The weekend arrived quickly. After a full week of nonstop work, Ming Lan felt she truly deserved a proper rest.
She slept in peacefully at home and had just come downstairs when she saw both her parents already there. After breakfast, the topic turned to the issue she had repeatedly warned them about.
“Xiao Lan, about Zhang Linfeng’s father… his name and family background match what you told us,” Ming Yu began cautiously. “But his father never worked in professional research, and he didn’t die in any lab accident. Also, their family situation is pretty difficult. We didn’t find that large sum of money you mentioned in his bank account either. He’s still relying on scholarships and financial aid to support himself and his mother. Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”
Ming Yu’s tone was hesitant. He trusted Ming Lan, of course, but evidence was still important.
Judging from the uncertainty on both their faces, Ming Lan knew her concerns had been entirely justified. Fortunately, she had come prepared.
“I already told you. That was an illegal private lab. There’s no way it would have any official record, so it’s impossible to find employment history or accident reports. As for the compensation his mother received after his father’s death, it couldn’t be given openly. It was transferred discreetly, under false pretenses. That’s also why Zhang Linfeng and his mother kept moving from place to place. Ask yourselves—if his mother can’t work and has poor health, how exactly did Zhang Linfeng grow up?”
Knowing words alone wouldn’t convince them, Ming Lan had already prepared evidence. She asked Feiyu to go upstairs and bring down the documents she had compiled.
“These are the records I had someone investigate: two decades’ worth of medical and wellness expenses for Zhang Linfeng’s mother. The total exceeds several million yuan. That doesn’t even include daily living costs. There’s no way they could afford this on their own—especially since some of these health products were purchased through unofficial channels at inflated prices.”
She laid the thick stack of papers on the table. Xie Jin flipped through the files in silence, visibly stunned.
“If that’s still not convincing enough, here’s the transaction history of Zhang Linfeng’s overseas bank account. First, a one-million deposit from a while ago. Then, two more million deposited just around the time he pitched the project to you. Does that timeline match?”
Ming Lan turned her phone screen toward Ming Yu and Xie Jin. “You never told me the exact date he brought up the project. So can we take this as solid proof?”
Xie Jin was the first to collect herself. “We’ve already halted the project. It’s been shelved for now. Looks like Xiao Lan was right after all.”
That last part was directed at Ming Yu. His expression was grim. At first, he’d only felt suspicion and shock. Now, with this hard evidence in front of him, those feelings turned into something much heavier.
“Xiao Lan, where did you find all this?” he asked.
“I don’t think you need to worry about that. There are ways to track this kind of thing down,” she said firmly. “I was just afraid you wouldn’t believe me otherwise. But now that you’ve seen it with your own eyes, it’s time to start keeping your distance. You can transfer them to another advisor if needed. I’ll say it again: they’re targeting you. If you split up, you’ll be safer. If you stay together, things could spiral out of control.”
Seeing that Ming Yu was still hesitant, Ming Lan leaned forward, her tone sharpening.
“By doing nothing, you’re turning a blind eye to their malice. Worse, you’re enabling it. When their schemes finally cause real harm, do you think they’ll be spared? Their lives could be ruined before they even begin. And when that happens, do you really think they’ll get a second chance?”
The longer they waited, the more likely something would go wrong. In her past life, all of them had betrayed Ming Yu and Xie Jin eventually. Even if Zhang Linfeng were removed now, the others might still follow the same path.
Just thinking about what had happened at the Ye family banquet made Ming Lan’s expression turn cold. Even though the female lead Cheng Yurong hadn’t shown up, events had still unfolded as they had in her past life. She couldn’t afford to let her guard down again, especially when it came to her parents’ safety.
Fortunately, the future could still be changed. That night had already proven it. Because of her and Yi An’s intervention, the outcome had shifted dramatically.
That meant fate was not set in stone.
“We should just do what Xiao Lan says,” Xie Jin added, siding with her daughter. “And anyway, you haven’t been in the best health lately. Maybe this is a good time to apply for early retirement and join me. We can’t guard against thieves forever. If they’re already watching us, they won’t stop after one failed attempt. Do we really want to make Xiao Lan carry all that stress for us?”
Ming Lan sat down beside them, leaning her head in her hand as if tired.
Ming Yu finally made up his mind. Still, one thing continued to nag at him.
“Who would be so ruthless? Who’s behind all this, and why can’t they just leave us alone?”
“It’s not just one or two people,” Ming Lan said, rubbing her temples. “We’re surrounded by wolves. You’ve just never realized it all these years. I’ll never forget how isolated and helpless we were last time. But this time, I’m going to turn things around.”
She looked at her parents seriously.
“When they get desperate, you’ll understand what they’re really capable of. For now, all I care about is making sure you’re both safe.”
They didn’t ask any more questions. But suddenly, Xie Jin remembered something.
“We’ve handled things here. What about the old house?”
The Ming family’s patriarch, Grandfather Ming, still lived alone in the ancestral home. He rarely went out and enjoyed a quiet life, but it wouldn’t hurt to take extra precautions.
