Chapter 623
Engagement
Chapter 623 Engagement
As July arrived, darker clouds began to gather.
One heavy rain after another poured down, extinguishing the sweltering heat that had lingered in Lijin City for months. On the windowsill of the Xie family's house, the roses, having absorbed enough water, bloomed even more beautifully, perfectly reflecting Xie Yun's mood during this time.
A few days ago, the Organization Department talked to him. The gist of the conversation was that he was about to become the acting director of the department. In a few days, the higher-ups would hold a meeting of middle-level cadres in the department to announce the news. As for the formal appointment, it would have to wait until the provincial people's congress meeting next month to approve it.
Xie Yun got his wish.
The apparent reason is that the intellectualization and rejuvenation of cadres cannot remain just lip service. He is young, the youngest director-general in the entire southern Hunan province, and has a doctoral degree. He has also won two national-level research projects. In addition, and most importantly, Director Wang, who is about to step down, also recommended him to higher authorities.
As a matter of course, he can finally step down from his position as chairman of Xiangtai Pharmaceutical. His resignation has been submitted, and the official approval should be given in the next few days.
When he took over Xiangtai Pharmaceutical, it was on the verge of bankruptcy. He personally led the team to develop a new kidney drug and promoted its launch, which brought the state-owned enterprise back to life. In the following years, it experienced glory and fell to the bottom, and was cursed by shareholders for eighteen generations every year.
Now that it's confirmed he's leaving, Xie Yun feels a mix of emotions, a little reluctant to part ways. However, the final outcome is good; the restructuring of Xiangtai is progressing surprisingly smoothly, and he, the "paperhanger," has been able to give an account to all parties involved, allowing him to leave peacefully and without worry.
Speaking of this matter, Liu Huihui has been trying every means to praise Lu Yuanzhou in front of him lately. He naturally knows what his wife is up to, but he has to admit that this young man has made great efforts to make the Xiangtai restructuring go so smoothly.
He had been living in fear for a long time regarding the restructuring of Xiangtai Pharmaceutical. Looking back now, Lu Yuanzhou's handling of the matter could be described as flawless. His stock price manipulation at key junctures was masterful, and his information release timing was precise. Especially when facing Zhang Yunqi, who held hundreds of millions of yuan in short-selling funds, he lured him into a trap, then trapped him completely, forcing Zhang Yunqi into a corner! Currently, Lu Yuanzhou seems poised to swallow up Zhang Yunqi's core businesses. This audacity and cunning made Xie Yun secretly alarmed.
On the other hand, regarding the issue of the audit team joining the team, which Xie Yun feared the most, Lu Yuanzhou seemed to have already taken precautions and made arrangements.
In the 90s, the composition of the audit team for a listed company like Xiangtai Pharmaceutical directly reflected the nature, intensity, and underlying intentions of the audit. However, after a period of time, Xie Yun discovered that the team, led by Yuan Min, the deputy director of the audit office, and composed of personnel from several departments including financial audit, state-owned asset supervision, and discipline inspection, focused on procedural compliance and clarifying historical issues during its audit of Xiangtai. Their attitude towards issues such as asset loss, which could potentially derail the restructuring, was relatively open-minded.
Xie Yun was deeply impressed.
His only discomfort was that Lu Yuanzhou had also analyzed him thoroughly and concealed a lot of targeted information, which put him under immense pressure a few days ago, causing him to be unable to sleep for nights on end.
But regardless, the current situation is like a boat that has already passed through ten thousand mountains, its cries of monkeys on both banks unable to stop the boat from making its way. After weathering the storm of Zhang Yunqi's short selling, Xiangtai's stock price has hit the daily limit for several consecutive days, and has now surged again to over forty yuan. Shareholders are happy, directors are happy, and his wife is even happier.
Liu Huihui not only made a net profit of over one million yuan in the stock market using her own savings, but also made a profit of over four million yuan using the one million yuan principal she borrowed from Lu Yuanzhou. All in all, she should have made over six million yuan this time.
