Chapter 38: Two Minutes of Your Time

He provoked her, and she gambled again, pretending to be indifferent, "That's fine, you can find another one, there are plenty of professional companies providing consulting services in the market." "Okay." He said cheerfully, and looked at his watch, "It's getting late, I'll take you home." No one would compromise. He put the meat next to her mouth, whetting her appetite, and then retracted the line. She saw that the ice in his glass had melted, and thought that it was a waste of time to come to drink a glass of water with him so late, and she was very unhappy. She stood up lightly, "No need to take me home. Goodbye." He also stood up, put his hands on the bar, and smiled at her face, "It's not a small matter if the cooperation fails. We have a close relationship that agreed to copy each other's homework, so it's only right for me to take you home." She smiled on the surface, but rolled her eyes at him inwardly, "Fuck your close relationship, I don't know what kind of shady family power struggle is that requires so much drama to lure in people to be accomplices." She grabbed her bag and glanced at her watch. "I'm used to taking the subway. Oh, I have to catch the last one. If I miss it, I'll miss it. Going on, bye!" She went to the hallway to change into her own stilettos, making a clattering sound as she stepped out. He followed her out, watching her hurry down the stairs. Under the nightlight, her cascading black hair shone with a stubborn energy. She was uncontrollable, difficult to deal with, he thought. "Take care, Lin. Missing the subway isn't a big deal. If you can't get a cab, call me." He alluded to the broken-off talks as he looked at her retreating figure. She didn't bother to pay him any attention. She thought, You useless prince, so shady, so pretentious, so scheming, and even then, you're talking about missing the subway. I don't care about doing anything immoral with you. If you ever ask me to do this again, even if you beg me, I won't do it. Even if I do, I won't be Lin Yao unless I demand a hefty price. The streetlights were dim, and she twisted her ankle just as she was walking down the stairs. It hurt a little. She stopped, squatted on the ground, and rubbed it, blaming herself. She wasn't from the same class, so she shouldn't have climbed this staircase. Even if they worked together, they couldn't integrate. She would definitely fall down the stairs. After walking a little further, her foot still hurt. She was really late for the subway, so she hailed a taxi. In the car, Qian Duoduo called with her watch. "Miss, are you home yet?" She looked outside. "Yes. Why are you still up so late? Did you call Long Weihe?" "I called from my own place. I've got a birthday present for Shi Shi. I'm going to give her a skateboard." He spoke quietly and furtively. "Why skateboard? You don't understand girls, you don't know how to give gifts. You should get a Barbie doll or a stuffed animal." "No! That's ugly." "Then get a Mini furniture set, a kitchen, tableware, and so on. You can play house." "No! That's childish!" "That... that kind of gift box... inside...

He provoked her, and she gambled again, pretending to be indifferent. "That's fine, you can find another one. There are plenty of professional companies in the market that provide consulting services."

"Okay." He said cheerfully, looking at his watch. "It's getting late. I'll take you home."

No one compromises.

He put the meat next to the person's mouth to whet his appetite, then reeled in the string.

She saw that the ice in his glass had melted, and she felt very unhappy that she had come all this way to drink water with him so late at night, but it was all in vain. She stood up lightly and said, "No need to see me off. Goodbye."

He also stood up, supporting himself on the bar with both hands, staring at her face and smiling, "It's no big deal if we can't cooperate. We're close friends and have agreed to copy each other's homework. It's only right that I deliver it."

She smiled, but inwardly rolled her eyes at him. "Fuck your strong connections! I wonder what kind of shady family power struggle is going on that requires all this drama to lure in someone else." She grabbed her bag and glanced at her watch. "I'm used to taking the subway. Oh, I have to catch the last train. If I miss it, it's gone. Going away, bye!"

She went to the hallway to change into her own stilettos, which made a clacking sound as she walked out.

He followed her out and watched her hurry down the stairs. Under the night light, her waterfall of black hair showed her stubbornness.

She's difficult to control and deal with, he thought.

"Take care, Lin. It's not a big deal if you missed the subway. If you can't get a taxi, call me."

He hinted at the breakdown of the negotiation as he looked at her back as she walked away.

She was too lazy to pay attention to him, thinking, you useless prince, you are so sinister, pretending, and trying to lure people in. You even said something about missing the subway. I don't want to do anything immoral with you. If you ask me to do this again one day, I won't do it even if you beg me. Even if I want to do it, I won't be called Lin Yao unless I ask for a good price.

