At 9:30 PM, Lin Qiang was already lying in bed. Energy was the most important thing for him in the next couple of weeks. If possible, he even hoped to plan down to the second. To avoid disturbing Lin Qiang's rest, Zheng Shuai also gave up watching the popular TV series "Returning to the Village" and went to bed at the same time as Lin Qiang.
At 9:45 PM, to their surprise, they both spoke at the same time:
"Are you asleep?"
Then, they both laughed.
"This rhythm feels like our college dorm days," Lin Qiang said nostalgically, lying in bed with his hands behind his head. "Back then, we always wanted to avoid oversleeping and skipping classes the next day, but we couldn't help chatting aimlessly for half the night."
"Later, everyone went their separate ways," Zheng Shuai recalled, turning his head to look out the window. "Some went to graduate school, some inherited their parents' businesses, some worked hard to become civil servants, and some, like us, entered banking... Oh, I heard there's a class reunion next week. Someone contacted me about it. What do you think, should we go?"
"Next week..." Lin Qiang calculated the time. "I'm afraid this matter won't be over by then."
"Yeah, that's why I haven't replied yet. But this time, many classmates who moved away will be coming back."
"Let's go," Lin Qiang said firmly. "It's been a long time since we've seen them. We can spare the time for a meal."
"Time is not the main issue. I'm mostly afraid," Zheng Shuai confided in Lin Qiang, sighing deeply. "Those guys who became civil servants, they're probably deputy section chiefs by now, right? I heard some who went to foreign companies are already making 200-300 thousand a year. I'm afraid I won't be able to face them. Before, when I was at the Jijing Office, I had a name and reputation. But now..."
Zheng Shuai's voice suddenly choked up: "Now... I'm just a lowly employee at a small banking outlet, the lowest-ranking staff, like a waiter..."
"Hey!" Lin Qiang shouted sternly. "What's wrong with you? Your administrative rank hasn't changed. Work is work, no matter where you do it. What's wrong with working in a banking outlet?"
"Boss Lin... you're a manager, or at least you've had your moment of glory. You've handled projects worth hundreds of millions, you've held the power of life and death over large enterprises. But what about me? After all these years since graduation, I'm still just a small-time employee. Can I really face them? You know... that girl I liked in school... I swore I'd make something of myself to show her!"
"Are you crying?!"
"..."
Lin Qiang listened to the sound of a grown man quietly sobbing and lay still in bed, closing his eyes. In his eyes, Zheng Shuai was a brother he could share everything with, a friend he could absolutely trust, a colleague he could rely on through thick and thin.
Perhaps he had always overlooked Zheng Shuai's weak and timid side?
No, that's not right.
He suddenly shook his head.
Zheng Shuai wasn't weak or timid.
Like himself, Zheng Shuai hadn't knelt under the pressure of corrupt superiors, sticking to his principles even at the cost of being demoted to a remote location.
He just hesitated, regretted, and started to question his choices. He began to consider the possibility of compromising back then. He feared facing those who always said "yes" and advanced in social status faster than him.
Society molds everyone; and people, in turn, change society.
Sometimes, this is positive; sometimes, it's negative.
For people like himself and Zheng Shuai, who haven't been completely shaped by society and still hold onto a bit of persistence, facing the world again must be exhausting.
"Go ahead and cry," Lin Qiang said quietly, sitting up and leaning against the headboard. "If you need to cry, cry here with me. Don't go home and cry to your mom, it'll make her sad."
Hearing Lin Qiang's words, Zheng Shuai could no longer hold back and released all his pent-up emotions.
Admittedly, Lin Qiang felt a twinge of sorrow as Zheng Shuai cried, but he knew he had to stay strong. If he couldn't hold on, there would be no way to persevere.
A few minutes later, Zheng Shuai's crying gradually slowed and turned into dry coughs.
"Boss Lin... I've embarrassed myself again..." Zheng Shuai said self-deprecatingly in a hoarse voice. "My mom was right, I've never experienced hardship, I'm not cut out for this place."
Lin Qiang turned his head to look at Zheng Shuai: "The hardships you didn't experience as a child, you're making up for now. That's not the problem. You, who hasn't experienced hardship, still understands what truth is and what perseverance means. You don't know how bitter that suffering can be, so you're not afraid, you don't bow your head."
"What... what do you mean by that?" Zheng Shuai was confused, unsure if Lin Qiang was praising or criticizing him.
"Zheng Shuai, do you think our fall from grace, being transferred here, is anyone's fault?"
"..." Zheng Shuai sighed dejectedly, "At first, I thought it was the fault of those bad leaders, who don't allow any questioning and eliminate anyone who doesn't obey... But now, I increasingly feel that the whole world is like this, it's the rule. And we are the ones who don't follow the rules. Those who don't follow the rules get kicked out of the game."
"Yes..." Lin Qiang sighed softly, "To compromise with society, to adapt... these are all advice from those who have been through it, right?"
"Yeah, my mom says the same thing."
"I'll give you a chance to regret," Lin Qiang stared at Zheng Shuai, his eyes seeming to emit light. "What's ahead might mean opposing the HR leadership of the Jijing Office, maybe even facing bigger enemies. There won't be any more chances to compromise. Zheng Shuai, I don't want to drag you down a dark path."
"..." Zheng Shuai remained silent.
Lin Qiang knew that everyone had to consider their own future and livelihood. Even brotherly loyalty might not count for much in the face of society's tides. Zhang Jiaming was like that, Hao Wei was like that, and Zheng Shuai was the same.
