Winner Takes All

Title: 谁把谁当真 (Winner Takes All)

Author：水千丞 (ShuiQianCheng)

Translator: 月野 見事 (TsukinoMigoto)

Protagonists ：黎朔 (LiShuo), 赵锦辛 (ZhaoJinXin)

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After taking some photos, Li Shuo took out a sealed bag from his pocket, which contained fingerprint gloves made by his father’s fingerprints. He knew that Ennan’s financial system required double verification of fingerprints and passwords, so he prepared one. Now that the system has been successfully entered, he still has to find a way to open the safe.

This is the first time for Li Shuo to do this kind of thing. He is somewhat nervous and guilty, but thinking that the worst result was only to be discovered by his father, he didn’t have further burden to carry.

There are two common passwords for his dad. They could be his mother and Li Shuo’s own first name in the 26-letter rank numbers. Since the system login password is fucked, the safe password is probably his own.

Li Shuo pressed his fingerprint, then tried the password once, and it turned on.

Li Shuo’s heart pounded. He didn’t know what he would find, but as long as it was a listed company, the accounts would not be clean. He would definitely find something.

He picked up a few documents, flipped through them quickly, and then took hundreds of photos. After doing this, his palms were sweating, he carefully put the documents back in place, closed the safe, took off the fingerprint gloves and stuffed them back into his pocket.

As soon as Li Shuo sat back in his chair, the office door was pushed open. His heart was tight and he felt relieved that he was done with his deed.

It was not his father who opened the door. It was Zhao Jinxin. He carried a lunch box in his hand.

Li Shuo turned off the system: “Why are you here?”

“I just arrived at the company and met uncle in the cafeteria. He said you haven’t eaten yet.” Zhao Jinxin put the lunch on the coffee table and greeted him, “Come and eat.”

Li Shuo moved his eyes back to the computer screen: “Just put it there, I’ll eat it later.”

Zhao Jinxin smiled: “I haven’t eaten either, come here, don’t be hungry.” He paused, seeing that Li Shuo didn’t respond, and said, “Or do you want me to feed you?”

Li Shuo didn’t want to argue with him, so he walked over, opened the lunch box, and started eating.

Zhao Jinxin watched Li Shuo’s hair in silence for a while, and then couldn’t help reaching out and touching it.

Li Shuo had a guilty conscience, and his nerves had been tensed. Zhao Jinxin’s sudden behavior shocked him, and he suddenly raised his head.

Zhao Jinxin is also stunned, and then smiled: “Why the hell are you so nervous?”

“You’re not eating?”

“Looking at you is more delicious than eating.”

Li Shuo ignored him and continued to eat.

“Did you realize? This office has the same layout as my office upstairs.”

“Um.”

“The table is placed in the same position, and the blinds are made of the same material.” Zhao Jinxin played with Li Shuo’s hair, “Remember? We did it in many places.”

Li Shuo froze. Anyway, since he stepped into this building again, he couldn’t ignore those familiar places. In the office, toilet, rest room, pantry, and archives room, he and Zhao Jinxin really went crazy for a period of time. At that time, he felt that he was radiated with youthful vitality from the inside out. Thinking about it, he really liked Zhao Jinxin so much, and had given in so much to this person. His huge surprise and excitement are inseparable.

Li Shuo said blankly: “Do you still want me to eat?”

Zhao Jinxin licked his lips and said ambiguously: “I really want to eat you.”

“This is my dad’s office. Can you abstain a bit?”

“What if I don’t abstain? How does Uncle Li plan to punish me?”

“Can I punish you to shut up?”

“If you kiss me, I’ll shut up.” Zhao Jinxin sipped his lips suddenly, and then showed a ludicrous smile.

“You……”

Just as Li Shuo was about to speak, Zhao Jinxin leaned in and held his lower lip with his own and sucked gently.

At this time, the two of them heard the sound of the office door knob being turned at the same time.

With a flash of energy, Li Shuo was about to push Zhao Jinxin away. Zhao Jinxin narrowed his eyes and grabbed his hand against his chest. Instead of retreating, he pushed forward, and crushed Li Shuo on the sofa, and blocked his lips, kissing passionately.

Li Shuo felt his scalp numb for a while, and it was too late to resist. He glanced at the figure by the door for a while.

Zhao Jinxin let go of Li Shuo, and looked at Mr. Li, who was also shocked, pretending to be surprised.

Li Shuo was so angry that the veins on his forehead swelled, he sat up from the sofa in embarrassment, dodged his dad’s sharp gaze, and called “Dad” in embarrassment.

“Uncle…” Zhao Jinxin’s expression was nervous and shy as he spied Li Shuo from time to time.

Mr. Li frowned and looked at his son.

Li Shuo sighed: “I’m going back first, let’s go home and talk.” After speaking, he got up and left.

