Beneath the Marriage Pact

Chapter 12: The Second Uncle's Counterattack, the Stock Market Battle (2)

Early the next morning, Ling held a press conference. Ling Xu 'an stood on the stage, holding evidence of Qin's money laundering and smuggling, and read it to the reporters one by one. There were flashes of lights in the audience, and no one mentioned the decline in Ling's stock price again. Instead, they were questioning Qin's secrets.

After the press conference, Ling's stock price soared to the daily limit. Chen Mo rushed into the office with his tablet: "Boss! The stock price has gone crazy! 5 percent higher than before!"

Ling Xu 'an didn't look at the tablet. His gaze fell out of the window - Shen Zhixia was downstairs talking to Professor Zhang, holding a model of the Starlight Project equipment in her hand, smiling with her eyes curved.

"Got it." He replied indifferently, picked up his coat and walked out, "I'm going to pick up Miss Shen for dinner."

Chen Mo looked at Ling Xu 'an's back and couldn't help laughing - before, the boss only had work in his eyes, but now, all he could think about was Miss Shen.

Downstairs, Shen Zhixia was telling Professor Zhang about the investigation of the Qin family when she was suddenly grabbed from behind. She turned her head and saw Ling Xu 'an. "Why did you come down?"

"Take you to dinner." Ling Xu 'an pulled her into his arms and smiled at Professor Zhang, "Professor Zhang along?"

"Not going, not going." Professor Zhang waved his hand and stepped back tactfully. "This old man is not a light bulb."

Shen Zhixia blushed and pinched Ling Xu 'an's arm: "Stop messing around."

Ling Xu 'an smiled without saying a word and led her to the parking lot. The sunlight fell on their clasped hands, warm as if melting. Looking at his profile, Shen Zhixia suddenly felt - all the stock market battles, all the uncle's schemes, all were gone at this moment.

On the way to the restaurant, Shen Zhixia leaned over the car window to look at the street view. Suddenly, she remembered something and poked Ling Xu 'an's arm: "Right, Ling Zhengxiong has been locked up in the old house. Hasn't his family made a fuss?"

"Yes," he said. Ling Xu 'an held the steering wheel, his tone unchanging. "His wife went to knock on the old house early in the morning and was doused with cold water by grandpa's butler. She's probably going home crying now."

Shen Zhixia burst out laughing: "Grandpa is really tough."

"You have to be tough when dealing with such people." Ling Xu 'an turned a corner. "I've asked the legal department to sort out the evidence of his embezzlement of public funds. Once the matter of the Qin family is settled, it will be sent to the procuratorate."

"Could it be too...?" " Shen Zhixia hesitated for a moment and was interrupted by Ling Xu 'an before she could finish her words.

"Not harsh." He turned his head to look at her, his eyes deep, "This time he dares to join forces with the Qin family to short the Ling family, next time he dares to sell the 'Starlight Project'. To keep him is to leave the seeds of trouble."

Shen Zhixia said no more. She thought of what her senior had said about "port smuggling" and felt a chill run down her back - if Qin had really succeeded, Ling might have been dragged into a quagmire.

The restaurant is a private one, and the private room is very quiet. Not long after he sat down, Ling Xu 'an's phone rang again. It was the old house butler calling. He picked up the phone and frowned.

"What's wrong?" Shen Zhixia handed him a cup of warm water.

"Ling Zhengxiong is fasting at the old house." Ling Xu 'an pinched his forehead. "Grandpa said he doesn't need to worry about him. He'll be well-behaved after two days of hunger."

"He does pretend to be pitiful." Shen Zhixia picked up a piece of tofu and put it in his mouth, soft. "Maybe he's trying to wait for your heart to soften."

"I won't be soft-hearted." Ling Xu 'an took a sip of water. "He never showed mercy when he made my dad so angry that he was hospitalized."

Shen Zhixia was stunned for a moment - she had never heard Ling Xu 'an mention his father.

"My dad used to be the general manager of the Ling family." Ling Xu 'an seemed to see through her mind and spoke slowly, "Ling Zhengxiong has always been jealous of him and spread rumors everywhere that he embezzled public funds. My father couldn't stand it and had a quarrel with him. He had a sudden heart attack and was hospitalized, but couldn't be saved."

Shen Zhixia's heart tightened and she reached out to hold his hand: "Sorry, I don't know..."

"It's okay." Ling Xu 'an held her back in his hand and rubbed his fingertips against the back of her hand. "It's all over." He paused for a moment and then laughed, "Come to think of it, if my dad were still here, he would surely like you -- he always says that when looking for a wife, you have to find someone smart and capable."

