Chapter 1656 You Pushed Me Down (Part 2)

When Zhuo Minglan entered Shang Bin's house, her face was expressionless, neither sad nor happy.

However, her two hands, tucked into her sleeves, were clenched into tight fists, and her body, hidden beneath her clothes, was convulsing slightly out of control. She was like a lone wolf targeted by a hunter, on the verge of going berserk because of her hatred for the hunting rifle.

However, Shang Bin and his family of three still treated Zhuo Minglan warmly.

Just like last time, Shang Bin's wife, Zong Lidan, took Zhuo Minglan's hand and invited her to dinner, and also asked Zhuo Minglan about her future plans.

"Xiao Zhuo, I heard you're going to live in Lighthouse soon? Oh my, what a coincidence! Duo Duo and I are also in New York."

Your husband works on Wall Street, right? That's so close! You can come over to our house sometime. By the way, after you get to Lighthouse, are you planning to continue your studies or become a housewife?

Zhuo Minglan lowered her brows and said calmly, "She should continue her studies! At least she needs to overcome the language barrier."

Zong Lidan smiled gently and said, "This is a good choice. The division of labor in Lighthouse society is more defined and realistic than here. Only by improving ourselves can we enjoy a better life."

"Since your husband can become a top trader on Wall Street, his judgment in this area can't be wrong."

"."

Zong Lidan's expression and words gave people a feeling of warmth and comfort, as if Zhuo Minglan was a female elder who cared about Zhuo Minglan's future.

But her daughter, Shang Yunduo, suddenly said, "This aunt has arrived at the lighthouse. She probably won't be able to go to school for a while, right? Isn't she going to have a baby?"

Those middle-aged Chinese men who can't find wives, aren't their main purpose in returning to China to find wives to carry on the family line? Besides, top traders on Wall Street earn hundreds of thousands a year, do they really need wives who work in the public eye?

Zong Lidan and Shang Bin's expressions both changed.

Zhuo Minglan had just lost her child, and the topic of "having children" was taboo for her. Shang Yunduo's behavior was tantamount to rubbing salt into someone else's wound.

Shang Bin immediately scolded his daughter: "What are you saying, Duoduo? Women have never been appendages of men, much less reproductive tools for carrying on the family line. Have you wasted all the years of your education?"

Zong Lidan said with a half-smile, "Duoduo, don't talk nonsense. Look, your father is angry. Aren't you going to apologize to Aunt Zhuo?"

Shang Yunduo made a face and giggled at Zhuo Minglan, saying, "I'm sorry, Aunt Zhuo, I misspoke. We women are definitely not anyone's appendages. We only need to spend men's money. Look, here's my watch."

Shang Yunduo raised her wrist, revealing an exquisite watch: "This watch costs over forty thousand US dollars. Remember to have your husband buy you one too after we get to the Lighthouse, otherwise those snobbish guys will look down on you. Remember to buy it on Madison Avenue, otherwise you'll easily end up with a fake."

After entering, Zhuo Minglan remained expressionless. Suddenly, she asked, "Your watch is worth over forty thousand US dollars?"

Shang Yunduo pouted and said, "Yeah! My dad doesn't let me spend money recklessly, so I can only buy this regular model. You mustn't follow my example; you should definitely make your husband buy you the limited edition!"

"Alright, Duoduo, stop joking around."

Shang Bin, his face grim, stopped his daughter, then looked at Zhuo Minglan and said, "Xiao Zhuo, no matter what country you're in in the world, you can't completely rely on others; you need to have some ability."

Once you reach the lighthouse, you may encounter many hardships. Don't lose heart or become discouraged; all difficulties are temporary.

If you encounter any insurmountable difficulties, you can contact your Aunt Zong and me. After all, we are both from China, and we should help each other when we are away from home.

Zhuo Minglan stared intently at Shang Bin, as if searching for the shadow of Shang Bin from a year ago.

At that time, Shang Bin was elegant and dashing, with an extraordinary demeanor, which captivated Zhuo Minglan, who had just entered society.

