The world is in trouble

Chapter 257 Confession! Destination! Future!

It's very cold at the top of Huangshan Mountain.

Moreover, accommodation on the mountaintop is very expensive. There are only two hotels near Bright Summit: Bright Summit Villa and Baiyun Hotel. These hotels offer both private rooms and dormitory beds.

Therefore, many people with limited budgets stayed in dormitories, and quite a few even camped with tents, especially many college students who came for graduation trips.

After watching the sunset, people began to set up tents one after another on the open ground of Bright Summit.

Moreover, a group of people spontaneously sat together, wearing thick down jackets, drinking, eating, and singing together.

Lian Yi was in high spirits, so she decided not to go to the resort for dinner. Instead, she bought some snacks, drinks, and beer and sat down with a group of college students.

Lin Xiao even went out and bought a lot of barbecue.

A large group of people, numbering at least twenty or thirty, sat in a circle on the open ground.

"It's a pity we can't light a campfire here... otherwise, it would be so much fun to sing and drink beer around a campfire."

They all went to the same school.

"I'm from Beihang University."

"I'm from Zhejiang University."

"I'm from Shandong University."

Then, some people looked at Lin Xiao and Lian Yi because the two of them were so good-looking, even though the lighting was dim.

"We are both from Aurora..."

Then, the burlyest guy in the group asked, "Are you all going to graduate with a bachelor's degree?"

"I have a master's degree..."

"I also have a master's degree..."

"I have an undergraduate degree..."

"You're graduating soon, have you all secured jobs yet?"

"I'm joining Datang Telecom."

"I'll join the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China."

"I took the civil service exam and passed the interview."

"I'm probably going to go abroad to pursue my PhD."

Basically, those who spoke up all seemed to have bright futures. Of course, some went to less prestigious schools; some spoke up boldly, while others remained silent.

After drinking a little too much, everyone became less reserved and started to act wildly, even bragging.

"Damn, seeing you all in pairs makes me feel so sad being all alone," the burly guy said. "I've already finished my master's degree, and I've never even been in a relationship."

Next, he began to tell his story.

He said that when he was a junior in college, he had a crush on a girl who was the most beautiful girl in his department, and she liked him very much too.

However, the department's most beautiful girl's family has already arranged for her to study for a master's degree in the UK.

She was reluctant to leave, so she asked this guy if she wanted to go to the UK to pursue a master's degree. "If you don't want to, I can stay," she said.

This guy thought about it and struggled for a whole day and night, and finally told the girl, "Go and get a master's degree."

Then... he resolutely severed all ties of affection.

Since then, I have never liked any girl again, and my heart cannot hold anyone.

Many people present were deeply moved.

After saying that, the guy chugged down two bottles of beer and then yelled at the sky, "Tian Tian, ​​I miss you, I miss you!"

Lian Yi's incredibly pretty face came closer, and she gave Lin Xiao a mischievous look.

She has a lovely expression.

Lin Xiao kissed her on the lips.

Lian Yi was very smart; she could tell right away that this guy was bragging.

Most of the stories he told were made up.

Many people lack charm and aren't particularly attractive, making it difficult for them to find love. Whether it's to save face or to deceive themselves, they might indulge in fantasies.

Perhaps this guy and that beauty queen did talk a few times, and maybe they even exchanged glances a few times.

But... the most beautiful girl in the department is going to study abroad and needs his opinion; if he doesn't want her to, she'll stay, and so on.

They're all made up.

However, as he described the story to others again and again, over time he himself could no longer distinguish between truth and falsehood, and even began to believe in his memory that such a thing had happened.

People who lack charisma often like to use words to create a persona of deep affection for themselves.

Either be devoted and affectionate, or have been hurt before.

So, it's not that I can't find it, it's that I don't want to look anymore.

People with a lot of stories are charismatic, while those who claim to have many stories often lack charm.

Next, this guy picked up a guitar and started strumming the strings and singing.

They sang "Glorious Years" and "Truly Love You".

He can't play; he hasn't mastered any of the key chords, he just strums randomly.