Right now, aside from Zhang Yunqi's defeat in Lijin, the outcome for Xiangtai Pharmaceutical should satisfy everyone. But Xie Yun knew that what happened at his house tonight might make Zhang Yunqi even more dissatisfied.
Liu Huihui is hosting a family dinner tonight.
Besides Liu Huihui, her husband, and their seventy-year-old mother, there was also her sister Xie Jing and her family of three, as well as Lu Yuanzhou. Liu Huihui's intentions were obvious: she was now extremely fond of Lu Yuanzhou, this talented young man who had just helped her become rich overnight! She couldn't wait to establish a kinship with Lu Yuanzhou! Of course, her sister Xie Jing might also be involved; the two aunts had been whispering about it privately for quite some time.
It was raining outside the window at six o'clock in the evening.
In the Xie family's dining room, the chandelier cast a warm yellow light.
By this time, the invited guests had gradually arrived. Liu Huihui and Xie Jing, who had come early to help with the cooking, had been busy preparing since the afternoon. The two of them had beaming with joy and solemnly prepared a table of dishes that were even more sumptuous than those for the New Year: steamed sea bass, braised prawns, braised pork belly with preserved mustard greens, stir-fried beef with yellow peppers, stir-fried pork belly with fermented radish, meat dumplings, chicken soup with bamboo shoots... Each dish was hearty and delicious, full of the feeling of a family reunion dinner.
Li Yufei sat between her mother Xie Jing and her maternal grandmother, opposite Lu Yuanzhou. He was wearing a light-colored linen shirt today, with the cuffs casually rolled up. He turned to listen to Li Yufei's maternal grandmother as she spoke, smiling as he served her some food: "Grandma, try this chicken soup with bamboo shoots, it's very delicious."
The old lady was over seventy years old, with silver hair. She smiled with her eyes narrowed and said, "Good, good, Xiao Lu is so sensible. He's four or five years older than my Yufei, which is a good age."
Li Jilin sat in the main seat, his wine glass emptying and refilling repeatedly. He rarely spoke, only taking a perfunctory sip when Xie Yun raised his glass. Zhang Yunqi's situation was currently dire; the Liansheng Group's affairs weighed heavily on his chest like a stone. He was well aware of the true purpose of this family dinner, so how could he possibly be in the mood to eat?
Hearing Li Yufei's grandmother say this, he knew that Xie Jing and Liu Huihui, her two aunts, must have been whispering in the old lady's ear. Yufei had lived with the old lady during winter and summer vacations since she was little, and the grandfather and granddaughter had a very deep relationship. The old lady's words carried weight in Yufei's heart. He ladled a spoonful of chicken soup for the old lady and said, "Mom, Yufei is still young, there's no rush."
"You're almost twenty, not young anymore. Didn't you and Jingjing confirm your relationship back then?" The old lady squinted at Lu Yuanzhou, then at Li Yufei, and said with a smile, "I think Lu is quite good."
Li Jilin put down his chopsticks: "Mom, let the children worry about their own affairs."
The old lady raised her voice a bit: "If I don't worry about you, who will? You're all busy with your careers and making money. Have you taken good care of my precious grandson? You were penniless back then. If I hadn't taken care of you, would you and Jingjing have made it together?"
Xie Jing looked a little embarrassed: "Mom, we're eating."
Liu Huihui seized the opportunity to agree: "Actually, what Mom said is right. Yufei is so outstanding, she definitely needs to find someone who is worthy of her. Xiao Lu is young and promising, has a good career, and cares about Yufei. I think if these two children could get together, they would be a match made in heaven."
Lu Yuanzhou put down his chopsticks and smiled politely: "Well, I've known Yufei for a long time. She's a good girl, kind-hearted and gentle. As for whether we can be together, that depends on your wishes, Uncle and Aunt, and Yufei herself."
Li Yufei lowered her head and fiddled with the rice in her bowl, without responding.
The restaurant suddenly became quiet.
