Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Huang Shiyu's entry into the detention center...
In the few days since Huang Shiyu entered the detention center, his daily routine has been very regular. Compared with before he entered the detention center, he can now be said to be living a life of working at sunrise and resting at sunset. His daily schedule is to make his bed, go out for fresh air, meditate and study, train, and watch the news at the appointed time.
It's similar to the monotonous routine of school life, but there are still some differences. Life here is bleak and hopeless, and I have no idea what the future holds.
The detention center she was in was quite crowded; it was practically packed. A dozen or so people were crammed into one room, each with their own seat. When she entered, the staff repeatedly reminded her that any physical contact with others was strictly prohibited inside the cell, and any violation would result in a warning. Huang Shiyu, being a shrewd and pragmatic person, readily agreed, maintaining a very respectful demeanor.
During the few days she was there, several other women in the prison, who had probably been there for quite some time, were also there. Perhaps they couldn't bear the torment of this place day after day, or perhaps they were afraid of the unknown future. The women chatted amongst themselves, their voices filled with worry as they discussed the cases they were being held against them. Since they were all locked up together, the cases were all pretty much the same, nothing more than tax evasion and the like.
Huang Shiyu lay on the bed, listening to these people recount their tragic experiences with heartfelt emotion. Their voices involuntarily trembled with tears, as if they were about to burst into sobs. She thought, "Let them cry. Crying is just a way to release emotions, isn't it?" She herself didn't feel anything, but crying wouldn't solve anything for her. Besides, she was certain that the combined amount of money involved in all these cases didn't even equal hers. She had a good mindset; she'd treat coming here as a way to quit smoking. But was she addicted to cigarettes? No.
She was just giving herself a reason to come in, to avoid worrying too much. She knew that Lu Xiao outside wouldn't abandon her and would definitely be trying to get her out of here. All she could do now was wait.
The thought of Lu Xiao having to find a way to get her out of trouble while also keeping the company running made her feel quite sorry for Lu Xiao. She could only think that she would thank her properly after she got out.
When she thought of Lu Xiao, she immediately thought of Lu Xiao's signature seafood noodle soup. Once she started thinking about it, she couldn't stop. There wasn't much oil in the food at the detention center, and the dishes were very bland, leaving her with little taste. Right now, she craved strong flavors, preferably something that was so delicious and visually appealing that it would overwhelm her.
Now she could only lie on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. The rich and fragrant seafood noodle soup kept occupying her mind. People say that looking at plums can quench thirst, but she was staring at the ceiling to suppress the little desire in her stomach. The more she thought about it, the more her stomach started to rumble.
In a daze, Huang Shiyu began to lose track of whether she was in a detention center or eating a large bowl of seafood vermicelli at Lu Xiao's house. The tender and juicy shrimp seemed to be right in front of her, but just as she was about to take a bite, her culinary dream was abruptly ended.
The police called her name a few times outside the cell, saying that a lawyer had come to visit her. At first, Huang Shiyu thought it was someone Lu Xiao had found to see if she was doing well inside. But when she saw the person with the police, she was stunned.
Clearly, she hadn't expected that this life lawyer would be Song Chaoye.
Song Chaoye smiled and took in her surprised little expression: "I brought you some sweets, have some."
As he spoke, he pushed a beautifully presented dessert in front of her.
Huang Shiyu glanced at it and saw that it was a butterfly pastry from the International Hotel.
She used to love it the most, and she still loves it now.
Seeing that she glanced at T without any interest, Song Chaoye still smiled and said, "You still hold a grudge against me?"
The tone and manner of the voice were somewhat like that of someone trying to soothe an angry girlfriend during the honeymoon phase, but Huang Shiyu found it something to scoff at.
"I've been wondering who would be the first to come and see me after I came in." Huang Shiyu's eyes were as if he were looking at a rare guest. "I didn't expect it to be you, Song Chaoye. Did you come to laugh at me?"
Faced with Huang Shiyu's sarcasm, Song Chaoye said calmly, "Why should I laugh at you? I told you to just find a college student to be the legal representative, but you wouldn't listen. Now look what happened, you're going to jail."
