Volume Two: Second Scroll
The End of the Green Duckweed (2)
“I’ll support you, you are my wife, you know.”
“Yanyan, come, eat some more food.”
“Try the red-braised pork that Auntie made, and also the pork ribs. This potato is stewed so soft and tender, it’s really flavorful.”
Mother Song spoke as she placed food into her bowl.
Lin Yan raised her head and forced a smile: “Thank you, Auntie.”
After saying that, she fell silent, burying her head to eat.
In the past, at the dinner table, if she wasn’t the most active one, she would at least be talking and laughing. Now, apart from answering when asked, she was unusually silent the rest of the time.
Mother Song’s expression was a little dim, and she sat down again.
Song Yuhang patted her mother’s hand to comfort her, then squeezed Lin Yan’s palm, scraping away a large mouthful of rice and food from her bowl: “If you can’t eat too much, then don’t eat.”
Lin Yan didn’t speak either, just looked at her and nodded, then mechanically stuffed rice into her mouth again.
Ji Jingxing gave Xiao Wei a meaningful look. The child hesitated for a good while, but with her mother’s encouragement, she still put down her chopsticks, ran into her room, and came out holding an iron box. She passed it to Lin Yan’s side and lifted the lid.
“Auntie Lin, are you too sad, in too much pain? I was also like this when I was hospitalized before, but Mama said that when you’re sad, eating a piece of candy will make it better.”
Because of the injury she had suffered last time, the child’s temperament had changed drastically. She was not as lively as before, and her voice had become soft and gentle when she spoke, with a touch of shyness and reservation on her face.
Lin Yan was stunned, but she saw that the girl kept her hand extended, her eyes so clean and clear, like an azure lake, unstained by a single speck of dust.
She lowered her eyes to look into the box, which was filled with colorful candies—fruit drops, milk candies, and soft candies, all flavors that children like to eat.
“Lin Yan, this jar of candy is for you. When you are sad, just eat one.”
She inexplicably recalled the year she had just arrived at the Lin family home. A tiny Lin Ge had stood before her, also piously holding up candy with both hands and presenting it before her eyes.
Lin Yan’s lips curved slightly, and tears quickly gathered in her eyes. Under the child’s expectant gaze, she took a fruit drop.
“Thank you.”
A wide smile also spread across Xiao Wei’s face, her eyes almost squinting into a slit.
While Lin Yan wasn’t paying attention, she simply stuffed the whole jar of candy into her hands.
“Auntie, you eat it. Xiao Wei is better now, I don’t need it anymore. You should give things you don’t need to people who do. Auntie Lin, get well soon…”
As the child spoke, she puffed up her cheeks and secretly glanced at Song Yuhang: “Only then can Gugu get better too.”
Lin Yan’s face flushed slightly: “Who taught you to say that?”
Song Yuhang gave a light cough and took her hand: “Eat, eat. After we finish eating, we’ll hurry home.”
Ji Jingxing couldn’t help but let out a pfft of laughter. She beckoned for Xiao Wei to come back, and the child obediently ran back to nestle by her side.
“Xiao Wei, eat quickly. After you finish, it’s time to do your homework.”
A smiling expression also appeared on Mother Song’s face. She specifically picked out soft, tender, nourishing, and easily digestible dishes for her, and also ladled a large, full bowl of pig’s trotter soup1 for her to supplement her nutrition.
Image here: Pig’s Trotter Soup
Even Song Yuhang didn’t get this treatment and cried out repeatedly.
The second half of the meal was, however, eaten in joyful harmony.
After the meal, Mother Song and Song Yuhang went to wash the dishes. The television was on in the living room. Xiao Wei sat to one side playing with toys, and Ji Jingxing was beside her, keeping her company.
Lin Yan watched the female host on the TV, her brightly painted red mouth opening and closing.
“According to sources familiar with the matter, Mr. Lin Youyuan, the chairman of Jintai Group, has indeed passed away, but the police have not yet disclosed the specific cause of death to our agency. Jintai Group’s stock has already fallen below its low value and declared bankruptcy last week. Where will the tens of thousands of employees go…”
The scene changed, and the camera moved to the Jintai Tower. The glass shield doors were cordoned off with police tape. Apart from a large crowd of employees gathered to demand their wages, it was already so deserted that one could net sparrows at the door2, the people gone and the building empty3.
