Magic City
In the headquarters of FX Investment Company, Nolan handed the reviewed documents to Grayson.
"These two documents, who prepared them? Have them redone. If this kind of work is submitted again, they're out." Nolan pulled out two files from the left side.
"Understood." Grayson took the files.
"Mr. Feng, Lin Group is in trouble."
Nolan's gaze shifted from the computer screen to Grayson.
Grayson knew that Mr. Feng still kept an eye on Lin Group. If Lin Group encountered a crisis and the boss stepped in, Zuri would surely be within his grasp.
"There's a large ancient tomb beneath the land Lin Group bought in the Harbor District. It's said to be a tomb from the Western Han Dynasty. Lin Group, for some reason, kept it hidden and started excavating on their own. Now Aaron has been arrested, and the entire area is under protection."
It was evident from the start that Lin Group was only strong on the outside. Now, with this incident and the project on hold, the entire group could be dragged down.
Nolan lightly tapped his fingers on the desk, recalling what that girl had said, with a hint of amusement in his eyes.
Did she know there was a tomb under that land?
That seems unlikely!
Or maybe Lin Group had known about it all along and had planned a secret excavation.
Interesting, very interesting.
Grayson spoke up, "Mr. Feng, if we try to recruit Miss Zuri now, it should be easy."
Nolan shook his head. "She's not as simple as you think."
The Lin family was in trouble, and everyone was watching, waiting to see if Lin Group would come out unscathed. But more people wanted to see if the Ye and Feng families would step in to help.
Everyone was waiting.
"Zuri, do you want to ask Uncle to help?" Azura called to check on her.
"No. Absolutely not. This matter is entirely Lin Group's fault. Whatever punishment we deserve, we should accept it." Zuri sternly refused.
"In that case, your family's company…"
"Don't worry, it'll be fine." Zuri took the opportunity to ask, "By the way, where has your uncle been recently?"
Azura chuckled, "Why are you concerned about my uncle? Do you have some improper thoughts about him?"
Zuri was speechless. "Stop joking. I'm asking seriously."
"If you want to see him, you'll be disappointed. He's been stationed in Germany recently, dealing with some major issues there. He won't be back for at least half a month."
She was satisfied with this answer.
Her biggest concern now was that someone from the Lin family might try to seek help from him, relying on their connection with the Ye family.
That would never do!
Just as Zuri had predicted, the Lin family sought out Leo. When they couldn't find him, they turned to her.
In the living room, Secretary Zhang wore a troubled expression as he spoke to Zuri, "Second Miss, could you ask Young Master Ye to help mediate?"
"The moment it happened, I tried calling him, but…" Zuri sobbed, her eyes reddening as she said, "When nothing was wrong, he was such a considerate man. But now that something has happened… I really didn't expect him to be like this. I'm so disappointed."
Secretary Zhang looked at the tearful Second Miss in front of him, then at the tall figure that had suddenly appeared behind her.
Zuri had been sobbing for a while before she noticed the strange expression on Secretary Zhang's face. She slowly turned around, only to see a towering figure standing behind her, a cold and stern man watching her with a half-smile.
Oh no!
The tears on the corner of Zuri's eyes froze in place.
**Azura, you traitor!!!**
Just half an hour ago, Azura had assured her that her uncle would be stuck in Germany dealing with matters there and wouldn't be able to come.
And now, here he was, standing right in front of her!
Azura had completely sold her out.
Zuri looked at him, her lips twitching into a smile that was more of a grimace. "Fourth Young Master, you're here. Did you come to enjoy the Lin family's misfortune?"
Leo!
Master Ye, you can't undermine me now.
Leo walked forward, casually sitting on the sofa, crossing his legs, and leaning back lazily. He looked at her with a teasing gaze.
Dalia glared at Zuri, "Zuri, how can you talk like that? Mr. Ye is here to help. Isn't that right, Mr. Ye?"
Leo glanced at Dalia, "Yes, I'm here to help—by acquiring Lin Group."
Zuri let out a long sigh of relief.
Dalia was stunned. "What do you mean?"
"Madam Lin's literary skills seem lacking," Leo said with a smile.
