Since the last unpleasant parting, Fan Xiao has not returned to the apartment for many days.
High-end hotels would deliver meals every day, even including the local delicacies that You Shulang liked to eat.
But most of these things were taken away by the cleaning staff who came the next day. Even when Fan Xiao was not there, You Shulang still guarded the dark guest bedroom, day and night.
The phone had rang many times and the text message alerts continued. When Fan Xiao left, he connected You Shulang's phone to a power source so that the battery would not run out.
You Shulang was so annoyed that he was about to turn off his phone. He glanced around and saw an unusual name on the screen. He subconsciously stopped and after a long silence, he answered the phone.
"Master's wife, do you have something to ask me?"
…
After hanging up the phone, You Shulang looked solemn. He sat on the sofa and smoked a cigarette. After the last puff of smoke dissipated, he unplugged his phone from the charging cable, opened his mailbox, and checked the huge email.
The huge email had been gathering dust in the inbox, and You Shulang had never opened it. He felt tired and bored, and had no interest in anything, not even the desire for revenge.
What would it matter if he took revenge on Fan Xiao? He was still alone, without any connection to this world.
Ever since he can remember, he has been living with loneliness. He was abandoned outside an orphanage by his biological parents, and later adopted. However, he was abandoned again because his adoptive mother was pregnant. They went back on their word and, fearing that they would be held accountable, they threw him on the roadside a hundred meters away from the orphanage, doing the same thing as his biological parents.
That day, little You Shulang sat on the ground, looking at the dilapidated gate for a whole afternoon. When the sun was about to set, he turned around and left, never to return, and became a beggar.
Later, the little beggar often stretched out his hands to the sunlight to see if he was transparent. If not, how could he explain that people coming and going could clearly see him but seemed not to see him?
A transparent soul wandering in other people's world, naturally no one pays attention to it.
There were a few years when he had a home, family, people who cared for him, and he was needed by others. He finally tasted the warmth of this world and met the person who told him that this world is not bad.
But in the end, his fate was already determined. The loneliness and solitude he once felt came back again, pressing down on You Shulang hundreds and thousands of times, making it hard for him to breathe.
He wanted to give up and sink. But every time You Shulang had this thought, Fan Xiao would stab him hard in the heart. Only this person who brought him endless pain could arouse You Shulang's lonely fighting spirit.
He opened the email and found a few highlighted documents among the vast amount of information. He double-clicked the document and read it carefully.
The words in the pupils kept changing, and the man's brows were getting more and more furrowed.
When he saw the detailed explanation clearly marked in the document, You Shulang suddenly turned off the screen. On the black LCD screen, there was an expression of extreme shock!
After confronting Fan Xiao's bald assistant for two minutes, You Shulang finally waited for Fan Xiao to open the office door from the inside.
There was a heavy gloom between Fan Xiao's brows and obvious red bloodshot in his eyes. He stared at You Shulang deeply but was scolding his bald assistant.
"No one can stop Director You. If you continue to do this, go back to Thailand."
After ordering the preparation of tea and snacks, he invited You Shulang into the office. Although he was considerate, he remained silent.
"Have you filed a lawsuit against Changling Pharmaceutical?" You Shulang asked directly.
Fan Xiao lowered his eyes, the smile on his lips somewhat self-deprecating: "You came to me just to call me to task?"
"Why?" You Shulang didn't beat around the bush. "I've already left Changling Pharmaceuticals. Why are you still suing my teacher?"
Fan Xiao leaned lazily on the desk, rubbing his fingers on the Buddha's hand ornament displayed on it.
Coldness and indifference, contempt and arrogance, all appeared on his face at the same time. This was the truest Fan Xiao: "No reason, I'm just in a bad mood lately."
"In a bad mood?" You Shulang was shocked by the answer.
Fan Xiao threw a rouge into his mouth, half turned around and searched for matches on the desk. He held the cigarette in his mouth and smoked, his words a little slurred: "Yes, I'm in a bad mood. Your teacher Huang challenged me on some issues again. So forget it. Who made him walk into the muzzle of a gun?"
"Did you know that he was so distracted by this incident that he fell down the stairs and broke his ankle!"
"Really?" Fan Xiao was startled, then he lowered his lips, "You want to accuse me of this crime too?"
He finally found a match, lit the cigarette, and then threw the matchstick, which was still smoking, into the lotus platform being dragged by the Buddha's hand.
Making something holy become dirty is Fan Xiao's specialty.
"Shu Lang," he exhaled the first puff of cigarette, "If you plead for Huang, I will immediately withdraw the lawsuit. You also know that I love you, and I will do whatever you say."
You Shulang sneered: "Besides this set of intimidation tactics, you have no other skills?"
Fan Xiao was not ashamed, but acknowledged it generously: "Yes, I begged and begged, almost as humbly as a dog, but you were still determined to leave me. To be honest, I didn't sue Huang Qiming to force you to compromise, but I was just upset. I always felt that if I didn't do something, I would be suffocated!"
He walked up to You Shulang, looked directly into the man's eyes, and said slowly: "Shulang, let's not torture each other, okay? I admit my fault. You can punish me however you want, but don't leave me."
Just as he finished speaking, the office door was pushed open and the bald assistant brought in some refreshments.
You Shulang walked over, sat on the sofa, and drank a sip of hot tea. When he looked up again, his face was as calm as usual.
