24 You’re What I Wan (1/2)

It had still been winter when Lin Qian first arrived at Aida to start working one month ago. And Li Zhicheng had only just retired from the military.

Standing to the west of Lin City was the Luyuan Nursing Home, covered in a wintry landscape. Leaves on the trees behind the river had withered, and the water was chilly.

Xu Yong, the chairman of Aida, was staying in a house behind the river. It was sunny, and care workers and secretaries moved him to the grassland. Under the sunshine, Xu Yong was drinking a hot cup of tea.

After a short while, the guest the old man was expecting arrived.

The young man took off his military uniform. Even in casual outfits, he was still more strapping than others. His long silhouette cast itself on the luxuriantly green hill.

”Father.” He stood in front of Xu Yong's wheelchair. Though already a grown man, he was still silent like when he was young, a calm and sophisticated stare on his face. Even his own father, who had been in the corporate world for decades, couldn't figure out what he was thinking.

Xu Yong became a little sentimental, patted the bench beside him and said, ”Sit.”

After exchanging pleasantries, Xu Yong learned that he had retired from the military, and had convinced his grandfather, who held a high position in the military, to allow him to go to the corporate world. Xu Yong's heart leaped with joy.

As for Li Zhicheng, he asked the secretaries and care workers about his father's health. After affirmatives that his father was in good shape, he just nodded his head without expressing much emotion.

Xu Yong was old after all. When a person got old, he got more carefree. All his interests and hopes were invested in his own son. He asked with a smile, ”Why are you willing to come back and take over Aida?”

Li Zhicheng pushed the wheelchair under a tree where no one was around, and answered, ”I made a pact with my big brother before he died.”

Xu Yong grieved at the mention of his first son who had died in a car accident three years ago. He knew that thanks to his divorce, the siblings had been separated since childhood. But they had always been very close. If there was someone who could open Li Zhicheng's heart, it had been his big brother.

”A… pact?” Xu Zhen asked in a hoarse voice.

Li Zhicheng stood behind him. His cap covered his eyes and facial expression. He answered mildly but firmly, ”If something happened to him, Aida would be my responsibility.”

That was why he had returned.

A gentleman's agreement was a pact he must follow. Even though they were separated by death, and even though the path was fraught with difficulties. He just needed to conquer them all to fulfill the promise.

”I have three requirements,” Li Zhicheng said after both of them had been quiet for a while.

...

Xu Yong sat under the tree and started to contemplate.

His secretary, standing behind him, tried asking, ”Chairman, are you worried?”

Xu Yong smiled. ”No. Just caught up in some memories.”

He couldn't help being emotional when thinking about the three strict conditions his son had brought up.

Although he was still his loyal, trustworthy son with filial piety, he had been trained well by his soldier grandpa. He was already a wolf to the core.

Perhaps he might be able to save Aida.

However, even though he had come back to fulfill his promise, just like a wolf, he would completely own and control Aida. Even his father wouldn't be allowed to have a say in the future.

...

Under the sun, Li Zhicheng walked alongside the river with his cap lowered.

Fate was a marvelous thing. When he looked up, he saw a familiar lady standing under a tree nearby and looking in the other direction. She looked dazed.

Li Zhicheng's first impression of Lin Qian was that she was a loud woman with a sweet voice. Coincidently, she worked for Aida, which meant she worked for him. That was why he had given her a hand.

Another impression of her was from the headquarters of Aida. He had heard Gu Yanzhi refer to her as someone who had applied to be the secretary of the last CEO, an unfortunate lady who was unwilling to leave and beaming in her photo.

But right now, she sorrowfully stood under the tree all by herself, trying to control her tears. She looked like an abandoned pet, silent, wronged but staunch.

There was only one road leading out of the nursing home. She walked in front of him slowly, and Li Zhicheng followed her quietly. He glanced at the empty suburb at dusk after seeing her get on a bus. Watching her sitting on the gloomy bus alone, he walked on after waiting for a while.

...

Present day in the president's office; this was the day after Aida had succeeded in outflanking its competitors during the first battle.

”Do you want to read it?” Li Zhicheng asked mildly. He looked calm, and was difficult to read.

Of course Lin Qian wanted to read it. She wanted to read it so badly that she couldn't keep her eyes from following the paper in his hands.

However, he was sitting completely still in front of her. Sunshine fell on his body, making his black suit and short hair glint. He put one hand on the coffee table in front of the sofa, and the other that held the paper on its backrest.

He stared at her. ”If you want to read it,” he said slowly, ”then come get it.”

Though he hadn't said anything outrageous, Lin Qian blushed.

Why did it sound like he was implying that she needed to fall into his arms if she wanted to read it?

Lin Qian didn't move; she stared at her hands, which were tightly squeezing her knees.

Yes, that's exactly what he means.

If his next move was on that paper, then it was crucial information that concerned Aida's multi-million dollar businesses in the future. He didn't need to show it to her.