Return to 88: Starting from Marrying My Sister-in-law

Xu Changping was very satisfied with Lu Yang's answer.

He both hated and admired this young man who was, in fact, his son-in-law without any legal basis.

He glanced at the other person several times with a complicated expression.

Finally, with a weak wave of his hand, he said, "Go. Next time you come, I hope you can bring good news that benefits the country and its people, and, well, also yourself."

"Uncle Xu."

Lu Yang just opened his mouth.

He was glared at by the other party.

An embarrassed look appeared on his face, and he immediately changed his tune on the spot, "Father-in-law, I'll be going now. Please rest assured, I will definitely do my best to secure this project."

Xu Changping nodded slightly.

Lu Yang pushed open the heavy wooden door to the mayor's office. The ticking of the wall clock was shut out behind him, but it was etched into his heart like a brand.

Xu Changping's promise to "risk his old face" weighed on his chest like a boulder. A 5 billion yuan wafer fab, a gamble in Luzhou, the nation's expectations... He took a deep breath of the humid air of southern Hunan, trying to dispel the heavy, suffocating feeling.

The corridor lights were dim, illuminating his tense profile.

At the corner of the staircase, light and shadow interplay.

As Lu Yang descended to the second floor, a familiar figure was ascending the steps.

Yin Mingzhu.

She was wearing a well-tailored beige suit dress, followed by a young female assistant carrying a document bag, clearly there on official business.

The air froze the moment their eyes met.

Lu Yang paused slightly, a hint of curiosity crossing his mind: What is she doing here? Is she also here to find Siqi's father?
A slight urge to explore arose, but reason instantly suppressed that urge.

His gaze was calm, yet as cold as a frozen pool, and he quickly looked away, as if she were merely an insignificant shadow on a pillar.

This disregard is sharper than words.

Yin Mingzhu stood there, stunned.

In the instant they met, she instinctively turned to the side, her fingertips unconsciously clenching the hem of her skirt.

Lu Yang!

What is he here for?
The clash between past friendships and reality made her heart skip a beat.

But in an instant, resentment flared up like wildfire.

Why should he be so arrogant?

Suddenly, anger scorched her chest. She looked up abruptly, her almond-shaped eyes wide open, staring straight at Lu Yang. A defiant flame flickered in her pupils, as if she wanted to burn away his damned calm.

But Lu Yang had already passed by.

Without pausing, his clothes fluttering in the wind, he continued straight down the stairs and disappeared at the end.

That resolute back view was like a silent slap in the face.

Yin Mingzhu's chest heaved violently, her breathing became labored, and a bitter, aggrieved feeling welled up in her throat.

Beside her, her female assistant Yu Li glanced at her pale face with a puzzled look in her eyes: President Yin is always so composed, how could she be so out of control?
Could it be.
Because of that person who just passed by!?

Yu Li's heart skipped a beat, and she whispered a reminder: "President Yin, are you alright?"

Yin Mingzhu snapped back to reality, her fingernails digging into her palm.

No, we can't let things get chaotic.

Today I'm here for the new flagship store of Mingzhu Electric Appliances, to invite Mayor Xu to cut the ribbon, and more importantly, to discuss that crucial bank loan.

Xu Changping is Siqi's father, and this relationship is her strongest asset.

She and Siqi studied together at Peking University, sharing a dormitory for four years. They were best friends and best sisters.

She took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing her turbulent emotions, slightly raised her chin, straightened her back, and regained the aloofness of a powerful businesswoman.

"fine."

Her voice was slightly hoarse, but firm and resolute: "Let's go."

The mayor's office area on the third floor remained solemn.

Xu Changping's secretary, Xiao Zhang, was already waiting outside the door. Upon seeing Yin Mingzhu, he smiled professionally and led the way: "President Yin, the mayor has just finished his work. Please come in."

As I pushed open the door, Xu Changping was standing by the window, his shadow stretched long in the twilight.

The lights of Hengcheng flowed in his eyes, still echoing the aftermath of Lu Yang's departure. The 5 billion blueprint and the entrustment of Luzhou still stirred within him.

Hearing the noise, he turned around. His face still showed signs of fatigue, but he had already put on his usual refined and official demeanor.

"Mingzhu is here."

His tone was gentle, carrying the familiarity of an elder.

After all, the young girl in front of him was his daughter Siqi's best friend, and those memories of the Peking University dormitory had been a source of comfort for him when he missed his daughter.

Yin Mingzhu stepped forward quickly, her smile polite, but she couldn't hide the urgency in her eyes: "Uncle Xu, I'm sorry to bother you. I'm here today to personally deliver an invitation. Mingzhu Electric Appliances' new flagship store in the South District will open next week, and we would like to invite you, our esteemed official, to grace us with your presence and cut the ribbon, thus giving Hengcheng's commerce a boost."

