Chapter 57 Lu Xiao just bought something from a certain online marketplace...

Lu Xiaogang had just arranged a meeting place and time with the buyer on Xianyu (a second-hand marketplace app) to pick up the Himalayan bag with a diamond clasp that Shen Nanfeng had bought for her last time.

After thinking about it all night, she finally decided to sell the bag.

She was short of money to get Huang Shiyu out of the detention center. She had considered going back to her parents to ask for the money, but then she thought it was none of their business and that it would involve their retirement savings, which made her feel guilty. So she decided to start with this bag.

The Himalayan bag with diamond buckle is considered the king of bags and is renowned for its rarity and high demand.

She held her bag and touched the handle very carefully.

As she passed through the living room, a financial news report was playing on the television, and the person being interviewed immediately caught her eye.

The person on the video call was Li Xingzhou.

It was purely accidental that she bumped into Li Xingzhou at Huang Shiyu's residence that day. She had originally gone to Huang Shiyu's place to pick up the things she needed for notarization, and she never expected to run into this person who had such a deep connection with Huang Shiyu.

He asked her if she had hired a lawyer.

She said not yet.

After saying this, Li Xingzhou simply nodded and went inside.

Lu Xiao couldn't figure out what Li Xingzhou meant. Was it just a simple greeting to show concern, or did he know that she hadn't had time to hire a lawyer and would offer to help Huang Shiyu if he learned about her situation?

If you can't figure it out, and you can't understand it clearly, then stop thinking about it.

After that, she took a taxi home.

In the past few days, she has been running around meeting with many well-known lawyers in criminal cases. Unsurprisingly, their consistent message was that she wanted to get out unscathed. One lawyer, however, advised her to try to get out on bail before the court makes a ruling, since the client knows the reasons best and it's not too late to discuss things afterward.

However, the cost of bail is quite high, considering it involves 400 million in taxes.

Although she has made a lot of money from stock trading over the years, it is nothing compared to the 400 million in taxes.

A drop in the ocean can hardly quench thirst.

So she decided to target the bag that Shen Nanfeng had given her.

The doorbell rang.

Lu Xiao looked away, knowing that the buyer had arrived. She had seen that the delivery address was near her home, just a few houses away, so she told the buyer the specific address.

It's best to inspect these expensive bags in person to avoid any disputes later.

As Lu Xiao opened the door and looked up, she was stunned. Lin Shuyu, who was standing at the door, was also stunned.

They were both clearly surprised that she was the buyer and the seller.

The moment of stunned silence was short-lived; Lu Xiao's voice still held a hint of surprise as she asked, "How come it's you?"

"I didn't expect it to be you who made the mistake." Lin Shuyu recovered from her surprise and smiled. "Long time no see, how have you been lately?"

"It's fine." She handed over the bag. "You can check the bag to make sure it's the same as the detailed photos I took."

Lin Shuyu glanced down casually at the bag. It was very new and clearly well-maintained, as such bags are so prone to yellowing. The fact that it was so well cared for showed that the person cherished it. She took the bag without bothering to examine it closely and looked at Lin Shuyu. "No need," she said, "I trust you."

He then asked, "This bag has a high market price. Will you regret selling it at this price?"

The diamond-buckled Himalaya bag is arguably the most collectible of all the Himalaya bag series. In addition to its limited release, it has also fetched astronomical prices at auctions, demonstrating its popularity among collectors.

Lu Xiao naturally knew this, and smiled, "I don't usually like to carry a bag when I go out. It's a waste to leave it here. I'd better give it to someone who needs it."

"Even if you wanted to buy other items to get this bag at the boutique, it would be very difficult and you would have to wait." Lin Shuyu's gaze moved from Lu Xiao's face to the bag. "And it's also extremely hard to find on the secondhand market. You really don't regret selling it to me?"

Lu Xiao lowered her eyes, her gaze lingering on the bag for a few seconds before she looked away without hesitation. "Really."

