Continuously confused

"Senior Brother, why did you take so long?" Zhang Yan was clearly getting impatient waiting.

"Didn't I tell you that you could go back first?"

"How could I leave you here alone? How did the discussion go?"

"Not so good. Big companies like that are too sensitive to risk; they're afraid I'm colluding with Good Group."

"You've already been fired by Good Group, and they're still afraid of that?"

"Exactly! I even prepared a detailed technical review in advance, but they didn't ask a single word about the technical aspects. But thinking about it, it makes sense; before I joined Good Group, I never imagined they would have so many scummy tactics."

"So what was the result of your talk?"

"It might require your master to step in."

"My master?"

"I can't eliminate Lanbiao Factory's suspicion of me, so I can only 'borrow a tiger's skin to put on a big show' and persuade them from a policy level. So I'll need your master to help vouch for me. But this is beneficial for him too."

Zhang Yan thought for a moment, "My master seems to be transferred to the provincial level to be specifically in charge of social work related to online public opinion."

Lin Yuan asked curiously, "What kind of position is that?"

"I'm not exactly sure. It's probably about rectifying various live-streaming e-commerce platforms, making sure they don't cross the line. And also overseeing extended e-commerce areas like food delivery and express delivery. In short, he'll be in charge of quite a lot."

Lin Yuan immediately snapped his fingers, "That's perfect! I'll go give your master a gift."

"You... you're not trying to give my master a gift, congratulate him on his new appointment, and then ask him to help vouch for you, are you? I advise you to forget it; my master won't accept it. Let me talk to him instead. He might agree for my sake."

"Comrade Xiao Zhang, I must criticize you for that. Your thinking is wrong. You'll understand once you meet your master. Quickly help me set up a time," Lin Yuan then glanced at his phone; there was still some time before lunch, "Preferably today. Oh, has the document for your master's job transfer come down yet?"

"That definitely hasn't. If the document had come down, I wouldn't have just heard about it; Old Mo would definitely have told me immediately."

"That's truly excellent! Please try to arrange it, see if he can have lunch with us. Just say I just went to Lanbiao Factory and have the latest situation to report to him."

Zhang Yan was a bit confused, "You're not his subordinate; what are you reporting to him?"

"Anyway, that's the general idea; I have something to tell him. As for the exact wording, you handle it."

"Alright then." Zhang Yan quickly dialed Director Wang's number.

"Hello, Master, it's me."

"Xiao Zhang, how's your reading recently?"

Zhang Yan looked at Lin Yuan beside her and could only smile awkwardly. Because so far, she had never properly read even a single page of a book.

"It's going well. Master, are you free at noon? Lin Yuan and I would like to invite you to lunch."

Lin Yuan's eyes nearly fell to the floor. What do you mean 'Lin Yuan and I invite you to lunch'? He clearly had important matters to discuss with the other party.

"Is it you and Xiao Lin? Alright, it's rare that you still think of your master. Tell me the place, and I'll be there shortly."

After Zhang Yan hung up the phone, she looked at Lin Yuan, "It's arranged."

"Is that how you arranged it?"

"Didn't you just say to organize the wording myself?"

"But my intention was that you had to convey my meaning; I didn't tell you to alter the main idea."

"What did I alter? Isn't it just inviting my master out for a meal?"

"Forget it. Those old guys will probably misunderstand again."

"Alright," Zhang Yan's face darkened, "Brother, you're really sensitive. You make me feel like I'm the White Bone Demon and you're Tang Sanzang."

"You clearly haven't read Journey to the West properly," Lin Yuan teased, "If I'm Tang Sanzang, you're more like the Queen of the Women's Kingdom."

"Only you are capable. You're already sharing a bed with Xia Ye at night, have I said anything? Your mind is always thinking about who knows what."

"I'm not thinking about anything; I'm afraid those old guys will misunderstand."

"Let them misunderstand; I'm a girl and I haven't said anything, why are you pretending to be so pure? I don't even fancy you."

Lin Yuan joked, "Please keep it up, Princess."

"Let's go!" Zhang Yan rolled her eyes at him, then suddenly stomped on the accelerator.

"Wait, I haven't buckled my seatbelt yet."

---

Lunch was chosen at a Hong Kong-style tea restaurant. The hall was bustling with people.

Director Wang and Zhang Yan arrived one after another.

"Are you two shopping and then decided to find your master for a meal?" Director Wang asked Zhang Yan as soon as he arrived.

"We weren't shopping; Lin Yuan has something to discuss with you, and he specifically asked me to invite you out."

Director Wang didn't ask what Lin Yuan had to discuss, but instead inquired about Zhang Yan's life, "Xiao Zhang, where are you living these days? The school should be on winter break already, right?"

Zhang Yan blurted out, "I'm living with Lin Yuan."

Lin Yuan's face immediately turned awkward.

What Zhang Yan said was indeed true; she was indeed living at his place.

"Uh... the apartment my girlfriend and I rented happened to have a spare room, and Xiao Zhang is new to the area, so she moved in with us."

Director Wang's expression immediately turned sour, and he stared at Lin Yuan, saying, "You have a girlfriend?"

Lin Yuan nodded innocently, "Uh-huh."

Director Wang then glanced at Zhang Yan, and from Zhang Yan's expression, he realized that she also knew about the situation.

"Xiao Lin, what is it you came to see me about today?"

"I see that a major focus of the government's work in the past two years has been employment. I just had a talk with Lanbiao Factory, and they are very responsive to the policy. Getting them back on the same level as Good Group would greatly help stabilize the food delivery market..."

Director Wang interrupted Lin Yuan, "I generally understand what you're saying. I highly acknowledge your ability; you are a smart, ambitious, and capable young man, and I have never denied that. But as the old saying goes, 'be a good person before doing things.' What's going on with you and Xiao Zhang?

You clearly have a girlfriend, yet you let her live with you. What kind of situation is this?"

Zhang Yan quickly explained, "Master, I've recognized Lin Yuan as my sworn older brother. I'm living there as a younger sister-in-law."

Lin Yuan thought to himself, 'It's a good thing Zhang Yan didn't say that Song Xiaoxiao was also living there. Otherwise...' Because Director Wang knew who Song Xiaoxiao was and was very clear about Song Xiaoxiao's glorious history.

"Xiao Zhang, don't speak."

Director Wang then looked at Lin Yuan, "Lin Yuan, you are a smart person; you wouldn't not understand the principle of avoiding suspicion. You clarify this matter first, and then come talk to me."

Director Wang finished speaking and was about to get up.

"Master, why are you angry?"

"Master is not angry. If Master were truly angry, he would immediately call your father right now. You'd see how he would deal with this kid beside you."

"Master~~" Zhang Yan got up and grabbed Director Wang's arm, clearly treating him as an elder in their daily interactions.

Director Wang eventually stopped, but he looked at Lin Yuan.

"Lin Yuan, I'll say a few more words for Xiao Zhang's sake. You young people like to have fun, but there should be a limit. There are some people you can't afford to provoke. Being arrogant and relying on your talent might lead to utter destruction; you think about it yourself."

Lin Yuan was utterly bewildered from beginning to end.

To be precise, he was bewildered twice today.

Once at Lanbiao Factory, and once again when meeting Director Wang.

Things didn't seem to be developing as he had imagined at all.