Chapter 70 Forced Love from My Archrival 19

Chapter 70: Forcibly Loved by My Archrival 19

"Mrs. Liu! I'm done eating, I'm heading to work now."

"Huh?! Young Master, didn't the old master give you a month off? Why are you still going to work?"

Lin Huaiqing felt he had rested enough and couldn't stay idle at home, so he drove himself straight to the office.

Outside the company entrance, Lin Huaiqing noticed nothing unusual, but once he stepped into the lobby, he found the rest area was completely filled with employees of the Lin Group.

It was nine in the morning Beijing time—the busiest time—yet these people had the leisure to sit downstairs drinking coffee.

Hoping to pick up some gossip, Lin Huaiqing pushed his sunglasses up and mingled with the crowd.

"Hey... do you think we'll even get our salaries this month?"

"You're still thinking about your salary? The boss has already been taken in for questioning. We should be grateful if the Lin Group doesn't go bankrupt."

Lin Huaiqing could no longer contain himself upon hearing what they were discussing.

"What did you just say?! My dad was taken away? What exactly is going on?"

"Your dad?! Ah! You mean Mr. Lin—he was taken in as soon as he got to the office this morning. Didn't you know?"

Of course he had no idea. If he'd known the story would move this fast, he would've at least braced himself.

"Uncle Wang... That's right! I'll go find Uncle Wang."

Lin Huaiqing jabbed the elevator button and made a beeline for the top floor.

Wang Xing was in the conference room, trying to calm down the shareholders, and didn't have time to see him. However, Xue Chengan, who was standing outside the door, seemed to be waiting just for him.

"Cousin, you're here at last."

"Where's Uncle Wang? He's got to have a way to save my dad!"

"Cousin, you can't go in! Uncle Wang is already swamped in there. Don't make things worse for him!"

Lin Huaiqing looked inside and saw that Xue Chengan was right.

He sagged like a deflated balloon, collapsing onto the leather sofa.

Even though this day was bound to come, Lin Huaiqing hadn't expected it to come so fast.

He'd only just started to feel what it was like to have a father's love, and now Lin Zhen was in trouble. Was he just not meant to have even a tiny bit of a father's love in this life?

"Cousin, are you alright? I heard Uncle got taken in for questioning about tax stuff. If it's true, he could end up in jail."

"No way! My dad would never dodge taxes—I don't believe it!"

Even though they hadn't been father and son for that long, he was sure Lin Zhen wasn't the type to be greedy.

The Lin family already had everything, so why would he risk money that could bring disaster?

"I know! I believe Uncle too. I'm just saying it's a possibility." Xue Chengan patted his shoulder, trying to comfort him.

After what seemed like forever, the conference room door finally opened. The directors and shareholders filed out, each glancing at Lin Huaiqing and sighing as they left.

As if predicting what was in store for him.

"Uncle Wang! What's going on with my dad? Why hasn't he been let go yet?" Lin Huaiqing stormed straight into the conference room without a second thought.

Wang Xing looked grim, his lips dry and cracked, his whole demeanor defeated.

"Huaiqing, you need to brace yourself. Your dad might be in serious trouble..."

"What do you mean, serious trouble? Uncle Wang, can you be clearer?"

"Someone reported the Lin Group for tax evasion. Your dad's been taken in for questioning, and they won't drop it until everything's cleared up."

"Uncle Wang, you've been with my dad for so many years—you should know him better than anyone! How could he evade taxes?"

"I know, I know. But the fact is, the Lin Group does owe some taxes. The finance department's been sealed off for the investigation. I'll let you know if I hear anything more."

With that, Wang Xing hurried off to deal with company business.

The whole company was in chaos, and he was needed to keep things together.

Lin Huaiqing hated that he'd only been at the company for such a short time and couldn't help at all. Then his aunt called him back to the old house to keep his grandpa company.

The old man still didn't know about the big crisis at the Lin Group, and no one dared tell him—he was too old and frail to handle the shock.

Not knowing his most beloved son was facing jail time, he was happily tending to his flowers and plants.

Even though Lin Huaiqing was at the old house, he was restless, wanting to ask Uncle Wang about his dad but afraid of bothering him while he was busy.

After a week of wandering around in a daze, he got more bad news from Xue Chengan.

The last earthquake's epicenter was less than a few kilometers from Lover's Island. Because of crustal movement, the island was already starting to sink.

Experts predicted Lover's Island would probably be completely underwater within ten years.

So the so-called development project would be permanently stopped.

Plus, this counted as force majeure, so they could legally refuse to pay breach-of-contract penalties.

In other words, all the money the Lin Group had put in early on was basically down the drain.

Even though the project had just started, the money invested was no small amount. With no way to get the money back, this could easily be the last straw that broke the Lin Group's back.

Realizing all this, Lin Huaiqing went completely quiet.

He'd thought getting the Lover's Island project would slow down the plot, but instead it just sped up the Lin Group's downfall.

Lover's Island had gone from a surefire money-maker to a total loss. Was it just because he wasn't the male lead that things turned out so differently?

"System, what's the world progress at now?"

"Ding! Current world progress: 79%. About to enter the 'borrowing money' storyline. Please be prepared, Host."

Before, Lin Huaiqing would've been excited—after all, it meant things were almost done, and finishing the task would get him more money.

But now, his eyes were cold as ice. Just the thought of having to bow to that guy made him feel sick and disgusted.

Uncle Wang had said someone ratted out the Lin Group for tax evasion.

And who else could it be but the Qin Group, the Lin family's archenemy?

Though from a moral standpoint, the male lead hadn't done anything wrong—he was just using legal means for fair competition.

But that doesn't stop him—as part of the Lin Group—from despising the Qin family.

"Huaiqing, come here for a moment." Lin Lan, not daring to bring up company matters in front of the old master, just called Lin Huaiqing into the study to talk to him alone.

"Aunt, is there any news about my father?"

"That's exactly why I came to see you. The Lin Group's tax evasion is already set in stone. As the legal representative, your dad's definitely going to jail. You need to be mentally prepared."

"And the company? The Lin Group is my father's life's work—it won't be shut down, will it?!"

"The amount involved isn't that big, so it won't be shut down for now, but the assets will be frozen."