At that time, Song Chaoye told her that many companies hire college students who haven't experienced the harsh realities of life as legal representatives, and that they can be used as scapegoats when needed. He said that as long as she gave them an internship certificate, they would work for her. However, Huang Shiyu ultimately did not adopt this approach. They were legitimate business people, and as long as they paid taxes according to the law and followed national policies and regulations, what would it matter if they were legal representatives? She wanted to have more say in the company, so she became the legal representative of Speed Technology despite Song Chaoye's incomprehension and disapproval.
But it was this action that made her fail to realize at the time that cannibalism doesn't need any reason at all.
Otherwise, the fact that she was able to get in here today only shows that sometimes whether something happens or not has nothing to do with whether you follow the law or not. The bad guys hiding in the shadows are much more terrifying than the fake good guys on the surface.
Huang Shiyu stared at him and smiled gently: "Actually, you are the one who should have come in, not me. You know that in your heart."
“It’s the same whether I come in or you come in,” Song Chaoye sighed. “I’m not much better off than you outside right now.”
Huang Shiyu chuckled.
No matter what, he's definitely living a better life than her, otherwise he could be visiting her in prison as a legal counsel.
"Then you come in and I'll go out," she said without a smile.
Upon hearing Huang Shiyu's words, Song Chaoye's expression froze for a moment, while Huang Shiyu looked at him meaningfully, wanting to hear what other good or bad things he could say.
Even though he was now in the detention center as a lawyer specializing in personal matters, he couldn't help but feel nervous in front of the police officers monitoring Huang Shiyu.
However, he didn't forget why he was there today. He tried his best to avoid looking at the police officers and kept his gaze fixed on Huang Shiyu's face.
“I did something stupid before because I was confused. Don’t take it to heart. I was just trying to get Speed Technology listed as soon as possible, and then I got fooled by Silas and lost all sense of direction. What you said that day was right, businessmen value profit over parting. I’m just used to being self-righteous. Don’t worry about what I said or did that day, that’s not the most important thing right now.” Song Chaoye said, pushing the butterfly pastry forward a bit more, now right under Huang Shiyu’s nose, very conspicuous. “Um… eat more of your favorite butterfly pastry.”
Huang Shiyu knew Song Chaoye too well; for him to suddenly become so friendly, it must be because he needed something from her.
She stared intently at Song Chaoye and said, "You took such a big risk not just to say these words and bring these foods, right?"
Song Chaoye raised one eyebrow, thinking it was great to talk to smart people; they understood immediately. "This is what I was thinking: find someone to take the blame."
Huang Shiyu smiled and ate his butterfly pastry without saying a word.
"What do you think?" Huang Shiyu didn't speak; he was a little unsure.
"I'm just an ordinary person, otherwise I wouldn't be here." As he spoke, he picked up another butterfly pastry and started eating it as if no one else was around.
"You're the head of Speed Technology, don't pretend with me, you definitely have a way."
He said this with a hint of gritted teeth.
Most of the butterfly cookies on the table were gone. After Huang Shiyu finished the last one in his hand, he patted the crumbs off his hands, then stared at Song Chaoye with sharp eyes and began to question him: "You still know that I am the head of Speed Technology, and you still know that I am a part of this, yet you still collude with outsiders to deal with me, eat the resources I provided for you, and then betray me. There is no such logic in the world, Song Chaoye. How dare you show your face in front of me now?"
In this regard, Huang Shiyu's words were all true, and Song Chaoye could not refute them, but he would not admit his mistake either.
"Huang Shiyu, are you really going to keep harping on this? It's no exaggeration to say you're stubborn. I know you're planning to participate in the AI competition on April 27th, and you don't want to miss it, do you?"
That last sentence was aimed at her sore spot, hitting her weak point.
She suddenly deflated: "What do you want? Tell me, or what brings you here?"
"Didn't I just say that things aren't easy for me out there either? Hurry up and think of a solution. You don't want to go to jail, do you?"
Huang Shiyu sensed a sharp threat in his words.
It's nothing more than the Black Tower Group pushing everything onto Song Chaoye, making him the scapegoat. And the business license still bears her name, Huang Shiyu. I don't know what methods they used to avoid changing the legal representative. This must be a backup plan left by Song Chaoye or the Black Tower Group. But it is precisely because of this that Song Chaoye has a reason to threaten her.
Faced with Song Chaoye's threat, Huang Shiyu considered for a moment before saying, "Tax evasion is written in the Civil Code, and it will definitely be punished. He must go to jail."
