After Mistakenly Binding The Matchmaker System

Chapter 98

Li Heyuan knew what Li Shu meant without thinking much. Before this, Li Shu had always had that intention, but Li Heyuan thought he was overthinking. That was the foundation of the Li family. He was already grateful that Li Shu had brought him back. He had never asked for anything that belonged to the Li family. What he wanted, he would achieve with his own hands. He only hoped to be with Li Shu forever.

During this period of study, he knew he had some talent in business. However, he would never covet things that were not originally his. What he thought about was creating his own empire in the future and then giving it to Li Shu.

He wouldn’t take things from the Li family. Initially, he didn’t know that sharing the same surname as Li Shu would carry such weighty implications. He wanted to have the surname “Li” simply because his Sir’s surname was “Li,” not because this “Li” was the “Li” of the Li family.

If he had known earlier that his request would cause Li Shu such trouble and lead to questioning and complaints from the Li family, he wouldn’t have asked to have the surname “Li” just because of his own selfishness.

“Does Sir want me to go to the company? Won’t Uncle and the others be unhappy about this?” Li Heyuan wasn’t concerned about others being unhappy; he just thought that if Sir really took him to the company, it would cause a great commotion among the Li family.

The one who would bear the consequences of this commotion was Sir.

“No, why would a child like you worry so much? You’re just using this platform for practical experience. They won’t bother with a child like you. Don’t worry, with me here, Xiao Yuan just needs to focus on learning.” Li Shu lay on the sofa, looking at a certain point in space, his fingers absentmindedly running through the hair of the boy on his legs.

Li Shu was always a man of his word. He said he would let Li Heyuan practice at the company, and that evening, he contacted Assistant Xu to convey the request.

Assistant Xu knew that Li Heyuan was a child that his boss had focused on developing, and he also understood that this matter was a signal. After all, which junior of the Li family had such an honor to practice at the headquarters? Their training was usually completed at the branch offices. The Li family was quite generous to their juniors, and they just waved their hands and handed over a branch office for them to work on. Of course, the children of the Li family also worked hard because this was an initial assessment. If they failed this assessment, they could forget about the subsequent events.

However, this direct insertion of someone into the headquarters had never happened before. Even back then, Vice President Li had to make considerable achievements in the branch office before being promoted to the headquarters ahead of schedule as an exception.

After hanging up the phone, Assistant Xu sighed deeply. He could already imagine how much turmoil the company would be in once this news spread, especially given the current situation.

Rumors were rampant, and with Li Shu absent for a long time, more and more people in the company couldn’t sit still anymore. They were inciting unknowing employees to join their camps, eager to divide the benefits. From their actions, it was clear they already considered the company their own, competing for power and profit, eager to snatch the biggest piece of cake for themselves.

Assistant Xu had received overt and covert solicitations several times. He was handling several major projects, and pulling him into their camps would undoubtedly be a great boost. Among them, Vice President Li Song’s request was particularly tempting.

The hearts of the people in the company were restless and unstable. Various forces were at play, but Assistant Xu remained a bystander, with no intention of getting involved. He knew more about the inside story than others. There’s a saying, “To destroy someone, make them mad first”. Under different circumstances, some might have kept their composure and waited, but the stakes in this matter were too high.

Businessmen value profit the most. Faced with immense benefits, they were willing to take any risks.

Pushing his glasses up, Assistant Xu went to arrange Li Heyuan’s employment.

As he expected, it was like a drop of water into a frying pan. There was an uproar as soon as this news spread.

All the senior executives received the news promptly. During this period, they were all focusing on the company’s movements, fearing someone might act first. Unexpectedly, before anyone made a move, they heard this news: Li Shu wanted to place Li Heyuan into the company.

Why?

Upon hearing the news, everyone’s first reaction was confusion. The truth of the news was uncertain. The rumors of Li Shu’s serious illness had left many uncertain but they chose to believe it after someone swore it was true and because of Li Shu’s long absence.

Now, hearing that Li Shu wanted to bring the child he raised into the company, these people were filled with the same doubts. Previously, the rumor of Li Shu’s serious illness was questioned: if it was false, why had he been absent for so long? He even skipped the routine family gatherings during the Lunar New Year. However, if the news was true, why did he want to bring Li Heyuan into the company at this time?

“Brother, why do you think he’s doing this?”

Li Song turned away from the floor-to-ceiling window in silence, his eyes filled with dark clouds. “Regardless of what he’s thinking, it doesn’t hinder our plans much. Can a child who hasn’t matured turn the tide?”

