Chapter 130
Chapter 130: Forcibly becoming a shareholder
Sitting by the table, it had not been convenient for Tan Yao to personally make a call. He had succinctly conveyed the current situation to Xu Tingsheng via a text message. With even Fang Chen already clearly being unable to stop Lu Zhixin, he had felt that there was perhaps only Xu Tingsheng who could.
Seeing the text message, Xu Tingsheng hurriedly ended the lesson, bidding Mr and Mrs Xiang goodbye before leaving the house. The first thing he did upon leaving was dial that number.
Xu Tingsheng felt very guilty.
If the person who was currently drunk to such an extent over there was Huang Yaming, Xu Tingsheng would still rush over, trying to stop him, feeling worried about him. However, he would not have felt guilty about it, because this person was his brother. It was never a matter of owing each other in their interactions.
However, it was different for Lu Zhixin. Xu Tingsheng couldn't afford to owe Lu Zhixin like this, because paying her back would definitely turn out to be too much for him.
Xu Tingsheng felt great self-reproach. While he had not predicted that things might actually end up like this, it was due to his selfishness over Xiang Ning at the end of the day that he had not been present at the scene, having evaded his responsibilities.
"Hello, Xu Tingsheng?" Lu Zhixin's voice over on the other end of the phone was slightly slurred.
"Be obedient. You're not allowed to drink anymore. I'm coming over right now," Xu Tingsheng said in a gentle tone.
Sometimes, when Xu Tingsheng was dealing with 'disobedient little girls', he would unconsciously come to speak in the tone of an uncle, his words emanating a completely different feel be they stern or gentle.
"Yeah, okay," Lu Zhixin answered.
"Sorry."
"It's fine."
Xu Tingsheng hailed a taxi, hurrying over to the hotel.
……
Lu Zhixin returned the phone to Tan Yao and exhaled, rubbing her throbbing forehead.
If Lu Zhixin was one of those girls whom Xu Tingsheng had previously interacted with like Apple or Wu Yuewei, Xu Tingsheng having said, 'Be obedient, you're not allowed to drink anymore', they would definitely abide by his words. This was because every time Xu Tingsheng spoke like this, they would find such to be very hard to resist.
Lu Zhixin, however, was different. She was an independent entity first and foremost, not abiding by the dictation of others be they stern or gentle. Be it Xu Tingsheng or her other relatives or friends, there was no one who could influence her judgment.
Thus, Tan Yao was wrong. Xu Tingsheng was unable to stop Lu Zhixin as well.
Therefore, regardless of the fact that everyone objected to it, Lu Zhixin persisted in drinking yet another two glasses even after the call had been terminated.
These two glasses of her could actually only be considered as having been partially spilled. However, there was no one who was of a mind to quibble about it with her.
This girl had achieved a conquest over everyone here. This was due not to her alcohol capacity but her perseverance and determination. Whilst clearly already being unable to even properly grab hold of the wineglass on the table, she still remained clear-headed enough that she never forgot what she had come for, staunchly persisting and never giving up.
"Four million," Lu Zhixin extended a hand, next pressing down the extended thumb of that hand with her other hand.
"Alright, four million. We guarantee that it will be not a dime less," One of the branch managers stood up, saying somewhat emotionally yet with sincerity.
Having stood up alongside him, the other branch manager affirmed his words with a solemn nod of the head.
Then, he told Fang Chen, "You have my admiration. If this Miss Lu is looking for a job after graduation…help me tell her that our door is open for her at any time."
"Look at the rush you're in…Niece of the Fang Family, it's the same for us here. Our door will forever remain open. Please remember to help me emphasise as well that we are one of the Big Four, possessing a brighter future," The branch manager who had been first to speak said, smiling.
"Oh, look at you…so scrupulous."
The two branch managers exchanged a few retorts, next arranging for a time to meet with Fang Chen for the handling of the necessary procedures before ending this meal. "Hurry up and bring Miss Lu back to rest," they said.
Having sobered up already due to having fallen drunk rather early on, Old Wai supported Huang Yaming along while Fang Chen supported Lu Zhixin, Tan Yao following them by the side. Outside the hotel, the two groups of people from the banks got on their cars and left. Lu Zhixin stubbornly forced herself to wave goodbye to them…
After that, she stood stock still.
"Sis, send me to the hospital," Lu Zhixin said.
……
Xu Tingsheng received Tan Yao's call on the taxi.
"Central Hospital A&E, bleeding from the stomach," Tan Yao hurriedly said before hanging up as it was evidently rather chaotic on the other end.
Xu Tingsheng slumped back on his seat, looking up and telling the driver, "Change of locations, Central Hospital A&E. Please hurry up a little."
Bleeding from the stomach from having drunk too much wine was actually not that rare a thing, not really being all that serious and terrifying. However, such a thing having happened to Lu Zhixin, Xu Tingsheng suffered a great blow as he began feeling somewhat overwhelmed.
It was due to Hucheng that Lu Zhixin had gone all out like this. Understood by Xu Tingsheng with his personality, this concept was perhaps equivalent to: It's because of me that she overexerted herself like this.
When Xu Tingsheng arrived at the hospital, Lu Zhixin's initial stage of treatment had already been completed, the hospital having allocated her a ward to rest while they kept an eye on her in case any follow-up treatments were required. Xu Tingsheng arranged for Tan Yao and Huang Yaming who were similarly in rather terrible conditions to go back to rest first…
After accompanying Xu Tingsheng for a while, having chatted a little, Fang Chen left as well.
Lu Zhixin awoke sometime after 4am in the morning. Xu Tingsheng was right by her side.
