A hospital leader immediately stepped forward and asked, "Hello, Auntie. Are you feeling unwell? Are you seeing a cardiologist here? If there's anything we can help with, please don't hesitate to say."
Tao Xinrou noticed the nameplate on his chest read "Chief Physician Li Qiangjie."
"Yes, Chief Li. Since she's an employee of our group, you should take good care of her," Ying Huaishan said as he walked over and patted Li Qiangjie on the shoulder. The gathered crowd then moved to surround them.
But Ying Huaishan's gaze fell on Tao's mother's face, and he couldn't help but study her. "Have we... met somewhere before?"
Tao's mother's eyes darted away, and her grip on Tao Xinrou's hand tightened. Feeling it, Tao Xinrou quickly interrupted, "Thank you for your concern, Vice President Ying. We've already made an appointment with a doctor. It's just a routine check-up."
"Oh, I see..." Ying Huaishan nodded thoughtfully, not pushing further. "Employee family health is something we care deeply about. If you need anything, be sure to bring it up with the company. The group is your strong support."
His words were noble-sounding, and the accompanying hospital staff nodded in agreement.
Tao's mother, feeling a bit flustered, kept thanking him. "Thank you for your concern, sir. Xiaorou is grateful for your care at the company."
"Tao Xinrou works very hard; she's a good prospect," Ying Huaishan said with a smile. "Well, we'll be on our way now. Auntie, don't hesitate if you need anything."
Ying Huaishan left with his entourage. Li Qiangjie called out the doctor treating Tao's mother and whispered a few words.
It seemed she had no choice but to accept this favor.
"Mom, let's go to a different hospital next time," Tao Xinrou said. Tao's mother nodded.
*
A few days later, the Cultural Heritage Project team was officially launched. The first meeting was held in a dedicated conference room next to the headquarters archive.
Led by Ying Jingsheng, Tao Xinrou, Wei Jiaxin, and several colleagues from other departments arrived at headquarters. The person greeting them was none other than Ying Huaishan.
Ying Jingsheng seemed startled, his expression slightly surprised. "Second Uncle?"
The team members respectfully addressed him as "Vice President Ying."
"Ah, President Ying personally leading the team!" Ying Huaishan strode forward, his smile deepening. His gaze, seemingly gentle, carried an invisible pressure. "I just heard about your Cultural Heritage Project—excellent concept! I heard you need to access the headquarters archive, so I came by to offer encouragement." As he spoke, his eyes swept over the slightly nervous team members behind him. "Good, all young people. The group's historical legacy indeed needs young people to explore and pass on. Keep up the good work!"
Ying Jingsheng's expression remained blank. To him, these high-sounding words were merely veiled insinuations.
"Thank you for your concern, Vice President Ying. We'll do our best."
Ying Huaishan chuckled and waved his hand. "Go ahead, I'm just looking. Oh, I brought someone along. If you need any support for the project, just ask." He gave Ying Jingsheng a meaningful look before pushing the person beside him forward.
A woman's high heels clicked twice as she stepped forward. Her gaze was sharp as she slowly scanned the crowd. A nearly formulaic smile tugged at her lips. Adjusting her glasses, she spoke formally, "Hello everyone, I'm Zhou Yun, head of the Yunlu Group Office. You can call me Director Zhou. I will assist in coordinating this project with the archive. Any needs or questions during your research can be directed to me."
She stood there, poised and courteous, but like a silent gate, clearly determined to stand between them and the dusty archives.
Ying Huaishan looked satisfied and nodded. "Feel free to ask Director Zhou any questions. For now, let's get to work. I look forward to your results."
With that, he left with his secretary.
Only when his figure disappeared around the corner did the stagnant air begin to flow again.
A cold sweat trickled down Tao Xinrou's back. She looked at Ying Jingsheng and saw that, although his expression was calm, a trace of hostility flickered deep in his eyes.
He said nothing, only gestured for everyone to enter the meeting room.
Zhou Yun also joined them, listening to the meeting agenda and research process. Whenever something was infeasible, she would raise her hand to explain the headquarters' procedures.
After the meeting, everyone moved to the temporarily assigned office area.
Zhou Yun stayed close to the project team. She was assigned a desk near the door. She opened her laptop neatly without looking up, and as if talking to herself in the silence, said, "For more efficient coordination, I'll work here. It'll be convenient for everyone to communicate at any time."
The team exchanged glances, then understood.
Convenient for communication? More like convenient for surveillance.
Ying Jingsheng frowned at Zhou Yun's behavior but could do nothing. He only told everyone to follow headquarters' rules before walking out with Wang Anran.
Once they were outside and in the car, Wang Anran whispered, "President Ying, Vice President Ying must have heard from the archive office. That's why he showed up today. I mishandled this."
"Don't say that now. Letting us access the archive here is already his biggest concession. After all, we're working under his nose. If he weren't supervising, that would be suspicious. The fact that he is supervising reassures me—it means nothing has changed."
"You're right. So what do we do now? Do we still need to investigate?"
"Of course. And also, keep an eye on Tao Xinrou—specifically what she's looking for."
"Yes."
*
Working at headquarters was not as easy as imagined. Ying Jingsheng had only applied for ten days, which meant Tao Xinrou had to complete her research within that time.
But nothing went as smoothly as she hoped.
When Wei Jiaxin handed an initial list of archive research requests to Zhou Yun, she looked stern. "These two files involve an unpublished draft of the company's internal operations evaluation from ten years ago. They are not within the scope of this project's authorized access. Please revise the list."
Wei Jiaxin was taken aback and tried to explain, "Director Zhou, these are just background references."
"The project's authorization scope is very clear: only publicly available or publishable service and cultural historical materials. Everything must follow the authorization document."
Tao Xinrou's heart sank. She had planned to slip in similar requests in later applications. Now it was clear that Zhou Yun's gate was even tighter than she expected.
This person sent by Ying Huaishan was obviously blocking them from the archives.
While she was unsettled, Zhou Yun stood up, picked up a stack of freshly printed "Archive Access Code of Conduct and Special Notes for This Project," and began distributing them one by one.
"These are the specific rules. Please read carefully and sign the commitment letter," Zhou Yun said as she walked to Tao Xinrou's desk. She set down the file and tapped a particular clause. "Pay special attention to this one: all access must be based on clear project needs. Any private or targeted searches unrelated to project goals are strictly prohibited. The archive system has comprehensive logs and keyword screening. Any abnormal access will be recorded and traced."
She looked at Tao Xinrou, her formulaic smile carrying a cold warning. "This is everyone's first time working with such materials, right? Be sure to follow the rules strictly. It's for everyone's benefit."