Three years after our breakup, you came back to China, and I'm just giving up. Why are you cryi

Arriving at the place I had arranged to meet Lin Ran, I found myself at a charming little restaurant.

Lu Hao went up to the private room on the second floor, and without looking at the menu, directly ordered several dishes that Lin Ran liked.

He had barely sat down when the wooden door to the private room was pushed open.

Lin Ran walked in.

She was still wearing that sharp business suit, the buttons of her white shirt taut, outlining a breathtaking silhouette. The tight-fitting pencil skirt perfectly showcased her shapely figure, and her long, straight legs were encased in black stockings; every step she took exuded the confidence and rhythm of a sophisticated urban woman.

The "tap-tap" sound of high heels hitting the ground grew louder as it approached, finally stopping in front of Lu Hao.

She placed her bag on the chair next to her, and as soon as she sat down, she leaned back wearily and rubbed her temples.

"Judging from your appearance, you just came straight from the company?" Lu Hao poured her some hot tea while looking her over.

Even with her exquisite makeup, she couldn't hide the weariness in her eyes.

"Hmm." Lin Ran responded lightly, picked up the teacup but did not drink it, instead feeling the temperature of the cup with his palm.

"What's wrong? You've been promoted to manager, but life's gotten harder now?" Lu Hao asked, half-jokingly.

Upon hearing this, Lin Ran twitched the corners of her mouth and sighed, "Alas, it's a long story."

Seeing her like this, Lu Hao felt a little uncomfortable.

He knew that the higher the position, the greater the pressure.

Outsiders only see the glamorous surface, but they don't know how many nights they have to stay up and how much they have to endure behind the scenes.

The two remained silent for a moment, and the atmosphere in the private room became somewhat heavy.

Soon, the waiters began serving the dishes.

Lin Ran picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of sweet and sour pork, put it in her mouth, and chewed it slowly.

After swallowing her food, she finally looked up at Lu Hao and asked, "You've received your salary. What are your plans now?"

Lu Hao paused for a moment while picking up food, then casually placed a piece of fish into his bowl and said in a relaxed tone, "I'm not working for others anymore; I'm planning to open my own studio."

"Oh?"

Lin Ran's eyes lit up. She put down her chopsticks, leaned forward slightly, and stared at him with interest: "What direction are you going in?"

"I'll stick to my old profession and start with planning. Once things get bigger, I'll expand into GG Company."

Hearing this, Lin Ran nodded in satisfaction, his eyes filled with relief and a complex mix of emotions: "Not bad, you've finally figured it out and know how to plan for yourself."

"People have to grow up eventually," Lu Hao said with a smile.

The two fell silent again until the food was almost gone, at which point Lu Hao seemed to have made up his mind and broke the silence.

"Um... has the news about Yunlan Company broken yet?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Ran let out a long sigh, and his expression, which had just eased slightly, darkened again.

She looked up at Lu Hao, her eyes grave: "This matter is probably going to be difficult to resolve."

"Huh?!" Lu Hao was startled. "What happened?"

"It's no longer just a matter for our company," Lin Ran said in a low voice, "Xiyue Apparel has also suffered a major setback."

Lu Hao's brows furrowed instantly.

How did Xiao Xiyue get implicated as well?

According to the plan, she should have been the biggest winner, reaping all the benefits.

No wonder...no wonder she went to the riverbank to drink alone that night, feeling troubled. So that's the root of the problem.

"What exactly happened?" Lu Hao suppressed his surprise and asked.

Lin Ran picked up her teacup, took a small sip, wiped her mouth with a tissue, placed her hands on the table, leaned forward, and looked at Lu Hao with a serious expression.

"There's a mole in Xiyue Apparel."

"A mole?"

"Yes. My information is that Xiyue Clothing's original plan was to win over that minor celebrity signed by Yunlan Company. You know the plan you made. If that minor celebrity backs out at the last minute, Yunlan Company's entire publicity campaign will be ruined, and the damage to the plan will be devastating."

Lu Hao nodded slightly; this was indeed the most crucial part of the entire plan.

That minor celebrity has a unique style and persona, and there's no substitute for her in the short term. If she breaches the contract, Yunlan Company will suffer a silent loss.

"And then? Xiyue Clothing's operation was discovered?" Lu Hao asked.

"It's more than just a discovery," Lin Ran said with a hint of sarcasm. "The manager in charge of this matter, Manager Zhao, whether she's stupid or malicious, made the private contact as planned. But what's outrageous is that she leaked the whole thing afterwards! Now the little star's company is going to cause her trouble, and Yunlan Company has also gained leverage in their response."

Lu Hao frowned as he listened.

Did he leak his own plans?

Is this Manager Zhao out of her mind? Unless... she works for Yunlan Company!

In an instant, Lu Hao understood everything.

This is a trap within a trap; Xiao Xiyue was betrayed from within.

No wonder she was so distressed that night. What was supposed to be a flawless hunt turned into her own prey. Not only did her plan fail, but she also got herself into a mess.

Lu Hao took a deep breath. The business world was indeed a battlefield; one wrong step could lead to utter ruin.

If Yunlan Company seizes this opportunity to hire some online trolls and stir up trouble to pin the "malicious competition" label on Xiyue Apparel, the brand's reputation could be ruined.

For a moment, Lu Hao couldn't think of any way to break the deadlock, but he knew that Yunlan Company would never let go of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

He shook his head, temporarily suppressing these thoughts, and refocused his gaze on Lin Ran, his expression grave: "Then Yunlan Company must also suspect Yun You. How did you deal with that?"

Lin Ran gave a wry smile: "What else can we do but stick to the fact that we know nothing about it? Anyway, you made the plan, and you've already resigned. Yunlan Company can't do anything to us for the time being."

Lu Hao frowned even more deeply. "Didn't I already say that you could just push me out when the time comes?"

"Oh……"

Lin Ran suddenly scoffed, "Push you out?"

She looked at Lu Hao with a hint of pity in her eyes.

"Lu Hao, do you really think this is as simple as just pushing someone out to take the blame?"

"This matter is not just about you; it also involves me, Wang Ba, and the interests of the entire company."

Lin Ran's words left Lu Hao's mind blank for a moment.

It took him a long time to come to his senses.

Yes, I did think too simply.

Now that the incident has blown up so much, if Yunlan Company investigates, Yunyou Company's reputation will also be ruined.

Moreover, Lin Ran, as his direct superior, could not escape the consequences, and even Wang Ba was implicated.

If not handled properly, Lin Ran, who has just taken up the manager position, could very well lose it.

Considering Lin Ran's situation, if she loses her manager position, what will become of her future?