Chapter 21#

Li Ling was my junior in college—in other words, she was also Wang Zheng’s junior.

She was a girl who seemed a bit scatterbrained, with a naive and innocent disposition that didn’t quite match her chosen major. There was nothing sharp about Li Ling at all, though she was meticulous in her work. The one thing she couldn’t control was her mouth.

Thinking back, Li Ling was probably one of the few friends I had in college.

As for how we met, I remember it quite clearly.

It seemed to be at some kind of social dance. When I received the invitation, it clearly stated it was a costume ball. Actually, during those college years, I rarely got such invitations. I guess I was too dull a person—no matter how talkative someone was, they’d only manage a few words with me before scratching their head and moving on.

Costume balls were all about creative outfits. I didn’t have much entertainment usually, and when I saw that invitation, I felt a little eager. I even skipped two classes to look up samples, and ended up dressing as a pumpkin man—wearing a pumpkin hat, an orange-red robe, and carrying a pumpkin staff.

When I got to the venue, the moment I stepped out of the taxi, I froze.

Everyone was dressed elegantly and formally. This was nothing like a costume party. It wasn’t until I saw a group of people huddled together snickering that I realized what was happening. Pranks like this seemed to be an ageless game, and plenty of people enjoyed it. Wang Zheng was there too, frowning as he looked over.

In those two years, he mostly gave me cold words or unpleasant looks. Seeing me like this, he was clearly annoyed.

I thought it was because I embarrassed him—after all, in everyone’s eyes, I was Wang Zheng’s little sidekick. Showing up like this was basically humiliating him.

Just as I was about to turn around and leave, a girl suddenly came over and linked her arm with mine.

She was also dressed bizarrely—a huge sunflower on her head, carrying a sunflower seed decoration in her arms. She looked utterly ridiculous.

She grinned widely, and I still remember what she said: “Brother Pumpkin, that’s not cool! You came ahead without me!”

“The Best Duo Award tonight is definitely ours! Oh yeah—!”

Then she raised my hand and cheered loudly, with a grand air as if we were about to conquer a thousand miles.

That night, the two of us won the Worst Apple Award. The scene was spectacular—it was practically a landslide victory.

After all, a sunflower and a giant pumpkin waltzing together was itself a pretty jarring sight.

After Li Ling graduated, she came to work at Ren Corporation.

Li Ling was actually very capable, and her skills were top-notch compared to others. She had even gotten through college on a scholarship. Though she had a lot of quirky ideas, she was hardworking and resilient—perfect for working alongside Wang Zheng.

Li Ling was always a spirited person, fond of dreaming. When my son was born, she kept saying she wanted one too.

Two months later, she actually got married.

A year after that, she gave birth to a daughter.

Li Ling’s husband worked at a real estate company. I met him a few times; he seemed like a refined and clever man.

Back then, Li Ling was heavily pregnant, sitting on the sofa in my office, and said: “President, let’s arrange a childhood engagement. I had an ultrasound—it’s a girl. I’ve looked her over from every angle, and she’s definitely going to be a st—un—ning beauty. Pairing her with your little prince, isn’t that fair?”

I told her that my son would have to decide for himself.

Li Ling jumped up in alarm—and that wasn’t good. Her stomach hurt, and so her daughter was born.

After giving birth, Li Ling weakly tugged at me and said, “Look at your daughter-in-law—isn’t she a stunning beauty?” At the time, she scared half the wits out of me, and I nodded hastily. And just like that, I sold off my son.

I once thought…

Li Ling could fill in for all my regrets, because I would never have her courage. What I couldn’t get, she could strive for. And then, we would share that joy together.

Li Ling liked to wear long-sleeved shirts. She used to wear skirts, but she switched to pants.

Her makeup grew heavier and heavier. I once joked—her neck and face were almost two different colors. But Li Ling didn’t say a word; her face changed drastically.

Later, Li Ling suddenly fainted at the company, bleeding from below.

I rushed her to the hospital.

When the doctor came out, he looked at me a bit strangely. He asked, “Are you her husband?”

Before I could answer, the doctor pinched the bridge of his nose and said, “Whatever problems you have as a couple, you can’t resort to violence. Your wife is under too much pressure; she’s lost the baby.”

I was stunned.

Li Ling was lying on her side in the hospital bed, slightly curled up. She had changed into a pale patient gown, stripped of her camouflage, looking frail and helpless.

I sat by the bed.

She said, “President, does this count as sick leave?”

I nodded.

She said, “I don’t need to write a leave note afterward, right?”

I nodded.

She smiled. Her hands were covered in scars, and there were some bruises on her forehead and cheeks.

She said, “President, you should go back to the company. Things are a bit tense there right now.”

I grabbed her hand and shook my head.

She paused, then said, “He’s actually good to me… it’s just that the economy is bad lately, so…”

“President, please don’t get involved in my affairs anymore.”

“I don’t want you to see me like this.”

Li Ling and I gradually grew apart in the following years. It wasn’t until later, when the company was in trouble, that we could sit down and talk properly.

Li Ling came to hand in her resignation letter.

