Helping My Future Self

"Xiao Yu, Manager Deng, are you alright?"

Seeing this, Shang Zhiyi hurried over, feeling a bit ashamed.

Previously, when Xia Tiejun had bullied her, only Yu Qian and Deng Wenji had stood up for her.

Now that the incident was over, she had only been focused on chatting with Lin Chen and hadn't paid attention to them.

Shang Zhiyi felt incredibly apologetic.

"We're fine, these injuries are nothing serious."

"But you, it's fortunate Mr. Lin intervened in the end, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable."

"Yes, Sister Shang. If it weren't for Mr. Lin, you would have been in serious trouble today."

Hearing their responses, Shang Zhiyi felt even more ashamed.

Just as she was about to apologize, Lin Chen's voice suddenly cut in.

"Thanks to both of you for stopping him today. Otherwise, by the time I arrived, Zhiyi might have already been abducted."

After speaking, he turned to Qi Zhenxing, who was waiting nearby, and said:

"As the group's major shareholder, I am issuing you a directive."

"From this moment on, all previous punishments against Deng Wenji are rescinded, and his original salary and all group benefits are to be increased fivefold."

"As for the benefits and salary of this person named Yu Qian, they are also to be increased fivefold, the same as Deng Wenji."

After Lin Chen issued these instructions, everyone was envious.

At the same time, they were filled with regret, regretting why they hadn't stepped forward to help at the time.

After all, this was a full fivefold increase.

If it were just a salary increase, they might not have regretted it so much, but the key was that the group benefits also increased fivefold, which made a huge difference.

Group benefits were calculated based on a percentage of the group's annual profits. Normally, they could each receive around 200,000 yuan from benefits alone.

But with this fivefold increase, it would reach a full million.

Coupled with a fivefold salary increase, their annual income would likely be at least two million.

How could this not make everyone envious?

[Ding dong, congratulations to the host for successfully completing the 'Help Shang Zhiyi and Punish Xia Tiejun' mission. Reward: One Silver Treasure Chest PLUS.]

Just as Lin Chen finished giving his orders, the system's completion sound echoed in his mind.

Of course, there was also the unopened Silver Treasure Chest PLUS.

Looking at the two Silver Treasure Chest PLUS items in his inventory, Lin Chen felt a stir of excitement.

He hadn't opened this new type of treasure chest yet and didn't know what good things might be inside.

"Thank you, Mr. Lin. Thank you, Mr. Lin."

Deng Wenji and Yu Qian were overjoyed upon hearing Lin Chen's arrangements.

Their faces turned red with excitement as they bowed repeatedly to express their gratitude.

"It's nothing, you deserve it."

"However, I must say, even with the group benefits, you still need to work diligently in the future, understand?"

The two bowed again, assuring him they would work hard from now on.

Lin Chen nodded. Seeing that things were mostly settled, he prepared to bid farewell to Shang Zhiyi.

After all, he still had two Silver Treasure Chest PLUS items waiting for him.

However, at this moment, Shang Zhiyi suddenly spoke.

"Lin Chen, can I... talk to you alone?"

"Hmm? Sure."

Lin Chen was a little surprised but agreed.

Then, under everyone's watchful eyes, he led Shang Zhiyi out of the elevator.

After they left, everyone started discussing again, speculating about what the two of them were going to talk about.

Seeing that his boss had left, Tang Guogang felt no need to stay any longer and prepared to head back.

However, before leaving, he said to Zhang Bin, who was by his side:

"From now on, you must assign people to protect Miss Shang carefully. Make sure nothing happens to her."

"Judging by Mr. Lin's demeanor with her, their relationship is clearly extraordinary."

"Yes."

Lin Chen and Shang Zhiyi took the elevator directly to the open-air lounge on the top floor of the group's building.

The open-air lounge was completely empty at the moment.

After ensuring no one else was around, Lin Chen turned to Shang Zhiyi and said, "Alright, no one's here now, so you can say whatever you need to..."

Before Lin Chen could finish speaking, Shang Zhiyi lunged forward and hugged him tightly.

"Lin Chen, thank you so much today."

"If it weren't for you, I don't know what I would have done."

As she spoke, Shang Zhiyi began to sob softly.

It was clear that the events of the day had left some lingering trauma.

Looking at the crying beauty and his old classmate in his arms, Lin Chen felt a pang in his heart.

"It's okay, it's all over now."

"Don't cry anymore. You won't be beautiful if you keep crying."

Whether it was the comment about her beauty or the fact that it came from Lin Chen, something shifted.

After he said that, Shang Zhiyi managed to force herself to stop crying and wipe away her tears.

However, her body still trembled with occasional sobs.

Seeing her red-rimmed eyes from crying, Lin Chen was reminded of his own past.

His gaze towards Shang Zhiyi softened, becoming more gentle and firm than before.

"If anyone deserves thanks, it's actually you."

"Me?"

Shang Zhiyi, wiping her tears, was confused by his words.

"Yes, you."

"Do you remember when we were in high school?"

"High school? You mean... your father?"

Shang Zhiyi's mind seemed to recall something, and a look of deep heartache flashed in her eyes as she thought of Lin Chen's past.

"Yes, my father."

As if reliving the past, Lin Chen's body began to tremble violently.

"Back then, my father had a stroke and was critically ill in the hospital. I borrowed money from every relative I could, even kneeling and kowtowing."

"But not a single one of those so-called relatives was willing to help me."

"I really couldn't understand it. Our family used to be quite well-off."

"When these relatives faced difficulties, our family helped them without hesitation."

"Even if it cost us a lot of money, we never complained."

"When I was young and didn't understand, my father told me that helping others now is helping yourself in the future."

"He also said that no one can guarantee a smooth life, and everyone faces hardships."

"So he advised me to build good relationships whenever possible, so that if disaster strikes later, there will be people to help, increasing my chances of survival."

"I still remember his words clearly to this day."

As he spoke, Lin Chen's emotions surged, and his face flushed an unhealthy red.

"But I never expected that these relatives, who had benefited from my father's kindness, would turn their backs on us in our time of need, avoiding us like a plague."

"If it were just that, we could have accepted it, considering the money spent was like feeding it to dogs."

"But what was most infuriating was that not only did they refuse to help, they also kicked us while we were down, humiliated us, and even cursed my father to die quickly."

"They said that only then would the remaining mother and son not be dragged down and die because of my father."

"Lin Chen..."

Shang Zhiyi hugged Lin Chen tightly again, this time out of empathy for the unbearable suffering he had endured in his youth.