Shang Bin still exudes the charm of a middle-aged man, but in Zhuo Minglan's eyes, he seems shrouded in a mist, making it impossible for him to distinguish between reality and illusion, or between a ghost and a human.

You said you could contact Aunt Zong, is that right? You mean I should contact you?

Finally, Zhuo Minglan murmured, "Can we really help each other?"

Shang Bin nodded and said affirmatively, "Of course, that's only right."

Zhuo Minglan suddenly smiled: "I'm in trouble right now and I need $20,000. Could you help me out of this obligation?"

Shang Bin was stunned.

He never expected that Zhuo Minglan would "seize the opportunity" and ask for 20,000 US dollars right off the bat.

Today's Zhuo Minglan is completely different from the Zhuo Minglan he knew.

Zhuo Minglan used to admire his refined demeanor and personal charm, and never talked to him about money.

It was precisely because Zhuo Minglan was not greedy for money that Shang Bin was so infatuated with her, even at the cost of gossip.

But now, Zhuo Minglan is actually asking him for money.

Zong Lidan was taken aback when he heard Zhuo Minglan ask for 20,000 US dollars, but he immediately looked at Shang Bin and revealed a playful smile.

To some people, a woman who only knows how to ask for money is the least valuable.

Shang Bin was very hesitant.

His relationship with Zong Lidan is currently in a delicate balance. Normally, a little bit of scandal is fine, but once money is involved, this balance becomes unpredictable.

Zhuo Minglan didn't care about money before because she was young, but for women like Zong Lidan who are over forty, money is everything.

Although Shang Yunduo is younger, she has already spent two years immersed in the money-grubbing world of Lighthouse and also values ​​money very much.

She asked Zhuo Minglan exaggeratedly, "Oh, twenty thousand US dollars? Aunt Zhuo, do you know how much twenty thousand US dollars is?"

Zhuo Minglan answered instantly: "It's less than half the price of your watch. How much do you think it is?"

"No, no, Aunt Zhuo, you've got it wrong. The amount of money depends on the person."

Shang Yunduo chuckled and said, "Twenty thousand dollars is indeed half a watch to me, but not to you. A woman like you would only get ten dollars a time in Chinatown. Have you ever been with my father two thousand times?"

"."

Zhuo Minglan was a little stunned, not understanding what Shang Yunduo meant by "ten dollars, two thousand times".

However, Shang Bin and Zong Lidan suddenly changed their expressions and glared sternly at their daughter.

But Shang Yunduo not only pretended not to see it, but also intensified her words: "Since Aunt Zhuo is going to wait for him, then I'll tell you about the lighthouse situation."

The lighthouse area is teeming with gold, but also with traps. A woman like you, once there, will only be able to rely on her husband.

If your husband has an affair or loses his job, you'll immediately find yourself in the worst possible situation, where doing business in Chinatown for ten dollars a time would be perfectly normal.

"Duoduo, what nonsense are you talking about? Where did you hear all this gibberish at such a young age?"

Shang Bin was so angry that the veins on his forehead bulged, because he saw the raging fire rising in Zhuo Minglan's eyes.

Zhuo Minglan understood what Shang Yunduo meant.

She slowly turned her neck to look at Shang Bin and asked in the coldest tone, "You think I'm not worth twenty thousand dollars?"

Shang Bin quickly said, "Minglan, don't listen to children's nonsense. How can people be measured by money?"

"What about the baby in my belly? How much is my baby worth?"

Zhuo Minglan trembled violently, frantically questioning Shang Bin: "When you used drugs to abort my child, did you think about how much it would cost?"

"."

Even though Shang Bin was a seasoned veteran with the ability to keep his emotions hidden, his expression turned extremely ugly at this moment.

Even a tiger wouldn't eat its cubs, but that was his son!

Not long ago, Shang Bin was still dreaming of a perfect life with both a son and a daughter!

Zong Lidan's eyebrows furrowed, and her previous amiability vanished: "Miss Zhuo, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want. What is the relationship between your child and my old man Shang?"

“It has nothing to do with your husband, but it does have something to do with your precious daughter.”