"I'm okay," Lu Zhixin stopped Xu Tingsheng who had just been about to ask how she was, smiling as she asked rather craftily, "Xu Tingsheng, is your heart hurting?"
Lu Zhixin was asking Xu Tingsheng if his heart was hurting. Xu Tingsheng was unable to answer this directly, for this term in itself was very special to him.
Xu Tingsheng awkwardly nodded, "Sorry."
"You nodded? Heh," Lu Zhixin smiled triumphantly, "Look, however much I help you brainstorm ideas and craft strategies, exerting so much effort, it all isn't really much productive in the end. It all can't compare to how just a single thing can soften your heart, make it hurt. That's you, Xu Tingsheng."
Lu Zhixin's words were completely correct, and Xu Tingsheng possessed this self-awareness as well. Still, sometimes, the possessing of self-awareness regarding a matter does not automatically entail that one will be able to immediately change.
He did not speak, Lu Zhixin continuing, "Just like that matter with the Modernity Training Institute last semester. I helped you to come up with a plan, but you instead felt me to be too venomous, finding me terrifying as you couldn't but try to stay away from me. Isn't that right?"
Lu Zhixin having brought this matter up, Xu Tingsheng could only maintain his silence. There was no way for him to explain his mentality at the time, because the people and incidents that were related to this were all a secret.
"You see? I too can make your heart hurt, make it soften. Yet I do not live to perform such a role. What about you? Have you thought about it? …Why aren't you speaking?" Lu Zhixin asked Xu Tingsheng.
"You rest well first. Let's talk again when you've recovered," Xu Tingsheng adjusted the blanket to cover Lu Zhixin's shoulder and exposed arm as he said gently.
Lu Zhixin shook her head, "Help me to call the doctor. My stomach really hurts."
Lu Zhixin had actually been awoken by the pain. However, she had still persisted in saying these words first, even having maintained a smile on her face whilst doing so. She was very clear on what she should do at any particular time and place, even while multiple difficulties might realistically exist for her in truly doing so.
A situation arose again, Xu Tingsheng feeling guilty as he stayed there all the way till Lu Zhixin finally entered a deep slumber once more.
When Lu Zhixin awoke the next day, Xu Tingsheng had prepared a breakfast for her that was soothing to the innards as the doctor had instructed. He stood by her bedside, watching her as she slowly finished eating.
"I feel much better now," Lu Zhixin leaned back against the bedframe, smiling as she said, "I want to wash my face."
Xu Tingsheng got some hot water, wrung out a towel and handed it to her.
After a moment's silence, he finally said, "When you were sleeping for the first time yesterday night, I had a discussion with Fang Chen. Both of us have agreed to take out five percent of our shares each, giving you a ten percent share in Hucheng. It's not because of guilt, but because Hucheng needs you too much. What do you think?"
Giving away these shares was what Xu Tingsheng and Fang Chen had finally decided upon. It was not merely because of that meal yesterday, not merely because of guilt and also gratitude.
In truth, over these past two months, Lu Zhixin's contributions towards Hucheng as well as her position and importance there had already become extremely evident. There were few who could replace her as she was generally equivalent to the brain behind all their actual operations.
Therefore, it was only right that Lu Zhixin should receive this. She was the most important aspect of Hucheng.
Unexpectedly, Lu Zhixin did not hesitate too much as she said directly, "Let's have you owe me another one with that, Xu Tingsheng."
"Fine."
"Deal."
Xu Tingsheng didn't understand Lu Zhixin, at least for the time being, or perhaps he just wasn't willing to understand her. They were from two different worlds, and on some fundamental, intrinsic level, he just couldn't compare to her at all.
He had arrived in this world having been a loser in his previous life. While he had already obtained rebirth, it was not like he would be able to change so many things all at once.
……
Lu Zhixin was discharged after having spent two days in the hospital. She immediately returned to Hucheng upon her release, everything returning to normal.
Fu Cheng also returned from Jiannan City, Fang Yunyao's condition having improved greatly.
He even excitedly told Xu Tingsheng, "My parents specifically made a trip to Jiannan to visit Ms Fang a few days ago. They talked for a pretty long time."
"What happened after that? Did Ms Fang say anything to you after having talked to your parents?" Xu Tingsheng asked rather urgently.
"No. She was pretty happy and very calm as well, just like she was before. I think that the talk between them must have gone pretty well," A smiling Fu Cheng said.
Xu Tingsheng felt rather uneasy due to knowing the attitude of Mr and Mrs Fu towards Fang Yunyao in his previous life. They had even stormed over to her house a few times, remonstrating and castigating her repeatedly and unforgivingly.
"Could it be that due to Fang Yunyao's predicament being different in this life, with her after all no longer having ended up as a divorced single parent, Mr and Mrs Fu's attitudes towards her have changed as well?"
Still, there was no way for Xu Tingsheng to tell Fu Cheng about these worries of his.
His handphone rang. Xu Tingsheng picked up that call which was from Old Wai.
"Bro Xu, come back to the company for a bit. Someone's come here wanting to become a shareholder."
"Become a shareholder? How much is he offering, and for how many shares?" Xu Tingsheng asked.
If someone was willing to offer a large sum of money, Xu Tingsheng actually wouldn't mind selling a limited amount of shares to that person, because with money, there would be many things that he could do.
"He's not offering any money. He says that he's investing based on the resources he has. He wants fifty percent of the shares."
"…" Xu Tingsheng was dumbstruck.
Was this investing? Or was this just pure daylight robbery?
"I'll just tell you his original words. He said: I'm here to discuss becoming a shareholder. You can view me as having come to provide you with assistance. You can also view me as having come to threaten you. It all depends on however you want to choose."
"…I'll come back and take a look."