Lin Yan was in a slight daze for a moment, as if she could still see the glass doors wide open, and a group of elite professionals in Western suits and leather shoes emerging, surrounding Lin Youyuan.
She blinked her eyes, and that image disappeared.
Xiao Wei took the remote control, changed the channel, and started watching cartoons.
Lin Yan’s gaze shifted over, and to her surprise, Ji Jingxing was also looking at her. There was nothing in those eyes, including disgust.
She no longer disliked her. She just said calmly.
“My husband passed away almost eight years ago. Song Yuhang lost her father thirty years ago. Mom has faltered alone for most of her life, raising her and her brother. We are still living strong and full of hope. Lin Yan, I hope you can too.”
Even when she comforted others, it carried a thick flavor of lecturing. Lin Yan thought: What is there to compare?
But even if she felt disdain in her heart, Lin Yan slightly pulled up the corners of her lips, turned her head away, and a watery light welled up in her eyes.
She continued to be stubborn-mouthed: “Ha, why wouldn’t I be strong? The days for me and Song Yuhang are still long, you know. Certain people, ah, should just give up hope sooner rather than later.”
Ji Jingxing gritted her teeth: “Isn’t this matter already in the past? Why are you bringing up old matters again?”
Lin Yan: “What past? That slap you gave me is not over.”
Song Yuhang poked her head out from the kitchen: “What are you two talking about?”
The two people said in unison: “Nothing. Wash your dishes.”
When everything was tidied up and it was time to leave, Mother Song got up to see them to the door, admonishing them again and again.
“Yanyan needs to take her medicine on time. Yuhang, you supervise her.”
Song Yuhang nodded in agreement.
“These are the chicken feet and beef that were braised4 this afternoon. Take them back for Yanyan to snack on.”
Simply because she had taken a couple more chopsticks’ worth at the dinner table, Mother Song had silently noted it in her heart, packed a food container, and handed it to them, even giving a thousand warnings and ten thousand exhortations that if they couldn’t finish it, they should put it in the refrigerator.
“And fruit. You two just got out of the hospital, you definitely haven’t had time to buy any. Take it, take it.”
“Red dates, raisins, they supplement qi and nourish the blood. Take some goji berries back to soak in water and drink, and also chrysanthemum. It’s dry in the autumn, it soothes the throat and reduces internal heat.”
…
Watching the things in her hands grow more and more numerous, the corner of Song Yuhang’s mouth twitched, and she hurriedly freed a hand to stop her mother’s impulse to continue taking things out.
“Mom, Mom, don’t busy yourself. This is enough for us to eat for a long time. Besides, we still have some at home.”
Mother Song stamped her foot: “Aiyo, how can that be? You two both have injuries on your bodies, especially you, you’re still…”
Song Yuhang gently pulled her, and Mother Song stopped her words in time.
“You are both still in quite a serious condition. Take good care of yourselves while you’re young, don’t leave behind any sequelae when you get old.”
Song Yuhang patted her hand and comforted her with a smile: “Don’t worry, Mom. Then we’ll be heading back first.”
Lin Yan also bid farewell to Mother Song, a trace of sincere gratitude in her eyes. Her whole person looked much better than her earlier distraught5 appearance: “Goodbye, Auntie.”
Mother Song sighed with emotion in her heart, took her hand again for a round of detailed admonishments, and finally, seeing that her scarf wasn’t tied properly, tremblingly raised her hands to help her tie a knot.
Having worked for half a lifetime, Mother Song’s hands were rough and covered with age spots, but when they touched her skin, there was a faint warmth.
The time she spent with her mother in childhood was too brief, so much so that her appearance had long since become a blur.
Lin Yan looked at the white hair at her temples, her face full of wrinkles, and her nose felt a little sour. She thought: If Mom were still alive, she would probably be like this, right?
“Auntie, please take good care of yourself.”
