Chapter 42 [42]

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After giving my statement at the police station, it was already 10 p.m. when I returned to Guanjiangyue.

Bright white lights illuminated the entire living room. Luo Qingyue sat on the sofa, with Lu Mingxiao beside her, holding her wrist and applying ointment to help the marks fade.

Luo Qingyue bent her knees and stared at Lu Mingxiao's face.

Her unease subsided the moment he appeared, but Lu Mingxiao remained on edge.

He applied the ointment very gently, and Luo Qingyue felt no pain.

After the procedure was completed, Lu Mingxiao closed the medicine box, and Luo Qingyue sat cross-legged, pulling Lu Mingxiao to face her.

She raised her hand and lifted his facial muscles: "Ah Xiao, come on, smile."

Lu Mingxiao remained unmoved, while Luo Qingyue tilted her head and accused, "Didn't your uncle teach you not to be so cold to girls?"

Lu Mingxiao smiled, which was considered granting her request. He then pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.

Luo Qingyue hugged him back, gently stroking his back. A deep male voice sounded in her ear, simply saying three words: "I'm sorry."

Luo Qingyue shoved the man away and demanded, "You've been seeing other women behind my back?"

Lu Mingxiao shook her head, then gasped and asked, "I was talking in my sleep and accidentally revealed my bank card PIN. Did you transfer all my assets?"

Luo Qingyue raised her hand to cover her lips, her shock evident in her expression.

Lu Mingxiao rubbed her face: "My girlfriend is really quite cute."

Indirectly denying it, Luo Qingyue asked in confusion, "Then why are you apologizing to me?"

Lu Mingxiao let out a soft sigh: "I know that Dome Flavor is Yao Wenbai's business. If I had seen your message in time, none of this would have happened."

He was attending a charity gala, surrounded by government officials and other business leaders. He had to exchange pleasantries and engage in conversation, so he entrusted his phone to Xiao Xie for safekeeping. Xiao Xie wouldn't casually check his messages, but he would answer the phone, which is why he could relay messages promptly.

Luo Qingyue put her arm around Lu Mingxiao and let his head rest on her shoulder.

"They knew you had something going on tonight, so they took this opportunity to ask me out."

"Sister Xu asked me to deliver documents. It's a very normal thing to do at work, and it's not the first time. Who would have thought that there was such a deep undercurrent behind it, and that it was impossible to guard against it?"

Luo Qingyue suddenly became excited: "But the longer I spend with you, the more my IQ improves. Although I have never met Yao Wenbo, I immediately guessed it was him. Throughout the process, I kept guiding him towards becoming an ally with him. Except for the last time when he asked me to cooperate in filming the kidnapping video for you, he did not cause me any real harm."

His girl always brings him unexpected surprises.

Lu Mingxiao held her hand: "You didn't become smarter because of me, you were always smart."

Luo Qingyue readily accepted, then asked, "Aren't you curious about what happened between me and the waitress that made her risk losing her job to help me so willingly?"

"Just curious."

Lu Mingxiao blurted out, "But you can't keep things to yourself, you'll tell on your own, and here you are."

Feeling manipulated, Luo Qingyue snorted twice in annoyance, but still hurriedly told him.

“Yao Wenbai is a despicable person. When a waitress accidentally spilled water on him, he slapped her. While he was raging, I wrote a note, helped the waitress up from the ground, and quickly stuffed it into her hand. I spoke up for the waitress, and in return, she helped me.”

"The power of women helping each other is often particularly great."

Lu Mingxiao praised her, then asked, "Has Yao Wenbai ever mentioned Lin Qian to you?"

Luo Qingyue denied it: "I have to say, our Director Lin is very cunning. She remained completely hidden the whole time. If we didn't know about her relationship with Yao Wenbai, who would have thought that she would get involved? Asking Sister Xu to deliver the documents was probably also at her behest. Since Sister Xu wasn't in the company, she would definitely come to me first."

Knowing about his relationship with Luo Qingyue, he still gave Yao Wenbai such a bad suggestion.

It seems that in Lin Qian's heart, this man's importance should not be underestimated, and it is hard to guarantee that he will not affect Mingyue himself in the future.

Lu Mingxiao pretended to ponder: "Lin Qian has already made her move, so we can't let her live."

Luo Qingyue thought for a moment: "She is, after all, a veteran of Mingyue, and has made significant contributions. She hasn't done anything wrong on the surface. Just like today, if you were to look for her, she could easily shift the blame to Sister Xu."

Lu Mingxiao chuckled: "Then let's give her a taste of her own medicine and let her settle things with Mingyue herself."