After he finished singing, the guy's eyes quickly swept over Lian Yi, the prettiest girl in the room, and then over the other single girls.

She probably wanted to figure out if anyone was attracted to her.

"Hey bro, is that fairy next to you your girlfriend?" the burly guy asked.

Lian Yi pressed her face against Lin Xiao's shoulder and raised her hand to show everyone her ring.

Immediately, the people present let out another strange cry.

"Hey bro, tell me your story," the burly guy said. "How did you manage to win over a goddess like that?"

“Yeah, yeah…” the girl next to her couldn’t help but say, “You two are both so good-looking, your love story must be really exciting.”

"There must be a dramatic story behind it..."

"Oh my god, when I saw the two of you, I couldn't help but imagine a 200,000-word romance novel. The two of you are simply the most perfect love story in our imagination." A chubby girl said, "The two of you are simply the most perfect love story in our imagination."

"Yes, they have the feel of a perfect couple."

"Seeing you all, I feel that this is what love is originally like."

Instantly, Lin Xiao and Lian Yi became the focus of attention.

"Tell us, tell us..." the crowd began to jeer.

Lian Yi also looked at Lin Xiao with anticipation.

Lin Xiao: "Okay, then I'll start talking."

“My family has always been poor since I was little. My mother told me that poor children learn to be independent early…”

"And the girl next to me comes from a wealthy and powerful family."

"Back then, I was both poor and frustrated."

"So I went to Yunnan, begged for three days and three nights, and got two things."

"One is a six-month-long-lasting handsomeness pill, and the other is a deep-love-to-the-bone poison."

"After eating it, I became tall and handsome within six months. And she was bewitched by me and inexplicably fell in love with me."

"From now on, I will live a wonderful life as a live-in son-in-law."

Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter, and Lian Yi couldn't help but punch Lin Xiao a few more times.

He likes to talk nonsense all day long.

The chubby girl said, "Handsome, you can't do this. Love is so sacred, you can't joke like that. Besides... who are you trying to fool? You look very noble, your family must be extremely well-off. In ancient times, you would be the son of a duke or marquis."

Lian Yi retorted angrily, "Hey, speak properly."

Lin Xiao: "Okay, I'll explain properly."

“In my previous life, I fell hopelessly in love with her when I was seventeen.”

"She doesn't like me."

"She has always been radiant and lived the life that countless people dream of."

"I have been struggling on the fringes of society until middle age, when I have barely made a name for myself. My heart is already riddled with holes, and all that is left is this handsome body."

"More than a decade later, I met her again and pursued her madly once more."

"She married me, but we are not happy because she doesn't love me or love me."

"After leaving this world, I was reincarnated once again and came back to find her."

"Meng Po watched me chase her through countless lifetimes, so she didn't give me the Meng Po soup, allowing me to reincarnate with my memories intact. She even gave me a pill that would make me handsome in six months."

"And then, it became what you see now."

"Therefore, the 'Six Months to Become Handsome' pill is very important."

The chubby girl said, "Handsome guy, you're really annoying. The beginning was so touching, but then you start talking nonsense."

....................................

After returning to the room.

Lian Yi was very angry and ignored Lin Xiao.

And I inexplicably started crying.

"What's wrong?" Lin Xiao asked.

Lian Yi: "Don't touch me. Why did you say those things?"

"Why do you say I don't love you? I... I clearly love you so much."

"From beginning to end, it was clearly me who loved so humbly."

Why would you say such a thing?

Then, Lian Yi stared at Lin Xiao and said, word by word, "From now on, you are not allowed to say such things again."

"You can say you don't love me, but you can't say I don't love you."

"You swear that you will never say such a thing again, not even a single word."

Lin Xiao raised his hand and slowly said, "I swear."

Lian Yi: "You are the most annoying and irritating person. You can never make people simply happy and joyful. You can never help but stab people and hurt me."

"Today is clearly the happiest and most joyful day of my life, and you still do this."

