Chapter 48

"Are you going to just give in?" Lu Xin felt a bit depressed. He had originally come to seduce the enemy's wife with a light and lewd heart, but ended up becoming Liu Xinmeng's confidant for venting her frustrations.

"If I had given in, Xie Changsheng wouldn't have left the Sanjiang Group, and Li Zhonggang wouldn't have been promoted to executive vice president," Liu Xinmeng's fox-like eyes were sharp as lightning. "I pretended to agree with Xie Changsheng, secretly contacted Li Zhonggang, and secretly filmed him during our second encounter. I then sent the video to Li Zhonggang, who reported it to the chairman and the party secretary. Chairman Jiang Zhenhua was furious, held a high-level meeting, and the rest is as you see—Xie Changsheng left, and Li Zhonggang took his place!"

There was another factor: Chairman Jiang Zhenhua and General Manager Wu Changhui did not want to see the power of the Xie brothers, Changsheng and Changrong, grow, so they took the opportunity to drive Xie Changsheng out of the Sanjiang Group.

"Aren't you worried that Xie Changsheng might lash out and expose your father's bribery?" Lu Xin blinked and re-evaluated Liu Xinmeng. This woman, who seemed fox-like and weak, was more decisive and ruthless than many men when she was determined.

"I had a prior agreement with Li Zhonggang. He would help reduce my father's bribery charges, and I would provide him with solid evidence to bring down Xie Changsheng!"

"Didn't you think that by doing this, you would ruin your reputation?" Lu Xin said regretfully.

"My face is already like this, and every man thinks I'm a bad woman. My reputation is already ruined, and it can't get much worse. I just want revenge!" Liu Xinmeng's fox-like face was calm. While others valued their reputation more than their lives, she treated it like dog shit.

"You're pregnant, you could have had an abortion, no need to marry Li Li," Lu Xin, after learning about Liu Xinmeng's tragic experience, was even more convinced that her marriage to Li Li was a case of beauty and the beast.

"I originally wanted to have an abortion, but the doctor told me that my endocrine system is out of balance, with low estrogen levels, causing a thin uterine wall. After one abortion, I probably won't be able to have children again," Liu Xinmeng's face was filled with sorrow. "Even though I know it's that bastard's child, I can't give it up because I want to be a mother!"

"Ah," Lu Xin looked at the frail and pitiful Liu Xinmeng and sighed deeply. This woman truly had a tragic fate. He said regretfully, "Being a single mother is also good. Why did you marry Li Li? That guy is a complete scoundrel, completely unworthy of you!"

"You're young, you don't know how hard it is to be a single mother in our country," Liu Xinmeng said sorrowfully. "I didn't want others to know this was that bastard's child. Li Zhonggang introduced me to Li Li. At the time, Li Li's son had drowned, and he had divorced his wife. He didn't mind my situation, and I didn't have time to think much, so I agreed to marry him."

After hearing so many secrets from Liu Xinmeng, Lu Xin felt immense pressure. "You trust me so much, telling me all your secrets. Aren't you worried I might reveal these things to others?"

"I know you've offended Li Zhonggang's son, Li Qiming, and Xie Changsheng's son, Xie Fei. Revealing my secrets would do you no good. I believe you are a good person, not a gossip, and wouldn't do something that harms others and yourself." Liu Xinmeng winked at Lu Xin. "Everyone misunderstands me. I've been carrying these secrets for a long time, unable to confide in anyone, which has been very distressing. Today, meeting you and confiding in you has made me feel much better!"

Liu Xinmeng had overestimated Lu Xin's moral standards. For a moment, Lu Xin had considered spreading the word about Liu Xinmeng's collaboration with Li Zhonggang to bring down Xie Changsheng, to expose Li Zhonggang's underhanded tactics to the other leaders in the group. This would put Li Zhonggang in a precarious position and indirectly harm Li Qiming. However, he then realized that Chairman Jiang Zhenhua, General Manager Wu Changhui, and the party secretary must have known about Li Zhonggang's role in Xie Changsheng's downfall. They had insisted on Xie Changsheng's removal not just because of his conduct issues, but because the strong alliance of the Xie brothers threatened their positions. They had to get rid of Xie Changsheng at all costs, and in such a situation, Li Zhonggang's cunning was likely recognized by them.

Clearly, with Lu Xin's current status, even if he betrayed Liu Xinmeng and revealed her collaboration with Li Zhonggang, it would have no substantial impact on Li Zhonggang's position. Therefore, it would be better to cultivate a friendship with Liu Xinmeng. At the very least, he could use her to gain insight into the schemes of Li Li and Li Qiming against him, and possibly even into Li Zhonggang's situation.

In this large corporation, climbing the ranks was Lu Xin's only way out. Climbing the corporate ladder was like playing chess, and having more pieces was always advantageous.

"Thank you for your trust," Lu Xin reached out and gently held Liu Xinmeng's hand, without any ulterior motives. "If you have any troubles in the future, feel free to talk to me. I'll do my best to help you, and if I can't solve your problems, I'll be there to listen!"

Lu Xin thought he was holding Liu Xinmeng's hand without any ulterior motives, but Liu Xinmeng didn't see it that way. Being tightly held by Lu Xin's large hand, she felt a current of electricity pass through her, making her heart tremble.

Liu Xinmeng suddenly found Lu Xin to be even more handsome than before, far more attractive than her ex-boyfriend who had left her, believing she and Xie Changsheng were having an affair. However, she knew she had no right to expect Lu Xin's romantic interest and could only hope for his friendship.

If Liu Xinmeng knew that in Lu Xin's mind, she was just a pawn, she would be heartbroken.

The two continued chatting. Lu Xin told Liu Xinmeng about being abandoned by Yang Xiaoli, pouring out the garbage in his heart, just as Liu Xinmeng had done.

Liu Xinmeng's slender eyes looked at Lu Xin with tenderness. "Don't be sad. Losing such a good boy is her loss, not yours. You will definitely find a better and more suitable girl in the future!"

"Don't try to comfort me," Lu Xin said with a bitter smile. "My parents are dead, my grandparents are farmers, and I'm a pure nobody. Now I've offended the sons of two high-level executives, the factory manager, the department head, and the team leader. My future is bleak, and I might end up being just a maintenance worker, or even be fired from the Sanjiang Group. My career is stagnant, and my love life is even worse!"

"Don't belittle yourself," Liu Xinmeng's expression was unusually serious, without her usual fox-like charm. "You're young, and as long as you maintain your drive and enthusiasm, you will find opportunities to advance! From my experience working in the headquarters' publicity department for over three years, none of the high-level leaders are perfect. If you can cater to their preferences and build a strong relationship with any of them, having a powerful backer will turn those who plotted against you into your sycophants. The key for you now is to seize every opportunity to find a backer. With a strong backer, you can work hard and, with your intelligence, quickly rise to a higher position!"