Take Me Away, My Love - Chapter 30 - Investigating Li Minchun
“What is it that you want to say?” Li Minchun wasn’t in a hurry. Knowing Zhang Mi well, she was confident that Zhang Mi wasn’t the type to do something irrational in the heat of the moment.
As expected, though perplexed and angry, Zhang Mi remained professional as she spoke, “I suppose you’ve already learned that Jian Yiqing is the chief of Ling Kong and, at the same time, the president of Changyun Group. I just received a notification; you are now officially assigned to take over Changyun Group.”
“Yes, I know.”
To Zhang Mi’s surprise, Li Minchun didn’t seem shocked. It was as though everything was expected and natural.
If it had been someone else, there’d likely be a mix of surprise, some refusal, followed by reluctant acceptance. That seems to be the usual procedure, but this was different. Li Minchun’s calm acceptance left Zhang Mi puzzled.
“Don’t you have anything to say?” Finally, Zhang Mi couldn’t help but ask.
Li Minchun gently set her coffee cup down, then smiled and said, “Since it’s an order from above, I naturally have to accept. Moreover, Changyun Group is an asset under Ling Kong, and as the leader of Qingmu, it’s only natural for me to take over Changyun Group, don’t you think?”
Her response left Zhang Mi at a loss for words, her entire argument stuck in her throat.
Her eyes widened with astonishment as she looked Li Minchun up and down.
This woman seemed to have a unique charm. Not the most beautiful, but undoubtedly very captivating. More importantly, there was something strangely familiar about her.
Could it be that this sense of familiarity is what made Jian Yiqing change his original thoughts?
How could this be!
She had assumed that a passionate man like Jian Yiqing might abandon his pursuit of others’ happiness for Li Minchun.
But in just over a year, he was already captivated by a woman who bore a striking resemblance to Li Minchun. Furthermore, he wanted this woman to manage Changyun Group.
From any angle, Zhang Mi couldn’t swallow this bitter pill.
Jian Yiqing could be with Li Minchun, but no other woman was worthy of getting close to him.
That was Zhang Mi’s most genuine thought.
“Do you like him?” Zhang Mi finally couldn’t help herself and asked.
Li Minchun smiled and replied, “Not every woman falls in love with him.”
However, despite saying that, she couldn’t deny the thought that perhaps more than eighty percent of women would fall for him.
“Please answer my question directly.” Zhang Mi looked quite agitated, her entire demeanor tense. Perhaps she wanted to hear a definitive answer to confirm her suspicions, yet deep down, she was afraid of such a confirmation. She was truly torn.
“No,” Li Minchun responded firmly. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going back. There’s a lot I need to do.”
With that, Li Minchun did turn and leave.
But Zhang Mi’s suspicions about Li Minchun never ceased.
She called Gu Xing and said, “I think we should thoroughly investigate this woman called Su Xin.”
Once the investigation started, it didn’t take long for all the information about Li Minchun to be laid out on the table.
Looking at these few simple sheets of paper, Zhang Mi increasingly felt that this woman wasn’t simple.
The records contained only work reports and other trivial matters about her-nothing of real value outside of that.
Could it be that this woman would remain shrouded in mystery?
Zhang Mi simply couldn’t let it go.
Sitting across from Zhang Mi, Gu Xing said, “I’ve found all the available information on Su Xin. There’s nothing more I can obtain.”
“It’s really strange. It’s like this woman just popped out of a crack in a rock, leaving no trace behind,” Zhang Mi said, feeling frustrated and on the verge of pounding the table in exasperation.
Gu Xing replied seriously, “I think most of this information is fabricated.”
“Do you have any basis for that?”
Even though Zhang Mi was also suspicious, she couldn’t quite grasp why there was reason to doubt these findings.
Gu Xing continued, “Don’t you think she resembles someone?”
“Li Minchun?” This time, they both had the same thought simultaneously.
“I believe she is Li Minchun,” Gu Xing affirmed once more.
In the past, he had paid so much attention to Li Minchun, silently watching her and placing her on a pedestal as his goddess.
It didn’t matter whether he held a place in her heart or what she thought of him. As long as she could live happily, that was enough.
When Jian Yiqing suddenly returned, Zhang Mi had mentioned that she had seen Li Minchun.
Unfortunately, he later lost track of her.
Where Li Minchun went afterward, no one knew. Even the organization wouldn’t disclose a word about her.
Otherwise, Jian Yiqing wouldn’t have failed to find any trace of Li Minchun until now.
“What evidence do you have?”
When it came to the idea that Su Xin was Li Minchun, Zhang Mi wasn’t as sure as Gu Xing. Yes, this woman did have traces of Li Minchun. There was some indefinable similarity between the two that she couldn’t quite pinpoint.
But if that was the only basis to prove she was Li Minchun, Zhang Mi couldn’t be convinced.
Moreover, when facing Jian Yiqing and Jian Qingtian, Su Xin carried herself with such poise and ease that it seemed impossible for her to be Jian Qingtian’s biological mother, Li Minchun.
Especially appearance-wise, they didn’t look even slightly alike.
“I don’t know either. It’s just a gut feeling that tells me she is Li Minchun.”
Regardless of the doubts, Gu Xing insisted on his belief.
“Alright, let’s put this matter aside for now. Have you heard any news about the Shangguan Family recently?”
“I got some news and already informed Jian Yiqing. I’m not sure what his decision will be.”
“Hmm…”
After a brief exchange, they moved on from the topic.
On the other side, Jian Yiqing had called for Li Minchun.
“Chief, you wanted to see me.”
