My autobiography is definitely not a tragedy!
Chapter 688 - 431: The Last Defiance

Chapter 688: Chapter 431: The Last Defiance

Gao Sheng had already guessed the purpose of this visit. After thinking it over, Gao Yuan couldn’t contain her curiosity. Under the guise of reporting on work matters, she used a specially encrypted communication app to call someone.

However, the casual response from the other end left her at a loss for words...

"Ah! I see, got it... How to handle it? Just handle it however you need to... Cough! I mean, handle it as it should be handled, you need to trust your own abilities and judgment.

How did I know... There’s no need to worry about these technical details, after all, you’re still an external member...

Also, for small businesses worth tens of billions, there’s no need to consult me anymore, business isn’t my strong suit.

You decide on the spot and handle it with full authority, don’t doubt the ones you use!

Besides visiting homes, I am one hundred percent satisfied with your work performance..."

...

At the entrance of "Yida International Cinema" in Su City’s Yida Shopping Square.

Meng Lang held a bucket of popcorn in his left hand and a cellphone in his right, constantly looking around absent-mindedly.

A couple passing by couldn’t help rolling their eyes at him.

A small business worth tens of billions?

His belt isn’t even Hermes, yet why does he walk as if he owns the place?

What’s his ranking on the Forbes list to be talking so big?

If you’re so wealthy, why not stay at your private home theater instead of coming here to munch on popcorn!

"Wife, let’s go watch a movie! Let’s pick something realistic today!"

"Realistic? Why?"

"Because I hate those who brag incessantly!"

The young man gave Meng Lang a look and wrapped his arm around his girlfriend as they entered the cinema.

While Meng Lang was still on the phone, a suspicious-looking woman wearing a hat and sunglasses slowly approached him on the escalator...

"That, let’s leave it there, I have an urgent matter to attend to here, yeah! A task of strategic importance! Just like that!"

After hanging up, the woman had already walked up to him, her head down, still cautiously looking around, as if afraid of being recognized.

Meng Lang assessed her from head to toe, his face full of disbelief.

"Mr. Lin, do you really need to dress like this? It’s just a movie, not a secret meeting..."

The woman pulled down the scarf covering her face slightly, revealing Lin Haitang’s charming face.

She glanced at Meng Lang, her lips curling somewhat helplessly, "You can still recognize me in this get-up?"

"Heh! Have a little confidence in yourself, with that outfit, you’d stand out even in a shopping mall..."

Lin Haitang looked around and indeed, many people were giving her curious glances.

After all, dressing like this in the shopping mall on such a hot day, one might think she was a celebrity trying to keep a low profile.

"Cough!" Lin Haitang felt a bit embarrassed as she took off her sunglasses and hat.

"Why the secrecy? Are we doing something illicit?" Meng Lang commented.

Lin Haitang looked at the couples coming in and out of the cinema entrance, her face slightly uneasy.

"I just wanted to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings. Who knew you would invite me here..."

Meng Lang responded with even more helplessness.

"Isn’t this according to your request? Leaving on business for half a month, we finally get back, and when I say let’s catch up after so long, you say it’s not convenient at home because Yan Weiwei and Xiao Yu might see us.

I suggested we meet outside, you feared I had ulterior motives, and it took a lot of persuading on your part, with a million caveats—can’t choose somewhere too isolated, yet not too noisy.

’A busy yet quiet public place’...

It’s tough to meet such a contradictory request, but..."

Meng Lang pointed at the cinema, and chuckled.

"Look! At least a few dozen people here, isn’t it lively? And once they turn off the lights, we can watch the movie in peace, anyone making noise gets thrown out by security.

See, doesn’t this pretty much perfectly meet your requirements?"

"..."

Lin Haitang looked somewhat resigned.

"Is that what I meant? Couldn’t you think of a more normal place like a library?"

Meng Lang rolled his eyes instantly. "A library? Who goes to a library for a date?"

Hearing the word "date," Lin Haitang’s face flushed slightly.

"Who... Who is dating you! I’ve just been a bit tired from work recently. Watching a movie can also be part of work, a combination of rest and labor."

"Exactly! I am combining rest with labor too, okay?"

Meng Lang looked helplessly put aside, yet he felt a little thrill inside.

Ever since their last trip to Nanshan Temple, although Lin Haitang had occasionally gone on "trips" and still seemed to be avoiding him,

there was some subtle shift in their relationship, which was somewhere between there and not there...

At least they had started messaging more privately, and during Lin Haitang’s business trips, she had even occasionally asked about Meng Lang’s recent activities,

like what he had been reading...