Then, she cupped Lin Xiao's face in her hands and said fiercely, "From now on, you are not allowed to say a single word that makes me unhappy, do you hear me?"

"At least tonight, you are not allowed to say a single word that makes me unhappy."

"Otherwise, I won't let you off the hook."

"Did you hear that?"

After saying that, she vigorously rubbed Lin Xiao's face, watching his handsome face deform in her small hands, pinching his mouth into the shape of a chick, and then giggled.

"I heard you," Lin Xiao said, his voice sounding strange because his mouth was being pinched.

Then, Lian Yi let Lin Xiao go and went straight into the bathroom to take a shower, locking the door behind her.

Then she took a shower and dried her hair, and it took her almost an hour to come out.

Wrapped in a large towel, her face was flushed, and her beautiful eyes seemed about to overflow with tears.

"Go take a shower, go quickly..."

"What are you looking at? Don't look..."

Lian Yi used both hands to push Lin Xiao directly into the bathroom.

Then, she untied her bath towel, revealing her alluring and graceful body, as white as snow.

She was wearing only a pair of snow-white underwear.

Then, she quickly crawled into bed, her face and neck flushed.

Even her every breath was scalding hot.

Moreover, because of her nervousness, she kept drinking water, but she still couldn't cool down.

He reached into the corner of the mattress and took out a box of Durex, but after hesitating, he put it back in.

She seemed somewhat averse to this thing.

About twenty minutes later, Lin Xiao came out after taking a shower, still wearing his pajamas.

All that could be seen was that Lian Yi was completely hidden under the covers, not even a single hair was showing.

After a long while, seeing that Lin Xiao didn't seem to make any moves, she peeked out slightly.

Lin Xiao was taken aback.

Such beautiful and lovely ripples.

It was filled with shyness, anticipation, and trepidation.

Lin Xiao turned off the lights, plunging the entire room into darkness.

"Qiaoqiao, I have something to tell you," Lin Xiao said.

The voice was very serious and solemn.

Lian Yi's side immediately fell silent.

The air fell silent.

A long time passed, and Lin Xiao still couldn't bring himself to say it.

At this moment, he seemed to be facing a fatal choice.

Did you tell her yourself, or did someone else tell her?

Lian Zheng warned him to confess on his own.

Because of that saying, when a man cheats, I'm the last one to find out.

The damage was enormous.

Therefore, it seems that if Lin Xiao confesses himself, the harm will be less.

but……

At this point, Lin Xiao found it difficult to speak.

I even have a gut feeling that if I say it out loud, it will hurt even more.

The entire room was dark, a painful silence, an unbearable silence.

After a while, Lin Xiao spoke.

What I'm about to say is extremely serious.

"No matter what happens next, no matter how bad I am in your eyes."

"No matter how much you hate me or curse me."

"I will never let you go. No matter where you run to, I will bring you back."

"Even if I become the most shameless villain, I will not let you go. I want you to be my woman and have my children."

Even if a thousand people point fingers and ten thousand people curse.

"No matter the cost, I will never let you go."

"That's it...that's it..."

..............................

next day!

Lin Xiao returned to Shanghai.

At this point, the extensive negotiations, which had lasted for over a month, were nearing their end. This was the largest negotiation Lin Xiao had ever undertaken since starting his business, and also the most important business strategy.

The collaborations between the various groups are intertwined.

The first item is that SoftBank Group invested $300 million in Flash Entertainment, acquiring a 20% stake.

The second item: SoftBank Group and Yahoo! Group jointly invested $60 million to acquire a 35% stake in Facebook in the United States, and will do their utmost to help Facebook's development and expansion in the United States.

The second item is that SoftBank Group and Lightning Group formed a joint venture to acquire Android Inc. for $6800 million, with Lightning Group holding a 56% stake.

Thirdly, through lobbying and manipulation by SoftBank Group, Lightning Group invested $1.5 million to become a shareholder of the British company ARM.

The fourth item: Lightning Group invested $200 million, Yahoo! Group invested $500 million, and SoftBank Group invested $300 million, totaling $1 billion, plus the entire Yahoo! China, in exchange for a 42% stake in Alibaba.