Seeing this, Liu Huihui nudged Xie Yun's leg under the table, but Xie Yun didn't seem to notice, continuing to drink with his head down, as if everything in front of him was irrelevant.
Liu Huihui was furious, but she forced a smile and changed the subject, saying, "Brother-in-law, I heard from Lao Xie that things aren't going well for Liansheng Group lately. The company's assets are going to be disposed of, and the big boss, Zhang Yunqi, is heavily in debt. The judicial auction will begin in about ten days. Is that why you're in a bad mood?"
Xie Yun's face darkened upon hearing this. This woman had betrayed him right then and there.
Lu Yuanzhou, however, was quick-witted and immediately replied, "I know a little about this, but Uncle Li, don't worry. If that day ever comes, I will participate in the auction and will definitely help Liansheng overcome this difficulty."
Li Jilin suddenly laughed: "President Lu, what a boastful tone and what a grand gesture."
Lu Yuanzhou immediately said, "Uncle, you've misunderstood."
He put down his chopsticks and said sincerely, "I am speaking purely from a business perspective. Liansheng has a very good foundation. It is only because the actual controller encountered financial problems that it has fallen into this passive situation. Uncle Li is a top professional in the industry. Uncle Li has made great contributions to the development of Liansheng to this day. If there is a real opportunity to take over, I hope that Uncle Li can continue to serve as the general manager. Please feel free to make any requests regarding equity and benefits."
Li Jilin picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp: "Looks like I've risen in status because of my daughter."
Xie Jing's expression changed: "Old Li!" Li Jilin put down his wine glass and said calmly: "President Lu has indeed misunderstood. I have already planned to submit my resignation to the board of directors. No matter who ends up with Liansheng Group, I will not stay."
The air at the dining table suddenly froze.
Xie Jing slammed her chopsticks on the table with a "bang": "No, that's not true. Xiao Lu, your Uncle Li is just too tired lately. There are so many things to deal with at Liansheng, and his mind isn't clear yet. He just needs some rest."
Li Jilin's face had turned extremely dark.
Liu Huihui, however, added fuel to the fire: "Brother-in-law, Xiao Lu is genuinely doing this for your own good and for the good of this family! What's wrong with him buying Zhang Yunqi's shares to help Liansheng through its difficulties? You've poured thirty years of your heart and soul into this company! Are you just going to watch your hard work go to waste? Fine, if you don't want to hear about this, then let's not talk about your company for now. Look, Yufei is getting older, she should start thinking about marriage."
Xie Yun, who had been silent all along, felt that this woman was meddling too much, and couldn't help but speak up: "Huihui! Stop talking."
Liu Huihui didn't take Xie Yun's words to heart at all. Once she started talking, she couldn't stop: "Sister, brother-in-law, Yufei and Xiao Lu are both good-looking and from good families. They're such a perfect match! Although young people these days value freedom in love, parents still have to keep an eye on things, right? I won't even mention the rumors about Zhang Yunqi having a girlfriend at Peking University. What's his situation now? I heard he owes so much debt he could never pay it off in ten lifetimes! If Yufei continues to have entanglements with him, wouldn't she be jumping into a fire pit?"
She became more and more agitated as she spoke, turning to Li Yufei and saying, "Yufei, your aunt has been through this, and let me tell you from the bottom of my heart, the most important thing for a woman in this life is to marry the right person. What's wrong with Xiao Lu? If you ask me, you should get engaged as soon as possible, to avoid any unforeseen complications!"
Li Yufei kept her head down and ate in silence.
Xie Jing grabbed Li Yufei's hand: "Xiao Lu, we haven't met your parents yet."
The meaning was quite clear. Lu Yuanzhou immediately stood up, his expression very serious: "This was my oversight. Aunt, Uncle Li, and Yufei, I'll call my parents when I get back today and ask them to come from Xiangbei. Tomorrow night, our two families will have dinner together at the Huatian Hotel to formally get to know each other and discuss the engagement. What do you think?"