The person who hadn’t said much since entering the door suddenly showed concern for her. Mother Song was overwhelmed by the favor, tears welled up in her eyes, and she squeezed her hand again before letting go.
“Ai, okay. Come visit often. Tell Auntie what you want to eat, and Auntie will make it for you.”
The group dawdled. Mother Song found another opportunity to stuff a few nutritional supplements into her hands and also said she wanted to bring them a thick quilt, as the room over there hadn’t been lived in for a long time and was cold.
Song Yuhang’s two hands were not empty, and her scalp was tingling. She just wanted to beat a hasty retreat: “Mom, Mom, we’re leaving, ah.”
The corner of Lin Yan’s mouth was also twitching; she quickly opened the door for her.
Hearing the commotion, Xiao Wei dropped her toys and ran over: “Goodbye Gugu, goodbye Auntie Lin.”
Towards the child who had just given her candy, Lin Yan always had a bit more fondness, so she stroked her head.
“Goodbye, Xiao Wei.”
Ji Jingxing stood up and opened her mouth.
Lin Yan’s gaze shifted, and she shut her mouth as tightly as a clamshell, not saying hello to her.
Ji Jingxing gritted her teeth and didn’t speak to her either.
“Yuhang, drive slowly. See you another day.”
Song Yuhang subconsciously replied: “Jie, goodbye. Xiao Wei, goodbye. Gugu is leaving.”
Xiao Wei stood at the door waving to them, watching as they went downstairs.
Song Yuhang stuffed all the miscellaneous things into the trunk in one go, then turned around and pinned the person between the car body and herself.
She leaned down: “Yanyan, a kiss.”
In the hospital, after all, there were many people and prying eyes. Although they lived in the same hospital room, they couldn’t be too presumptuous, right?
Song Yuhang had been holding it in for a long time. Just as she was about to kiss the fair one6, Lin Yan covered her mouth with a hand.
“No kissing. Scram.”
“Why? Just a kiss…” Song Yuhang felt wronged. She pulled her hand down and nuzzled back and forth in her neck like a big Golden Retriever.
Lin Yan was made a little itchy by her actions. A hint of a smile hung on the corners of her lips, yet she still raised her eyebrows.
“Calling her ‘jiejie’ one after another, you sounded quite affectionate.”
“No matter how affectionate, could it be more affectionate than with you?” Song Yuhang muttered. So that was the crux of the matter.
This person was jealous.
Her head was already nuzzling in her neck, so she simply kissed her way up along the fair skin, finally gently taking an earlobe between her lips.
Lin Yan’s fingers suddenly crumpled her clothes.
Song Yuhang pinched the nape of her neck, forcing her to raise her head to accept her kiss. Just as she was about to cover her lips.
The parking lot security guard blew his whistle, and a beam of light from a flashlight shone over from a distance.
“Who’s there? What are you doing!”
This scene really felt like getting caught by the head teacher during a puppy love romance in junior high or high school.
Song Yuhang chuckled, pulled her into the car, and still leaned over to peck her on the lips before shifting into gear and driving.
“Let’s go, going home.”
Lin Yan wiped the lingering warmth from her lips, her face slightly red.
Damn it all7, I was taken advantage of again.
Returning home, she pushed open the door and saw her photo placed next to the memorial portraits of Song Yuhang’s father and brother at a glance.
She rushed over in one arrow-step, closed the photo frame, and chuckled.
“You go take a shower first. We haven’t been back to live here for a long time, I’ll tidy up.”
Lin Yan put down her bag: “I’ll do it with you.”
Song Yuhang pushed her away: “No need, no need. You go take a shower quickly. The doctor said you can’t overexert yourself.”
“But…”
She’s also a patient who just got out of the hospital not long ago.
Song Yuhang stuffed the clean towel and pajamas she found into her hands and smiled faintly.
“There are no buts. As long as you could come back, I can do anything.”
By the time she had made the bed and cleaned the room, Lin Yan had also finished her shower and came out. She sat cross-legged on the bed, taking stock of her bank cards, a dense row of them laid out in front of her.
She was frowning, seeming a bit troubled.
