“Here they come.”

“Keep it down.”

Early in the morning, the people in the president’s office were already on high alert. When they heard someone coming, they began whispering among themselves.

Liang Meng heard the commotion and rose from her seat, but before she had even made it to the door —

Wang Xiancheng strode in, leading a crowd of people.

“Well, well, young President Liang. How diligent of you — already hard at work this early?”

Knowing full well that Wang Xiancheng had come with bad intentions, Liang Meng still had to force a smile to greet him.

“Mr. Wang!”

She walked forward and extended her hand.

Behind her, one of the flatterers in Wang Xiancheng’s entourage immediately chimed in, “Young President Liang, how can you still call him Mr. Wang? You should be calling him Chairman Wang!”

Liang Meng felt bitter inside and couldn’t quite bring herself to say it, so she thought quickly and said instead, “Uncle Wang.”

Everyone paused.

“It feels more natural that way, doesn’t it?” Liang Meng had drawn first blood.

But Wang Xiancheng was no Daiwei. He walked past Liang Meng in silence, not taking her extended hand.

Instead, he swept in with his entourage and plopped himself down on the client sofa, then said with a broad smile, “Little Liang, come sit.”

Liang Meng walked over and sat down, knees neatly together and angled to one side. She was nervous inside.

Looking at the dark, imposing group in front of her, and the emptiness behind her — while a cluster of onlookers lingered just outside — her heart was in complete turmoil.

Two contracts were pushed across to Liang Meng by Wang Xiancheng’s secretary.

Liang Meng picked them up and read them. She was furious inside, but had no recourse. She could only manage a strained smile on the surface and say, “Uncle Wang — I won’t be able to remain as Longquan’s CEO, will I?”

“Hmph.” Wang Xiancheng crossed his legs and gave an indifferent, dismissive smirk.

Those he had brought with him also laughed. One of the provocateurs even said, “Young President Liang! Isn’t that a bit of a rhetorical question? Though you may not be able to stay as Longquan’s CEO, you’re still a shareholder of Longquan. We all need to be looking out for Longquan’s future.”

Liang Meng smiled. “Oh? And Longquan’s future will suddenly be bright just by swapping out the CEO? If that’s what you believe, Chairman Wang, then I’ll take the second option — give you my 15% stake and walk away!”

Wang Xiancheng couldn’t have wanted anything more.

Before arriving, he had prepared two options for Liang Meng:

One: She remains a minor shareholder in Longquan, continues to receive dividends and participate in shareholder decisions, but steps down as CEO.

Two: She sells her shares to Wang Xiancheng and leaves. From then on, Longquan and the Liang family would have no further ties.

Gazing at those deep, penetrating eyes — so eerily like Ning Yanhong’s — Wang Xiancheng wanted her gone immediately.

A rush of vengeful satisfaction surged up from somewhere deep within him.

The hatred that locked eyes with Liang Meng felt like blades clashing between enemies.

This little wretch had already grown this large.

Liang Meng’s parents were already dead and gone, but still Wang Xiancheng found it insufficient.

Wang Xiancheng gave a casual wave. His meaning was clear: suit yourself.

“So what price is Chairman Wang prepared to offer me?” A faint note of provocation curved Liang Meng’s lips. “From what I understand, the numbers you gave my sister and Jiang Han were very different.”

Wang Xiancheng said nothing. A sly, cunning smile spread across his weathered face.

“Market price,” one of his associates answered on his behalf.

It was clear that Wang Xiancheng had come fully prepared.

These past days, Liang Meng had already come to terms with it — this CEO position at Longquan was hers to lose whether she wanted it to be or not. She had absolutely no leverage to negotiate with Wang Xiancheng.

“Uncle Wang, market price… is still no small sum,” Liang Meng reminded him.

Wang Xiancheng had just sold off the Ling Xue property, but had then been squeezed for a sum by Liang Xing, so his cash position wasn’t exactly comfortable at the moment.

“I just bought 65% of Longquan’s shares. Little Liang, do you really doubt your ‘Uncle Wang’ can’t come up with the money for your 15%?”

Wang Xiancheng taunted.

Liang Meng smiled stiffly, then looked up. “That’s not what I meant. What I mean is — you don’t have to pay market price. You can take my 15% stake without spending a single yuan.”

Wang Xiancheng naturally didn’t believe her. He turned to his associates with a laugh. “Is that so? Ha! Listen to that.”

“Pie falling from the sky — couldn’t even dream it up.”

“Young President Liang, is this charity? You must be pulling our legs.”

Those around him commented.

Liang Meng took a deep breath and looked across at Wang Xiancheng.

She knew she was a young, inexperienced calf who was no match for this seasoned old fox. But she had come this far — she had no choice but to hold her ground and move at her own pace.

“When I called you ‘Uncle Wang’ — did that not give you a hint?” Liang Meng leaned slightly toward him and said, “Two months ago, you arranged for me to go on a blind date with Zaiwu. I haven’t had a chance to update you — the two of us… have actually been getting along rather well.”

