Disheartened and Despondent

On the other side.

Lin Qi returned home.

Luo Feifei had already prepared a sumptuous meal, but she was standing beside the dining table, her face clouded with worry.

“What’s wrong?” Lin Qi walked over.

“Brother-in-law, this table isn’t level. It keeps making a ‘creak creak’ sound,” Luo Feifei complained, shaking the table a couple of times. Sure enough, it rattled so much that the dishes nearly slid off.

Lin Qi chuckled, took out the keys to the Mercedes, squatted down, and wedged them under one of the table legs.

“Haha, it’s fixed!” Luo Feifei shook the table again, and it didn’t budge.

The two of them sat down to eat, chatting as they dined.

As always, they talked about their jobs, discussing recent developments. Lin Qi made no attempt to hide the fact that he was about to become Song Qingzhu’s bodyguard and driver.

Luo Feifei was so surprised her jaw nearly dropped, but she quickly composed herself, “That’s perfectly normal. I’ve always said my brother-in-law isn’t just anyone!”

She giggled with delight, as if she were even happier than if she’d gotten a promotion or a raise herself.

As for running into Luo Yingying at Tongyue Restaurant and catching her sneaking out with the Mercedes, Lin Qi said nothing. There was no need.

The next morning, Luo Feifei went off to work as usual. Lin Qi called a locksmith and had the locks changed.

He had planned to resign from his delivery job that day, but since Song Qingzhu had given him three days, he put on his delivery uniform and reported to the station as usual.

He figured there was no harm in waiting a couple more days to quit.

But when he got to the station, he saw a small truck parked at the entrance. Da An and the others were moving things out, all looking glum. Someone was even taking down the signboard.

Startled, Lin Qi hurried over to ask Da An, “Brother An, what’s going on?”

Da An shot him a glance and replied impatiently, “You’ve already found greener pastures. Why worry about us?”

Undeterred, Lin Qi asked another deliveryman.

This man told him, “Business has been poor here. They’re shutting this station down.”

Lin Qi was shocked. He hadn’t expected things to change so drastically overnight.

He pressed for details and learned that the station was being merged with a larger one. Their team of just over twenty riders was small; some larger stations had sixty or seventy, even over a hundred.

After the merger, all the riders would transfer to the new location. It was standard business practice.

Suddenly remembering someone, Lin Qi asked, “Is Sister Yu going too?”

The man answered, “There’s already a station manager over there. If Sister Yu goes, at best she’ll be a team leader.”

“What? What will she do then?”

“No idea. She said she has her own connections, told us not to worry.”

“Where is she now?”

“Still inside.”

Lin Qi hurried in and found his way to the office.

The office had already been emptied except for a single chair.

Hong Yu was sitting alone, lost in thought.

“Sister Yu!” Lin Qi rushed over.

Hong Yu looked up, her face still streaked with drying tears. She quickly wiped them away and forced a smile. “Lin Qi, you’re here. Have you finished your resignation letter? I’ll sign it for you and settle your pay.”

She took out a pen, but Lin Qi grabbed her wrist.

“Sister Yu, now that the station’s closing, what will you do?”

She smiled bravely. “Anywhere’s fine for me. Worst case, I’ll just go back to being a rider…”

Before Lin Qi could reply, a loud voice called from the yard, “Are you done moving yet? If you are, hurry up and get going!”

Lin Qi turned and saw Manager Hong, who was in charge of several delivery stations across Haitong City.

Manager Hong had visited a few times before, so Lin Qi recognized him.

Without hesitation, Lin Qi dashed outside.

“Lin Qi, what are you doing…” Hong Yu sensed trouble and hurried after him, but it was too late.

Lin Qi ran up to Manager Hong, anxiously demanding, “Now that the station’s closed, what’s going to happen to Sister Yu?”

Manager Hong turned around, frowning at the sight of a lowly deliveryman. “What’s it to you?”

“I’m asking you, what about Sister Yu?” Lin Qi was truly anxious, grabbing Manager Hong by the collar.

He seldom got worked up over anyone, but Luo Feifei and Hong Yu were exceptions.

“What do you think you’re doing!” Manager Hong was furious and shoved Lin Qi hard.

“Lin Qi, let go of Manager Hong!” Hong Yu rushed over and forcefully pulled Lin Qi away.

“You just wait!” Lin Qi stormed out of the yard, seething.

His first instinct was to call Tang Long.

Although Tang Long wasn’t in charge of the delivery stations, he had enough local connections to easily deal with someone like Manager Hong.

But then Lin Qi remembered that Tang Long had publicly distanced himself from him last time, and calling him now would be inappropriate.

After a moment’s hesitation, he called Song Qingzhu instead.

After hearing Lin Qi out, Song Qingzhu replied coolly, “Are you going to come to me for everything now? Let me tell you, Manager Hong did nothing wrong. The other station already has a manager, and since there’s no position for Hong Yu, she can either resign or transfer as a team leader.”

Hearing this, Lin Qi was naturally disheartened.

If it were Tang Long, there would be no need for discussion—he’d simply make Hong Yu the manager.