Her daughter Doudou was already five, very pretty and cute—definitely going to grow into a stunning beauty.

Li Ling said: “Some scenes in life can’t be washed away by time. Often, only the momentary feelings fade.”

“President, do you still remember when we first met?”

“My family was poor. My parents didn’t even have citizenship back then, and several of my older sisters were given away for adoption. When my father was about to send me away, I grabbed his leg and promised him I would make something of myself.”

“I studied hard and worked part-time. Finally, I managed to get into college on a scholarship, but no one really respected me. I couldn’t make friends because I was always working, sending most of my money home. I could survive on bread for a whole month just to save a little…”

“Then I received an invitation—my first invitation ever. It was a costume ball. I’d never been to any party. I thought, ‘Ha, finally I can go.’ Since it was a costume ball, I could make my own outfit. I had so many ideas—I could definitely make the most outstanding costume…”

I smiled bitterly.

Li Ling continued on her own: “But it turned out I had been tricked. A lot of people were laughing at me. Right when I was about to cry, I finally saw another fool.”

“He was a scrawny pumpkin, standing there, impossible to miss.”

“Later, I danced with that pumpkin all night long. We didn’t win the Best Duo Award, but we did get a prize. Even though everyone was laughing at us, I was still really happy.”

Li Ling looked at me and suddenly said softly: “Actually, I have a secret.”

I leaned closer.

She glanced around mysteriously.

“Brother Pumpkin danced very handsomely, but his dancing was honestly terrible—my feet were almost crushed.”

She burst into laughter, just like back then.

I couldn’t help but laugh too.

Then Li Ling lowered her eyes.

“President, let me tell you another secret.”

She took a deep breath.

“With such a big incident at the company, do you know who was pulling the strings behind the scenes?”

I… even though I had an inkling, when Li Ling said it, I still felt a chill run through me.

—It was Wang Zheng.

Wang Zheng.

I couldn’t control myself, pressing a hand to my forehead, trying to suppress the trembling all over my body.

But Li Ling’s next words shattered whatever trust I had left in all of this.

“President.”

“It was me. I provided the company’s shipping data to the general manager.”

Li Ling took a sip of coffee. Time seemed to stop.

She looked away.

After a long while.

Li Ling turned back to me, her voice very soft.

“President, I’m sorry.”

“President… really, really sorry…”

“Doudou’s dad lost his job, and the general manager promised to give him a management position…”

“President, I know you won’t forgive me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Really, really sorry…”

“Really sorry…”

Doudou tugged at her, saying—

“Mommy, don’t cry.”

“Mommy… don’t cry.”

That was probably the last time I saw Li Ling.

Later, all I saw was an urn of ashes.

—What happened? How could she be so rash as to just leave like that…

—She… swallowed an entire bottle of pills. Ai, her husband was useless too, just beat her. Seems she couldn’t hold on anymore, so she did something desperate…

—Poor thing, leaving behind a daughter.

Doudou tugged at my sleeve.

“Uncle, where is Mommy? She said she’d braid my hair.”

“Uncle, what’s wrong?”

“Uncle is shy—Uncle has a red nose, Uncle is shy—”

Sister Xin’s funeral was arranged by the Cheng family.

Sister Xin had no relatives, and since her death was linked to a murder case, only a few people attended the funeral.

There were two suicide notes—one was handed over to the police, the other was for Cheng Chen.

Cheng Chen asked me to read it to him. He said he hadn’t studied well and couldn’t recognize many characters.

I read it word by word.

Over and over.

In the end, Cheng Chen crumpled the letter in his hand.

Cheng Chen said: “That day… I went to find Sister Xin. Fatty, do you remember? To get to the building where Sister Xin lived, you had to go through an alley.”

“It was in that alley that I saw… Sister Xin sitting on the ground, her clothes covered in blood, holding a brick… That bastard Xu Chenghong was lying there…”

“Sister Xin… she really loved that bastard—I don’t understand. Why was Sister Xin so foolish…”

“I should have known… I should have seen it long ago… Sister Xin couldn’t take it anymore, she couldn’t! That bastard Xu Chenghong deserved it, but why did Sister Xin have to be dragged into it too? Why? Why!”

I grabbed his hands as he kept hitting his own head. Cheng Chen was crying messily. He leaned on my shoulder, his tears soaking through it.

That weight… was so heavy it was hard to bear.

I said: “Let Sister Xin go in peace. Look at you crying—if Sister Xin hears inside, she’ll be sad again.”

Cheng Chen nodded, but the more he wiped his tears, the more they came.

In front of the memorial hall was a photo of Sister Xin.

Cheng Chen said it was her most beautiful photo, taken at her wedding.

She wore a sky-blue evening gown, with a blooming smile, bright and moving.

I suddenly choked up.

Such a beautiful person, truly gone.

Once, someone had built beautiful dreams for them, but it was the same person who shattered those dreams.

Whether it was Sister Xin, or Li Ling.

About half a month passed after Sister Xin’s incident.

Everything seemed to return to normal. Cheng Chen still had his slightly slacker nature, but deep down, there were some changes.