Wang Xiancheng’s heart sank when he heard this.

Those around him also drew back slightly. Nobody had anticipated that a negotiation like this would have personal family matters tangled up inside it.

Everyone looked toward Old Wang. Wang Xiancheng felt the pressure keenly.

When he had initially arranged the blind date between Liang Meng and Wang Zaiwu, it had been purely to antagonize Liang Xing — to pressure her into agreeing to sell him Longquan’s shares.

He had also wanted to probe whether Liang Xing knew about Ning Yanhong’s relationship with Jiang Yueming.

If she knew, she would have actively encouraged the match between Liang Meng and Wang Zaiwu — because that would keep Liang Meng away from Jiang Han.

And indeed, Liang Xing’s willingness to sell the shares so readily confirmed to Wang Xiancheng that she must have known about Ning Yanhong’s past involvement with Jiang Yueming.

With the shares sold and the matter settled, Wang Xiancheng hadn’t bothered to bring up the idea of a union between their two families again.

What Wang Xiancheng had not anticipated was that Liang Meng and his own son Wang Zaiwu had actually started dating.

It was hard to fathom.

But Wang Xiancheng was a man who had navigated far greater storms. He glanced awkwardly at those around him, sat up straight, and said with a generous laugh, “You don’t know my son! He’s absolutely hopeless — every girlfriend he’s ever had would outnumber the front-desk staff at our Wanheng office. Ha!”

“Ha ha ha.” Everyone laughed along dutifully.

Wang Xiancheng continued, “Liang Meng, I genuinely hope that you might be the one to make Zaiwu settle down — and that I’d get an outstanding daughter-in-law into the bargain. That would be the ideal outcome for everyone!”

Liang Meng inwardly gave a cold, contemptuous laugh. She stared at Wang Xiancheng’s practiced, smooth expression and wondered privately how anyone could be so repulsive.

He was willing to use even his own son’s romantic happiness as a bargaining chip on the negotiating table.

No wonder Wang Zaiwu always felt so unhappy — so unable to summon any real interest in either his career or his relationships.

He seemed to have everything — unlimited money — yet he was tightly controlled by its very source: Wang Xiancheng.

Never attended to. Never valued. Never respected.

She felt a quiet flicker of sorrow on Zaiwu’s behalf.

“Uncle Wang is right. I’ll definitely be the one to keep Zaiwu’s heart,” Liang Meng said with a shy smile, making a false promise.

Wang Xiancheng, in front of everyone, gave a matching false nod. “Good! That’s settled then. Having a daughter-in-law like you would be more than enough for me. But… about the shares — everyone is watching, and we can’t have it look like I’m taking advantage of someone younger. Liang Meng, just because you and Wang Zaiwu are together doesn’t mean the shares come along as a dowry. Your Uncle Wang also needs to protect your interests. This is your premarital property.”

Seeing him step into the snare, Liang Meng wasted no time pressing forward with her plan.

She turned and walked gracefully back to her desk, pulled open a drawer, and withdrew a lease agreement she had prepared in advance. She placed it squarely on the glass coffee table.

“I knew Uncle Wang would be the most reasonable about this. My sister always said that my parents used to enjoy working with you — that what they valued was your fairness, integrity, and broad-minded approach to business.”

Wang Xiancheng wasn’t interested in flattery. He picked up the contract and read through it, then passed it to his associate.

“Liang Meng, you want to use your 15% stake as the lease payment, in exchange for renting the Baoquan Herbal Tea brand name, patents, and production lines for three years?” Wang Xiancheng asked, puzzled.

Liang Meng nodded. “I humbly request Uncle Wang’s approval.”

“Chairman Wang, this contract…”

The associate was anxious — to him, this looked like a windfall, and he wanted to urge Wang Xiancheng to accept immediately.

The current market value of 15% of Longquan’s shares was at least 400 million yuan. The annual sales revenue of the Baoquan Herbal Tea brand was also around 100 million yuan.

Leasing the brand to Liang Meng would essentially save Wang Xiancheng all the costs of production and operations, freeing up capital and managerial energy that he could redirect into other businesses. No downstream supply chain to maintain. A thoroughly win-win arrangement.

But Wang Xiancheng did not respond immediately. Instead he stood, tugged the hem of his suit jacket into place, and said to Liang Meng with a smile:

“Liang Meng, you are indeed clever. But this contract — I’ll need to take it back and study it further. Ah, and speaking of which — that’s a minor matter! Since you and Zaiwu are together, as my ‘prospective daughter-in-law,’ you really should start appearing at public occasions and showing your face. This Saturday, your Aunt Wang is hosting a gathering called the ‘Meng River Gathering.’ You’ll come with Zaiwu and help receive the guests.”

“Of course, I’ll do as Uncle Wang says.”

Liang Meng bowed her head in a show of meek compliance.

Wang Xiancheng walked past her, thoughtful and unhurried. Just before reaching the door, he turned back and gave this young, green girl in front of him one last, meaningful look.