That's what she said, but she knew it was just a facade. A diamond-encrusted Himalayan bag—that's the dream of so many women.

She still remembers the excitement she felt when she received the bag. However, she was unwilling to show her financial distress in front of this elegant and wealthy woman. People are always prone to vanity and a competitive spirit, especially when the other person is a woman who is superior to you in every way.

Lu Xiao felt a pang of bitterness in her heart. To be honest, if she didn't urgently need money right now, she would have passed this T-bag down as a family heirloom.

But the most important point is that this person is a board member of Chengxin School. If she remembers correctly, this person has helped many children from wealthy families get into this prestigious school. So at this moment, she absolutely cannot show that she is short of money and that's why she's offering this bag. Otherwise, it will be difficult for DouDou to get into this primary school.

In the adult world, she knows that money is a quick measure of a person, so she has to act as if she doesn't usually like carrying a bag, rather than as if she's short of money.

She doesn't expect DouDou to be very successful, but his childhood environment and social circle can maximize his future connections, and she believes DouDou will thank her when he grows up.

Lin Shuyu glanced at her several times, then took out her phone: "Then I'll confirm receipt."

"Okay." Lu Xiao replied, then realized that she had been having someone stand at the door the whole time, which felt inappropriate. "Why don't you come in and sit for a while?"

Lin Shuyu had only come to pick up her bag and didn't intend to linger. "No need, I have something to do and I'll be leaving now."

After politely declining the other party's offer, Lin Shuyu, carrying the bag she had just received, walked gracefully out of Lu Xiao's sight. As she passed through the circular garden of the villa area, she encountered Shen Nanfeng, who appeared to have just finished a day's case in court.

Shen Nanfeng stopped and greeted her, his eyes seemingly fixed on the bag in her hand.

Lin Shuyu naturally noticed Shen Nanfeng's gaze. His eyes held a mixture of scrutiny, doubt, and confusion. She understood what was going on, but she wouldn't get involved. Her purpose today was simply to retrieve her bag.

She never expected that while idly browsing a certain online marketplace, she would stumble upon a diamond-encrusted Himalayan bag. Only a few of these bags are produced each year, making them incredibly difficult to buy. Besides being hard to find, you also need to purchase a lot of other items just to reserve one. Yes, just reserve; there's no guarantee you'll get it, since only a few are produced annually. So, at this point, it's all about having the financial means. The amount of other items she needs isn't important to her; the only concern is the long wait. But she desperately needs this bag; she wants to integrate into the circle of wealthy women. That's why she repeatedly asked Lu Xiao if she was really sure she wanted to sell it.

Under the blue sky and white clouds, Lin Shuyu simply smiled faintly and told him that she had something to do before turning straight to the left.

Shen Nanfeng watched Lin Shuyu's figure disappear around the corner before turning his gaze away and heading home.

Upon entering the house, she saw Lu Xiao sitting on the sofa in the living room. She couldn't help but recall the scene she had just witnessed, and casually asked, "Where's the bag I bought for you last time?"

Lu Xiao was communicating with her lawyer on WeChat and was also tired of finding excuses to deal with Shen Nanfeng, so she said sincerely, "It's sold."

Lu Xiao's decisiveness and indifference deeply stung Shen Nanfeng. His usually eloquent mouth, which was usually so persuasive in court, barely opened its mouth before finally asking, "Aren't you going to explain?"

Lu Xiao didn't even look up: "There's nothing to explain. Or do you want to hear what I have to say?"

Her nonchalant answer left even the usually eloquent Shen Nanfeng momentarily speechless. He felt as if Lu Xiao had kicked him hard, leaving him breathless. He knew perfectly well why Lu Xiao had sold that bag – to get Huang Shiyu out of the detention center.

After a moment, Shen Nanfeng's voice rang out again.

"Lu Xiao, it's no use. The court is still investigating and collecting evidence. It's impossible for you to get her released on bail now. Don't waste your energy."