She gestured to her assistant, Yu Li, to hand over the gold-embossed invitation.

The tone shifted abruptly, lowering her voice, "Secondly... the company is currently expanding and urgently needs working capital. I would like to ask you to help introduce me to Manager Liu of the local city commercial bank. I am just a nobody, and all I have is my thick skin. Siqi is my best friend, and you are Siqi's father. So, I have no choice but to swallow my pride and ask for your help."

She spoke earnestly, emphasizing the name "Siqi" softly, appealing to both familial affection and a test.

Outside the window, the outline of Mount Heng (Nanyue) appeared and disappeared in the night, but Xu Changping's gaze had already shifted from looking at the distant mountains and rivers back to the real chess game.

"sit down."

"This is easy to solve. Just compile all the sales data from all your company's stores in Hengcheng."

"If it meets the requirements, I can contact Manager Liu for you immediately."

. . .

The night was as dark as ink, and the lights of Hengcheng gradually faded into the distance behind Lu Yang, leaving only the howling wind outside the car window.

Lu Yang leaned back in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, closed his eyes to rest, and unconsciously stroked his phone screen with his fingertips.

Xu Changping's promise to "risk his reputation".

A five-billion-dollar wafer fab, the gamble in Luzhou, the nation's expectations... these words flashed through his mind like a fleeting dream.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to switch his thoughts.

Around midnight, after a long and dusty journey and a transfer to a plane, Lu Yang's bulletproof black sedan drove into the villa area of ​​Nanshan District in Shenzhen.

Qian Youyou's house was nestled deep in the greenery, and warm yellow wall lamps cast a soft glow through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the night. Lu Yang got out of the car, and a cool breeze carrying the moist scent of southern vegetation eased his tense nerves.

At the entrance, Qian Youyou greeted us, wearing a silk robe and her long hair casually tied up, her eyes filled with concern: "What brings you here today? I heard you went to Hengcheng. How was it...?"

Qian Youyou knew some things perfectly well, but she didn't ask any questions. She simply took his coat gently.

Lu Yang shook his head and smiled bitterly. Before he could speak, he heard a child's voice coming from the living room.

"Dad... Dad!" The little guy wobbled over and grabbed Lu Yang's trouser leg with his pink little hands.

Qian Xiaohao is almost one year old. His eyebrows and eyes look just like Lu Yang's, but he has the Qian family name.

But does it matter?
It doesn't matter at all. Whether the surname is Qian or Lu, they are all Lu Yang's sons, and they are his offspring.

And now, I hear my son call me "Dad".

Lu Yang's heart softened instantly, and he knelt down to pick up his son.

The little guy giggled, nibbling at his chin with his newly sprouted baby teeth, and mumbled out a few syllables: "Car...car!"

Qian Youyou smiled and said, "I learned to say 'car' today. I get excited whenever I see your Mercedes."

Lu Yang kissed his son's forehead, and the gloom of the past few days was dispelled by the child's innocent laughter.

He played with the child on the playmat, listening to Qian Youyou ramble on: "Yesterday he almost pulled the nanny's glasses off, that little devil..."

An hour later, the child's eyelids drooped, and he fell into a deep sleep with his head resting on Lu Yang's shoulder.

The nanny gently took the child and carried him back to the nursery.

Only the two of them remained in the master bedroom.

As they locked eyes, Qian Youyou's cheeks flushed slightly. Lu Yang laughed heartily, swept her up in his arms, and what followed was understood without a word.
After finishing.

Qian Youyou turned off the overhead light, leaving only a bedside wall lamp on. In the dim light, the large bed seemed even more spacious.

Lu Yang lay down on his back, let out a long sigh, as if a heavy burden had been lifted off his shoulders.

Qian Youyou leaned closer, her fingertips tracing the furrows between his brows: "Mayor Xu... the talks broke down?"

Lu Yang shook his head and briefly explained the agreement between the wafer fab and Luzhou, but omitted the details about Xu Siqi.

Some things are ultimately off-limits.

It's pointless to say it out loud when you can't hide it from someone's face.

"Don't mention this anymore."

Qian Youyou changed the subject, her voice low and soft, "As for the Qian family, things have been in complete chaos lately. Second Uncle and Seventh Uncle are tearing each other apart at the board meeting, bringing up even the most trivial matters. Even Dad is pretending to be confused and letting them make a scene, saying that they are old brothers and he doesn't want outsiders to laugh at them, but everyone below is taking sides."