Without a doubt, this is the largest investment in the history of the Chinese internet.

Moreover, it is not a single investment, but a cross-investment and a strategic partnership.

More accurately, it is a four-way alliance of Lightning Group, Alibaba Group, Yahoo Group, and SoftBank Group.

This major alliance, involving large-scale cross-investment, has almost depleted all of Lightning Group's cash reserves.

Even the cash that SoftBank Group invested in Lightning Entertainment is included.

After more than 100 people from several parties negotiated for over 50 days, the matter was finally settled.

All that's left is to sign.

Once the agreement is signed, an enormous capital conglomerate is formed.

The foundation will be completely solidified for the next few years.

Moreover, Lightning Group's overseas expansion strategy will finally take shape.

The news had already spread before the agreement was even signed.

Immediately, the shock was not to the entire internet industry, but to the entire capital market and even the entire public opinion.

I rely on!

What an incredible gesture!

Even though the acquisition of Android and the investment in ARM were top secret and not disclosed, the remaining several massive collaborations were still incredibly impressive.

"Can anyone tell me how much money is involved here?"

"How much money is there in total from all these transactions?"

"Damn, once this deal goes through, will a behemoth conglomerate emerge?"

"A transaction of this level would probably require the consent of the state, or approval from the Ministry of Commerce."

Immediately, countless opinions arose.

Real fire spraying oil.

..........................................

Li Zhongtian has matured a lot.

Now he is basically able to stand on his own, and he will graduate in a year, so he spends most of his time at Lightning Group.

He has about ten people under him. They are not high-ranking, but they are very important. They are one of the core members of Facebook's advertising model.

He's no longer such a country bumpkin.

Perhaps it was through the experience gained from his senior sister Zhang Yin, or perhaps it was through his continuous achievements at work, but his charm gradually became apparent.

He's now considered a minor celebrity at Tongji University.

However, he still did not break up with his senior sister Zhang Yin, even though she had been abroad for a long time.

Lin Xiao asked him why he didn't mention breaking up.
He said, "I don't want to kill my love with my own hands. Even if we break up, I want the other person to initiate it."

Lin Xiao never expected that Li Zhongtian, that country bumpkin, could utter such resounding words.

I cannot kill my love with my own hands.

Tonight at midnight!

Li Zhongtian was busy until midnight, then he opened his email.

After Zhang Yin went abroad, the two initially had quite a bit of communication, chatting on MSN.

In addition, Zhang Yin also shares her life in the United States, along with many photos.

Occasionally, she would say sweet nothings.

But gradually, this sharing became less and less frequent, and the intervals between sharing sessions became longer and longer.

Now, a whole month has passed, and she hasn't sent any messages or photos.

Today, he simply browsed through new emails as usual.

result……

I received an email from Senior Sister Zhang Yin. It was a long text, about three thousand words long.

Ultimately, there are only three core points.

First, she doesn't want to go back to China; she enjoys everything here in the United States.

Secondly, a German-American male writer is pursuing her madly, but she hasn't agreed to be with him yet.

Thirdly, I don't want to hold you back, let's break up.

Previously, Li Zhongtian would not have been able to understand this email, or rather, he would not have been able to see through the emotions behind it.

Now, he sees it.

Senior Sister Zhang Yin is mature and has a strong sense of morality. However, her memories from childhood to adulthood aren't exactly pleasant. Because she also comes from the countryside, after arriving in Shanghai, despite her own excellence, she felt she lacked the allure of city girls. This led to a somewhat subservient position in her first relationship. Therefore, in her second relationship, she accepted Li Zhongtian's advances, seeking this stronger position and a sense of security.

After going to the United States, she felt that she could finally stand on equal footing with the urban girls she used to know in Shanghai, and even be more attractive in a different way. This was a kind of "dimensionality-defying" experience for her, because in many people's minds, America is more sophisticated.

