Chapter 45 "What, Mr. Huang changed his profession..."
"What, Mr. Huang has switched to a professional career?"
That wasn't all; Lin Xinyu added another comment.
"Competing with paparazzi for a living."
The sarcastic tone practically emanated from the receiver, but Huang Shiyu, the person involved, didn't react much; her voice was excessively calm.
“I eat at seven o’clock sharp.” She glanced at the clock on the wall. “It’s six-thirty now. You have thirty minutes to tell me why you’ve come to see me.”
Every word and action she took, the way she spoke, was exactly the same as when Li Xingzhou had spoken to her back then. After she finished speaking, Huang Shiyu finally realized that it was because she had spent so much time with Li Xingzhou recently that she had almost become ingrained with his charm.
Lin Xinyu: "Are you ready to cooperate with Li Xingzhou?"
Is what they call cooperation? Yes or no, it doesn't really matter in the current situation. "1+1 equals 2, it's just that each gets what they need."
But no sooner had she finished speaking than Lin Xinyu retorted, "No, no."
"It's 0.5 + 0.5. After all, when collaborating with others, you can't be too strong in your own subjective opinions."
Normally, Huang Shiyu might have been more interested in arguing back, but just then there was a knock on the door, and she thought that this time it must be the food.
“That makes sense.” She opened the door, and just as she expected, hotel staff pushed a small food cart to deliver the food. Soon, the table was full. She waved her hand, and the staff understood and left immediately.
She gazed at the table laden with delicious food, her emotions shifting slightly, though she herself didn't notice. "How did your talk with Li Xingzhou go today?"
"You mean Mr. Li? I've only seen you once since I came here."
She ignored Lin Xinyu's feigned ignorance, calling it "pretentious."
"I thought we had the same goal."
After he said that, there was a moment of silence in the air.
Lin Xinyu's tone was not friendly: "Did you install a listening device on my phone?"
"How many brains do I have to break the law?" Huang Shiyu retorted defiantly, his tone no longer friendly. "And are you even worth all this trouble?"
Previously, she was willing to act subserviently and go to great lengths, all for her own benefit. Now that Lin Xinyu has come with ulterior motives, it is no longer her who should act subserviently.
Lin Xinyu clearly understood and said, "Let's make a deal, Mr. Huang."
She walked over, sat down at the dining table, and began to leisurely savor her food. "And the price?"
Before Lin Xinyu could get an answer, her phone screen on the dining table lit up. She glanced at it and saw it was a message from Zhang Jing.
This is truly the best gift I've received all year.
The hands-free call was on the whole time, and seeing that Lin Xinyu had no intention of speaking, she started chatting with Zhang Jingyan on the other end.
[Mr. Zhang is a well-known investor, he's seen all sorts of unusual gifts, there's no need for such flattery.]
It wasn't flattery at all; what impressed her most was that one year, a well-known entrepreneur in the industry gave Zhang Jingyan a pair of late Qing Dynasty blue and white porcelain pieces, which were truly enviable and extremely valuable, after all, they were collectibles.
Looking back, it really is true. Acquiring my ex-husband's company when I was thirty-six was the best gift I received that year.
Of course, yours is the same this year.
She smiled when she saw the message, and just as she was about to type on the keyboard with the other hand, holding food in one hand, Zhang Jingyan sent another message.
Upon seeing the content, Huang Shiyu was stunned for a moment, feeling a mixture of shock and joy.
I'd like to invest in this project in my personal capacity. As you know, I'm very optimistic about its prospects. My requirement is that you ensure its successful IPO, which would also prove that my investment acumen back then was correct.
She didn't know why Zhang Jingyan had relented. It couldn't be because of a few words they had exchanged, could it?
She wasn't that arrogant, but she was happy with the current outcome. Zhang Jingyan's investment style was ruthless, but what Huang Shiyu valued most about her was her incredibly generous spending and fast payment processing—after all, having money meant you could do whatever you wanted.
Moreover, accepting Zhang Jingyan's investment is equivalent to maintaining her voice and decision-making power in the company.
Because Zhang Jingyan is just a pure investor and will not interfere in the company's management, which is why she was chosen in the first place.
What Zhang Jingyan didn't have time to tell her was that the reason she relented was because she felt that Huang Shiyu had a certain spirit that was very similar to her back then, almost comparable, stubbornly sticking to what she believed in.
Huang Shiyu typed a lot of words on the screen, but in the end, he condensed them into just one sentence.
In that case, I'll accept this compliment.
After finishing the food they were eating, the two chatted about the project for a while. Somehow, they ended up talking about chips. Huang Shiyu didn't know much about them and could only occasionally chime in when Zhang Jingyan was talking.