To think that Lin Haitang had agreed, albeit reluctantly, to something akin to a date to watch a movie together was unprecedented...

Well... in Meng Lang’s view, wasn’t this just being outwardly reluctant but inwardly willing, starting to face reality instead of running?

With a little more effort, couldn’t he stabilize their relationship?

"Let’s go then. Speaking of which, it’s been a while since I went out to see a movie. It’s a pity that Mr. Hao Teng’s new play isn’t out yet.

A few days ago, Duan Xian messaged me saying the filming had wrapped up, and only post-production was left; he guessed it might premiere during the spring festival..."

Meng Lang appeared to be making small talk, trying to appear calm as he escorted Lin Haitang into the cinema.

After all, as a man who’d been single for over twenty years, taking a girl to the cinema... was also a first for him.

Of course, except for that girl Meng Qingqing.

Taking her to a movie felt almost like taking a kid, not to mention she was quite a chatterbox!

"By the way, what type of movies do you like? Girls usually like romance movies, right? I can also handle mystery or horror movies..."

Meng Lang clearly had done his date planning, harboring well-known bad intentions.

Yep! Today’s Lang... must be the romantic kind of Lang!

However, his sleazy thoughts only earned him an eye roll from Lin Haitang.

She walked up to the electronic board displaying "Today’s Showing," glanced over it, and quickly pointed to one of the movies.

"Let’s go with this one."

Meng Lang followed her pointing direction and immediately looked puzzled.

"A comedy... you like this type of movie?"

Lin Haitang gave him an odd look, "You come to watch a movie and don’t read the reviews beforehand?"

"Uh..." Meng Lang scratched his head awkwardly.

He had looked, of course, but his focus was on romance and horror films, not on a movie labeled as "comedy"...

He checked the movie’s main actor, who was the well-known comedian Xu Lang.

In the comedy circles, it’s said "Beihao Teng in the north, Xu Lang in the south." This was also a famous actor who dominated half of the comedy world, although it seemed he was on the path of "act well and then direct."

"This movie... it seems like it just came out a couple of days ago, so it has good reviews?"

"Yeah! I heard it’s pretty good; my colleague even highly recommended it to me."

"Oh? What’s it about?" Meng Lang asked curiously.

Upon hearing this, Lin Haitang revealed a strangely amused smile.

"Hmm... it’s probably about something work-related..."

Meng Lang: "???"

Now how did work get involved?

He looked confusedly at the movie title again...

I Am Not a Medicine God!

...

Two and a half hours later...

[Special Thanks: ...]

Meng Lang looked at the big screen starting to show the special thanks with a "wanting to cry but unable to" expression.

Yes, literally "wanting to cry but unable to"...

It’s that feeling of really wanting to cry but having to forcibly hold it back and maintain composure in front of a companion...

The movie started off alright, Xu Lang’s superb acting was somewhat heart-wrenching yet made one want to laugh.

Until... the scene where "Mr. Guangu" squatted at the hospital entrance eating a boxed meal...

"He’s only 20 years old; he just wants to live. What has he done wrong?"

"Doesn’t every family have a sick person?"

These lines just made it impossible to keep it together!

Girls in the theater were scrambling for tissues, crying their eyes out...

He thought it was a comedy; who knew it would turn out to be such a tearjerker!

Director, come out and explain!

What happened to the romantic date we agreed on?

At this moment, Meng Lang’s mood felt as heavy as the shackles Xu Lang was wearing at the end...

It would have been okay on a normal day, but how was he supposed to proceed with such a heavy heart for the rest of the date today!

This atmosphere, completely ruined by one movie...

Meng Lang sighed inwardly.

Today’s Lang, was not the romantic Lang, but the wasteful Lang...

"So can you explain what this movie has to do with work?" Meng Lang asked with a speechless face.

Lin Haitang wore an innocent + serious face.

"Hmm... didn’t you notice? This movie subtly explores a trial of reflection between the legal and the moral, discussing the widespread issues in today’s society.

It addresses the fundamental contradictions between morality and law, which is worth our deep reflection..."

"Heh! Hehe... so you’re saying, me studying Tao Te Ching and you studying law are incompatible, right?"

"You’re reading too much into it!" Lin Haitang stifled a laugh.

Meng Lang had a helpless expression.

He finally understood what she meant by "watching movies could also be a form of work."

It seems she indeed came today to find work inspiration...

As for the movie content...

Legal or not, he wasn’t sure, but picking such a movie for a first date was pretty unethical...

But the movie was over, what else could Meng Lang say?

The bad news is, although this hypocritical person agreed to a date, she still had to mask it under the pretense of work.

The good news is.

This was her final act of defiance?