This time, Lu Xiao didn't keep looking down at her phone typing. Instead, she looked up at Shen Nanfeng and said, "I'll do it even if it's useless!"

“You do this,” Shen Nanfeng stared intently at her, “just so you can live with your own conscience.”

"That's right." She didn't refute Shen Nanfeng's sarcasm. "I'll do as much as I can, instead of not helping at all and then making sarcastic remarks like you. You're afraid of causing trouble, but I'm not!"

Lu Xiao's words were undoubtedly piercing his heart. Did she think that he, Shen Nanfeng, was a coward who feared death? He just thought that it was a wise choice to protect himself. With a family, he often had to consider his family more than himself. He felt that his decision was not wrong.

"You haven't done anything to wrong her; on the contrary, you've done a great job as a friend."

Lu Xiao said firmly, "She is the closest person to me besides my family, and I can't abandon her."

Knowing Lu Xiao's stubbornness, he decided to take a step back and then move forward, "Have you thought about what would happen if she were really sentenced?"

Lu Xiao simply shook her head gently, her gaze tender yet firm: "She is innocent and has never done anything wrong. I don't want to make that assumption."

He was about to say something when Lu Xiao interrupted him.

"Shen Nanfeng, I've thought about it for a long time, let's get a divorce."

Lu Xiao's words undoubtedly caused a huge stir.

The two looked at each other, and Lu Xiao's eyes were fixed on him without flinching.

Shen Nanfeng was unusually tense.

He didn't know what he was nervous about. Perhaps he was afraid of what Lu Xiao would say, or perhaps he was afraid of the determination that was unintentionally revealed in her eyes.

Shen Nanfeng remained silent for a long time, unsure of what to say in this situation.

After a long silence, Lu Xiao continued, "I feel that this marriage is too painful for me. One of us has to make concessions first in order to have a period of peace, but it is very tiring to go back and forth like this. You are not someone who can compromise for others, so it must be tiring for you to make yourself feel wronged."

Shen Nanfeng wanted to rush up and cover her mouth to stop her from talking, but his legs felt like they were tied to a thousand-pound iron stone, making him unable to move. He could only stand there and wait for Lu Xiao to be slowly tortured.

The two stood there silently for a long time, until the last rays of the setting sun disappeared from the city skyline. They were still looking at each other. Suddenly, he thought of their child, the most unbreakable bond between them. He seemed to have just found his voice and asked hesitantly, "Have you thought about DouDou?"

Although Lu Xiao's body did not move at all, her brows furrowed slightly for a moment, but it was so slight that no one except Lu Xiao herself noticed it.

"He knows that his parents love him."

She said it very frankly, but Lu Xiao herself didn't know if Dou Dou would understand. However, she thought that Dou Dou was their child and he would understand.

At this moment, an indescribable feeling was rising in Shen Nanfeng's chest, constantly threatening his breath. He felt like he couldn't breathe, but he still calmly asked, "Do you still love me?"

Lu Xiao inappropriately recalled the time when Shen Nanfeng confessed his feelings to her. It was during the second semester of her junior year, when it was snowing lightly in Shanghai. She couldn't remember the specific details, but she remembered that she and Huang Shiyu were taking a walk in the snow when Shen Nanfeng called her on video and asked if it was snowing in Shanghai. She said it was snowing but not heavily. She forgot what they said in between, but she remembered that Shen Nanfeng vaguely said "I love you" to her and then hurriedly hung up the phone.

Lu Xiao joked with Huang Shiyu that Shen Nanfeng's way of confessing his love was really strange. She hadn't even said whether she loved him or not, and he was definitely trying to hook her so she would call him back. He was such a scheming boy.

Lu Xiao said, "I used to think that two people who love each other must be together, but now I think that loving each other doesn't necessarily mean being together. Maybe being apart is more suitable for us."

Shen Nanfeng took three deep breaths to suppress the involuntary panic. "Lu Xiao, calm down."