A little while later, Huang Shiyu looked up and happened to catch a glimpse of the clock on the wall, which was pointing to 6:50.
Have you already boarded the plane to London?
They must have already boarded and taken their seats; they replied very quickly.
"Isn't Chinese New Year coming soon? I want to go home and visit my family."
For some reason, her hand seemed to have a mind of its own, and she clicked on Zhang Jingyan's Moments. The moment the picture loaded, her hand stopped, and she also saw Zhang Jingyan's post.
Hearing the willow branches break in the melody of this night, who wouldn't feel homesick?
The picture below is of a plane ticket, but it's not just a plane ticket; the plum blossom branch she gave me is now comfortably lying on that plane ticket from Vancouver to Beijing.
She couldn't help but think of herself eight years ago, carrying a plum blossom branch and a plane ticket to another city. The only difference was that their destinations and times were different. One of them chose to go north to Shanghai to study in 2016, while the other chose to go south to Beijing to go home in 2025.
For some reason, the thought of these things made her feel suffocated and unable to eat.
She decisively put down her cutlery and lowered her eyes to type.
Don't kill my plum blossoms; as long as they're here, you're here too.
Although it was meant as a joke, the words were ultimately stiff, and she only realized it belatedly after sending it, but by then it was too late to take it back.
Fortunately, the other party was able to understand her point.
I will definitely take good care of this precious plant you gave me; as long as I have food, it will never go hungry.
Huang Shiyu was unusually happy, and all her previous discomfort and frustration vanished at once.
[Haha, I was just kidding. Whether you live or die is entirely up to fate. This long journey is just to cheer you up. Ignore what I just said; it wouldn't be good if it put pressure on you.]
Huang Shiyu's finger hovered over the message box, his gaze fixed on the words "typing..." His fingertips tapped the screen lightly, as if waiting for a reply, or perhaps pondering what price Lin Xinyu could offer.
Zhang Jingyan gave her reply in less than half a minute.
How could that be? My heart isn't that fragile.
[I feel that the plum tree branches you brought are more beautiful than any I've seen in Chinese gardens in any other country.]
She knew that there were many Chinese gardens abroad that were built in cooperation with China, and that there was also a Chinese garden in Canada, where she was currently located, in MTL.
She didn't ask Zhang Jingyan why she hadn't gone back in the past few years. There are always some things that people can't share with others; they have to keep them in their hearts, in the night, chewing them over and over again, and swallowing them down repeatedly.
"Someone has come to me asking me to make a deal with you."
Lin Xinyu's sudden voice interrupted Huang Shiyu, who was picking up his cutlery to serve himself a bowl of shark fin soup.
Huang Shiyu finally served himself a bowl of shark fin soup. "Sam."
"You're still the same as when I first met you." Lin Xinyu used this dramatic intonation to fully express the sarcasm in her words, "So annoying."
"Whether you like me or hate me, it's none of my business. Do as you please."
She didn't care about Lin Xinyu at all, or rather, whether others liked or disliked her, those were just expressions of their emotions and had nothing to do with her. She didn't care, or rather, she would rather use that time to study stocks in the market.
“But you need me,” Lin Xinyu said firmly.
"I just need a cubic system. Since we're going to do it, let's go straight for the top configuration. Otherwise, we shouldn't have started in the first place."
Huang Shiyu put the shark fin that had absorbed the aroma of ham into his mouth, and his mouth was immediately filled with a fresh and fragrant taste. In addition to the aroma of ham, there was also a faint fragrance of lotus leaves. Anyone who has tasted it will never forget it.
“I really have no reason to object to your decision,” Lin Xinyu said with a snort. “Sam said that although you are a loser, you are also a winner because you are very clear-headed.”
Huang Shiyu stirred the shark fin in the bowl, his voice, still slightly light and airy from the pure shark fin, said, "Sam is too kind."
Last month, media reports indicated that the restructured Speed Technology Company had apparently encountered a major crisis, with its boss, Song Chaoye, disappearing overnight, leaving those seeking N+ compensation with nowhere to turn for help.
Because the boss disappeared and the company went bankrupt, and Black Tower, which merged with it, also distanced itself completely before the incident, the group of employees could only be kicked around like a football by all parties and given various excuses.
After all, when facing the capital market, workers have always been a vulnerable group. No matter how perfect the labor law is, there are still many companies that find loopholes in the law and try to exploit them.
Huang Shiyu only sensed the decline of the game market first and took advantage of the merger to leave the game industry. However, she was not lucky enough to get her share of the money in the end, but she was good at scheming.