"The problem is I don't want to take it, and you don't either, right? Besides, this tax evasion wasn't my idea. After the merger, I won't have any say in YTO Express anymore." Song Chaoye's simple sentence completely absolved him of any responsibility.
The sun shone brightly outside the window, and the new shoots of the branches blocked a corner of the window, making Song Chaoye's side half dark, while Huang Shiyu's side was bathed in a hazy white sunlight.
Perhaps the sunlight was a bit too bright, because Huang Shiyu squinted, hiding her beautiful eyes. "I happen to have some connections with Sam from the Black Tower Group. You can go to her; she'll help you."
"You're not trying to trick me here, are you, Huang Shiyu?" Song Chaoye frowned, looking at her with a deep gaze, his brows furrowed. "Black Tower Group, those are the four words I hate hearing the most right now."
Huang Shiyu could sense Song Chaoye's hatred, and gently coaxed him, "Isn't that what they say: 'Nothing ventured, nothing gained'?"
Song Chaoye really wanted to slam his fist on the table and point at Huang Shiyu's nose while yelling at him, but because there were police officers present, he could only swallow his anger and say, "Huang Shiyu, do you think I'm stupid? Huh?"
"Sam and Silas have a conflict." She only touched on this point briefly.
Song Chaoye was well aware of the conflict between the two, after all, he had done Sam a favor back then, but he hadn't forgotten that the two worked for the same company.
"So what if there are conflicts? We all belong to the Black Tower Group, a community of shared interests." Song Chaoye's voice was very low, but his chest was heaving. "Huang Shiyu, if you want to kill me, just say so. There's no need for this pretense."
Huang Shiyu stared intently at the ceiling, where a sliver of sunlight swayed silently with the leaves, but it paled in comparison to the scorching heat outside the window. She spoke slowly, as if afraid to disturb the scene, "Do I need to? We're in the same boat now. If you die, I'm doomed too."
Then, Huang Shiyu finally shifted her gaze to Song Chaoye's face, her sharp eyes like a knife, able to see into people's hearts, "Or do you want to wear this outfit too?"
These words almost made Song Chaoye jump up from his chair. He wanted to ask Huang Shiyu if she was cursing him, but when he saw Huang Shiyu sitting in the detention center chair, wearing dark blue clothes, looking up at him, he stopped himself from doing so. The sunlight made her face look unusually white, and even her eyes showed a coldness, as if she were looking at a dead person.
They faced off in the same way that year, but the situation was different then. Back then, they were in a car, and now they were in a detention center. He vaguely remembered that her face was as calm as a gentle breeze and a bright moon back then, but now it was like a stagnant pool, unable to withstand even the slightest ripple.
But he never imagined that Huang Shiyu would become like this because of him.
"Okay." He glanced ahead unconsciously, and after a moment, said, "I feel much more at ease knowing you said that."
Huang Shiyu was somewhat stunned.
He had said this countless times.
I'm very reassured that you've reviewed this plan.
I feel very at ease having you by my side at this drinking party.
I'm very confident in the draft of this press conference speech, since you've personally reviewed it.
With you here on this trip, I feel very reassured...
There are too many of these words to count, but they can only be gradually forgotten with the passage of time.
What else is there to say between them? There is nothing left to say. Their past love entanglements were buried in the last wind of that autumn. All that remains between them is a little bit of affection left over from settling scores after the fact.
She and Song Chaoye stared at each other for a long time. When the police announced that visiting hours were over, they exchanged a silent, knowing smile.
As Huang Shiyu was being led away by the police, she turned back to watch Song Chaoye walk out of the detention center. Watching his back, she silently said "Take care" in her heart.
Sunlight shone on Huang Shiyu's face. She looked up at a corner of the window. The window was installed very high, and all she could see was a small patch of sky. The sliver of light that inadvertently leaked in was one of the few sights in the area.
She smiled, then abruptly turned and followed the police officer through the open door. The sunlight behind her wasn't confined to this corner or this small space; golden light streamed through the windows, enveloping the earth. On the distant horizon, Lu Xiao stood on the rooftop of the United Innovation Building. It was a clear day. She looked at these tall buildings, standing there squarely, not a soul in sight outside their glass curtain walls. The city's hustle and bustle seemed to have vanished here.
