Contact 2

"At lunch, I'm treating. Let's all go grab a meal together." Wang Yiyang clapped a few of the colleagues he knew relatively well on the shoulder and invited them with a smile.

These colleagues had all been working with him on the product plan. His sudden resignation would undoubtedly have a major impact on the project, so as an apology, it was only right that he show them some appreciation.

However, he had things to take care of at home and had no choice but to resign. His colleagues understood, but they were busy with work and politely declined the invitation.

The project was about to wrap up anyway. Wang Yiyang's sudden departure just left more credit for the others, and they were happy about that.

That was also why the supervisor had approved his resignation without a word.

There were far too many talented people these days. Wang Yiyang was capable enough, but was there any shortage of capable people now? Most of them just lacked a platform and an opportunity.

Wang Yiyang didn't mind. He also asked Wang Dongning to invite his girlfriend and Xie Xiaodan to bring along her best friend.

An Yuxi was among those invited, after all, she and Xie Xiaodan were on good terms.

She hesitated, preparing to turn him down. But when she heard that Xie Xiaodan had also invited another friend, Xia Ying, she paused, then agreed.

Xia Ying was quite famous at the company, not because she was pretty or had a great figure, but because her family had money.

In fact, she was only a six out of ten looks-wise. Makeup added another point, which meant that even with makeup, she only looked as good as Xie Xiaodan—and still fell short of An Yuxi.

Still, Xia Ying had a decent figure. She was passable. Her chest was small, but her legs were long and well-proportioned. That was all beside the point. The key was that she drove a city SUV worth over five hundred thousand yuan to work.

The bags she carried, and the clothes, skirts, and shoes she wore, were all from expensive brands. Even a casual outfit cost at least ten thousand yuan.

She might not measure up to the children of the truly wealthy, but to ordinary wage earners, she was definitely a rich, beautiful young woman.

So at Xinda Network, Xia Ying had the most admirers.

After all, there were far too many people who cared about money in today's society.

"Come on, come on. Let's go and have some fun. Brother Yang's leaving, so the more people, the livelier it'll be." Xie Xiaodan urged her again.

An Yuxi hesitated, then nodded.

"Fine. Send me a message later and tell me where we're going."

"I'll add you to the group later." Xie Xiaodan tapped away on her phone, quickly gathering all the colleagues who were coming to the meal into a new group chat.

"Brother Yang, depending on how you behave before you leave, you might even be able to take a girl from the company home with you!" — Xie Xiaodan.

"...Should I take you home?" — Wang Yiyang.

"Sure! I'll meet your parents tomorrow!" — Xie Xiaodan.

"...Better not." — Wang Yiyang.

"Why not consider me instead? I'm single, don't smoke or drink, and my only flaw is playing games until midnight every day!" — Wang Dongning.

"Heh. Little Ning, are you asking for a beating?" — Zhou Haimei.

Zhou Haimei was Wang Dongning's confirmed girlfriend. She worked at another company, and the two of them were very much in love.

Wang Yiyang often saw Wang Dongning getting showered with affection by his girlfriend after work. They were so sweet together, it was almost sickening.

After they'd added everyone, the group chat for the meal quickly grew to ten people. Wang Yiyang didn't bother being selective and invited everyone he could.

The meal felt like a farewell to his working life.

It even felt like a farewell to his ordinary life.

So he didn't mind that many of the guests were coming for the pretty girls.

Once he'd settled the head count, he looked around and found a restaurant with a decent balance of price and quality.

Even though he had money in his account now, he wasn't in the habit of spending extravagantly. So he stuck to his usual standards and chose a respectable, midrange restaurant.

After booking a private room, Wang Yiyang sat down and began wrapping up his work handover.

The supervisor was very unhappy about his sudden resignation, so he gave him a non-compete agreement that barred him from taking a job in the same industry for several years.

On the other hand, the supervisor had also offered him more than twice the amount stipulated in the agreement, the most he could give within his authority. It wasn't a bad deal.

Sitting at his desk, Wang Yiyang worked on his computer, occasionally glancing at his phone.

Messages came in from time to time.

He finished the handover that morning, and Jian's interrogation officially began at the same time.

The protection team assigned to his grandfather had also taken up their positions.

One report after another, gathered from Mister Pharmaceutical Group's vast intelligence network, came through on Wang Yiyang's phone.

He'd finished the handover in just over an hour. He spent the rest of the time reading through the reports.

There wasn't much information about Zhong Can—very little, in fact.

But there was plenty about Yuekong Martial Arts Hall.

His grandfather, Wang Xinlong, wasn't particularly low-key in public. He was actually quite active.

He and his disciples often took part in various competitions, and Yuekong Martial Arts Hall had a respectable reputation in martial arts circles.

Wang Xinlong specialized in Moon Sky Fist, which was considered representative of the fighting and martial arts scene in Yingxing City.

By the time Wang Yiyang had finished reading the reports, it was already 11:50.

He tidied up his things, got up to drink some water at the dispenser, then picked up his bag and left the office. He waited in the hallway outside.

The hallway was spacious, about five or six meters wide, with some tables and chairs set along one side for people to rest.

