After arriving, he made no mention of Bai Xinyu's actions. Instead, adopting the posture of an older brother concerned for his younger cousin's future, he requested to send Bai Xinyu to the military.
His aunt and uncle hesitated at first, arguing that Bai Xinyu himself didn't want to go, and besides, military life was so harsh.
Jian Suiying countered that Bai Xinyu simply wasn't cut out for business. Hanging around Beijing, he kept associating with unsavory characters who had even sparked his gambling addiction.
If this continued, he'd squander the family fortune sooner or later. He absolutely needed to be sent somewhere disciplined for proper guidance.
While Jian Suiying harbored personal resentment toward Bai Xinyu, this decision was genuinely made with the best interests of the Bai family and Bai Xinyu himself in mind.
And so, the three of them made the decision behind Bai Xinyu's back.
That evening, Jian Suiying had a dinner gathering and brought along a subordinate to help him fend off the drinking.
He hadn't expected the group to be such heavy drinkers. Even with a designated drinker in tow, he still ended up getting thoroughly plastered.
As the driver took him home, he sat groggily in the backseat when a call came in.
He glanced at the caller ID. The name flickered three times before disappearing. He chuckled wryly to himself, then answered. "Hello,
Director Zhao..."
He was quite surprised that Director Zhao would be contacting him now.
"Hey, buddy, had one too many, huh?"
"You bet. Just got dragged off the table by someone... When are you coming to Beijing, Director Zhao? I'll give you a proper welcome..." Jian Suiying belched. "...a proper welcome..."
"Ha ha, if your drinking tolerance is this low, I'd have to crawl under the table if I came! I'll have to think this over carefully."
."
Jian Suiying laughed twice, "Come on over. I won't force you to drink."
, but applying under your parent company's name would be safer. After all, your parent company is financially strong, and it would give us solid ground to speak up for you during the review meeting."
Jian Suiying's mind was fogged with alcohol. It took him a while to process the meaning of those words. He frowned and uttered a series of "Ahs," but still couldn't grasp the key point.
He sensed a crucial piece of information here, but he couldn't analyze it now.
Director Zhao recognized his state was unsuitable for discussion. Sighing, he said, "Alright, I'll talk to you tomorrow. It's doubtful you'll even remember this call by then. Just get some rest."
After hanging up, Jian Suiying slowly closed his eyes.
His head ached slightly, and he felt exceptionally foggy. He knew Director Zhao had mentioned something crucial, yet he couldn't
concentrate on it. The feeling was truly distressing.
That night, Jian Suiying had been carried back to his room by his driver and subordinates. He hadn't drunk that much in ages, and he ended up vomiting three times throughout the night.
three times, leaving him sleepless and utterly miserable.
The next day, he slept until two in the afternoon before finally rising with a throbbing head.
After cleaning himself up, eating, and taking his medicine, he finally felt a bit more alert.
He flipped through his phone to see if he'd missed anything, and then spotted Director Zhao's name in his call log.
From the outset of negotiations, Jian Suiying had approached them with the attitude that he'd cooperate only if he secured the land—refusing to invest if he didn't get it.
He hadn't signed any formal contracts with them, intending only to contribute the land as equity once acquired.
The deal was practically sealed when they unexpectedly changed course. After abandoning their partnership with Jian Suiying,
But Jian Suiying truly hadn't anticipated they'd have the audacity to pull such a backstabbing move behind his back—
and burn their bridges. Logically, after they terminated the partnership and withdrew the land application, Li Xuan should have been the first to know.
. Likewise, he should have been the first to learn about their new shareholder applying for the land. If Li Xuan knew, then he, Jian Suiying, should have known immediately too!
Plucking feathers from others' mouths—such a despicable act. Unless Li Xuan harbored a grudge against him, why would he risk offending him
? Especially since he and Li Xuan had always gotten along quite well.
Jian Suiying felt momentarily disoriented. He couldn't pinpoint where exactly the chain had broken, how many misunderstandings lay hidden
, how many hidden details he was unaware of, unable to see through.
He smoked and pondered all afternoon, lost in thought until the sky outside darkened without his noticing. After an unknown stretch of time, a ringing phone snapped him back to reality.
He steeled himself and answered the call.
From Li Yu's end came the sound of a car door closing. "I'm heading over now. What do you want to eat? I'll grab some stuff at the supermarket.
"
Jian Suiying stammered: "Xiao Li, sorry, don't come over today."
Li Yu was just turning the ignition key halfway when he heard those words. He let go, and the engine made an eerie sound
"What's wrong?"
"I had a dinner meeting last night and got pretty drunk. I didn't go to work today, and my head still hurts. I didn't clean the pool either..."
Li Yu paused. "Then I'll come over to check on you. You haven't eaten, have you?" "I did. Ordered takeout."
"What do you want to eat? I'll come over tonight and cook for you."
"Honey, don't come over right now. I'm not feeling well. I don't feel like moving, and I don't want you to see me like this... Let's do it another day, okay?"
Li Yu sighed in disappointment. "Alright then. Rest up at home."
Jian Suiying breathed a sigh of relief. "Alright, don't worry about me. I just haven't gotten drunk in a while. I just need to rest up. Come back another day."
Li Yu said sternly, "Don't drink that much again."