Helping His Future Self

"Xiao Yu, Manager Deng, are you two all right?"

Seeing this, Shang Zhiyi hurried over, feeling somewhat ashamed.

Earlier, when Xia Tiejun had bullied her, only Yu Qian and Deng Wenji had stepped forward.

Now that it was over, she had only been focused on chatting with Lin Chen and had not spared them a thought.

For a moment, Shang Zhiyi felt incredibly guilty.

"We're fine. These minor injuries are nothing serious."

"As for you, it was fortunate that Mr. Lin stepped in at the end. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable."

"That's right, Sister Shang. If it hadn't been for Mr. Lin, you really would have been in danger today."

Hearing their replies, Shang Zhiyi felt even more ashamed.

Just as she was about to apologize, Lin Chen's voice suddenly rang out.

"Today, I have the two of you to thank for holding them back. Otherwise, by the time I arrived, Zhiyi might already have been taken away."

After saying that, he turned to Qi Zhenxing, who was waiting nearby.

"As a major shareholder of the group, I am issuing you an order."

"From this moment onward, revoke all previous punishments imposed on Deng Wenji, and increase his original salary and group benefits by fivefold."

"As for Yu Qian, increase her benefits and salary by fivefold as well, the same as Deng Wenji's."

Once Lin Chen had issued those orders, everyone became envious.

At the same time, they were filled with regret, regretting that they had not rushed forward to help back then.

After all, this was a full fivefold increase.

If it had only been a salary increase, they might not have regretted it so deeply. But the key was that the group benefits had also increased fivefold, which was entirely different.

The group benefits were calculated as a percentage of the group's annual profits. Under normal circumstances, everyone could receive around two hundred thousand from benefits alone.

But with a fivefold increase, that would amount to a full one million.

Adding in a fivefold salary increase, their annual income would likely reach at least two million.

How could that not make everyone envious?

Ding-dong. Congratulations, Host. You have successfully completed the mission "Help Shang Zhiyi and punish Xia Tiejun." Reward: one Silver Treasure Chest PLUS.

Just after Lin Chen gave those orders, the system's notification that the mission had been completed sounded in his mind.

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

Looking at the two Silver Treasure Chest PLUSes in his inventory, Lin Chen felt eager to give them a try.

He had yet to open this new type of treasure chest, and he had no idea what good things might be inside.

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

After hearing Lin Chen's arrangement, Deng Wenji and Yu Qian were both overwhelmed with excitement.

Their faces had turned bright red as they repeatedly bowed to thank him.

"No need. You've earned this."

"But let's be clear: even after receiving the group benefits, you still need to work seriously from now on, understand?"

The two bowed again, expressing that they would definitely work hard in the future.

Lin Chen nodded. Seeing that the matter had more or less been handled, he prepared to say goodbye to Shang Zhiyi.

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

However, at that moment, Shang Zhiyi suddenly said something.

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

"Hmm? Sure."

Lin Chen was somewhat surprised, but he still nodded in agreement.

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

After the two left, everyone began discussing the matter again, guessing what exactly they were going to talk about.

Seeing that his boss had left, Tang Guogang naturally had no reason to stay any longer and prepared to head home as well.

But before leaving, he said to Zhang Bin beside him:

"From now on, make sure someone protects Miss Shang properly. Don't let anything happen to her."

"From the way Mr. Lin is with her, it's obvious their relationship is far from ordinary."

"Yes."

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

At that moment, the open-air lounge was completely empty.

Only after confirming that no one was around did Lin Chen say to Shang Zhiyi, "All right, there's no one here. Whatever you want to say, go ahead..."

Before Lin Chen could finish, Shang Zhiyi threw herself at him and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

"Lin Chen, thank you so much for today."

"If it hadn't been for you, I don't know what I would have done from now on."

After saying that, Shang Zhiyi began to sob softly.

Clearly, what had happened earlier had still left a shadow in her heart.

Seeing his beautiful old classmate crying in his arms, Lin Chen did not feel good either.

"All right, it's over now."

"Don't cry. If you keep crying, a beauty won't be beautiful anymore."

Whether it was because of the words "won't be beautiful anymore" or because they had come from Lin Chen, Shang Zhiyi really did force herself to stop crying and wipe away her tears.

However, her body still trembled with faint, intermittent sobs.

Looking at her reddened eyes after crying, Lin Chen thought of his former self.

The way he looked at Shang Zhiyi became gentler and more resolute than before.

"If anyone should be thanked, it should really be you."

"Me?"

After wiping away her tears, Shang Zhiyi was baffled by his words.

"Yes, you."

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

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

Shang Zhiyi seemed to recall something. A deep look of heartache flashed through her eyes, heartache for Lin Chen.

"Yes, my father."

As though he had recalled those scenes from back then, Lin Chen's entire body began to tremble violently.

"At that time, my father suffered a stroke and eventually became critically ill in the hospital. I borrowed money from every relative I could, and I even got down on my knees and kowtowed."

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

"I truly couldn't understand it. Back when our family had still been fairly well-off..."

"Whenever those so-called relatives ran into trouble, our family had always helped them without hesitation."

"Even if helping them cost us a huge sum of money, our family never uttered a single complaint."

"Back then, I was too young and ignorant to understand it. Later, my father told me that helping others now was helping your future self."

"He also said that no one could be certain that their life would always go smoothly."

"So he taught me that, when I was able, I should build good ties with people. That way, if disaster struck in the future, there would be someone to help me, giving me a better chance to survive."

"Even now, those words still ring in my ears."

At this point, Lin Chen grew agitated, his entire face flushing an unnatural red.

"But what I never could have imagined was that those so-called relatives who had once benefited from my father's kindness chose not to help at the crucial moment. They avoided us as though we were a curse."

"If that had been all, we could have accepted it. We could have treated all the money we spent on them as having been fed to dogs."

"But the most hateful part was that not only did they refuse to help, they also kicked us while we were down and humiliated us in every possible way. They even cursed my father to die quickly."

"They said that only then would my mother and I not be dragged to death by my father."

"Lin Chen..."

Shang Zhiyi hugged Lin Chen tightly again, but this time, it was out of heartache for the inhuman suffering he had endured in his youth.