After standing there for a moment, Lu Xiao finally made a move and dialed Shen Nanfeng's number.
The call was connected very quickly.
"Shen Nanfeng, Huang Shiyu has been taken away by the police for allegedly evading taxes, but it's not her who evaded taxes, it's Song Chaoye and the Black Tower Group. What do you suggest we do?" Despite her anxiety, she still focused on the key points and spoke to Shen Nanfeng.
The wind on the rooftop made her long hair a mess.
On the other end of the phone, Shen Nanfeng remained silent for a long time.
Lu Xiao thought it was a bad signal and checked the phone's signal strength bar for several seconds.
It's at full capacity.
"Did you hear that?" she asked.
There was another silent silence.
"Why aren't you saying anything?!" Lu Xiao was clearly getting anxious.
"Don't worry about this," Shen Nanfeng finally said.
"No, what do you mean 'don't worry about it'?" Lu Xiao was clearly provoked by Shen Nanfeng's "don't worry about it" and unconsciously took a few breaths.
"Whether there was tax evasion or not, the court will decide. Don't act rashly. The law is fair and will not wrong anyone."
“All I know is that Huang Shiyu is innocent, and all I know is that she might not come out safe and sound once she goes in.” Lu Xiao took a deep breath to control her emotions. “Shen Nanfeng, you won’t understand how I feel. I can’t calm down.”
"Have you considered that only Huang Shiyu has been taken away so far, but what about after that?" Shen Nanfeng on the other end of the phone tried his best to explain the intricacies of the situation to her, so that Lu Xiao wouldn't be blinded by greed and do something foolish. "You were also a shareholder in Speed Technology before, so your first priority now is to protect yourself and not get involved in this mess."
She understood what Shen Nanfeng meant, but she disliked this attitude of completely distancing herself from the matter.
That wasn't just anyone; it was her best friend, a friend she considered family. How could she possibly ignore it and live her life without a care in the world?
She can't do it.
"You heard..."
"Shen Nanfeng." Lu Xiao interrupted him directly. She rarely called him by his full name like that. She only did it when they had a fight. After calling his name, she paused and then spoke in an extremely cold voice, "I don't want to hear what you have to say right now."
After the call was disconnected, Shen Nanfeng stared blankly for a long time, so much so that he didn't react immediately when Lin Shuyu appeared in front of him.
Shen Nanfeng didn't speak, just stared quietly at the phone that had been hung up. He didn't choose to call back. People get tired too, and he knew that calling back would only lead to countless arguments. It was better to give each other time to calm down.
Adults shouldn't rush things; it's not about forcing them into things they can't do.
Lin Shuyu immediately focused her attention on him upon arrival. Seeing his absent-minded appearance, she felt it wasn't the right time to discuss business. "It seems you have something to do. You go ahead and do your work. I'll come to visit another day."
Just as Lin Shuyu was about to step out the door, Shen Nanfeng raised his eyes, his expression indifferent, and spoke softly, "I recently found some clues about the insiders of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group poisoning incident back then. Perhaps they will be useful."
Lin Shuyu stopped in her tracks at his words, turned around, and her clear black eyes fell on Shen Nanfeng's face, as if examining the truthfulness of his words, "Why did you say 'maybe it will be useful'?"
"That person was in charge of this vaccine back then, and he's in a nursing home now."
Do you have a list of the people who developed this vaccine back then?
"Hmm." Shen Nanfeng gave a simple reply, then took a document out of the drawer and handed it to Lin Shuyu.
After reading it, Lin Shuyu's expression stiffened, and she frowned. "This one seems to be different from the one I saw before."
Shen Nanfeng watched as she placed the documents on the table, and answered her question without hesitation, "Because the initial list of R&D personnel was wrong."
Hearing Shen Nanfeng say this, even Lin Shuyu, who had seen a lot, was still shocked. "If this document is released, wouldn't it be a slap in the face to Li Mingsheng?"
This is not only a slap in the face to Li Mingsheng, but also to the faces of those who helped him cover up the truth. The fact that they were able to do it so flawlessly, without leaving any trace, means that the people involved in this situation must be very complicated.
Shen Nanfeng looked out the window. After several days of heavy rain, the roots of the trees along the road were gradually being exposed. He knew that the steel and concrete surrounding the city had surrounded the roots. Even if the tree had stood here for hundreds of years, its roots buried underground would not be deep enough to fall down in a big typhoon.
