{Chapter: 321 Vice President Lin Xiang!}
After leaving the Jiangbei Conservatory of Music, Lin Yuan drove Gui Qingtong back to the Mei family mansion.
As the car rolled to a gentle stop at the gates, the imposing structure of the mansion loomed in the background. Lin Yuan turned slightly to look at Gui Qingtong. "Here we are," he said softly.
Gui Qingtong hesitated before stepping out. She opened the door and got off the car, but it was clear she wasn't ready to part ways just yet. Her delicate figure stood near the entrance, her gaze lingering on Lin Yuan, full of reluctant affection.
"Brother Lin Yuan…" she called out, turning around and hugging her violin bag closer. "Are you really leaving just like that? Don't you want to stay for lunch? I can ask the kitchen to prepare something you like."
Lin Yuan smiled gently but shook his head. "No need, Qingtong. You need to eat well on your own. You're still recovering—your body is weak, so make sure to nourish it properly."
Gui Qingtong pouted slightly but didn't argue. "Okay…" she whispered, her voice trailing off. She always felt a subtle ache in her heart every time Lin Yuan left. She didn't want to be separated from him, not even for a moment.
She looked back at the Mei family mansion behind her. It was large, quiet, and somewhat lonely without Lin Yuan inside. If only her mother would allow it, she wished Lin Yuan could stay with them permanently. But Gui Qingtong knew very well—both her mother, Mei Yuxian, and Lin Yuan were extremely busy. And realistically, living together was not something that could happen so easily.
Just as Lin Yuan started the engine, Gui Qingtong seemed to make up her mind.
She leaned her violin bag gently against the door of the mansion and ran back to the car with light, hurried steps.
She tapped on the passenger side window, and Lin Yuan rolled it down in surprise. "Qingtong?"
"Brother Lin Yuan… before you go, can I have a hug?" Her tone was sweet, soft, and expectant.
Lin Yuan chuckled and shook his head. He opened the door and stepped out. "You've been getting clingier and clingier lately, haven't you?"
"Of course!" Gui Qingtong puffed out her cheeks slightly. "Mom said I could marry you after I get admitted into university and graduate. Now that I've already taken the first step, I have to stick close to you all the time. Otherwise, those bad women out there might try to steal you away!"
Her words were spoken with innocent conviction, and her eyes sparkled with determination. Lin Yuan couldn't help but laugh helplessly at her serious little face.
But what Gui Qingtong didn't know… was that if she ever found out about the true relationship between Lin Yuan and her own mother, Mei Yuxian, her reaction would be a completely different story.
Oblivious to that hidden truth, Gui Qingtong opened her arms widely and stepped forward to hug him tightly. Lin Yuan returned the embrace, feeling the warmth of her youthful body press against his chest.
At first, he thought it was just a simple goodbye hug.
But to his surprise, Gui Qingtong suddenly tiptoed, her lips pursed with nervous intent. Unlike before—when she used to kiss him on the cheek—this time, she aimed directly for his lips.
It was a bold move.
Unfortunately for her, the difference in height made the attempt a little off the mark. Instead of landing on Lin Yuan's lips, her kiss ended up pressing softly against his chin.
There was an awkward pause.
Gui Qingtong's face flushed a deep shade of red as she realized what had just happened. She quickly stepped back, flustered.
Lin Yuan, wiping the spot she kissed, teased her with a raised brow. "What's going on inside that little head of yours, you naughty girl?"
Gui Qingtong covered her face for a moment before peeking through her fingers with a grin. "Well, who asked Brother Lin Yuan to be so irresistible?"
Her playful tone made Lin Yuan laugh again. Sometimes she acted like an innocent little girl, and at other times, like a mischievous woman far beyond her years.
He gently placed a hand on her head and lowered his face to plant a gentle kiss on her forehead.
Feeling the tender warmth of his lips, Gui Qingtong blinked in surprise, her face turning redder than ever before.
"Alright. Go back in and eat properly. I'll see you again soon," Lin Yuan said warmly.
"Okay!" Gui Qingtong nodded excitedly, holding her violin close again as she ran towards the front door, occasionally glancing back with a radiant smile on her face.
After watching her enter the mansion safely, Lin Yuan returned to his car. Once inside, he picked up his phone to check his messages.
He saw a reply from Qiu Wanxi.
Earlier, he had joked with her, saying he would 'eat' her tonight.
Qiu Wanxi had responded shyly:
<"Okay… I'll wait for the young master to come home tonight…"
Just reading her message made Lin Yuan imagine her blushing face, probably hiding behind her phone screen at that very moment. He could clearly envision her curling up in the Riverview Villa, filled with anticipation and nervousness.