Zhao Jinxin grabbed the corner of Li Shuo’s coat. He looked like he was at a loss, as if he was afraid that Li Shuo would throw him away, which looked extremely innocent.

Li Shuo hated him and wanted to bite him.

Mr. Li coughed lightly: “Jin Xin, your father is looking for you. Go ahead first, Li Shuo, you stay.”

Zhao Jinxin stood up, nodded respectfully towards Mr. Li and left.

When only the Li family father and son were left in the office, they fell into an embarrassing silence.

Mr. Li sat on a chair, looked at Li Shuo for a long time, then said, “How long has it been?”

Li Shuo thought for a while: “Not long ago.”

“How long is not long ago?”

“A few months ago,” Li Shuo said vaguely.

“Back in China?”

“Yeah.” Li Shuo scolded Zhao Jinxin in his heart a hundred times. His mother was easy to evade, but he really didn’t dare to fool his dad casually. His dad is usually a good-tempered person, but it is especially terrible if he gets angry.

“Stop lying.” Mr. Li snorted coldly, “During Zhao Jinxin’s mother’s birthday, you dance in the ballroom together, I already thought you two were not quite right at the time.”

Li Shuo scratched his hair: “We are just dating now, and at the time, things are unclear, so I didn’t tell you.”

“I don’t understand you. Are you in love with Zhao Jinxin now? Yes or no?”

Li Shuo said grimly: “No.”

“Then what did you just do?!” Mr. Li’s volume increased.

“Dad, we…”

“Li Shuo.” Mr. Li increased his sigh, “That’s the son of my boss, the son of my best friend. It’s not that you can break up with him simply over a disagreement. Have you considered the consequences before you act? ”

Li Shuo was blocked and speechless.

Six months ago, if their relationship was known to his parents, he would stand up and say that he and Zhao Jinxin are seriously in a relationship and they did nothing wrong.

But not now. His dad is just like his mother. He can tell that his dad is afraid that Li Shuo’s so-called ‘veteran in love’ will hurt Zhao Jinxin. It was Zhao Jinxin’s fancy that he came to this surprise attack to this point.

Li Shuo sighed: “Dad, I can handle my own affairs. Don’t be angry, please.”

“Do you think I am willing to care about your relationship problems? If it weren’t for Zhao Jinxin, I don’t care how long you’re going to play around.” Mr. Li said solemnly, “Li Shuo, let me tell you. The relationship between Jinxin and I. Lao Zhao and I have known each other longer than you. We are still business partners. The foundation of this relationship is very solid. Don’t cause me and Lao Zhao to be in a mess because of you young people. It’s embarrassing.”

“Dad, I understand, don’t worry.” Li Shuo didn’t want to stay longer for a moment, and hurried away.

In the underground parking lot, Li Shuo saw Zhao Jinxin who was waiting beside his car.

Li Shuo was full of anger: “Are you very proud of this play?”

Zhao Jinxin smiled: “They will know sooner or later.”

“Whether they will know or not, it’s up to me to decide!”

“No.” Zhao Jinxin hugged Li Shuo’s waist, forced his chest to press against his chest, and said with a wicked smile, “It is up to me to decide. Not only your parents, but also my parents, they will have to know about it sooner or later. I want to put my Zhao family’s label on Uncle Li’s head to see who dares to snatch you away from me.”

Li Shuo glared at Zhao Jinxin and sneered: “You are really confident, Zhao Jinxin, do you understand the principles of right and wrong?”

“I don’t understand, my ancient Chinese is not very good.” Zhao Jinxin touched Li Shuo’s cheek affectionately, “Don’t worry, we will be blessed.”

“No one will bless you with those despicable means.” Li Shuo pushed him aside, opened the car door and got in.

Zhao Jinxin climbed on the door of the car and suddenly sighed, “Do you remember that time when you caught my hand with the door of the car?”

Li Shuo’s hand pulling the car door stopped at the memory.

“I did it on purpose.” Zhao Jinxin showed a lonely smile on his face, “I thought I was invincible, but I always hit a wall in front of you, so I had to use some tricks.”

“I already guessed it earlier on.”

“I really hope to return to the time when I first met you. If I knew I would love you so much, I would pursue you seriously from the beginning.”

Li Shuo felt numb pain in his heart. He looked ahead and whispered, “It’s impossible to go back.” He yanked shut the car door with a bang and drove the car away.

When he got home, Li Shuo printed out all the photos he had just taken, all the statements that Ennan had publicized in the last year, stock trends, board resolutions, and some project documents.

He locked himself in the room and began to deal with those cumbersome figures and documents.

In the evening, Mr. Li returned home. Li Shuo put away the documents and went downstairs to eat. The atmosphere between the father and son was not quite right, and Mrs. Li could naturally see it.