This is roughly equivalent to a domestic female celebrity who, after a failed relationship with a higher-ranking domestic male celebrity, might choose to marry a foreign man, especially a white man, to compensate for her emotional distress.

Lin Xiao kept telling Li Zhongtian to bravely pursue what he liked, rather than pursuing what he could get, and not to blindly pursue a sense of security in a relationship.

For Senior Sister Zhang Yin, choosing Li Zhongtian was a way of seeking security and choosing a relationship that she could control.

Now that she's abroad, she wants to reaffirm her sexual appeal and seek a relationship where she's on equal footing with her partner.

None of this was mentioned in Zhang Yin's email. On the contrary, her email seemed very sincere and full of remorse.

However, Li Zhongtian fully understood the deep emotions behind this email.

Moreover, he had already calmed down.

I replied with two words: Okay!
Then, he sent a text message to Lin Xiao: Senior Sister Zhang Yin and I have truly and completely broken up. She was the one who initiated it.

"Only the one who doesn't love can kill love with their own hands."

"So Lin Xiao, you must not do that. As long as you didn't do it yourself, there's still a chance to salvage the situation."

Upon receiving this text message, Lin Xiao couldn't help but sigh.
Unexpectedly, it's now the turn of this mongrel dog to teach me how to date.

..............................

April 19th!
At that time, the entire online discourse was still focused on this landmark deal.

Not only online, but also experts and professors from major television stations are tirelessly analyzing this epic four-way transaction.

It also emphasized that this will reshape the landscape of China's internet industry, and so on.

However, the Lightning Group, which was at the center of the controversy, did not respond.

It was eerily quiet, like the eye of a typhoon, the center of a storm.

Noon on the 19th!
A shocking piece of news has broken!

The shocking teacher-student romance of Er Gou!
It is suspected that Er Gou, the leader of the cult, is married, and his wife is none other than his former high school English teacher.

When Er Gou was in high school, he had already officially started a romantic relationship with his English teacher.

Along with these messages came a photograph.

It's a photo of Lin Xiao in a formal suit and Xiao Momo in a wedding dress.

Anyone who sees this wedding photo will be deeply moved.

A perfect match made in heaven.

..............................

After this news broke.

This immediately caused a huge uproar!
Although the teacher-student relationship in this story is somewhat jarring.

But... I feel mostly envious.

They say Er Gou is awesome, he's fulfilled the dreams of so many men.

There were few attacks, but rather many blessings.

Countless men and women envy this love.

........................

But just a few hours later!
Another piece of news has broken.

The leader of the "Second Dog" gang was two-timing, already engaged to his English teacher girlfriend, while having an affair with a female school beauty.

Lian Yi is not only the school beauty of Linshan No.1 High School, but also the school beauty of Aurora University!

Many other photos were also released at the same time.

However, these photos are not very clear, and many of them were taken secretly.

The photos of Lin Xiao and Lian Yi together show them looking somewhat intimate.

The public outcry exploded immediately!
The entire internet was like a tsunami that had been detonated.

………………

And just one hour later!
A third piece of news broke, and it was even more explosive.

Lian Yi's father is the second most important person in a certain city in Zhejiang.

Moreover, since the beginning of Er Gou's business, he has always played the role of protecting Sang.

Er Gou, the leader of the online community, started his first business, Itch.com. It was clearly a shady business and was even investigated by higher authorities, but he managed to get through each one safely because Lian Zheng was there to protect him.

Moreover, Lian Zheng also processed several loans for Er Gou, totaling several hundred million yuan.

Is there any illegal transaction involved?
Is this collusion between capital and power?
Ironically, Er Gou, the leader of the cult, keeps saying that he comes from humble beginnings and has no background or status. So what is Lian Zheng?
Most importantly, Er Gou, despite having a fiancée, still deceived Lian Yi and Lian Zheng, seeking Lian Zheng's political and financial support and assistance.

Cheating, having affairs, deceiving others emotionally, and fraudulently obtaining loans.

Does someone like that still deserve to be an idol? A role model?

