Zhao Yang’s answer surprised me a bit, so I continued to ask, “Mr. Chen, please make yourself clear. What kind of help did Mi Cai give you in the past?”
Mr. Chen showed an expression of embarrassment. After a long pause, he sighed and asked me, “You should know that I have a son, right?”
“Of course I know. You even invited all the colleagues from Baoli Department Store to his 20th birthday party… What about him?”
Mr. Chen looked pained and full of self-reproach as he said, “This kid, Chen Bo, was spoiled by his mother and me from a young age… When he went to college, he started hanging out with a bad crowd because he had plenty of spending money. Eventually, he got addicted to drugs… Alas!… Truly a misfortune for our family!”
Although Chen Bo always seemed a bit rough around the edges in my mind, I was still shocked to hear he had become addicted to drugs: “This…!”
Mr. Chen took a deep puff of his cigarette and continued, “Chen Bo’s big mistake left me feeling very defeated. All these years, I focused only on my career and neglected my son. I once considered quitting my job to fulfill my responsibility as a father and educate Chen Bo properly. Therefore, I submitted my resignation to Ms. Mi. Although I concealed the real reason for my resignation, Ms. Mi, with her keen insight, sensed my low spirits. After persistent questioning from her, I told her the truth. The next day, she found Chen Bo and had a very heartfelt conversation with him. Then she arranged through many connections to send Chen Bo to the United States, where she found the best drug rehabilitation experts to provide full-time care during his recovery. After Chen Bo overcame his addiction, she even arranged for him to stay there to pursue an MBA. Ms. Mi is Chen Bo’s savior and also my benefactor. She saved Chen Bo’s life, and I have nothing to repay her with. The only thing I can do is give my all to help her protect Zhuo Mei, the legacy of her late father!!”
At the end of his speech, Mr. Chen was almost choked up, revealing his true feelings.
“Why didn’t you tell me all this earlier?”
“This is the biggest stain in my life, as well as Chen Bo’s. I really didn’t want to speak of it unless absolutely necessary… Therefore, Zhao Yang, I have told you all this from the bottom of my heart; I hope you can still give me, your old supervisor, a bit of trust… Thinking back on the past year, I feel deep regret for the disgraceful things I did to Ms. Mi during my time at Baoli Department Store… I, Chen Jingming, am indeed a despicable person!”
I remained silent for a long time before finally saying, “Mr. Chen, let’s not dwell on the past. Tell me why you came to see me today; I’m very curious.”
“It’s still about Fang Yuan… Human nature is truly terrifying. I’ve mentored him for many years and worked closely with him, yet I find him increasingly inscrutable.”
My heart felt heavy. After a long pause, I asked, “You still suspect him, don’t you?”
“With Zhuo Mei at this critical juncture, whether I personally question him or not is no longer important… Zhao Yang, the reason I came to see you today is to ask you to have a serious talk with him. Based on various signs, Zhuo Mei’s failure in its IPO is almost certain. Ms. Mi’s current position at Zhuo Mei is very dangerous… Last Christmas’s event created a sales legend in the department store industry and elevated Fang Yuan’s status. It was this event that gave the board hope for financing. Therefore, at this crucial moment, Fang Yuan’s stance might influence the board’s decision.”
“Him? Influencing the board?… I don’t think he has that much influence. After all, the Christmas event was just an isolated incident.”
“Yes, Fang Yuan’s influence might not be enough on its own. But what if he has the support of the Mi Zhongde family?… If Fang Yuan were to switch sides and support them, wouldn’t that be enough to sway the board’s decision? Additionally, to those with ulterior motives, the failure of the IPO and the wrong choice of investment partner, which brought Zhuo Mei into an unprecedented crisis, could all become reasons to attack Ms. Mi. Do you understand?”
I responded angrily, “If it weren’t for Wei Ran leading ZH to invest in Zhuo Mei back then, Zhuo Mei would have collapsed years ago. Now that Wei Ran’s Blue Map Group has fallen, are these bastards really going to kick us when we’re down?”
“There’s no room for sentimentality in business; everyone only cares about immediate interests… Otherwise, why didn’t any of Blue Map Group’s seemingly loyal allies come to its aid when it truly collapsed?”
The harsh reality was laid bare before me. Once again, I felt the fickle nature of humanity. After a long silence, I finally spoke, “I will talk to Fang Yuan. I don’t believe he would betray us. Moreover, if there’s going to be internal conflict at Zhuo Mei due to the IPO failure, it will be a battle of capital. Whoever can find a new investor to replace ZH’s investment in Zhuo Mei will naturally have the authority. Therefore, Ms. Mi’s situation isn’t as bleak as you think, Mr. Chen… You should know that regarding the matter of finding a new investor to decide Zhuo Mei’s fate, Ms. Mi has already started making her moves.”
Finally, Mr. Chen nodded and said, “I hope this is just my worst-case scenario!”
“I hope so too… Mr. Chen, I’ll keep everything you just told me in mind and will definitely follow through… I’m also very sorry for my previous doubts about you.”
“I’ve never taken any personal doubts about me to heart… I just hope Ms. Mi can get through this crisis. I’m just trying to anticipate some of the possible dangers she might face. In reality, Mi Zhongde hasn’t shown any signs of trying to regain control yet, so I’d rather believe that I’m just being overly cautious.”
…
It was already ten o’clock at night when I said goodbye to Mr. Chen. Yet even though it was so late, I didn’t abandon my plan to go to Yangzhou. I drove along the previously set route, continuing toward Yangzhou. I was impulsively eager to see her. Otherwise, I would find it really hard to endure this lonely night alone, even though she might not feel the same.
After two and a half hours of driving, I finally arrived in Yangzhou, alternating between fatigue and excitement. Mi Cai seemed to have been waiting for me outside the hotel parking lot for quite some time. Her hands were tucked into her coat pockets. Though she wore a knitted hat and a mask, her cheeks were still flushed red from the cold. This scene seemed to melt me. As I got out of the car, I ran toward her, tightly embraced her, and felt her real presence in my arms… Gradually, I forgot about Jian Wei, who had also hugged me during this same lonely night.
This seemed like an instinctive choice and forgetting, because holding Mi Cai filled me with anticipation for our future life, while holding Jian Wei brought only the pain of the past and memories that tore at me. This pain became a kind of explanation, telling me that the past is only meant for remembrance, not continuation…
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