But why? If nothing else, she had witnessed what Liang Yufeng had done for Hetai over the years. Hetai had a good foundation, but without Liang Yufeng's support, it would never have reached its current position.
Take the cooperation with Shuangmu, for example. One plus one was greater than two, but Xing Zheng was Liang Yufeng's connection. Neither Xu Zhengxi nor Xu Zhouyue could win over Shuangmu.
Although Lan Lan often "complained" that Liang Yufeng had no ambition, it was just verbal grumbling. She knew how hard Liang Yufeng worked. His schedule was always packed, and he spent his weekends replying to emails.
Lan Lan had long known that Xu Zhengxi was snobbish, but she hadn't expected him to be so ungrateful and discard him after use. Now that Liang Yufeng had led Hetai to prosperity, he was arranging for Xu Zhouyue to take his place. What did he think Liang Yufeng was?
The more Lan Lan thought about it, the angrier she became. She wished she could go and have a big argument with Xu Zhengxi right now!
She also guessed that Liang Yufeng's staying out all last Friday night was probably related to this matter. Lan Lan remembered his tired appearance and wondered how much he had suffered outside!
Liang Yufeng had said he didn't care about power or wealth. Lan Lan knew he wasn't just being pretentious or saying it for show; he truly didn't care. Otherwise, he wouldn't be walking his dog every day!
Lan Lan took out her phone and happened to see the WeChat message Liang Yufeng had sent. He had taken Mai Xuanfeng to the beach today. He had recorded a video while Mai Xuanfeng was digging holes.
It was a very funny video, but Lan Lan couldn't bring herself to laugh. She asked Liang Yufeng, "Still out?"
Liang Yufeng: "I'll be back soon."
He'll be back soon, right? Lan Lan stared at the screen. It seemed she had to go over tonight and have a good talk with him.
Lan Lan didn't reply to Liang Yufeng's message, nor did she tell him she was coming. She was supposed to work overtime today to complete a report, but Lan Lan pushed the task to tomorrow. As soon as work ended, she grabbed her car keys, picked up her bag, and drove to Liang Yufeng's villa.
When Lan Lan arrived, Liang Yufeng had just finished preparing dinner for Mai Xuanfeng and brought it to the living room. He put down the food bowls and heard the sound of the password lock opening. Mai Xuanfeng also looked towards the door. Upon seeing Lan Lan, he forgot to eat and ran towards her.
It was a workday, and Liang Yufeng was surprised to see Lan Lan. "Why are you here?"
"If I didn't come, how long were you planning to hide it from me?" Lan Lan questioned him. "Xu Zhouyue went to Xinghe to attend a meeting today. He's taking over your position?"
Liang Yufeng didn't answer. His silence made Lan Lan even angrier. She took Mai Xuanfeng to where he was eating, then grabbed Liang Yufeng's arm. "I'm asking you a question, are you mute!"
"I'm fine," Liang Yufeng said after a long pause.
"You're not fine at all!" Lan Lan was furious. "Without you, Hetai wouldn't be where it is today. Xu Zhengxi used you to elevate Hetai by several levels, and now he's discarding you after using you. You're letting him bully you, why?"
"Even if you really don't care about money and power, you can't let them walk all over you. Why don't you argue with them? Use the energy you use to bully me to bully them!" Lan Lan hit his shoulder. "So you only bully me, right?"
Liang Yufeng chuckled. For some reason, seeing her angry made him incredibly moved. Her current state vividly portrayed what it meant to be "protective." It was as if their child had been bullied, and she was indignant. He was sure that if Xu Zhengxi were present, Lan Lan would have rushed forward to argue with him.
Liang Yufeng's smile only made Lan Lan angrier. "What are you laughing at? You can still laugh!"
Liang Yufeng's smile faded. He retorted, "Isn't this a good thing for you? I have nothing, so I can't threaten you anymore. The contracts you signed are also void. You should be happy, right?"
Lan Lan instinctively wanted to curse, but although she swallowed it down, she became even more displeased. How could Liang Yufeng be so ungrateful? She cared about him so much, and not only did he not appreciate it, but he even brought up the agreement between them. What, was he tired of her and wanted to end things?
"Yes, I should be happy. You deserve it. Why should I care about you!" Lan Lan turned to leave. She had never felt so self-indulgent in her life.
Seeing her about to leave, Liang Yufeng knew he had gone too far. He stopped joking and blocked her path. "I didn't mean it like that. Don't be angry."
He simply didn't know how to explain this matter to her yet. Their relationship was not stable. If Lan Lan found out about Jiang Wan, she might really leave him.
"Then what do you plan to do? Just let him have it?" Lan Lan was disappointed. "I know you have no ambition, but you can't just pave the way for others!"
"I'm not going to let him have it," Liang Yufeng stated his position to Lan Lan. "Hetai is mine, and no one can take it away."
Although he didn't tell Lan Lan about Jiang Wan, Liang Yufeng told her about some of Hetai's internal structure. Lan Lan, having worked in the corporate world for many years, felt reassured after hearing him explain.
The core team and senior management of the company were all Liang Yufeng's people. Even if Xu Zhouyue took over, his capabilities were limited, and these people would not be controlled by him. Although Xu Zhengxi held shares, the shareholders were not to be trifled with. If he and his son could not generate revenue for the company like Liang Yufeng, their positions would not be stable.
"That's how it is, but are you going to remain inactive like this?" Lan Lan was not entirely satisfied with his response.
"I'm tired," Liang Yufeng said. "Consider it a vacation."
Lan Lan smiled. "You really know how to enjoy yourself."
"You're not going back tonight, are you? What do you want to eat?" Liang Yufeng asked, changing the subject.
Lan Lan named a few dishes. Naturally, she stayed the night. Liang Yufeng had her daily necessities and clothes, which were no different from her own apartment.
When she woke up the next morning, Liang Yufeng was already up. Lan Lan went downstairs and smelled the aroma of breakfast.
Early in the morning, Liang Yufeng had already taken Mai Xuanfeng for a walk and returned to make breakfast. Lan Lan ate the steaming wontons, watching Liang Yufeng busy in the kitchen, and her thoughts drifted.
The morning sun shone through the window, illuminating him. He was wearing sportswear and fussing around the kitchen counter, his demeanor softened considerably. For a moment, Lan Lan suddenly felt that perhaps living like this forever wouldn't be bad. She would earn money to support the family, and Liang Yufeng would cook and walk the dog at home. Before going to work, she could even eat a hot breakfast... but she quickly dismissed this dangerous thought.
Liang Yufeng's abilities should be used to compete in the business world, not to live a life of passive acceptance like this.
He might not want it, but it couldn't be taken from him!
When Liang Yufeng sat down, he saw Lan Lan staring at him. He touched his nose. "Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?"