Chapter Twelve: The Definition of Man

  Eternal heart fire scorches our souls, we fall into the scattered era, forced to accept evil contamination, helpless spirits endure degeneration, transforming their bodies into desperate shelters, lonely hearts cry in the wilderness, sorrowfully searching for each explosion, yet forever unaware that each search is a betrayal of higher existence...

  Who can save?

  Jiao Siwei has been reading poems written by this anonymous person for two days since returning from the seaside.

  "Wu wu, you've fallen in love with him, you really have fallen in love with him!"

  "No, I didn't!"

  "You know, since William's car accident, I won't fall in love with anyone again, absolutely not."

  "I don't believe it."

  "Believe it or not."

  "A woman will not have only one love in her lifetime."

  "Nonsense."

  "I can see that you're completely bewildered."

  “……”

  "Man is a compound of strength and weakness, light and darkness, smallness and greatness, baseness and justice. This is not to accuse man, but to define him." Louise sighed, "Wu Wu, this sentence is often on your lips, now you've forgotten it."

  "I haven't forgotten."

  "You forgot."

  "Louis, I never forgot!" Jiao Siwei stood up indignantly, his face pale, his lips trembling. "I know better than anyone what the definition of human is! We have devils and angels inside us, constantly fighting between them, constantly struggling in **!"

  She panted: "That's right, I admit it, I have feelings for him, I even yearn for his embrace, yearn to make love with him... But, I won't forget the hatred! Can't forget! His curse doesn't actually exist, the real curse is that devilish mark on his body!"

  "So, you want to wait for the right moment to release all the demons in his heart and thoroughly indulge in it, destroying himself in the process?"

  "Yes! He appears to be a simple, just and self-disciplined person on the surface, but I'm sure that deep down he is an unbridled extremist who yearns for a life of debauchery and freedom from constraints. He is full of skepticism and hatred towards this world, treating everyone as his tool. His devilish nature is like a monster trapped in a cage, waiting to burst out at any moment. Once the Pandora's box in his heart is opened, his evil will be unstoppable! He is essentially a devil, a devil disguised as a righteous person! Arrogant and self-righteous, hypocritical to the extreme!"

  Louise sighed and said: "Alas, Weiwei, whatever you want to do, I'll support you. Have you thought it through?"

  Jiao Si Yu gritted his teeth and nodded slightly.

  Louise excitedly hugged Jiao Siwei: "Really?"

  "Louis, I'm not used to it."

  Louise hastily let go, Jiao Siyu turned around and sat down, her face had already returned to calmness, and she said lightly: "I have a number."

  Long Bu was also thinking about what human beings are and what is the meaning of life at this moment.

  What is man?

  Actually, all the differences in appearance are just different arrangements of cellular tissues. The real difference lies in their unique and exclusive hearts, which make them unique and exclusive themselves. But how can the numerous hearts of the Li Heng Group follow and support themselves without causing trouble for themselves?

  But humans are fundamentally ** animals, the human heart is **, each heart represents every individual's **. As long as one views them as simple **, views them as simple sand and simple waves, constraining them with systems and discipline, enticing them with kindness and favors, intimidating them with power and authority, controlling them with tactics, satisfying them with material goods, and turning the organization into a so-called warm home, giving them a sense of belonging, and constantly motivating them, how can they not follow oneself?

  Isn't it just that simple? Without a heart, looking at them also becomes simple. In this way, no matter how you act, you won't hurt them.

  The meaning of life?

  For someone like me who doesn't even have a heart, for someone like me who has some kind of curse, the meaning of life is just a scam! All I need to do is fulfill my promise.

  Long Bao's mind wandered more and more fiercely, he would suddenly think of another thing when he was thinking about this matter, just like today when listening to the heads of several departments at headquarters making situation reports, there were several times when he was distracted and thought of the scene where he cramps in the sea, thought of the thrilling scenes encountered in his childhood in the Zi River, he even remembered those two black and white impermanences, remembered how his heart became fragmented clouds drifting away.

  Long Bao waited until Zhu Ben had boarded the plane, then immediately ordered Jiao Siwei to send someone to investigate the finances. Jiao Siwei brought his men and suddenly arrived at Li Heng Heavy Industry, isolating the financial personnel for examination and conducting a targeted audit of the accounts. In fact, Jiao Siwei had already known where the problem lay, so evidence was readily available.

  The next day, the German delegation from Kl?ckner Humboldt Deutz, invited by Jiao Siwei, arrived and held business talks with Long Bao and Zhao Siwen, and conducted on-site inspections. The German representatives expressed satisfaction.

  Long Bao immediately called Duan Pingchun, Li Xiubai, Wu Telie and others, requiring them to submit the personnel plans of their respective enterprises before 5 pm, after which Long Bao re-examined his plan to reorganize the headquarters departments.

  He didn't sleep all night.