Christian's eyes blazed with anger. "The Lin family isn't down yet, and you're already thinking of swallowing us up. Don't you think you're overestimating yourself?"
Leo gave him a cold glance but didn't respond. After all, conversing with fools lowers one's IQ.
"Lin Group will declare bankruptcy and restructuring within six months. If you're smart, you can sell the company now; someone might still be willing to take over. Once Lin Group collapses completely, it will be worthless." Leo coldly laid out the harsh, unfeeling truth.
The faces of the Lin family members turned grim, especially Madam Lin. Christian stood up and pointed towards the door, "Now, get out of the Lin family immediately."
Zuri stood up, roughly grabbing his suit, and in her haste, there were two loud pops as the buttons on his collar broke off, leaving the collar open.
Zuri stared at the torn collar, then looked up at him, meeting his dark, smiling eyes.
"Get up, and get out."
Leo stood up, letting her pull him by the collar as he walked along. When they reached the door, Zuri glanced back, confirming no one was watching, before releasing her grip.
"Brother Ye, I'm really sorry about this. I'll compensate you for the suit," Zuri said, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Alright." Leo agreed.
Zuri froze, almost not believing her ears.
Shouldn't he have said there's no need for compensation?!
Leo watched the fleeting expressions on her face, then lightly flicked her forehead, his tone serious, but with a trace of amusement in his eyes. "Zuri, don't forget about it."
Zuri nodded, already planning to transfer the money later.
"Are you sure you don't need my help?" Leo asked.
As soon as he got off the plane, he heard about the major trouble Lin Group was in. Thinking the girl must be scared, he rushed over, only to find she had been bad-mouthing him behind his back.
In her narrative, he was nothing but a scumbag.
"No, I'm sure," Zuri replied firmly.
Leo looked into her clear, determined eyes. "Alright."
This girl was becoming harder to understand and more intriguing by the day.
"You should go. No matter what happens to the Lin family, you must not help."
And if possible, kick us while we're down!
She didn't say that part, but Leo understood her perfectly.
Zuri watched as Leo left.
In the Rolls-Royce, Fang, the assistant, hesitated before asking, "Mr. Ye, how should we handle the situation over there?"
"Have them follow the rules," Leo replied, then added, "For the heinous act of privately excavating and damaging cultural relics, they must be severely punished."
Fang was momentarily stunned, unable to grasp why his boss's attitude had shifted so drastically. Just a moment ago, he was concerned about the Lin family, and now he was ready to crush them underfoot.
Although surprised, Fang wasted no time in passing along the directive. Upon receiving the message, the other side showed no mercy.
In the living room, the atmosphere was tense. As soon as Christian saw Zuri return, he sneered, "I thought some people were more capable than this, with connections so vast. Who was it that boasted about their wide network? Where is that network now? All dead?"
Zuri smiled at him. "If it weren't for some fool spending three and a half billion to buy that piece of land, none of this would have happened. The Lin family raised you for over twenty years, and not only did you fail to repay them, but you also dragged the family down. Twenty years of raising you, and it all went to waste."
Secretary Zhang watched the siblings bicker, wanting to intervene but knowing it wasn't his place. He turned to Dalia and said, "Madam, I need to go see Mr. Lin."
"Alright. Thank you for your hard work."
After Secretary Zhang left, the argument between Zuri and Christian intensified.
"Not a Lin by blood, just a fool. Both of you are utterly ridiculous," Zuri said, her gaze sweeping over Christian and Saira.
Christian, hearing her repeatedly refer to him as not a Lin by blood, finally lost his temper and blurted out, "Who says I'm not a Lin? I have Lin blood running through my veins. Listen carefully, Dad is my biological father."
Dalia was stunned, but there was little surprise in her eyes.
Saira and the surrounding servants were wide-eyed with shock.
"What did you say?" Zuri seemed unable to believe her ears.
Christian raised his chin proudly, his gaze sweeping over everyone as he said, "I'm not a bastard, not an adopted child. My biological father is our dad."
He had wanted to declare this to everyone for a long time. If it weren't for his father's obstruction, he would have announced it sooner. Now, he had finally found the opportunity. He no longer had to carry the label of an adopted child in the Lin family.
