My autobiography is definitely not a tragedy!
Chapter 440 - 291 Cheer up, Duck!

Chapter 440: Chapter 291 Cheer up, Duck!

[In 2018, the rift between two major shareholders within the Xu Group became evident, weary from internal strife.

Fuyun Venture Capital’s emergence disrupted Xu Jingsong’s plans to profit from the internet finance market.

By 2022, the Xu Group faced severe operational problems, just like many real estate companies that year, due to a cold market and a shortage of funds, ultimately having no choice but to survive by cutting losses and substantially shrinking its assets.

Gao Yuan took advantage of this opportunity to acquire high-quality businesses under the Xu Group at a low price, signifying a shift in the balance of power between the two sides.

In 2023, a dispirited Xu Jingsong, harboring hatred for Gao Yuan, was arrested on the spot by the police for attempted murder while intoxicated and clanked off to jail.

The Xu Group was ultimately taken over by Xu Jingfeng and gradually declined...

Alas! Having dominated the world for over four years, vanquished all enemies, and outlasted every hero, with no one left to stand against...]

Though the brother in "Stone Records" seems a bit over the top in his writing.

However, Xu Jingsong’s downfall five years later was definitely orchestrated behind the scenes by me.

Retiring from the world, Zero became my companion.

I was in the underworld, yet there was no legend of me in the underworld...

Looking at the vast river before him and the setting sun at the end of the valley gradually sinking to the west, Meng Lang felt a surge of pride and ambition.

With his current strength, he certainly didn’t need to sacrifice anything for revenge or practice any "Sunflower Manual"!

Yet, to his reply that "standing is enough to take revenge," Lin Haitang directly threw him a curveball.

"You’re talking about whether to train or not, and here you go sidetracking with ’standing to take revenge’.

You’re asked to choose between Xue Baochai and Lin Daiyu, and you divert to ’avoiding tragedy.’ Do you enjoy conflating concepts, or do you just suffer from decision paralysis?"

"Uh..."

The once high-spirited Meng Lang deflated in an instant.

You insult someone’s intelligence; you can’t blame them for taking a shot at your personality...

He said somewhat helplessly.

"Actually, this so-called decision paralysis stems from the fact that gaining something means the start of losing something else.

That’s why we find it hard to make a choice, isn’t it?"

Gaining something means the start of losing something else...

Lin Haitang’s expression showed a slight unease.

Indeed, wasn’t he just one among many troubled by choices?

On one hand was his close friend, and on the other was...

He had made up his mind, yet it wavered day by day...

He didn’t want to think about it, yet he still found himself restless and sleepless at night.

"Lawyer Lin, I have a question I’ve wanted to ask you for a long time, although it might be a bit presumptuous," Meng Lang suddenly said.

"What’s the question?"

Lin Haitang, deep in thoughts about her issues, didn’t notice the unusual tone in Meng Lang’s voice.

"Have you ever thought about what your other half would be like in the future?"

"What?" Lin Haitang was taken aback.

You already admitted it might be presumptuous, but isn’t this too much?

Seeing the odd look on Lin Haitang’s face, Meng Lang could only clear his throat.

"Ahem! I have a friend who recently met a girl, you know. So, I’m just inquiring for him."

It’s about a friend again?

Lin Haitang’s expression grew even more peculiar, "I have never thought about that question before."

"What?" Meng Lang did not expect such an answer.

"Really? I mean, don’t you have some sort of idea about height, weight, how to date, how to marry... some general plan?"

He couldn’t help but blurt out his questions, disregarding the abruptness of it all.

Right, he decided it was time to lay it all out!

The "Chain of Sorrow" of "mourning for others and being mourned" had troubled him for a long time.

Today’s chance to be alone with her... he had to get to the bottom of it!

Perhaps the unsolved mystery of the "writer" around Lin Haitang was hidden in it?

People have been "stubbornly silent," unwilling to divulge a word to this day; I’m going to be the one to solve it!

Facing Meng Lang’s unusually aggressive gaze, Lin Haitang seemed to sense something.

But she didn’t meet his eyes and instead looked down slightly at the pink cotton candy in her hand...

"Because... I am a believer in not marrying, and have never thought about having another half."

"What... What?" Meng Lang was utterly stunned, his eyes wide as he reeled from the shock.

"A believer in not marrying..."

He had guessed many possibilities for why Lin Haitang always seems to keep him at arm’s length, why their relationship, whenever it seemed to hint at closeness, would end up as distant as a startled bunny running far away, any spark of affection immediately snuffed out by Lin Haitang.

He thought maybe it was modesty, maybe the unique pride and shyness of women.

But he never imagined it would be for this reason...

No wonder!

No wonder his romantic pursuits were such a roller coaster!

So, as the favorable impression rose, Lin Haitang’s persona as a non-believer in marriage interfered, prompting her to deliberately distance herself and even act completely standoffish.

The goal... was just to avoid heading toward the ultimate end of marriage?

It’s like asking someone who is childfree by choice to have children... can they not have a defensive reaction?

This isn’t shyness; it’s avoidance!

With such a mindset at play, no wonder even if a colleague showed a bit of interest, she wouldn’t spare their feelings, let alone a stranger...

She wasn’t giving anyone a chance from the start!

Now that I think about it, aside from myself, I’ve never really seen any male friends around her...