“I’m very calm.” She didn’t hesitate at all.

Lu Xiao looked at Shen Nanfeng and admired his panicked state. It turned out that he could be afraid too. It seemed like it had been a long time since she had seen him like that.

Her gaze seemed to have the power to pierce through time. She seemed to see Shen Nanfeng from her sophomore year, in the off-campus library, the place where she and Shen Nanfeng first met. She remembered that the library was dark at the time, and she thought there was a power outage. She wanted to check the main switch, but unexpectedly bumped into Shen Nanfeng who had just finished studying. Books were scattered around them. She later learned that there was no power outage.

This person's eyes are sensitive to light.

Her gaze remained fixed on Shen Nanfeng's face, as if she were looking at them from that year through him.

"Who could have imagined that we, who were once so loving, would end up like this?"

Lu Xiao's tone was so sentimental, so ethereal.

Shen Nanfeng began to lose his composure, but Lu Xiao persisted in talking.

"This decision wasn't made on impulse. I've actually thought about it for a long time. Ten or twenty years from now, we'll still be like this. Don't you feel that?"

Actually, Shen Nanfeng wasn't bad, it's just that marriage is different from dating. Their inherent nature is different. Married life wore down the sweetness of their relationship and magnified each other's shortcomings. When they argued, she would think countless times if she hadn't married Shen Nanfeng and had just continued dating, would all of this have happened?

But she couldn't guarantee that such a thing wouldn't happen, because she gradually recalled that they had also argued when they were dating. When people are in pain, they always add a filter to their past happy life, a hundred times the filter, and then amplify the pain of the present.

So she chose to let them go, giving each other a bright future.

The two were not far apart, one sitting on the sofa and the other standing a dozen steps away. They looked at each other in silence, a sad atmosphere permeating the air. The plum blossoms on the table seemed to sense the overwhelming sorrow and silently shed a few petals.

“But I have never regretted marrying you.” Lu Xiao’s lips curled up slightly. “I will always remember the joy of that moment when we got married.”

Even if he is the judge who holds the power of life and death in the courtroom and can decide other people's fate with a single blow, so what? Between him and Lu Xiao, only Lu Xiao has ever been able to judge him.

Shen Nanfeng stared intently at her, his hand gripping the hem of her clothes suddenly loosening when he saw the leaves gently falling in the wind outside the window. His eyes darkened, revealing a sense of dejection.

Song Chaoye sat in a private room at Xuefangzhai, watching the leaves slowly fall outside the window, holding a teacup and lost in thought.

Just then, the door to the private room was opened.

Song Chaoye snapped out of his daze, placed the teacup on the table, and stood up.

Their eyes met, and the thin Japanese-style sliding door behind Silas slowly closed.

Silas took a few steps and sat down at the table. Amidst the light aroma of tea, Silas stared intently at Song Chaoye with his striking triangular eyes for a few seconds before slowly saying, "I'm truly sorry to have kept President Song waiting for so long."

It was clearly a belated apology, but his pretentious tone made it seem like an unexpected harassment.

It is said that a fallen phoenix is ​​no better than a chicken, and Song Chaoye understands this principle. Since the merger with Speed ​​Technology, he has only been surviving in the cracks. Before the merger, they talked a lot about growing bigger and stronger together, but after the merger, nothing was delivered, and he only got himself into a lot of trouble.

The engagement was canceled, and his parents were disgusted with him. The series of bad news seemed to be a punishment for his arrogance. Even so, he was still the same proud and ambitious Song Chaoye who wanted to start his own business and make a name for himself. He did not ask his relatives for help or pity. The only humble thing he did was to do this moment and to see Huang Shiyu.

"Not at all, it is a great honor for me to have you come to this appointment."

After saying that, he prepared tea for Silas.

Silas enjoyed Song Chaoye's service with a clear conscience, picked up the fragrant teacup and took a sip. Only after the tea had gone down his throat and into his lungs did he get down to business, "What did you mean by the merger between Sam and Huang Shiyu?"