Her informants witnessed Song Chaoye maneuvering between Sam and Slias on more than one occasion. Later, both sides came to her, and combining this information, everything made sense. However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't save Speed Technology because Song Chaoye was indeed like her in some ways: once a rift developed in a relationship, it was difficult for them to trust that person again.
The terms Silas offered were exactly what she wanted, and she felt it wasn't necessary to keep controlling the pace of the negotiations. After all, she hadn't really lost out, and she had received her share of the money. Otherwise, she would be starving with those stocks.
In the end, she really didn't expect Song Chaoye to go so far as to collude with outsiders to deal with her in order to kick her out of the game.
But thinking about it, evil people really do get their just desserts.
Song Chaoye is probably just a scapegoat pushed out by the Black Tower Group. After all, this is a common trick of the Black Tower Group. They like to use such despicable methods, and they deserve to have never been able to open up the Chinese market.
Lin Xinyu chuckled softly and said, "I think you probably don't remember the first time we met."
"I remember." After saying that, she began to think back to that day over and over again. Li Xingzhou was not there, but the topic of conversation kept revolving around him. "At the German restaurant in Shanghai, Li Xingzhou was late that day and made you unhappy."
"You remember that quite clearly," Lin Xinyu said coldly.
"What I remember most clearly is that moment, the moment Li Xingzhou looked at you. On the street outside the window, there was a woman next to you at that time. I knew then that Li Xingzhou liked you. You can't hide the look in someone's eyes when they like them. Even if you hide it, it will come out from somewhere else and bloom like a flower."
Huang Shiyu ignored this and asked in return, "And you, do you like him?"
“Me…” Lin Xinyu paused for a moment, “Now I’m going to mourn that time.”
Huang Shiyu sipped the flavorful dish in his bowl, patiently waiting for Lin Xinyu's answer.
At the same time, Lin Xinyu, on the other end of the phone, leaned against the window and sighed.
After sighing, she began to recall the scene from that day.
“You’re a smart person; a managerial position isn’t enough for you.”
She looked at the man in front of her, dressed in a well-fitting black coat, with deep, sharp eyes, and a luxurious wristwatch that he casually revealed as he raised his hand. All of this suggested that the man in front of her was not as simple as he appeared.
"I'm rather slow-witted, what do you mean by that?"
She said this with a displeased expression, as if Li Xingzhou had overstepped her comfort zone.
“Do I need to remind you?” Li Xingzhou leaned forward and said, “Lin Xincheng’s position is above yours, but only below your father’s. When a little lamb is surrounded by a pack of battle-hardened wolves, its fate is obvious: it will only be strangled.”
"What a jerk," she muttered under her breath.
Li Xingzhou was speechless: "President Lin really knows how to curse people, isn't he afraid of being overheard by the person involved?"
"No, I was talking about those two women outside the window." She looked at the two women, her voice as cold and ruthless as the rain outside the window, "They're not even using an umbrella in the rain, are they crazy?"
"Okay, I misunderstood."
Although Lin Xinyu's gaze was fixed on the two people outside the window, she also noticed the unintentional emotions that Li Xingzhou revealed out of the corner of her eye.
She listened as Li Xingzhou continued, "Now you only have two paths in front of you. If you don't get a majority of the votes, it won't be easy for you to sit on the manager's chair. Think about it carefully."
The board of directors of Lifang has twelve members, and Lifang's articles of association exercise a dual-class share structure. Under this system, shares are divided into A and B shares. A shares typically have only one vote and are normally traded on the market. B shares, held by the Lin Xinyu family, have multiple votes, usually 10-20 votes per share. The A and B voting rights play a significant role in company resolutions. Changing the chairman's position is a special resolution that requires a majority vote, or 3/2, to pass.
She cursed him under her breath, calling him a complete jerk.
Huang Shiyu had finished most of the light-flavored shark fin soup in her bowl, but Lin Xinyu on the other end of the phone hadn't said a word. She glanced at the phone screen and asked, "Do I need to think about whether I like it or not for so long?"
"It's really creepy to think about."
Perhaps because he was startled by Huang Shiyu's sudden outburst, his voice sounded somewhat hollow.
"So this is because you don't like it?" She set the used bowl aside.
"I'm a little jealous," Lin Xinyu said in her sweetest voice, with a hint of sarcasm. "I came to talk to you about something, and you kept talking about Li Xingzhou. I feel like I'm not getting the respect I deserve."
Huang Shiyu didn't take it to heart at all: "You like him, right? I'm mentioning him so often, you should be happy about it."
"I think you've got one thing wrong."
Huang Shiyu: "Hmm?"