Wang Yiyang sat in a chair, leaning back as he quietly mulled things over.

A few minutes later, the lunch break bell rang. The office had a fixed bell for the start and end of the workday.

The new labor protection law passed a few years ago had led companies to install quite a few similar devices.

At least on the surface, this guaranteed employees' basic rights.

Before long, Xie Xiaodan, An Yuxi, Wang Dongning, Xia Ying, and the others arrived together.

Wang Yiyang looked them over and stood with a smile.

"Let's go. I've booked a private room."

"We're eating at the big spender's expense! I know you just got a big payout," Wang Dongning joked.

Wang Yiyang posted the address and private room details in the group chat. Then everyone headed downstairs. There were twelve of them in all.

Quite a few of the guys were there for the pretty girls. Two had shamelessly asked to join, and Wang Yiyang had agreed without a fuss.

They split into several groups and took taxis to the restaurant.

The place they were going was called Zhulan Restaurant.

It had decent reviews on the food app, and its menu focused on spicy and sour dishes and soups.

They entered the restaurant and followed the server to the Lanxiang Chamber private room, where they took their seats.

"Come on, come on. Brother Yang's treating today, so don't hold back!" Wang Dongning stood up to liven things up and urged everyone to order.

Wang Yiyang waved him off with a smile.

"Just don't try to bankrupt me. Order whatever you like."

"Brother Yang, what are you planning to do now that you've resigned? I saw you come out of the supervisor's office with a non-compete agreement. Are you planning to leave the internet industry?" asked a young woman who had only recently joined the company.

"I'm not planning to take another job for now. I'll take some time to rest," Wang Yiyang replied with a smile.

Seated around the round table, he was between Wang Dongning and Xie Xiaodan. He stood up first and poured everyone a drink.

Since they still had to work that afternoon, he'd ordered a red wine with a lower alcohol content.

A bottle of Mola Red Wine cost 428 yuan. It wasn't the cheapest, but it was good enough for the occasion.

"Brother Yang, what exactly happened at home? If there's anything I can help with, tell me. Haimei and I will do whatever we can," Wang Dongning asked seriously.

Wang Yiyang had been working on a project that was almost complete, and he'd had a good chance of getting promoted. Then, out of nowhere, he'd decided to quit.

Who would believe nothing serious had happened?

Wang Dongning stood up and asked aloud. The private room gradually fell quiet, and everyone looked at Wang Yiyang, waiting for an answer.

"It's nothing major. Something came up with my family, and I need to go back and deal with it." Wang Yiyang shook his head and picked up his glass.

"But thanks anyway. A toast to you all—may you get married soon and have a baby."

Wang Dongning and Zhou Haimei saw he didn't want to talk about it, so they didn't press him. They each got up with a glass, clinked his, and downed their drinks.

On the other side, Xie Xiaodan stood up too.

"Same goes for me. Let's keep in touch. I'm from Yingxing, so if you need anything, just call me. You helped me a lot back then, Brother Yang. I haven't forgotten."

She raised her glass with a serious expression and clinked it against Wang Yiyang's.

"Thanks." Wang Yiyang smiled and clinked glasses with her. "You were so clumsy back then—you messed everything up. If I hadn't been sitting right next to you, I bet one of the other guys here would've stepped in to help."

The other guys joined in, and laughter and teasing filled the room.

But there wasn't much laughter in Xie Xiaodan's eyes. She just looked a little sad. It was clear she really didn't want Wang Yiyang to leave.

Or maybe, as someone who'd only just entered the industry, this was her first time experiencing a parting like this. That was why it struck her so deeply.

"Don't forget to keep in touch," she said earnestly.

"I won't. Oh, I forgot to mention—I'm from Yingxing too." Wang Yiyang suddenly smiled. "If you run into any trouble or need anything, give me a call. Around here, ordinary problems are easy enough to deal with."

His expression was gentle. Even amid the noisy chatter, the quiet words he spoke made Xie Xiaodan feel unexpectedly reassured.

She couldn't help believing his promise.

"Big talk!" Xie Xiaodan couldn't help laughing. "We've known each other for so long, and that's the first time I've heard you say something so arrogant."

"Wasn't I just keeping a low profile?" Wang Yiyang laughed too.

Xia Ying and An Yuxi, as well as Wang Dongning and Zhou Haimei, had also heard their conversation.

Wang Dongning and Zhou Haimei paid it no mind, but Xia Ying gave Wang Yiyang a curious look.

She felt that Wang Yiyang seemed far too calm and at ease right now. It was just like... just like the unusual air she'd seen in her father, a business owner.

It was hard to describe, but it came from having been through enough big occasions to handle them with ease, with an air of superiority.

Very few people could pull that off in social settings. Only those who genuinely enjoyed socializing, or those at the very top of the social ladder, naturally carried themselves with that kind of relaxed composure.

Xia Ying had noticed it, and though she was curious, she didn't ask. After all, she and Wang Yiyang weren't close.

But An Yuxi, who had always wanted to move up in social circles, was much more observant. She'd noticed it too.

Her eyes flickered, and she began to scrutinize Wang Yiyang in earnest.

Once she started watching him closely, she immediately noticed a few things that seemed out of the ordinary.