Song Chaoye didn't answer Silas's question, but instead took out a document and pushed it in front of him, saying, "Take a look."

The contents of the document were unexpected by Silas. Sam planned to merge Youshe's gaming business with the project Huang Shiyu was currently working on, but the two were in completely different fields. Silas didn't understand why Sam wanted to do this. Even if he wanted to save Youshe's market in China, this wasn't the way to do it, was it? Unless it was Chairman Xie's idea? Was he planning to change tracks and enter the field of artificial intelligence? It wasn't impossible, after all, Youshe's gaming project hadn't had a smooth journey in China to begin with.

"Where did you get this?" Silas looked up from the document, staring intently at Song Chaoye. His sharp gaze seemed to say, "You'd better take responsibility for your lies."

Faced with Silas's threat, Song Chaoye didn't hesitate. He took out something he had prepared earlier and pushed it in front of Silas, saying, "I have photos of the two of us meeting here."

Silas was skeptical about what a single photo could prove. "Even so, what necessary connection is there between the two?" Silas was also a little puzzled as to when the two of them had become so close.

Having a rough idea of ​​what Silas was thinking, Song Chaoye added, "Their seats that day were near the surveillance area. I later bribed a waiter to get that footage." After saying that, he pulled out a bombshell photo.

This photo is clearly an enlarged version; you can even see the texture of the water glass on the table, as well as the contents of the documents on the table. It's practically identical to the one Song Chaoye just submitted.

The date on the photo shows the days Huang Shiyu was not in the detention center.

Silas couldn't find fault with this and directly believed Song Chaoye's story.

“Sam’s judgment is still as bad as ever.” Silas’s tone was sharp and sarcastic. “Before the incident, I had already withdrawn all the money from the company’s accounts. Fortunately, I had used some tricks to prevent the company’s legal representative from being changed, which allowed Huang Shiyu to become the scapegoat.”

This is why employees who wanted N+ had nowhere to turn for help. After all, the money in the company's account had long been transferred out, which means the company had run away. Who else could the employees at the bottom turn to for their hard-earned money? Naturally, they could only turn to the company's legal representative. So, this was a little scheme. They took all the money, and Huang Shiyu took all the loss and responsibility.

Previously, Huang Shiyu was the one who carried Speed ​​Technology, and now she has to carry it again.

For the next twenty minutes or so, the tea-scented private room was filled with Silas's voice. Perhaps he was too smug, or perhaps he was thinking about how his biggest competitor had failed miserably. Silas was in an extremely good mood, and even found Song Chaoye, who had betrayed his former master, much more agreeable. He talked on and on about how he managed to avoid changing the company's legal representative, how he transferred the money in the account, and how he finally got Huang Shiyu into the detention center.

"This method is a bit despicable." After saying that, Song Chaoye also felt it was inappropriate and quickly took a sip of tea to calm his nerves.

It's understandable to say such things, but it's not a smart thing to do to say them out loud. Song Chaoye obviously knew this too, but the words had already been spoken, and it was simply a pipe dream to take them back.

Silas on the other side didn't show any anger at those words; a faint smile still lingered on his lips.

“We’re at their mercy, that’s how it is in business. Huang Shiyu has no chance of making a comeback, and the same goes for Sam.” Slias suddenly grinned, revealing a sinister smile. “And you betrayed people very thoroughly.”

This last sentence made Song Chaoye look up at him, but he couldn't refute it. It was he who chose to betray Huang Shiyu first; no one forced him.

Silas leaned forward slightly, picked up the teacup, and looked at Song Chaoye with a smug and triumphant gaze. "Come on, thank you so much, President Song, for bringing me this good news."

Song Chaoye and Silas looked at each other. Song Chaoye's hand, which was resting on his lap under the table, twitched slightly. The ring on his middle finger flickered slightly because of his movement. The room was lit by warm yellow lights. He glanced at Silas again, picked up his teacup, and lightly touched it to Silas's. "Here."