——

Yao Wenbo was sentenced to seven days of administrative detention. When he was released from the detention center, Lin Qian drove to pick him up.

As soon as he sat in the passenger seat, Yao Wenbai hugged Lin Qian with a sob in his voice: "Life inside is unbearable. Rats and insects crawl around my pillow. I can't eat or sleep well every day. Look at me, I've lost weight."

Lin Qian patted Yao Wenbai's head like she was coaxing a child: "It's okay, it's all over now, let's go home."

Yao Wenbai grunted in response, and Lin Qian started the car and drove onto the city avenue.

Unable to use his phone in the detention center, Yao Wenbai turned it back on and discovered that the outside world had changed drastically.

Wang Xian, the current president of Extreme Domain, personally issued a notice, which was approved by the board of directors, stating that Yao Wenbo was dismissed due to dereliction of duty, insufficient work ability, and failure to meet previously promised KPIs and management goals.

Yao Wenbo was unconvinced and immediately called Wang Xian.

Wang Xian answered the call, but his attitude was clear: "Just because I didn't say anything about the bad things you did in the past doesn't mean I didn't know. This time, Lu Mingxiao came to my door in person, so of course I have to give him an explanation. I hope you will turn over a new leaf and start anew. This is my final advice to you. There's no need to contact me again. That's all."

Before he could say a word, Wang Xian hung up the phone without saying another word.

Yao Wenbo was so angry that he threw his phone to the ground. Lin Qian already knew about this news, which had shocked the entire car industry three days ago.

Yao Wenbo's home is a two-story villa in the suburbs, decorated in a magnificent style. This is the wedding room he prepared for his marriage to Lin Qian.

Lin Qian helped Yao Wenbai carry his luggage to the second-floor bedroom: "Don't think about work for now, take this time to rest."

Lin Qian came yesterday and changed the sheets and duvet cover.

Yao Wenbo lay down on the bed, took Lin Qian's hand, and let her rest her head on his shoulder: "I knew it. Even if the whole world abandoned me, you would still stand firmly by my side."

Lin Qian closed her eyes and didn't say anything: "Think about what you want to eat, and I'll make it for you."

Yao Wenbo glanced at his phone: "It's only four o'clock now."

"Today is Yufei's birthday, and I'm going to her party tonight."

Yufei is Lin Qian's best friend.

Yao Wenbo turned to look at her: "Wasn't her birthday last month? Did I remember wrong?"

Lin Qian: "Last month was the lunar calendar month, but she suddenly had the idea to go through the solar calendar month again."

"Then take me with you."

Yao Wenbo hugged her arm and said coquettishly, "I haven't met any of your friends yet."

"Not tonight."

Lin Qian declined, saying, "You just got home; you should focus on recovering."

"Okay, I'll do as you say."

Yao Wenbo wrapped his arms around Lin Qian's waist and kissed her collarbone. "How about I feed you first, then we go out?"

Lin Qian had to admit that she and Yao Wenbo were very compatible in bed.

The other person always sensed her needs and brought her a thoroughly enjoyable pleasure.

After leaving the villa, Lin Qian went back to her own home, a two-bedroom apartment she rented near Mingyue Industrial Park.

She changed into a newly bought sundress, put on makeup, glanced at the messages on her phone, and headed to Platinum Club.

Yao Wenbai losing his job means that their biggest source of income has been cut off.

She is a thorough realist; she believes that relationships and marriages without money are just empty shells and cannot last.

Although it was cruel, Lin Qian was determined to find another way out for herself.

Recently, an investor named Yin Xingwei, who has been cooperating with Mingyue for a long time, took the initiative to contact her on WeChat.

Lin Qian had chatted with Yin Xing several times and knew that he had a lot of businesses both domestically and internationally, so she had a very good impression of him.

The other party took the initiative to ask her to meet, and Lin Qian agreed without hesitation. The meeting place was the Platinum Club.

Platinum Club is a well-known high-end club in Dongchuan. Those who come here to spend money are either rich or noble, and many political and business people hold banquets here.

That's why it's not something you can just walk into. Fortunately, Yin Xingwei had sent her a pass code in advance. After the lobby clerk scanned the code and confirmed the room number, he personally led her up and opened the door to the room.

Lin Qian thanked the deliveryman, went into the private room, and closed the door.

Yin Xingwei was sitting alone on the sofa when Lin Qian walked over to him, called out "President Yin," and sat down next to him.

Yin Xing opened a bottle of foreign liquor. Lin Qian didn't recognize the brand, but she was convinced it was expensive.

