L&H - 64

A beautiful weekend was completely disrupted by a phone call.

Yu Qing was still deep in sleep when Qin Moling’s call came through.

“Fu Jichen?”

No one answered.

The phone kept ringing insistently.

Yu Qing reluctantly opened her eyes, annoyed. In her dream, she had been tormenting Fu Jichen, and she hadn’t finished yet before being interrupted.

The bed was already empty—Fu Jichen wasn’t in the room.

She reached for her phone.

Qin Moling didn’t waste time with pleasantries. “Check your email. I’m on my way to the company.”

“What happened?” Yu Qing immediately sat up, wide awake.

“It’s too complicated to explain over the phone. Just check your email.”

Yu Qing ended the call and logged into her email as quickly as possible.

It was an email from one of the company’s directors, copied to all senior executives and shareholders, seeking everyone’s opinions, particularly asking for her thoughts.

The email was lengthy, accompanied by several attachments.

It was related to Duo Xin, specifically concerning the contract between Zhuo Hua Trading and Boss Qian.

Previously, she had asked Yu Fei to help Boss Qian with his lawsuit, but they hit a wall when it came to evidence—they couldn’t find concrete proof that Xiao Yilin had deceived Boss Qian into signing the contract.

Just when they were at a loss, this director sent the email.

There was audio evidence, provided by Yuan Wenwen from Duo Xin’s legal department. It revealed how she had modified non-compliant contracts, including how Xiao Yilin manipulated Boss Qian’s market territory behind the scenes.

The key issue now was that several top executives at the company unanimously decided to use public opinion to attack Duo Xin. Legal proceedings wouldn’t affect Duo Xin much.

Yu Qing was lost in thought for a few seconds before throwing off the covers and getting out of bed. She quickly washed up, applied makeup, changed into a skirt, and headed downstairs.

In the dining room downstairs, Fu Jichen stood next to the nutritionist, who was bent over the kitchen island, writing something on paper.

Yu Qing’s hurried footsteps caught his attention.

Fu Jichen glanced at his watch—it was only 7:30. “Why aren’t you sleeping more?”

“I have to go to the company for a meeting.”

Yu Qing approached him. “What are you doing?”

Fu Jichen: “I’m checking your nutritional meal plan to see what I can prepare.”

Yu Qing didn’t have time for breakfast, so Fu Jichen packed a meal for her to eat on the way. She told him to pack extra. “If I eat well, I’ll have more energy to beat you up later.”

Fu Jichen handed her the packed breakfast. “By the time you come back tonight, I’ll have practiced that dish enough.”

Yu Qing looked at him, inwardly thinking he probably wouldn’t have the time or energy to practice.

That email contained confidential company information—she couldn’t tell him about it.

She hugged him. “See you tonight, my President Fu.”

On the way to the company, Yu Qing had already sorted out the entire situation.

In the conference room of Lemong, she was the second-to-last person to arrive; only the vice president hadn’t shown up yet.

Qin Moling glanced at her and pushed the printed materials toward her, along with a pencil.

The materials weren’t the focus—the handwritten notes beside them, written in pencil by Qin Moling, were.

[Did you guess who did it? What are your plans? This will definitely affect your relationship with Fu Jichen. Think carefully before making a decision.]

Yu Qing had already guessed who it was. [Leng Wenning’s team did it. This is part of the big gift she’s sending me, forcing me into action. It’s such a good opportunity—if I don’t agree to suppress Duo Xin using public opinion and seize market opportunities for Lemong, our board will hold me accountable. But if I agree, this backstabbing competitive tactic will surely hurt Fu Jichen.]

On the way here, she had asked herself twice what she would do if she didn’t know Fu Jichen.

The answer was obvious: strike against the opponent.

There was no other way—the business world was about survival of the fittest.

Only those with a market could survive.

Moreover, when she worked in Fu Corporation’s legal department, she had warned Duo Xin’s vice president and Zhao Shuqun not to give their competitors any leverage.

Everything had to be within the legal framework; otherwise, they’d be utterly crushed by the other side.

They had ignored her warnings.

When the vice president arrived, the meeting began.

In the past, Qin Moling wouldn’t have hesitated for even a second—he would’ve skipped this meeting entirely and directly instructed Leng Wenning’s PR company to plan how to create negative publicity for the opponent.

Today, however, he handed the decision-making power to Yu Qing.

If she disagreed with this approach, even if the board held her accountable, he would take the blame.

Yu Qing erased both handwritten notes with an eraser. Everyone was watching her.

Among the attendees today, apart from her, no one else would oppose.

“The contracts with Leng Wenning’s planning and PR teams haven’t expired yet, right? Let Leng Wenning’s team handle it. The key points for public opinion should highlight how Duo Xin bullies others and turns their backs on people, leaving distributors with nowhere to turn. Boss Qian selling his house to buy inventory is also a point that can evoke sympathy from netizens.”

Yu Qing spoke calmly, her words measured. “Boss Qian fought alongside Duo Xin when their products were unpopular, but look where it got him. That’s another angle to attack Duo Xin.”

Everyone was momentarily stunned—they hadn’t expected Yu Qing to remain so composed.

Before anyone could comment, Yu Qing announced, “Meeting adjourned.”

In truth, this meeting was unnecessary. The director’s intention was clear—to have her publicly announce her stance and record it in the meeting minutes, proving that suppressing Duo Xin was her idea.

She gave Leng Wenning exactly what she wanted.

After the meeting, Qin Moling followed Yu Qing back to her office.

“Didn’t I tell you to think carefully?”

Yu Qing tossed the materials onto the desk. “Leng Wenning must have prepared thoroughly beforehand. Even if I opposed, she would still escalate the situation, and I’d be criticized for inaction. The board could even remove me for giving advantages to a competitor—an unforgivable act. If I were fired, Fu Jichen would feel guilty. After weighing everything, it’s not worth it.”

