Business Trip

"A few days ago, people weren't this desperate," Lin Qi sighed as he sat in his car, looking at the increasingly zombie-like people on the road.

The Stock Market Crash robbed people of their last hope. Before that, no matter how difficult it was for businesses to operate, people believed that everything would get better soon because the Financial Market was so prosperous and was creating miracles every day.

As long as the Financial Market haven't collapsed, people will still have hope, even in the face of difficulties.

But now, hope has been taken away by the Stock Market Crash. Two unprecedented plunges have completely shattered the resolve of some people, making them realize the harsh reality that everything is irreversible.

The inside and outside of the car are like two different worlds, two completely unequal and unfair worlds.

Lin Qi withdrew his gaze and turned to Vera. "How much available cash do I have in my personal funds account right now?"

Vera reacted quickly, immediately following up, "Four million four hundred and seventy thousand, do you want to hear the change?"

"No need. How much do I actually have at my disposal?"

"No more than three and a half million. Besides the taxes that need to be deducted, a portion of the money will be used for salary payments and operations." Vera looked at Lin Qi with a look in her eyes that she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Perhaps it was admiration, perhaps it was amazement, but more than anything, it was stunning.

A few months ago, when she was notified by the firm that she had an accounting job, she thought it was a very simple job, and that she could just take some time each day or week to do it.

The young man she was facing was handsome and gentlemanly, but he was definitely not rich. Yet, this very man had managed to amass wealth in just a few months that many people could not acquire in a lifetime, or even in several generations for a family or clan.

Sometimes it all felt like a dream. She had no idea how it was accomplished, or why he could convince people to believe him and invest their money in him.

Lin Qi nodded noncommittally. "Are you free lately?"

This is a very sensitive issue. When a male boss asks a female subordinate if she is free recently, it often means that a travel job is waiting for her.

In social culture, traveling together to some extent represents a dangerous intention, and even if this dangerous intention is disguised as work, it is still very "deadly".

Vera suddenly became uneasy and somewhat at a loss. She didn't answer Lin Qi's question immediately. "I'm not sure. Is something wrong?"

Lin Qi, seemingly unaware of what lay behind her panic, continued in the same tone, attitude, and pace as before, "Tomorrow I'm going to Bu Peien to acquire some things, which involves a lot of financial changes. If you don't go, I'll have to find someone else, but I don't trust anyone else. I only trust you."

Some words may not sound shocking, but they always manage to touch the softest spot in people's hearts.

Vera was somewhat hesitant, and Lin Qi's words did make sense.

In the Bayer Federation, a person's closest person is not actually their "soulmate," but rather their private accountant, private lawyer, or private psychologist.

Private accountants have a complete grasp of a person's financial situation, sometimes down to the level of a single penny.

People may hide their income and savings from their partners, but they won't hide them from their accountants.

Private lawyers are the same; they have the deepest legal questions hidden in a person's heart, whether a person has committed a crime, and how serious the crime is—things that even judges don't know, but their lawyers have an uncanny grasp of.

As for private psychologists, they are even more remarkable. Sometimes, this profession is more like a soulmate than a soulmate. People will confide in their psychologists any desires, hatreds, or anger hidden deep in their hearts, whether negative or positive emotions.

In front of a therapist, they are as naked as can be, something they simply cannot do when facing their soulmate.

Vera played such a role. Even Lin Qi didn't know how much money he had, but she knew very well. She even had a grasp on the movement of every penny of Lin Qi's money.

When she heard that if she didn't go, Lin Qi would have to find another accountant, she suddenly felt a ridiculous, yet very real, sense of her territory being invaded.

Lin Qi's clear eyes and his gaze were hard to resist. Vera subconsciously touched her cheek, then cupped her neck and looked to the other side. "How long?"

"I will increase the speed as soon as possible, within a week."

The two then went to the bank to deal with some issues with Lin Qi's personal account, transferring some money into his newly established account. After that, Lin Qi took Vera home and arranged to pick her Vera the next morning so they could go to Bu Peien together.

