C145 Find a Wife?'!

Zhang Chen's eyes narrowed, a surge of anger swiftly rising within him.

This was not the first time such an incident had occurred!

Lin Zhiqing had put in all the work, yet Lin Guolong had stolen the credit.

With a frosty tone, Zhang Chen commanded, "Reschedule the contract signing. I need to handle something."

"Got it!"

Wang Yunan responded promptly.

After hanging up, the fury within Zhang Chen ignited.

Lin Zhiqing had been tirelessly working on this contract for so long.

He grabbed his phone and dialed Lin Zhiqing's number.

"Sorry, the number you have dialed is switched off."

A wave of nervousness washed over Zhang Chen.

Lin Zhiqing had already been teetering on the edge of a breakdown.

His brow furrowed, a sense of urgency gnawing at him.

Without another moment's hesitation, he bolted from the hotel.

Outside, a black Mercedes-Benz awaited him.

Zhang Chen climbed in, and Loong San sped off towards Lin Zhiqing's villa.

They soon arrived, and Zhang Chen stepped out, striding toward the villa entrance.

Loong San left in the vehicle.

Zhang Chen rang the doorbell, and footsteps approached quickly.

The door swung open to reveal Lee Fengqin's face.

Before Zhang Chen could speak, she berated him, "Zhang Chen? Remember you're part of the Lin family?"

"Where have you disappeared to these days?"

"Not even taking care of household duties, and you have the nerve to return?"

"Get out of here!"

She moved to slam the door, but Zhang Chen, with no time for petty squabbles, wedged his hand to stop it, asking urgently, "Where's Zhiqing?"

Lee Fengqin retorted furiously, "I'll have you know, I've hired a maid. The Lin family doesn't need you anymore!"

She tried to shut the door once more.

Zhang Chen inhaled deeply, reining in his rage, and pressed, "Where is Zhiqing?"

Caught off guard, Lee Fengqin gaped at him, "You dare raise your voice to me?"

Zhang Chen cut her off, desperation in his voice, "Zhiqing just secured a major contract, and now your second brother is about to claim all the credit!"

Lee Fengqin was momentarily taken aback.

"Zhiqing's in her room," she said woodenly, still not quite over the shock.

Without a moment's hesitation, Zhang Chen charged into the villa, his anger mounting with every step.

He stormed up to the second floor and made a beeline for Lin Zhiqing's bedroom door.

Taking a moment to steady himself, Zhang Chen gently knocked.

Silence followed his knock, no response from within.

He knocked again, a bit more firmly this time.

A weary voice emerged from the room, "Mom, I'm not hungry. Go ahead and eat."

Zhang Chen detected a sob in her voice.

"It's me, Zhiqing. Please open the door," he urged, a note of urgency in his voice.

The pressure on Lin Zhiqing was immense.

He feared that if this went on, she might sink into depression.

The room fell quiet once more.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Lin Zhiqing spoke again, "Go back to your room. I need to rest for a bit."

Zhang Chen inhaled deeply and nudged the door, finding it locked.

With a clenched jaw, he shouldered the door open.

Lin Zhiqing let out a startled cry.

As Zhang Chen's gaze lifted, he caught sight of Lin Zhiqing frantically covering herself with a blanket.

Embarrassment washed over him.

"Get dressed. I'll wait outside," he said quickly, then stepped back into the hallway.

Before long, Lin Zhiqing called out, "You can come in now."

Zhang Chen hesitated, then entered.

The room was awash in pink, a stark contrast to anything he'd seen before. Despite their years of marriage, this was his first time stepping into this space.

Lin Zhiqing had changed and was now sitting weakly at the head of the bed, her hair disheveled, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes. She had always carried herself with such pride.

A pang of sorrow hit Zhang Chen, and he managed a strained smile. "Are you okay?"

Lin Zhiqing gave a stiff nod, her eyes reflecting a turmoil of emotions.

It was then that Zhang Chen remembered the reason for his visit. "Has Lin Guolong taken another one of your projects?" he inquired.

Startled, Lin Zhiqing slowly looked up, her expression one of surprise. "How did you know?" she asked.

Zhang Chen spoke with urgency, "This is an incredible chance for you to establish your reputation at Lin's Group. How can you possibly pass up this opportunity?"

Lin Zhiqing had only recently taken the reins of power, and there were undoubtedly many who would resist her authority.

This project could have silenced many critics!

Yet...

With a bitter smile, Lin Zhiqing confessed, "He's my boss. I can't defy his decisions."

Zhang Chen could sense her profound sense of helplessness.

While Zhang Chen had the power to control everything, he couldn't bear to watch Lin Zhiqing be so thoroughly crushed that she couldn't bounce back.

"You might feel powerless to change things," Zhang Chen insisted, "but you should at least inform Grandpa. You need to show that you worked hard for this project and it's rightfully yours!"

A spark of hope flickered in Lin Zhiqing's eyes, only to fade quickly.

"Second Uncle has already crafted his narrative. Grandpa won't take my side," Lin Zhiqing sighed, her voice tinged with disappointment.

Zhang Chen clenched his jaw, his voice laced with anguish, "If you don't try, you'll never know what could have been."

"The Lin family may be in decline, but why must you follow suit?"

"Have you lost all your self-confidence?"

Stung by his words, Lin Zhiqing bristled with self-loathing.

But...

Zhang Chen pressed on, "Even if you won't consider your own interests, shouldn't you consider the implications for others?"

"This project might not be massive, but for the Lin family as it stands, it's a lifeline!"

"Your mother still hopes to return to the Lin household."

Gradually, Lin Zhiqing lifted her head and straightened her posture.

Zhang Chen was right.

Her efforts had been hijacked, but the repercussions extended beyond her personal loss.

With eyes clouded by uncertainty, Lin Zhiqing sought guidance, "What should I do?"

A surge of excitement filled Zhang Chen as he responded, "We'll confront the Lin family and demand justice!"

"Lin Guofeng and Lin Guolong won't just hand over Lin's Group to you. Why are you working yourself to the bone for them?"

"The Lin family isn't just Lin's Group."

"You have Xuanying, too."

A renewed light shone in Lin Zhiqing's eyes.

"Right, I can't surrender what's rightfully mine."