He looked away: "Justice is never too late."
Lin Shuyu could sense a ruthless edge in his righteous words.
Looking at the list of R&D personnel on the table, she voiced her doubts, "Is this document authentic and reliable?"
It's not that they don't trust Shen Nanfeng, it's just that for them, who work in journalism, truthfulness is their top priority.
Shen Nanfeng understood her concerns: "This list of R&D personnel was given to me by the person at the nursing home, and it has Li Mingsheng's stamp on it. The person in charge who authorized the market launch of this vaccine back then should have been Li Mingsheng. He knew the harm it caused, but he still allowed the vaccine to circulate in the market and become a tool for him to make money."
The sudden influx of information was overwhelming. Lin Shuyu's mind went blank for a moment before she finally spoke, "I see."
He then asked, "Where did you get this information from?"
Shen Nanfeng said calmly, "I have been looking for clues about the poisoning incident at Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group since the first day I joined the company."
Lin Shuyu raised an eyebrow: "It seems that Judge Shen's oath of admission has really been implemented and carried out."
Shen Nanfeng completely ignored Lin Shuyu's barbed flattery and simply stated his true thoughts.
"I am just fulfilling my duty as a judge. I have an obligation to do my best to find the truth. Just as the news is the sword of Damocles hanging over the people's heads, so too is the law. It will judge every criminal fairly and will reveal the truth to the world."
These words are beautifully spoken, but they are too idealistic. However, there must always be such idealistic people striving forward so that we can glimpse a corner of the darkness.
"Judge Shen is indeed as noble and virtuous as the rumors say. The rumors are indeed true. It is a very pleasant experience to work with Judge Shen."
Shen Nanfeng had also heard about the extensive publicity in the newspapers. It was basically about how he judged cases in a textbook-like manner, and how going to the court to observe his trials would give a profound understanding of what it meant for the law to be impartial and for him to be even more upright than Bao Zheng (a famous upright judge in Chinese history).
Shen Nanfeng ignored the other party's implied meaning and steered the conversation back to the topic, "The most important thing now is to obtain the research and development report of this vaccine from back then, and who approved the application for market launch of this vaccine in the first place."
"Any progress?"
"My investigation revealed that Li Mingsheng had also given this vaccine to his son, and that Li Mingsheng had given it to his son for a period of time before it was released to the market."
Lin Shuyu was somewhat surprised: "But Li Xingzhou is perfectly fine."
Shen Nanfeng shook his head: "I don't know about that."
Those 100,000 babies who died back then all had this vaccine, so how come Li Xingzhou is still alive and well? Even if the dose was small, there must be something wrong with some of his organs.
Organs… Could it be…? She suddenly thought of the new drug that Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group had developed and launched this time, which was a special drug for the spread of organ cancer.
Lin Shuyu immediately grasped the key point: "You think that Li Xingzhou must also have health problems, and that the fact that this new drug was launched after only three years of research and development is related to him."
The hint given by Shen Nanfeng made her suddenly realize the truth. However, she noticed that Shen Nanfeng looked tired and listless, as if he had been like this ever since she entered. It seemed that his attitude was not due to this case.
"This is good news, so why are you frowning?"
Shen Nanfeng rubbed the bridge of his nose. The long journey and Lu Xiao's matter had clearly left him physically and mentally exhausted. Having finished speaking, he no longer had the energy to deal with Lin Shuyu. "It's not about this. You can go now."
Lin Shuyu wouldn't linger any longer after being told to leave. If it weren't for this case, she wouldn't be coming to see Shen Nanfeng every few days.
She chuckled softly, and as she stepped out the door, she said, "Be careful not to overthink or overwork yourself; our case isn't solved yet, Judge Chen."
Shen Nanfeng did not answer, but simply put down his hand that was rubbing the bridge of his nose, looked towards the door, and saw that Lin Shuyu's figure had already disappeared into the corridor.
After a long day of work, Li Xingzhou went home to his parents' detached villa in the western suburbs of Changning.
He had originally planned to return to Songjiang, but his secretary reminded him that today was the day to return to the western suburbs, and his wife specifically asked him to tell President Li.
This lady naturally refers to Li Mansu.
