I stopped in the hallway and immediately answered a call from Fangyuan. Feeling uneasy, I asked, “Why are you calling so late? Did something happen?”
“Where are you now?”
“I’m back in Xuzhou.”
“Is Mi Zong with you too?”
“Yeah, we came back together. We just wanted to relax a bit. If you have something to say, go ahead.”
After a brief silence, Fangyuan said, “Recently there’s been some talk going around. Weimin, as the biggest investor, might side with Mi Zhongde at the crucial moment before going public. I can’t ask Mi Zong directly, so I just want to confirm with you—could it be Mi Zhongde who started this rumor to confuse everyone at this critical moment?”
I really couldn’t bring myself to tell Fangyuan the inside story. After a long pause, I finally said, “There really has been a change. I’m trying to get involved and figure something out, but my ability is too limited… Let’s just solve it gradually.”
Fangyuan is a smart guy. He didn’t ask further about the reasons behind the change, only sighing and saying, “It’s really difficult to get to this point. I bet Mi Zong must be really stressed out… This is like inviting a wolf into your house—it’s a business version of that!”
“Yeah, she’s in a very passive position now. Unless Mi Zhongde is willing to join her and terminate the cooperation with Weimin by gaining absolute control, we need to bring in a new investor. But is that really possible? How could Mi Zhongde possibly give up this chance to turn the tables just for Mi Cai?”
Fangyuan thought for a moment and said, “I don’t think it’s impossible, as long as we find the right angle.”
“Please explain…”
“Let’s make an assumption. Suppose Weimin really does side with Mi Zhongde. After Zhuo Mei successfully goes public, he will have more financial resources to gain control of Zhuo Mei’s shares. Considering the aggressive nature he’s showing now, who’s to say he won’t eventually turn against Mi Zhongde himself? No matter how Mi Zong and Mi Zhongde fight and whoever wins or loses in the end, Zhuo Mei will still belong to the Mi family, right? So if Mi Zong is willing to make some appropriate compromises at this point, there might still be a chance for her to join forces with Mi Zhongde and end the cooperation with Weimin.”
“This…”
Fangyuan continued, “Anyway, this is the last resort. No matter how slim the chance is, I think we should try. Also, we should start preparing to find a new investor now. Once Mi Zong and Mi Zhongde reach an agreement and terminate the cooperation with Weimin, we must have another investor step in, because Zhuo Mei might face huge compensation claims from Weimin. Without sufficient funding, it could eventually affect Zhuo Mei’s IPO.”
I thought about it for a long time before replying, “I’ll pass your idea on to Mi Cai. Ultimately, the decision must be hers.”
“Okay… If you need any help, feel free to ask!”
“Man, I really appreciate it.”
Fangyuan smiled and said, “We’ve been friends for so many years. It’s too formal to say thanks. I truly hope Mi Zong can pull through this crisis!”
…
After ending the conversation with Fangyuan, I immediately relayed his suggestions to Mi Cai. Unexpectedly, she shook her head and said, “During these two days in Xuzhou, let’s not talk about work. I’ll think carefully about his suggestion after we return to Suzhou.”
I understood Mi Cai’s mood at this moment and didn’t continue discussing the issue with her. However, I couldn’t help but wonder: if we could really join forces with Mi Zhongde and terminate the cooperation with Weimin, who could step in as the new investor?
…
The next day, Mi Cai got up early. Together with Master Ban, who had already prepared his fishing gear, she drove to the outskirts for fishing. With nothing to do, I slept until around noon. To my surprise, Li Xiaoyun was also at our house. She seemed to have come to invite my mom to play Mahjong at her house in the afternoon.
After washing up, I briefly chatted with Li Xiaoyun. I asked her the rather cliché question, “How have you been lately?”
Li Xiaoyun smiled and replied, “Same old, still working at the same advertising company. But influenced by my mom, I’ve developed a passion for Mahjong.”
I nodded. Usually quite talkative, I suddenly couldn’t think of anything else to say. Given our past relationship, I felt it was inappropriate to ask about her current romantic life.
Li Xiaoyun seemed to sense my hesitation and asked, “How about you? How’s work going lately?”
“The inn is now on the right track, thanks to your early support. Is it still okay for me to thank you now?”
“Of course it is. Just remember to treat me to a meal next time you come back to Xuzhou.”
I nodded again, then fell silent. But Li Xiaoyun smiled naturally and said to me, “Zhaoyang, you already have a girlfriend now. That’s great. Don’t you want to know about my love life?”
“I do want to ask, but I just don’t know how to bring it up… So, do you have a boyfriend now?”
Li Xiaoyun sighed and said, “Sigh! I’m still struggling along the path of blind dates. Lately, I’ve been so exhausted that I decided to cultivate some other hobbies to distract myself, like playing Mahjong.”
“This is probably because you set your standards too high yourself. After all, you’re a city white-collar worker and also a beauty. Can it really be that hard to find a boyfriend?”
Facing my doubt, Li Xiaoyun gave me a blaming look and said, “It’s not my fault, it’s your fault! Ever since I dated you, I now find any man unreliable—they’re all like you!”
“You’re kidding, right? I might not be the most reliable guy, but I hope I didn’t leave you with a deep shadow!”
Li Xiaoyun replied after a while, “Forget it. Everyone inevitably meets one or two bastards in life and suffers a few setbacks. One day I’ll overcome this shadow and find a reliable man!”
I couldn’t tell whether Li Xiaoyun was serious or joking, but I felt somewhat guilty inside. However, the mistakes I made in the past couldn’t be made up for by the present. All I could do was silently wish her to find a reliable man and spend the rest of her life with him.
…
After chatting with Li Xiaoyun for a while, it was already around noon—the time I had agreed to meet the woman in red. I told my mom not to wait for me for lunch, then said goodbye to Li Xiaoyun and drove the R8 toward my destination.
It took about fifteen minutes before I arrived at the Lijingxuan Restaurant again. As soon as I parked the car, the lobby manager came to my car door, opened it politely, and asked, “Are you Mr. Zhaoyang?”
I nodded slightly in surprise, not knowing how she knew my name.
The lobby manager, as if reading my mind, smiled professionally and said, “This car you’re driving belongs to our Madam An. She asked me to welcome you here in the parking lot!”
I nodded again, instinctively glancing into the restaurant. So the woman in red was surnamed An, the owner of this restaurant. And she even remembered my name. It seemed she really disliked me—otherwise, how could she keep my name in mind so vividly?
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