ant high school in Rongcheng with an ordinary family background. Compared to families here or even many upper-middle-class households in Shanghai, his might be quite a distance behind.It was said that...Chapter 124: Special Treatment

Mr. Wu made a critical mistake during a key phase of the major construction incident involving Da Rong Construction overseas, and there was also a significant oversight when it came to handing over the project with the Greek side. He is now being held accountable for these errors and could face further criminal charges. On the surface, that's how it looks, but in reality, many people are aware of the internal chaos caused by Mu Kai and his group within the company. This has led to a wide-open fissure in their overseas projects.

Many employees at Da Rong Construction have been marginalized, and Mr. Wu, who belongs to Xu Jian's faction, has suffered greatly from this turmoil.

The entire company is now in turmoil due to the internal strife; during shift changes, many people are silent, and even when facing each other, there's no emotion on their faces. In such a tense time between Xu Jianchuan and Mu Kai's factions, those who can't read the winds carefully won't take any rash actions out of fear of being implicated.

Such intense internal conflicts within large state-owned enterprises are inevitable results of long-term accumulated contradictions. With Mr. Xu losing control over the company due to his age and diminished energy levels, these issues have become more apparent, especially for an old-established enterprise which carries many hidden problems.

The day Wu's father was officially removed from his position, he came home in a bad mood and had a heated argument with Ms. Wu and her daughter, the noise of which could be heard throughout most of the building.

Wu Shi Yin then ran away from home, leaving for three days.

In these few days, Ms. Wu looked much more haggard than usual, far from her usual appearance of a high society lady. She had already reported the matter to the police, and Guo Xiaozhong and others sought out Su Can to help find Wu Shi Yin.

Su Can's mother hurriedly told him to follow them to search for places where Wu Shi Yin might be hiding or going, fearing something terrible could have happened in these three days.

If something indeed happened during this period, it would be unimaginable. Wu Shi Yin was a girl many people secretly admired; although she had her flaws like arrogance and vanity, she was fundamentally a good girl who deserved a bright future at a prestigious university.

But after three days of disappearance, one can't help but worry about the myriad possibilities that could occur during this time, including disastrous events rarely seen in real life.

"Su Can, when are you coming over Our friends have been asking since they arrived. They might leave tomorrow or the day after," Lin Zouwu asked urgently on the other end of the line.

During their stay in Chengdu, they had invited Su Can three times, but he had declined each time, dampening everyone's spirits for having traveled such a long distance to meet him.

"Sorry, I have some business that needs handling. We'll see when we can meet," replied Su Can about his refusal to join them in their visits to the vehicle administration office and other places where he was seen with a Volkswagen Beetle and a BMW 7 Series car, clearly not people like him.

He wasn't particularly interested in meeting these friends of Lin Zouwu's, especially since he had real business matters on hand—Guo Xiaozhong, Yang Zhao, and Zhao Xin were all out looking for Wu Shi Yin. He still had to wait at home for their calls.

"Oh, you must be busy then, no worries," Lin Zouwu's disappointment was evident in his voice as he hung up the phone, followed by voices of displeasure from others on his end, "What's going on Your friend is so high-maintenance that he doesn't want to hang out with us"

"Forget it. We don't need him. Let’s go get some tea this afternoon."

Not long after Su Can hung up the phone, it rang again; he picked up to hear Guo Xiaozhong's excited voice: "We found her!"

They had located Wu Shi Yin hiding at a friend’s house. This friend was very close with Wu Shi Yin and had received many calls inquiring about her whereabouts, which she kept secret until the matter grew too big for her to conceal any longer.

Su Can met up with Guo Xiaozhong and others after they found Wu Shi Yin; then he went straight to confirm at her friend's house.

In a single room, Wu Shi Yin was sitting on the sofa, hugging herself tightly in an ambivalent state; however, her eyes were swollen.

"When we came here, we didn't tell your parents temporarily. We hope you’ll go back home with us," Su Can said to her as he and others entered the house.

Zhao Xin, Yang Zhao, Guo Xiaozhong, and the rest encouraged her: "Go back; deal with everything at home."

Wu Shi Yin shook her head. "I don't want to go back. Don’t pretend you care about me! Zhang Yan, you must really hate me, right You always say I have no taste in clothes and that the things I buy are cheap; now, seeing me like this, you’re happy, aren’t you"

A girl among them felt at a loss: "No, although I was somewhat relieved to see what happened to Wu Shi Yin, there's also sympathy. Now she’s attacking me in such an aggressive manner that it throws me off."