Through the thin wall, Sam was also admiring the magnificent scene of falling leaves outside the window. Golden leaves were in the wind, in the air, and on the ground, while new buds were slowly sprouting on the branches. It was as if a cycle of life was flowing in her eyes. But she could also see another kind of understanding in these fallen leaves. This society operates on the law of the jungle, where the fittest survive and the weak are eliminated. Those who lack ability will always be the first to be eliminated.

She watched the falling leaves outside the window, her thumb unconsciously rubbing the ring between her index fingers. If anyone had seen Song Chaoye's ring, they would be surprised to find that it was exactly the same as the one on Sam's hand.

The phone on the table rang, its sound particularly jarring in the quiet space. Lin Xinyu paused in her typing, glancing at Sam, who was looking out the window. Seeing that Sam was ignoring the phone's noise, she turned her gaze back to the computer screen, which showed Song Chaoye and Silas talking next door.

A few minutes later, Sam picked up his phone, which was about to turn off.

[You all heard that, right? There's something I need to tell you: I said you can announce it only after I've said it's okay.]

It was a message sent by Song Chaoye.

After watching it, she immediately turned off the screen and didn't reply to Song Chaoye's message, as if she hadn't heard it at all. She turned to Lin Xinyu and asked, "Is it edited yet?"

Lin Xinyu typed a few times on the keyboard: "Done."

A few days ago, Song Chaoye came to Sam to explain his purpose and made a special point about the factional struggle between Sam and Silas. Sam is an old hand on Chairman Xie's side and belongs to the old faction, while Silas is on President Zhou's side and represents the new faction. The conflict will only intensify. Song Chaoye also wants to use this as an entry point to achieve his goal.

Sam also investigated that Song Chaoye had been to the detention center before coming to see her, and she knew who was in the detention center.

It is Huang Shiyu.

At first, she was a little confused when Song Chaoye came to see her, but after she found out why he came, she suddenly understood. So the photo Silas saw was fake, the contract was fake, and it was all forged by her.

But she did this not to help Song Chaoye; she hadn't forgotten how he had betrayed her.

For her, anyone who dares to scheme against her will be retaliated against, one by one, no matter how long it takes, because she is always prepared.

Therefore, one should not easily trust anyone. Even if you are at your wit's end and someone points out a path for you, it may not be a bright road, but rather another abyss.

In short, don't rush into treatment when you're desperate; who knows what kind of treatment you'll end up with?

Sam looked away: "Report it."

Outside the window, the fiery red flowers covering the wall, seemingly endless, blazed like sparks in the night, burning all the way to the sky, like clusters of vengeful flames burning relentlessly in this room.

Meanwhile, Song Chaoye hadn't even had a chance to properly admire the newly transplanted roses in his 120-square-meter apartment. The news channel playing in the center of the living room every day was still playing the same old voice.

"Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the midday news. I'm your host, Lin Shuyu. Thanks to a tip-off from a concerned citizen, the case of the recently high-profile owner of Shanghai Yousu Technology Co., Ltd., who is suspected of fraudulently issuing 400 million yuan in value-added tax invoices, has finally made progress. During the days of searching and evidence collection, the special investigation team seized thousands of various documents. The investigation revealed that Song, one of the company's senior executives, had been assisting S in fabricating contracts, internal fund transfers, and issuing special value-added tax invoices, among other illegal activities. Such behavior is a serious violation of national laws and will cause serious losses to the national tax system..."

Seeing the news broadcast on TV, along with the invalid censored video, the LCD screen displayed Song Chaoye's pupils suddenly dilating in shock.

Isn't this the video of him talking to Silas at Xuefangzhai that day?!

Didn't we agree not to let them out?!

Sam betrayed him!

His Adam's apple bobbed as he nervously and angrily dialed Sam's number. The instant the call connected, he blurted out, "Did you do it?!"