Song Yuhang walked over, stroked her head, and said softly: “Whatever you want to do, just go do it. You don’t need to consider me.”
Early the next morning, several black business vehicles stopped at the entrance of the Jintai Tower. Lin Yan pulled open the car door and got out, and was immediately surrounded by a swarm of reporters.
“Miss Lin, has your father really passed away?”
“Miss Lin, what are your thoughts on Jintai Group’s declaration of bankruptcy?”
“Miss Lin, didn’t Jintai officially release news before stating that you had passed away and would not inherit the huge fortune?”
“Miss Lin, Miss Lin…”
Today, Lin Yan was uncharacteristically dressed in formal attire: a black suit with a white shirt, matching suit trousers with high heels below, and an expensive quartz watch on her wrist. Besides this, there were no other decorations on her entire body. Simple, neat, and sharp, she walked straight in without looking sideways. When the reporters tried to follow, they were blocked outside by a human wall formed by the police who had subsequently arrived.
The major shareholders were all waiting in the conference room in full battle array.
The moment Lin Yan walked in, gazes shot over in unison. She raised her eyes and swept them across the small conference room. There was an empty seat at the very head; that was originally Lin Youyuan’s seat.
She walked straight over and sat down. The people who came with her also stood behind her with notebooks tucked under their arms.
“Let’s begin.”
As soon as her voice fell, a shareholder had already spoken: “The most pressing matter of the moment, Miss, is for you to first take out your portion of the inheritance to subsidize the company’s finances. That way, we’ll have a chance to stage a comeback.”8
Many people below echoed him, one after another. Some spoke of reorganization plans, some demanded she transfer her equity, some coveted her property…
Opinions were widely divided, and spittle even splashed onto the table in front of her.
Lin Yan let them talk. When they were about done, only then did she lean her body forward slightly, resting her chin on her hands.
“I think you all may have misunderstood. I did not come today to rally the troops again9, but rather…”
She lifted her eyes slightly: “To dissolve Jintai.”
The air froze for a moment, and someone slapped the table and shot up.
“What?! Chairman Lin’s painstaking effort of more than half his life is to be ruined in your hands like this? How can he rest in peace under the nine springs?!”10
“Then what about my stocks and options? Are you going to compensate me?! You little slip of a girl, no hair on your lip, unreliable in doing things11 The board of directors will have the say, Jintai cannot be dissolved!”
“Right, right, it can’t be dissolved! We still rely on the group to eat!”
…
The crowd was stirred with righteous indignation. People who were usually refined and courteous all stood up, cursing her out and even greeting her eighteen generations of ancestors.
Lin Yan curled a corner of her lip sarcastically, looking at their respectable appearances, dressed in suits and leather shoes, with fat heads and big ears12, exuding the reek of copper13 all over. The ones who relied on Jintai to eat should be those people outside, right?
Her cold and clear voice was resolute and forceful.
“I will compensate. I have specially called upon everyone from the Municipal Auditing Bureau to check the accounts together. If there are no problems with the account books of each department, the severance pay will be settled on the spot, and a one-time payment of double the amount will be made according to the years of service. Of course, if there are problems with the accounts, however much you’ve eaten, you’ll have to spit it back out for me.”
Once these words were out, the crowd seemed to have been choked, and they all fell silent in unison.
Lin Yan spoke before they could: “As for the stocks and options in everyone’s hands, I am also willing to redeem them at their original price. Jintai, I am determined to dissolve it today.”
The people from the Auditing Bureau who had come with her opened their computers and placed them on the table, picked a few empty seats and sat down, nodding to her.
“Miss Lin, we are ready. We can begin.”
Lin Yan crossed her arms and leaned back in the leather chair, raising an eyebrow slightly: “Who’s first?”
The crowd looked at each other. An old man with graying temples stood up shakily and smashed a teacup in front of her.