Both wine glasses were filled to about half capacity. Yin Xingwei handed one glass to Lin Qian, then picked up the other and clinked glasses with her.

"It's a pleasure to meet Miss Lin on such a wonderful evening. How about we dance together?"

There was a small stage in the private room, and Yin Xingwei led Lin Qian up to it.

He taught her to waltz, but she was clumsy and stepped on his feet. Yin Xingwei smiled and told her it was okay, continuing to teach her patiently, his gentleness almost excessive.

Fortunately, Lin Qian was quick to learn and soon danced perfectly with him without making any mistakes.

After finishing that part, Yin Xingwei handed her another microphone, put his arm around Lin Qian's shoulder, selected a song, and began a love song duet.

His voice is very pleasant, and he is also very handsome.

His eyes were full of love as he looked at her. In her daze, Lin Qian dropped the microphone, wrapped her arms around Yin Xingwei's neck, and kissed him on the sofa.

This was a feeling she had never experienced with Yao Wenbo.

If Yao Wenbo was a blazing flame, then Yin Xingwei was a gently flowing stream, slowly eroding her heart inch by inch.

As their kiss deepened, Lin Qian reached under his shirt, but Yin Xingwei suddenly stopped what he was doing, picked up a wine glass from the coffee table, and drank it all in one gulp.

"What is your annual salary at Mingyue?"

Faced with Yin Xingwei's question, Lin Qian asked in confusion, "Why would President Yin suddenly be curious about this?"

"Does Director Lin know Vero?"

Vero was a defunct car company that had only been in operation for two years.

Lin Qian nodded, and then heard Yin Xingwei say, "I'm the kind of person who likes to challenge the impossible. The more others don't believe in something, the more I want to do it. So I want to rebuild the team and revitalize Velo."

"Still making cars?" Lin Qian asked.

"certainly."

Yin Xingwei replied, "The reason I asked that question is because I value Director Lin's abilities. If you come to Vero as a veteran, I'll make you the vice president directly, with an annual salary five times what you earned at Mingyue."

Five times, directly exceeding one million, is indeed quite tempting.

But Lin Qian wasn't a newcomer to the workforce, so she couldn't possibly agree to the price on a whim.

"May I ask Mr. Yin if you have done a risk assessment? Why did Velo go bankrupt in the first place? It was because it betrayed both old and new users. Its technology was inadequate and its after-sales service was poor. If you reopen it, it will fail again in a few days. Wouldn't I be left to starve along with you?"

"You have to trust my judgment; the projects I've chosen have never gone wrong."

Yin Xingwei poured Lin Qian a glass of wine and handed it to her, saying, "Instead of creating a new brand, why not give the old brand a makeover and make it stand out to the public?"

Lin Qian took the wine glass, took a sip, and then said, "As far as I know, you and President Lu have a good relationship. You've played golf together, participated in marathons together, and now you're involved in the car company. Doesn't that mean you'll become his rival? President Lu must be very disappointed in you."

"There are no friends in the business world. As long as a project can make money, I am willing to invest. Besides, society cannot do without competition. My involvement may generate new industrial momentum."

Yin Xingwei's words were reasonable and well-founded, and Lin Qian looked at his face, her resolve wavering unconsciously.

"I know this is a difficult decision for you. You can go back and think about it first, and give me an answer within three days, okay?"

Lin Qian finished her drink and admitted, "To be honest, Mr. Yin, I am indeed considering changing to a new work environment."

Yin Xingwei: "Is your promotion at Mingyue limited, or is there some other reason?"

"Neither."

Lin Qian denied it, saying, "I followed President Cheng in Longhua, and I still do the same when I come to Mingyue. I want to see the outside world and broaden my horizons."

Yin Xingwei: "I understand you don't want to be a frog in a well. That Vero is a good fit for you."

Lin Qian: "So there's no need to consider it anymore. I'm willing to join. I'll submit my resignation next Monday."

No rush.

Yin Xingwei held Lin Qian's hand and gave her a deep kiss. "Before you leave Mingyue, I have an important task for you."

Lin Qian listened attentively.

Yin Xingwei looked up, and gentle words flowed into her ear.

"I want all of Mingyue's customer data to date to fire the first shot in Vilo's comeback."

[Author's Note]

Moon: [Eating melon seeds][Eating melon seeds][Eating melon seeds]

Xiao: [Sunglasses][Sunglasses][Sunglasses]

I've written 160,000 words already, and I still haven't decided when to end it. [laughing and crying emojis]