The Vanishing Beauty - Chapter 10 - 3

Chapter 10 - 3

Because of the heavy rain, flights were delayed. Yu Rui simply couldn't understand why Han Guang had asked her to drive him to the airport, only for him to linger in the car and refuse to go inside once they arrived. Instead, he made Yu Rui keep driving, telling her never to stop as she circled the small roads flanking the airport. Was it because of this rain? she wondered. But the rain had come on so suddenly that no one could have anticipated it. How could Han Guang possibly have the ability to predict the schedule of flight arrivals and departures?

During this period, internal turmoil within the company continued unabated. Han Guang had resigned from multiple positions, retaining only the title of chairman of the group's parent company. In reality, he no longer attended board meetings. Sometimes he would disappear for several consecutive days, causing Yu Rui to think he was going "off the grid" again; at other times, he would spend days on end holed up in his office, the lights burning day and night. People kept resigning from the company. Yu Rui considered this the norm. But when Ye Cha announced he was leaving as well, Yu Rui found herself cracking under the pressure. Old Ye was someone personally promoted by both President Weng and President Han! When Han Guang found out, he approved the resignation. The matter was reported to Weng Yue, but Weng Yue, residing overseas, didn't offer a single word of commentary.

Yu Rui understood their unspoken attitude: When it's time to rain, a mother must marry; let things take their course. What else could they do? Who could accompany anyone for a lifetime, especially at a time like this? Clinging to loyalty seemed laughable.

Yu Rui said, "Old Ye, let's weather the storm in the same boat." She didn't call him Jack; she called him Old Ye. Ye Cha smiled bitterly. "Little sister, you're a sensible person. Why do you insist on doing something foolish? This ship is sinking, and staying behind means waiting for death. Save whoever you can."

Yu Rui understood and saw the situation clearly, but she simply couldn't walk away. When Huang Qi and Yu Qi held their wedding and banquet, she only attended one event, failing to even make it back to their hometown. Her heart was entirely focused on the Group, entirely focused on Han Guang.

Yu Qi felt unhappy inside, believing that Yu Shuang had acted this way because she couldn't stand seeing her younger sister hook up with her ex-boyfriend.

"Turn back," Han Guang's voice came from the back seat.

Yu Rui hurriedly steered the wheel around. "Head to the company?"

"To the hotel." Han Guang had been staying at a hotel lately.

Receiving her orders, Yu Rui drove. She was determined to be a good driver—the temporarily appointed imperial chauffeur.

Glancing at Han Guang in the rearview mirror, she saw his brows slightly furrowed and his lips pressed into a tight line, as if deep in thought. His gaze caught hers. Yu Rui quickly shifted her line of sight straight ahead and concentrated on driving.

The car glided forward smoothly.

Han Guang asked, "How long have you been with the company?"

Strange. Why ask that? Yu Rui answered truthfully.

Han Guang continued, "Compared to Ye Cha, you count as a new employee." The implication was clear: the senior employees had all retreated, yet a newcomer like her was still showing this kind of loyalty—it wasn't easy to come by.

Yu Rui smiled faintly. "It's not about whether someone is old or new."

"Then what is it about?"

"Whether you click with someone."

"Starting next week, you don't need to come in anymore."

Yu Rui was so startled she almost lost her grip on the steering wheel. "President Han!"

Han Guang remained silent. Outside the window, dark clouds filled the sky.

"Am I fired?" she asked. She needed to be clear.

"You will receive a generous severance package."

"Why?" She put aside her panic, her gaze turning sharp. "Where have I been derelict in my duties?"

"You've done an excellent job, and I can also introduce you somewhere else if you're interested. Rest assured, finding work won't be a problem."

"I like this job," she said stubbornly.

Han Guang's tone suddenly sharpened. "Many things in life aren't a matter of whether you like them or not!" Looking at Han Guang's stern face in the rearview mirror, Yu Rui knew there was no room for negotiation; she was definitely "unemployed." She immediately realized that if it wasn't due to her own performance, then it meant... the person she served was about to run into trouble? Heavens, the storm had arrived after all.

