Chapter 158: Severed Hands Yet Undying Affection, Shengxin Gathers Karmic Retribution

Cayenne SUV.

After more than half a month, the allocation was finally fully completed near the end of the month, and it was time to pick up the car.

Zhang Long drove the Porsche directly away from the 4S dealership, took it for a spin to test the feel, and parked it in an underground residential parking space at the luxury mansion of Splendid Heights. Afterward, he drove his BMW 740 to the North District in Hongkou, where the Luo family was holding their housewarming party tonight.

……

"What? Going to Shengxin?"

This was in Liang Xue's one-room apartment. Hearing her best friend's decision to join Shengxin starting next Monday, Liang Xue could not help but feel astonished and surprised. The change was simply too sudden.

Just a few days ago, she was quite determined to enter the spot trading or foreign exchange platform industry to make money, and today she changed her mind?

"To keep you company."

Qin Miaotong used a toothpick to spear a piece of apple and put it into her mouth. After chewing and swallowing, she blinked, "Aren't you touched? Between money and friendship, I chose the latter. If you're touched, it's fine to just cry. Just treat me well for the rest of your life, hehehe..."

Touched my foot, Liang Xue rolled her eyes in retort, "With this attitude of extorting gratitude from me, even if I were touched, there would be none left—not a single bit."

Although she did not know why Qin Miaotong suddenly changed her mind, she naturally approved of her going to Shengxin.

They would be able to see each other every day at work.

"Hey, baby..."

Suddenly, Qin Miaotong spoke as if casually, "The trading department at Shengxin has just been restarted as you said, and there is no department director yet. How big do you think my chances are of sitting in that position, and how much performance does it require?"

"The more, the better."

Liang Xue nodded noncommittally, "You just got there, so you certainly won't have much performance, and the veteran trading supervisors have a substantial amount of client volume in their hands, making their foundation much stronger than yours."

"Don't set your sights on the trading department director position for now; the closest one is a manager position."

Hearing this, Liang Xue continued, "The trading department is temporarily supervised by Director Zhu of the company, but an old employee will serve as the department manager for overall management. Once you join, you will be assigned under them, starting simply as an ordinary employee."

"Build up your performance first to be promoted to supervisor. Only supervisors can be promoted to managers when the trading department expands."

"Work hard, there is plenty of room for growth."

Hearing this, Qin Miaotong broke into a light sweat on her delicate face. Starting from an ordinary position meant there was indeed plenty of room to grow upward, but...

"Then you must help me by putting in a good word for me with your director from time to time, okay? I will naturally deliver on the performance."

"Mm, don't worry."

Liang Xue nodded with an "OK, no problem." If Qin Miaotong's performance was outstanding, she would naturally help.

Conversely, if her performance fell short, then forget about it, because even if she wanted to help, it would be hopeless without any persuasive arguments.

……

"Little Zhang, you and Manman are just about ready to get your marriage certificates. It's time to settle down and establish your careers. Getting married early doesn't affect your work, right? Am I right?"

This remark left Zhang Long somewhat unable to respond. The speaker was not Luo's mother, but Luo's mother's older sister—that is, the mother of Luo Manman's older female cousin.

One could tell that this eldest aunt cared very much about her younger sister Luo's family; otherwise, she would not have repeatedly extended a helping hand during times of heavy pressure for the Luo family, somewhat alleviating their previous burdens.

"Eldest Aunt, we have our own plans."

Zhang Long gave a dry cough and replied with a slight, awkward smile, "Let's stabilize our careers first before getting married; there's no rush. Rest assured."

For the housewarming party, the eldest aunt's family, who currently kept in frequent contact with the Luos, naturally had to come over for dinner. Similarly, Luo Manman's older cousin had also come, whom he had met before.

To be honest, Eldest Aunt, you should probably manage your own daughter first and get her married off before worrying about others.

The cousin was naturally a bit older than Luo Manman, and she also had an extremely strong career-driven mindset. If their tempers hadn't matched so well, she wouldn't have gotten along with Luo Manman so swimmingly.

Career-oriented young women always put marriage on the back burner.