Ming Lan remembered that in her past life, Grandfather Ming had always been relatively safe. After all, he was a seasoned businessman with sharp instincts. But after hearing the tragic news about Ming Yu and Xie Jin, he hadn’t been able to hold on.
The Ming family had a hereditary condition. Ming Lan’s case was the most serious, but both Ming Yu and the old man were affected, though more mildly. Still, with age, their symptoms would worsen unless they took extra care.
“I’ve got time today. I’ll go visit Grandpa. It’s been a while since I last saw him anyway.”
It was the right thing to do. Seeing her grandfather in person would give her peace of mind.
She prepared a few things to bring with her and didn’t delay.
The ancestral home wasn’t close. The villa they currently lived in was more secluded, chosen to be near the university for Ming Yu and Xie Jin’s convenience. The old house was located in the historic district, uncomfortable to live in, perhaps, but it held deep sentimental value.
Ming Lan had called ahead, but when she got out of the car, she didn’t see her grandfather waiting outside as usual. Instead, she noticed a sleek black car parked nearby, its driver and bodyguard still inside.
A flash of recognition hit her.
She remembered this scene clearly from her past life.
Today’s visitor must be her grandfather’s longtime friend—Mr. Fan, Fan Li.
This man was only slightly younger than Grandfather Ming and had spent a lifetime navigating the ups and downs of the venture capital world. He had handled countless deals, large and small. Originally, he had returned with the intention of retiring in peace. But once Li Jue caught wind of his return, he reached out repeatedly, inviting Mr. Fan to lend his expertise. In the process, he even approached Ming Lan for help.
At the time, Ming Lan knew nothing about the situation. She assumed it was just a matter of saying a few good words and offering a small favor, so she agreed to speak on Li Jue’s behalf. Mr. Fan, out of respect for the Ming family, eventually agreed and joined the Li family enterprise.
It was largely thanks to Mr. Fan that the Li family successfully pivoted away from its struggling real estate ventures and gained strong footing in a new industry, rapidly achieving impressive success. His contributions had been nothing short of vital.
Later, when disaster struck the Ming family, Mr. Fan was one of the few people who tried to help Ming Lan. Unfortunately, by then, Li Jue had already solidified his position and influence. There was little anyone could do. In the end, Mr. Fan had no choice but to sever ties with Li Jue and walk away.
How could she have been so blind in her past life? How could she have handed such a valuable ally over to Li Jue so easily?
The memories flashed through her mind in rapid succession. Ming Lan took a deep breath and steadied herself. This time, she would not make the same mistake. And with the investment department at Qinglan Group in need of restructuring, there was no better time to act.
With her plan forming clearly in her mind, Ming Lan told the others to wait outside and headed into the old house, gifts in hand.
From a distance, she spotted her grandfather and Mr. Fan playing chess in the garden pavilion. Though the weather was still cold, it was midday and the sun was warm. Sitting outside in the sunshine was quite comfortable.
She approached and greeted her grandfather first, then introduced herself to Mr. Fan.
Compared to Grandfather Ming, who had long embraced his full head of white hair, Mr. Fan still kept his neatly styled, jet-black hair. He wore a finely tailored gentleman’s suit with details down to the cuffs, yet he didn’t come off as stiff or distant. It was simply his everyday attire, and his relaxed posture made him seem perfectly approachable.
After the introductions, Ming Lan took a seat nearby and watched them finish the game. A chilly autumn breeze made her shiver, and she let out an involuntary sneeze.
“That’s enough chess for today,” Grandfather Ming said, now packing up the pieces even faster. “Let’s get inside and warm up. A cup of hot tea will do us good.”
The three of them headed into the house together. Since it was almost lunchtime, the kitchen staff was asked to prepare a meal.
They shared a light lunch and chatted. During their conversation, Grandfather Ming asked how Ming Lan was adjusting to her new position at the company.
Ming Lan gently set down her cup and replied, “Still getting used to things. I recently had to clear out a rotten apple. There was no other choice, so I’ve been temporarily filling in. Now the investment department has a few people acting up again. I’d love to handle things quickly and decisively, but I just don’t have the capacity. I can’t find anyone reliable enough, so I’ve had to turn a blind eye for now.”
She didn’t hold anything back. Her tone was calm and candid.
Grandfather Ming understood her immediately. He glanced at his old friend beside him.
“Old Fan, weren’t you planning to retire now that you’re back? Think you’ve got time to guide a junior?”
Mr. Fan paused with his teacup halfway to his lips. His eyes moved back and forth between Grandfather Ming and Ming Lan.
“So this lunch was just a setup to reel me in?”
Grandfather Ming didn’t deny it at all. He chuckled and waved his hand.
“It’s called willing participation.”
Mr. Fan laughed. “Well, I’ve eaten your food and accepted your hospitality. Looks like I can’t say no now, can I?”
With just a few casual remarks, the decision was made. Since Mr. Fan had only recently returned and needed some time to settle in, and Ming Lan still needed time to deal with the internal mess, they agreed on a short break before he officially joined Qinglan Group.
It had all gone so smoothly.
Only now did Ming Lan realize just how strong the cards she had once held truly were. But in her past life, she hadn’t known how to value them. She had given them away without a second thought. And by the time she realized it, those same cards had been turned against her.