Uncle Cheng once talked to me about Cheng Chen’s future educational direction.

Uncle Cheng’s tone carried a note of relief as he said: “That kid did the best thing he ever did when he made friends with you… Qiri, Uncle Cheng is counting on you to keep an eye on him.”

Cheng Chen and I chose the same major: law.

I was quite surprised.

Even though it was a lofty goal for Cheng Chen.

Still, I believe miracles can always manifest at the right time.

For instance, my existence itself is a miracle.

After nearly two months of investigation, Bai Junrui was finally taking Shu Yuan back to the United States. As important guests of Ren Corporation, Old Madam Ren naturally threw another banquet, fully displaying the Chinese tradition of hospitality.

The farewell dinner was held at the International Hotel, and naturally, many people attended—mostly business and political elites.

Master Ren San, as expected, excused himself due to illness, but the branch families and the Wang family showed up in full force.

The conflict between Old Madam Ren and Master Ren San was nothing new. There were already rumors that Old Madam Ren was actively calling for a board meeting. If the two truly clashed, Old Madam Ren was still the nominal chairwoman of Ren Corporation, so even though Master Ren San held real power, he would inevitably face some trouble.

Bai Junrui was the star of the evening. After greeting me, he was pulled away by others. He was dressed in a white suit again, refined and elegant, but his eyes were as sharp as ever—handsome and dashing.

To be honest, Bai Junrui was indeed a good friend and a natural businessman. He never let himself lose out in anything. If it weren’t for his sexual orientation, he would have been Uncle Shu’s ideal son-in-law.

Tonight, Shu Yuan was dressed very charmingly and maturely, yet with a hint of girlish loveliness and beauty. Standing next to Wang Zheng, they looked like a perfect couple.

Wang Zheng, however, didn’t look well. I guessed it was because of the intense studying, upcoming exams, club activities, and having to please Shu Yuan—he was spread thin.

During this time, I had been staying at the main residence and deliberately avoiding Wang Zheng.

Now he kept glancing in my direction, his gaze quite intimidating.

Tonight, I probably couldn’t avoid it.

Wang Zheng found an opportunity and hurried over to me. I felt a chill. He was holding a glass of wine and signaled for me to go outside.

Wang Zheng bit his lip and said, lowering his face: “I… I have something to tell you.”

I hesitated.

To be honest, sometimes I really didn’t know how to refuse Wang Zheng, especially when he bit his lip and looked aggrieved.

It felt like I owed him something.

Thinking about it… it was really frustrating.

The view from the balcony was excellent—a perfect place for romance. But to me, it felt chilling.

Over the years, Wang Zheng had grown more beautiful, his features maturing. Just like in my past life, he was a total disaster.

“Have you been… doing well lately?” Wang Zheng looked away awkwardly, then said, “I heard from my dad that you got mixed up in trouble again.”

I didn’t quite know how to answer. After all, Wang Zheng didn’t know the details. I smiled bitterly and said, “Pretty well.”

“You—Qiri…”

“You’re planning to study law, aren’t you?”

His tone rose, and I frowned. Not many people knew about this.

Wang Zheng said gloomily: “Grandma won’t agree.”

I sighed softly. The cold wind made my head dizzy. “I… I’m going inside.”

I hadn’t taken a few steps when Wang Zheng suddenly raised his voice: “I—I’m going to England.”

I was startled and said instinctively: “That… that’s good news.”

“Good news? You think that’s good news?” Wang Zheng suddenly said urgently: “Ren Qiri, don’t you have any other feelings? You think me leaving… here for England is good news?”

I was at a loss for words. Wang Zheng bit his lower lip, then suddenly came over and grabbed my hand. “Qiri! I know you must be angry about what happened that day… I—”

I shook him off as if electrocuted, and Wang Zheng stepped back.

“I’ve long forgotten about that day. You… Wang Zheng, studying abroad is a good thing. I know you’re a bit uneasy—”

Wang Zheng suddenly looked up at me and slowly broke into a bitter smile.

He took a deep breath and murmured: “You don’t know anything.”

“This is how you always are, leading people around by the nose.”

Before I could reply, he took a sip from the glass of wine he was holding, then handed it to me.

“Ren Qiri.”

I hesitated for a moment, then took it and drank it all in one go.

Afterward, I wiped the corner of my mouth and said softly: “Wang Zheng…”

I swallowed. “I wish you well.”

When I returned to the venue, I felt dizzy.

After a few steps, my legs felt weak. The party was only halfway through, but I was already struggling.

I rubbed my eyes; my vision was getting blurry, and I felt nauseous.

I had to go to the restroom to wash my face.

Compared to the lively party, it was eerily quiet here.

I washed my face, but my hands slipped, and my glasses fell to the floor with a clink.

I hurriedly bent down, only to see a pair of leather shoes in front of me.

I was startled. Just as I was about to look up, the person suddenly rushed at me. I looked up in shock, but a handkerchief was pressed tightly over my mouth. Strangely, I couldn’t muster any strength at all.

Who—

Who is it…