“But…” The man hesitated, unable to suppress his inner anxiety any longer. “Brother, don’t you feel that this is going too smoothly? We prepared so many back up plans, but none of them were used. Everything has gone so smoothly, as if even the heavens are helping us. The obstacles we considered encountering have all been overcome smoothly.”

This was something he had only recently considered. Today’s news felt like a bucket of ice water poured over his head, instantly extinguishing the fiery plans in his heart.

Something was wrong. It was too smooth, so smooth that it gave him an unreal feeling.

Li Song frowned. Since the execution of the plan began, things had indeed been too smooth, so smoothly that he almost got carried away. It almost made him forget how Li Shu had carved a path through his siblings and elders to become the head of the family. After so many years, there was no reason why the fierce tiger of the past should have become a weak cat.

However, the information he found was indeed true. His good younger brother was seriously ill, a disease that had been hidden in his body since birth. He even found the old doctor from back then and confirmed it in various ways. This disease, if it erupted, would be incurable by current medical standards. The people in the laboratory also told him so.

There must be something important that he had overlooked, or some very important point, but…

“Regardless, the plan has come this far. It’s too late to say anything now. We’ve already made arrangements here. Let’s continue according to the plan,” Li Song pinched the bridge of his nose. “You know what kind of person Li Shu is. I believe you don’t need me to tell you. At this point, unless we can win, our fate will be a lesson for others.”

“I understand.”

This lesson happened more than ten years ago. At that time, relying on the favor of the former head of the family, Li Shu’s younger brother tried to pull him down from his current position. As a result, so many years passed but who still remembers the brilliant youngest son of the Li family?

Only successful people have the right to write history. Now, in the upper echelons of S City’s society, who dares to mention that person’s name? Even the former head of the Li family, who was exceptionally fond of him back then, remains silent about him.

“Brother, how do you intend to handle the matter of that kid coming to the company?”

“Someone will scout ahead for us on this matter. Let’s see the outcome first.”

Li Song was right. As soon as the news spread, someone couldn’t help but come to the office to inquire.

After straightening the messy files on his desk, Assistant Xu replied calmly, “This is President Li’s decision, not mine.”

“This isn’t following the rules,” the visitor persisted. “He may be the head of the family, but he has to follow the rules in this matter. Every junior member of the Li family must achieve something at the branch offices before coming to the headquarters. This Li Heyuan isn’t even a true child. How can he set such a precedent? Siny you can’t make decisions for President Li, then contact him now. I want to speak to him myself.”

The first person who came was an old man from the Li family who valued rules. He wasn’t interested in power struggles. Whoever had the ability could sit in that position. He didn’t join any camp or favor anyone, but he staunchly adhered to the rules and was a stickler for fairness.

Li Shu had already given instructions not to disturb him unless necessary. So naturally, Assistant Xu couldn’t afford to call him specifically for such a matter. However, this visitor was different from other members of the Li family. Assistant Xu couldn’t confront him directly like he did with Li Song. He could only persuade him politely:

“Look, Mr. Li didn’t say that the child is coming to work at the company. He’s here to learn, it’s a practical assignment assigned by the teacher, not what you’re imagining.”

“Assistant Xu, you can deceive others with this, but do you think you can deceive me? We both know the true intention behind the family head’s actions. You don’t need to use such words to stall me. I know you can’t make decisions for him so I won’t make it difficult for you. Just give him a call, I’ll talk to him myself about these matters.”

“It’s not that I won’t call, it’s just that I can’t reach President Li at this moment.” Assistant Xu was also in a dilemma. To avoid external disturbances,Li Shu was completely out of contact apart from fixed times. What he said was entirely true.

“When can you reach him? I’ll come back at that time.”

Assistant Xu couldn’t persuade the man, so he had to tell the other person the time. After finally sending the person away, he massaged his temples, feeling a headache, and emailed Li Shu about this matter.

Not long after he started working, more people kept coming one after another. Their purposes were all the same. Even though Assistant Xu was mentally prepared, dealing with them all was still exhausting.

Almost everyone went home empty-handed that day.

During the handover of work that evening, Assistant Xu told Li Shu about the whole matter without exaggeration or simplification.

Li Shu simply responded with an “mmm,” indicating that he knew about the matter. “Just endure a few more tough days, and no one will bother about this matter anymore.”

“As long as President Li doesn’t forget about my promised annual leave,” Assistant Xu replied with a smile over the phone.

Last year, due to Li Shu’s illness and rest at home, all major and minor matters of the company were on Assistant Xu’s shoulders. Naturally, during the Lunar New Year last year, while others were on their vacation and reuniting with their families, he was working hard at the company. Although he was not the only one working overtime, he was definitely the one working the hardest.

