Chapter 305 304: Annoying People

"The pay at a construction company isn't that high, and you wouldn't be able to apply what you've learned. The only job there that would suit your skills is accounting!"

Mu Lin was just a team leader. A job he recommended couldn't possibly be that great.

Tao Xinxin just smiled and didn't elaborate.

"It's not a regular staff position. The role is actually quite good. I'm very happy with it."

Liu Wenchang looked utterly unconvinced. 'If Tao Xinxin wants to defend Mu Lin this much, then let her,' he thought.

Liu Jinchang said, "Xinxin, you need to be discerning. There are too many people full of empty talk these days. You have to verify things carefully. A position this good... how could someone like him be the one to recommend you for it?"

His words were a direct accusation, calling Mu Lin a liar.

Chen Fengluan said earnestly, "Lao Liu, can you ever say anything nice? Mu Lin is incredibly capable!"

Su Mary smiled calmly. "Fengluan, there are so many scams these days. With your family's wealth, of course a con artist would be willing to spend extra time reeling you in."

Just as Chen Fengluan was about to retort, Liu Wenchang, who had been searching for something on his phone, suddenly looked up. "The team leader of the Li Group's special projects department is Chen Xi! What's it got to do with you, Mu Lin?"

The entire table was stunned. Chen Fengluan felt a flush of embarrassment.

"That's impossible!"

Liu Wenchang said, "The Li Group is a proper corporation. They have a list of department managers on their website, and Mu Lin's name isn't on it. You can check for yourself."

Tao Yingtian and Chen Fengluan quickly searched on their phones and got the same result. They both looked at Mu Lin strangely.

Tao Xinxin felt extremely awkward. She distinctly remembered Xue Xi saying Mu Lin was her brother's colleague. 'Why isn't his name listed?' she wondered.

Chen Fengluan was nervous, but she kept her tone polite. "Mu Lin, why isn't your name on the list?"

Mu Lin said, "I was just promoted to team leader today. HR hasn't finished processing the paperwork yet. It's perfectly normal."

Liu Wenchang was relentless. "Stop blowing smoke. The Li Group is one of the top construction companies in Anhua; their procedures are strict. If you were going to lie, you should have at least picked a company that would make your story a little more believable."

Mu Lin gave a dry chuckle but didn't answer directly.

Liu Jinyang said earnestly, "Old Tao, you've definitely been duped. He must have ulterior motives for getting close to Xinxin!"

'This is getting really annoying,' Mu Lin thought. 'What is the Liu Family's problem?'

'I haven't done a single thing to offend them, yet they're acting like they want me dead.'

Tao Yingtian waved his hand dismissively. "Whatever the truth is, this dinner is to thank Mu Lin for helping our family. That fact hasn't changed. Come on, everyone, let's eat."

His expression was sour, as was Chen Fengluan's. Her voice had dropped to a murmur.

The members of the Liu Family looked at Mu Lin with contempt, extremely pleased with themselves.

After the meal, everyone stood up. The three from the Liu Family looked as if they had just won a war, strutting arrogantly and looking at Mu Lin as if he were a pile of dirt.

Tao Yingtian paid the bill, and they all went downstairs toward the parking lot.

Two men were walking toward them, and Mu Lin recognized one of them as Zhang Feng.

Zhang Feng recognized Mu Lin as well. "Team Leader Mu, you're having dinner here!"

Mu Lin said, "Oh, some friends invited me. I already cleared it with President Li."

"This is the person I recommended to the company, Tao Xinxin, the overseas-educated finance expert. She should be more than qualified for the position of Chief Financial Officer."

A look of understanding dawned on Zhang Feng's face. He quickly turned to Tao Xinxin and said, "Miss Tao, a pleasure to meet you! I could tell from our phone call that you were a very capable woman, and meeting you in person confirms it! I'm Zhang Feng, the Director of Human Resources for the Li Group."

Tao Jingjing's expression flickered through several changes before she hurriedly said, "Hello, Director Zhang!"

Zhang Feng's heart started pounding. THUMP THUMP THUMP. 'Could there be something going on between Mu Lin and Tao Xinxin?' He didn't dare to dwell on the thought. Mu Lin's fighting prowess was legendary at the company. If Zhang Feng dared to spread gossip, he'd probably face instant, physical karma delivered by Mu Lin himself.

The three members of the Liu Family standing nearby looked as if they'd been turned to stone. Their expressions were absolutely ghastly.

When they had checked the Li Group's website, Mu Lin's name wasn't there, but this Zhang Feng—the HR Director—most certainly was!

Mu Lin asked, "Director Zhang, are you here to entertain clients as well?"