That evening, Gepu returned home exhausted from the company, having spent the last few hours dealing with the mountain of ledgers.

As President Neo expected, the state's Federal Bureau of Investigation reportedly received a tip-off alleging that Listoan was hiding income, and an investigation team jointly formed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Revenue Service, and the Federal Security Committee began its investigation.

Actually, Gepu had some doubts, because auditing accounts is a normal thing, but it shouldn't have alarmed an agency like the Federal Security Committee, whose mission is to eliminate any potential threats to National Security within the country.

Will Listoan's migration affect the country's security? Obviously not, but he's just an insignificant little insect; he can't resist these things. He's already on the ship and can only continue forward with it.

While they were having a heated dinner at the restaurant, Vera suddenly appeared. Since that incident, the couple had rarely been together like before.

Even if some things are salvaged, it's difficult to restore them to their original state.

"Is something the matter?" Gepu put down his knife and fork, wiped his mouth, and looked at his wife.

Vera nodded hesitantly, but finally said, "I have to go on a business trip tomorrow and it will probably be about a week before I come back."

"A business trip?" Gepu's voice rose slightly. "Won't it be unsafe for you to travel alone?"

He was a very intelligent and chauvinistic man. Instead of pressing her to find out who was traveling with her, he subtly inquired about her safety.

"Lin Qi and I are going to Bu Peien; we have a job there," Vera explained. She didn't see anything wrong with the job; it was normal. "It's just a regular job, and you travel a lot for work, so you know that."

Gepu pursed his lips, his scalp tingling. He looked at Vera, Vera returned his gaze without flinching.

After staring at each other for a few seconds, Gepu asked Vera an unbelievable question, "Would you sleep with him?"

This question was like... a speeding train hitting Vera's head, leaving her completely dazed, and even her tone changed slightly, "Why would you think that?"

Then she realized the nature of the problem. "I am your wife!"

Gepu, unusually calm, remained unperturbed, as if he were talking about something that had little to do with him. "Look, ever since you got this job, the thing you talk about most every day is 'How's Lin Qi?'"

"I know him. He's a handsome young man. Everyone likes him. And I've also heard that sometimes he'll bring you home late at night..." He paused for a moment, "Almost everyone in the community knows about this. You're getting along really well with a young man."

This wasn't the first time Lin Qi had brought Vera back; it was difficult to keep it from being discovered.

The desire to watch a spectacle is an inherent human flaw, and some people will even embellish the story to make it more interesting, and it is indeed a topic that attracts people's attention.

A beautiful young woman and a handsome young man—it wouldn't be unacceptable if they actually sparked a romance.

Some of the women were even a little jealous of Vera; they also longed for a handsome young man to bring them some warmth in the dead of night.

Vera looked at Gepu in disbelief. The man in front of her was becoming more and more unfamiliar. She shook her head. "Sometimes I work until late at night. Do you think I should reject him and walk halfway across the city back?"

"Besides, my loyalty to my family is higher than yours. I've never slept with him before, and I won't during this business trip either!"

"I'm not like you, where just any woman can climb into your bed!"

"I'm going to Bu Peien tomorrow. Goodnight!"

After saying this, Vera returned to her bedroom somewhat angrily. She felt humiliated; her husband had actually questioned her about sleeping with Lin Qi in such a tone—it was utterly unreasonable! Sitting in the dining room, Gepu watched Vera figure, neither angry nor pleased by her firm rebuttal, but simply sitting quietly.

The next morning, Lin Qi's original plan was to pick up Vera, but Vera called him in advance to tell him that she would go to the company first and that Lin Qi could pick her up from the company.

Around 10 o'clock, the two boarded the train together.

The journey from Sabine City to Bu Peien takes about twelve hours, making it a long trip.

To avoid being influenced by others, Lin Qi booked a private room.

There are two beds in the room, not the kind that can only fit one person and you might fall off if you turn over, but a large 1.5-meter bed, a spring bed.

Vera was a little embarrassed at first, but after Lin Qi lay down on the bed and started reading seriously, she became a little embarrassed instead.