“Don’t worry. Once this matter is settled, you can take as much leave as you want.” Li Shu saw how hard Assistant Xu worked and naturally wouldn’t ignore it.

Some news always spreads quickly. In less than a day, everyone in the company knew that the future “little prince” was coming to the company for practical training. There was no job assignment, but he was parachuted into Li Ziyue’s project team and was said to be there to learn. However, the real situation was a matter of opinion.

It was Li Ziyue himself who proposed to send Li Heyuan to his project team. When he heard that Li Heyuan was coming to the company, he contacted Li Shu on his own initiative to explain his intentions.

“You said you want to guide Heyuan?” After listening to Li Ziyue’s words, Li Shu was quite surprised. If he remembered correctly, these two people didn’t seem to get along well. Although they got along on the surface, many details could still reveal a lot.

Li Shu didn’t believe that Li Ziyue didn’t think about the deeper meaning of arranging Li Heyuan to come to the company. So, Li Shu was really surprised by what Li Ziyue said.

“Isn’t the Family Head saying that he wants him to come to the company to learn? It’s just right for him to come to me. The projects I’m currently handling are in the final stages, so I have the time to personally mentor him. Family Head, rest assured, Heyuan is part of the Li family. I won’t hide anything from him.”

The young man’s voice was steady and powerful, and every sentence made sense. Indeed, Li Ziyue was a very suitable candidate. He had previously considered sending Li Heyuan to work under Li Ziyue, but later rejected the idea for various reasons. Now that Li Ziyue had taken the initiative to mention it, Li Shu felt it was okay to let Li Heyuan go there and give it a try.

“If you have no objections, we can proceed with this matter. Of course, before Heyuan comes to the company, you can still change your mind.” Finally, Li Shu added, “Don’t force yourself. I have always seen your abilities.”

“I won’t force it. Family Head, rest assured, I will take good care of Heyuan.”

“Okay, this matter is settled for now. If that kid makes mistakes, just point them out directly. Don’t worry about me. You’re all juniors so I won’t take sides.”

“Okay.”

After hanging up the phone, Li Ziyue sat down by the table. Under the bright light, his eyes were as black as ink.

The news of the “little prince” parachuting into Li Ziyue’s project team quickly spread. This news was even more explosive than Li Heyuan coming to the headquarters for practical training. Everyone speculated about what Li Shu was planning. Did he really intend to promote the “little prince”? As for Li Ziyue, what did the former “prince” think? Was he resentful?

Many people swore that of course he was resentful. This was not as simple as giving someone a toy. This decision might even involve the position of the future leader of the company.

The members of the project team under Li Ziyue also received the news at about the same time. They were obviously more upset than the directly involved party. They had all built relationships over such a long period. Li Ziyue didn’t put on airs, he had strong working ability, and didn’t keep things to himself. Most of those on his team had a good impression of him. They really felt unjust for Li Ziyue.

“Boss, do we just have to endure this? Who is that Li Heyuan? He’s just a high school student. President Li is usually a very shrewd person. Why is he messing up on this matter?”

“I don’t know where Li Heyuan comes from. He just parachuted in. He’s really arrogant.”

“He has President Li standing behind him. Didn’t he have a big birthday banquet before and announced that from now on, he is part of the Li family and enjoys the same rights as the younger generations of the Li family?”

“Does our boss deserve to be sacrificed? There are so many project teams in the company, why did he choose the one our boss is in charge of?”

“Why? Of course it’s to block our boss’s way.”

“What are you talking about? It’s so lively.” Li Ziyue pushed the door open, and the voices in the office instantly disappeared. The employee who were usually in charge of the inspections stood up.

“Boss, do you know about…today’s matter?”

“What matter?” Li Ziyue thought about it and didn’t expect anything important to happen today.

Sure enough, the boss knew nothing! The employees looked at each other, not knowing how to explain.

They were very clear about Li Ziyue’s admiration for President Li. If such a thing happened, the boss would definitely be very upset.

If this happened to them, they definitely wouldn’t be able to bear it. It’s not just a matter of facing unfair treatment; the key is that the one treating them unfairly is someone they’ve always respected and admired, so it’s a double blow.

“Why? Is there something I can’t know?” Li Ziyue raised an eyebrow, crossed his arms, and leaned against the desk.

“No, it’s just that…didn’t President Li say he wanted to have that newly acknowledged kid come to the company for some experience? Today, we heard news that the kid is coming to us…” As he spoke, this person kept watching Li Ziyue’s expression carefully. Seeing his face turn strange, he quickly added, “Boss, rest assured, we’re all loyal you no matter what happens.”

