Chapter 78 I'm lonely

Ever since she heard Shi Zhenglin was leaving, Li Xuan had been wanting to get together with Lin Yao and Long Weihe for the weekend. Xingtan had major personnel changes, and she couldn't resist chatting with them in person, but she hadn't gotten around to it. Now that they'd both left and Ping Mei had joined, she'd arranged another weekend get-together to get her feelings out. With Long Weihe away and Lin Yao having classes both weekends and an elective in the evening, she decided to have dinner at a hotel restaurant on campus, taking advantage of the gap between afternoon classes and evening electives to chat with Li Xuan. "He went home to take care of the kids," Li Xuan said as they sat down and explained the reason for his departure. "Right," Lin Yao feigned confusion. "Do you know anything about his family situation? No one at the company can figure out what kind of family situation led him to this point. Some suspect he's divorced, others say he had problems with Boss Yang. I believe the family reasons are genuine. I know he has a daughter, but I don't know about his wife. It's such a shame." Speculations were rampant at the company, and Li Xuan wanted to hear her answer. She knew Li Xuan was a whistleblower. To help her stay stable at the company, she'd provided her with a lot of information about Shi Zhenglin, but not his personal details. This was probably what she'd wanted to know most when she'd invited her to dinner. It wasn't gossip, though; someone like her wouldn't share any information she'd learned. It was just a question lingering in her mind, a constant concern for his situation. "We don't know anything about his personal situation, President Xuan," Lin Yao poured her tea. No matter how close their relationship was, she couldn't tell anyone about anything related to Long Weihe. "His departure hasn't affected you much, has it?" Lin Yao asked. "Not yet. Ping Mei and I have spoken, and I'm proceeding as normal. There will be no adjustments to projects or personnel." During the meal, Li Xuan didn't get any information out of her, but she'd asked for her help, and she'd gotten a ton of information out of her. "I have a colleague I'm close to who's looking to change jobs. Can you keep him on the lookout for opportunities? It's hard to find suitable opportunities in the market right now. He's a bit older," Li Xuan asked. "What does he do?" "He's an auditor at the group headquarters, Chief Auditor at Tongya." "Bring your resume over later. What's Tongya like now?" she casually asked. "Big changes! Lin Guanghui's son has joined the company." Lin Yao returned her chopsticks empty from picking up food. The words "Lin Guanghui's son" pricked her nerves. It had been almost three months since this man had mysteriously disappeared. She had never expected to hear about him again in this way. "When did it happen?" "A while ago. They're in turmoil right now, with the separation of powers and infighting." Her mind flashed to the image of Lin Yuxun sitting...

Ever since she heard that Shi Zhenglin was leaving, Li Xuan wanted to get together with Lin Yao and Long Weihe on the weekend. With the major personnel changes at Xingtan, she couldn't help but want to chat with them in person, but she never made the appointment.

Now that everyone has resigned and Pingmei has also come, she has made plans to get together on the weekend and she can't help but talk.

Long Weihe was not at home, and Lin Yao had classes two days over the weekend and also had elective classes in the evening. She simply decided to have dinner at a hotel restaurant on campus, and took advantage of the gap between afternoon classes and evening elective classes to have dinner and chat with Li Xuan.

"He went home to take care of the children." Li Xuan sat down and stated the reason for his resignation.

"Is that so?" Lin Yao pretended to be confused and cooperated.

"Do you know anything about his family situation? No one in the company can figure out what kind of family situation led him to this point. Some suspect he's divorced, while others say he and Boss Yang have a conflict. I believe his family reasons are genuine. I know he has a daughter, but I don't know about his wife's situation. It's such a pity for him."

There was constant speculation within the company, and Li Xuan wanted to have her questions answered. She knew that Shi Zhenglin was a well-informed person, and that he had previously provided her with a lot of information about Shi Zhenglin to help her stay in the company, but not his personal information.

This was probably what she wanted to know most when she went to dinner with him. It wasn't just gossip, someone like her wouldn't tell anyone else even if they knew something, but she just kept this question in her mind and kept an eye on his situation.