Zhang Long estimated that the eldest cousin would not marry until her career achieved a certain level of development.

"What did my mom say to you?"

A moment later, the eldest aunt went to the kitchen to busy herself. At this time, the cousin walked over, curled her lips, and spoke, "She must have asked you and Luo Manman to get married sooner, right? You and Luo Manman just need to have your own plans for such matters; pay no attention to the rest."

"Mhm, she didn't say much."

Zhang Long nodded noncommittally. His attitude toward the cousin was neither good nor bad. Perhaps she genuinely wanted to help Luo Manman's family out of their predicament, but egging Luo Manman on to get involved in some tourism business felt a bit off—not necessarily untrustworthy, but it made Luo Manman's life somewhat unstable from then on.

However, this could also be considered Luo Manman's own choice: breaking free of family shackles and living anew to be herself.

Luo Manman had her own pursuits and value demands, much like a wild horse on the vast grassland. Once freed from restraints, the first thing it wanted to do was run wild to its heart's content or until it was exhausted.

Presently, Luo Manman could be considered as having just shaken off the rope around her neck, and she would not be thinking of settling down anytime soon.

And marriage was also a form of restraint.

Therefore, even when Liang Xue told Luo Manman that Zhang Long was currently worth tens of millions, she remained completely indifferent.

A full-time housewife was out of the question for now.

……

That night, Zhang Long naturally stayed over.

The eldest aunt and Luo's mother shared a room; the cousin and Luo Xin shared a room; and the young couple Zhang Long and Luo Manman stayed together. After a brief bout of passionate intimacy, they leaned against the head of the bed and whispered.

……

"I've met with Liang Xue."

Snuggling against Zhang Long's shoulder, Luo Manman's voice was low and murmurous, "No matter how much you're worth or how high your achievements, I will still choose to be myself. Forgive me for not being able to quietly stay by your side right now as a little woman. After tonight, even if we break up, we'll let nature take its course in the future."

These words made Zhang Long fall slightly silent. Luo Manman, who had just been burning with passion, was incomparably calm at this moment.

"You don't need to overthink it."

Luo Manman continued to murmur, "Actually, I am a burden to you. Now you have already helped me and the Luo family step onto a new level and get back on the right track; the rest of the way, we have to walk by ourselves and can no longer rely on you."

"Of course, if the travel agency continues to develop and expand, I will definitely come to you first for investment. If we achieve results in the future, it will be a form of repayment."

"Within five years, before turning 30, I have no plans to get married, and I certainly don't want to have children."

"Don't keep waiting for me."

Hearing this, Zhang Long pulled Luo Manman tightly into his arms. "Actually, you don't have to be like this."

"Mhm, I know."

Luo Manman's eyes flashed slightly, her tone steadfast, "Even if we break up, we're still friends. If you want to come see me, you can drop by anytime, it's fine. You don't need to mind the eldest aunt pushing for marriage or anything; like my cousin, I want to pursue my career first."

"You can't get by in this society without a career. Women must also rely on themselves rather than depending entirely on men. Being a full-time housewife is not my pursuit; I am terrified of poverty."

"Besides, even if people get married, isn't there still the possibility of divorce one day? It's hard to say!"

"Therefore, having a career of your own built with your own hands allows you to remain undefeated, empowering you to bravely choose your own life in the future. That is much more important and worthwhile."

At this point, Luo Manman suddenly hummed softly, "Liang Xue is detached and uncompetitive, but even if the two of you end up together in the future, can you guarantee you'll respect each other like guests and stay devoted for a lifetime? I'm not talking nonsense—every single man is lustful."

"They will always chase novelty."

Zhang Long broke out in a cold sweat at these words.

However, whether Luo Manman's words tonight were genuine or false, whatever happened in the future would just take its natural course. They would remain friends after breaking up, and if she encountered difficulties, he would still help.

"Husband, love me once more..." Suddenly, Luo Manman rolled over on top of him, taking the initiative to rekindle their passion.

Their hands might part, but their affection remained; things would continue as before in the days ahead.