“What are you all thinking?” Li Ziyue tapped on the desk. “So, are you being so cautious because you think I’d be upset about this?”

“Boss, it’s really not a big deal. Li Heyuan is only seventeen years old now, what harm can he do?”

“That’s right, that’s right.”

“I was the one who proposed this. Why would I be upset?” After dropping a bombshell with a light tone, Li Ziyue turned and entered his own office. “What are you all thinking about every day? Have the reports been completed? Have you found good solutions for the modifications we discussed in the last meeting?”

It was practically a soul-searching question. Everyone closed their mouths and returned to their workstations, but they couldn’t help but wonder why the boss brought people into his territory like this.

Those who didn’t know the inside story were all waiting to see the excitement. Unfortunately, no matter how long they waited, they never got the gossip they were hoping for. On the day Li Heyuan came to the company, it was Li Ziyue himself who went out to welcome him. Contrary to everyone’s expectations, the two didn’t confront each other; instead, they got along quite well.

Under Li Ziyue’s leadership, the members of his project team were very friendly to Li Heyuan. Although some people initially disapproved of him, over time, their hostility gradually faded. Since the parties involved didn’t mind, there was no need for them to hold onto grudges.

Originally, there was a driver specifically assigned to pick up and drop off Li Heyuan. Knowing this, Li Ziyue took over this task himself. The route from where he lived to the company happened to be on the way for Li Heyuan. Li Shu asked Li Heyuan for his opinion and went along with him when he agreed.

Sometimes, Li Shu would invite Li Ziyue to his house for a meal. Like Li Shu, Li Ziyue also lived alone outside. It was quite a coincidence that his place was quite close to Li Shu’s. Seeing him coming and going alone all the time and thinking that he was only a few years older than Li Heyuan, Li Shu couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.

He found that since he started taking care of Li Heyuan, his heart seemed to have softened a lot. But he wasn’t sure if this was a good thing.

After visiting more frequently, Li Ziyue finally realized that Li Shu had indeed been ill, but now he was much better, far from the severity of the rumors circulating outside. If that was the case, why wasn’t he going to the company? Why let such rumors spread wildly?

Knowing that Li Shu was fine, Li Ziyue breathed a sigh of relief. Only heaven knew how unbelieving he had been when he first heard the rumors. He never wanted to believe them, and now that he saw Li Shu in person, he could finally let go of his worries.

That morning, as Li Shu saw them off, Li Ziyue hesitated for a moment and asked, “Family Head, why aren’t you going to the company?”

“I thought you would keep holding back from asking,” Li Shu smiled. “I’ll go in a little while.”

After both young men left, Li Shu slumped back on the sofa. During this time, he had been staying at home, truly living like a retiree. However, although he didn’t go to the company, he knew what needed to be known and continued to make arrangements, just waiting for the right time.

On May 12th, it was the shareholders’ meeting of “Linshe”. In the original plot, Li Song and others chose this time to confront the original owner, marking the beginning of pulling down the original owner.

Li Ziyue was accustomed to doing everything himself. Every time he drove Li Heyuan to and from the company and the Li family, it was him behind the wheel. Upon arriving at the company, Li Ziyue parked the car in the garage and was about to get out when Li Heyuan grabbed him by the hand.

“What do you mean by this?” Li Ziyue frowned.

Li Heyuan looked at him coldly. “I don’t know what your purpose is, but if you harm Sir, I won’t let you off.”

“You have nothing now, so what can you use against me?” Li Ziyue sneered. “Don’t forget, everything you have now is given to you by the Family Head. Without the Family Head, you’d probably still be…”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but Li Heyuan understood his meaning. He clenched his fists tightly and wanted to retort, but he couldn’t refute the fact that everything he had now was indeed given by Sir. Without Sir, he would still be in the orphanage with nothing, instead of living in the best house, receiving the best education, and having the best Sir now.

Therefore, he would stake everything to ensure no one harmed Sir!

Taken aback by the fierceness in the boy’s eyes, Li Ziyue restrained his expression. “Rest assured, I won’t harm the Family Head.”

“Remember what you said today!” Li Heyuan withdrew his hand. “Indeed, as you said, besides Sir, I have nothing now. So I’m not afraid of anything. If someone really wants to harm Sir, even if it means sacrificing myself, I won’t let them succeed.”

The boy didn’t yell, Li Ziyue was shaken in his heart. Did Li Heyuan know something?

Was this statement a warning to him?