Sure enough, Shen Meiyin heard Gu Huai-zhi’s soft laughter from her phone.
The corners of Gu Huai-zhi’s lips curved slightly. It seemed that Shen Meiyin didn't know about Lin Jinshen’s feelings.
Since this was the case, he wouldn't reveal it.
If Shen Meiyin knew, it would be bad if she paid more attention to Lin Jinshen.
Sure enough, not long after the call with Gu Huai-zhi ended, Shen Meiyin received a call from Lin Jinshen, saying that he and Gu Huaizhi would have dinner with Mr. Smith tonight.
Shen Meiyin happened to mention the matter about Jin Cheng’s cooperation with Kewei that Zhou Jicai had revealed.
"However, when I finalized the case for you, Zhou Jicai had already left the company," Shen Mianyin said. "Someone within the company must have provided him with the information."
Shen Meiyin only told Lin Jinshen this news, and it was up to Lin Jinshen to decide what to do next.
Before leaving, Lin Jinshen told Xu Huixiang to have the driver prepare the car.
After Xu Huixiang made the arrangements and saw Lin Jinshen leave, she didn't seem to have any intention of calling her along, so she chased after him and asked, "President, don't you need me to accompany you today?"
"No need," Lin Jinshen said as he walked.
Xu Huixiang didn't return to her workstation until she could no longer see Lin Jinshen.
After a while, several female colleagues came over.
"The president didn't bring you again this time?" Colleague A said in a low voice.
Xu Huaixiang retorted defensively, "I'm just an assistant, not a very important position. There's no need to take me with him every time."
Colleague B said: "But I heard that Shen Meiyin is also going tonight."
Xu Huixiang replied with a stiff expression: "She's the one who facilitated the cooperation with Covey. It's only natural to bring her."
Colleague C said: "But he doesn't have to exclude you. When meeting big clients before, the president always brought you along."
"If the President drinks, it's you who takes care of him, helping him home. You know the layout of his house," Colleague C said softly. "After all, the driver is careless and definitely wouldn't take good care of him. You never had to drink at the banquets you attended with the President. He always took you before, why not this time?"
"If he drinks too much, are they just going to have the driver take him home? The driver doesn't even know where things are in his house," Colleague B added.
Xu Huaixiang couldn't hold back and said sarcastically, "Perhaps Director Shen can take care of the President."
Colleague A, as if not noticing Xu Huaixiang's sarcasm, even clapped her hands and said, "I remember now, isn't Director Shen also the President's sister's best friend? Maybe she really does know him very well."
Xu Huaixiang clenched her teeth, wondering if Lin Jinshen was really planning to have Shen Mianyin take care of him.
***
The dinner with Mr. Smith was quite pleasant. Mr. Smith used chopsticks fairly well, although his grip could be improved. He had no trouble picking up things, and for what he couldn't pick up, he used a spoon.
We had authentic Chinese food and even tried some baijiu (Chinese liquor).
The good thing was that Mr. Smith didn't impose any drinking culture or pressure anyone to drink. We just sipped our drinks and chatted as we ate.
Mr. Smith wants to finalize the contract while he's in China.
Overall, the dinner was considered a success for both parties.
At the end of the meal, they all walked out together.
Except for Shen Mianyin, all three of them had been drinking.
This was because they had dinner at the hotel where Smith was staying.
At the hotel entrance, Gu Huaizhi said to Mr. Smith, "Mr. Smith, you should go back and rest. You had a long flight and still need to adjust to the time difference. You don't need to see us off."
"Then I won't be polite," Mr. Smith said, pressing his temples. "I've been holding off on sleep all day, hoping to fall asleep normally tonight and adjust to the time difference tomorrow. I'm really tired now."
After Smith left, Gu Huaizhi smoothly placed his keys into Shen Mianyin's hand. "I'll trouble you to drive tonight."
Just as Shen Mianyin was about to agree, Lin Jinshen spoke up, "I'll have my driver take you both back."
"No need for that," Gu Huai-zhi replied. "We don't live in the same direction, Mianyin is a good driver, so it's fine for her to drive. President Lin, there's no need to worry."
Lin Jinshen: "..."
Shen Meiyin also said, "Yeah, otherwise you'd have to take a detour. Since Gu and I are neighbors, it's just a matter of convenience."
Gu Huaizhi couldn't help but let the corner of his mouth curve into a slight smile.
Shen Mianyin knew how to provoke people.
Yet, Shen Mianyin wore an innocent expression, completely oblivious to it.
Lin Jinshen couldn't insist any further and could only watch as Shen Mianyin got into Gu Huaizhi's car and drove away with him.
He glanced at his own driver and sighed.
Gu Huaizhi was still a cunning old fox.
Next time, he wouldn't bring a driver either.
The contract was signed very smoothly, and Lin Jinshen personally went to the airport to see Mr. Smith off, with Shen Mianyin naturally accompanying him.
As soon as they returned to the hotel from the airport, another incident involving the Su family and Shen Meiyin hit the hot search.
It was the recording of Shen Meiyin threatening Mrs. Su that she had given to reporter Tang.
Now everyone knows that Su Yiqing is in poor health, and the reason Su's parents wanted to keep Shen Mianyin is that they coveted her kidney.
"On the one hand, they want Sister Shen's kidney, and on the other hand, the Su family hates her, not even bothering to pretend to be nice to her. They really want to have their cake and eat it too."
"I'm afraid it's because they know they won't get Sister Shen's kidney, so they're simply intensifying their schemes against her and can't bear to see her doing well."
"Am I the only one who thinks that Shen Mianyin did indeed take Su Yiqing's place as the Su family's daughter, so she's somewhat indebted to her? Donating a kidney as compensation to Su Yiqing wouldn't be too much to ask, right?"
"Look, here's a living saint."
"Hello, 'Saint.' First of all, it wasn't Sister Shen's parents who intentionally swapped the babies, nor did baby Shen, as an infant, choose to leave her biological parents to become the Su family's young lady. If there's anyone at fault, it's the adults on both sides. It's their carelessness that led to the babies being switched, so there's no question of Sister Shen owing Su Yiqing anything. Secondly, even if one truly feels a debt is owed, there are many ways to make amends; it doesn't have to be giving up one's own kidney. That's using one's own health, one's own life, as compensation."
"Having only one kidney might not affect daily life in the short term. But she's still young; who knows what problems might arise in the long run? There are also life-threatening risks from surgical complications. If health issues arise in the future, having two kidneys originally would mean there's a backup. But with only one kidney now, if something happens, that's it. If Sister Shen gives her kidney to Su Yiqing, who will save Sister Shen's life in the future?"
"Furthermore, Sister Shen doesn't have any life-or-death bond with Su Yiqing. Why should she sacrifice one of her kidneys?"
"If you're so saintly, why don't you go to the hospital and get tested yourself? Why don't you get all your relatives and friends to get tested to see if they can donate?"
"People are selfish. Putting oneself first in the face of life is nothing to be ashamed of."
"Besides, the Su family didn't start this with sincerity. They were calculating from the beginning. Even if Sister Shen had really donated her kidney, with the Su family's character, do you really think they would be grateful?"
Shen Meiyin looked at these comments, her eyes feeling sore and heavy.
In her previous life, she had been confused and had never truly understood life.
First, there was the car accident, then hearing the truth. Before she even had time to think calmly, her life was gone.
And no one had ever spoken up for her.
The people closest to her in her previous life were her father, mother, and Gu Luoan from the Su family.
But these people were not as good as these strangers on the internet now.
***
Gu Luoan, in his office, also saw the hot search and these comments.