"We don't know about his personal situation, Ms. Xuan." Lin Yao poured her tea.

No matter how good the relationship is, as long as it involves Long Weihe, she will never tell anyone.

"His resignation has no impact on you, right?" Lin Yao asked.

"Not yet. Pingmei and I have discussed this matter. I will proceed as usual. There will be no adjustments to the project or personnel."

During the meal, Li Xuan didn't get any information from her, but she asked her for help and was caught by her and asked a lot of information.

"I have a colleague who I have a good relationship with. He wants to change jobs. Can you help me keep an eye out for opportunities? It's hard to find suitable opportunities in the market now. He is quite old." Li Xuan asked.

"what for?"

"Audited by the group headquarters, Tongya's chief auditor."

"Send me your resume later. How is Tongya doing now?" she asked casually.

"Big changes, Lin Guanghui's son has entered the company."

Lin Yao put away the empty chopsticks she had used to pick up the food. The words "Lin Guanghui's son" pricked her nerves.

It has been almost three months since this person disappeared inexplicably. She never expected to hear him again in this way.

"When did it happen?"

"It's been a while. They're in chaos right now, with the separation of powers and fighting openly and covertly."

Her mind flashed back to Lin Yuxun sitting across from her, saying he didn't want to waste time, that he had to be well prepared before entering the game, that he'd wait for the other party to make a mistake and then exploit it, and that he wanted her to help him break down and replace them... Perhaps he had entered the game unprepared, otherwise how could there be such chaos, with the separation of powers? He was so childish, and yet he still wanted to fight. She took a sip of tea.

"What is separation of powers?" she couldn't help asking.

"In terms of business, Jiang Zhiping is directly in charge of raw materials and equipment research and development, his son-in-law and daughter are in charge of the plastic surgery hospital, and his son now seems to be in charge of the medical examination center and hotel, which has the worst financial data. Lin Guanghui set up a game for them to compete. Tongya has to compete on financial data for these three divisions every year."

"Jiang Zhiping is an outsider, and his son-in-law also has a different surname. Normally, the biological son would directly take over. Why is Lin Guanghui so mean to his son?"

She actually felt a little indignant.

Li Xuan smiled subtly. "Everyone speculates that the relationship between Jiang Zhiping and Lin Guanghui is not so innocent. Perhaps they are just confidantes. She and her son-in-law are both outsiders with the surname Lin. They leverage each other's strengths and transfer benefits, so their relationship is much better. The crown prince is a hidden danger for them. How can they survive if the crown prince ascends to the throne? If they don't kill them all, they will definitely join forces to deal with the crown prince. It seems that Lin Guanghui had a bad relationship with his son in the past, so it's normal that he is not well-liked. Lin Guanghui plays a game of checks and balances, giving way to family affection and interests. Who knows whether Tongya will have a professional manager system or a family inheritance system in the future?"

"Doesn't his son have other businesses outside? Why would he go into Lin Guanghui's business and suffer?"

“I don’t know.”

"Why does your audit colleague find it so difficult? They fight among themselves. What does it have to do with him?"

"He's directly under Lin Guanghui's supervision of a sensitive department, a functional department within the group controlled by Lin Guanghui. If he saw something fishy in a business sector, how could he bring himself to do it? One might be his confidante, one a favored son-in-law, and one is, after all, his biological son. If he raises an audit issue, he could be torn to pieces if he's not careful. If he doesn't raise it, his conscience will be against him, so the best option is to leave."

"Okay, send me your resume. I'll arrange a meeting with him when the opportunity arises."

After class in the evening, Lin Yao got into a taxi, leaned back in his chair, and watched the light and shadows recede outside the window. His mind was still on what Li Xuan had said about Lin Yuxun's struggle for power.

She pulled out her WeChat account and looked through the messages he'd sent her, one by one. No matter what, this person had truly existed. She finally stopped at a few messages where he pestered her about who she was, with a message in between: "Lin Yao, I won't let you go!"

Typical crazy talk from that kind of guy. Probably angry words in protest at her not replying his message.