"I don't like Li Xingzhou."
She spoke with such sincerity that it seemed almost believable. If Huang Shiyu hadn't witnessed how genuinely she expressed her feelings to Li Xingzhou back then, he might have actually believed her.
But what does it matter? It's not important to her; it's not the point.
If Lin Xinyu could hear her inner thoughts at this moment, she would definitely roll her eyes speechlessly, and then loudly sob, "I'm only attracted to him because of his good family background and good looks. If we could be together, would I still have to worry about expanding my resources?" It can be said that she has absolutely no desire for the opposite sex, only a desire for resources.
Huang Shiyu said, "Okay, it was my slip of the tongue, don't take it to heart."
He added, "However, I heard that you made a pledge at the board meeting to expand the online channels of Cube's financial system by 30% in the market within six months. Don't you think your time is running out?"
"That's why I'm seeking your cooperation." His tone was very calm.
As expected, strict teachers produce outstanding students. Just like her master, she likes to make grandiose promises without any sense of propriety.
"I need to know the real reason behind the surge in Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect's share price." Huang Shiyu stared at a plate of food on the table. "You know it."
That dish was a pork tripe and chicken soup hot pot, which is said to have spleen-strengthening and stomach-nourishing effects when consumed regularly, especially beneficial for people who eat only fresh food and drink very little, as it is particularly warming to the stomach.
"I have good news for you. Since you lost the acquisition of Speed Technology anyway, the stock market performance of Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group won't affect you much," Lin Xinyu said smugly.
As she ladled out the soup, she replied, "So it's only temporary."
"She's so clever it's annoying," Lin Xinyu muttered, half-scolding.
Although she didn't get the answer she wanted, Lin Xinyu's words made it very clear that she was not a loser in the Speed Technology acquisition case, which also led to the conclusion that the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group's stock price was indeed not simple, just as she thought.
Huang Shiyu sipped her soup with pleasure. Hearing the sound of her teeth almost grinding together, he chuckled, causing the spoon to slightly collide with his lips.
Then Lin Xinyu heard an unidentified sound coming from Huang Shiyu's end of the phone through the receiver. She frowned slightly and asked, "What's that sound?" After listening more carefully, her frown deepened. "The sound of you slurping your soup is really awful. Are you a reincarnated starving ghost? Are you going to rob a bank after you finish this meal?"
"Then you can just hang up and not listen." Huang Shiyu ignored her completely.
"The stock of Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect is about to fall, and you still have the appetite to eat."
The soup tasted so authentic, unlike any other pork tripe and chicken soup hot pot that everyone advertised on the market. The pork tripe and chicken slices were cut very thick, about the thickness of an adult's index finger. Most restaurants would never cut them so thick, for fear that customers wouldn't be able to chew them. At first, Huang Shiyu also thought that the meat must be tough and hard to chew, but after she chewed it, she found that the tenderness was just right, and even the elderly could eat it. As for the soup, well, it was so good that it made people's noses run.
It was so delicious that she poured herself another bowl before replying, "Otherwise, you can never earn enough money, but people will die if they don't eat."
"You're so young, if anyone's going to die, it'll be me dying before you. What are you yelling about?" Lin Xinyu resumed her usual sarcastic mode.
Huang Shiyu wrinkled her nose from drinking so much, deciding to let her mouth catch its breath first. Then she noticed a text message coming in. Before, only her nose was wrinkled, but now her eyebrows were almost knitted together. Looking at the message, she said in a softer voice than before, "Have you ever had pork tripe and chicken soup hot pot?"
She didn't expect Lin Xinyu on the other end of the phone to answer her, and continued, "Clean the pig's stomach and chicken thoroughly, chop them into small pieces, and put in various prepared seasonings, such as red dates, ginger slices, codonopsis, cordyceps flowers, angelica, astragalus, etc. There are no mandatory standards, just put in whatever you like. Then find someone to help you put the chicken into the pig's stomach, tie it with string, and finally simmer it over high heat for several hours. That's it."
"For us workaholics who are always busy with our careers, this is a comforting and delicious dish. If you have the chance, you can try making it yourself."
"You can cook?" Lin Xinyu asked in surprise.
She gave an answer almost as if by magic: "No, I just read it from the recipe."
His gaze swept over the text message one last time.
[I have a bad memory, so I'm sending this recipe to you. After all, we're the only two people on WeChat who haven't chatted much, so this way the messages won't get mixed up.]
No, is Li Xingzhou using her WeChat Work account as a memo pad?!
Huang Shiyu smiled helplessly.
"You're enjoying your soup so much, I wish you double happiness soon, just like this chicken soup."
