“Ahem.” Ming Lan pulled away slightly from Yi An’s embrace, trying to ignore the awkwardness. “It’s getting late. What would you like to eat? I’ll ask the housekeeper to make something.”
Yi An glanced at the time. It was already around ten o’clock.
“No need to bother. You should get some rest. I need to head back anyway. I’ll spend the next couple of days preparing. I’m rejoining Ye Corporation on Monday. Also, once I find out who drugged me, I’ll let you know.”
Ming Lan stood up with her. That made sense. Now that Yi An was back in the Ye family and with Old Master Ye in his twilight years, grooming a successor couldn’t wait. Ming Lan didn’t want to waste Yi An’s time. Fortunately, Yi An had the experience of her past life now, so there wasn’t much to worry about.
“I’ll walk you out then. By the way, once you’ve officially started at the company, I have a big gift for you.”
“A big gift?” Yi An asked, steadying herself as Ming Lan helped her up.
“I’ve decided to make Ye Corporation the partner for the Ming family’s smart tech project. I want you to lead it.”
Ming Lan said it plainly. Even though Ye Corporation hadn’t assigned Yi An a specific role yet, this project would help pave her way. With something this important under her responsibility, she wouldn’t be starting from the bottom.
It really was a huge gift. The Ming family was already an established authority in the electronics field, with wide-ranging influence and steady growth. And this was clearly going to be a long-term project.
“You should think carefully about this,” Yi An said. She appreciated the trust, but she couldn’t ignore the reality. “Even if I’m the project lead, I might not have much actual power. There will definitely be people who try to make things difficult. I don’t want you risking the Ming family’s interests for my sake.”
“I believe you can handle those obstacles. And honestly, I don’t have a better option than Ye Corporation. The original partner was supposed to be the Li family, but they’ve only just entered the field. It’s obvious they were trying to use the Ming family’s support to get a foothold. I’m not giving them that advantage. Ye Corporation is already the clear leader in smart technology. This partnership makes perfect sense.”
In her past life, Yi An had overcome far worse situations and had even caused significant setbacks for the powerful Li family at the time. Now, with more experience and Ming Lan’s support, she would be even more capable. Ming Lan had complete faith in her.
This was a great opportunity for both of them. It was the perfect way to start working together.
Since they had discussed it this far, even if someone at Ye Corporation tried to cause trouble, it was still better than letting the Li family have the opportunity. Yi An would never let Ming Lan down.
“Alright. Thank you.”
“This benefits us both. No need to thank me.”
Ming Lan supported Yi An by the arm as they walked downstairs together.
Just as they reached the entrance, they ran into Ming Yu and Xie Jin returning home. Ming Lan greeted them with a smile.
“Mom, Dad, you’re back?”
Yi An had only ever seen them from a distance before. Now standing face-to-face, she felt a bit nervous.
“Hello, Uncle. Hello, Auntie.”
“And who is this?” Xie Jin asked, removing her scarf and handing it to the housekeeper. She looked at Yi An with some hesitation.
“She’s a friend of mine. Her name is Yi An,” Ming Lan said as she introduced them.
Yi An said a few polite words, then left.
After she left, Xie Jin seemed thoughtful.
“Yi An… that name sounds familiar.”
“Of course it does,” Ming Lan replied. “I used to exchange letters with her when we were kids. She’s the girl who was always top of the class.”
Back then, Xie Jin had helped send the letters. Now it all came back to her.
“No wonder. She’s grown up so much.”
“She’s the same age as me. And just recently, I found out that she’s actually the long-lost great-granddaughter of the Ye family. They even sent you invitations. You didn’t go, but I went yesterday. She brought me back today but had to leave early to take care of something at home.”
People often feel that unfamiliar kids grow up quickly, and this was no different. Ming Lan had to gently remind them of Yi An’s age.
“What a coincidence. It sounds like she’s finally catching a break,” Ming Yu said. “And it’s good for you too. You’ve never had many close friends growing up. It’s nice to see you have someone like her now.”
The three of them chatted for a while, and Ming Lan took the opportunity to bring up the idea of increasing security around the house.
“That’s up to you,” Ming Yu said. “Your mother and I don’t need it. It’s a hassle for us with classes and all. Plus, we’ve got a new project coming up, so we’ll be spending more time in the lab. Security would just get in the way.”
He assumed Ming Lan was worried about her health and wanted someone to keep an eye on her. He didn’t think it was anything more serious.
“You’re both almost retired. How do you still have new projects?”
In her previous life, Ming Lan rarely asked about her parents’ work. She studied philosophy, while they were physicists. Their fields were so different that talking about it always gave her a headache. But that changed after a certain incident.
Thinking about that made her even more determined to get answers.
Ming Yu didn’t know what else to do, so he gave a simple explanation.
“Technically, we’re not the main people on the project. One of our students proposed it. But it’s a bit too difficult for them right now, so we’re stepping in to guide them.”
The more Ming Lan listened, the deeper her frown grew.
“To help the project move forward, did you allow it to be submitted under your names?”
Ming Yu and Xie Jin exchanged looks, both surprised.
“Did you tell her?”
“I didn’t. I thought you did.”
“Alright, that’s enough,” Ming Lan interrupted. “It doesn’t matter who told me. Just tell me how far along this project is.”
She looked at them seriously. This wasn’t something to take lightly.
Xie Jin began to sense that something was wrong.
“Xiao Lan, is there a problem? Did you hear something?”
“Are your students named Zhang Linfeng, Pan Ying and Fei Dongliang?” Ming Lan asked instead of answering.
At that moment, both Ming Yu and Xie Jin fell completely silent. They finally realized how serious this situation was.
