The Person I Love Who Has Been Missing For Three Years - Chapter 81

Chapter 81: That Year, Song Xiangwan Was 24

At the Ming Corporation, the morning staff meeting was starting, and people were steadily filling the conference room.

In the pantry, several secretaries were preparing tea and couldn’t help but whisper: “So, what’s going to happen next?”

“CEO Ming isn’t here, and CEO Xu isn’t here either. Is the meeting still going to happen?”

“The executives are all here, so of course it will… but…”

“Who will step up to lead it? The various vice chairpersons and vice presidents don’t seem to be speaking up.”

“An un-chaired meeting? It’s not a job interview…”

“Director Gao.”

“Director Gao.”

Several secretaries greeted her. She nodded slightly, seemingly acknowledging them, and walked out holding her coffee.

Along the way, people passing her would nod in greeting. She wore a poised smile, her steps quick and decisive, with an intimidating presence.

She walked into the conference room, found her seat, casually flipped through the meeting agenda in front of her, and picked up her coffee for a light sip.

“Director Gao seems to be in a good mood today?” The person next to her asked, seemingly casually.

“Where? CEO Liu, don’t try to frame me.” Gao Huimei’s reply was faint, her eyes scanning the agenda items.

“When you’re in a good mood, you make yourself a cup of coffee. When you’re in a bad mood, you drink black tea…”

Gao Huimei’s gaze paused, her fingers tightening on the document. She looked up, the corners of her lips slightly lifted: “CEO Liu, you observe so meticulously… Could it be that…”

She leaned closer, her red lips parting, her voice extremely soft: “Are you secretly in love with me?”

The sudden closeness and scent of perfume clearly flustered CEO Liu, who instinctively recoiled: “Don’t slander me.”

“The people in the Ming Corporation who like me could wrap around the building once. It’s nothing shameful,” Gao Huimei propped her chin with one hand, her fair wrist exposed, her posture relaxed.

Gao Huimei’s movement paused slightly, her eyes seeming to darken for a moment, then she stood up with the crowd.

Xu Zhiyan hurried in, wearing a beige floral dress with a brown leather trench coat over it, looking exactly like she was on vacation.

She wasn’t very tall, and her makeup was light. Paired with her casual and composed outfit, she looked like a university student.

“Please bear with me while I change,” Xu Zhiyan nodded to everyone present and walked past the conference room door.

The secretary jogged along beside Xu Zhiyan, quickly reporting: “This morning’s meeting agenda has been sent to your email. Here are a few more important items.”

“First is the Longcheng project. CEO Ming was pushing it recently, and all approval documents have now been processed. We need to select a person in charge.”

“For this position, the consensus is that Investment Director Gao Huimei is the most suitable candidate.”

“This suggestion was raised to CEO Ming last week, but she temporarily suppressed it. We don’t know what CEO Ming’s thoughts were.”

“Another important item is the personnel change in the Marketing Department. The position of Marketing Director has been vacant, and all executives have nominated their preferred candidates.”

“Also, the Publicity Department proposed three plans for the new brand’s promotional positioning for the next quarter. A vote will be held in today’s meeting.”

“These three items are relatively important.”

Xu Zhiyan listened, casually putting on a shirt, buttoning it one by one, her expression neutral: “Mhm, got it.”

“Brooch.” The secretary quickly opened the box and spread it before Xu Zhiyan.

“This one is good.” The secretary chose a lily-of-the-valley brooch inlaid with sapphires. Receiving Xu Zhiyan’s nod of approval, she pinned it onto her shirt.

She casually gathered her long hair into a low ponytail, checked her messy hair in the mirror, put on the stilettos by her feet, and stepped out.

The conference room was quiet. Everyone was either looking down at documents or slowly sipping tea; no one was talking.

Completely different from her demeanor moments ago, she walked in, step by step, the sound of her heels hitting like a hammer on one’s heart. Her light gaze swept across the room, cold and distant.

In a trance, she strongly resembled Ming Jin in her younger days.

But Xu Zhiyan knew in her heart that she wasn’t as advanced as her sister. She needed this outfit to bolster her presence, to stand here and command the respect of everyone in the room.

“Please sit,” Xu Zhiyan sat down in her seat, and the executives also took their places.

The meeting proceeded item by item. Xu Zhiyan didn’t need to state her position much; most of the time, she listened quietly.

Until the Director of Human Resources mentioned: “Recently, there have been significant personnel changes in the Investment Department, and the department has also raised the issue of being short-handed…”

“Significant changes?” Someone asked. “Is it about the entire team CEO Ming let go…”

“Yes,” the HR Director nodded.

“Our Investment Department is indeed…” Gao Huimei began.

“I know about this,” Xu Zhiyan interrupted her, her neutral eyes sweeping over. “If you’re short on people, hire. Is this something worth bringing up at this moment?”