"Didn't I tell you not to publish this without my permission?!" he roared at Sam on the other end of the phone, fuming. "And you even installed surveillance cameras on me! Do you want me dead?!"

But all around was silent, except for the sound of his own heavy breathing.

It's clear that Sam hung up the phone the moment it connected.

Song Chaoye stared at the screen where the call had ended.

I feel extremely irritable.

The news anchor happened to be talking about the predecessor of Yousu Technology, and also about Huang Shiyu.

Song Chaoye caught this glimpse out of the corner of his eye, suddenly looked up, and stared at Huang Shiyu's photo on the screen, his eyes slightly narrowed.

Everything was resolved.

She sent him to find Sam, taking advantage of his knowledge of the conflict between Sam and Slias, to lure him into her trap—a two-birds-with-one-stone plan. Brilliant, truly brilliant! Just as expected of Huang Shiyu, who is decisive and ruthless when she takes action. Damn! She even played a hand of cards with him inside.

Song Chaoye stared intently at the person on the television, gritting his teeth as he said, "Huang Shiyu, you're a real ruthless guy."

Lin Shuyu continued broadcasting on television.

"In addition, the investigation also revealed that the company was acquired by Youshe, a subsidiary of the Black Tower Group, at the end of October, and merged into the current Yousu Technology Co., Ltd. After days of evidence collection by the special investigation team, it was found that Youshe, the predecessor of Yousu Technology Co., Ltd., had been engaging in fraudulent activities in China. This was not the first time they had issued false value-added tax invoices, using game software as a cover, with the amount involved reaching as high as 20 billion RMB. It turns out that since Youshe started operating in China, its profits have been declining rapidly, so they turned their attention to issuing false value-added tax invoices. Some people may ask, do you not need to issue invoices when buying game software? Of course you do, but issuing invoices will leave a record. The best way is to stop it at the source and not issue invoices when purchasing. This way, it will not be included in the system and will not be detected. However, we still want to remind everyone that this method is not feasible, as the consequences are very serious."

Silas, who was standing by the window sipping red wine, looked utterly astonished when he saw the scene being broadcast on the news. As if under a spell, his eyes were glued to the screen, and the sounds, videos, and text on it seemed to have a dizzying effect, turning into an indistinct mass in front of him.

In the news, Lin Shuyu looked at the viewers in front of the TV, and was also looking at Silas. She then smiled slightly and said, "Shuyu believes that since it is a company registered in China, it should naturally abide by Chinese laws. For such blatant resistance and violations of national interests and security, it will eventually pay the corresponding price. Indeed, sometimes it is not that there is no retribution, but that the time has not come yet. The case is currently under investigation."

Before Silas could even process the news, he was drawn to the noisy commotion outside the window.

You can see the security guards trying their best to stop the group of people who keep trying to force their way in. The group is holding a white flag with a message written on it.

Pay back the wages owed! Give me back my hard-earned money!

Silas's eyelids twitched, and his face suddenly showed signs of turning bluish.

How did these people know where he lived?!

And what are those security guards doing?! Are they idiots?!

They couldn't even stop this small number of people!

He had no time to complain. The group of people arrived at his residence in a flash, and a constant knocking on the door reached his ears. He comforted himself, thinking that this was a top-grade security door made in China. These weaklings who couldn't even kill a chicken and only knew how to sit in the office and type on the keyboard all day didn't dare to try to open his door. No way!

Just as he was thinking this, a thunderous sound erupted outside. Silas dared not think of anything else and stared intently at the door. The person outside must have realized that the door was very thick and could not be kicked open at all. They started to use a thin, needle-like object to turn the keyhole, but still could not turn it. Suddenly, a woman shouted loudly, "I'll do it."

Then, he took off the hair clip on his head, spun it, and with a click, the door opened. They were stunned by what they saw.

On the other side, the police officer opened the door to the prison: "Huang Shiyu, you can leave now."