"Yang Zhao, do you remember why I refused your初二 (middle school second year) invitation Actually, you're more meticulous and attractive than Zhao Xin, and you’re good at math too. But, do you remember what your mom said back then When we were sixth graders and walked home together after class, she told you to stay away from people like me! I’ll never forget the look on her face when she said that; as if my family was beneath contempt! What’s so great about your better-off family"

Zhao Xin froze in place, while Yang Zhao looked very uncomfortable.

The entire courtyard had watched Wu Shi Yin's family grow from a struggling household to their current status. In the old days, they were just another poor family worrying about making ends meet. Over time, with her father’s promotion at the company headquarters, their income grew significantly—from an initial salary of six or seven thousand per year to tens of thousands now.

However, tight living conditions in childhood made her pragmatic and vain, fostering a strong sense of self.

However, when she finally got into university and saw twelve years of hard work pay off, her family faced such upheaval. Her father's efforts over the past decade were suddenly rendered futile with his dismissal overnight, making it hard to accept all these changes. It felt like everything crumbled before her eyes.

The family found themselves in a very difficult situation once again, almost returning to their life living in the old courtyard.

"Gu Xiaozhong, you must hate me! You think I've always looked down on you, and seeing me like this now must give you great satisfaction!"

Gu Xiaozhong shook his head. "What nonsense are you talking We're all upset about what happened to your family. Running away for a few days made us worry sick—not just your parents but everyone around here. You've got university and a good degree; with that, you can find excellent employment without your parents worrying."

Gu Xiaozhong suddenly turned to Shu Cun, shaking his arm. "Shu Cun, why don't you talk to your dad Uncle Wu's dismissal surely has some room for negotiation. My father said there are people above who are targeting Uncle Wu and trying to get rid of him; it happened without going through the staff congress. This is definitely underhanded!"

Shu Cun looked at Gu Xiaozhong sadly, not knowing what to say. Father Su was someone who wouldn't hide his thoughts, often confiding in those he saw as close friends. The way Gu Xiaozhong spoke indicated that his father was quite straightforward.

In recent days, the parent company would undergo major changes, potentially the largest reshuffle of personnel and power structures Great Grace Construction had seen in nearly a decade.

Gu's father, belonging to the Xu Laotaiye faction, would eventually fall victim to attacks by figures like Mu Kai and Li Yuhé.

In an organization like Great Grace Construction, one of Chengdu’s first state-owned enterprises to reach a hundred billion yuan in revenue, such internal changes were not something Shu Cun or even his father Su Licheng could control.

There were many things he couldn't change, including the events that disrupted people's lives suddenly during this summer holiday.

If his own career path ended here and his mother managed the successful first-tier distributorship of Shushan stationery well, he still had opportunities in business. Furthermore, Shu Cun had already seized many opportunities through his foresight; thus, they didn't need to worry about survival or living standards.

At most, his father might occasionally reminisce about the work that took up much of his youth and energy, something Shu Cun had seen in the past. However, at least now, his father wouldn’t have to stress over feeding the family.

But what about others

Shu Cun was no savior; he couldn't intervene in such matters. He certainly didn't want to blurt out something like "Don't worry, Mr. and Mrs. Wu, I'll support your daughter" to avoid a bolt of lightning.

Lives were real, and even if countless lives crumbled or fell before him, it was unrelated to him. He was just someone who wanted to reclaim his past regrets, to enjoy life and savor the rebirth he had experienced. He wasn't an idealist or dreamer.

Therefore, Shu Cun said nothing; there was no way for him to help.

When Gu Xiaozhong saw that Shu Cun didn’t respond, he feared she wouldn’t be persuaded to return.

"Gu Xiaozhong, stop talking nonsense," Wu Shimiao interrupted with a smile.

"I realize I was too impulsive and caused worry. What I said earlier was nonsense; please don't pay it any mind." She wasn’t just being capricious; the harsh words were defensive outbursts due to extreme emotional closure, releasing pent-up frustrations she couldn’t express.

After calming down, she understood many things clearly and knew that even with her father’s influence in the company, changing these matters would be difficult. Even if it could be changed, what price would they pay

Sometimes, this world was like that; a few decisions by some people could alter entire families’ destinies. Now, she needed to focus on university and work hard after graduation to reduce the burden on her parents.

Standing up, she looked at her friends gathered there and said emotionally, "Let's go home together."

When Wu Shimiao returned, her mother had already been informed and was waiting in the courtyard. The two embraced and cried.

The incident of Wu Shirui’s disappearance came to an end.

Under the night sky, a light still shone from Mu Kai's office as deputy general manager of Great Grace Construction. To secure his strategic position and win in corporate internal battles, he hadn't slept well for quite some time. Sometimes, when closing his eyes, he couldn’t stop himself from opening them again.