“Yes…” the HR Director slowly replied. “Director Gao is not satisfied with the people we selected.”

“So, what do you all mean? Stop hiring and leave the positions empty?”

“Or, do you want me to invite the previous people back?”

Xu Zhiyan’s two brief sentences brought silence to the room.

The pen in Xu Zhiyan’s hand gently tapped on the desk with a ‘click.’ Her fingers also lightly tapped the desk: “What do you all want to see?”

“A powerful family drama? Discord between sisters? A fight over family assets? Or do you want to see me overturn CEO Ming’s decision and shout that she was foolish?”

“And then you all sit back and watch the fire, hoping to fish in troubled waters?”

Her words left no room for reply, and the room was completely silent.

“Regardless of whether there was a legitimate reason to dismiss this group of people, and regardless of how capable they were, if they were dismissed, they were dismissed. It was CEO Ming’s decision, and it is my decision.”

“Director Gao, I heard the leader of that dismissed team was named Xiao Qingqing, correct?”

“Yes,” Gao Huimei gripped her pen, her palm slightly sweaty.

“What are your thoughts on this Xiao Qingqing?” Xu Zhiyan asked.

“She…” Gao Huimei was vague. “She does have working ability, but her work was indeed not meticulous enough.”

“Then, regarding her dismissal, what are your thoughts, Director Gao?”

“This matter has nothing to do with me. I couldn’t make the final decision,” Gao Huimei was becoming noticeably restless.

Meeting Xu Zhiyan’s gaze, the fingers gripping the pen tightened again. She spoke: “I believe that mistakes should be punished. I have no issue with it.”

“Good,” Xu Zhiyan slightly lifted the corner of her lips. “Director Gao’s radical reforms in the Investment Department are highly commendable, and your performance for this year will be rated as excellent.”

“Moving forward, the Investment Department still needs Director Gao, so the Longcheng project will be temporarily suspended, and the candidate for the person in charge will be discussed again.”

Gao Huimei was a little absent-minded and hardly paid attention to the latter half of the meeting.

What did Xu Zhiyan mean?

Xiao Qingqing was her relative, whom she had hired through an exception. She vaguely knew about Xiao Qingqing’s contact with the Lin Corporation but hadn’t participated in it.

But Xu Zhiyan’s words implied… Xu Zhiyan knew that she knew, and also knew she had implicitly condoned it.

This kind of thing was not a big deal, but not small either.

If the company didn’t pursue it, the matter would end with Xiao Qingqing. But if they delved deeper, the fact that she hired Xiao Qingqing through an exception was enough to implicate her.

If the past connection with a rival company were to be exposed, hardly any company in the entire Haicheng would dare to hire her in the future.

But Xu Zhiyan didn’t pursue it, giving her an excellent performance review while taking away the project she should have had.

She was a little confused about what this young CEO Xu was trying to achieve.

By the time the meeting adjourned, she was still sitting there, somewhat unable to recover.

The person next to her chuckled softly: “What’s wrong, Director Gao? Didn’t you have the leisure to flirt before the meeting?”

CEO Liu stood up and patted Gao Huimei’s shoulder: “You should be careful. I have a feeling that this time… she seems genuinely angry…”

Not only did she possess some of CEO Ming’s aura, but her actions now also showed an unreadable shrewdness.

This CEO Xu, who looked like an innocent college student, was now not easy to deal with.

Song Xiangwan knew about Xu Zhiyan’s return.

Initially, she wanted to help Ming Jin keep it a secret, but Xu Zhiyan called back several times and couldn’t reach Ming Jin. She seemed to realize something was wrong and rushed back immediately.

She was travel-worn, having gone straight to the Ming Corporation after landing this morning.

During visiting hours, Ming Jin was still asleep. Song Xiangwan gently held Ming Jin’s hand and told her that Xu Zhiyan had returned.

“Don’t worry. Neither she nor I are little girls who need protection anymore. We can hold our own.”

“As for the film crew, Director Cheng told me not to rush. They’re filming the supporting characters’ scenes first and gave me some time off.”

“But it’s definitely going to delay the progress. I told her to ask you for reimbursement for the delay costs. You can’t deny it.”

Ming Jin’s hand was slightly cold. If it weren’t for the fluctuating numbers on the monitoring equipment, one might think she no longer had a body temperature.

Song Xiangwan gently touched her cold fingertips to her cheek, rubbing affectionately, and said softly: “I will wait for you forever…”

“You promised to take good care of me.”

“You promised we wouldn’t break up again.”

“You can’t…” Song Xiangwan suppressed her slightly muffled voice and said softly, “You can’t break your word, or I’ll really get angry.”

She didn’t know if Ming Jin could hear these words, but saying them made her heart feel a little more at ease.

Their hands were still tightly clasped. She could still hold onto Ming Jin.

