The White Moonlight Who Went Mad in Silence [Rebirth] - Chapter 4

The next morning, Ming Lan nearly overslept. It wasn’t until she received a call from Xie Jin reminding her about her visit to the company that she finally snapped awake. She quickly got ready and left the house.

Earlier that morning, Ming Yu had already called Fang Yixing to let him know. So once Ming Lan arrived at the Qinglan Group headquarters, she just needed to find him directly. He was the general manager of the group and handled all major affairs.

Standing at the foot of the headquarters building, Ming Lan looked up at the towering skyscraper piercing the clouds. Located in the most prosperous commercial district of City A, the entrance was bustling with people. The scene was vibrant and full of life, completely different from how she had felt stepping into this place in her previous life.

Fang Yixing’s secretary was already waiting downstairs. When she saw Ming Lan, her eyes lit up and she immediately came forward.

“Miss Ming, Mr. Fang asked me to wait for you here and bring you upstairs.”

“Thank you.”

As Ming Lan stepped into the lobby, almost everyone turned to look at her. Many began to speculate about the identity of this unfamiliar face. The reason they were sure she was new was simple. With a face and presence like hers, if she had ever been here before, no one would have forgotten.

Inside the elevator, the secretary glanced discreetly at Ming Lan, who was looking at her phone. If these people knew that this entire building would one day belong to Miss Ming, the reaction would be even more explosive.

But Ming Lan did not notice the attention around her. Her focus was on the message Bai Tingqiu had just sent. It contained the address for that evening’s welcome dinner and a list of invitees.

Ming Lan scrolled through the long list, but she could not find Yi An’s name. Her expression immediately darkened. Then another thought hit her. By agreeing to attend this dinner, wouldn’t others assume that she and Bai Tingqiu were especially close? She needed to find a chance tonight to help him understand reality.

She put away her phone just as the elevator arrived at the correct floor. Ming Lan went straight to Fang Yixing’s office, but he was still in a meeting and would be a while.

As she sat there, looking at the minimalist office decor, memories of her past life surfaced.

Fang Yixing had never been the problem. At that time, the group was struggling internally and externally. He could not hold up a collapsing company on his own, but at least he stayed with her until the very end. It was only after Ming Lan sold the group that he left.

The real problems lay elsewhere. The company’s internal structure had become rigid and lifeless. Many senior executives were already corrupt. In the future, some of them would switch sides and become the sharpest blades used against the group.

Ming Lan knew she lacked real business skills. But with the lessons from her previous life, she could at least place the right people in the right positions. The rest should be left to the professionals.

Just then, the office door opened and Fang Yixing entered. Though middle-aged, he had neither a large belly nor a bald head. His figure was well-kept, and he looked energetic. Seeing Ming Lan, he smiled and greeted her.

“Xiao Lan, have you been waiting long?”

“Uncle Fang,” Ming Lan stood up. “Not at all. I just sat down.”

“Have a seat. Juice or water?” Fang Yixing glanced at the empty coffee table and asked immediately.

“Water is fine.”

Just as she replied, the secretary walked in with tea. Fang Yixing waved her off.

“Bring water instead.”

Most teas had a stimulating effect, so Ming Lan had rarely been allowed to drink them since she was young. The same went for coffee.

Once they were seated, Fang Yixing got straight to the point.

“Chairman Ming already spoke to me. But the position of vice president has nearly been finalized. Don’t you think this might be a little inappropriate?”

Clearly, Fang Yixing was in a difficult position. Even if the company belonged to the Ming family, he could not ignore procedure. Letting someone with no work experience and a philosophy degree take on the role of vice president at a publicly listed company was far too risky. But he could not be too blunt about it.

“Finalized? Is it Director Zhang from Finance?” Ming Lan asked calmly, relying on memories from her previous life.

Fang Yixing was surprised that she knew. Although it had not been officially decided yet, he had indeed been considering Zhang for the role.

“Miss Ming, what are you thinking?”

“I think it’s better if Uncle Fang lets me take the role temporarily and reconsiders the decision. Director Zhang is indeed well-liked in the company and quite capable. He treats the company as if it were his own. So much so that when it comes to gifting company resources, he doesn’t hesitate at all.”

In her past life, the finance department had been the first to go wrong. Ming Lan did not need experience to know where to start the cleanup.

Fang Yixing broke into a cold sweat and his expression grew serious.

“Xiao Lan, you can’t make accusations like that without proof.”

“Then why not look into it yourself?” she replied calmly. “Wouldn’t that give you a clearer answer? And one more thing. Supervisor Li’s statements can’t be used as evidence, so you’ll need to verify them on your own.”

Ming Lan said only what she knew and did not press further. Seeing Fang Yixing lost in thought, she took a sip of water, completely composed.

Fang Yixing now understood. When he looked at Ming Lan again, his attitude was clearly more respectful.

“I’ll have HR arrange your onboarding as soon as possible. Are we confirming this as a temporary position?”

“Yes, just as a stand-in for now,” Ming Lan nodded and stood up. “I won’t keep you any longer. I’ll come back once I receive the notice. Goodbye, Uncle Fang.”

“Wait a moment,” Fang Yixing hesitated, then stood up and called out to Ming Lan. “Xiao Lan, be honest with Uncle Fang. Was this whole thing your father’s idea?”

“Are you asking about me joining the company, or about investigating Director Zhang?” Ming Lan responded with a question of her own.

“Aren’t those the same thing?” Fang Yixing now felt even more uncertain.

“Not at all. Me joining the company was my own idea. I just wanted to experience working life a little. As for Director Zhang, that came up during a casual chat with my grandfather. He mentioned that when a forest grows big, all kinds of birds appear. But he also said he trusts his own judgment. He chose you, Uncle Fang, because he believes you’re the right person to handle whatever issues arise. And I believe that too.”

Ming Lan smiled warmly at Fang Yixing.

Her words left him both surprised and thoughtful. But the more he considered it, the more it made sense. Suddenly, everything clicked.

“So it came from the old chairman. I understand now. Thank you, Xiao Lan. Once I’ve dealt with this, I’ll report back to him personally.”

“There’s no need for that,” Ming Lan said. “Grandpa’s getting older and enjoys a quiet life now. Since he trusts you, there’s no reason to trouble him over something like this. If you have time, just visit him for a chat or a game of chess.”

Fang Yixing nodded and agreed. He even personally escorted her downstairs.

“Do you need the onboarding process expedited?” he asked.

“No rush. I just got back to the country, and I’d like to spend a few more days catching up with friends. You can handle the timing however you see fit. I’ll be leaving now.”

Ming Lan hadn’t expected that their first meeting would resolve the most important issue right away. The rest would depend on how Fang Yixing handled it. As for her own onboarding, it no longer felt urgent.

After leaving the company, she realized it was still early. Then she remembered the welcome dinner happening that evening. As she lightly tapped the steering wheel, she considered how to casually get Yi An added to the guest list. But the more she thought about it, the more she felt the dinner was bound to be a mess. In the end, she decided not to add Yi An just yet.

Right now, Yi An likely had already returned to the Ye family. Ming Lan would need to think of another way to see her.

After all, the Ming and Ye families were not particularly close. If she showed up at their door out of nowhere, wouldn’t that be a little too strange?