Li Xingzhou remained silent, only nodding to indicate that he understood and would return.
After getting out of the car, a magnificent and luxurious residential area came into view for Li Xingzhou. It was past nine o'clock at night, and the villa area was quiet at night, with only the soft sound of a gentle breeze rustling through the leaves.
As soon as she entered the house, Li Mansu, who was sitting on the sofa in the center of the living room, heard the noise, looked up, and greeted Li Xingzhou with a smile, "Xiaozhou, come here quickly."
Li Mansu has aged, but time hasn't left any marks on her face; she remains as gentle and radiant as ever. However, a shrewdness still lingers in her eyes, something honed through years of working alongside Li Mingsheng from scratch. No matter how the surrounding environment changes or how her beauty fades, Li Mansu is still Li Mansu. Although she doesn't participate much in company decisions these days, that air of authority remains firmly rooted within her.
Li Mansu patted the sofa next to her, gesturing for him to sit down, "Give your mother some advice."
When Li Xingzhou went closer, he discovered that the table was covered with rows of photos, all of which were of women of marriageable age.
This is like bringing the matchmaking market home.
He didn't sit down, but stood up and said, "They all have two eyes, a nose, and a mouth, nothing to look at."
"I've been looking at these women for a long time. They may not be stunning beauties, but they're more than good enough for you. What is it that you're not satisfied with?"
“They are all nice, but I don’t like them.” He didn’t even glance at them. “Don’t waste your time, I can’t stand these people.”
"You don't still like that person, do you?" Li Mansu said irritably. "Mom has been through this, I know what you're thinking. What you can't have is always the best. Youth is about keeping a beautiful memory of past regrets, but that doesn't necessarily mean love. You have a long future ahead of you, you can't stay in the past forever."
As soon as she blurted out those words, Li Mansu realized that she had brought up a sore spot, and it was unrealistic to take them back.
The atmosphere remained tense for a long time.
Li Xingzhou stood quietly, not saying a word, just staring at Li Mansu. His eyes were very dark, especially under the bright light, they were incredibly dark, like thick ink that could drip.
Looking at him like this reminded Li Mansu of how he used to refuse injections and medicine when he was a child because he was sick. He would stare at her with wide eyes without saying a word, his gaze intense, as if he were an arrow taut on a bowstring, ready to be released if she forced him to do it.
Well, his appearance softened her heart to the extreme, and she asked, "Didn't Xiang Zhinan come back from Toronto with you?"
"I heard he's recently started a racing club. You should help that kid out."
She seemed to be making small talk with Li Xingzhou, yet she also seemed genuinely concerned about Xiang Zhinan, asking him to help him out and show him around the country.
Instead, Li Xingzhou calmly said, "I will only have one wife in my life. I don't want anyone else but her. It can only be her."
Li Mansu's face stiffened, her smile drooping as if about to fall off. "What? Don't joke with your mother like that. It's not funny at all. If you like women who look like her, I'll ask my other friends and have them send over photos in a few days so you can take a look." Her tone was almost pleading at the end.
Li Xingzhou shook his head and said calmly, "I'm not joking with you. My heart and soul are filled with her, and that hasn't changed over the years."
Li Mansu understood: looking like Huang Shiyu was useless; he only wanted Huang Shiyu.
It took Li Mansu a few minutes to process this information, her heart filled with mixed feelings. She really didn't know what was so good about that girl that made him still think about her after so many years. She couldn't help but wonder if Li Xingzhou had been bewitched.
She took a deep breath, then gritted her teeth and said, "Have you forgotten? She broke up with you for a mere 500,000 yuan. How could a woman like that truly love you? She'd do anything for money. I've seen too many women like that. Xiaozhou, listen to me, can't you just give up?"
Give up? He's already given up twice. The thing he regrets most in his life is that he was too weak back then, had no say, and no one ever asked him if he was willing when making decisions. Instead, they gave orders like assigning tasks or issuing notices, whether it was more than twenty years ago or a few years ago.
But now that time has passed, he has certainly grown.
His growth was not formed overnight; it all happened in a specific moment, such as the mudslide incident more than 20 years ago, or the moment of parting with Huang Shiyu a few years ago. These were moments that only he could truly understand.
Therefore, he had no intention of giving up this time, no matter what. Even if Huang Shiyu said "no", he would persist to the end.
