After Lin Tiannan stepped out of Room 101, he headed straight to the podium in the center of the hall. As soon as he appeared, the lively chatter among the guests gradually died down.
"Ahem..." Lin Tiannan coughed twice before addressing the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend this business dinner hosted by the Lin family..."
Jiang Che listened absentmindedly, quickly losing interest. It was nothing more than the usual pleasantries, void of any useful information. His gaze, however, drifted toward Room 101, where he had seen a woman enter just moments ago. The corners of his mouth curled into a playful smile—she must be Liu Qiyue's confidant.
"Madam, you were looking for me?"
Xiao Lin pushed the door open and stepped inside Room 101. She approached Liu Qiyue with a respectful demeanor. Having worked by Liu Qiyue's side for several years, she had developed great admiration for her.
"Come, have a seat," Liu Qiyue gestured toward the sofa opposite her, inviting Xiao Lin to sit.
"How long have you been with me?" she asked, rubbing her temples with closed eyes.
"It has been five years, Madam," Xiao Lin replied after a brief moment of thought. She had joined Liu Qiyue's company straight out of university as a personal secretary. Now, five years had passed.
"Five years..." Liu Qiyue sighed. "Time flies, doesn't it?"
Over the years, she had personally mentored Xiao Lin, watching her grow from an inexperienced newcomer into a confident HR manager who could handle all kinds of people. The transformation had been remarkable.
"There are some things I need to get off my chest," Liu Qiyue murmured, taking a sip of the steaming tea in front of her. Holding onto secrets for too long could drive a person insane.
"Madam, please feel free to speak. I will be your most attentive listener," Xiao Lin said with a light smile, her curiosity piqued. She had worked for Liu Qiyue for five years, yet never before had she seen her employer reveal her inner thoughts.
"What do you think of me?" Liu Qiyue suddenly asked, catching Xiao Lin off guard.
"You are a wonderful person, Madam. You've always treated us employees well," Xiao Lin answered sincerely.
And it was true. In her effort to consolidate power over the company, Liu Qiyue had maintained a strong rapport with the employees. After all, having allies meant gaining more influence, and she had succeeded in securing control over most of the Lin family's business empire.
"Wonderful?" Liu Qiyue chuckled, shaking her head. "That's only what I let people see. If you believe that, then I've done an excellent job at pretending."
"What do you mean, Madam?" Xiao Lin asked, a hint of confusion in her expression.
"You know I treat my employees well," Liu Qiyue continued, her voice calm. "But do you know why Lin Tiannan, the chairman, has been suffering from a mysterious illness?"
"Wasn't Chairman Lin afflicted by a strange disease five years ago?" Xiao Lin responded hesitantly. Like many others, she had heard the rumors about Lin Tiannan's declining health. It had been said that he suffered from an incurable condition, which gradually forced him to relinquish control of the company to Liu Qiyue.
It was also known that three years before Lin Tiannan fell ill—right after his marriage to Liu Qiyue—he had expelled his only son, Lin Fan, due to internal family disputes. Though Lin Tiannan had later regretted his decision and tried to locate Lin Fan, the boy had vanished without a trace. Given that Lin Fan had only been fourteen when he was thrown out, many believed he hadn't survived. After all, how could a privileged rich kid suddenly survive on the streets?
"No..." Liu Qiyue shook her head and spoke slowly. "Lin Tiannan's so-called 'strange illness'—I was the one who caused it."
Xiao Lin froze, her mind going blank. "You... caused it, Madam?" she asked, staring at Liu Qiyue in disbelief.
"Yes, it was me," Liu Qiyue admitted. "Back then, Lin Tiannan was drowning in guilt over Lin Fan and neglected his own health. He barely ate, barely slept, and soon, his body started failing. I went to seek out a folk remedy to nurse him back to health... but I also laced that remedy with a colorless, odorless, slow-acting poison."
Xiao Lin's breath hitched.
"This particular poison works over time," Liu Qiyue continued. "At first, it doesn't seem to have any effect. But the longer you consume it, the worse your condition becomes. Five years have passed since then, and now... Lin Tiannan doesn't have much time left."
Xiao Lin's hands turned clammy, and cold sweat trickled down her spine. She had never expected such a shocking truth to be lurking beneath the surface.
No wonder Liu Qiyue had been so kind to the company's employees all these years—it was all part of her strategy to secure power.
A horrifying realization struck Xiao Lin. Now that she knew this secret, would Liu Qiyue let her live?
"Madam... I..." Xiao Lin stammered, her voice laced with fear as she instinctively took a step back.
"You don't have to be afraid," Liu Qiyue reassured her with a faint smile. "I'm only telling you this because I needed to talk to someone. There's no other reason."
She studied Xiao Lin's nervous expression and chuckled. "I trust you, Xiao Lin. You won't betray me."
Her words were spoken with certainty, but Xiao Lin still felt an unease settle in her chest.
"I've held this secret for too long," Liu Qiyue sighed. "If I kept it bottled up any longer, I might have gone insane."
Xiao Lin took a deep breath and calmed herself. If Liu Qiyue had truly intended to silence her, she wouldn't have said so much.
"Then... why did you do this to Chairman Lin?" Xiao Lin finally asked, hesitating.
From what she had seen over the years, Lin Tiannan had treated Liu Qiyue with kindness. He had entrusted her with power, with his company, with everything. So why had she poisoned him?