The street lights were dim, and she twisted her ankle as she walked down the stairs. It hurt a little, so she stopped and squatted on the ground to rub it, blaming herself. She was not from the same class as them, so she shouldn't have come up these stairs. Even if they cooperated, they couldn't be integrated, and she would definitely fall down the stairs.

After walking for a while, her feet still felt a little sore and she was really late for the subway, so she stopped a taxi.

After getting in the car, Qian Duoduo called with her phone watch, "Miss, are you home yet?"

She looked outside the car. "We're here. Why aren't you asleep so late? Did you call Long Weihe?"

"I took this shot in hiding. I've thought of a birthday present for Shi Shi. I'm going to give her a skateboard." He spoke in a low, furtive voice.

"Why give her a skateboard? You don't understand girls, you don't know how to give gifts. You should give her a Barbie doll or a stuffed animal."

"No! It's too ugly."

"Then I'll give you a set of MINI furniture, kitchenware, tableware, etc. You can play house."

"No! Childish!"

"That...that kind of gift box, filled with Blingbling hair accessories, bracelets, and rings, is so pretty! Girls love it."

"No! Shi Shi told me that she likes my skateboard. I want to buy her an identical one."

She covered her head. She had lost the whole night negotiating with Lin Yuxun, and now she couldn't even convince Qian Duoduo. She was completely defeated. She compromised, "Okay, okay! Qian Duoduo, you're the financial sponsor, you decide. I'll take you to buy it tomorrow!"

She had bought him a skateboard, but Long Weihe said she couldn't possibly take him to that overbearing family. Lin Yao tried to dissuade her, saying that adults were adults and children were children, and that they were separate matters. She would provide transportation. Long Weihe didn't bother to interfere.

On Shi Shi's birthday, before Qian Duoduo left, Long Weihe showed up and didn't spoil his fun. She picked out a formal white shirt for him to wear, slicked some mousse into his hair, and gave him a little boyish hairstyle. She told him, "Just play with the other kids. Talk less to the adults. The most important thing is to have fun. If you're not having fun, come back. When your watch calls, we'll answer it."

Just as I was about to go out, Aunt Xu called and asked when I would arrive and asked her to go downstairs to pick me up.

Long Weihe avoided Qian Duoduo and said to Lin Yao, "Look, it was our aunt who spoke the whole time. Shi Zhenglin is so high and mighty. In his eyes, we are only worthy of being spoken to by his aunt. If you tell him about Li Mingpeng, he may not believe you. He might even do the same as I warned him last time. You've brought shame upon yourself, and he won't acknowledge it."

"Today is Tuesday, a weekday. That workaholic shouldn't be home. If I run into him, I'll see what the situation is. If he's in a good mood, I'll talk to him based on my mood."

She planned to talk to him about Li Mingpeng depending on the situation.

Shi Shi was up early. She was unusually active, taking the children's presence very seriously and bringing out all the toys that would appeal to them. Besides Qian Duoduo, Aunt Xu had also invited a girl of the same age from the same building whom she had recently met. She wanted to use this opportunity to get them acquainted and have a playmate.

Shi Zhenglin did not plan to go to work in the morning. He compressed all important matters into the afternoon and dealt with them when he returned to the company. He carefully set up a birthday party in the living room.

Li Yasong booked a flight and hotel to Yunnan and tried to persuade Shi Shi for several days, but Shi Shi disagreed to go. They did not plan to cancel the trip, so she came early in the morning to give her gifts and try to persuade her again.

Shi Zhenglin wanted Shi Shi to have a happy birthday, but Li Yasong made it difficult for the child to choose at this time, so he dragged her to the study.

"Didn't you urge me to come back to accompany her? Now I take her out to play, but you don't let her stay with me." Li Yasong became angry.

"Respect her wishes. It's her birthday today, so please don't make trouble, okay?" He tried to be as calm as possible and didn't want to argue.

"I'm saying this now. Don't call me and ask me to come back to see her."

"You're free. Whatever you want."

He no longer had any hope that she could bring any comfort to Shi Shi.

"I promised Shi Shi, and I've done it. It's not that I don't want to accompany her, but she doesn't want to go with me anymore. I'm catching a flight now, and I'll video chat with her tonight. I'm leaving."