The doctor said her condition was slowly stabilizing…

“I’m leaving.” The visiting time was very short. Song Xiangwan leaned down, kissed her on the brow, and whispered: “I won’t go far. I’ll be right outside.”

As she took off the isolation gown, Song Xiangwan subtly wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes.

The phone beside her rang. It was the hospital’s number: “Hello, Miss Song, are you still at the hospital? Do you have time to come to the consultation room now?”

It was Dr. Han, Ming Jin’s attending physician.

Song Xiangwan was already familiar with the routine. She walked to the consultation room, pushed open the door, and was momentarily stunned by the person inside.

Besides Dr. Han, Ming Jin’s attending physician, there was another person standing in the room. Below her delicate eyebrows, a pair of eyes looked over, seemingly somewhat reserved.

She said softly: “Xiangwan.”

“Dr. Han,” Song Xiangwan nodded to the attending physician in greeting, then sat down in front of Dr. Han: “Should unrelated persons be asked to leave?”

“Miss Song…” Dr. Han began. “I asked you to come here to talk about this matter.”

“Dr. Lin came to see me last night. She wants to join CEO Ming’s medical team.”

“Yes,” Lin Rong immediately spoke, carrying a thick stack of documents beside her and placing them in front of Song Xiangwan. “These are all Ming Jin’s previous medical records…”

“Right now, her main issue is her heart condition, which is not my area of expertise.”

“However, I am absolutely the person who understands her physical condition the most.”

“I was her private doctor for three years. All the data from those three years is burned into my mind. I’ve recorded all the medication records and drug reactions.”

Song Xiangwan didn’t speak. Lin Rong’s tone softened slightly, and she said softly: “Xiangwan, you know… I was also helpless…”

“I only just regained my freedom now.”

“The first thing I did after regaining my freedom was to come back. I have to finish my job.”

“My mother hurt you. I apologize to you on her behalf. Please let me come back. I’ll even kneel down for you, Xiangwan, Miss Song, please…”

She squatted down in front of Song Xiangwan. Song Xiangwan lifted her foot and pressed it against her knee: “I don’t need your apology.”

“Then… even if you don’t forgive me, please consider CEO Ming. Having me by her side will certainly be beneficial to her.”

“Dr. Han, I hope you will immediately clear out irrelevant personnel.” Xu Zhiyan walked directly past her without giving her a second glance.

“Ah Yan, listen to my explanation.”

“My mother did many wrong things. You know we’ve always been on bad terms. I have never had any malicious intent toward the Ming Corporation.”

“I promise, as long as you say the word, the Lin Corporation will immediately withdraw from Haicheng.”

“If the Ming Corporation wants to develop in Shenzhen, the Lin Corporation will provide 100% support. We will be friends with the Ming Corporation forever.”

“Lin Rong,” Xu Zhiyan spoke, turning around and quietly looking at the eyes beneath the delicate brows. She slowly continued, “Do you take me for a fool?”

“Do you still take me for the fool who would pick up anyone off the street and bring them home?”

“Do you think I don’t know anything?”

“You know very well what you did, don’t you?”

“Why are you acting so hypocritical now?”

“The sole heir of the Lin Corporation should be in Shenzhen, acting as the high and mighty CEO Lin, not running here to pretend to be a doctor.”

“Ah Yan…” Lin Rong spoke, her eyes slightly trembling.

She wanted to explain, but Xu Zhiyan seemed to have already figured everything out.

“You pretended to contact me just to provoke your mother into action. That crazy woman has no sense of restraint when she acts.”

“To help her escape punishment, you naturally created a psychiatric evaluation report.”

“And then, you became her sole guardian.”

“You have the right to confine her in a mental hospital, and then you gain your freedom.”

“What a clever scheme.”

“Yes, I shouldn’t have been impulsive. I, too, would have been calculated and sent to a mental hospital, treated like a fool without even realizing it.”

Song Xiangwan took a deep breath, her tone serious: “Dr. Han, I agree to let Dr. Lin join the medical team.”

“Sister-in-law,” Xu Zhiyan frowned.

Song Xiangwan glared at her, sending her a warning look.

Song Xiangwan stood up, squatted down, gathered the scattered documents on the floor, stacked them neatly, and placed them on the table: “Dr. Lin, I’ll rely on you from now on.”

What she said was true: she was the doctor in the world who understood Ming Jin best. Having her was an advantage.

However, Song Xiangwan didn’t mean to forgive her. After all, as the hand behind the scenes that set everything in motion, the current situation was also Lin Rong’s doing.

There was silence in the car on the way home. Song Xiangwan replied to Zhou Xintong’s greeting message and looked up, only seeing the back of Xu Zhiyan’s head.

“If you want to cry, you can cry in my arms. When your sister isn’t here, your sister-in-law is your guardian,” Song Xiangwan’s voice was soft and comforting.