Zhang Feng chuckled. "Of course. The company is booming right now, and we're in dire need of talent. There are openings everywhere, and President Li is pushing me to fill them quickly."

'So that's how it is,' Mu Lin thought, nodding slowly. Zhang Feng then turned to Tao Xinxin and bowed respectfully.

"Miss Tao, our very own Team Leader Mu strongly recommended you for the Chief Financial Officer position. With your experience working abroad, I'm certain your skills will be invaluable to our future."

Tao Xinxin felt awkward with all the praise. Even though she had studied overseas, she wasn't *that* amazing.

'I wanted to be low-key,' she thought, 'but with Zhang Feng hyping me up like this, so much for that.'

Zhang Feng exchanged simple greetings with Tao Yingtian and the others, thinking to himself that if sparks were really flying between Mu Lin and Tao Xinxin, it would be wise for him to build a good relationship with the Tao Family quickly.

"Director Zhang, you should go on in. Your guests are probably getting impatient!"

Zhang Feng nodded eagerly, like a fawning puppy. "Yes! Yes! After you, Team Leader Mu. I'll head in right now."

Tao Yingtian wasn't blind. Watching this exchange felt surreal. It was as if Mu Lin wasn't some minor team leader, but the actual head of the Li Group.

Tao Yingtian asked, "Mu Lin, are you really just a team leader? From what I just saw, it doesn't seem like it."

"Of course I am. President Li just promoted me this morning. Before that, I was just the deputy team leader."

Chen Fengluan was grinning from ear to ear, finally able to throw all the earlier mockery right back in their faces. "I told you Mu Lin wouldn't lie to us! I guess the show's over. Someone must be very disappointed, hmm?"

Liu Jinyang's face was grim, and Liu Wenchang was so furious he looked like he wanted to stomp his feet.

They weren't blind. There was no way Zhang Feng could have faked that level of respect for Mu Lin.

Mu Lin's status at the Li Group was clearly far greater than that of a mere "team leader."

At the very least, his position couldn't be summed up by the two words "team leader."

All they could do was pretend nothing had happened and suddenly find the surrounding scenery fascinating.

Tao Yingtian said, "Alright, alright, the misunderstanding has been cleared up. Let's just leave it at that."

"How can we just 'leave it at that'? Are we just going to forget that they called Mu Lin a liar?"

"You might be magnanimous, but I'm not! I can't just swallow this insult!"

The three members of Liu Jinyang's family felt as if millions of needles were pricking their backs. It was an unbearable feeling.

"There's no need," Mu Lin interjected. "We're just strangers who happened to cross paths. Whether they apologize or not, it's unlikely we'll see each other more than a few times in this lifetime."

Mu Lin said to Tao Xinxin's parents, "Please, don't trouble yourselves. I'll just call a car. You two have a safe trip home."

Tao Xinxin insisted, "Let us give you a ride. It's no trouble at all."

Mu Lin smiled faintly. "You've been wonderful hosts. I'd like to walk for a bit to digest. Is that alright?"

That left Tao Xinxin with nothing to say. She couldn't very well force him into the car.

Suddenly, his brow furrowed as he spotted a police car.

'There's at least one Martial Arts Grandmaster in that car.'

The car stopped, and a middle-aged man got out. He walked over and asked, "Are you Mu Lin?"

Mu Lin smiled. "I am."

The middle-aged man said, "I'm Jin Cheng, deputy captain of the Military Suppression Bureau's Second Division."

The man had a polite way of speaking, so Mu Lin didn't give him a hard time. "You're here about Fei Ji, aren't you?"

Jin Cheng replied, "Naturally. One of my team members was injured. I have to inquire about it."

"Mr. Mu, please come with us to give a routine statement. As for whatever wrongs Fei Ji committed, I, as deputy captain, will offer you a sincere apology for each and every one."

"Fine," Mu Lin agreed.

Tao Xinxin, however, tugged on Mu Lin's arm. "Mu Lin, what's going on? Why is a police car here?"

Liu Wenchang said excitedly, "Xinxin, do you even have to ask? He must have committed a major crime and is being taken in for investigation!"

Mu Lin had nothing to say to the buffoon. He just turned to Tao Xinxin. "I'm just cooperating with an investigation, it's no big deal. I'll see you at the company!"

With that, Mu Lin got into Jin Cheng's car, and it sped away.

Despite Mu Lin's reassurances, Tao Xinxin was still extremely worried.

Liu Wenchang said, "Xinxin, my dear, don't get too involved with a criminal like him. You don't want to get dragged down into the mud."

Tao Xinxin's brow furrowed in annoyance.

'Can't that Liu Wenchang say a single nice thing? He's so obnoxious!'