The phone call urged her, and she was anxious. She returned to the living room and asked Shi Shi one last time, "Mom is leaving soon. Are you sure you don't want to go on the trip with me?"

Shi Shi couldn't answer her. She looked at Shi Zhenglin with tears in her eyes, "I want my parents to celebrate my birthday with me."

"Don't cry, if you don't want to go, then don't go. Mommy will video chat with you tonight. Happy birthday, baby!"

She kissed Shi Shi on the face, looked back at Shi Zhenglin, and turned to hurry on.

As soon as the person left, Shi Shi burst into tears and Shi Zhenglin couldn't comfort her.

Aunt Xu couldn't bear to watch, and shook her head at Li Yasong's departing figure. She also coaxed Shi Shi, "Shall we call Qian Enming? See if he's arrived yet?"

The call went through and the person is almost here.

Although she said she didn't want to send them off, Long Weihe still drove the two of them to the parking lot near the community.

Lin Yao helped Qian Duoduo put on his small backpack, which contained some of his favorite toys. He put it on his back and ran away with his legs loose.

"Don't go crazy!" Long Wei leaned out of the car window and gave another warning.

"Wait for me, I'll be back after I deliver him to them."

Lin Yao picked up the packaged skateboard and jogged after him.

She entered the community according to the address given by Aunt Xu and looked for the building. From a distance, she saw a man and a little girl standing by the fountain downstairs waiting.

Shi Zhenglin came to pick them up with Shi Shi. He thought the person who came was Long Weihe. From a distance, he saw that the child was the same child, but the adult was not the same adult. He looked around the garden but could not see any trace of Long Weihe.

"Shi Shi!" Qian Duoduo ran over.

"Qian Enming!"

"Why are you crying again?"

Shi Shi's eyes were still red.

"I didn't cry." Shi Shi sniffed. She cared about her face in front of him.

Shi Zhenglin looked at Lin Yao who was approaching. He had never seen her before and asked, "Hello, who are you——"

"I'm Lin Yao from Lin Hegan Headhunting. I've spoken to you on the phone before." She stood in front of him without even saying hello to him.

He had treated someone rudely before, and now he had brought his child to his door. At this moment, he became polite and said, "Thank you for sending him here. Can you come up and sit down?"

"No, I'd like to take two minutes of your time to chat with Mr. Shi."

She emphasized "I'll take up two minutes of your time."

He still remembered the phone call that had asked him for two minutes. He put his hands in his pockets, nodded and smiled, "Go ahead."

Lin Yao looked at the two children who were looking at the adults.

He squatted down and said to Shi Shi, "Take Qian Enming home first and go play first, okay?"

Watching the two children walk away, Lin Yao wandered over to the green belt on his side and asked, "Mr. Shi, do you know Li Mingpeng?"

His face darkened, "Why mention him?"

"I'm curious, so I wanted to ask Mr. Shi, when you were talking to KG and were about to make the offer, someone tried to derail it. Did you know about this? Also, did Chen Wenzhong from K Hunter approach you about going to Shanghai? The news got out, and a lot of headhunters bothered you, didn't they?"

"What do you mean?" His tone was fierce, and his eyes stared at her so hard that she felt scared.

She stood away from him. "I just want to figure out who screwed you over in the first place. We can't keep putting the blame on Long Weihe. The people in charge at KG told me some inside information. You talked to KG. It was Li Mingpeng who went to LEON to cause trouble, and ultimately didn't get you hired. It wasn't Lin He's fault for inaction. Also, Li Mingpeng went to K Lie to have someone poach you to come to Shanghai, and it was him who spread the news. It wasn't our Lin He from the beginning. I just find it strange, Mr. Shi, doesn't know anything about this?"

She finished speaking and watched him to see how he would respond.

He was extremely abnormal. He didn't say a word. He pinched his brow with one hand and looked extremely bad.

She was surprised by his overreaction and faced him, waiting for him to speak.

Unexpectedly, he said nothing, with an indescribable expression, biting his lip and nodding, then took two steps back from her, turned around and left in an instant, not towards home, but towards the exit of the community.

Seeing his furious back, she felt a chill in her heart. She had never seen that kind of look before, a look that seemed to be about to kill someone.

She actually felt like she regretted telling him.