After opening the computer and keying in the password, Qin Yinan's fingers floated above the mouse for some time before he clicked open his mailbox and entered his password to enter the main page.
There was a red colored 1 at his inbox, reminding him he had just received a new email.
Qin Yinan might look gentle and humble on the surface, but he was a man with great courage. Honestly speaking, even he had a hard time telling what he was so afraid of, but the fear clinging to his heart couldn't be denied or ignored.
He hesitated for a moment before opening the mail and downloading the attachment. The new window came up, and using the mouse, he started to go through Cheng Qingchong's message history.
"CEO Jin, this is Cheng Qingchong, are you free now? Can you talk on the phone?" The date of this message was from two years ago, around the second day after his company found itself in deep financial trouble.
"I'm free, but I'd prefer to talk to you in person."
"Then when will CEO Jin be free? Let's meet up in person."
"Qingchong, if it's you, I'm free always. How about now? Where are you now? I'll fetch you."
"CEO Jin, give me an address. I'll come to you."
"The Golden Years."
…
"I accept your conditions."
Conditions? What conditions?
"Identity card number."
Qin Yinan couldn't be more familiar with the 18 digits Cheng Qingchong sent as a reply; it was her identity card number.
"I've book you a plane ticket tomorrow afternoon to Shanghai. There will be people waiting for you at the airport. As long as my man successfully meets with you, he'll give me a call. After receiving that call, I'll send the money to Qin Yinan's company immediately."
"I understand."
"I'll be leaving for France tomorrow night and return to Shanghai one week later. In this one week, as long as you don't leave Shanghai, you can do anything you want. Tomorrow, the person who fetches you will present you with a card—spend however you wish to. Other than that, I'll find you a place to stay in Shanghai. One week later, tonight, I'll be there, be prepared."
…
That was the message history between Cheng Qingchong and Jin Ze that afternoon. That night, Jin Ze sent a picture message to Cheng Qingchong.
It was the proposal between Jin Ze and himself.
The picture focused on the signature bars where his name and Jin Ze's name could be seen clearly, sitting side by side.
…
Even though they were some simple messages, even though he didn't know what happen during their meeting, he had understood everything.
Pain, disbelief, defeat… Various emotions flooded Qin Yinan. He felt like his heart was emptied, and fresh blood kept on pouring, filling up every inch of his body, drowning him from within. It felt as if every inch of his skin was embedded with a small knife; the pain seared his skin and severed his heart.
The pain got so intense that his pain receptors went overload until he couldn't feel anything anymore.
He read the messages on screen again and again until his brain started to get muddled. His eyes were puffy with pain, and as he rubbed them, trying to ease the pressure, tears fell like rain.
When the financial crisis struck his company, he had prepared for the worst.
However, that didn't mean that he had given up; he had been trying his best to fight until the very last moment.
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