Milady's Fine Gentleman 392 AMONG THE MEN

As September started, news about the anomalies involving Shi Corporation erupted overnight. The very next day, Chairman Shi was arrested as the primary mastermind of a syndicate involving pilferage and illegal trade of oil in the black market.

Since an elite family was involved, the news was all over the place – on television, on the radio, on the internet.

Chen Linyun, Xue Jinxu, and Kang Sola were having their breakfast in awkward silence when they first discovered it. Their television was open while they dined.

Xue Jinxu scrutinized Chen Linyun quietly with such a probing gaze. The latter, however, kept on munching his breakfast in silence. Kang Sola had been silent, too.

'What's with these siblings? Don't they react at all?' She wondered while taking a bite off her toast.

Because the two did not say anything, she couldn't give out her comments on the matter as well. She helplessly sighed and hoped that the two would let her in.

Kang Sola sprung to her feet. "Thank you for breakfast. I'll be off to school." She grabbed her bag on the couch and went off.

Wiping his mouth with table napkin, Chen Linyun followed through. "I'm done, too. Sola, I'll drop you off."

"Okay."

The Ministry of Surveillance and Intelligence had gotten a piece of strong evidence against Shi Corporation's illegal activities. The establishment's operation was put on suspension while an in-depth investigation was going on.

Chen Linyun had a splitting headache since morning. And since morning, he was well-aware of his wife's probing gaze, which he decided to dodge no matter what.

At the car, he and Sola drove mostly in silence. Before Sola could get off, he asked, "How are you, Sola?" He was pertaining to the morning news.

"Hmmm? I'm alright. We talked about it. I understand. You did the right thing." However, she banged the car door as she disembarked from it.

Chen Linyun exhaled sharply as he drove to the office.

At Chen Holdings, he was met with questioning gazes from his employees. 'Seems that they know already.'

Shi Corporation was one of the latest acquisitions of Chen Holdings. They even did a press release that Chen Holdings would do its best to turn the company around.

His right hand, Jin Yuan had been waiting for him in his office.

"Sir, about the news."

"What about it?" He dismissively retorted as he prepared his other documents for today's work.

"Chen Holdings is already affected by the news. Our stock price dived four units already. What should we do, boss?"

Chen Linyun paused his movements, his right hand that was holding a sign pen suspended in the air, "That's inevitable. Release a statement to the public that Chen Holdings has nothing to do with the recent findings at Shi Corporation, and that as its new partner, we are open for investigation, and the authorities can expect help and assistance from us. Chen Holdings does not condone any activity that is nonconforming to the law."

"Understood, Sir."

Chen Linyun walked towards the floor-to-ceiling window and reflected on his actions.

---

The Shi Master shouted and protested inside the precinct. "You cannot detain me! Call my lawyer this instance! Call my son, Shi Fan Hai!"

"There's intel that your son pressed charges against you."

"Who? My son? That bastard Shi Fan Hai?"

"No, that name doesn't ring any bell. Do you have another son? He doesn't use your surname…"

"CHEN LINYUN?!" The Shi Master's face grew red with fury. He thumped his fists on the tabletop. He was detained inside a room with only a table and some chairs below a simple yellow hanging lightbulb.

Three days ago…

Xue Minhe confronted Chen Linyun about his intentions with his family over whiskey. They met at a bar.

Even though Chen Linyun saved him from the fate he had fallen into, Xue Minhe could not just sit by after discovering his true identity. Naturally, questions lingered inside his head that made him confront his brother-in-law. Rather than speculating, he ought to hear his side.

Chen Linyun welcomed his inquisitiveness openly. He even explained some of his plans with him.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

A few minutes passed, another guest joined them. "Father."

Chen Lingfang tapped his son on the back as he settled on the vacant stool along the bar's counter. He ordered a scotch.

Chen Linyun slid a plastic envelope on the countertop towards his father. "All the evidence that you were lacking before are inside."

"Isn't he your… your father?" Chen Lingfang inquired curiously, yet cautiously. It was a weird question coming from him.

"You are the one who I call 'Father' so it's you, not him." He looked at the curious gazes of his comrades. "Hey! Don't look at me like that!"

"…I'm just doing the right thing." He added with a shroud of tranquility and gulped his whiskey.

"Being partners with them has opened doors to me. I tried to infiltrate that corporation before and I failed. I saw an opening just recently. They didn't doubt me because they were thinking that I would be their saving grace. Hilarious." His tone was full of sarcasm.

They tapped him on his back some more and drank somberly. Mo Wenbin and Zhu Li Qiang joined them later in the night.

The clandestine meeting transformed into an unexpected gathering of men. The group of the drinking buddies grew in number that night from the usual two to five.

Chen Linyun, Xue Minhe, and Zhu Li Qiang discussed potential collaborations in the business.

"It's a good idea to join forces with this new project. Two of the biggest shipping lines and the biggest investment firm backing this project! I can smell victory right away!" Mo Wenbin, being a Finance guy himself, declared a fearless forecast.

"Consider this as Zhu Shipping Lines' repayment for the previous hiccup between our companies before. You weren't on board yet at the time. I tackled it with Xue Jinxu, and we resolved it before, but it kept pestering me until now."

"I've heard about it." Xue Minhe acknowledged. "Alright, let's push with this project. It's good marketing on our part to let the public know that we're more than just competitors."

They clinked glasses.

In front of the establishment, Zhu Li Qiang commented out of the blue, "I did not expect that you'll be such an easy-going guy, especially to me. You do know about me and your wife, right?"

"Why? Don't tell me you're doing some honky ponky behind my back?" Xue Minhe narrowed his eyes playfully.

"NO! Of course not! If you don't trust me, trust Man Rui! Trust your wife! She wouldn't do that to anyone!"

Xue Minhe laughed. "Hahaha!" Then he squeezed Zhu Li Qiang's shoulder hard, "Gotcha."

"Correction. Ex-wife."

Zhu Li Qiang's mouth gaped.

"Close it or some insect might mistake it as some cave." Mo Wenbin butted in.

"Yup, you heard me right." Xue Minhe grinned good-naturedly. "I am all for her happiness, whatever it may be." He shrugged.

"There's nothing between us. We're like brother and sister. It's wrong to resort to marriage." Xue Minhe came clean.

"…." Zhu Li Qiang was still lost with words.

Chen Linyun hooked his arm around Zhu Li Qiang's neck. "You catch that, don't you? Or does it need to be spelled out to you explicitly?"

Zhu Li Qiang removed Chen Linyun's arm around his neck. "Mind your own business. Has Jinxu decided yet about your divorce?" He rebuked.

"Woah, woah! Below the belt, below the belt! Foul!" Mo Wenbin acted like a referee.

"You're considering divorce?!" Chen Lingfang sounded shocked.

"Oops. He doesn't know yet, you guys!" Chen Linyun glared at them, except at Xue Minhe, his wife's brother. Among these men, he planned to curry favor with him.

"I should talk to my daughter-in-law! No matter what your flaw is I'll beg her to overlook it and be more understanding of you! You punk, you better behave yourself!" Chen Lingfang reprimanded his son in front of his friends who were laughing secretly on the sides.

"I'll throw in a few good words for you." Xue Minhe chimed in.

*Phew*

Chen Linyun somewhat heaved a sigh of relief.

Men bickering in front of a bar was such a funny sight.

Chapter end

Report