The next day, Zheng Shuai went home to visit his parents, while Lin Qiang, after tidying up his attire and donning a navy-blue tie symbolizing victory, arrived promptly at his former battleground—Financial Street.
Here, the masterpieces of the world's top designers towered above, and the headquarters of dozens of giant enterprises were spaced only a few meters apart. Every step Lin Qiang took felt like treading on gold or, perhaps more aptly, on the bones of the fallen. This place boasted the bustling crowds comparable to Tokyo and the capital flows rivaling Manhattan. Dreams converged here, but so did greed.
Lin Qiang adjusted his tie and stepped into the Weiting Intercontinental Hotel at exactly 10:55 AM.
To his surprise, the first person he encountered after passing through the revolving door was his former superior—the man who orchestrated his transfer for sticking to his principles—Qian Cai.
They stared at each other, both taken aback.
Qian Cai, nearly fifty, with a well-proportioned build and a vigorous demeanor, broke the silence with a smile after a few seconds. "Lin...Lin Qiang, what brings you here? Reliving the old days of entertaining clients?"
Lin Qiang, maintaining a dry smile, replied, "I wouldn't dare. I can't afford it."
"Hehe, young man, there's always an opportunity." Qian Cai stepped forward, lightly aiming a hand at Lin Qiang's shoulder with a victor's grin.
Lin Qiang dodged, narrowly avoiding Qian Cai's hand.
Qian Cai, undeterred by the missed gesture, continued smiling, "The Italian food here is irresistible. If there's a chance, I'll have to invite you to join us for a meal. After all, we were colleagues once."
At that moment, several men in suits and ties approached. One of them spoke up, "Manager Qian, today's public lunch has been canceled. Should we find another place to eat?"
"Let's keep it simple and frugal," Qian Cai replied with a smile.
As the men reached them and noticed Qian Cai not heading out, they finally paid attention to Lin Qiang.
"Who is this?"
"You don't recognize him? He's quite famous," Qian Cai introduced. "Lin Qiang, the former top talent at the Financial Street office."
"Oh! Oh!"
Expressions among the men shifted instantly—some nodded in recognition, some shook heads, others offered knowing smiles or sighed.
Seeing these carefree men, some gloating, some expressing sympathy, a surge of mixed emotions—anger, defiance, and agitation—rushed over Lin Qiang. Despite knowing they were likely senior executives or rising middle managers, he couldn't suppress his feelings.
These sycophantic, opportunistic men—what right did they have to mock him?
"I'll remember your kindness," Lin Qiang said with a hard expression, a slight smirk, and in a deep voice directed at Qian Cai. "I'll repay it in double."
"Repay what?" Qian Cai shrugged. "The meal?"
The atmosphere became tense, the men behind Qian Cai noting Lin Qiang's notorious reputation for confrontation. In their minds, he deserved to be transferred.
Just as the tension peaked, a soft voice cut through.
"Lin Qiang, have you been waiting long?" Xia Xin approached with a warm smile, pushing through the surrounding men.
"Not long, I just arrived," Lin Qiang replied, his anger seemingly soothed, taking a deep breath.
Qian Cai's expression soured instantly. "Director Xia, you arranged to meet him?"
"Why not? Is there a problem?" Xia Xin glanced at Qian Cai. "I wanted to discuss a financial plan for my daughter with him. I heard Lin Qiang is the best at this. Any objections?"
"No, no... You're absolutely right," Qian Cai immediately softened, smiling obsequiously. Turning to Lin Qiang, he said, "You must give Director Xia good advice."
"Enough, you're not his superior anymore," Xia Xin said with a tilt of her head. "Manager Qian, this doesn't concern you."
With that, she took Lin Qiang's arm and led him into the hotel, ignoring the others.
Qian Cai watched their retreating figures, his face darkening. "When did they start getting close..."
Quickly shaking his head, he dismissed the thought. "Doesn't matter, it must be nothing serious. Otherwise, getting Lin Qiang transferred wouldn't have been so easy."
Lin Qiang, Lin Qiang, you're ultimately an exiled loser, your career ends here.
Having figured this out, Qian Cai put the matter out of his mind and joined the others in finding a place to eat.
Inside the hotel, Xia Xin's smile faded. "I was worried you might run into them, and you did. Your temper hasn't changed. Do you know how powerful Qian Cai is now? The people with him are all big names in the industry."
Lin Qiang chuckled. "No matter how big their names, they can't compare to you, Sister Xia."
Xia Xin laughed. "You seem stubborn, but you've got a sharp mind."
Her words were well-received. Those people were ultimately opportunists. In the United Bank, how many could live as freely as she did?
They soon entered the café. Xia Xin advised, "It's not convenient for my husband to meet with you directly, so let me bring you to the private room."
"Don't worry, Sister Xia. I won't mention today's matter to anyone, before or after."
Xia Xin nodded. Her husband's identity was sensitive. If word got out that he privately met with a low-level manager, it would cause unnecessary gossip.
In the dimly lit private room, a man with silver-framed glasses and a slightly weary expression was flipping through documents. Seeing the door open, he politely stood up with a smile. "You must be Lin Qiang. My wife has told me about you."
"Director Ling," Lin Qiang nodded and returned the courtesy. After shaking hands, he closed the door, and they all took their seats.
Wasting no time on formalities, Lin Qiang started, "This concerns your daughter. Given the urgency, I had to arrange this meeting."
Xia Xin asked, "What is it that required such an urgent face-to-face discussion?"
Lin Qiang took a deep breath, pulled out his phone, opened a photo, and slid it across the table to Ling Chen and Xia Xin.
"This... this is Ling Lele," they said, frowning and squinting at the photo.
"This..." Ling Chen's brow twitched. "Where is this? Why is she lying like that?"
The photo showed Ling Lele, drunk and sprawled on a couch, her face flushed.
"It's her... It's her..." Xia Xin picked up the phone, her hands trembling. "What's going on? Is she at a party with her classmates? Why is she so drunk?"
"Where did you get this photo?" Ling Chen asked, staring at Lin Qiang, dazed and overwhelmed by the concern every father would feel.
"Long story short, the video will explain everything," Lin Qiang said, taking back the phone and playing the video of his conversation with Fang Qing.
For several minutes, the room was filled with Lin Qiang's threats and Fang Qing's evasive responses. Ling Chen and Xia Xin were utterly shocked. They never imagined their daughter would be involved in such activities.