  Li Xiubo really wanted to know why Long Bao was in such a hurry for the plan, but Long Bao didn't give him an answer. In Long Bao's eyes, this was his own decision and he no longer needed to explain to anyone. When Long Bao saw that Li Xiubo hadn't replaced his two deputy generals, especially the one who had already been identified as a member of the alliance, he simply said lightly: "President Li, if you trust these people you've brought in to be your subordinates, then I'll approve it. If you still want to make changes, do it now, don't wait until later and regret it."

  Li Xiubai thought for a moment and then deleted the deputy general manager, changing the technical department manager to the deputy general manager position.

  Duan Pingchun guessed that Long Bao had made up his mind to break with the old world and establish a new one, and he was filled with worry in his heart. He said tactfully: "Chairman Long, large-scale personnel changes will cause abnormal fluctuations in the group's stock price. Shouldn't we hold a high-level meeting to study and pass it?"

  Long Bao said: "No need, Deputy Chairman Jiao and I are of the same opinion. We are the major shareholders of the group, and the stock price will definitely fall. I have already arranged for the investment company to make preparations for protecting the disk."

  Duan Pingchun thought it was still necessary to remind Long Bao, so he said: "Vice Chairman Xue is also the Minister of Personnel, shouldn't we inform him?"

  Long Bao puffed on his cigarette, the carcinogenic nicotine steaming away in the empty cavity of his chest, where his heartless internal organs lay. He thought cigarettes were really a good thing, like a leopard that accompanied him through many unbearable nights. The blue smoke curled and swirled in the air, the red ember resembling the burning incense sticks placed in front of the old people's graves.

  He gritted his teeth and said to Duan Pingchun, "If it doesn't follow the personnel procedure, there must be a reason. I'll consider these things, you just take care of the pharmaceutical industry."

  Then he took three personnel plans and his own plan for the headquarters reform to let Jiao Siwei take a look, Jiao Siwei knew that the good show was about to begin.

  Long Bao wanted to create a fait accompli, and he went to the personnel department to find Xue Bingying, saying: "Deputy Minister Xue, I want to discuss with Director Xue, let you be the director of this personnel department, what's your opinion?"

  Xue Bingying saw the despicable and shameless rascal Long Bao, and she had an indescribable feeling in her heart. She thought: Did Father help me teach this stinky and shameless bastard a lesson?

  Seeing Xue Bingying lowering her head and not speaking, Long Bao continued: "Director Xue's body is not very good, personnel department things can't be handled, it's time for you to take on this responsibility. It's not good to just hang a deputy position, you and Deputy Director Zou have to distinguish between primary and secondary, main and deputy!"

  "Whatever." Xue Bingying said coldly.

  "Some personnel matters need to be adjusted, do you need to review these personnel plans?"

  "You're the boss, don't ask me."

  "Then you go and bring the seal to my office." Long Bao turned around and left.

  Immediately following the notification, Longpo issued a notice to middle and senior management personnel of subordinate enterprises to hold a meeting at 10:30 on October 9th, and strictly ordered that anyone who is not necessary for production must not be absent.

  After the notice was delivered, Long Bao should also inform Xue Zong, Zeng Hai, and Qian Yu Hui and Qian Su Xue about this message.

  To avoid them requesting an emergency meeting of the board of directors and the group's high-level meeting to veto his plan, Long Bao told a huge lie, arranging Tian Junyao to inform Qian Suxue and Qian Yuhui, two sisters in Hong Kong, that after the general meeting, Long Bao would hold another high-level meeting in the afternoon to discuss matters related to the group. Qian Suxue was too lazy to see Long Bao boast about his mouth, so she made an excuse for herself to go to the high-level meeting in the afternoon, and Qian Yuhui said she would come at that time.

  Zeng Hai said he would bring several deputy generals and department heads to Chang'an tomorrow for the meeting.

  Xue Zong, who had been bedridden for a long time, was very sensitive to Long Bao's phone call and immediately asked: "What is the big deal that requires such a grand meeting?"

  "It's necessary for everyone to get familiar with me and Vice Chairman Jiao, also there will be some personnel adjustments announced."

  "Personnel adjustment? How will you adjust?"

  "You're not in good health and still worrying about the group's affairs, I think your daughter can take charge on her own now. I'd like to ask you to let her take over as head of the personnel department, so when you go to the US for treatment, you'll have one less burden on your mind."

  "Xiao Long, you haven't directly answered my question yet, how are you going to adjust the group's personnel?"

  "Remove a batch, promote a batch, and sack a batch."

  Xue's tone turned slightly stern: "Who do you want to withdraw? The past two days have been telling you that it is not the time for horse exchange, why are you still stubbornly doing so? Say, are you going to withdraw Zhu Ben Tong as CEO?"

  "I just removed a few people who must be replaced, they are unfavorable to the development of the group."

  Xue's tone became severe: "Don't play Tai Chi with me, just tell me who you've replaced! Have you gone through high-level research? Have you considered the impact of this replacement on the group's stock price?"