Xu Zhiyan turned her head and took a long breath: “I’m not crying. I’ve grown up…”

There were indeed no tears in her eyes, which somewhat surprised Song Xiangwan. How did the little girl who cried in her arms over a slap become… a different person?

“Please be tolerant of Dr. Lin’s matter.”

“I know you don’t want to see her.”

“But currently…”

“Currently, she is still useful,” Xu Zhiyan finished Song Xiangwan’s sentence and said solemnly, “I know. I was too impulsive just now.”

“Sister-in-law, you don’t have to worry about the company matters. I will handle them well.”

“I’ll have to trouble you with the hospital side of things.”

As if she had instantly grown up, Song Xiangwan nodded: “Good. Got it. Ah Yan is an adult who can shoulder great responsibilities.”

After eating at home, Song Xiangwan rushed to the basement warehouse.

Lin Rong’s words today had inspired her. The medical records from previous years should still be useful.

Song Xiangwan knew there was a small area in the warehouse used as a file room, stacked with many documents.

Since the area was regularly cleaned, there was no dust, and everything was spotless. Song Xiangwan crouched down, searching through the boxes.

There were indeed some… Ming Jin’s previous medical records from abroad…

Unsure if they would be useful, Song Xiangwan organized all of them.

After crouching for over an hour, her back and waist ached. She stood up, stretched, and just then noticed several boxes stacked next to her.

They were covered with a red cloth, subtly revealing a corner—it seemed to be the corner of a photo frame.

Lifting the red cloth, she saw a stack of photo frames. The topmost photo was of her.

Song Xiangwan was wearing an ancient costume for a play, bundled in a thick down jacket, holding an enamel mug, warming herself by a small heater.

On the set, the director was sitting opposite her, holding a script and pointing to the lines for Song Xiangwan to see.

Song Xiangwan tilted her head, listening attentively, her expression focused. Enveloped in the warm light of the small heater, her cheeks were bathed in a warm glow.

The focus of the lens was entirely on her face.

Her eyelashes were long, her skin fair. Her serious and obedient expression was pristine and beautiful, as if filtered by soft lighting.

This was… her second lead role… Song Xiangwan deduced from the costume and the director.

She picked it up. Below it were more photos of her.

One seemed to be at a fashion event. Spotlight shining down, she wore a champagne-colored sequined mermaid dress, standing on the runway, holding a microphone, smiling brightly as she answered the host’s questions. The surroundings were dim; only she was illuminated, covered in light.

Below that were still more…

From the start of her career, every project, every event, every public appearance—photos of her were all here.

And Song Xiangwan was certain that these were all photos that had never been circulated publicly.

The focus of all the photos was centered on her. The surroundings were blurred, and only she shone brightly in the lens.

What a perverted stalker…

The corners of Song Xiangwan’s lips couldn’t help but lift slightly, but she couldn’t control the tears that slid down her face, hitting the edge of the photo frame.

She wiped them away and couldn’t help but softly snort.

“When you wake up, I’m definitely settling the score with you for secretly watching me for so long.”

“Miss Song, these were meant to be put up in the dance studio…” Sister Qiu suddenly appeared, startling Song Xiangwan.

Sister Qiu seemed to let out a small sigh of relief and truthfully explained: “They were originally hung in the dance studio. The last time you needed to use the dance studio, CEO Ming had us take them down.”

“Got it. Put them away properly,” Song Xiangwan lightly traced the photo frame with her fingertip.

Even more perverted. Not only did she monitor her, but she also specially set aside a room to admire these photos?

“By the way, there’s also an oil painting. Would you like to see it?” Sister Qiu said, leading her to the tallest shelf.

A red curtain hung on the shelf. Sister Qiu brought a ladder, stepped onto it, and unveiled the red curtain.

It was a huge oil painting. In the center was a girl in a red dress, pulling up the hem of her skirt under the streetlights, her toes pointed, performing a graceful waltz.

Dedicated to my beloved Wanwan. Happy Birthday. May you have me every year.

“That is…” Song Xiangwan felt as if she saw a different kind of brilliance. “Sister Qiu, come down.”

Song Xiangwan climbed the ladder and saw that glimmer of light. It was on the finger of the girl in the red dress in the painting—a diamond ring stuck there, reflecting the light just now.

“Birthday…”

They had argued in the summer. Her birthday was in July, which was still a month away at that time.

Was this the birthday gift she had planned to give her that year?

Song Xiangwan reached out and gently touched the diamond ring.

A beautiful diamond ring. It was her favorite pink diamond.

It was the “Pink Heart” that had caused a sensation after its auction that year. It was 24 carats, selling for the astronomical price of four hundred million yuan. The buyer was a mysterious person.

The entire internet was discussing whether a wealthy person was about to propose…

That year, Song Xiangwan was 24 years old.