Lao Xia remained relatively calm. He said to Chen Yang, "The president called earlier. If you come, he asked me to notify you to go to his office."
Chen Yang was slightly taken aback, then said, "Okay, Lao Xia, I understand. I'll go there now."
He patted Lao Xia's shoulder and headed towards the president's office.
Upon entering the president's office, Chen Yang only saw Lin Qingxue there.
Usually, Lin Qingxue and Tang Qingqing were inseparable in the office, so Chen Yang found it somewhat strange.
"Where's Qingqing?" Chen Yang asked naturally after closing the door.
Lin Qingxue, dressed in a snowy white suit, looked elegant and graceful. She said calmly, "Qingqing went back to Foshan with her cousin."
"Why did she suddenly go back to Foshan?" Chen Yang asked as he sat down across from Lin Qingxue.
Lin Qingxue put down her work and called her secretary to bring in two cups of coffee.
After that, Lin Qingxue said, "Qingqing's grandfather is in Foshan, so it's normal for her to go back and visit him."
Chen Yang said, "Perhaps you two girls are having some headaches with the current situation, so you let Qingqing go and consult with the elders?"
Lin Qingxue smiled bitterly and said, "Nothing can be hidden from you, can it?" She paused, then continued, "I told my uncle, and he said I should no longer have any contact with you. As for other issues, he said he would handle them if any problems arise."
Chen Yang was stunned. He couldn't fathom Lin Qingxue's thoughts. Lin Qingxue was a very precocious and talented girl. Previously, unlike Tang Qingqing, she had trusted him. Now, she didn't show the same regret as Qingqing.
"But don't worry," Lin Qingxue smiled slightly and said, "I didn't agree to my uncle's request."
Chen Yang then asked, "Why didn't you agree?"
Instead of answering directly, Lin Qingxue said, "Yadi Company is very important to me. It's not because Yadi Company can make me a lot of money. In fact, I have enough money. I'm not particularly interested in food, drinks, entertainment, or luxury goods. But no matter how much money others offer me, I can't give up Yadi Company. Because Yadi Company is my life's purpose and the value of my existence in this world. So, no matter how powerful and wealthy the Independents are, I can't agree to sell Yadi Company." She paused, then continued, "Later, I thought about what would happen if you hadn't appeared. The more I thought about it, the more terrified I became. Although the Independents aren't from the underworld, their methods are even more sinister. If they really played their cards, they might kidnap me or create some unsavory videos to force me to surrender. I believe they have a hundred ways to make me compromise."
Chen Yang looked at Lin Qingxue in amazement, not expecting her to be so insightful and to see everything so clearly.
Lin Qingxue continued, "In other words, you saved my political life. You are my great benefactor, Lin Qingxue. For me, Yadi Company is extremely important. But if I listen to my uncle and drive you away to preserve Yadi Company, that would be ingratitude. Of course, proving my value is very important. But first, I must be an upright person with a clear conscience! If a person can't even uphold basic morals, how can they talk about value? Wouldn't that be laughable?"
After saying all this, Chen Yang began to re-evaluate Lin Qingxue. He felt that her frail body contained a formidable force. Her character would make many people feel ashamed.
Perhaps it was because she was still young and hadn't experienced the cruelty and depravity of the world, so she could still be so genuine and stubborn. But regardless, Chen Yang deeply respected Lin Qingxue.
Previously, Chen Yang had protected Lin Qingxue because of her brother Lin Nan. But now, Chen Yang genuinely wanted to protect Lin Qingxue from the bottom of his heart.
As a martial artist, it was his duty to help the vulnerable. If martial artists couldn't have such compassion, how could ordinary people be expected to? Chen Yang felt he should protect Lin Qingxue even more because girls like her were far too rare.
"However..." Lin Qingxue suddenly said, "There are still some things I can't figure out, and I hope you can explain them to me."
Chen Yang said, "Go ahead."
Lin Qingxue said, "When I was in my most difficult situation, you suddenly appeared, like a prince from a fairy tale. But I don't believe in fairy tales. Why did you happen to show up just when I needed help the most?"
Chen Yang pondered for a moment, then said, "It was indeed a coincidence. But how do you want me to answer you? I'm not a celestial being; I couldn't have known you needed help. It just so happened that I ran into you."
Lin Qingxue fell silent.
Chen Yang said, "Perhaps it's because you are destined for wealth and honor, and when you encounter difficulties, a noble person is destined to help you. Because this is your fate, even if you face danger in the future, someone will coincidentally come to your aid by chance. Although talking about fate sounds mystical and superstitious, each person has a predetermined path from birth. This path is called destiny. Some are born into noble families, some are born poor, some seize opportunities and soar, and some get hit by cars while walking on the road. Everyone's fate is different."