Every time Li Minchun saw Jian Yiqing, even though she had warned herself countless times not to fall for him, she couldn’t help it. Sometimes, she really wanted to tell him everything that had happened to her, but thinking about the consequences, she held back.
Seeing Li Minchun lost in thought, Jian Yiqing frowned and said loudly, “I called you today to assign you a task. The company under the Shiyu Conglomerate has been suffering significant losses and might be auctioned off soon. Your task is to buy back all the shares of this group company.”
“All the shares?” Li Minchun asked.
“That’s right, one hundred percent of the shares. And make sure no one discovers your identity. Do you understand what I mean?” Jian Yiqing instructed.
Li Minchun nodded and prepared to leave. Just as she was about to exit, she unexpectedly heard Jian Yiqing whisper, “Be careful!”
Turning back, Li Minchun looked at the man she had loved for so long and nodded.
It was strange to be so concerned about a woman he hadn’t known for long-it wasn’t like him at all.
Reflecting on the panic that had suddenly overcome him, Jian Yiqing was deeply frustrated.
Two completely different faces, yet when he saw her, it was as if he were looking at Li Minchun. He hadn’t told anyone that when he was alone with Su Xin, he could always vaguely superimpose her image with Li Minchun’s.
He shook his head vigorously to clear his thoughts, finally regaining a semblance of his usual self. He wondered where his wife was now and whether she was doing well. It had been over a year without any news.
At the moment the door closed, Li Minchun heard Jian Yiqing’s faint sigh.
She silently vowed to herself, as long as I’m here, no one will dare to hurt you.
With that promise in her heart, Li Minchun walked outside.
Li Minchun needed to quickly figure out all of Jian Gangchen’s dealings. Perhaps this time, she could help Jian Yiqing create some news.
She had already sent her subordinates out, just waiting for the investigation results to come in.
That day, at the Shangdao Café, Li Minchun finally met the person she was looking for.
Watching a man walk in with a low-key demeanor, cautiously glancing around, immediately caught Li Minchun’s attention.
After she stood up slowly, it didn’t take long for the man’s gaze to fall on her. It seemed he had noticed her.
“Hello.” Li Minchun smiled slightly and extended her hand.
The man continued looking around nervously, barely shook her hand, and quickly sat down.
His behavior indicated one thing: he was very nervous and apprehensive, afraid of being discovered.
“You can trust that since I arranged this meeting, I’ve ensured complete privacy. No one will find out,” Li Minchun reassured him.
Even with her reassurance, the man remained tense. Having worked under Jian Gangchen for so long, no one understood him better than this man did.
Although Jian Gangchen appeared amicable on the surface, he was actually very difficult to deal with. Many company bosses had fallen under this cunning man’s tactics.
Not only because of his extraordinary abilities, but also due to his ruthless methods.
“Ask your questions.”
He didn’t want to waste time. The longer he stayed here, the greater the risk of being spotted, increasing his danger.
“Alright,” Li Minchun replied, cutting to the chase, “What is the real situation with the Shiyu Conglomerate? Is it really as bad as the rumors suggest?”
The man thought for a moment before responding, “In fact, the Shiyu Conglomerate has been a hollow shell for several years. Back then, the former president, Jian Yiqing, had just left the Shiyu Conglomerate Group, and President Cheng Duo had taken over. But shortly after he assumed office, he realized that Jian Yiqing had already drained the company. Not a penny was left behind. President Cheng Duo had to scrape together funds from various sources to gradually fill these gaps.”
“I know all that. Tell me something new.”
The man continued, “Well, two years ago, just as the Shiyu Conglomerate was starting to operate smoothly, most of its funds were inexplicably withdrawn. After that, President Cheng Duo and his wife disappeared and haven’t been seen since. Without strong support, the company began suffering significant losses. Even with Jian Gangchen’s reluctant efforts to sustain it, it was just a drop in the bucket. Moreover, when Jian Gangchen found out about this, he was so anxious that he fell ill. Later, the board of directors decided to auction off the operating companies under the Shiyu Conglomerate Group.”
“They want to sell the Shiyu Conglomerate Group? There’s no way Jian Gangchen would agree to that,” Li Minchun said, puzzled. Based on her understanding of Jian Gangchen, he would never consent to such a thing.
To him, the Shiyu Conglomerate was akin to his lifeline. Asking him to sell it would be like asking him to sever his own lifeline, something he would never do unless he was dead.
The man shook his head helplessly and said, “In fact, he didn’t want to either. But there’s nothing he can do; he’s now in a vegetative state, lying in bed unable to move.”
“What? Are you saying Jian Gangchen is now in a vegetative state?” Li Minchun’s eyes widened with surprise. This news was even more valuable than the previous information.
The man nodded, confirming, “I once visited the hospital room; it’s absolutely true. It’s said that while he can understand what’s happening around him, he can’t express his thoughts. At that time, the board members consulted him about selling the Shiyu Conglomerate Group. Unfortunately, he couldn’t voice his objections, so they took his silence as consent.”
“Consent? For Jian Gangchen, that must be the most brutal result,” Li Minchun smirked coldly.
Remembering his ruthless nature, Li Minchun thought this fate was well-deserved for him.
The man nodded, saying, “Indeed, it’s hard to imagine handing over a conglomerate he watched grow with his own eyes.”
“Thank you for your time today,” Li Minchun said, guiding the man to the door.
They had just been in conversation, but after this, even if they ran into each other on the street, they would be like strangers. After all, even if Jian Gangchen was incapacitated, his cronies would still be closely monitoring everything.
The Shiyu Conglomerate was like a treasure trove; no one wouldn’t covet it. Even though it had become an empty shell, the fact remained.