How can someone so morally corrupt and involved in rampant power-money transactions be worshipped by thousands?
We urge the relevant departments to immediately launch an investigation into the Lightning Group and Lin Xiao.

If there is any abuse of power for personal gain or exchange of power for money, it must not be tolerated.

..........................................

A real comet hit Earth.

It stirred up a massive wave!

Lin Xiao left the company, got into a car, and returned home.

I got out of the car as usual, opened the door, and went inside.

Bubble sat quietly on the sofa, with Lin Yao and Bai Xiaoping on either side of her.

There was no sound.

Upon seeing Lin Xiao return, Lin Yao and Bai Xiaoping quietly left. They had spent the entire day with Xiao Momo.

"She didn't say a word all day," Lin Yao said quickly as she left.

Bai Xiaoping: "Boss, keep it up!"

Lin Xiao didn't say anything, but tied on an apron, went into the kitchen, and started cooking.

He's a good cook.

I made three dishes.

One steamed yellow croaker, one steamed pork with preserved mustard greens, and one stir-fried sweet potato leaves.

In just over half an hour, the three dishes were ready, because the steamed pork with preserved mustard greens had been steamed for seven or eight hours.

After cooking, he took off his apron and placed the three dishes on the table.

Then, take out a bottle of red wine.

He poured himself half a glass and poured Xiao Momo half a glass.

"Try it. Don't you love steamed pork with preserved mustard greens?" Lin Xiao said. "These preserved mustard greens were just dried by my parents in the winter. They're fragrant and sour. The pork is also from local pigs raised on grain in the village. It's delicious."

"The villagers all make a mistake when steaming this meat: they steam it directly. That makes the soup more and more abundant and the meat more and more dry. They should first cover it with a layer of plastic wrap, then poke a few holes in it before steaming."

"Steamed pork with preserved mustard greens this way is both tender and fragrant."

Then, Lin Xiao picked up a piece of meat and put it in Bubble's bowl.

Bubble picked up the chopsticks, wanting to pick something up and put it in her mouth, but her hands were shaking so badly that she couldn't pick it up no matter what she did.

Lin Xiao went and got her a spoon.

But she didn't use that. Instead, she pressed her right hand down with her other hand. She had always been very compliant, almost always doing whatever Lin Xiao said. But this time, she stubbornly insisted on using chopsticks.

It took her a while to calm her trembling hands before she picked up the piece of preserved mustard greens and pork and put it into her little mouth.

It truly melts in your mouth.

"And these sweet potato leaves, I didn't stir-fry them with lard, but with oil freshly pressed from local pork. They're especially fragrant and delicious." Lin Xiao placed another sweet potato leaf on her plate, his movements gentle, his voice even more tender.

The bubble was put back into his mouth.

Then, the scene quieted down again.

Bubble kept eating, but when Lin Xiao drank, she didn't touch the red wine in front of her.

The two of them finished almost all three dishes on the table.

"I had some good news to tell you today," Bubble finally said.

Lin Xiao asked, "What?"

Bubble: "I'm having a baby."

Lin Xiao's wine glass froze in mid-air before he placed it back on the table, his face filled with delight.

"Mom and Dad will be overjoyed."

"This baby will be loved by countless people from the moment he is born."

Bubble instinctively reached out and covered her stomach, even though she wasn't showing yet.

"I went to the hospital for a check-up on my own, and the doctor said that the baby is very, very healthy and all the indicators are very good."

Lin Xiao came to Bubble's side and gently squatted down next to her.

Bubble continued, "I had already figured out how to write the script for 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,' but after having a baby, I'm not so keen on writing that script anymore."

Then, both sides fell silent again.

Lin Xiao pressed his hand against Xiao Momo's lower abdomen and said in a gentle voice, "Baby, grow up quickly. When you grow up, beat up Daddy and avenge Mommy, okay?"

Upon hearing this, Bubble could no longer hold back.

Tears streamed down her face.

Out of breath crying.

After she finished crying, she wiped away her tears.

Chao Linxiao said hoarsely, "Let's...make love!"

..............................

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(End of this chapter)