"No, you've never really met her, so how would you know what kind of person she is?" He paused, suddenly remembering the day Huang Guodong jumped off the building, and how Huang Shiyu explained why she took the 500,000 yuan from Li Mansu. He still couldn't bear to see her smiling so sadly back then.
The girl, who never showed weakness in front of outsiders, on that day, in front of so many people, dug out the scars she had kept hidden in her heart that she least wanted to touch and see the light of day, and displayed them to the public.
She must have been in a lot of pain that day.
Thinking this, he felt increasingly choked up. Then, he looked at Li Mansu with even more determination and said, word by word, "Whether she likes me or not is her business, and whether I like her is my business. Don't confuse the two and attribute my feelings for her to her. That's not fair to her."
"No matter what, I only want her."
These words came crashing down on her like a tidal wave, leaving Li Mansu's head buzzing and her expression still dazed. She clearly hadn't recovered yet. She opened her mouth, her lips trembling slightly, as if she wanted to say something casually. Just then, the door opened, and Li Mingsheng walked in.
Li Mansu's gaze fell on Li Mingsheng's face as he walked in, but she didn't say anything specific, only saying, "Your dad is back."
Li Xingzhou didn't react much, but simply lifted his eyelids to glance at Li Mingsheng.
"Have you eaten?" Li Mansu took his suit jacket.
"I ate at the company," Li Mingsheng said to Li Mansu with a smile, revealing the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. He only smiled so relaxedly when he was with Li Mansu.
Then he turned his attention to his son, who hadn't been home for a long time, and said, "Xingzhou, come to the study."
Seeing that he was still standing there, Li Mansu whispered a reminder: "Your dad asked you to go to the study, he probably has something to tell you."
"I know." After saying that, he went upstairs to his study.
Moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the graying temples of Li Mingsheng. He was a few years younger than Li Mansu, but time had not been kind to him; his once black hair was now silver, and his face was crisscrossed with wrinkles, making him look like an old man in his twilight years. However, the dignified aura he exuded made it clear that he was not just a simple old man.
Li Mingsheng stood in front of the fish tank, his back to Li Xingzhou, feeding the fish with fish food in his hand. "I heard you secured the cooperation with Qixing."
"Yes, that's right." Li Xingzhou lowered his eyelids slightly.
Looking at the carp in the fish tank, Li Mingsheng asked, "What did that foreign company say?"
Li Mingsheng entrusted him with all the chip negotiation business. However, the chip quotas for each subsidiary were decided by Li Mingsheng and other shareholders. He had very little say in this area. Just because he was surnamed Li and was Li Mingsheng's son did not give him a lot of influence on the board of directors. The shareholders did not listen to him. They all spoke according to their shareholding ratio.
"The price they offered was 3,000 yuan per chip, excluding taxes and shipping."
It's exactly the same as what Zhang Jinming said that day.
"Can't we negotiate at the price we agreed on before?" Li Mingsheng asked as he talked to him, while feeding and playing with the fish in the tank.
Li Xingzhou knew that Li Mingsheng loved raising fish. Besides having a fish tank at home, he also had one in his office. Whether it was at home or in the office, Li Mingsheng was the one who fed the fish. It wasn't that the fish were particularly precious or expensive; they were just ordinary carp that could be bought at the market. The only explanation was that he didn't want to go through other people's hands, otherwise the joy of feeding the fish would be lost. This was similar to Zhang Jinming's love of fishing and catching fish; essentially, they both enjoyed the experience of admiring their prey.
“We have tried our best to communicate with them, but the Sino-US market has always been fraught with difficulties, so choosing that company is obviously not the best option.” Li Xingzhou’s tone was both tactful and sharp. “Moreover, the other party’s intention is that there is no room for negotiation, and they would be happy if the Shenzhen-Hong Kong project could be halted because of the chip shortage.”
Because Shenzhen and Hong Kong are Chinese companies, and they are among the most representative companies in the Chinese economy, as well as leaders in China's medical field.
They don't believe Chinese companies have such strength, nor allow them to have such strength, so they want to nip any possibility in the bud.
Li Mingsheng understood what Li Xingzhou meant, and then brought up another matter, "You were the one who released that news, weren't you?"
"Yes." He didn't mince words and admitted it directly.