Thinking about the future made him want to stay awake; it wasn't that he was overly excited—his age had long passed such moments of excitement—but sleep eluded him. It felt as though there were endless energy within him, no matter what method used, this time he must succeed.

He’d waited too long for this moment to arrive.

So he has to protect himself. If someone wants him dead, he can't help but retaliate.

In his office, Mu Kai was frustratedly flipping through the thick documents in his hand; these reports didn’t necessarily mean there weren’t any flaws.

He was already overwhelmed with anxiety and stress. At this critical moment, he couldn’t afford to make any major mistakes.

The phone rang. On the other end of the line, a deep voice spoke.

Mu Kai felt his hand holding the receiver shaking, so he tried to stay calm, "Are you sure This matter can't have even the slightest error."

"Do it: cripple him and let him rest. I don’t want to continue this feud with me,"

Hanging up the phone, Mu Kai slammed down the receiver forcefully as if his blood was burning; veins were visible on his forehead. "Xu Jian, I’ve already warned you. Don't blame me for taking preemptive action when you try to kill me."

At home, Gu Xiaozhong’s mother and Zeng He, who rarely had time off, sat on the sofa discussing. Gu Mama was saying, "Our Old Gu is just not good at his job. Look at him: after more than ten years, he's only a department head. Your old Su has been vice president in less than two years. Our Old Gu isn’t like that; he’s not favored by superiors and doesn’t have your old Su’s abilities."

Zeng He responded humbly but felt somewhat appeased by what Gu Mama said.

Gu Mama thought it was time to speak more directly, "You know my husband's temper. I’ve tried many times to persuade him, but he’s too stubborn. What does he think by getting involved in his leader’s affairs If you don’t like someone, just keep it to yourself."

"But what if others hear about this and misunderstand So, Old Gu will rely on your old Su from now on. I don't expect him to advance further; before retirement, he should secure his position well. Xiaozhong is still in college and needs money for tuition; he can’t get entangled with work issues. Sister, we really need your help."

Zeng He was saying she would try her best but had a tone of evasion knowing the internal dynamics of their company.

With Wu Shimiao’s matter nearly resolved, Su Can decided it was time to visit Lin Luoran; he’d already turned down them several times. Hearing that one of Lin Luoran's friends was leaving town, and given they’d agreed earlier for him to meet everyone, not showing up would be awkward.

They were all eighteen after high school graduation; Wang Weiwei and Lin Zhouwu had matured significantly from their teenage years, developing their own thoughts and deeper perspectives.

Picking up the phone, it was Lin Luoran’s voice on the other end saying, "You’re finally coming. Took you long enough."

Su Can thought her tone sounded a bit resentful, so he replied, “A child at work went missing but has been found.”

"Are you running an orphanage It’s complicated! If you come now, go to the shopping district. See us outside the entrance; we’re going shopping and might leave if you're late!" Lin Luoran hung up.

In the living room were a group of boys and girls who had been causing commotion in their home recently, even prompting complaints from neighbors to the property management. Wang Weiwei felt ashamed but wondered what his father would say upon seeing the mess when he finally came back home someday.

Someone said sarcastically, "So Mr. Rarely Seen is making an appearance" Since picking them up at the driving school and dropping them off midway through their first day, Su Can hadn't been seen again, living up to his nickname.

"Is there really such a person I’ve never paid attention to this guy before. You guys talk about him all the time but when we met last time he seemed ordinary."

Wang Weiwei made a muscular pose and said with a pout, "Sis Li Lan, what type of girl are you interested in"

"Don’t tease me, Wang Weiwei. Everyone knows you’re after Ye Huichang. I haven't met her but heard she’s well-liked and decent enough, though she might emigrate since she studies abroad now. When will we meet Your Beijing friends are all famous."

Su Can arrived at the entrance of Dunhuang Mall; the building looked abstract from this angle with its flame-shaped architecture. People were coming and going around him as he stood there, not finding Wang Yue or Ren Ying inside since they were probably out. Most management staff was elsewhere in an office nearby.

Seemingly both girls weren't around: Wang Yue went to yoga class, while Ren Ying was at a four-star hotel meeting clients.

To his surprise, he ran into Xu Jianchuan outside as the latter had parked his car and was leaving after handling some errands nearby. They briefly greeted each other before parting ways.

A red Beetle sports car and a black BMW 7 Series pulled up in front of him; Wang Weiwei and Lin Luoran waved from inside while the passengers chatted.

In the Beetle, Zhang Lin and Zhao Chunyang were with another couple. Zhao Chunyang was fair-skinned and well-dressed, Zhang Lin petite but stylishly dressed.

The BMW driver was a young man named Xu Zhuoming who still looked somewhat inexperienced around his eyes and eyebrows.

