After the Strategy Mission Was Exposed, the Childhood Friend Became a Sinister Male Ghost - Chapter 8

The small surge of joy brought by the slight increase in the male lead’s favorability vanished without a trace. If the System had not malfunctioned back then, and if her target had not been incorrect, things would be different.

Five years ago, she had missed the chance to get close to the male lead. If she had succeeded in winning him over early on, her mother’s terminal illness would not have dragged on until now, and this sudden cerebral infarction might have been avoided.

Ling Luo was incredibly frustrated. Di Yu had plenty of money and could find more experienced doctors, but terminal illnesses were not easily cured. In the face of such a diagnosis, money felt pale and powerless. When humans reached their limit, they could only helplessly turn to gods and Buddhas, placing their spiritual hope in the ethereal and the unseen.

Ling Luo believed the System. As long as she successfully won over the male lead, her mother would be cured. Then, she would take her mother to a quiet city to retire and never bother the male lead again.

Lin Zhouci was still standing there. When she walked back to him, he noticed her displeasure. “Why are you unhappy?”

“I, well, something happened to my family. I need to get to the hospital tomorrow. President Lin,” Ling Luo stammered, “may I leave a step ahead of schedule tomorrow?”

Her sorrowful appearance led Lin Zhouci to assume the hospital had issued a critical condition notice. Being there for a loved one’s final moments was vital, and Lin Zhouci empathized deeply.

He opened his phone. “I will book the flight for you.”

“Thank you, President Lin. You are very kind.” Ling Luo raised her tear-filled eyes. Her eyes were beautiful, and the tears made them look especially bright. It was difficult for anyone to resist being watched by such eyes.

Lin Zhouci’s pupils trembled. He pretended to be composed as he looked down at the ticket-booking app.

Lin Zhouci’s Favorability: 39.

A flash of inspiration hit Ling Luo. She further understood what kind of persona Lin Zhouci preferred.

Lin Zhouci softened his voice. “What time do you want to fly?”

“What is the earliest flight?”

“Six-thirty in the morning.”

“I want the six-thirty flight.”

“Alright.”

Lin Zhouci and Ling Luo entered the elevator together. Ling Luo kept an arm’s length between them and stole glances at him. If no other accidents occurred and the business trip ended early, she could have asked the male lead to stay another day. They could have shared a few drinks, created some close contact, and let the ambiguity build his favorability.

She sighed in her heart. For now, her mother was the most important thing. If her mother could not hold on until the day she succeeded with the male lead, Ling Luo felt she might follow her mother into the afterlife. Her mother was her only remaining attachment to this world.

Ding!

The elevator stopped at their floor. Lin Zhouci called out to her. “Assistant Ling, we are here. Let us head out.”

Ling Luo snapped back to reality and nodded at him apologetically. “I am sorry. I was lost in thought.”

She stepped out ahead of him. Her unique fragrance drifted through the air, and Lin Zhouci’s gaze instinctively followed her figure.

Ling Luo took out her room card and swiped it. She looked back and gave him a flawless smile. “President Lin, you must keep working hard tomorrow even on your own!”

To him, the smile seemed forced. Even after hearing that a family member is failing, she still maintains a smile for work. Assistant Ling is truly… Lin Zhouci could not help but feel curious about her.

Ling Luo returned to her room and immediately packed her things. She checked her flight time and set an alarm for five-thirty. Worried sick about her family, she completely forgot about her plan to settle scores with Di Yu.

Ling Luo arrived at the Beijing hospital at noon the following day. She learned from the doctor that her mother’s terminal illness had worsened, causing a series of complications. The surgery for the cerebral infarction was unsuccessful, and her mother had fallen into a vegetative state.

Previously, her mother could occasionally wake up and say a few words to her. Now that she was a vegetable, Ling Luo would never hear her mother’s voice again.

Ling Luo sat by the bed and held her mother’s hand. Her mother had been a stunning beauty in her youth, but now, ravaged by illness, her cheeks were sunken and her frame was gaunt. She wore a hat that hid the fact that she had no hair left. When Ling Luo was a child, her beautiful mother had long, lustrous black hair. After the diagnosis, round after round of chemotherapy caused it all to fall out.

The culprit behind all of this was her biological father, a gold-digging scumbag. That cursed man had drained her mother’s wealth and literally made her sick with anger.

Ling Luo’s nose tingled, and she sobbed quietly. “Mama, I only have you left.”

A bouquet of bright red roses, her mother’s favorite flower, sat on the table. The pale hospital room smelled of disinfectant, and a heavy atmosphere of sadness filled the air. The vibrant red of the roses felt intrusive, as if they were forced into this place of despair to release a spark of life.

Di Yu traveled to Guangzhou and arrived at a five-star hotel. At the entrance, he encountered Lin Zhouci.

A black snake head poked out from Di Yu’s chest pocket. [The male lead has finalized the cooperation with the supplier. Strange, why has his luck not transferred to you yet?] The Luck-Changing System was puzzled and complained, [If you had not returned to Beijing for a trip, he would not have reached this agreement so smoothly.]

Di Yu remained unmoved. Right now, he only wanted to see Ling Luo. His subordinates had tracked her location to this hotel.

Di Yu went straight to the elevator. Lin Zhouci walked in while talking on the phone. Just as he was about to press the button for his floor, he realized someone else had already pressed it, so he simply hit the button to close the doors.

“I will give you two days off. Spend more time with your family,” Lin Zhouci said to Ling Luo on the other end of the line.

“President Lin, the project schedule is tight. I must follow up in real time.”

“You have a great team spirit.” Lin Zhouci looked pleased. He discussed a few more work-related details. “The supplier here has been confirmed.”

Di Yu recognized the voice coming from Lin Zhouci’s phone, and his expression darkened. The black snake, which had crawled onto Di Yu’s wrist, was suddenly squeezed so hard that its body almost snapped.

[Wait! Stop! Di Yu! Let go! It hurts!]

Before the System could complain further, Di Yu tossed it onto the floor in disgust. Fortunately, only Di Yu could see its form, or it would have been very embarrassing. The System was highly dissatisfied. “How rude!”

Lin Zhouci hung up the phone and looked at Di Yu. He said politely, “President Di, what a coincidence.”

This man was the famous Prince of the Di family in Beijing. Even the heads of various wealthy families had to follow his lead.

“I am the founder of Xincheng Technology, Lin Zhouci,” Lin Zhouci introduced himself.

Di Yu looked down at him coldly. “What does your company do? What value do you provide?”

An invisible, crushing pressure washed over Lin Zhouci. However, having dealt with the difficult demands of many powerful figures, he instinctively ignored the intimidation.

“We focus on new energy vehicles and AI intelligent driving systems.”

Di Yu did not respond. He looked down at his phone, which showed a chat interface, and his long fingers tapped the screen rapidly. He was cold, noble, and extremely concise with his words. Even without a response, Lin Zhouci did not get angry. He was used to being treated coldly and maintained his professional smile.