In order to enliven the atmosphere, Mrs. Li said: “Will you go to the Spring Festival Gala of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce this year? I heard that many celebrities have been invited.”

“Mom, do you want to go?”

“I want to. Isn’t it good for everyone to have fun together? We don’t have any other relatives in the United States. Jinxin and his family are going to go there too. Lao Zhao will give a speech on behalf of the Chinese every year.”

As soon as Jinxin was mentioned, the skins of the father and son became tighter, and they stopped talking.

Mrs. Li was anxious: “are we going or not?”

“If you want to go, we will go.” Mr. Li said.

“Okay.” Mrs. Li clapped her hands happily, “I want to dress nicely. Don’t give me a long face.”

Li Shuo smiled, Mr. Li was still stern at first, and finally couldn’t help but smile.

Li Shuo spent two whole nights looking at the documents, and finally found some faults, following the vines, he should be able to find some good evidences soon.

He was busy until three or four in the middle of the night.

Suddenly, his cell phone rang, and on this exceptionally quiet night, he suddenly inserted into his dreams that he had not yet awakened from. The call directly awakened him.

The call at this time must be a call from China. Li Shuo grabbed it and saw that it was a domestic mobile phone number, but it was an unfamiliar number. He hesitated and pressed the call button: “Hello?”

There was a rustling on the phone, and after a few seconds, there was a dull voice: “…brother?”

Li Shuo almost immediately became sober, he frowned deeply: “Brother Xu?”

Xu Darui stammered: “You, this time, sleeping?”

“I’m at home, in America.”

Xu Darui was silent for a while, and then said “Oh”.

Li Shuo rubbed his forehead, and said wearily: “You said that you won’t contact me again.” What he worried most has happened. He wouldn’t think that Xu Darui’s call was for New Year’s greetings.

“I… I really can’t help it.” Xu Darui hesitated and said, “No one else can help me.”

Li Shuo closed his eyes: “Brother Xu, I won’t help you anymore. I have already made it very clear last time.”

“Brother, don’t hang up, I beg you.” Xu Darui said tremblingly, “I, I owe money.”

“You owe the bank more than one billion yuan. I really can’t help you with this.”

“No, it’s the money you gave me last time. I think…I want to see my daughter and have to get a decent meeting gift, so I thought, play a few… buy her a car or something.”

“You take the money and gamble?” Li Shuo asked gritted teeth.

“Then what do I do, I can’t rely on these two hundred thousand for a lifetime, and I can’t find a decent job…” The more Xu Darui said, the more choked his voice became, “Brother, how come I am like this?”

Li Shuo was stuck in his heart. Xu Darui was a big boss worth hundreds of millions in the past. Now this bleak situation is indeed a bit pitiful. But when he thinks of Xu Darui’s work, Li Shuo can’t sympathize with him. His voice is a bit cold, “Brother Xu, I’m sorry, I can’t help you. Because of you, the office that I have run for ten years has changed hands. It was a mistake I made when I was young, and I can’t blame you for it, but I don’t think I owe you anything either. I will give you 200,000 yuan, it’s for old sake, how to spend is your business, and what consequences occur, don’t come looking for me.”

“Brother, brother, don’t hang up. Li Shuo, I beg you, I owe loan sharks, if I don’t pay back, I don’t know what will happen, I just want to be decent to meet my daughter.”

“What are you thinking about? If you suddenly have money, are you not afraid that the bank will come to you? That money has been enough for you to be stable for a few years, how did you become like this?!”

Xu Darui burst into tears: “Yeah, how the hell did I become like this.”

Li Shuo listened to his crying, his heart felt even more uncomfortable, he said in a deep voice, “Brother Xu, how much do you owe?”

Xu Darui choked and said: “1.6 million.”

Li Shuo took a breath, clenched his fists in anger, and gritted his teeth and said: “I can’t help you. I hope you keep your promise and don’t contact me again.” He hung up the phone when he finished speaking, and at the same time slammed the phone to the bed.

“Damn, bastard…” Li Shuo was so angry that his brain hurts.

The phone beeps constantly, it is the sound of text messages.

Li Shuo picked it up and saw that it was all Xu Darui’s pleading. Li Shuo fell back on the bed, no longer sleepy.

1.6 million…It’s a small sum of money for him. He wonders if Xu Darui being deal with the loan shark this time and if it is given this time, will there be another time?

After thinking about it for a long time in the dark, he decided to let someone investigate whether Xu Darui was telling the truth. If it was true, he would pay the money back and then find a job for Xu Darui. However, these will not be done until a few years later, and he has to teach Xu Darui enough lessons.

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Next update: 2022/01/17 (on Knoxt), 2022/01/19 (on Wattpad)