Chapter 11: Trust Those You Employ; Doubt Not, or Do Not Employ

After leaving the Admiralty Centre with the two brothers, Li Weiguo and Li Weidong, Lin Haoran originally planned to make a trip to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in Kowloon to get an update on the latest market conditions.

Although the money had not yet arrived, judging by Yang Changdao’s confident demeanor, the loan would certainly be approved. Even if the documents he submitted were technically insufficient, Yang would find a way to make it happen. Therefore, understanding the market in advance would allow him to plan for the next steps.

Just as he got into the car, his pager emitted a buzzing vibration; someone was trying to reach him. With no other choice, he got out of the car and walked to a nearby public phone booth to return the call. In this era, pagers relied on analog signals and were limited to receiving call notifications, requiring users to find a public phone to return the call—a process that was indeed cumbersome and inconvenient. However, despite the complexity, in an age before the commercialization of mobile phones, the pager was an incredibly cutting-edge invention, marking the initial leap in instant communication technology.

After returning the call, Lin Haoran finally learned who was looking for him: his father in this world, Lin Wan'an. It turned out that Lin Yi had informed Lin Wan'an that Lin Haoran had left Yuen Long without taking them along, and had embellished the story of Lin Haoran’s recent activities. Worried that his youngest son might be in trouble, Lin Wan'an had called him.

"Dad, I’ll come over to see you. I’m in Wan Chai, not far from the company," Lin Haoran said, postponing his trip to the stock exchange.

The headquarters of Wan'an Group was in Causeway Bay, quite close to Wan Chai; the distance from the Admiralty Centre to the Wan'an Group building was less than a kilometer. After hanging up, Lin Haoran drove directly to the Wan'an Group building.

The Wan'an Group building was a 13-story commercial property owned entirely by the group. Although this was the first time Lin Haoran had visited since his transmigration, the fusion of his memories made everything feel intimately familiar. The building had been around for over a decade, and Lin Haoran had often played there as a child. Parking the car in the open lot outside, he led Li Weiguo and Li Weidong into the building.

"Good afternoon, Director Lin."
"Good afternoon, Director Lin."

"Director Lin, you look even more handsome today."
"Director Lin, do you have a girlfriend?"

Many employees greeted him warmly as soon as they saw him, with some of the more playful female staff teasing him as they passed. Lin Haoran responded with gentle smiles and nods, displaying humility and approachability. Following closely behind, Li Weiguo and Li Weidong were quite eye-opened; they had never witnessed such a scene and felt that their young master was truly impressive.

Although Wan'an Group was a publicly listed company, it was effectively a family business. The Lin family held over 50% of the shares, leaving outside shareholders with no say in the company’s affairs. Once Lin Haoran came of age, he was given the nominal title of Director, making him a member of the board, as was his older brother, Lin Haoning. This was why the employees addressed him as "Director Lin."

Relatively speaking, due to his seniority, Lin Haoning held much greater prestige within the group than Lin Haoran. In the past, no matter how hard the previous Lin Haoran worked, he was destined to lose. But now, he was full of confidence that he would win this competition.

The elevator stopped at the 12th floor, where the Chairman’s office was located.

"Dad, I’m here. Let me introduce you to these two; they are the new bodyguards I’ve hired. They are much more capable than Lin Yi and his crew," Lin Haoran said upon entering the office.

Lin Wan'an was 63 years old with snow-white hair. Though not particularly old, his health had begun to decline in recent years, manifesting in various symptoms such as memory loss, hearing impairment, and weakened vascular function, occasionally leading to slower heart rates and faint pulses. Hospital check-ups revealed that his heart function was gradually failing, unable to sustain normal blood circulation. This was why he felt his health slipping away—he feared he might pass at any moment, which made the need to select a successor for the group feel incredibly urgent.

He had two sons, but there was only one Wan'an Group; there could not be two successors. It was like an ancient imperial dynasty that could not have two crown princes.

Lin Wan'an first asked Li Weiguo and Li Weidong to wait outside. Then, he pulled Lin Haoran aside and said earnestly, "Hao'er, you must be cautious. These two have unknown backgrounds; how could you so easily decide to make them your personal bodyguards? Safety is no child's play; you must consider this carefully."

Lin Haoran already knew that Lin Yi must have said something to his father.

"Dad, please don't worry. After spending these past few days with them, I have gained a deep understanding of their backgrounds and characters. More importantly, I saved them at a critical moment; that debt of gratitude is enough to prove their loyalty," Lin Haoran replied with a smile. "As the ancients said, 'Do not suspect those you employ, and do not employ those you suspect.' I understand this principle. Besides, I have grown up and learned how to weigh the pros and cons and handle matters properly. Please trust me; I will handle it."

Lin Wan'an looked at Lin Haoran in surprise, his eyes filled with disbelief. He had not expected his youngest son to respond so confidently and logically—a sharp contrast to the Lin Haoran who used to follow his instructions without question. This sudden growth and independence sparked a complex mix of emotions in Lin Wan'an: immense relief and a touch of pleasant surprise. His youngest son, whom he had always treasured and sheltered, had quietly matured, learning to think independently and solve problems.

"Hao'er, you have finally grown up," Lin Wan'an said, his eyes shining with relief.

From his memories, Lin Haoran knew that his father had always doted on him, and he held deep respect and affection for Lin Wan'an in return.

"Dad, please rest assured. I did not waste my four years studying abroad. Honestly, I believe I can win the competition against my brother for the succession!" Lin Haoran said with a confident smile.

"Hao'er, I have heard about the situation with the Huafeng Cement Plant. For now, your priority should be to stabilize the performance of that plant. As for the competition, put it aside for now. You can rest easy; even if your brother ultimately becomes the successor of Wan'an Group, I will never let you be wronged. I will ensure you have a stable share of the equity in the group to protect your interests, and I will make arrangements for assets outside the group to ensure you live a worry-free life," Lin Wan'an advised earnestly.

Clearly, Lin Wan'an did not believe that Lin Haoran could win the competition.