“Yes,” Ming Yu said. “Lan, please tell us. What do you know?”
“This project has been a trap from the very beginning. Everything about it was designed to set you both up. Zhang Linfeng’s father secretly researched this project twenty years ago. But he made a critical mistake, the research failed, and he died as a result. What you now believe to be Zhang Linfeng and his team’s independent research is actually just a small portion of his father’s leftover work.
Once this project is officially approved, your follow-up research will unknowingly follow the same flawed path. It will eventually lead to a major failure, and both of you will be held entirely responsible. At that point, Zhang Linfeng will present his father’s original data and accuse you of stealing it. He’ll claim you committed academic fraud. Pan Ying and Fei Dongliang will act as witnesses. The three of them have already conspired together.”
Ming Lan took a deep breath and looked at Ming Yu and Xie Jin. The disbelief on their faces was obvious. She knew how hard it was for them to accept this. But what she said was the truth. It had all happened in her previous life.
When the scandal broke, public outrage spread like wildfire. It became the largest academic fraud case in the past decade and sent shockwaves through the scientific community. Overnight, Ming Yu and Xie Jin were facing arrest, and Qinglan Group spiraled into crisis.
The pressure became unbearable. In the end, Ming Yu and Xie Jin took their own lives. Ming Lan had been left alone, unable to hold up the collapsing Qinglan Group. Everything was lost.
“That’s not possible. I mentored Zhang Linfeng from his master’s program through his doctorate. How could he do something like this?”
Ming Yu’s voice trembled with disbelief. Zhang Linfeng had been his pride and joy. He never would have trusted the project to him otherwise. He simply could not believe Zhang would betray him.
“Why is that so hard to believe?” Ming Lan pressed a hand to her forehead. She felt faint and had to close her eyes to steady herself. “Everything I’ve said is true. The people behind this aren’t just trying to destroy you. They want to use this as a chance to take down Qinglan Group. Do you realize the impact if that happens? Do you understand the amount of money and influence at stake? People are willing to kill for profit. They’ll stop at nothing. Why wouldn’t they go this far?”
“Lan,” Xie Jin noticed her daughter’s pale face and quickly stepped forward to help her sit down. “It’s not that your father and I don’t believe you. But where did you hear all of this?”
“Does it matter who told me?” Ming Lan couldn’t exactly say she had been reborn. It was easy for her to accept what had happened, but to them it would sound like something out of a fantasy. So she avoided the question and focused on the facts. “Just tell me how far along the project is.”
In her past life, she remembered every detail clearly. The project had officially started the following year. But with how much had changed already, she could not rely on that memory alone. Many events were happening earlier than before. This one might be too.
Ming Yu still looked hesitant, but Xie Jin spoke first.
“You don’t need to panic. We only went on this trip to start organizing the documentation. We’re preparing to apply for approval. From application to review to official launch, there’s still time. We’ve only just begun. It’s not too late.”
Ming Lan finally exhaled in relief.
“Then stop it now. If you don’t believe me, I’ll have someone investigate and bring back proof. Someone paid Zhang Linfeng a large amount of money. And that person works with the same organization that funded his father’s research years ago. When the project failed, they covered everything up.”
“Zhang Linfeng did grow up in a single-parent household. We never knew much about his parents,” Ming Yu admitted. Seeing how firm Ming Lan was made him start to doubt himself. But it was still strange. She had never shown interest in these things. Now she knew so much. It didn’t seem normal.
“Just listen to me this once.” Ming Lan leaned against Xie Jin for support. “Once this project is canceled, I want you both to focus on retirement. I’ll increase the security staff for you. I won’t ask for anything else. I just want you to enjoy a peaceful retirement and live your lives in safety.”
Xie Jin was almost fifty-five. Ming Yu would be sixty in a few years. They had earned the right to slow down. Teaching and guiding students was enough. There was no need to exhaust themselves anymore.
Xie Jin gently wrapped her arms around Ming Lan and looked toward Ming Yu.
They were no longer young. It was time to stop making their daughter worry about them. Ming Yu nodded slowly.
“Alright. I’ll look into this carefully. As for the project, let’s hold off for now.”
A weight lifted from Ming Lan’s heart.
“I’ll handle the investigation myself. As for Zhang Linfeng—”
“You shouldn’t get involved. You’re already managing the company and now you’re worried about us too. Do you really think your body can take all that?” Ming Yu looked at his daughter. In just a few days, she seemed to have matured so much. He felt proud, but he was more concerned about her health. “Let your mother help you upstairs. You’re dizzy again, aren’t you?”
“I’m not that weak.” Ming Lan frowned and muttered in protest. But the dizziness earlier had been real. Everything that happened yesterday had left her feeling off. She couldn’t push herself too hard. She needed to rest.
Xie Jin walked her back to her room. When Ming Lan lay down, she reached for her mother’s hand.
“Mom, please watch over Dad. Make sure he investigates Zhang Linfeng’s background completely. And this project, you both must stay away from it. Once everything is clear, stop mentoring those three students. Assign them to someone else. Someone is targeting Qinglan Group. You and Dad need to be extremely careful.”
“Lan, tell me the truth. What really happened?”
Xie Jin trusted her daughter. But she was afraid too. They had only been away for a few days. What had their daughter gone through during that short time?
Hearing her mother’s worried tone, Ming Lan’s eyes turned red.
“Mom, once you uncover the truth, you’ll understand everything. But until then, be careful. Don’t tip anyone off. Keep this between us. There are a lot of people involved. Some are out in the open. Others are hiding in the dark. You can’t trust anyone.”