Lin Qingxue looked at Chen Yang and asked, "Really, there's no other reason?"
Chen Yang said, "My coming to Binhai City from abroad was a coincidence, and the Independents' sudden trouble with you was spontaneous. I'm not a celestial being; how could I have foreseen it?"
Lin Qingxue pondered for a moment, then smiled sweetly and said, "So it seems you are indeed my destined noble benefactor?"
Chen Yang smiled and said, "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
Lin Qingxue said, "Wait, do you think the Independents will leave Binhai City? And will the secular disciples of Shaolin Temple continue to cause us trouble?"
Chen Yang pondered and said, "This matter cannot be so easily resolved. But you don't need to worry. When the enemy comes, we'll stop them; when the water rises, we'll build dams. This is within our country, a society under the rule of law. They dare not act recklessly in the open. As for playing dirty tricks behind the scenes, you don't need to fear them at all, for I am the ancestor of underhanded tactics."
Lin Qingxue let out a slight sigh of relief and said, "Okay, thank you for all your help."
Chen Yang smiled slightly and left.
At the Qing'an Group.
The Independent and Zhi Jiaoqiao had just passionately made love in the office, leaving stains on the sofa. Zhi Jiaoqiao looked languid, while the Independent remained silent.
He had merely vented his frustrations on Zhi Jiaoqiao's body.
Luo Ren's corpse had been quickly cremated, leaving no trace behind.
Since he had died after signing a life-and-death agreement, according to the rules of the martial arts world, his funeral could not be grand. Moreover, this incident was a loss of face for the secular disciples of Shaolin Temple, so it was not appropriate to publicize it widely.
Luo Ren's ashes had been interred at the Annan Mausoleum in Binhai City that very afternoon.
At the same time, news of Luo Ren's death had spread among the secular disciples' organization.
This incident had even alarmed the Yan generation's group.
Luo Ren and the Independent belonged to the Heng generation. Although the Heng generation members were doing well for themselves, they still paled in comparison to the older Yan generation masters.
Luo Ren was the most outstanding of the Heng generation, yet he was killed, and a life-and-death agreement was signed with several masters as witnesses.
So this matter's spread was not widespread, but it still reached the ears of the eldest master of the Yan generation.
That eldest master of the Yan generation was named Yang Ling. Yang Ling was thirty years old this year, actually a year younger than Luo Ren. However, this Yang Ling came from an influential family in Beijing, so he had taken refuge at a higher generational level initially, and his cultivation was also very high. As for exactly how high his level was, outsiders did not know.
The current Yang Ling had established his own sect, founding the Yang Corporation in Jiangnan City. The Yang Corporation controlled the rights to the Yangtze River port transportation in Jiangnan. Each year, the Yang Corporation's profits from transportation rights alone reached 600 million yuan. Moreover, the Yang Corporation was also involved in the automotive and machinery industries, as well as smuggling some foreign cars. The 600 million yuan in profits was just from legitimate business; through smuggling, the Yang Corporation's annual profits exceeded 1.8 billion yuan.
The Yang Corporation had been built into a vast commercial empire. Many masters from the Yan generation, Yang Ling's martial seniors and brothers, were stationed within the corporation.
With so many experts guarding it, members of the underworld did not dare covet the Yang Corporation.
As for the government side, the Yang Corporation kept its books in good order and greased all the right palms, so it had been smooth sailing without any incidents.
The secular disciples of Shaolin Temple were a gold-plated signboard. The team formed by these secular disciples wielded an influence that made even major figures wary. So they were interdependent - when one prospered, all prospered; when one suffered, all suffered. If Luo Ren was just killed like this and these martial seniors and brothers did not act, then the deterrent power of these secular disciples would greatly diminish.
This was something the young master of the Yang Corporation, Yang Ling, could not tolerate.
But in this situation, Yang Ling also could not openly cause trouble for Chen Yang. Because a life-and-death agreement had been signed, with the pre-arranged terms already spread. In the jianghu world, credibility was paramount. If the Shaolin secular disciples did not act with integrity, it would severely impact their reputation, to the point that others would no longer trust this group of secular disciples, or even Shaolin Temple itself.
If it really reached that point, even Shaolin Temple would have to intervene and demand accountability.
So currently, Yang Ling and these secular disciples were caught between a rock and a hard place. Yang Ling was even more furious with the Independent, but rebuking him now would be pointless. Amidst his busyness, he gave the Independent a call.
When the Independent received Yang Ling's call, he had just finished making love with Zhi Jiaoqiao on the sofa. "Who is this?" the Independent answered gruffly.
"My surname is Yang, given name Ling," Yang Ling said coolly.
The Independent turned deathly pale and stammered, "Master...Uncle!"