He Yunqing came looking for Ning Guiwan while she was on the phone with Ren Xiaofei.
On the phone, Ren Xiaofei was reporting to her in detail about the company’s recent situation:
"The company sent Ning Rongyue and the Director of Public Relations to the United States. They said Ning Rongyue knows very good lawyers there..."
"Director Chen from the Purchasing Department has pleaded guilty. The company is going to sue him; he’ll likely spend the rest of his life living at the government’s expense."
"I heard that several major shareholders have sold off their shares. When the smaller shareholders caught wind of this, they started frantically selling their shares at low prices. I think the company is truly in a dire situation this time..."
Ning Guiwan listened quietly without offering any opinion.
Ren Xiaofei asked, "Manager Ning, aren’t you worried about the company going bankrupt?"
Ning Guiwan replied calmly, "I’m no longer a manager."
"Then I’ll call you by your name," Ren Xiaofei readily suggested. "Is Guiwan okay?"
After hanging up and going downstairs, Ning Guiwan found Lai Yang sitting across from He Yunqing, looking displeased.
Old Madam Quan also looked troubled.
Lai Yang said, "I don’t want anything. I just want him to get the punishment he deserves."
"Xiaoyang..." He Yunqing pleaded softly with the younger woman. It didn’t sit right with her, but what could she do? He was her own nephew, after all.
"Zhenmiao truly knows he was wrong. He spent last night at the police station and was terrified..."
"I was terrified too!" Lai Yang retorted, unyielding.
He Yunqing fell silent.
She looked towards Old Madam Quan. "Mom, what do you think..."
Old Madam Quan had only just learned about what happened yesterday. Since Lai Yang was living there, the Quan family was responsible for her safety. The old lady felt that Lai Yang was not in the wrong, nor was her own son.
"I can’t get involved in this," Old Madam Quan said, refusing to intervene. "Go find Ayu."
He Yunqing was at a loss for words.
Your son is the one refusing to let go, and you want me to go to him?
Over the next few days, He Xizhou and Ming Zhen visited Lai Yang several times. However, Lai Yang’s mind was preoccupied with the handsome man who had saved her, and she was absentminded whenever she spoke with them.
One day, it suddenly dawned on her: she should go to the Equestrian Club and wait for him, hoping he would show up.
Since they met there, he would surely visit again.
Unable to change Lai Yang’s mind, He Xizhou and Ming Zhen turned their attention back to Ning Guiwan. Ning Guiwan and Lai Yang were close; if Ning Guiwan agreed to persuade Lai Yang...
However, Ning Guiwan had been leaving early and returning late these days, so the two of them missed her despite several attempts.
Ning Guiwan took out the business cards she had collected at a cocktail party she attended with Quan Yu over a month ago and began visiting the contacts one by one.
She couldn’t fulfill Quan Yu’s request.
She had to find another way.
But those magnates only met with her out of respect for Quan Yu. As for her proposals, every one of them politely declined.
Eventually, a more sympathetic magnate told her the truth: Ruiyin Group had already acquired twenty percent of Tianchi Group’s shares.
The implication was obvious.
Almost everyone who had initially been eager to get a piece of Tianchi Group had now quieted down.
There were plenty of opportunities to make money; there was no need to offend a top figure in their circle over a single piece of the pie.
After visiting the last executive on her list of contacts, Ning Guiwan felt the last ounce of her carefully preserved strength drain away.
A profound sense of powerlessness washed over her, leaving her feeling exposed.
Suddenly, she recalled the man at the Equestrian Club—his assured, confident demeanor.
Her phone suddenly rang. She blinked her beautiful eyes, let out a slow breath, and took out her phone. Seeing the caller ID, she immediately put on a smile and answered, "Mr. Churchill."
"Is the money enough?" a sensual male voice asked from the other end.
Ning Guiwan replied, "If I need it, I won’t hesitate to ask."
"Good," the voice on the other end said. "Come back when you’ve finished your business. Aila misses you."
Ning Guiwan answered evasively, "I miss her too."
"If things get too turbulent over there, come back. Aila and I are waiting for you."
Winston’s words were extremely subtle, but Ning Guiwan understood his meaning.
Her gaze drifted to the passing vehicles, and for some reason, the image of Quan Yu in a black shirt surfaced in her mind.