……

On Sunday, Zhang Long stayed alone in his small apartment on the Bund to thoroughly clean the place. He didn't hire any housekeeping services; he did it all by himself.

Breaking up with Luo Manman—to say there was not a trace of sadness would be a lie. This small apartment held many everyday memories and passionate moments of the two of them. This apartment would not be rented out; he would occasionally stay here when he had leisure time in the future.

Whether it was the large flat-roofed luxury apartment in Splendid Heights or the even higher duplex penthouse, both felt far too empty.

Liang Xue would not move into them.

"Single, and free..."

On the living room balcony, after finishing the cleaning, Zhang Long gazed out at the scenery of the Bund, watching the endless stream of traffic and pedestrians, feeling deeply moved inside. Regaining his single status and freedom overnight, the happiness he had imagined was not nearly as great as he thought.

Regarding their breakup, according to Luo Manman's wishes, they would not inform the Luo family for now. After all, they had just moved into the new home, and the shop was opening around May Day—how could they explain it?

If they broke up, neither Luo's mother nor even Luo Xin would accept Zhang Long's help anymore and would inevitably return everything.

Therefore, it had to be kept under wraps for a while until the Luo family's shop opened for business and got on the right track.

Once everything was a settled fact, they would lay their cards on the table.

During this period, Zhang Long wouldn't need to go to the Luo family's place every week to put on a show. After all, being busy with his career meant going once every half month or month was fine, but not exceeding a month at most.

Zhang Long had no objections. Once everything was completely out in the open, he would also hand the card used to pay the rent for the Luo family's apartment over to Luo Manman.

Zhang Long wouldn't touch the money inside; the property would remain under Zhang Long's own name, but the rent wasn't necessary anymore.

Letting them live in the apartment and run the commercial shop rent-free would be it.

"Buzz, buzzz~"

His phone vibrated with an incoming message. Zhang Long glanced down, pondered for a moment, and left home. A short while later, he drove his newly picked-up Porsche Cayenne to the meeting location. It had been a long time since he last saw Lin Yuan, as this guy had also been very busy lately.

The stage of taking the driver's license test and just entering his uncle's home decoration company had been his most leisurely period. From after the New Year until now, he hadn't had the time to go out and fool around.

Tonight's rendezvous could be considered quite rare.

"A-Long, congratulations."

The meeting place was a quiet tea restaurant. Lin Yuan had invited him alone without any fancy bars or KTVs, because even if he did, it would be useless—Zhang Long didn't care for those places.

And Lin Yuan's opening congratulation clearly indicated that he knew Zhang Long had entered Shengxin and become a director.

……

"Fluke, just luck."

Zhang Long shrugged lightly, looking at Lin Yuan, who had a bit of stubble and looked rather decadent, and couldn't help feeling a bit surprised. "It's only been a month and a half since the New Year and you've ended up like this? Been going down to the construction sites?"

"Basically every single day."

Hearing this, Lin Yuan complained bitterly, "Home decoration means dealing with renovations. There are residential renovations, and it also involves commercial and corporate construction sites. It's fucking exhausting."

"Unlike you financial guys who sit in an office just looking at computers—you're blessed beyond belief."

"It's passable, it's all the same."

Zhang Long shrugged. However, Lin Yuan certainly didn't invite him out just to complain; catching up was only one aspect.

With a complex look in his eyes, Lin Yuan stared at Zhang Long, his tone turning slightly solemn.

"It's nothing major, actually. My uncle has an account at your Shengxin trading stocks—anyway, you're the one who tutored and maintained it last year. He wants to invite you out for a meal some day."

"The account holder is Chen Youwei!"

A thunderclap out of the blue—Zhang Long froze.

The name Chen Youwei left a very deep impression on Zhang Long, and not a particularly friendly one either. To think he was Lin Yuan's uncle—this was way too mystical.

However, since Lin Yuan could say the name Chen Youwei, there was a hundred percent certainty now; it was true.

"Wait, let me process this."

Zhang Long took a slight breath, pinched the bridge of his nose, and was momentarily speechless. "No wonder you always said your uncle was very strict with you; it would be a wonder if he weren't strict."

