Eleven o'clock in the evening, Henglong Building, Chairman's Office.
Zhao Chen stood in front of the window.
Behind him, Su Wantang was clearing away the cups on the coffee table.
Zhang Qingxue closed the computer and rubbed his eyebrows.
Chen Xi is still looking at the phone, occasionally typing a few words to reply.
"Zhao Zong," Chen Xi raised his head, "The brokerage asked, do you want someone to monitor the market on Monday?"
Zhao Chen There is no looking back.
"No need," he said, "It won't fall sharply tomorrow."
Chen Xi was stunned for a moment.
Won't it fall sharply?
According to common sense, it would take the market several days to digest such a large equity change.
Even if you are optimistic about the long-term, short-term fluctuations are normal.
"Zhao Zong," she said carefully, "What if..."
"There is no such thing as a chance." Zhao Chen said,
"The biggest uncertainty has disappeared, and there is only one way forward."
He turned around and looked at Chen Xi:
"The market opens tomorrow, you can watch."
Chen Xi opened his mouth but did not refute in the end.
She followed Zhao Chen for half a year, and the first thing she learned was:
What he says is often right.
Zhang Qingxue stood up:
"Then I'll go back first. I'll have to keep an eye on Special Shareholders Meeting's materials tomorrow."
Zhao Chen nodded.
Chen Xi also stood up:
"I'm leaving too. Liu Mingyu still has a few announcements to check."
Su Wantang Send them out.
Zhao Chen is the only person left in the office.
He turned back to the window.
He remembered seven months ago, standing in front of the same window and looking at the same night scene.
What was he thinking at that time? It seemed like how to quickly control Henglong.
What he is thinking now is: Once it is done, what next?
There were gentle footsteps behind me.
Su Wantang came back and stood beside him without speaking.
They just stood side by side, looking at the night scene outside the window.
A long time.
"The court will be held tomorrow." Su Wantang said softly.
"Hmm."
"Want to go?"
Zhao Chen was silent for a few seconds.
"Go for a while."
He said this, but what he was thinking about was the mocking look in Lin Wanqing's eyes when he was standing in the dock during self-study in his previous life.
Su Wantang didn't ask again.
She knew what he was thinking.
Tomorrow, Zhao Jianguo will stand in the dock and listen to the judge pronounce the sentence for the rest of his life.
And he, Zhao Chen, will be on the 28th floor of Henglong Building, waiting to see how the stock price will go.
A battle between father and son has led them to this point.
Outside the window, the night is getting dark.
When the sun rises tomorrow, everything will be different.
June 19, 9:20 a. m., Shancheng City Intermediate People's Court.
Liu Haitao parked the car in the temporary parking lot opposite Court.
Zhao Chen sat in the back seat and looked at the gray-white building.
The national emblem shines dazzlingly in the June sunshine.
Zhang Qingxue sat next to him, Su Wantang and Chen Xi did not come.
"There are still ten minutes." She glanced at her watch, "Xiao Chen, we should go in."
Zhao Chen nodded.
Before he opened the car door, he glanced at his phone.
Then he turned his phone to silent and put it in his pocket.
Several media had already gathered in front of the court. When they saw Zhao Chen getting out of the car, the shutter sound rang immediately.
"Chairman Zhao! Today is the day your father is sentenced. Is there anything you want to say?"
"Chairman Zhao! Lin Wanqing is here too. Have you seen her?"
"Chairman Zhao! Henglong's announcement yesterday..."
Zhao Chen did not stay or answer.
Zhang Qingxue walked beside him, using his body to separate the stretched microphones.
The two of them walked through the crowd one after the other and walked into the Court gate.
Security check, registration, walking through the long corridor.
When he pushed open the court door, Zhao Chen saw that person.
Lin Wanqing is sitting in the third row of the gallery, next to the aisle.
She wore a dark gray suit today, her hair was meticulously tied up, and her makeup was exquisite - exactly the same as yesterday on Board of Directors.
Opposite the west eye.
At that moment, Zhao Chen saw something behind her eyes.
Not tired, not sad.
It's hate.
Pure, unabashed hate.
Lin Wanqing looked at him and moved the corners of his mouth slightly, as if he was smiling or gritting his teeth.
Zhao Chen has no expression.
He just calmly withdrew his gaze and sat down in the first row on the right.
Zhang Qingxue sat down next to him.
The judge's bench is empty.
The defendant's dock was also empty.
Zhao Jianguo has not been brought up yet.
Lin Wanqing's eyes were like needles piercing Zhao Chen's back.
She stared at the back figure - the young man she had passed by countless times in the Henglong corridor but had never looked directly at him.
Seven months ago, he was still a student.
Seven months later, he sat there, waiting for his father to be sentenced.
And her name has been tied to "Interest Transfer" and "illegal operation" and will never be washed away.
She hates.
But she didn't know who to hate more.
Hate Zhao Chen? Hate Zhao Jianguo? Or hate yourself?
"All stand."
The sound of the gavel banging interrupted her thoughts.
The judge enters.
The door to the dock was pushed open.
Zhao Jianguo was brought in.
He is wearing a uniform, his hair is whiter than it was seven months ago, and his back is more hunched than it was seven months ago.
He lowered his head and walked towards the dock step by step with heavy steps.
When passing by the auditorium, his eyes swept across the first row and saw Zhao Chen.
The steps paused for a second.
Then he looked away and continued walking forward.
He saw Lin Wanqing.
Lin Wanqing's eyes met his.
That look is too complicated - guilt? Resentment? Or something inexplicable that has been entangled for more than ten years?