The car moved slowly along the road. It was a rainy day, and the road was slippery. To Yu Rui's utter astonishment, just as they were nearing the hotel, Han Guang suddenly ordered an immediate U-turn back to the airport. What was going on? Yu Rui grew alert. She had booked the plane tickets herself; Han Guang was supposed to fly to Saipan today for what looked like a vacation. Even if the flight was delayed, it probably would have departed by now. Why go back to the airport? During the split second Yu Rui spent in a daze, Han Guang repeated his command to go to the airport. She had no choice but to turn the wheel and retrace the exact route they had just taken.

As they neared the airport, Han Guang told Yu Rui to pull over to the side of the road.

"We haven't arrived yet," Yu Rui said, confused.

"Right here is fine." Han Guang picked up his briefcase.

"I'll drive you inside."

"Right here!" His tone was absolute. Yu Rui had no choice but to pull over to the curb. Han Guang picked up his bag, opened his umbrella, and stepped briskly out of the car. Through the rain-streaked window, he glanced at Yu Rui and gave a slight nod.

It served as a farewell.

For a moment, Yu Rui felt a sense of disorientation. The rain was still falling, growing heavier by the minute. The car interior was relatively quiet, yet Yu Rui kept feeling as though she could hear a sound—like a thin, humming wire. Subconsciously, she checked the back seat through the rearview mirror; Han Guang had just been sitting there. Looking closer, she noticed that Han Guang's Buddhist prayer beads had been left behind on the seat. Recently, he had never been without those prayer beads; she wondered if he had truly turned to Buddhism.

Without overthinking it, Yu Rui grabbed the beads and bolted out of the door. She had to run and give them back to him.

The departure hall was bustling and chaotic. Yu Rui scanned the area and jogged toward the boarding gate. In the distance, she spotted five or six tall, burly men clustered around the gate. Plainclothes officers? The thought hit her like a jolt. Running further forward, she finally saw clearly that Han Guang was right in the middle of their encirclement.

"President Han!" she called out.

Han Guang saw her and shook his head.

Yu Rui understood instantly and closed her mouth. Even so, she had to do something.

Those men walked very quickly, and Han Guang was like a small boat being pushed forward by the current. The crowd surged around him. Yu Rui waved the string of prayer beads, certain that Han Guang had seen her. It was no use, though; a moment later, the circle vanished into the depths of the airport terminal.

The next day, Yu Rui received a notice asking her to cooperate with an investigation, and only then did she fully understand that Han Guang had been barred from leaving the country. The Group tried its utmost to clamp down on the news, but word leaked out anyway. Secretaries resigned one after another, and within a week, Yu Rui was the only person left sitting at her desk. She suddenly thought of Ye Cha's words—that this ship was sinking—and right now, she truly felt like she was boarding a wreck.

Weng Yue didn't call. Yu Rui could understand. Sister Weng had her hands full just keeping herself afloat. Neither did Yu Meng call; she was currently busy supervising the engineering project in Myanmar, which was operating almost entirely independently of the Group.

Yu Rui desperately wanted to know more detailed inside information, but when she went to ask the relevant personnel, they only told her the investigation was ongoing and instructed her to cooperate. Having no other choice, Yu Rui went to find Liangcai to ask about the situation face-to-face. Liangcai turned out to be magnanimous and showed no hostility; although they had been business rivals in the past, he and Han Guang shared a mutual respect akin to heroes appreciating heroes. He simply asked Yu Rui one question: "During your Group's process of merging state-owned enterprises, were there any irregularities?" Yu Rui couldn't answer. She knew about those events, but only through documents; they had taken place before she was hired. However, looking back at her experience conducting biography interviews, she had indeed noticed one issue: the wealth of Han Guang's Group and his personal assets had experienced an explosive surge over a certain period. Although their business was bustling, Yu Rui couldn't make heads or tails of the financial side of things. Liangcai also advised Yu Rui, suggesting that it was no longer appropriate for her to stay at the Group.

Yu Rui countered, "If not a single person is left behind, doesn't that practically announce to everyone that there's a problem?"

Liangcai smiled bitterly. "Do you still think Old Han has no problems?"

Yu Rui snapped back, "Until the investigation results are out, no one can jump to conclusions." Liangcai had wanted to say she was being too naive, but seeing the stubborn look on Yu Rui's face, he dropped the subject. He only sighed to himself, thinking that if Yu Meng could treat him the way Yu Rui treated Old Han, what a wonderful world it would be.

