Everyone in the Finance Department had known about Lu Chunxue’s birthday for a while.
With the exception of Lin Yu, they were all prepared to attend her birthday banquet.
After all, it was a prime opportunity to curry favor with Lu Chunxue.
No reminder was necessary.
Liu Huamin retrieved a gift box from under his desk, held it in his hands, and asked, “Team Leader Chen, are we leaving now?
Where is it being held?”
Chen Luo glanced at Liu Huamin.
“Wait for Manager Lu to get here.
She’ll make the arrangements.
Everyone just hang on a moment.”
Lin Yu shook his head.
‘What does Lu Chunxue’s birthday have to do with me?’ He had no intention of attending.
He turned and started walking toward the exit.
Seeing him about to leave, Chen Luo immediately grew angry.
“Lin Yu, what’s this?
You’re not planning to attend Manager Lu’s birthday banquet?”
Lin Yu turned his head and said coolly, “It’s after work hours, isn’t it?
There’s no rule saying I have to attend Lu Chunxue’s birthday party, is there?”
Seeing Lin Yu show Lu Chunxue such blatant disrespect, Chen Luo grew even angrier.
He pointed at Lin Yu and snarled, “Lin Yu, if you walk out that door today, don’t bother coming back to work tomorrow.”
“It’s Manager Lu’s birthday.
Everyone in the Finance Department, no matter who you are, is expected to show her respect and attend.”
Seeing Chen Luo’s sycophantic act, Lin Yu sneered in disdain.
“Just because you all want to be her bootlickers doesn’t mean I do.
Why should I show her any respect?”
Qi Huamin frantically tried to signal Lin Yu with his eyes.
‘This guy has some serious nerve!
Does he really not plan on working in the Finance Department anymore?’
Lin Yu acted as if he hadn’t seen a thing and continued walking straight toward the exit.
Chen Luo, fuming, berated him, “Lin Yu, I told you, if you walk out today, don’t come back tomorrow!”
“You don’t own the company,” Lin Yu said calmly.
“I’ll come and go as I please.”
Just then, Lu Chunxue appeared at the doorway.
She was somewhat surprised to see Lin Yu leaving.
“What’s this, Lin Yu?
You’re not even planning to attend your own boss’s birthday party?” Lu Chunxue said, her smile not reaching her eyes.
Lin Yu shot Lu Chunxue a look, turned, and left without a word.
Lu Chunxue, who had been about to ridicule Lin Yu, was met with a slammed door in her face.
She was forced to swallow the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
Gazing at Lin Yu’s retreating back, Lu Chunxue said angrily, “Lin Yu, since you’re so intent on disrespecting me, I’ll have to give you some ‘special treatment’ from now on.”
“I was going to use my birthday party to give you a proper humiliation, but you didn’t even have the guts to come?
Just you wait.”
Seeing Lu Chunxue was angry, Chen Luo quickly ran over and said with a smile, “Manager Lu, you don’t need to stoop to the level of a nobody like him.”
“I think he just didn’t have the money to buy you a gift.
He probably felt embarrassed to attend the party empty-handed, so he left.”
“I’m afraid this incident is going to become the new laughingstock of the Finance Department.”
Lu Chunxue didn’t want to let one person like Lin Yu ruin her mood.
With a huff, she said, “It’s about time.
Let’s go.”
…
Lin Yu got downstairs and was about to take the bus home when a hearty voice called out to him.
“Brother Lin, getting off work?”
He turned his head and saw it was none other than Xing Tianlong.
Lin Yu smiled.
“Brother Long, what brings you here?”
Xing Tianlong said with a smile, “I did.
I came here specifically to pick you up.”
Xing Tianlong had already been waiting downstairs for over an hour for Lin Yu to get off work.
Lin Yu paused, stunned.
“For me?”
Xing Tianlong nodded.
“Yeah.
You just got out of prison, right?
Your old connections are probably useless now.
I was thinking of introducing you to a few important people.”
‘That’s not a bad idea,’ Lin Yu thought.
He didn’t have many connections to begin with, even before he went to prison.
After going to prison, his old friends all avoided him like the plague.
By the time he got out, Lin Yu was completely alone.
In this day and age, it was hard to get things done without connections.
Lin Yu asked, “What sort of important people are you planning on introducing me to, Brother Long?”
Xing Tianlong laughed heartily.
“Let’s get in the car first.
I’ll introduce you when we get there.”
Lin Yu nodded and got into the car.
Meanwhile, Lu Chunxue was leading the Finance Department employees downstairs.
She and Chen Luo both seemed to have seen Lin Yu get into Xing Tianlong’s car.
Staring after the black SUV as it drove away, Chen Luo said in astonishment, “Manager Lu, did you just see that?
Lin Yu got into Brother Long’s car!”
Lu Chunxue frowned.
“It looked like him, but I’m not sure.”
“How could that be?
Brother Long is a major figure in Guyang City.
How could a nobody like Lin Yu possibly have connections with him?”
“I think we must have been mistaken.”
Chen Luo nodded.
“Yes, we must have seen things.”
‘Who was Lin Yu?
Just an ordinary guy.
Xing Tianlong was the underground king of Guyang City.
The two of them were from completely different worlds.’
With that, Chen Luo immediately arranged for the staff to take their cars and head to the Azure Horizon.
Xing Tianlong drove Lin Yu to a five-star luxury hotel.
Lin Yu looked up.
The two large words, “Azure Horizon,” were particularly dazzling.
The security guard at the entrance saw Xing Tianlong and immediately stood up straight, calling out respectfully, “Greetings, Brother Long.”
Xing Tianlong waved his hand and smiled at Lin Yu.
“Brother Lin, this Azure Horizon is one of my properties.
If you like it, I can give it to you.”
Compared to the life-debt owed to Lin Yu for saving Big Beard, a single hotel was nothing.
Lin Yu quickly shook his head.
“That’s not necessary.”
Seeing Lin Yu refuse, Xing Tianlong had no choice but to say, “How about this, then.
From now on, whenever you come here to eat, it’s all on the house.
You can’t refuse this time.”
Seeing the other’s sincerity, Lin Yu finally nodded.
“That, I can accept.”
Xing Tianlong led Lin Yu into the lobby.
“Brother Lin, let’s head up to the private room.
The guests I invited should already be here.”
The two made their way to the most luxurious private room, the Celestial Suite.
Inside, Lin Yu saw an old man with a full head of white hair and a matching beard, dressed in a Zhongshan suit.
Beside him sat a slightly paunchy, middle-aged man in a business suit.
Xing Tianlong first nodded politely to the two men before making the introductions.
“This white-haired gentleman is the head of our Guyang City, Yu Guangrong.”
“And next to him is a renowned real estate developer from the provincial capital, Mr.
Tian Zhenhao.”
Lin Yu smiled at the two men.
“Elder Yu, Mr.
Tian.
A pleasure to meet you.”
Yu Guangrong and Tian Zhenhao both glanced at Lin Yu.
‘This young man seems completely ordinary, yet Xing Tianlong went out of his way to introduce us to him.’
However, both men merely gave Lin Yu a cursory nod before quickly averting their gaze.
‘He must just be one of Xing Tianlong’s underlings, not an important figure.’
Xing Tianlong looked slightly awkward.
He gave up on trying to introduce Lin Yu further, cleared his throat, and said, “Lin Yu, sit down.”
After the two sat down, Yu Guangrong looked at Xing Tianlong and said, “Tianlong, let’s get straight to business.”