She sighed, "Also, my brother is so smug now. The little prodigy successfully went public on Nasdaq, and the stock price has almost doubled. He's the CEO... it seems like all he needs to do is eat, drink, and have fun. Why don't you fire him?"

Of course, this is definitely a joke.

Lu Yang stroked her smooth back and said with a smile, "Alright then, I'll remove him. Why don't you come and be the president? So you won't have to worry about the complicated and messy Qian Group. Don't let your wrinkles show on your face at such a young age; it'll break my heart."

In the past, the Qian family was a behemoth to Lu Yang.

The Qian family is nothing to Lu Yang now.

However, Qian Youyou was unwilling to listen to him, after all, the Qian family business was built by her father.

How can you just give up like that?

So she took Lu Yang's words as a joke, and the two of them played around about it, getting covered in sweat.

limp and powerless
After resting for a while, Qian Youyou suddenly turned her head and remembered something.

She peeked out from Lu Yang's arms, peeking out her little head, and said to Lu Yang, "By the way, those Microsoft stocks you have... it's time to sell them, right? When you bought them at the beginning of the year, the average price was just over $30, and now they're almost $100. I've calculated that you can cash out at least a billion dollars from this position."

She drew circles on his chest with her fingertips. "The Asian financial crisis has already reached Thailand. Although the United States hasn't made a move yet, things could change in the long run."

Lu Yang grabbed her restless hand, his gaze fixed on the deep night outside the window: "It'll be soon. Soros and his gang are still causing trouble in Southeast Asia, but the fire will eventually cross the Pacific. I'm waiting for a signal."

Youyou sensed the certainty and unfinished meaning in his words.

His fingertips unconsciously caressed her smooth arm, but his gaze pierced through the heavy velvet curtains, as if trying to capture a point in the night sky that only he could see.

It was a state she was familiar with, yet unable to fully comprehend, as if he could see through the fog of time and foresee storms yet to occur.

She pressed herself against his warm chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, and wisely refrained from asking what the "signal" was.

This man's thoughts were sometimes like a clear stream, and sometimes as deep as an unfathomable trench. She knew that when he wanted to speak, he would naturally open his mouth; if he didn't want to speak, no matter how much she tried to probe, she would only get a deeper layer of mystery or... some kind of "physical change of topic" that made her blush.

"Alright, my financial tycoon." Qian Youyou snorted softly, with a hint of lazy reproach, and gently poked his chest with her fingertip.

“You’re always so secretive, but…” She looked up, her bright eyes meeting his directly in the dim light of the wall lamp, “I trust your judgment. You’ve already made a fortune from this Microsoft investment; it’s time to cash in.”

Lu Yang lowered his head and placed a kiss on her smooth forehead as a response.

He could sense the trust and support in her words, as well as a hint of disappointment at being excluded from core decision-making.

But that was all he could do.

The impending storm in the port city, the ruthlessness of international speculative capital, and the immense sense of responsibility and speculative opportunities brought about by his deep-seated "foresight" all compelled him to remain absolutely clear-headed and to maintain necessary secrecy.

He explained to Qian Youyou why he was so sure that Soros would attack Hong Kong.
Explain why he knew the Hong Kong government would do everything in its power to protect the market.
Explain why he believes there is still an opportunity to take advantage of the situation on the other side.
He could not provide a convincing logical chain that did not involve rebirth for any of these.

Qian Youyou is too smart; any far-fetched explanation might trigger her deeper doubts.

It's better to remain silent and preserve this air of mystery.

"Go to sleep." His voice was deep and gentle, with a hint of soothing. "We can talk about anything, no matter how big, tomorrow."

Qian Youyou closed her eyes as instructed, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows beneath her eyelids. But she knew that the man beside her was no longer thinking about this warm bedroom, but rather had flown to the turbulent depths of the financial world.

She could even feel the pent-up power beneath his muscles, waiting for that thunderous "signal".

The night grew deeper.

The next morning, Qian Youyou woke up in the dim morning light, only to find the seat next to her empty.

The air still carried a faint scent of aftershave, a scent unique to Luyang.

She put on her bathrobe and walked to the window, just in time to see the familiar black Mercedes-Benz S-Class slowly drive out of the villa courtyard and disappear at the end of the tree-lined road.

inside the car.

Lu Yang leaned back in the back seat, his eyes sharp as a hawk's, showing none of the languor he had felt in the gentle embrace of the previous night.

He dialed an encrypted satellite phone.

"It's me." His voice was calm and unwavering. "Target position, enter Level 1 standby status. All traders, 24-hour shifts on standby. Funding channels, ensure absolute security." (End of Chapter)