“Lin Yan, I followed Chairman Lin to build this business for twenty years, starting from nothing to today’s commercial empire that’s in its prime! How much hardship did we eat, how much suffering did we endure, to get to today’s situation! Dissolve, it’s easy for you to say! We have dedicated our youth here, shed our blood and sweat, half a lifetime of painstaking effort has been poured into Jintai! What you are doing today is to disregard us old employees, to disregard Chairman Lin’s entire life’s work…”
The more the old man spoke, the more indignant he became, poking his cane on the ground with thump, thump, thump sounds. That teacup was smashed on the table, tea splashing everywhere, and a shard of porcelain slid past her hand.
Lin Yan’s expression did not change as she let him curse.
“I would rather die than see Jintai ruined in the hands of someone like you!”
Under his lead, more and more people stood up, glaring at her angrily and speaking viciously to her.
Among them, there were also those who had genuine feelings for Jintai. As they spoke, their eyes reddened, and they cursed her while crying and stamping their feet, such as that old employee.
Lin Yan silently endured it without a word.
She sat there, unmoving as a mountain. There was no expression on her face, she didn’t talk back, she didn’t make a move, she didn’t even rush them, letting them spew wildly, cursing for more than three hours.
Many people’s mouths were dry, but seeing her remain motionless, they felt a little disheartened. It seemed that Lin Yan was dead set on dissolving Jintai this time.
That old man was cursing until he was out of breath, his face red. But seeing that she was still standing tall and unmoving, there was nothing he could do. The old man, leaning on his cane, shot to his feet, raised his hand to flip the meeting record papers on the table, and sent them scattering.
Snow-white papers flew everywhere. Under the illumination of the fluorescent lights, Lin Yan’s features were as cold and sharp as frost.
The old man cursed painfully, slammed the door and left.
“Lin Yan, are you worthy of your father?!”
The remaining people looked at each other. Many had cursed until their mouths were dry, and many harbored ulterior motives, not wanting the Auditing Bureau to check their accounts, so they also left with him. There were also a few who remained and voluntarily handed over the accounts of their respective departments.
The people from the Auditing Bureau began to get busy.
It wasn’t until the afternoon that this batch of account books was considered clearly verified. Payments were made where they were due, settlements were made where they were due, and those with economic problems were directly transferred to the Economic Investigation Detachment of the Municipal Public Security Bureau.
After everyone in the room had left, and the people from the Auditing Bureau had also gone out to eat and take a break, Lin Yan sat alone in the empty conference room, stroking the expensive leather office chair, only then feeling a trace of loneliness.
“Miss, here.”
Someone silently handed a cup of hot tea to her side. Lin Yan raised her eyes and glanced over: “Oh, it’s you.”
The secretary gave a bitter smile: “It’s me.”
“Didn’t you resign?”
Due to the bankruptcy, the company’s accounts could no longer pay out salaries, and many employees had resigned.
“I heard you came back, so I came to see.”
Lin Yan’s lips curved slightly. She took a sip of the hot tea to moisten her throat and placed the paper cup back on the table.
“Good that you came. Tell all those people outside to come in.”
The secretary was startled, but still went out according to the order.
Before long, an armored cash-in-transit truck stopped at the entrance of Jintai Tower. Bank employees dressed in black suits and wearing white gloves walked in, placed the leather briefcases they were carrying on the table, opened them one by one, and finished counting.
The news that Lin Yan was going to distribute wages and severance compensation on the spot spread like wildfire14, and a long line formed outside the conference room.
“Name?”
“Wang Wei.”
“Years of service?”
“Ten years.”
The secretary pushed up his glasses, typed on the keyboard, and after verification, calculated the amount of compensation.
Lin Yan counted the money and handed several thick stacks of Renminbi into his hands.
Unexpectedly, after taking a few steps with the money, the middle-aged man suddenly turned around and bowed deeply to her.
“Although I don’t know why Miss wants to dissolve the company, we respect your decision. Chairman Lin was truly the best, best leader I have ever met. I remember when I first graduated from university and came to work here, my mother at home fell ill. The department supervisor wouldn’t grant me leave. I was secretly hiding in the pantry crying when Chairman Lin saw me. Not only did he give me that month’s salary in advance, but he also reimbursed my travel expenses to let me go home and visit my mom.”
“He was really a very, very good person. I hope everything goes well for you too.”
After the man finished speaking, he hurried out.