Shen Zhixia blushed at what he said and pulled his hand back to take a bite of food: "Eat, the dishes are getting cold."

Ling Xu 'an looked at her reddened ears and did not tease her anymore, but quietly picked out all the coriander from her bowl - he remembered she didn't like it.

When Shen Zhixia returned to the lab in the afternoon, Professor Zhang was laughing with a newspaper in his hand. The front page of the newspaper was a photo of Ling Xu 'an holding a press conference, with the caption "President Ling strikes back strongly, Money laundering case of Qin comes to light".

"This is good!" Professor Zhang slapped the newspaper on the table and said, "Let's see who dares to think about the 'Starlight Project' again!"

Shen Zhixia smiled and said nothing. She turned on her computer to read the new email sent by her senior - it was a chat record between Qin Shi and the Southeast Asian arms dealer, which also mentioned Ling Zhengxiong's help in "unconnecting the port joints". Just as she had forwarded the mail to Ling Xu 'an, Lin Yue's call came in.

"Zhi Xia! Great thing!" Lin Yue's voice was cheerful as if it were about to jump, "My cousin found out that the chief financial officer of the Qin family is going to rebel! The man has recordings of Qin bribing officials and wants to sell them for a good price - do you want them?"

"Yes!" Shen Zhixia's eyes lit up. "How much? I'll have Ling Xu 'an send someone to pick it up."

"It's free!" Lin Yue snorted. "The director is afraid that if the Qin family falls, he will be implicated. As long as we keep him safe, the recording will be free! I've already asked my cousin to take the man to the safe house. You just ask Chen Mo to go and get him."

After hanging up the phone, Shen Zhixia immediately sent a message to Chen Mo. As soon as she finished, Professor Zhang came up, holding a thermos cup in his hand: "Xia, when are you getting married to Ling kid? I'm waiting for the wedding wine."

Shen Zhixia's face turned red in a swish: "It's still early..."

"Not too early, not too early." Professor Zhang waved his hand. "Your mother and I had our wedding right after the project came out - to share in the joy, the project will go more smoothly!"

Shen Zhixia was tempted by the words and took out her phone to send a message to Ling Xu 'an, but saw that he had just sent one: "Ling Zhengxiong has taken it. He said the Qin family also bribed Director Wang of the municipal Development and Reform commission. I have already asked Chen Mo to send the evidence."

It was followed by an emoji - a little dog with a rose in its mouth, looking silly.

Shen Zhixia couldn't help laughing and tapping her finger on the screen: "Professor Zhang is urging us to get married."

Ling Xu 'an replied almost instantly: "Then when this is over, shall we do it?"

Shen Zhixia was looking at the screen, her heart beating a little fast. Just as she was about to reply "OK", the door of the laboratory was suddenly pushed open. It was Chen Mo, drenched in sweat and holding a USB drive in his hand: "Miss Shen! Director Wang has been placed under double regulation! Just news from the Commission for Discipline Inspection!"

"Good!" Professor Zhang slapped the table beside him and laughed. "Great pleasure!"

Shen Zhixia looked at the USB drive and then at Ling Xu 'an's message on her phone, and suddenly felt a light in her heart. All the underhanded battles in the stock market, all the schemes hidden in the shadows, seemed to be cleared away at this moment.

When Ling Xu 'an came to pick up Shen Zhixia in the evening, he held a bunch of gardenias in his hand. The white petals, moistened with water droplets, were fragrant just right.

"All over?" Shen Zhixia took the flower and leaned it into his arms.

"It's over." "Mr. Qin has been extradited back to the country, the case of Ling Zhengxiong has been transferred to the procuratorate, and Director Wang has been placed under double regulation," said Ling Xu 'an, carrying her towards the car. He paused, then lowered his head and whispered in her ear, "Now, no one can disturb us anymore."

Shen Zhixia looked up at him. The setting sun had dyed his profile warm yellow, so beautiful that one wanted to kiss it. She tiptoed and pecked at his chin: "That wedding..."

"Go and see the venue tomorrow." Ling Xu 'an picked her up and spun her around, scaring Shen Zhixia to quickly put her arms around his neck. "Shall we go to Qingyu Bay? You said you liked the sea there."

"Ok." Shen Zhixia leaned in his arms and laughed, the wind carrying the fragrance of the gardenias far away.

Shen Zhixia was leaning out of the car window looking out at the sea as the car drove onto the cross-sea bridge. The setting sun fell on the sea, glittering like a speck of gold. She suddenly recalled the first time she had gone to Qingyu Bay with Ling Xu 'an - when they were still separated by a contract and spoke politely.