He was a man of iron resolve, but looking at this girl, he felt something he couldn’t quite name or account for.

Wang Xiancheng lightly slapped the rolled-up contract against his palm. No matter how attractive this contract looked on the surface, he had an inexplicable feeling that someone’s hand was around his.

Because this was not how he had planned things.

He had offered two options. Liang Meng had chosen neither.

Just like Ning Yanhong, who had not chosen him back then either.

After Wang Xiancheng’s entourage left, the news of Liang Meng’s departure from the role of Longquan’s CEO was effectively confirmed.

The people inside the company immediately turned mercenary. Their attitude toward her shifted a full 180 degrees.

The “old guard” in the president’s office didn’t even bother showing Liang Meng respect anymore, openly cracking jokes right in front of her.

The employees Liang Meng had previously entrusted with responsibility found themselves sidelined and marginalized.

Daiwei had been faking illness for several weeks and hadn’t come in at all.

Liang Meng stood with her hands on her hips, staring down at the rubbish bin in her office that hadn’t been emptied in three days, and kicked it in resignation.

If only Lin Qing were still here.

At least there would be someone to keep her company.

Lin Qing. Jiang Han. The penthouse.

Lin Qing’s face was flushed, fine beads of sweat dotting her forehead.

In the dim, hazy light, Jiang Han too couldn’t control his breathing, his breath coming in unsteady pulls.

The air was thick with tension, excitement, and a charged, electric atmosphere.

The close, private space pressed in around them, making it hard to breathe.

“CEO Jiang, I can’t take it anymore.”

“You think I can? I also… find this thrilling.”

Jiang Han finally stopped, rubbed the bridge of his nose, and sat upright.

Lin Qing grabbed the mouse he had just released — the surface was damp with sweat.

“CEO Jiang, please don’t laugh at me. I have genuinely never dealt with serious money in my life! You sending me to Hang Lung Plaza to buy a couple of bags is one thing — but spending 20 million yuan in one evening, 20 million at a time, my heart genuinely cannot take it.”

Lin Qing pressed her other hand over her wildly pounding chest.

“You’ll take it whether you can or not.”

Jiang Han used every ounce of his strength to straighten his legs, which had gone soft.

Lin Qing asked anxiously, “CEO Jiang, no matter how I calculate it — a billion yuan, we can hold out for two months at most. Two months! 60 days!”

“What are you panicking for? If we lose, it’s my money.”

“And if you lose everything, who’s going to look after me?”

Lin Qing was, of course, worried about herself.

“Wang Xiancheng has been shorting the whole time,” Jiang Han said.

Lin Qing checked the stainless steel price and nodded. “He’s right to short! That’s the rational move.”

She still couldn’t understand why Jiang Han was dead set on going head-to-head with Wang Xiancheng.

Even if fighting him could make money — which would be great — Wang Xiancheng was far too sharp to let himself lose. So what was Jiang Han actually doing here?

“The way you’re going at Wang Xiancheng, you’re essentially going at the market itself,” Lin Qing said, a note of reproach in her voice for his irrationality. “If you want to win, you at least need to be pointing in the right direction. Right now, you’re bleeding yourself dry to damage the enemy — but what if Wang Xiancheng isn’t even the one who goes down? What if you end up destroying yourself first, with nothing left?”

“Watch your mouth. What kind of language is that for a young woman?”

Jiang Han’s tone was mildly reproachful, telling her to stop.

“Stainless steel prices are falling right now — that’s true. But based on my years of watching price movements, the price should see a rebound by the time this quarter ends.”

“I’m going against the market right now.” Jiang Han acknowledged it — and then he looked up at Lin Qing with unwavering confidence. “But I am not going against the market’s underlying trend.”

“Fine! You’re determined to keep buying against Wang Xiancheng — I’ve already set my model to the smallest possible cross-parabola curve. But even if stainless steel prices really do surge in a few months, our capital won’t last long enough to see it. Wang Xiancheng’s will. And he’s still increasing his short position.” Lin Qing argued back, unwilling to concede.

“Stop panicking,” Jiang Han said, unconvinced.

“By the time it’s over, even if you sold me off to Myanmar to harvest a kidney, one kidney gets you 5,000 yuan, two kidneys gets you 10,000 — and that still wouldn’t be enough for your plane ticket out of the country after you blow up your margin.”

“My, oh my! You’ve even worked out my escape plan?” Jiang Han laughed. “Fleeing the country, no less.”

Lin Qing was in no mood to joke. She felt her own nerves were as fragile as a tightrope — while a big-time boss like Jiang Han seemed to have nerve endings made of reinforced steel.

“Stop worrying.” Jiang Han patted Lin Qing on the shoulder as a gesture of reassurance. “I started from nothing. So did you.”

With that, Jiang Han calmly pulled the study door shut behind him. Before he left, he remembered to remind Lin Qing of one last thing: “Get to bed early.”