"Boss Fan, intimidation and coercion are not for you. I have something in my hand right now. If I take it out, I'm afraid it will cause quite a stir."
Fan Xiao stood there, his face lowered, his expression unclear. His usually upright back slowly sagged, and he looked in an inconsolable gloom.
"Director You," Fan Xiao finally spoke after a long silence, "No matter what you have, the contract I signed with Huang Qiming is real and valid. Even if I am not the general manager of this company, Huang Qiming and his team must bear legal responsibility."
He turned to look at You Shulang, "He probably can't afford to pay the penalty for breach of contract. If he uses unfinished craftsmanship to deceive me, I will sue him for commercial fraud. In that case, it won't just be a matter of paying money."
You Shulang held the teacup in his hand, his knuckles turning blue. "Teacher Huang is going to jail, the project is terminated, and compensation is not in place. How are you going to get your initial investment back? What good will this do you?"
Fan Xiao bit his cigarette and raised his eyebrows: "Director You, you once said that I was a madman. What kind of logic does a madman have? I just want to have fun. I am not happy. I will take off as many clothes as possible!"
You Shulang wiped his face with his palm and sighed deeply: "As far as I know, this lawsuit has now been brought to the mediation court. The mediation court's opinion is that both sides should take a step back. If Changling Pharmaceutical can complete the process optimization within three months, they hope that you will withdraw the lawsuit."
"Yes, but if I don't sign my consent, the case will no longer be under the jurisdiction of the mediation court the day after tomorrow." Fan Xiao walked to the window and opened the heavy curtains a little to let the sunlight shine on You Shulang. He turned around and looked at the man on the sofa. "Besides, it will take more than three months to complete the process optimization. Although I am a layman, I also know a thing or two about the process and time required."
You Shulang looked at the man standing with his back to the light and said calmly, "If Changling can complete the process optimization within three months, can Mr. Fan give him a hand?"
The man exhaled a long puff of cigarette: "Why?"
You Shulang clenched his fists tightly, his eyes were as white as snow, his brows were filled with sorrow and grief, his voice was unusually hoarse, like a thousand-pound weight, rough and heavy: "Based on what you once said, you would unconditionally agree to one thing for me."
He put the cigarette in his mouth, but stopped halfway. Fan Xiao's hand holding the cigarette began to tremble violently. He felt that all the veins in his body were aching, especially deep in his chest, where sharp pains emerged.
In the past, Fan Xiao had made many promises that were as strong as gold. But at this moment, he suddenly knew what You Shulang was referring to.
The romantic night in H City was their first experience. Fan Xiao successfully tricked You Shulang into giving up his position. He was like a wild boy, with no skills but only brute force. He went crazy all night, and when he finally calmed down, he found that You Shulang's face was pale from the pain.
He felt distressed and tried to comfort her at the same time, vowing that he would go through fire and water for You Shulang in the future.
At that time, You Shulang listened with a smile, and when he saw that he was getting more and more outrageous, he leaned over and kissed him on the lips: "Okay, I'll remember that. Promise me one thing unconditionally in the future. Okay, come, come into my brother's arms."
The love words of the past are now just You Shulang's unbearable past. But he had to use this as a bargaining chip, and one can imagine how forbearing and desperate he was.
Fan Xiao raised his hand, pressed his chest which felt like it was being cut by a knife, extinguished the cigarette in his hand, and said, "Three months, not even a day more. I will wait for good news from Director You."
After leaving Fan Xiao's company, You Shulang was a little dazed. The early summer light was bright, revealing the dullness on his face. He seemed to be unaccustomed to the sun, so he walked into a dark alley and took out his cell phone.
"Teacher Huang, we have managed to get three months. Although time is tight, if you and your team work day and night, there may still be a glimmer of hope."
The voice on the phone was old and heavy: "Shu Lang, my foot is injured now. Several backbone members of the team heard that we were sued. They were already unstable and now they have all left. I have no generals and no soldiers. Even if you help me fight for three months, there is no hope."
Suddenly, a dejected voice suddenly shook: "Come back and help me, Shulang, can you help me take charge?"
The man in the alley was silent for a moment. Without being modest or pretending to refuse, he responded in a deep voice: "Okay, I'll help you."
Huang Qimin hung up the phone and glanced at the heavy curtains: "Mr. Fan, I'm really not used to your air-raid shelter. Do you like paying the electricity bill so much?"
Seeing that Fan Xiao ignored him, he asked again: "How is it? Is what I said on the phone okay?"
Fan Xiao sat in You Shulang's seat just now, pressed his lip print and took a sip of the tea he had drunk: "Mr. Huang, improve your acting skills in the future and don't let the truth out."
"Any actor's acting skills are fine, as long as President Fan invests more." Huang Qimin stood up with his crutches. "You young people, I don't know what you are doing every day?"
He glanced at the lounge he had just been in: "I was scared to death just now. I have never done anything wrong in my life, but now I am so old, I am cheating my own students."
"Mr. Huang," Fan Xiao stood up respectfully, "Thank you."
Huang Qimin waved his hand and said, "You have to redeem yourself for your own sins. Transfer the investment money to me as soon as possible."
He limped towards the door with his crutches, and heard a faint voice behind him: "Your leg was tripped by your dog. It has nothing to do with me. Why are you making such a fuss?"
Huang Qimin turned around and squinted his eyes: "The nature is actually... no different."
He pushed the door open and walked out, Fan Xiao's face turned black.