The clock was ticking and pointing at two. In the quiet night, the sound of clicking could be heard in a dark, spacious room.
Click.
Click.
Click.
Xiong Zhi sat on her bed with her laptop on her legs. She was browsing on a particular website.
Since she had made a deal with her grandfather, Xiong Zhi did not waste time. She only had four years to make her company big.
After her meal with her grandfather that time, she recalled in her memory all companies and projects that had become successful in the business industry, including the big shots that would rise in seven years.
Xiong Zhi took advantage of her rebirth. She did not care if she looked like she was cheating.
She would make use of everything.
She was grateful that even if she did not join or take any action in the business industry, she had still kept herself updated.
It was good that she was blessed with a good memory. Once she read or listen to something, it never seemed to be genuinely erased from her mind, even if she did not pay any attention to it. She had an assumption that she had a photographic memory.
When she saw a particular petroleum company, she remembered something. She took out a small notebook and wrote some words on it.
Click. Click.
She left the website and proceeded to read some news.
'Senator Long Found Guilty in 'Opening New Houses for Squatters' Fund Corruption!'
'Pork-Barrel of Chief Secretary Xim Released! 21 People Involved Under Investigation
'CJ's Controversy: Fake Diamonds? Secretary Xiao Mei the Mastermind'
'Vincent Co and Que Lu Marriage Date: Next Month?'
His lips curled up slightly. She had found what she was looking for. She wrote some notes in her notebook.
After browsing some more, Xiong eventually felt sleepy and called it a day.
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Xiong Zhi was dressed in simple jeans, a white tank top, a black jacket, a pair of running shoes, and a cap.
There were no classes today.
She was looking at the phone that Linfeng gave to her. She wondered if she should call Linfeng and tell him that she was going out and if he wants to accompany her.
After a while, she put her phone back in her pocket, deciding she would not call.
Her life and Linfeng's life were separated right now. All the aides that work for Xiong could only stay at the Xiong mansion after they become twenty-one. So right now, Linfeng was not obliged to come at her beck and call. She also wanted Linfeng to live his life. She had a feeling that Linfeng was planning something as if he was preparing for something. Those eyes of Linfeng were saying that he would not just stay at the Xiong's. Like her, he was probably making himself stronger.
'Linfeng, in time, I will settle my problems, then find you. Just wait. Wait for me.'
Xiong Zhi went out with her driver and left.
Upstairs, an old man was leaning on the window, looking at the car that had left.
"Min, had someone follow Zhi'er. Just stay far and protect her. Don't let her know. Don't interrupt any of her business," Old Xiong said.
"Yes, Master."
Zhou Min made some quick calls.
"I will notify my son--" Zhou Min started.
"No need. He's not twenty-one yet. Let him have his freedom for now."
"En."
After a while, Old Xiong said, "Do you think my granddaughter would succeed? In mere four years... How could she make a company made from scratch big in just four years? Is it even possible for a company made by a sixteen-year-old girl to succeed, not to mention in just four years?"
"I don't doubt Young Miss. Young Miss Zhi is brilliant and talented. From what I saw on that day, she was very determined. She would surely succeed," Zhou Min answered.
"Hahaha! I trust your judgment. Do you know why I agreed with her bet? Because of her determination. Thinking about it, it is really impossible to succeed with her goal. She is still young. But it's good. She can prove her worth. If she makes a pleasant surprise, I don't probably need the grandson of that Old Guan anymore. I will have my own successor," Old Xiong dreamingly said.
"How about your agreement with the Guan family?"
Old Xiong's smile froze when he suddenly remembered something.
"Ah! I forgot to mention this to Old Guan. Just call him and tell him to make time and have dinner with me. We need to settle this," Old Xiong said while massaging his forehead.
"I have heard some news. Some days ago, his grandson came here from overseas," Zhou Min said, hinting something.
"How can I forget? That's the reason why I send Zhi'er to school in the first place. If Zhi'er knows, she will think I that am breaking my promise," Old Xiong understood what Zhou Min was hinting at.
