Shadowy Clashes Under Shattered Pride

On the rooftop, shadows begin.

A fierce wind raged across the building's rooftop, and torrential rain poured down, threatening to engulf the entire world. Lin Wanqing, dressed in an exquisitely tailored black trench coat, stood tall and aloof, holding a long-handled black umbrella, looking down at Zhong Hua, who was crouching on the ground. Zhong Hua was soaked to the bone, her hair clinging disheveled to her face, rain streaming down her cheeks, soaking her thin clothes, leaving her utterly disheveled.

Lin Wanqing's lips curled into a mocking smile, her eyes filled with disdain. She coldly said, "Do you know why Gu Yanting married me? Because I can help him launder money." Her tone was casual, yet it struck Zhong Hua's heart like a hammer blow. With that, she gently released a coin held between her long, slender fingers, letting it slip from her grasp and fall into the traffic below the 68th floor.

Zhong Hua instinctively reached out to grab it, but only managed to grab a handful of rainwater. She watched helplessly as the coin rapidly shrank and eventually disappeared into the vast rain and traffic.

Lin Wanqing looked at Zhong Hua's actions, sneered, and continued, "And you, you can't even understand the small change in his account."

Zhong Hua bit her lower lip, rainwater mingling with tears as it flowed into her mouth, the salty taste filling her palate. She slowly raised her head, her eyes filled with resentment and anger, staring directly at Lin Wanqing: "Do you think you can win like this? Using these underhanded methods, neither you nor Gu Yanting will have a good ending!"

Lin Wanqing raised an eyebrow dismissively, tilting her umbrella slightly so that more raindrops dripped down the ribs onto Zhong Hua's head: "A good ending? In this industry, only those who understand and utilize the rules can survive. You're too naive, ridiculously naive."

Zhong Hua clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white from the force: "I will not give up, I will definitely expose your crimes."

Lin Wanqing snorted, a glint of ruthlessness flashing in her eyes: "You? Don't bother struggling, you can't change anything. Look at yourself now, like a stray dog."

Zhong Hua trembled slightly. Every word Lin Wanqing uttered was like a knife, piercing her heart. But her conviction grew stronger. She slowly stood up, straightening her spine. Although she was still disheveled, her eyes were incredibly resolute: "I will not be defeated by you. No matter the cost, I will bring the truth to light."

Lin Wanqing narrowed her eyes slightly, scrutinizing Zhong Hua, seemingly assessing the determination in her words. After a moment, the corners of her mouth turned up, revealing a meaningful smile: "Then I'll wait and see how much trouble you can stir up. But before that, you'd better think about how much you can still handle."

Memories flooded back, and my self-esteem began to crumble.

Zhong Hua gazed at Lin Wanqing, her thoughts drifting back to the past. Once, she and Ah Yu had just entered this complex business world, innocent and naive, full of dreams. When the three first met, the sun shone brightly; they met under the cherry blossom trees on campus, their smiles radiant, their eyes brimming with anticipation for the future.

Ah Yu's gentle eyes, her warm smile, and all the little moments they spent together flashed through Zhong Hua's mind like a movie. But now, everything was completely different.

She recalled the first time she met Gu Yanting and Lin Wanqing; the aura of authority they exuded made her feel out of place. But she never imagined that these two harbored such a dark secret.

As she learned more about Gu Yanting's business activities, she became increasingly suspicious. Behind those seemingly normal transactions, there always seemed to be an invisible hand manipulating things. She began to investigate secretly, but little did she know that she would be drawn step by step into a huge vortex.

Lin Wanqing, this seemingly elegant and noble woman, always manages to deliver a fatal blow unexpectedly. From her provocation by the pool to repeatedly misleading her with false evidence, Lin Wanqing is like a demon, constantly destroying her beliefs and self-esteem.

Just like now, Lin Wanqing stood before her, ruthlessly trampling on her dignity with the disparity in money and power. Zhong Hua recalled how she had diligently studied finance, trying to find a foothold in this business world, but now, in Lin Wanqing's words, her efforts were worthless.

Lin Wanqing, observing the changes in Zhong Hua's expression, seemed to guess what she was thinking and said sarcastically, "What, starting to reminisce about the past? Don't be delusional, the past is gone and can't be returned to. You and Ah Yu were never a match for us from the very beginning."

Zhong Hua took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down: "The past is gone, but the future is still unknown. Don't be too smug."

Lin Wanqing shrugged, looking indifferent: "Think what you want, but you have to understand that in the face of absolute power, your resistance is futile."

The shadow of power, a struggle for survival

After her rooftop confrontation with Lin Wanqing, Zhong Hua returned home, her mind reeling. She knew she was facing a tough battle; her opponent was not only powerful and influential but also ruthless.

She sat in the dimly lit room, the faint light from the computer screen illuminating her haggard face. She reopened the files on Gu Yanting's business activities, trying to find more clues.

Suddenly, she discovered a suspicious flow of funds. The funds appeared to be invested in a legitimate project, but after tracing them layer by layer, she found they ultimately ended up in a mysterious overseas account. She continued to dig deeper along this trail, only to discover that every related document and record seemed deliberately concealed, making it incredibly difficult to obtain further information.

Meanwhile, Ah Yu was also in trouble. Gu Yanting noticed his investigation into Project 203 and began to suppress him in various ways. At work, he kept assigning him difficult tasks, trying to make him make mistakes; in his personal life, he also sent people to monitor him, keeping his every move under control.

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