Xie Jing smiled with satisfaction. She tightly grasped Li Yufei's cold hand beside her and was about to speak when Li Yufei put down her chopsticks and met Lu Yuanzhou's gaze, saying, "Okay, let's have a meal and get to know each other."
This was the first thing Li Yufei truly said tonight, but it stunned all her family members present.
Liu Huihui was so happy she almost jumped for joy. Li Jilin looked at his daughter with a solemn expression. Lu Yuanzhou's heart fluttered, wishing his parents could instantly teleport to Rita. Even his maternal grandmother nodded repeatedly, saying, "Good, good, my good granddaughter is so sensible and obedient..."
With Li Yufei's approval, the atmosphere at dinner immediately became lively. Liu Huihui worked even harder to liven things up, and Xie Jing's smile became much more genuine. She began to ask Lu Yuanzhou some casual questions, and Lu Yuanzhou answered them all politely. Everyone enjoyed themselves immensely. Just then, a telephone rang.
Lu Yuanzhou took out his phone and glanced at it. The caller ID showed the name "Zhao Mingxuan". He hung up immediately, looked up at the Xie family and smiled apologetically, "Auntie, Uncle, you can eat first. I'm going to the restroom and I'll be right back."
Liu Huihui immediately got up and gave Lu Yuanzhou directions.
As soon as Lu Yuanzhou entered the bathroom, he locked the door behind him. His gentle demeanor vanished instantly. He dialed the number back, and Zhao Mingxuan's deep voice came from the other end: "President Lu, something happened today."
Lu Yuanzhou pulled out his penis and relieved himself: "What?"
Zhao Mingxuan said, "A large number of ordinary people who bought the 'Xinyu·Fumin Wealth Management Plan No. 1' blocked the office and made a fuss."
Lu Yuanzhou paused, not even noticing the urine soaking his trousers: "Do I need to teach you this? Immediately shut down the news!"
Zhao Mingxuan said, "It's too late. I don't know where they got the news, but a bunch of reporters are blocking the door interviewing those ordinary people..."
Lu Yuanzhou's fingers trembled, and his phone almost slipped into the latrine: "Then use money to shut the reporters up! If that doesn't work, then have someone cover up the news from those media outlets!"
Lu Yuanzhou practically shouted those words.
As soon as he spoke, he realized his voice might have been heard, so he immediately hung up the phone, took two deep breaths in front of the mirror, and put on his flawless smile again.
Lu Yuanzhou walked out of the bathroom and into the living room. Seeing everyone looking at him, he spoke calmly but with just the right amount of urgency: "Auntie, Uncle Li, Yufei, I'm so sorry. There's a sudden urgent matter at the company that I need to handle personally. I might have to leave early. I'm truly sorry."
Liu Huihui was taken aback for a moment, then stood up and said, "Yuanzhou, what's the rush? We haven't finished eating yet..."
Lu Yuanzhou had already picked up his suit jacket draped over the back of the chair and was putting it on while saying quickly, "Auntie, it's really an unexpected situation, I can't not go. I will definitely apologize properly at the banquet tomorrow night."
As he spoke, his gaze fell on Li Yufei's beautiful face: "Yufei, see you tomorrow."
Li Yufei nodded.
Xie Jing and Liu Huihui both stood up and warmly saw Lu Yuanzhou off as he left his house and went downstairs.
Lu Yuanzhou got downstairs, jumped into his BMW 740i, and floored the accelerator. The engine roared as it sped out of the Provincial Health Department compound, hurtling towards the Yongxin Trust office building like a black lightning bolt in the torrential rain of the evening.
Lu Yuanzhou stopped his car, rushed into the office building in the rain, took the elevator all the way to the 18th floor, and as soon as the elevator doors opened, he heard a noisy commotion. He quickly walked through the corridor, and when he turned the corner, he suddenly stopped and stared at the office through the door.
There is a chair there.
A young man was sitting on it.
The young man smiled at him and said, "Mr. Lu, we meet again."
He paused for a moment.
Then, a bone-chilling cold rose from my very bones.
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(End of this chapter)