He made a deal years ago to Old Guan, the head of the Guan family.
They arranged marriage to expand their business and dominate the business world.
Her granddaughter, the first descendant, and his youngest grandson were chosen as their pawns.
It was true that Old Xiong did not care for any of his family members. If they behave, he will keep them. If they embarrassed him, he would cut ts with them without hesitation. Old Xiong was never fond of any of his sons and daughters nor grandsons and granddaughters.
But he made a deal with her eldest granddaughter, Zhi'er. And he was a man of his words.
However, he also had an agreement with Old Guan. His grandson was already in the country, attending the same school as Zhi'er. He knew what it meant. Old Guan was taking a step with their agreement now.
"I need to meet with Old Guan as soon as possible. He probably mentioned the agreement already to his grandson," Old Xiong said.
"Yes, I shall arrange it," Zhou Min complied.
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A black car was parked in front of the police station.
Inside the station, a gorgeous young man sat opposite a police officer. Besides, the magnificent man was a middle-aged man with an engorged body.
A tall man in a suit entered the room with a black suitcase in hand.
"Good morning. I'm the lawyer of Mr. Su. My name is Wei Fan," the tall man said while shaking hands with the police officer.
"Yesterday evening, Mr. Fang harassed my client. He wanted to sleep with Mr. Su so Mr. Su could invest in their project proposal. But Mr. Su's orientation is straight, and thus refused to sleep with him. Mr. Fang then assaulted Mr. Su by force. If not for the waiter serving them, Mr. Su would have been offended by this man," the lawyer said in one breath.
"Liar! You're speaking nonsense! It was me who was assaulted by Mr. Su!" the gorgeous man said with rage.
This gorgeous man was Fang Dien and was now being held as the offender.
He gritted his teeth. He could not believe that the shameless bastard would go this far.
He met this bastard two months ago because of a project proposal.
The bastard was none other than the middle-aged man in the room, Mr. Su.
Mr. Su had been pestering him for two months. Mr. Su was the representative of an investment company. As the accountant of the petroleum company, Fang Dien had nothing to do with presenting the project to the investors.
But those shameless fools, the head directors, used him to lure this bastard.
He was just told to give the file to one of the directors in the conference room. He did not know that he was being sacrificed as an offering to this bastard.
When he went to the room, he did not disappoint his directors. He really got the attention of Mr. Su. Those bastards knew that Mr. Su was fond of gorgeous young men like Fang Dien.
If they got the favor of Mr. Su by giving him such a gift, Mr. Su would happily agree to their proposal.
As expected, Mr. Su suggested that their project proposal would be guaranteed an investment if he slept with him.
But Fang Dien was a man of principles. He would never do such a disgusting thing.
Since young, he worked hard for himself. He became an orphan when he was sixteen. Life was tough on him.
He worked while studying. He finished college covered with sweat and blood. He only slept for two hours every day for years, juggling work and school.
He thought having a degree would help him have a more comfortable life.
But with his appearance, he found out that it was tough to find the right workplace. Before he got into the petroleum company, he had worked for two different companies.
He got fired from the first company because he punched their head manager. He was really enraged at that time because that old man was harassing him. At first, he did not retaliate whenever the scum squeezed his butt. But when his wandering hands wanted to hold his 'thing' and said outrageous, disgusting trash to him, such as wanting to have sex with him, he could not contain himself anymore.
Fang Dien punched that dirty mouth of that bastard. As a result, he got fired the next day.
At the second company, he resigned for almost the same reason.
Now, at the age of twenty-three, he thought he had found a good company with no one harassing him. He had been working there for almost two years. That was why he could not believe that the company would do such an outrageous thing.
But the truth was in front of him.
Now, this shameless bastard Su was twisting facts in broad daylight!
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1. Er- Chinese endearment. Adding '-er' in the first name is the way of addressing someone who have close relationship with you.