Zhuo Minglan laughed maniacally, "So that's why your daughter kept pouring me drinks that day! She added something to them! Don't try to deny it. The doctor at the hospital already tested it and is going to report it to the police."

"Don't report this to the police."

Shang Bin blurted out those words subconsciously, only realizing his mistake afterward.

This is already a tacit admission.

But the hospital tests have already shown a problem. If he doesn't admit it, doesn't Zhuo Minglan think of them?

Zhuo Minglan's lips curled into a strange smile: "So now, do you still think twenty thousand dollars is a lot? Is your daughter even eighteen this year? If she's not eighteen, she'll have to go to a juvenile detention center."

"Why should my daughter go to a juvenile detention center?"

Zong Lidan interrupted, coldly saying to Zhuo Minglan, "I don't care what the hospital tells you, but we don't understand what you're saying. This is a society governed by law. If you want to slander us, you need to produce solid evidence first."

Hahahaha~ Hahahaha~

Zhuo Minglan laughed loudly, tears streaming down her face: "You people are indeed hypocritical, not only hypocritical but also shameless. Do you really think that just because you don't admit it, we little people can't do anything to you? Just because you can cover up everything?"

You're right.

Zong Lidan sneered, "This society is just that cruel. If you don't believe me, you can go and report it to the police right now and see if they believe you or me."

Zhuo Minglan tilted her head and asked Shang Bin, "Who do you think the police will believe?"

Sigh~

Shang Bin sighed and said earnestly, "Minglan, don't be so extreme. Calm down first. We can put the money issue aside for now, but you really can't say things carelessly."

"Oh~"

Zhuo Minglan nodded in realization, the manic smile vanishing from her face, replaced by the cold expression she had when she first entered.

"That's right, I really need to calm down and see your true colors."

"."

After saying this, Zhuo Minglan stood up and slowly walked to the window.

The sunlight outside the window was bright and warm, shining on her face.

Zhuo Minglan first looked up at the sky, then looked down at the building below.

Shang Bin's residence is on the third floor, neither too high nor too low, just right.

If it's too high, jumping down could easily result in a fatal fall; if it's too low, you'll only get a few scrapes.

Zhuo Minglan turned around and said to Shang Bin, "You pushed me down."

"What? What did you say?"

Before Shang Bin could understand what Zhuo Minglan meant, he saw Zhuo Minglan climb onto the windowsill, open the window, and jump out.

No~

...

Li Ye received the phone call in the middle of the night, and it was two calls in quick succession.

The first call was from Shan Shengwen. As soon as the call connected, he said anxiously, "President Li, something terrible has happened again. Zhuo Minglan fell from the upper floor of Shang Bin's house and broke her leg. President Ma is away on a business trip. You need to come and make a decision right away."

Li Ye was startled awake from his dream, still somewhat dazed: "Uh, ah? Zhuo Minglan fell down the stairs? What's the big deal? Besides, Zhuo Minglan isn't our employee anymore, what does it have to do with us?"

No.

Dan Shengwen said anxiously, "President Li, our staff on duty just received a call from the police, asking us to go over immediately to identify the person and see if it's one of our employees. When we got there, we found out it was Zhuo Minglan. Zhuo Minglan said she was pushed off the window by Shang Bin."

Li Ye exclaimed in shock, "What the hell? Why are you doing this? Are you trying to kill me to cover your tracks?"

"Oh my, Mr. Li, you're still in the mood for jokes! People from head office have already gone, and they've even kept our staff on duty outside."

"Wow, if you put it that way, this is quite a big deal."

Li Ye pondered for a moment and immediately instructed, "Send a few people to take care of Zhuo Minglan right away. They need to be quick-witted, plus two security guards. Zhuo Minglan's safety must be guaranteed."

Dan Shengwen hesitated and said, "We guarantee Zhuo Minglan's safety? Didn't you just say she's not our employee? If the head office takes over, this will be a hot potato."

Li Ye decisively said, "Old Dan, whatever Zhuo Minglan says is none of our business, but if something happens to her..."