"If you run back now, say a few soft words to Rosa, have a drink with her, maybe you can still transfer back."
"..."
"If you keep going with me like this, you might not even be able to work as a bank clerk in the end."
"..."
After a while, Zheng Shuai finally spoke.
"Lin Qiang, you bastard, you're looking down on me too much!!" Zheng Shuai's mood suddenly changed, and he cursed loudly, spittle flying, "Do you think I care about that little salary? Do I care about those fancy clothes? Would I be happy accompanying an old woman every day in exchange for honor and money?"
"Do you know why I'm with you?!"
"Do you think it's just because we were classmates?"
"Just because we joined the company at the same time?"
"You're wrong! Wrong! It's belief!!" Zheng Shuai shouted angrily, "Whether during our student days or after we started working, only the two of us have consistent beliefs, only the two of us haven't been corrupted by that dirty tide!! Four years!! Four years!! And this is what you say to me?! You want to push me away like this?!"
Faced with Zheng Shuai's series of questions and rebellions, Lin Qiang felt as if he had been enlightened.
Yes, he had been thinking too much. The reason he could keep fighting alongside Zheng Shuai was nothing but their like-mindedness. In a lifetime, among countless people, how many could walk together like this?
"Good!!" Lin Qiang, like Zheng Shuai, felt his blood boiling, "Then I'll give you an answer, an answer different from everyone else's, an answer as stubborn as a child's."
"It's not us who are wrong, it's them."
"Evil people demoting righteous people, right and wrong, good and evil, there's no need to say more. What reason do you have to regret?!"
"Whether it's Hao Wei, Qian Cai, or Rosa, from this moment on, they are wrong, they've became our enemies." Lin Qiang clenched his fists and stared at Zheng Shuai, "We are people, people who can act. Faced with undeniable facts, why are we the ones hesitating? Instead of wasting time feeling sad, we should seize every second. Even if we have to crawl! We'll crawl to the top!"
"And then, we'll crush them." Lin Qiang slammed his fist on the bed, making the whole room shake, "In this world, if no one is willing to speak for us, we'll speak for ourselves; if no one stands on our side, we'll use our own fists to carve out our own sky! Do you understand, Zheng Shuai?!"
Zheng Shuai was struck speechless by Lin Qiang's passion.
This was Lin Qiang. While he was hesitating and wavering, Lin Qiang had already hidden his teeth, preparing to turn around and bite back hard.
"Let's do it together this time," Lin Qiang said, slowly covering his left eye with his palm. "We'll take back what belongs to us."
"Boss Lin... you..." Zheng Shuai suddenly felt choked up again, "You've made it impossible for me to sleep again! What are we going to do tonight?!"
"..."
Ring ring ring...
Just then, the phone rang.
Lin Qiang picked up his phone from the bedside and frowned slightly at the incoming number.
"Hello, Manager Zhu."
"I'm sorry, Little Lin, for disturbing you so late," Zhu Fengshan's tone was quite apologetic. "But this time, I had no choice. I was just about to go to bed myself when I got the call."
"What's the matter?"
Zhu Fengshan said word by word:
"The Audit Department is conducting a surprise inspection..."
"What? At this time? Now?!" Lin Qiang's expression suddenly changed, and his voice raised by several octaves.
"Well, it can't be helped, that's how the audit department is..." Zhu Fengshan persuaded helplessly, "We're unlucky this time, they happened to pick the Longyuan Outlet, and now Hao Wei is coincidentally not here, so I can only trouble you."
"Alright..." Lin Qiang took a deep breath and said quietly, "I'll arrive at the office early tomorrow to prepare the materials in advance for the inspection."
"Well... I'm afraid..." Zhu Fengshan said rather oddly, "I'm afraid it can't wait until tomorrow morning. The audit departments people are already on their way to the outlet now."
"Now?!" Lin Qiang's voice wasn't questioning anymore, it was more like shouting.
"Yes, it's a new regulation from the bank, surprise inspections, no time given for preparations, they can move out at any time. You'd better hurry and call people, get to the outlet, hopefully you can arrive before the audit departments people."
"An overnight inspection..." Lin Qiang clenched his fist again.
"Yes, the bank is focusing on this heavily this time, it might take a long time to inspect. Be prepared, sorry for the trouble."
"Okay, I'll organize people right away."
"Mm, don't keep the audit department waiting too long, hurry up."
After hanging up the phone, Lin Qiang pondered for a moment, then unable to contain himself, he punched the wall repeatedly.
Bang! Bang! Bang...
"Damn it!! Bastards!!!" Lin Qiang was somewhat enraged, "They'll stop at nothing!!"
Seeing this, Zheng Shuai quickly got up, turned on the light, held Lin Qiang back, and asked anxiously, "What's the situation, is it an audit?"
"Yes, a surprise inspection from the audit department."
"Let them inspect! We have nothing to hide!" Zheng Shuai just breathed a sigh of relief, thinking it was just a routine inspection, but then suddenly furrowed his brow, "Wait... it's almost 10 o'clock now... At this time..."
"Now you understand, they're not really here to audit."
"You're now the person in charge of the outlet, according to regulations, you must accompany the inspection throughout, and usually this kind of inspection lasts for a week... They... are they trying to... wear you out?!" Zheng Shuai's expression also changed, and he started cursing along with Lin Qiang, "Since the inspection starts at night, it should end in the morning, then everyone goes back to rest, which means the next day's inspection... will still start late at night... If this goes on, you'll only be able to rest during the day! But if you rest during the day..."
"The goal of a hundred million yuan will become an unattainable target," Lin Qiang said through gritted teeth.