He sent her another message, reminding her again to eat well and rest, especially since she had just been discharged from the hospital not long ago.
Just as he was about to put the phone away, another notification popped up.
It was from Yan Ruyue.
<"Can I ask you to accompany me this afternoon? You said I should spend more time with you for the sake of my treatment..."
Lin Yuan remembered that Yan Ruyue had mentioned before she wanted to go out more often with him. He had declined once due to a scheduling conflict, but this time, he had no immediate plans.
So he replied simply:
<"Okay."
A moment later, another message arrived.
<"Could you come to the company to pick me up? If it's inconvenient, I can come to you."
Lin Yuan responded again without hesitation.
<"No trouble. I'll come to your company this afternoon and pick you up."
After all, Yan Ruyue had personally visited the Lin Group to find him in the past. This time, he was more than willing to make the effort to meet her on her terms.
And so, with his plan for the afternoon now set, Lin Yuan leaned back in his seat for a moment before starting the engine and heading off.
After closing the chat window, Lin Yuan put down his phone and leaned back into his seat. A thoughtful look appeared in his eyes.
He exhaled lightly, adjusted his posture, and then started the engine, driving smoothly back toward his residence.
Upon arriving home, Lin Yuan wasted no time. He quickly retrieved his phone and made a call to Long Wu.
The line connected almost instantly, as if Long Wu had been anticipating the call.
"Hello, Young Master. Do you have any instructions for me?" Long Wu's voice came through the line, calm and respectful.
Lin Yuan didn't beat around the bush. "I asked you to monitor Vice President Lin Xiang of the Lin Group. Any findings? Anything out of the ordinary?"
"Yes, Young Master," Long Wu replied with certainty. "We've been observing him carefully over the past few weeks. His behavior does indeed match what you previously suspected. More than that, we have discovered that he has been maintaining secret communications with the Chen family, as well as with several other families known to be hostile toward the Lin family."
Lin Yuan's eyes narrowed as he tapped his fingers rhythmically on the steering wheel, deep in thought.
"We've managed to collect solid evidence—approximately 30 to 40% so far," Long Wu continued.
Lin Yuan remained silent for a moment as his mind began to spin through various scenarios and implications. After dealing with Chen Qu earlier—feeding him quite literally to the fish—he had become far more cautious about internal and external threats to both the Lin family and the Lin Group.
Lin Xiang's position made him a significant concern. As a current board member of the Lin Group, Lin Xiang wielded real influence. He wasn't just another employee—he was part of the group that made high-level decisions for the company.
The Lin Group's board of directors was composed of two types of members: those directly from the Lin family bloodline, and those who had earned their place through years of dedication and contribution to the company's development.
Lin Xiang belonged to a side branch of the Lin family—not the core bloodline like Lin Yuan or his father Lin Jianjun— cousin Yu Shanshan or her Mother—but he was still technically family. That alone gave him a certain amount of clout.
There were two reasons why Lin Xiang had managed to climb into such a position of power. First, of course, was his distant but undeniable blood relationship to the Lin family. And second, and perhaps more importantly, his father—who had worked alongside Lin Yuan's grandfather—had played a critical role in helping the family's empire grow in its early days. For his loyalty and hard work, he was granted company equity.
And now, decades later, Lin Xiang had inherited that equity—and along with it, a seat on the board.
Out of courtesy, Lin Yuan would normally call him "Uncle Lin Xiang," but that gesture of familial respect was beginning to feel increasingly hollow.
In large, influential families like theirs, enemies rarely came only from outside. Often, the most dangerous threats emerged from within—people who hid behind a shared surname, biding their time.
It was clear Lin Xiang was one such individual.
Lin Jianjun and Meng Yuelan currently held 51% of the Lin Group's total shares between them, which made them the company's controlling shareholders. This gave them the legal authority to influence decisions and assert dominance over the company's direction.
However, despite having a relative majority, that didn't guarantee complete safety.
According to corporate governance regulations in Kyushu State, having over 50% was only considered "relative control." In contrast, absolute control was granted only when one held more than 67% of total shares. With that level of ownership, one could push through major resolutions without needing support from other shareholders.
Relative control allowed the Lin family to steer the company, but it was not infallible. A powerful coalition among the remaining shareholders could still challenge their authority—especially if someone like Lin Xiang sided with hostile external forces.
And Lin Yuan knew that Lin Xiang was exactly the type of person who would do that.