  I am not the emperor of children, and you, Director Xue, are not the supreme ruler of Li Heng! Long Bing furrowed his brow, gritted his teeth, and held onto the receiver. After taking a deep breath, he said: "I've discussed this with Vice Chairman Jiao of the board of directors, and we've thought it through very carefully."

  "Xiao Long, now is not the time for you to carry out personnel reforms. I'm not saying I don't support your reforms, it's just that now is not the right time! If you rashly go ahead and do it, you'll make a mess of things! I'm currently working hard to help you strike a balance with everyone else, they've already agreed to treat you kindly and support you in future work, so you should also show some compromise towards everyone!"

  "Compromise?"

  "Xiao Long, everything must be done slowly, absolutely cannot rush. The key is to stabilize everyone's hearts. Everyone should compromise a bit and yield a bit to promote the development of the group. One person can't do things alone. You need to use your personal charm to unite everyone around you. Listen to me, withdraw the meeting notice... Cough, cough, cough..." Mr. Xue spoke too hastily, triggering a series of violent coughs.

  Long Wan gently hung up the phone and put the receiver back on the desk.

  At this time, Jiao Siwei knocked on the door and came in. She looked at Long Bao, who was pacing back and forth anxiously, muttering "compromise, compromise" to himself. She glanced at the phone on the table, thought for a moment, and guessed what had happened. She walked up to Long Bao and gently hugged his stiff waist, softly whispering words of comfort: "Don't be angry, let's wait a bit longer before pushing for reform. After all, you've just taken office and offended everyone, it's not good. Let's compromise."

  When Rong Bao's soft chest was pressed against his back and slowly rubbed, Long Bao felt that he was again on the beach, listening to the wind and rain playing with the waves. The undulating waves were getting more and more powerful, the white waves flying high, the stormy waves rolling, the fierce wind howling, the sky and earth filled with the wind and rain that made all living things bow their heads in submission, as if warning himself: Compromise, compromise, life is just a compromise from the beginning, life is born to be compromised! The way of heaven is boundless, human strength is limited, the fragile body, the weak and small life cannot resist the infinite power of heaven and earth!

  Long Wan's blood was boiling all over his body: Compromise? Compromise my ass! The heavens cursed me, cursing me to have no family love, friendship, cursing me to have less than 4,000 days of life, cursing me to give up the inheritance of the Long family's 64 generations of bloodline, cursing me to never find my own heart again, cursing me to become a lone wolf! Right! I am indeed a lone wolf, if I don't compromise with the heavens, why would I compromise with other trivial matters?!

  Long Bao's eyes radiated an inexplicable light, perhaps this light was called neurosis, or perhaps it was a characteristic of typical paranoia. He stared at Jiao Siwei and said: "Jiao Siwei, didn't you say you wanted me to write a letter for you? Come, I'll write it for you now!"

  He walked to the table, opened the inkstone, poured some water and closed his eyes. As he ground the ink in circles, the turbulent waves of the sea a few days ago kept emerging in his mind, his emotions stirred, and suddenly he thoroughly grasped the scene and mood when he wrote that eternal masterpiece "Lang Tao Sha - Beidaihe"

  He swiftly spread out a sheet of rice paper, took out a large wolf hair brush, and with strokes that seemed like startled clouds, dynamic as a long wind over thousands of miles, and powerful as a hundred-foot high waves, he wrote down the poem in bold and free-flowing ink.

  Heavy rain falls in the distant swallow, white waves surge into the sky, fishing boats outside Qinhuangdao. A vast expanse of water is nowhere to be seen, who knows which side it's on?

  Past events have spanned thousands of years, Wei Wu wielded his whip, eastward facing the Yi Stone there is a remaining chapter. The desolate autumn wind now once again, has changed the world of men.

  He threw down his pen and spoke in a voice as loud as bronze: "I have already obtained your support, I firmly hold the investment company in my hands. Do I still need to compromise to change the dynasty? Humans are intelligent lives walking on the scale of time, no one knows how much time is left for them, but I am different. I clearly see the remaining scale written in front of me, and I know that every passing minute and second means I am closer to death. Others live their lives on the scale of time, satisfying their pursuits, but I am different. I can only complete my promise alone in my poor remaining scale."

  He immediately picked up the phone and dialed Director Xue's number, his voice devoid of any emotion as he said: "Compromise takes a long time, my life is limited, I can't wait any longer! Director Xue, I'm sorry."

  Crack!

  It's already nighttime, and the night view of Hong Kong, the Oriental Pearl, is bustling and beautiful. The countless neon lights, the streetlights that shine all night, and the lights of a million households are arranged in an eternal and lawless yet lawful way to create a breathtaking scenery that people admire. People are like moths flying into flames, chasing after these dazzling and beautiful lights.

  It is said that light can urge people to move forward and guide those in darkness, but this statement is also one-sided. Different people have different feelings about light, just like Xue Zong at this moment, staring blankly at the bright yet dim light shining on him in his bedroom, hitting his eyes and making his vision blurry...

  ...the phone in his hand was transmitting a persistent dial tone, beeping repeatedly, shattering his heart...