Finally, he asked offhandedly, "How is Yu Meng doing these days?" Knowing full well he was asking the obvious. Yu Rui replied that she was busy with her career and was currently away in Myanmar. The conversation ended there; the two bid each other farewell and parted ways. A few days later, Yu Rui tried contacting Liangcai again to fish for information. Zu Liangcai no longer answered her calls.

Yu Rui felt profoundly lonely. Unprecedentedly so. There were many things she couldn't appropriately discuss with Yu Qi either. Yu Qi had already resigned to become Huang Qi's assistant and manager, and right now the young couple was participating in a reality show. She and her sister had walked down the same street, but now they had returned to two entirely different worlds.

Deep into the night, feeling as though the bustling metropolis had nothing to do with her, Yu Rui wandered into Sister Jia's small restaurant. She ordered a bowl of pork rib rice. Yu Jia wasn't there. After eating a few bites, she sat there in a daze, letting her mind go completely blank, not thinking about a thing. A man sat down opposite her, and when she looked up, it was Bai Yuankai—the man she had once admired. Right now, however, seeing him brought her no emotional stirrings whatsoever. He wore an expression of deep anxiety as well. Yu Jia hadn't come to the shop for several days running. When asked about it, she only said she had matters to attend to. Yuankai was worried sick, yet completely powerless to help—all he knew was that the relevant departments were conducting a "look-back," re-examining the circumstances surrounding Liren's death. At this very moment, he and Yu Rui shared the exact same feeling of helplessness.

A bowl of pork rib rice each. The two sat facing each other in silence. For a long time, no one spoke.

Yu Rui suddenly asked, "What do you think people live for?"

Yuankai was stunned for a moment, then answered, "To give. Living is about giving."

Yu Rui let out a soft hum of skepticism. "Who cares? I'm just afraid it'll be too late."

Several scarlet award certificates sat on the dining table, looking exceptionally glaring. They were all commendation documents belonging to Di Liren. The investigative findings conveyed by the relevant authorities echoed in her ears, refusing to fade away. The core meaning was clear: during his lifetime, Di Liren had used his position to secure positions for others, violating discipline and regulations to a relatively serious degree. In light of his overall record, his title of revolutionary martyr would not be revoked. However, the monthly subsidies for family members of martyrs were rescinded, and the relevant relatives were instructed to stop bringing up Liren's name and to minimize his public profile. This effectively confirmed that Liren had indeed been tainted by corruption.

Securing positions for others. Who was that "other"? Yu Jia could guess even without investigating—right now, she was actively hiding from this "other." Both in life and after death, Di Liren had treated her terribly! Putting her through the wringer! Torturing her! Because of him, she was tossed about in endless agony. Before long, everyone in their small circle—including friends in the big city, Liren's colleagues, and even that crowd back in her hometown—would know about Liren's misdeeds, and they would all view her as the woman left behind by a corrupt man. For all she knew, they might even engage in far-fetched associations and think of her as an "accomplice."

She truly wanted to sever all ties and start completely over!

Yu Jia stood up, fetched a ceramic basin used for kneading dough, and placed it right in the middle of the living room. She tossed all the award certificates and documents inside and poured a splash of liquor over them.

Snap! A lighter sparked a flame.

She brought it close. A tiny, bluish-purple flame flickered, eager to kiss the documents.

Whoosh. The fire flared up.

Yu Jia's face streamed with tears. Sisi called on the phone, and Yu Jia hurriedly wiped away her tears.

"Mom, I want to come back to China," Sisi said.

Yu Jia anxiously asked what was wrong. Sisi hesitated, choked out a few words, and then began to cry. Yu Jia demanded a video call. Sisi refused. Panicked, Yu Jia felt like she wanted to fly across the ocean immediately. After a long while, Sisi finally calmed down.

"People are saying I'm the daughter of a corrupt official," Sisi sobbed. "I'm not... Dad wasn't corrupt... I'm not..." Within her small circle of international students were the children of Liren's former colleagues. News traveled fast—so fast it was utterly unreasonable!

"Your dad wasn't a corrupt official... he wasn't..." Facing the phone, Yu Jia also began defending Liren. He wasn't a corrupt official; he was simply a terrible man.