi Mantian picked it up with good temper and read it with great interest.
"Old Song, we're too old to understand the affairs of young people."
Song Jingmo gave a heavy snort, wondering if she should call Xu Zhihan. That boy was sensitive and would keep his unhappiness to himself. He could tell that Xu Zhihan liked Song Qing.
Since the development cooperation project with the bank, he had heard rumors about Song Qing and Yi Zhengwei from time to time. As a businessman, he trusted Song Qing's actions and performance. This was a tactic, but he did not expect the rumors to intensify, especially after she and Xu Zhihan had agreed to get married.
Bill stormed into the bank and slammed newspapers and magazines onto Yi Zhengwei's desk, sending a pile of scraps flying.
"Do you want to kill her?!"
Yi Zhengwei frowned, didn't respond, but picked up a magazine and started flipping through it casually.
Shen Xing probably saw it too, but there was nothing he could do about it, he thought. He wondered if he could find time to go to the hot spring tonight, otherwise she would start overthinking.
"We haven't even figured out his plan yet!" Bill was so angry that his face turned red and white, and he was panting heavily. His face was full of regret, and he was beginning to regret his original intention.
Yi Zhengwei stood up, patted his shoulder and said, "No matter what, it's time. He's endured for so long. If this drags on any longer, we'll fail together! Do you really want to see them continue to entangle themselves?" He didn't think his drastic measures were inappropriate.
Bill rudely shook off his hand, but he couldn't deny that what he said was true. The crucial moment had arrived. He had waited so long just to see this show, but he was also very conflicted!
Shen Xing stood blankly on the balcony, looking at the lush trees and vast grassland around her. She had been playing with her phone all morning, but she just didn't have the courage to call Yi Zhengwei. She believed in him; he wouldn't really be with that eldest daughter of the Song family... But then, she shook her head violently, tears streaming down her face, and slid helplessly down the balcony wall.
Her phone suddenly rang. It was Shen Yang. She wiped away her tears, put aside her sadness, and answered the call.
"Sis! You haven't read today's newspaper yet, have you?" Shen Yang said, pulling his schoolbag, his face full of anger, but he spoke cautiously.
"No, Yang, how are things at school? You're graduating soon, have you made any plans for work?"
Shen Yang breathed a sigh of relief, raised his eyebrows, and exuded a youthful and exuberant aura.
She waved her hand dismissively and said, "I'm not afraid! With my abilities, why would I be afraid of not finding a good job? By the way, sis, you have to come to the graduation ceremony next week! I'll be waiting for you!"
Shen Xing got up and went back to her room, drawing the curtains. She felt uneasy. "Yang, did you call home? I think Mom and my brother will be worried..."
"Sis, stop talking! I don't want them to participate! In my heart, you're the only family I have!"
Shen Xing patted her forehead dejectedly, knowing that the family's historical grievances ran too deep and she was powerless to do anything about it. She was always caught in the middle between her mother and her sister, torn between the two.
"Okay, I'll go. Yang, you'll be starting work soon, you need to change your personality, okay? You'll offend people like this, I'm really worried." She knew her younger sister didn't have any bad intentions, but she was just too straightforward, always acting on her own whims without ever explaining herself. As a result, her sister went away to study at a young age. She came to Linchuan because she was worried about her sister, and her mother was naturally happy about it.
Shen Yang initially wanted to refuse outright, but as she looked at the newspaper she had trampled under her feet, her legs trembling, she raised an eyebrow and made up her mind.
"Okay, sis, I've made up my mind. I want to work at your husband's company!"
"What?!"
"That's right! Sis, don't worry. With me keeping an eye on your husband, everything will be fine. Besides, getting a job at a bank is something many people dream of. Sis, you want me to have a good future, right?"
Shen Xing hesitated, "But Zhengwei..."
"Sis, call him right now! Tell him I want to intern at his company. Knowing how much he dotes on you, he'll definitely agree!" She slammed the newspaper shut, a smug look on her face. This is the perfect opportunity, sister. Now is the time for me to protect you.
Song Qing was aware of the rumors circulating these past few days, but she simply didn't have the energy to deal with them.
At today's routine meeting, Gao Hua from the Marketing Department reported that a client they were in contact with, who was originally going to finalize a cooperation agreement this week, suddenly became hesitant. Although the reasons given were somewhat high-sounding, it was clear that they had weighed the pros and cons in their minds.
What exactly is going on? Although this won't affect the overall situation of Fuhua, she has a vague feeling that something is wrong.
Secretary Liu knocked on the door and entered, handing over the meeting minutes and reporting on the day's work. Afterwards, she stood hesitantly in the middle, still holding the documents, looking as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
"Secretary Liu, just say what you need to say," Song Qing said with a smile.
"Sigh, Mr. Song, I don't know if I'm right or wrong. Please don't take it to heart if I'm wrong." Secretary Liu gritted her teeth, put down the documents, and sat down opposite Song Qing.
Song Qing's face darkened, he sat up straight, and nodded.
"That's right, the second young lady's behavior has been somewhat unusual lately."
What do you mean by that?
"As far as I know, she has been frequently attending business banquets lately..." Regardless, this is a family matter, so she spoke in a somewhat veiled manner.
"You mean the change of the partner's intention is related to this?" She paused for a moment, then asked uncertainly.
Secretary Liu nodded firmly, "That's right, President Song. You know the environment in Linchuan. If there are any bad rumors, they will spread very quickly. Besides, she just withdrew a large number of shares from the company to invest in Weisheng."
"No, Secretary Liu."
In her anxiety, Secretary Liu blurted out, "President Song, you shouldn't tolerate this anymore. Reporters have photographed Engineer Xu and her frequently interacting. Moreover, the marriage between Fuhua and Weisheng has been announced to the world. All these things combined will be very detrimental to Fuhua!"
Song Qing stood up, patted Secretary Liu on the shoulder, smiled gratefully, but still said, "Since the Song and Yan families are united by marriage, they should make progress together. I will verify what you said."
Secretary Liu sighed. She knew the second young lady of the Song family all too well. Having served Song Jingmo for so many years, she was extremely knowledgeable about the business world. She could already sense the impending major upheaval, but she was powerless to do anything about it.
Watching Secretary Liu leave, Song Qing rubbed his forehead, then slumped wearily onto the desk, feeling a splitting headache.
Thinking of the vast Fuhua, with so many people looking at her with expectation and belief, Linchuan was like a vast sea full of reefs, making her tremble with fear every moment.
"Zhihan, where are you?"
"Xiao Qing, why aren't you asleep yet?" Xu Zhihan jumped up in surprise. He had been driven crazy lately, feeling uneasy about the decision he had made, unsure if it was right or wrong. He only wanted to avoid Song Qing, and he hadn't said a word about her recent rumors with Yi Zhengwei. One reason was because he trusted her, and the other was because he felt he had idealistically trusted Song Ning. If things changed, he had no right or position to ask.
"I can't sleep. I feel like a storm is brewing. Zhihan, I feel so tired." She stood by the window, wearing a pure white bathrobe. The pale moonlight shone into the small courtyard on the first floor, and the white swing swayed in the breeze. It was a childhood memory she remembered vividly, yet it felt like she was seeing it in a dream.
Xu Zhihan looked guilty, his brows furrowed, and he got up, lit a cigarette, and took a long, deep drag.