For some reason, this sentence irritated her at this moment. The only way to not let go was to disappear? What effect could it have on her? It wouldn't hurt her at all. Who do you think you are? She was so angry that she cleared her mind with one click.

The WeChat conversation is blank, which saves me the trouble. I don’t have to look at it anymore.

She suddenly felt very lonely. Long Weihe had left on Thursday, and she hadn't seen her for three or four days. She missed her and Qian Duoduo.

She first hit Qian Duoduo's watch.

"What are you doing?"

"Play in the water."

"Are you happy?"

"happy."

"I don't think I did."

"A little."

"Where's Long Weihe?"

"have no idea."

"Where's Shi Zhenglin?"

"have no idea."

"Why don't you tell me anything? Who is your best friend?"

"Shi Shi."

He used to call her "little sister." That had changed. She actually felt bad hearing that.

The two people he didn't know about were out. This large suite had its own garden hot spring pool, and Aunt Xu had just put him and Shi Shi in the pool to play in the water.

She then called Long Weihe.

"When will you be back?"

"I was just thinking of discussing with you, can I delay my return for a day? I'll be back at the company on Tuesday. Please approve it."

She was in Shi Zhenglin's arms. The two of them took a nighttime stroll along the garden paths of the estate at the foot of Phoenix Mountain in Conghua. She answered the phone, and he held her, his face pressed against her ear, demanding to hear the approval result.

He begged to delay his return for a day. She said she needed Lin Yao's approval.

"You've all been gone for three or four days now, right? Shi Zhenglin is poison, and you're addicted? You're obsessed with pleasure, not striving for progress. Are you and Qian Duoduo ignoring me? I'm lonely."

The person who was listening laughed, let go of her, and continued to hold her hand and walk forward.

"I'll treat you to a meal when I get back. You should find a way to solve your loneliness problem yourself."

"What a heartless thing to say. Tuesday is Tuesday, and you can come back in a month. Tell Shi Zhenglin that he has ruined my life so much, and it's up to him to decide how to make it up to him."

Long Weihe hung up the phone.

"Not very good, I can't walk anymore." She stopped to rest. In fact, she didn't walk very far.

"tired?"

"Yeah, I'm tired and sleepy."

"You achieved your goal." He pinched her face and smiled evilly.

She suggested going out for a walk tonight. When they left the house a little after nine o'clock, he saw through her and said with a smile that she might not have the energy to exercise indoors after her outdoor exercise. He asked her what her intention was.

She had been doing too much indoor exercise these days, so she wanted to rest tonight.

"I'll carry you."

"No. Walk slowly."

"When we get married, we'll go jogging together in the morning. You should build up your strength." He put his arm around her waist and used some force to push her along.

He said this naturally. He thought they would definitely get married, it was a natural thing and it would not be far away.

She suddenly fell silent.

"Why aren't you talking?" He became nervous, realizing that his words had caused her to react.

She really couldn't agree to him.

It's not like she hasn't thought about their future relationship. She now values the existence of love itself more. Without the constraints of marriage, love is purer. If love fades, a marriage certificate holds no weight, and betrayal will still occur. If love persists, they'll stay together even without the constraints of marriage.

She believed in the relationship between them and her sense of security did not depend on a marriage certificate.

But he cared about her reaction. He stopped, hugged her and stared into her eyes. "I will propose to you soon. You can't run away."

The two talked about the future direction of their relationship for the first time.

"Can't we get along like this now?" she asked.

He understood what she meant.

"This is great, I'm content. But we should belong together in one home. I want to see you every day, I have to fulfill my responsibilities, and protect you and Duoduo in a legitimate way. Otherwise, I'll be in the clouds every day, feeling uneasy and unsettled."

"I believe we will always be together, and I also need us to be together. Being together doesn't necessarily require a marriage certificate, right?" She touched his face and comforted him.

"I need it, I really need it..." He pressed her head against his chest and held it tightly. "I'm sorry, I was too anxious. You need some time. It's okay. I'll wait."