Qin Moling poured her a glass of warm water. “You and Leng Wenning are in for quite a fight. She’s fearless—she dares to offend anyone. For her, the worst-case scenario is just losing the contract.”

Yu Qing: “How could I let her get away so easily?” She looked at Qin Moling. “Do you know what my Weibo username is?”

“What?”

“Little troublemaker stirring up storms.”

“…”

Yu Qing opened her computer and asked Qin Moling for help. “Notify Qin Yu and Sister Yu Fei to come over.”

Qin Moling started sending messages and asked curiously, “What do you need them for? Leng Wenning’s purpose this time is clear—helping Lemong launch a full-scale attack on Fu Jichen, and you’re the one taking all the blame.”

Yu Qing began drafting an email. “Lu Chen is handling the crisis PR for Duo Xin. I’ll discuss countermeasures with Sister Yu Fei to see how we can resolve this crisis.”

She wouldn’t let Leng Wenning dictate her moves.

________________________________________

Before noon, four topics trended on various media platforms: #Fu Corporation Covering Up Contract Fraud#, #Duo Xin Beverages Exploiting Distributors#, #Selling Houses to Buy Inventory Leads to Bankruptcy Overnight#, and #Poor Wife Betrayed by Heartless Man, Left Helpless#.

They skyrocketed to the top of the trending lists at lightning speed.

The last topic compared Boss Qian to a neglected wife, while Zhuo Hua Trading became the “other woman.”

From Duo Xin to Fu Corporation, no one had reacted in time. Negative news flooded everywhere.

Her friend saw the trending topics and called Leng Wenning, puzzled. “What’s going on?”

Leng Wenning was scrolling through comments in her office. Every single one condemned Fu Corporation, sympathized with Boss Qian, and even dragged Duo Xin’s advertising spokesperson into the mess.

The spokesperson for Duo Xin was the son of Pang Linbin and his ex-wife.

When planning the public opinion campaign, she had her team include the spokesperson. So-called “fans” flooded the celebrity’s Weibo account, asking how they could collaborate with such an unethical company!

Now, the spokesperson was also trending, mercilessly criticized.

“Hello? Wenning? Are you listening?”

Leng Wenning snapped out of it. “I’m listening.” She didn’t mince words. “This is the second wave of my big gift to Yu Qing. Let her remember who she is.”

Her friend worried. “Won’t this offend a lot of people?”

Leng Wenning: “It’s fine. I’m following Yu Qing’s instructions, helping her out.” Her team had worked overnight on the plan, waiting for Lemong’s response.

At 9:00 AM, a senior executive from Lemong sent her an email, and she finally gave the go-ahead.

Her friend browsed the trending topics on her tablet—all related to Fu Corporation. It was the weekend, so their PR department probably hadn’t reacted yet, caught completely off guard.

“This uproar will definitely affect Fu Corporation’s stock price. How will Chairman Fu treat Yu Qing? She’s now the thorn in the side of all Fu Corporation’s shareholders, and Duo Xin’s people must hate her guts. Her relationship with Fu Jichen might be over.”

“Oh, and Pang Linbin’s son is also implicated.”

Leng Wenning rubbed her temples, exhausted after a sleepless night. Her head was pounding. “Who can I blame? I gave her a chance.”

Meanwhile, in Fu Corporation’s conference room, voices buzzed as people discussed the situation.

Qiao Yang kept glancing at the door—Fu Jichen hadn’t arrived yet.

She turned to Zhao Shuqun. “Do you have any solutions?”

Zhao Shuqun was overwhelmed. He hadn’t anticipated this bomb exploding.

The door opened.

Fu Jichen and Secretary Pan walked in. Fu Jichen was still wearing his burgundy shirt, rushing straight from shopping. He had been buying pregnancy supplies for Yu Qing when he received Pan Zheng’s call.

He hadn’t had time to change.

Instantly, the large room fell silent.

Qiao Yang quietly glanced at Fu Jichen. If Fu Corporation weren’t facing an unprecedented public relations crisis, his attire today would’ve made the company’s love-struck women even more infatuated.

Sexy, masculine.

But偏偏, this crisis was caused by Yu Qing.

He had secretly avenged Yu Qing before, only for her to stab him in the back so ruthlessly.

She didn’t know what he was feeling right now.

Lu Chen also arrived shortly. His PR company had always served Fu Corporation.

Fu Jichen looked at Lu Chen. “What’s your opinion?”

Lu Chen was reading emails—all related to this public opinion crisis, sent by his team.

He briefly replied to Fu Jichen. “First, let the official Weibo account issue a statement saying the group has formed an investigation team to thoroughly investigate the matter. Once the results are out, if proven true, no one will be shielded, and Boss Qian will receive an explanation. Don’t say anything else for now.”

Pausing, he added, “Let’s see what moves Lemong makes next. We’ll observe and adapt. I’m thinking—can we turn this public opinion crisis into free advertising for Duo Xin?”

Fu Jichen nodded and instructed the PR department head to draft the announcement.

He gave Secretary Pan a few instructions and stepped out of the meeting room with his phone.

Since the incident began, he hadn’t contacted Yu Qing, and she hadn’t called him either.

Fu Jichen stood by the window, hands in his pockets, and dialed Yu Qing’s number.

She answered quickly.

“President Fu.”

Fu Jichen didn’t mention anything related to the public opinion crisis. He knew making this decision must have been uncomfortable for her. In a low voice, he asked, “Do you miss me?”

On the other end, Yu Qing paused noticeably. “… Yes.”

Fu Jichen: “Mm. When I get home tonight, I’ll hold you.”