Situated beside Lin Zouwu, the two girls on the backseat of the car were a single-eyelid girl named Li Lan and Zhang Lufei whose face was somewhat flat. Both had ordinary appearances, but their makeup looked rather domineering, giving them an avant-garde look. However, the business-like feel of this BMW 7 Series sedan did not match the attire worn by the male and female passengers inside.

Moreover, since this was a bustling commercial area, even though seeing two expensive cars like these was nothing out of the ordinary, the fact that they were occupied by teenagers around eighteen or nineteen years old still attracted passersby to cast curious glances their way.

The two cars then entered the underground parking lot of the mall.

After everyone came out of the parking lot and joined Su Chen in entering the mall, they met up with him.

A total of three girls and two boys had come from Shanghai. Since everyone had only seen each other inside the car before, this was their first time seeing one another face-to-face. Although these three girls were not particularly good-looking, their skin was very fair and delicate.

After greeting Su Chen, Li Lan teasingly said, "Busybody, I finally get to see you."

Su Chen awkwardly smiled and apologized, briefly explaining that he had been rather busy these few days.

"Oh That's fine. If you're too busy, then there are always things you can avoid participating in." Li Lan remained noncommittal, thinking Su Chen was someone who deliberately kept a low profile to make himself stand out. She often saw such individuals at gatherings in her social circle—people who suddenly become silent and melancholy when they want attention. She simply ignored them.

This young man's literary charm made him prone to self-pity, which she found annoying. He did not have the aura of a true man.

Zhang Lufei, on the other hand, was very interested in Su Chen and believed that Lin Zouwu and Wang Weiwei's admiration for him had some basis. She thought he seemed introverted, typical of someone who could be easily attracted or deceived by young girls.

As such, she deliberately walked in front of Su Chen to show off herself, but this was seen by Lin Luoran, who wanted to tell Zhang Lufei that no matter how hard she swung her hips, Su Chen would not be interested in someone with a frail figure like hers. This lecherous man valued physical attractiveness and feminine allure; otherwise, why would he have targeted Tang Wu, the school's heartthrob

The ladies felt as if they had entered a paradise when entering the mall, indeed, vibrant clothes could trigger women’s innate desire for beauty.

Zhao Chunyang naturally had Zhang Lin taking care of him. Li Lan seemed extremely wealthy and dragged Wang Weiwei and Lin Zouwu along to buy them gifts, which they eventually accepted despite their initial resistance.

Lin Luoran bought several items of clothing. They were relatively cheap, with an average price not exceeding three hundred yuan. Although she was the one among Wang Weiwei and Lin Zouwu who usually had the most pocket money and saved carefully, her financial resources still paled in comparison to Li Lan and Zhang Lufei.

As a result, only Su Chen felt somewhat awkward for not receiving such attention from these girls. It was possible that Li Lan deliberately did this to put him on the spot.

Zhang Lufei wanted to catch Su Chen's attention but was not at the point of buying clothes for him; she would feel embarrassed if she did so.

Lin Luoran hesitated before saying to Su Chen, "Today is a special day for men in this mall. What do you want I'll buy it for you. After all, we've been classmates for many years now. Other than birthday gifts, I haven't given anything meaningful. This can be our graduation gift."

This statement left the ladies somewhat stunned; Lin Luoran was such a high-minded girl—would she really buy something for a man

Su Chen shook his head and said, "Thank you, but there's no need. And our 'graduation' isn't real graduation—we'll still meet in Shanghai anyway, not forever apart."

Lin Luoran made an "oh" sound, giving him a dismissive look: "That may not be true; who says I have to see you just because we're in Shanghai After seeing you for so long, do you think I won't feel annoyed and busy"

"Yes, our school's standards are clear. With such a gem as Lingran here, countless people will immediately flock to her when she enters the school. Where would there be any place where she wouldn't be welcomed Where would she have time for you" Li Lan scoffed, openly expressing her dissatisfaction with Su Chen, likely due to his ordinary appearance being frequently mentioned by Lin Luoran.

Lin Luoran's special treatment of him made her feel indignant.

People often make judgments about others based on various details and may not be able to understand someone like Su Chen at first glance.

I'm so dizzy. It's already time for the next update.

Tomorrow is Friday, and I can only post one chapter and will do it a bit later in the day.

Hope to start a new volume the day after tomorrow or something around that time.

I'm preparing to clear this volume.

Thank you all for your patience. For those who are still dreaming, may you have beautiful dreams. I will strive to create an intriguing story with enough excitement and emotional moments, which is more than enough.tairs by the roadside.The instructor delivering a lecture was momentarily paused for a few seconds, obviously disheartened that such an attentive and pretty female student had left the classroom. The...