Chapter 8

After Song Zhenhong returned home, life was like ice and snow melting in the warm sun, gradually losing its previous harshness. Song Mingye managed the company very well, Song Linchuan returned to school, and even Xiaobai became more lively, always circling around their feet, and laughter filled the house more often.

That weekend, Song Mingye had a rare moment of leisure and took Song Linchuan to a park in the suburbs for a picnic. A spring breeze blew by, carrying the fragrance of grass and flowers. Song Linchuan lay on the picnic mat, his head resting on Song Mingye's lap, looking up at the white clouds in the sky, his eyes crinkling with laughter: "Brother, this is so nice."

Song Mingye lowered his head, his fingertips gently brushing against Song Linchuan's hair, his eyes full of doting: "We'll come here often in the future." He picked up a strawberry and fed it to Song Linchuan's lips, watching the boy open his mouth and take it in, the beauty mark at the corner of his mouth swaying gently as he chewed, his heart filled with a warm and comforting feeling.

Little White chased after the butterflies, occasionally stopping to wag its tail at the two of them. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows that fell upon them, so warm that they almost forgot the storm that had just passed.

But this pleasant moment didn't last long. Song Mingye's phone suddenly rang urgently; it was his assistant calling. He answered the phone, and the smile on his face instantly froze.

"President Song, something terrible has happened! The company's core technical data has been leaked! Several competitors have suddenly launched products that are exactly the same as ours, seizing a large share of the market. Now we have a lot of customer complaints, and the stock price is plummeting!" The assistant's voice was trembling with panic.

Song Mingye's face instantly darkened, his fingers unconsciously tightening so much that even Song Linchuan, who was resting his head on his lap, noticed the change. "I understand, I'll be back right away." He hung up the phone, his voice terrifyingly low.

"Brother, what's wrong?" Song Linchuan sat up and looked at him with concern.

"Something came up at the company, and I have to go back to deal with it." Song Mingye rubbed his temples, suppressing his frustration. "Achuan, you can play here for a while. I'll come pick you up when I'm done."

“I’ll go back with you.” Song Linchuan stood up immediately, his eyes resolute. “I can’t let you face this alone.”

Seeing his earnest expression, Song Mingye felt a warmth in her heart and reached out to hold his hand: "Okay, let's go back together."

The two packed their things, called Xiaobai back, and hurriedly drove back to the company. As soon as they entered the conference room, they saw that the executives all had solemn expressions, documents were scattered all over the floor, and the atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

"Mr. Song, you're here!" The marketing manager stood up first, his tone urgent. "The other party's product not only has the same core technology as ours, but its price is also 30% lower. Now we're losing our old customers!"

Song Mingye walked to the head seat and sat down, tapping his fingertips on the table as he glanced at everyone: "Have you found out who leaked it?"

The head of the technical department shook his head, his face grim: "We checked all the access records and found nothing unusual. But we're certain it was done by an insider, because only a handful of people in the company have access to the core data."

Song Mingye's brows furrowed even more. An insider? Who could it be? Names flashed through his mind, but he couldn't come up with a clue.

"Brother, could it be related to the person who framed Uncle before?" Song Linchuan stood beside him and whispered a reminder.

Song Mingye's heart skipped a beat. Attorney Li had previously mentioned that the person who framed Song Zhenhong had considerable influence. Could it be that they hadn't given up yet and had now turned their attention to the company?

"Immediately establish a special investigation team to thoroughly investigate the data leak," Song Mingye said in a deep voice. "In addition, notify the public relations department to hold a press conference immediately to stabilize customer sentiment; the sales department should increase promotional efforts to try to recover the market."

"Yes!" everyone responded in unison, and they all got up and got busy.

The meeting room gradually emptied, leaving only Song Mingye and Song Linchuan. Song Mingye leaned back in his chair and wearily closed his eyes. One problem after another, he felt the burden on his shoulders growing heavier and heavier.

Song Linchuan walked to his side, gently took his hand, and the warmth of his palm transmitted through his skin, carrying a comforting power: "Brother, don't worry, we will definitely find out who did it."

Song Mingye opened his eyes and looked at the boy beside him, his agitation gradually subsiding. He pulled Song Linchuan over, made him sit on his lap, and hugged him tightly: "It's so good to have you here."

For the next few days, Song Mingye practically lived at the company. The investigation team worked day and night, but still couldn't find any crucial clues. Meanwhile, the company's situation worsened; several key partners again requested to terminate their contracts, the stock price plummeted, and the company plunged into an unprecedented crisis.

Every day, Song Linchuan would prepare meals and deliver them to Song Mingye at the company. Looking at Song Mingye's increasingly haggard face, he felt both heartache and anxiety, but could only silently stay by his side and take care of everything in his life.

That evening, Song Mingye dragged his tired body home. As soon as he entered, he saw Song Linchuan sitting on the sofa, holding a document in his hand, with a serious expression.

"Brother, you're back." Song Linchuan stood up and handed the file to Song Mingye. "I found this while I was organizing Uncle's case files today. Take a look."

Song Mingye took the document and examined it carefully. It was a cooperation agreement from years ago, and the partner was now one of their competitors offering the same product. What shocked him even more was that the signatory on the contract was none other than Zhang Qiming, his father's most trusted former deputy.

“Zhang Qiming?” Song Mingye’s eyes turned icy cold instantly. “It’s him!”

When his father got into trouble, Zhang Qiming was the first to offer to withdraw his investment and spread negative rumors about the Song family everywhere. Song Mingye had always found him suspicious, but he never expected that Zhang Qiming would collude with the person who framed his father and even leak the company's core information!

"Brother, what do we do now?" Song Linchuan asked.

Song Mingye clenched his fist, a ruthless glint in his eyes: "Since he dared to do it, he must pay the price."

He immediately picked up his phone and dialed Attorney Li's number: "Attorney Li, could you please help me investigate Zhang Qiming and his relationship with that competitor company..."

After hanging up the phone, Song Mingye looked at Song Linchuan with a determined gaze: "Achuan, we will definitely win this time."

Song Linchuan nodded and reached out to hug him: "Brother, I believe in you. No matter what happens, I will be with you."

As night deepened, the living room lights remained bright. Song Mingye knew a new contest was about to begin. But this time, he was no longer fighting alone; with Song Linchuan by his side, he had enough courage to face all the undercurrents.