Hearing the police call her, Huang Shiyu stood up briskly. The dark blue vest from the detention center was a bit too big on her. Even though her clothes were close-fitting before she came in, now it felt like they might fall over in the wind.

Huang Shiyu walked out of the detention center where she had lived for more than half a month, accompanied by the desperate gazes of those behind her.

She was acquitted because the evidence gathered did not show that she was involved in issuing false VAT invoices. The police only told her to pay more attention to reviewing contracts in the future. Her downfall was due to that share sale contract. She has severe astigmatism, and they took advantage of this to add the condition that the legal representative would not be changed as an additional condition to the contract. The font was very small, and she did not notice it at all when she signed it. Fortunately, it has all been settled now.

Outside the detention center, Huang Shiyu was caught off guard as the rain obscured his face.

Such heavy rain is a rare sight, perhaps only seen once every ten years, except during typhoon season, but it's not yet typhoon season.

The oppressive wind and rain made her feel uneasy, whether she was simply not used to it or had difficulty breathing; in short, she felt stifled.

Huang Shiyu wanted to take a taxi, but the rain was getting heavier and the roads were flooded, making it difficult to walk. Just as she was thinking of waiting for the rain to subside, a black sedan drove up in the rain and stopped at the bottom of the steps.

The car door slowly opened, and what came into view was a black umbrella that the person inside first opened. The umbrella blocked the rain that was pouring down and also covered the person's face. Next, a pair of shiny leather shoes touched the ground with the toes. Above that were hands in pockets and hands holding umbrellas. The umbrella was tilted slightly upward by the rain, revealing the face of the person under it.

First, her beautifully shaped petal-shaped lips, then her straight nose, and finally, those incredibly familiar peach blossom eyes.

Li Xingzhou walked towards her with an umbrella, just like the figure who walked towards Ms. Tong alone at her house back then.

Li Xingzhou walked forward step by step, through wind and rain. He noticed that Huang Shiyu had lost a lot of weight in the past half month since she went in. Her cheeks were slightly sunken, and her figure was much thinner. She looked like a piece of dead wood that had been thrown into the water, drifting and wandering in the wind and rain.

As if afraid she would drift away, he softly called her name, "Shiyu".

Huang Shiyu simply stood far away, watching him and waiting for him to come over.

Li Xingzhou walked to Huang Shiyu's side and held an umbrella for her, saying, "It's raining, be careful of the slippery road."

Huang Shiyu lifted her eyelids and glanced at him. Li Xingzhou was dressed in a suit and tie today, which was different from his usual casual style. He had more of the authority of a CEO, and his shrewd and capable temperament radiated from the inside out.

The two stood there motionless for a long time.

Huang Shiyu didn't speak, her eyes fixed on the torrential rain ahead. Li Xingzhou also didn't speak, holding an umbrella for her beside her. The rainwater slid down the umbrella without stopping, rushing straight down and splashing up white fireworks at their feet.

The heavy rain made her feel dazed for a moment. She thought of chasing after her mother in the rain before, when the rain was really heavy.

Before me was a raging storm with howling winds and torrential rain, and behind me stood the imposing and majestic detention center.

Huang Shiyu stretched out his hand to feel the long, heavy rain. His eyes were listless and languid, revealing a faint weariness. "Do you think the rain will clear up or bring an even bigger storm?"

To Li Xingzhou, her voice sounded weak. Although she came out unharmed, she seemed very tired and uneasy, like someone climbing stairs and then encountering another long, endless staircase just as they were about to finish.

As Li Xingzhou watched the shimmering spring water splash in from afar, transforming into countless rays of starlight, he made the most solemn promise in this damp, cold, and not-so-quiet environment: "Whether it's sunny or stormy, I'll be with you."

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Author's Note: My initial intention in writing about Lu Xiaochen and Nanfeng was to express that, friends, you can marry for the sake of free love, or you can divorce for the sake of an unfree love. Although I'm not very old, I've seen many examples in real life of people who married because of passionate love, only to end up tragically divorced.