Dawn of Life

A card was required to access the upper floors from the lobby. Lin Yue looked around and noticed that no one was at the property management reception desk, so she took out her phone and typed a "Arrived" message on WeChat to Xiao Feng. A few minutes later, her gaze unconsciously followed the elevator doors as they slowly opened.

A man with an air of artistic flair came into view. Xiao Feng had a gentle smile on his lips. From his appearance, he did not seem angry about Lin Yue's lateness again.

"I'm so sorry to have Mr. Xiao come downstairs to pick me up personally." Lin Yue's words carried a hint of apology and politeness.

"Mr. Lin, you're too kind. I'm always very polite!" Xiao Feng said with a beaming smile, but Lin Yue felt a little awkward listening to him, as if he was blaming her for being late twice and being impolite.

After being led to the office by Xiao Feng, Lin Yue looked around. A Chinese-style ink painting hung behind the chair, and the wooden ornaments on the table were also very exquisite. She couldn't help but be attracted by the artistic atmosphere of the room.

This further deepened her association with the man before her and Shengxing; two people with such similar tastes and hobbies must be either friends or family acquaintances. So, Lin Yue tentatively asked Xiao Feng how he chose the business consulting startup project.

"That's a long story. If Ms. Lin is interested, we can arrange a private time, and I'll tell you in detail. Let's finish our business today," Xiao Feng replied, staring at her with interest.

Lin Yue suddenly felt a little uneasy, but perhaps she was overthinking it.

She quickly turned on her computer. That morning, she had rushed to create a talent inventory sheet for senior executives, noting their basic information, positions, performance, and so on. After the company was acquired, the existing team needed to be reorganized according to the new strategy, so she planned to share this information with Xiao Feng in advance. After all, the adjustment of senior executives was not something that could be done overnight; it could be planned and arranged in advance.

When Xiao Feng saw the spreadsheet she had opened, filled with text and annotations, he couldn't help but admire her professionalism and meticulousness.

During the discussion, Lin Yue conducted a detailed analysis of each person's personality, abilities, and the underlying qualities beneath the surface, and categorized them by type: star talent, pragmatic talent, experienced talent, etc. She also made appointment suggestions based on business needs, such as keeping them in their original positions, expanding them to new areas, retraining them, or eliminating them.

Finally, Lin Yue also explained the final work on the "Competency Model" project to Xiao Feng, who readily agreed without hesitation. Time flew by, and it was already dinnertime when everything was finished.

"How about we have dinner together tonight?" Xiao Feng's words came out of nowhere. Lin Yue was surprised when she heard this, followed by a faint look of doubt. She looked up at him, as if to make sure she had heard correctly.

Noticing Lin Yue's confusion, Xiao Feng added, "I never have much of an appetite when I eat alone, and besides, you treated me to lunch at Dasheng last time, so this is my way of returning the favor."

Lin Yue lowered her head and thought for a moment. She knew from the last time that this person carried considerable weight with Shengxing and was someone she couldn't afford to offend. Since he had taken the initiative to extend the invitation, given his relationship with Shengxing, she couldn't very well refuse him.

So she said, "Okay, I'm a little hungry too."

Xiao Feng revealed a confident smile: "Then let's go now."

The two walked out of the office building side by side. Night had fallen, and the streetlights cast long shadows. Xiao Feng suggested driving her to a restaurant he'd just tried, which he heard was quite good. He said he'd take her back to her car after dinner. Lin Yue nodded in agreement.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, Lin Yue felt a surge of familiarity as soon as she stepped out of the car. The restaurant Xiao Feng had mentioned was right next to the Gaoming Supermarket, and they used to frequent this place. While she hesitated, Xiao Feng had already pushed open the door and entered.

While Xiao Feng went to the restroom, Lin Yue sat alone in her seat and unconsciously opened Gao Ming's WeChat Moments. Just then, the proprietress walked over warmly, smiling broadly, and asked, "Why did you come alone today? Didn't your husband and son come with you? It feels like it's been a long time since I've seen you."

Lin Yue scratched her head awkwardly and explained to the proprietress, "I came here with a friend today."

Just then, Xiao Feng returned from the restroom. The proprietress's gaze shifted between her and Xiao Feng, as if searching for something.

When Xiao Feng walked over, he overheard the proprietress's words and asked, "You and the proprietress here are quite familiar with each other?" Xiao Feng originally wanted to ask her what her husband did for a living and how old her children were, but he felt it was inappropriate to say it, so he changed his question to this.

Lin Yue casually mentioned that she used to come here often. A brief silence then fell between them.

The food arrived quickly, and Lin Yue was indeed hungry. She gently scooped a spoonful of pork rib soup into her mouth, and just as she leisurely looked up, a man and a woman walked in from the restaurant entrance. The woman wore a low-cut sweater, her graceful figure faintly visible beneath the fabric. Her short hair was neat, and her makeup was exquisite; her entire attire seemed deliberately unsuitable for her age. She and the man beside her were nestled together.

As they approached, Lin Yue was surprised to find that the woman was Ma Hongli, the stock clerk at Gao Ming's store, and the man she was arm in arm with was Gao Ming.

"Lin Yue, it's been a long time." Ma Hongli, unlike her usual obedient self, not only called her by her name but also raised her voice slightly. Her smile seemed to reveal a long-planned provocation.

Fragments of the past quickly pieced together in Lin Yue's mind. She finally understood why she hadn't seen Ma Hongli at Gao Ming's shop last time, and why she and Gao Ming had exchanged evasive glances on several occasions when the three of them were together. At this moment, she had the answer. However, suspicion and seeing it with her own eyes were not the same thing. She could clearly feel her blood rushing and her heart racing.

They've been together for a long time, and Gao Ming's desire to divorce her and sell the house is probably related to this woman.

Ma Hongli is 28 years old this year. She came to work at Gao Ming's shop three years ago, and the two got together a year ago. Aside from her youth, she couldn't compare to Lin Yue in any other way. Initially, Gao Ming was only with her for a fleeting infatuation. During their time together, Gao Ming discovered that she was obedient, always spoke softly, and her eyes were always full of admiration when she looked at him, greatly satisfying his chauvinistic vanity.

What ultimately made Gao Ming consider divorce was his plan to invest in Hangzhou real estate in 2021 when prices were high, by exchanging one property for two others. However, Lin Yue firmly disagreed, considering their child's education and living environment. Later, property prices plummeted, and Gao Ming felt Lin Yue had caused him to miss a golden investment opportunity. Furthermore, Lin Yue always emphasized that a house is a home, and as long as there's a home, the house shouldn't be sold.

This incident further strained their already fragile relationship. Coupled with Ma Hongli's constant nagging, he increasingly felt that as Lin Yue's income rose over the years, she became more assertive and harder to control. Gao Ming was responsible for half of their living expenses but didn't enjoy the happiness the family brought him. Therefore, he finally solidified his decision to divorce and sell the house.

Lin Yue remained silent, staring intently at Gao Ming's detestable face. Although Ma Hongli was hateful, all her suffering was caused by the man she had lived with for ten years. At that moment, Gao Ming was also looking at her, and their eyes met.

Gao Ming's words carried a questioning tone: "You've only been divorced for a few days and you already have a new girlfriend? It's so late and you're still out; don't you need to take care of Xiaoyu?"