Redemption from the Abyss: The School Beauty Insists on Pulling Me Out of the Mire

Xie Wang had just tied on his apron, ready to show off his culinary skills in the kitchen, when his phone started vibrating incessantly.

As soon as he pressed the answer button, Lu Wen's impatient voice pierced through the receiver: "Wangzi! Sister-in-law! It's an emergency! Come out for a meal, I'm so impatient, I can't wait a second longer!"

Xie Wang pinched his brow helplessly: "Didn't we agree to talk in detail tomorrow? Are you in such a hurry, like a monkey?"

"No way! This is all I can think about. Veteran BBQ, I've sent you the location. If you guys don't come, I'll sleep on the floor in front of your house tonight!"

Xie Wang sighed, hung up the phone, and turned to look at Su Qinghe, who was playing with the cat, with a helpless expression.

Hearing the sounds on the phone, Su Qinghe stood up with a smile, grabbed his coat and put it on: "Let's go. Judging from his tone, he'll probably go crazy if he doesn't see us today."

So, the originally cozy dinner plan for two had to be put on hold for the time being. The two of them couldn't persuade the young master, who was eager to make a name for himself, to leave for the appointment.

......

Outside a veterans' barbecue stall in the old town.

Lu Wen sat at the somewhat greasy folding table.

This young master of the Lu family, who usually drives a Ferrari or rides a motorcycle, had huge dark circles under his eyes today, looking like an unemployed bum who had just stayed up all night playing games at an internet cafe.

"Why……"

Lu Wen picked up the ice-cold beer in front of him, tilted his head back and took a big gulp, letting out an extremely melancholy sigh.

"Alright, Young Master Lu, you've sighed for the eight hundredth time now. The lamb skewers are almost cold from all that sighing." Xie Wang sat opposite him.

"Wangzi, sister-in-law, you have no idea how frustrated I am." Lu Wen's tone was full of frustration:

"After hanging up the phone, I checked my bank cards and funds. I always thought I was pretty rich, but when I put all my available cash together... it's only about four million at most."

He gave a bitter laugh, his eyes dimming: "Four million isn't even enough to buy a sports car normally. In the capital market, it wouldn't even make a ripple."

"Gu Nan acquires shares everywhere, often for hundreds of millions. If I take my four million back to my dad, all I'll get is a scolding. It'll be of no use."

Seeing his brother's dejected state, Xie Wang put down the bamboo skewer in his hand.

He picked up a can of Coke and pushed it in front of Lu Wen: "Who said four million is useless?"

Lu Wen raised his head and looked at him blankly.

"Four million is not even enough to fill the financial hole of the Lu Group."

Xie Wang leaned forward slightly: "But what if we don't use those four million to fill the hole, but instead use them to sharpen a knife?"

Lu Wen was stunned: "A knife? What knife?"

"Gu Nan's confidence stems from Tianlong Group's vast capital and tight information network."

Xie Wang's words carried immense weight: "In terms of capital, we certainly can't compete with him right now, but what about information networks? Lu Wen, have you forgotten who you're sitting across from?"

Lu Wen glanced at Xie Wang, and the image of this kid single-handedly crushing the world champion in Beijing suddenly flashed through his mind.

His eyes slowly brightened: "Wangzi, you mean...?"

"Didn't you want to start your own business before?"

"Start your own company." Xie Wang shoved a skewer of golden-brown chicken wings into Lu Wen's hand: "Since Tianlong Group dared to make a hostile takeover, they can't be completely clean inside. We need a fair and square platform to expose their dirty secrets."

"Your four million is enough to start a cybersecurity company."

"Start a company?"

The chicken wing in Lu Wen's hand stopped in mid-air.

He went through those words in his mind, and a glimmer of light slowly gathered in his eyes, which had been filled with despair.

"That's true." He took a bite of the chicken wing, chewed it a couple of times, and his tone became more confident. "Instead of using this four million to fill the hole, let's do something worthwhile ourselves. Wangzi, with your skills in charge, I think this can be done."

He picked up a tissue to wipe his hands and looked at Xie Wang: "I'm investing all four million. You'll be the CTO, and we'll split the shares equally. I'm happy to be your assistant."

"etc."

Su Qinghe, who had been silent all along, gently tapped the table, interrupting the young master's scathing remarks about spending money.

Her tone was calm, tinged with a helpless smile: "Lu Wen, starting a company isn't just about having money and technology. Do you understand how to handle the registration process in the High-Tech Zone, the tax planning, the server and office rentals, and how to manage every single expense?"

At this point, Lu Wen scratched his head, his tone unusually reassuring: "However, I'm completely clueless about the ins and outs of company registration and operation. I'll take some time these next few days to go back and ask my father for advice. Even a little bit of his experience in running a company will be enough for me to learn."

Xie Wang nodded, picked up his room-temperature Coke and clinked glasses with him: "Okay, no rush. First, figure out the ins and outs with your dad, and then we'll take action."

With the business settled, Lu Wen finally felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders.

He had a great appetite and ate two skewers of grilled meat in a row, and his mood was noticeably less tense than before.

The evening breeze blew past the barbecue stalls, carrying the lively atmosphere of the marketplace, and the heavy, oppressive feeling from before was also greatly reduced.

Having almost finished eating, Lu Wen wiped his hands, his movements hesitant. He glanced at Xie Wang, then at Su Qinghe:

"By the way, sister-in-law... how's Lin Lu doing in class lately? Is her study routine any better?" He sighed, sounding a little unsure. "After what happened last time, I haven't dared to bother her too much, afraid of affecting her studies."

Seeing his anxious expression, Su Qinghe chuckled and reassured him, "Don't worry, she's much better. She's been working even harder on her practice problems lately. She told me privately that she can't let you fall too far behind her; she has to work hard to get into a good university."

After hearing this, Lu Wen was stunned for a moment, then the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up, and a gentle light appeared in his eyes.

"That's good..." he muttered to himself, picked up his glass and took a sip, then looked at the night sky with a touch of melancholy. "To be honest, seeing you all working so hard for the college entrance exam sometimes scares me. After June next year, we'll probably all go our separate ways."

Xie Wang lazily picked at the fish bones, not even looking up: "Going our separate ways is a matter for the future. Besides, haven't you found your own territory now?"

He turned his head and glanced at Lu Wen: "No matter where you get into university, as long as you're here, this group won't disperse. Your task now is to quickly figure out your business, so that when Lin Lu gets into a top university, you don't still not even know which way the company's door faces."

"Get lost, get lost, get lost." Lu Wen laughed and cursed, then stood up to pay the bill, his steps much lighter than when he arrived. "This young master will go back to my father tomorrow to learn from his experience."