"Who tampered with my formula?"
Andre's roar, piercing and resonant, echoed through the guesthouse, causing immediate commotion.
Almost all the guests emerged from their rooms, their faces etched with curiosity as they observed Andre, who was pacing back and forth like a distressed bear.
"Andre, what are you bellowing about now?" the kindly, middle-aged waitress scolded him, her face a mask of annoyance.
She had long grown tired of this fellow who, after a few drinks, would inevitably erupt into a cacophony of wails.
"Tell me, who touched my notebook?" Andre yelled at the waitress, his voice charged with excitement. His imposing physique, his burly frame, and his stubble-laden face made him appear more formidable than a mountain bandit, enough to send any timid young woman into a trembling heap.
However, the waitress was clearly not among them. She met his gaze unflinchingly. "What's all this incessant chatter about? Your junk is only precious to you. Who in their right mind would bother with your ridiculous trinkets? Honestly, a few scribbles, and you spend all day tinkering. What kind of fool would want your possessions?"
"No, I mean, who changed my formula? Please, I beg you, tell me!"
Andre's tone softened considerably as he pleaded with the waitress, his voice becoming surprisingly gentle, almost choked with emotion.
This abrupt shift caught the waitress off guard. Not only her, but even the other guests who knew Andre were taken aback.
Everyone knew Andre, whose temper was as foul and stubborn as a boulder in a latrine – a particularly large one at that – was actually asking for help?
And all for some insignificant, tattered notebook?
"I've already told you, I truly don't know. I..." Seeing Andre's sudden vulnerability, the waitress appeared flustered. After a brief pause, she hesitantly continued,
"I genuinely didn't see anyone touch your belongings. However, if you insist on suspecting someone, I'd say the man and woman who checked in today and are staying in the two presidential suites on the third floor might be possibilities. I did see the man..."
Before the waitress could finish her sentence, Andre, like a roaring bear, sprinted furiously towards the third floor.
"Hey, where are you rushing off to? That young couple already left. They're not in their room right now. Hey!"
As the waitress's words trailed off, Andre dashed back, his eyes wide as saucers, and bellowed at her, "Where, where did they go?"
"I don't know, but I think they mentioned going out to buy clothes. They'll be back tonight."
"Then I'll wait for them at the guesthouse entrance!"
"Hey, they just left! You don't need to wait this early! Hey, hey, hey! Fine, go ahead."
...
Wang Yu and Wu Lingling were indeed no longer at the guesthouse. Shortly after settling in, Wu Lingling had dragged Wang Yu out to buy clothes.
With the upcoming competition against the Qinglu Group's press conference, it was a formal occasion that required a proper appearance. How could he possibly show up in his current attire? If he didn't care about losing face, she certainly did!
These were Wu Lingling's exact words. Although Wang Yu felt that clothes were secondary, believing that people wouldn't go easy on him or view him favorably just because he was well-dressed, he went along with it since Wu Lingling insisted.
Thus, the two of them headed directly to the city center for some shopping.
It was undeniable that the provincial capital lived up to its name, its liveliness and prosperity far surpassing that of Jiangyang County, a mere small town.
The busiest commercial street in Jiangyang County would be considered no more than a small alley here. Though a slight exaggeration, it was close!
There were even several clothing stores to choose from, unlike the single state-run department store.
Wang Yu, holding Wu Lingling's hand, tried on several outfits, but she was consistently dissatisfied, pulling him along to the next store.
"Huh? Isn't that Wang Yu? Oh, Wang Yu, it really is you!"
A voice called out, and a man and woman appeared, blocking Wang Yu's path.
Upon seeing the couple, Wang Yu's brow furrowed slightly. Since his rebirth, he had managed almost every situation with composure and discretion. Even when faced with despicable characters like Zhao Tao and Fang Zhongtian, he had maintained a calm and serene demeanor.
However, this time, upon seeing the newcomers, he revealed an expression of disgust on his face for the first time.
"What's wrong?" Wu Lingling noticed Wang Yu's shift in expression and asked.
She then turned her gaze to the couple before them.
The man and woman appeared to be in their thirties. The man was short and stout, while the woman was thin and sharp-featured. The stark contrast between the two created a peculiar, almost comical, impression.
As Wu Lingling observed them, the other pair also scrutinized her, their gazes sweeping over her unashamedly, as if appraising merchandise.
Such scrutiny made Wu Lingling deeply uncomfortable. She found the couple profoundly unsettling.
"Wang Yu, who are they?"
Wu Lingling inquired from the side. Simultaneously, the other pair posed a similar question.
"Wang Yu, is this your girlfriend?" the short, stout man asked, his small eyes narrowing as he appraised her. "When did you arrive in the provincial capital? Why didn't you let your cousin know?
Hmm? Looking at you, it seems you've made it! Coming to the provincial capital to buy clothes. I heard the automobile factory is doing well these days?"
"Yes, if you had just given us a heads-up, we could have hosted you," the sharp-featured woman chimed in. "You young couple, unfamiliar with the city, wandering through stores. Look at you, just trying on clothes without buying, looking so shabby. If people knew, they might think we're bullying our own family."
"Heh."
Wang Yu offered a faint smile to the couple. He then explained to Wu Lingling, "They are, in a way, my cousin and his wife."
"What do you mean, 'in a way'? Our fathers are brothers, close as can be!" the man quickly interjected.
"Yes, brothers who, after our parents passed away, plundered all our family's assets – my father and mother," Wang Yu said with a cold sneer. "They forced me to drop out of school early and start working in the factory just so I could feed myself and my sister. I almost starved to death!"
"Don't say it like that. What do you mean 'plundered our family's assets'? The family property was built by our father's generation. As the elder brother, I merely managed it for you. Besides, do you know how difficult it is to get a job in a factory these days? I pulled many strings to get you into the automobile factory."
The man, Wang Jinhui, argued self-righteously, "What does a young man like you know? I did this for your own good!"