Huang Shiyu took a sip of chicken soup and said, "This is a rooster."
Lin Xinyu: "..."
“You haven’t answered my earlier question yet,” Huang Shiyu reminded him, “Have you reconciled with Sam?”
Lin Xinyu didn't speak, but as Huang Shiyu said this, she thought of the scene when she met Sam that day.
Sam chased after her after she left the coffee shop that day.
"Sometimes I think to myself, I wish you could have chased after me that day."
Will we still be the same as we are now?
"More like strangers than strangers."
She spoke these words with unusual calmness in both her tone and expression.
“I’m sorry,” Sam said. “I’ve always owed you this, and I hope it’s not too late.”
"I only gave you a hard time back then, is it really necessary to not contact me for so long?" she said with a smile. "I thought we would be master and apprentice for life."
Sam looked at her, and instead of her usual fake smile, a rare look of tenderness appeared on her face. "I think no one would refuse to hear such a touching sentence from someone who has hurt you for so long."
This appearance overlapped with the Sam in her memory, and in Lin Xinyu's eyes, it was as if she had returned to the past.
"Although I don't know the intricacies between you and the Black Tower Group, I believe you are not the one who caused the billions of dollars in debt. You must have your own unspeakable difficulties. If you need me to do anything, just tell me."
Sam said, "Within the Black Tower Group, it's just a matter of pawns and discarded pieces; there's no unspeakable hardship involved."
“I don’t care about pawns or sacrifices.” She looked steadily at Sam and said firmly, “I just don’t want to see you keep enduring this anymore.”
“It’s just a temporary forbearance. After the dark clouds have been pressing down for a long time, the sun will eventually shine through.” Sam said with a smile. “In ancient times, there was the story of King Goujian of Yue who endured hardship and humiliation to achieve his goal. Today, I have my story of searching for the light.”
Lin Xinyu was still looking at Sam, her lips moved slightly, "Master, I'm suddenly very confused, and I need you to guide me like you used to."
What do I need to do? Or rather, what can I do for you?
She really wanted to help Sam, both in the past and now, and wanted to do everything she could, even if it was just a little bit.
She didn't want Sam to end up as a laughingstock in this industry, since she was originally at the top and shouldn't end up like this.
At least they weren't the ones who were abandoned.
“Artificial intelligence, whether in the past or the future, is an untapped gold mine. It will come to us gently.” Sam reached out and tidied a strand of hair behind her ear, and said gently, “I don’t need you to do anything for me. I want you to take over the market share of Cube in China together with Huang Shiyu.”
"I want to see you become the chairman of Cube."
Lin Xinyu blinked blankly: "But I'm quite satisfied with my current position."
“No, I know you want to be the chairman.” Sam patted her head again, his voice full of temptation. “You need to take action, otherwise you can only wait until Lin Xincheng dies to have a chance to take control of Cube. By then, you’ll be a handful of dust and won’t be able to hope for it.”
Lin Xinyu bit her lip and did not answer.
"Then I will also have a way to survive."
After Sam finished speaking, he withdrew his hand and took a step back. However, his gaze towards Lin Xinyu remained gentle and focused, as if he were looking at a loving child.
"I will," Lin Xinyu said. "I will do everything I can to help us."
“Li Xingzhou has one vote in Cube, and Huang Shiyu and I each own some shares in Cube.” Sam was very satisfied with her statement, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly. “You just need to stay calm and be cautious now.”
Lin Xinyu asked, "Once Huang Shiyu's project goes public, will I be able to truly gain a foothold on the board of directors?"
Sam gazed at her intently and uttered a concise four-word mantra: "As you wish."
Lin Xinyu also put these four words of wisdom into practice, using them to block Huang Shiyu's problem.
Lin Xinyu: "As you wish."
“Luckily, I’m a person of my word, so as you wished, I’ve had good luck today.” She emphasized one point, “However, I don’t need to invest my stocks in worthless people. I hope you understand what value you can bring to me.”
The moment Huang Shiyu hung up the phone, the television in the suite's living room began broadcasting the news.
According to the latest reports, a flight from Vancouver to Beijing, which departed at 7 PM tonight, unfortunately lost contact at 8 PM. There were over 210 passengers on board. The flight number was CA996...
She stared blankly at the words in the news broadcast, and it took her a few seconds to come back to her senses, her mind working mechanically.
CA996, isn't that the flight Zhang Jingyan took...?
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Author's Note: For those of you taking the college entrance exam, remember to cover yourself well with your blankets when you sleep so you don't catch a cold! The same goes for those of you who aren't taking the exam.
Writing about food has made me so hungry! I want to order takeout!
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