"Why are you doing this?" Li Mingsheng didn't turn around, continuing to feed the fish in the tank. "Didn't you see how people online are criticizing Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group and us?"
“Once the news broke, those executives who were swayed by public opinion dumped their stocks, and we were the ones who reaped the benefits,” Li Xingzhou explained. “Besides, I’m also thinking of you. Do you really want to hand over the empire you’ve built from nothing to where you are today?”
Li Mingsheng, after all, was trained in medicine, and he gradually figured out how to manage a company. By the time he knew how to manage a company and a team, his equity structure as the founder was already quite dispersed, and he was on the verge of being kicked out of the company's decision-making level. There are too many examples of companies that kick out their founders after they become strong, big, and go public.
Li Mingsheng understood the implication of Li Xingzhou's words: this method was the fastest way to recover the shares. However, Li Mingsheng was worried that after this incident, would the outside world still have confidence in the Shenzhen and Hong Kong stock markets?
This is the primary challenge.
“What you did is understandable, and I can’t say you’re wrong, but it’s not right either. Your actions have undoubtedly put Shenzhen-Hong Kong in the eye of the storm. There are many ways to acquire those shares held by the group’s shareholders, so why choose the one that is most disadvantageous to you?” Li Mingsheng turned slightly to look at Li Xingzhou behind him. “So many eyes are watching, hoping that one day they can bring down Shenzhen-Hong Kong. Why are you handing them your head? You’ve given them leverage.”
"The innocent are innocent, after all, so many years have passed and they haven't stirred up any trouble."
“You make it sound so easy. If that were the case, there wouldn’t be so many wrongful murders.” Li Mingsheng picked up the fish feed and turned to look at the fish in the tank. “Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘It takes only a mouth to spread a rumor, but it takes a lot of legwork to refute it’?”
He must have a way to make this decision. "I have an idea: why not hold a nationwide live broadcast and clarify things publicly through online dialogue? This way, there will be no information gap and people will lose their prejudice against Shenzhen and Hong Kong."
"I'm afraid the people won't buy it." Li Mingsheng didn't directly reject his plan, but only expressed his concerns.
After all, the share price of Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect is still falling.
"Hand the camera over to state journalists, and let them initiate the live broadcast."
Li Mingsheng held the feed without moving, presumably pondering Li Xingzhou's decision. After a while, he said, "I understand."
She put down the box of feed, looked at him, and said, "Are you planning to go back to your apartment in Songjiang so late?"
The father and son met eyes, and Li Xingzhou nodded slightly, "Mm."
“It’s been so long since you’ve stayed at home. Your mother has been nagging you every day.” At this point, Li Mingsheng probably knew Li Xingzhou’s temperament. After all, he was getting old, and there was no point in worrying about him. He waved to Li Xingzhou, indicating that he could leave. “Never mind, never mind. He’s grown up and we don’t need to worry about him anymore. He’s old enough to handle things.”
Li Xingzhou said, "Then I won't disturb your peace any longer, I'll be leaving now."
His attitude towards Li Mingsheng was always so respectful. Even when they talked about things other than company matters, they always interacted in a manner that resembled a superior-subordinate conversation.
Li Mingsheng's voice drifted slowly from behind, and Li Xingzhou paused in his steps as he stepped out of the study. "The control of this great ship will one day be handed over to you."
"Xiao Zhou, don't let me down."
When Li Xingzhou came downstairs, Li Mansu was no longer in the lobby. He sent her a message saying he was going back to Songjiang and then left.
When I arrived at the residential area, it was already very late at night, with only a few lights on and the area completely silent.
When Li Xingzhou was unlocking the combination lock, he saw that the door to Huang Shiyu's room across the street had opened, but the person who came out was not Huang Shiyu.
It was Lu Xiao who shouldn't have been here.
Since receiving that call from his secretary that day, he immediately rushed to Toronto to see Xiang Zhinan off on his final journey. During this time, he did not contact Huang Shiyu, nor did Huang Shiyu send him any messages to report on the progress of company projects or other work. Now, seeing that the house was dark and no one seemed to be home, he was surprised to find that the room was dark and no one seemed to be home.
He looked at Lu Xiao and asked, "Where is Huang Shiyu?"
"You didn't know?" Lu Xiao was also surprised to see Li Xingzhou when she opened the door.
Where?
"In the detention center."
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