Zuri laughed. "Who are you trying to fool?"
Christian sneered, "If you don't believe me, you can ask Dad."
"I seem to remember that Mom only got pregnant once. Where did this biological son come from?" Zuri's face was cold. "Even if you are of Lin blood, you're nothing but an illegitimate child. You all have deceived Mom terribly."
Aaron had a child out of wedlock, one who was four years older than his legitimate daughter. What does that say? It means that long ago, Aaron had already been unfaithful, having a child with a mistress outside of his marriage. And this child was brought back to the Lin family, living right under the nose of the lawful wife.
Who would this hurt the most? Not Zuri, not Saira, but Dalia, the legitimate wife of the Lin family.
The servants, centered around Arianwen, all turned their eyes to Dalia, some with sympathy, some with pity, and some with a trace of schadenfreude.
It didn't take long for the news of Christian being an illegitimate child to spread throughout high society.
"The Lin family hasn't fallen yet, and the battle for succession has already begun," an older executive remarked sarcastically.
"They say when choosing a wife, it's wise to pick a virtuous one. The old saying is absolutely right."
The current situation of the Lin family was dire. Instead of maintaining peace at home, the family had descended into chaos. This alone demonstrated the ineptitude of the current matriarch.
"What good could come from the Qin family's upbringing?" someone nearby laughed.
"I used to think the Ye and Feng families would step in eventually, but I was clearly wrong. Last time, that old fox Aaron even called Leo his son-in-law, and Fourth Young Master Ye didn't object. I thought there was something there. But now... tsk tsk, you just can't predict these big families."
"Hahaha, you weren't the only one who was wrong. I was too. Let me tell you, the Ye family has issued a statement—everything will be handled according to the law."
Everyone understood the implications.
"I was originally planning to lend a hand, but now it seems I'll have to let him fend for himself," the older executive said, making a polite remark.
The other executive, equally astute, nodded in agreement. "Who could say otherwise?"
The two exchanged knowing glances, their mutual understanding unspoken.
In the detention center, Secretary Zhang and a lawyer entered the room, where they met Aaron, the man held responsible.
"Mr. Lin, we've seen Leo," Secretary Zhang said, shaking his head at Aaron.
Before they arrived, Aaron had already sensed a change in attitude from the people around him. Where they were once courteous, they were now expressionless.
Aaron turned to the lawyer.
Attorney Zhang spoke up, "Mr. Lin, this case is nearly impossible to win. The public impact is too great. There's almost no chance of success. As the company's president, you're partially responsible for the actions of your subordinates who abused their power and failed to report the issue. However, your responsibility is secondary."
That last part was a hint at the best way for Aaron to extricate himself from the situation.
Aaron nodded. "Yes. Identify those who violated the rules and punish them severely, no matter who they are."
Secretary Zhang nodded in understanding.
Within two days, the Lin Group presented a senior executive as a scapegoat to take the fall. Even so, the company still faced enormous fines.
The land in the harbor district was handed over to the archaeological department. Only after the excavation was complete would the Lin Group be allowed to use it.
At the end of the day, the land still belonged to the Lin Group, but only after the archaeological work was finished. As for any expenses incurred during this time, sorry, that wasn't the government's responsibility. After all, the Lin Group was at fault and was under heavy suspicion. How could they have the audacity to ask the government for compensation?
A few days later, Aaron was released from the detention center, noticeably thinner and visibly exhausted.
The Lin family had been waiting at the entrance early.
As soon as he emerged, they surrounded him.
"Dad, are you okay?" Saira asked with concern.
Christian looked worried. "Dad, are you alright?"
Zuri said, "Let's go home first. This isn't the place to talk."
Aaron's gaze swept over the three of them. While in detention, he had hoped Christian would rise to the occasion, but instead, he had been a hindrance. The daughter he valued the most had proved utterly useless in this situation.
The three of them had left him deeply disappointed, but the person who disappointed him the most was Dalia.
"Let's go," Aaron said, his face dark.
Back at the Lin residence, everyone noticed that Aaron had become silent and inscrutable, and they all tread carefully around him.
In the study, a sheet of white paper lay on the black desk, with the names of Zuri and Saira prominently written on it.
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