Only then did Shan Shengwen remember Li Ye's words, "kill to silence."

"Understood, understood. I'll personally oversee the hospital until we have results."

Li Ye hung up Shan Shengwen's call, put on his clothes, and rushed to the hospital. Halfway there, he received a call from Yi Mingzhao, the head of the company.

"Li Ye, where are you?"

"Mr. Yi, I'm on my way to the hospital! I just received a call from the police, and I'm rushing over to handle it."

"Don't go to the hospital yet, come straight to the head office."

"Oh, okay, okay."

After hanging up the phone, Li Ye mentally reviewed all the information he had received, gradually piecing together a general outline.

Zhuo Minglan's fall from Shang Bin's apartment building was definitely not a normal accident; she was probably pushed. Otherwise, Yi Mingzhao wouldn't have been alerted.

Since Yi Mingzhao was alerted, Shang Bin must have confessed something, and Yi Mingzhao probably wanted to handle it "internally."

The rumors between Zhuo Minglan and Shang Bin are not a secret within the Jingnan Group. Now that it has become such a big deal, someone will definitely investigate. What they can find out depends on whether the Jingnan Group will cover for Shang Bin.

After Li Ye arrived at the head office, Yi Mingzhao asked bluntly, "Li Ye, what exactly was Shang Bin's relationship with Zhuo Minglan during his time at your Jingnan Group?"

Li Ye didn't hide anything and said directly, "I can't say what kind of relationship they have, but in the past six months, Shang Bin and Zhuo Minglan have often gone out on inspections together, about a dozen times in total!"

Yi Mingzhao waved his hand and said, "You don't need to talk about this kind of work situation. What I want to know is whether there is any concrete evidence between them to prove that Shang Bin's conduct is problematic?"

"There is indeed concrete evidence."

Li Ye frankly stated, "Last year, our company conducted comparative testing of two heavy-duty truck prototypes in Chuncheng. Deputy General Manager Shang personally went to supervise the process, and then he and Zhuo Minglan suddenly disappeared and could not be contacted at all."

Because the security situation in Chuncheng was very complicated, we were too anxious and had to notify the police to search for them. Then a big misunderstanding occurred, and the two of them were arrested by the police as if they were Park Chang's men.

Yi Mingzhao exclaimed in shock, "What? He was arrested by the police?"

Li Ye nodded and honestly replied, "Yes, I grabbed it from the bed."

"Woni Sister"

Yi Mingzhao rubbed his forehead, even swearing.

Then he asked, "How many people know about this?"

Li Ye said, "The police definitely have records. There are three people on our side who know about this: me, Dong Shan, and Shang Bin's secretary, Geng Yunping."

"Three people?"

Yi Mingzhao frowned and thought for a moment, then said, "Li Ye, this matter is very detrimental to our company's image, and we must handle it properly."

Li Ye glanced at Yi Mingzhao and guessed what "handle properly" meant.

That means making him lie!

Just kidding, why would I tell such a lie?

Li Ye said directly, "President Yi, if the police don't question me, I won't say anything. But if the police do question me, I have no choice but to tell the truth."

Yi Mingzhao paused for a moment, then said, "Li Ye, you and Shang Bin may have some disagreements at work, but after all, you are colleagues in the same group. You share the same fate, and you share the same fate."

"Mr. Yi, you've misunderstood."

Li Ye interrupted Yi Mingzhao rudely: "If only I knew about this, then it would be fine, but now three people know. Who can guarantee that the other two won't stab me in the back?"

Yi Mingzhao fell completely silent.

Li Ye's meaning was very clear: what if I lied first, and then the other two "confessed" the next day? Wouldn't I be committing perjury?

Giving false testimony is illegal.

Putting aside the fact that Li Ye and Shang Bin didn't get along to begin with, how could he possibly have the nerve to let Li Ye risk everything to cover for him?

For example, Dong Shan hates Li Ye to the bone now. If Li Ye gives a false testimony, who can guarantee that Dong Shan won't expose Li Ye?

(End of this chapter)