Lin Yan’s lips twitched slightly, her eyes a little red.
“Next.”
“Name?”
“Wu Juan.”
“Years of service?”
“Five years.”
Lin Yan handed the money to her. The girl was reluctant to leave for a long time, her eyes red.
“Miss, is Chairman Lin really gone? My department manager was promoted by him. At that time, I was sexually harassed by my former supervisor, and he was the one who stood up for me and even had someone accompany me to report it to the police…”
Lin Yan remained silent. The girl left with the money, disappointed.
The crowd moved slowly. From when the sun was just right15 to when the colors of dusk converged16 and then to when the night was deep and quiet, the line of people outside the conference room grew shorter and shorter. The money in the briefcases also slowly emptied. Later, Lin Yan had someone withdraw another portion from her personal account and bring it over.
The last one to come in was a cleaning lady on the verge of old age.
“Miss…”
The secretary helped the person sit down in a chair.
The old woman was in her fifties, a bit short and plump, with a kind face.
“I’m not here for money. I just want to ask, is Chairman Lin really gone? Where is he buried? I17 want to go see him.”
“Back then, my old husband died, and my son and daughter-in-law were unwilling to take me in. They kicked me out of the house in the middle of a harsh winter. I had no choice, ah, I could only go find a job myself. I went to several companies. They either thought I was too old, or they thought I was from the countryside and clumsy. Only Chairman Lin was willing to take me in. He said the company had some kind of special program that specifically hired widowed and childless elderly people for work, arranging jobs like cleaning, tidying, and clearing plates in the cafeteria.”
“Not only did they pay us a salary of several thousand yuan a month, but they also bought insurance for us. My life suddenly had support.”
The old woman’s tears streamed down. As she spoke, she grasped her hand, her emotions stirred, and she was about to kneel to her.
“Chairman Lin is my great benefactor. Now that he’s gone, I don’t want the company’s money, I just want to go pay my respects to him.”
Lin Yan’s lips trembled. She quickly helped the person up, unable to say a single appropriate word. She raised her hand and instructed the secretary to give her money.
The old woman took the money and kept looking back every three steps. In the end, she still bent her back.
“Miss, if one day your family is in need of a servant, just say the word. This old woman is still willing to work for you.”
Lin Yan waved her hand, signaling for her to leave quickly.
The old woman kowtowed in thanks again and again, bowed several times with the money in her hands, and only then turned and left, trembling.
Lin Yan covered her eyes with her hand, her shoulders trembling slightly.
The secretary carefully poured her another cup of hot tea: “Miss…”
She sniffled and came back to her senses: “Oh, and there’s you. The money is over there, take it yourself.”
The briefcases that were bulging when they arrived were now nearly empty. The secretary counted out what he deserved, walked to her side with the money, and bowed slightly.
Lin Yan curled a corner of her lip sarcastically: “What, did Lin Youyuan also give you some benefit?”
The secretary shook his head, stood up straight, and said as he reached the doorway.
“Miss, if you start a company in the future and need anything, just say the word. I am still willing to come.”
Lin Yan waved her hand, signaling for him to hurry up and scram too.
After the people left, only the pale fluorescent lights and a mess on the floor remained in the conference room.
Lin Yan looked at the air, wanting to laugh, wanting to say that she was finally free, but she still couldn’t hold it in. Although the corners of her lips curved up, tears rolled down. She covered her lips and sobbed silently.
“Knock knock—” Someone knocked on the glass door.
Lin Yan quickly wiped her tears dry: “Who is it? Come in.”
A tall police officer walked in from the doorway, her smile as warm and gentle as the winter sun: “President Lin, work is over. I’ve come to take you home.”
Lin Yan’s lips curved, but the tears at the corners of her eyes welled up more and more.
She choked out: “What President Lin? I’m bankrupt, and I even sold several of my favorite cars. Are you going to support me, ah?”
Song Yuhang walked over and pressed her head into her own embrace: “I’ll support you, you are my wife, you know.”
One of them was sitting, the other standing.
Lin Yan hugged her waist tightly, smearing tears and snot all over her clothes.
LP: Re-translated on September 11, 2025
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