Who would have thought that in just a few months it would turn out like this?

"Ling Xu 'an." She suddenly spoke.

"Huh?"

"Thank you." Shen Zhixia turned her head to look at him, her eyes brighter than stars, "Thank you for believing me, thank you... Let me stand by your side."

Ling Xu 'an tightened his grip on the steering wheel, said nothing, but freed up one hand to hold hers tightly.

The sea breeze from outside the window blew in, carrying a salty taste. Shen Zhixia leaned back in her seat, looking at their clasped hands, and suddenly felt - the tension of those stock market battles, the tacit understanding of those joint counterattacks, all became the most special marks in their relationship.

The sea breeze from Qingyu Bay, carrying a salty and damp scent, made Shen Zhixia's hair sway wildly. Ling Xu 'an stood on the terrace of the villa, encircling her waist from behind and pressing his chin against the top of her hair: "Like this place?"

"I like it." Shen Zhixia nodded and pointed to the white sandy beach in the distance. "It was cold last time, but now the beach is full of people and looks lively." She paused for a moment and then laughed out loud, "Come to think of it, the first time we ate here, I secretly counted how many pieces of meat you picked up - for fear that you would think I ate too much."

Ling Xu 'an chuckled and pinched her cheek with his fingertips: "Why didn't you say anything back then? I thought you didn't like seafood."

"How dare I say." Shen Zhixia struggled and turned to look at him. "We were a contractual couple back then. I had to put on a show."

"No need to pretend now." Ling Xu 'an lowered his head and kissed the tip of her nose. "Eat as much as you want from now on. I'll be with you."

Just as he was speaking, Chen Mo called and said that Ling Zhengxiong's wife had gone to the company again and was carried away by the security guard. "Boss, do you want..."

"Never mind." Ling Xu 'an interrupted him, his voice a little colder. "Let the legal department send a lawyer's letter directly accusing her of provoking trouble."

After hanging up the phone, Shen Zhixia looked at his tense profile and reached out to rub his brow: "Don't be angry. It has nothing to do with this kind of person."

"Not angry." Ling Xu 'an held her hand. "It was a nuisance." He paused for a moment and then laughed, "But it's okay, you're here."

In the past, he would probably have been busy with Ling Zhengxiong's case until midnight and wouldn't have had the mind to come to Qingyu Bay to see the sea.

In the evening, they would walk along the beach, treading on the soft sand, and the waves would lick their ankles. Shen Zhixia picked up a shell, white and patterned, just as she was about to hand it to him, she saw fireworks set off in the distance.

The colorful lights burst in the night sky, dazzling to the eyes. Ling Xu 'an suddenly knelt down on one knee and fished out a velvet box from his pocket - not a ring, but a small silver anchor pendant engraved with the word "Xia 'an".

"I've been so busy that I haven't had time to give you a formal token." He put the pendant around her neck and rubbed his finger against her collarbone. "This anchor can calm the wind and waves. No matter what happens, I'll be here."

Shen Zhixia touched the pendant and suddenly burst into tears. It wasn't sadness, it felt sweet -- sweet to the point of wanting to cry.

"Ling Xu 'an." She sobbed, "Did you ever secretly practice how to coax people before?"

"I haven't." Ling Xu 'an stood up and held her in his arms, his voice hoarse. "Just want to be nice to you."

The fireworks were still going off. The sea breeze carried the scent of the sea water, mixed with the cedar smell on him, so pleasant that it made one want to get drunk. Shen Zhixia leaned in his arms, listening to his heartbeat, and suddenly felt - all the tension of the stock market battles, all the schemes of the second uncle had become stepping stones, pushing them to each other.

On her way back to the city the next day, as she passed under the paulownia trees in the old town, Shen Zhixia asked Ling Xu 'an to stop the car. The old man selling sugar paintings at the entrance of the alley was still there, drawing a little rabbit for a little girl.

"Two sugar paintings, please." Ling Xu 'an walked over and pointed at the chopping board, "draw two stars joined together."

The old man smiled and nodded. The sugar spoon spun very fast. In a short while, he drew two crooked stars and handed them over on a bamboo skewer. Shen Zhixia took it and took a bite. The sweet taste of sugar spread in her mouth, exactly the same as it was twenty years ago.

"Ling Xu 'an." She waved the sugar painting at him and said, "For our wedding, shall the old man do the sugar painting? Just draw lots and lots of stars."

"Ok." Ling Xu 'an pinched her face.