Chen Youwei had a huge temper, and Zhang Long had heard plenty of complaints from Lin Yuan about his uncle in the past.

"What does he want to talk about over dinner?"

Under Lin Yuan's affirmative gaze, Zhang Long said with a resigned realization, "I don't tutor clients anymore. If your uncle wants to go back into the stock market and trade, I can arrange for other gold-medal analysts to tutor him."

"I simply don't have the time myself."

This excuse was very valid. After all, Zhang Long was already a senior director of Shengxin; personally tutoring clients would lower his status somewhat. It was just that Chen Youwei only trusted Zhang Long's ability and didn't care for any gold-medal teachers—that last fellow Xu Linfeng had been a total pitfall and had made him furious.

"Yeah, I know."

Lin Yuan clearly also knew Zhang Long's dilemma—caught between a relative and a friend, making things difficult in the middle.

"Tomorrow, Monday, give my uncle a call, explain the situation in person, and just decline. He lost a bit too much in the stock market and now only trusts you."

……

Chen Youwei!

General Manager and Executive CEO of Tenda Group, with a net worth of over one billion—not fake at all, and extremely wealthy.

Ever since Zhang Long resigned from Shengxin, and after being severely screwed over by Gold-Medal Xu once, he had basically stopped moving. The few stocks in his account were locked in; whatever happened, happened.

He had thought that was it, and he would just wait until the bull market arrived one day—which he heard was coming soon anyway.

He never expected that while listening to his nephew Lin Yuan make a phone call to someone, he would suddenly hear the name Zhang Long. Out of curiosity, he inquired further, and all the threads intersected.

It turned out that the new friend Lin Yuan met at the driving school was the exact same person as Zhang Long from Shengxin.

And recently, he had been invited back by Shengxin, becoming a member of senior management alongside Qian Caiying and Ling Zhiqing.

The ups and downs of the intermediate process didn't matter.

What mattered was that Zhang Long had the ability and value to enter Shengxin alongside the young princesses of the Qian and Ling families, ultimately securing a substantial equity share as well. Lin Yuan was talking about this very matter with a friend on the phone, expressing immense astonishment.

He never imagined that Zhang Long was such a heavyweight bigshot.

Thus, after understanding the whole story, Chen Youwei issued an order to his nephew Lin Yuan: he must invite Zhang Long to dinner, as he wanted Zhang Long to continue tutoring him.

Yet Lin Yuan was still quite loyal; he extended the invitation as requested, though he couldn't guarantee the specific outcome.

One side was family, the other was a friend—he would just have to handle it however it turned out.

"Welcome, new colleagues."

Clap, clap, clap—the applause was very enthusiastic.

Bright and early on Monday, the Shengxin trading department welcomed four newly hired colleagues: Qin Miaotong, Gu Su, along with the tutoring consultants for Juncai Jinchao and Zhang Long. They had all arrived. Together with the five people transferred internally from Shengxin, there were a total of nine people.

Four women and five men, the ratio was quite balanced.

"Chang Wei, step forward!"

An experienced-looking, rather serious young man stepped forward. Director Zhu looked solemn as he spoke, "Starting today, you will act as the acting manager of the trading department, overseeing the other eight people in maintaining Shengxin's new and old clients. Work hard and strive upward."

"The rest of you as well."

"After Shengxin's front-end development team expands, the trading department will also increase its headcount synchronously. The next step will be to partition a second team and appoint a second manager."

"Everyone has a chance."

This remark was rather inspiring, especially Qin Miaotong's eyes, which lit up brightly—she had to work hard.

Leaving aside promotions and salary increases for herself, she couldn't afford to lose face, even just for the sake of her best friend Liang Xue.

"Ahem, what did you say?"

Inside Zhang Long's office, watching Liang Xue speak in all seriousness about how Qin Miaotong was her closest and most frequently interacting best friend—oh boy.

Had it been a case of friendly friendly fire over the past two days? Chen Youwei and Lin Yuan? Qin Miaotong and Liang Xue?

Zhang Long sighed softly. It was all predestined entanglement.