The butler led him to the restaurant.

However, the dining table was empty, without even a glass of water.

"Please have a seat," the butler said, then turned and left.

Gu Zheng arrived at the restaurant's floor-to-ceiling windows. Outside was a flat, lush green lawn, with only a row of pink and white European roses planted on the side.

Simple, beautiful, high-end...

A mocking smile curled at the corner of his mouth; wealthy people even take care of the scenery outside their restaurants.

"Do you like that scenery?" Gu Fanyan's voice suddenly rang out.

He turned around and glanced at Gu Fanyan. "The housekeeper just said that at home I should call President Gu 'Uncle,' so I should call you 'Sister Fanyan.'"

"I can't accept that." Gu Fanyan refused without hesitation, and put down a document. "Gu Zheng, this is your resignation letter. Sign it."

Gu Zheng calmly stepped forward and glanced through the resignation letter, a slight smile playing on his lips. "The compensation is quite high. Since I resigned voluntarily, am I entitled to such treatment according to regulations?"

Gu Fanyan shook her head: "The amount on this is not compensation from the company, but a personal gift from me."

"You gave it to me?" Gu Zheng raised an eyebrow in confusion.

“That’s right. I can tell you seem to be short of money. Maybe after you have this money, your hatred for rich people will lessen. And you can also cause them less trouble.”

Gu Fanyan bared her thorns, showing no mercy.

Gu Zheng's face gradually turned pale: "Gu Fanyan, you can say what you want to say directly. There's no need to attack my background."

"It would be good if you could speak frankly, but please tell me, who provided the data to Director HT, thus ruining my plan?" Gu Fanyan questioned directly.

Gu Zheng understood; so that's what it was about.

"That's right, I did provide HT with your planning document for the shopping mall project."

"It's good that you can admit it." Gu Fanyan interrupted him, "Dad, did you hear everything clearly?"

Mr. Gu walked in from outside the restaurant, his dignified expression tinged with disappointment.

"Dad, can you sign Gu Zheng's resignation letter now?" Gu Fanyan asked.

She explained the situation to Mr. Gu, but he insisted on hearing him admit it himself.

Gu Zheng's expression remained unchanged as he continued, "I haven't finished speaking yet. It has nothing to do with me that Director HT gave up on meeting you."

"Who does that concern?" Gu Fanyan asked.

Gu Zheng shook his head. "I don't know, but the data I submitted wasn't given directly to Director HT, but to Young Master Lin's assistant."

"Lin Zhibai?" Gu Fanyan asked in surprise.

Gu Zheng nodded, "These are all verifiable facts, I have no reason to lie."

Mr. Gu asked sternly, "What exactly happened?"

Gu Zheng shook his head: "You'll have to ask Lin Zhibai about that."

Gu Fanyan sat down silently, remaining speechless for a long time.

Gu Zheng smiled and said, "Although I couldn't have dinner here today, I'm already satisfied just to see what the Gu family villa looks like."

"I hope that next time I come here, I can sit at a table and have a meal."

After saying that, he turned and left.

He didn't care about Gu Fanyan and her father's reactions.

“Dad, you see? Even if HT’s matter has nothing to do with him, he’s definitely not a good person,” Gu Fanyan said.

“Yan’er, take care of your own affairs,” Mr. Gu said. “Doing projects in the company is like eating; don’t let personal feelings make people question your abilities.”

As Gu Fanyan watched her father's departing figure, she understood that it wasn't that her father didn't trust her, but he also trusted Gu Zheng.

As for Gu Zheng's ulterior motives and sinister intentions, these were merely her intuitions.

My father doesn't believe in intuition.

Gu Fanyan tried her best to avoid meeting Lin Zhibai alone, but she still couldn't escape it.

...

"Young Master Lin, Miss Gu has arrived." The assistant led Gu Fanyan into the ward.

Lin Zhibai's eyes lit up, but quickly dimmed again. There was another person beside Gu Fanyan, Lin Guangchen.

“Dr. Lin,” Lin Zhibai said coldly, “it seems that you are not my attending physician.”

Lin Guangchen put down the flowers in his hand. "I'm not here to check on your condition. Look, I'm not even wearing a white coat. I came to see you with Fanyan."

"Shut up!" Lin Zhibai hissed. "Fan Yan is not someone you can call."

"Cough cough cough..." He coughed violently after saying that, and it seemed that he was angry.

Sheng Xin immediately stepped forward and patted Lin Zhibai on the back.

Lin Guangchen shook his head dramatically, "You clearly injured your foot, how come your internal organs are also damaged?"

Sheng Xin asked anxiously, "Dr. Lin, is Brother Zhibai's internal organs really damaged? He hasn't been eating properly these past few days. Can you help us think of a solution?"

Lin Guangchen shrugged: "Eat when you're hungry, don't eat when you're not. What can I do about it?"

"Get out!" Lin Zhibai shouted angrily as he caught his breath.

"I came to see you out of kindness, but this is the attitude I get in return." Lin Guangchen put his arm around Gu Fanyan's shoulder. "Fanyan, since he doesn't welcome us, why should we stay here and put up with his attitude? Let's go."

Lin Zhibai didn't speak, his handsome eyes fixed on Gu Fanyan.

He was indeed weak all over, and his injured foot prevented him from putting weight on it; otherwise, he would have jumped out of bed long ago and grabbed Gu Fanyan and wouldn't let go.

Gu Fanyan looked at Lin Guangchen and said, "Go outside and wait for me. I'm going to chat with Lin Zhibai for a bit."

Lin Guangchen was very magnanimous and turned to leave.

Lin Zhibai glanced at Sheng Xin, his meaning clear.

Sheng Xin hesitated, wanting to pretend she didn't see it.

Gu Fanyan was too lazy to argue with them, and there was no need to avoid Sheng Xin about this matter, so she went straight to the point: "Lin Zhibai, did you send someone to submit my project data to the director of HT?"

Lin Zhibai's gaze faltered slightly, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes, "You came for this..."

She didn't understand why he was acting this way when he was the one who was causing trouble.

She turned her gaze away, unaffected by his emotions. "The occupancy rate of top-tier brands in the mall must not be less than 70%. That's your requirement. Why are you trying to obstruct my negotiations with HT?"

"Sheng Xin, get out," Lin Zhibai said in a commanding tone.

Sheng bit her lip in resentment and could only walk away.

As she reached the door of the ward, Lin Zhibai's voice rang out again: "Close the door."

Sheng Xin reluctantly complied.

Gu Fanyan didn't even glance at it; the things between him and Sheng Xin annoyed her.

“Sister Fanyan,” Lin Zhibai continued, “I haven’t had an appetite lately.”

Her tone changed from icy cold to weak and listless, with a hint of complaint.

Gu Fanyan frowned: "I'm not here to feed you."

"Don't you want to know what's going on with HT?" Lin Zhibai shifted his gaze and glanced at the lunchbox on the bedside table.

What does he mean?

Should I have her open his lunchbox?

"Sister Fanyan, based on our shared childhood friendship, how can you bear to see me continue to be sick?" He played the emotional card.

"The bond we share from growing up? Is it worth you explaining what HT is all about?" Gu Fanyan retorted.

However, she still stepped forward and opened the lunchbox on the bedside table.