"Young Miss?"
The faint and soft voice of Nanny Zhang coming from outside the room, makes Shi Lian stir in her sleep. Nanny Zhang calls again, this time louder. Shi Lian slowly opens her eyes and mumbles a yes.
She didn't realize when she fell asleep. "Young Miss, are you well?" comes her voice worried voice again.
Shi Lian goes to open the door before Nanny Zhang reports this to her mother.
"I slept," she says. Nanny Zhang breaks into a relieved smile. "Is there something, Nanny Zhang?"
"Ah, yes. Dinner is ready and Master will be arriving soon. Madam is asking for you."
Shu Lian yawns and with a small smile, she nods. "I'll be there in a minute."
After Nanny Zhang leaves, Shi Lian goes to the bathroom to wash her face. Waking up after dreaming of her past, makes her heart heavy.
Shi Lian ambles downstairs and heads to the dining room. The dining room is wide and spacious. A long rectangular table is placed in the middle with more than ten chairs settled. The room has wallpaper, similar to that of Victorian style but much more leaning towards Chinese style.
The maids are arranging the plates and dishes on the table. It looks like a buffet with various dishes placed on the table.
Sha Sha comes and smiles big seeing Shi Lian standing by the door. "Come on in, Shi. Don't stand there. Your father will be coming any minute by now."
While Shi Lian and Sha Sha engage in light chat, Mo Zheng Yuan arrives. Shi Lian's eyes twinkle when she sees her father. "Father" she gets up from the chair and ambles towards him.
"My daughter" Zheng Yuan embraces her, "How was your flight? How are you?"
"I'm fine, father. How are you?"
"Just going on," he says humorously but Shu Lian worries noticing eyebags under his eyes, his cheeks hollowed and prominent wrinkles marking his face. She guesses it must be related to the company.
"You must be tired. Let's have dinner" she says brightly, helping him with the office bag and his blazer.
"Family dinner. Just the three of us. How nice!" Sha Sha beams, taking her seat across from Zheng Yuan. Shi Lian sits opposite Sha Sha and beside her father.
*
After the dinner, Zheng Yuan calls Shi Lian into his office. "Father, may I come in?" she asked politely, standing by the door.
"Yes."
Even after so many years, the feeling of entering her father's office is still the same. She missed the woody fresh scent of the office and those plants that are settled across the room.
"I'm glad you came on such short notice, Shi Lian. I know I haven't told you anything about why I have called you here, and you must be curious to know."
"Yes, of course, father. I was worried when you called me to come out of the blue. Are the matters in the company bad?"
Zheng Yuan sighs, his shoulders slumps. "I'm not sure where should I start. The downfall started eleven months ago when DL accused us of plagiarism when it was the other way around. We didn't have any evidence to prove ourselves and eventually, the media believed it was us. This impacted our market a lot. The stocks were going down" he pauses, coughing. "Four months later, Rui suddenly decided not to work with us anymore. He resigned from the CEO's position."
Shi Lian's eyes widen as she hears. So much has happened, and she is unaware of it.
"And you know how badly it affects when the company does not have any CEO. I had come forward and worked as the CEO but my health.. " he coughs again. "Is not well enough."
Shi Lian can understand what he is trying to say. Her father is the Chairman and now that he has taken the CEO position, the work has also heightened for him. She feels sorry for him and wishes she can help him in whatever way she could.
"Is there no one to take over the CEO position?" she asks, passing a glass of water to him. He thanks her and takes a sip.
"I don't trust anyone, that is the problem."
"Father, you cannot manage to keep two positions at once. Why not put your trust in someone? I'm sure there are loyal workers who will do the work perfectly—"
"Shi, are you not wondering why I called you?" her father asks before she can finish her sentence. She is still wondering how she can help him in this situation. Shi Lian has no knowledge of how to manage a company, or anything related to business. So she cannot understand what her father is thinking.
"I am but I don't know the answer. Father, what is your plan?"
Zheng Yuan smiles faintly and taking her palm on his warm and broad ones, he announces, "I want you to take the CEO position."
Hearing that, Shi Lian's eyes widen in shock. "What? Father, I can't do this!" she refuses straight away.
"You haven't even tried, and you are already backing down?"
"Father, what you are telling me to do isn't a child's play. You are asking me to manage a company! I have zero experience!" she says, her hand fussing in the air as she gets nervous about the thought itself. "
"I'm well aware of that, Shi Lian. I have already thought of it."
Shi Lian's brows draw in confusion. "I don't understand. What are you trying to say?"
"I trust no one but my family and you are my only child, Shi Lian. I can't trust anyone but you so after deep thinking I have thought of it that you will be taking the CEO position. As for the experience, there will be people to guide you and help you get the idea of management. I know you can do this, Shi Lian. I have faith in you."
Shi Lian's heart clench at her father's words. She is in a position where she cannot say no nor can she say yes. She is not at all confident. Only the thought of it gives her shivers.
She sighs, "You are putting too much faith in me, father. I have no confidence about pulling this off. Aren't you afraid that I'll bring downfall to the company?" her brown orbs have a questioning spark as she looks at her father.
Zheng Yuan smiles, "You won't. Trust in your father's decision, okay? And also believe in yourself. If you think you can do it, then you will."
"I'm still not convinced" she mutters under her breath, fiddling with her fingers settling in her lap.
"Alright, tomorrow you will come with me to the company. Your training will start from tomorrow onwards" he articulates. So soon? Shi Lian thought she will at least have some time with her to think about it properly but looks like she doesn't. "Be ready at seven sharp. "
"Okay, father."
Patting her head lightly, he says softly, "Rest well. Good night, my daughter."
"Good night to you too father. "
—
The car stops outside the company building. Shi Lian steps out from the car and gazes at the huge building in front of her. The last time she saw Mo corp was seven or eight years ago. She doesn't liked to visit the company that much because everytime she did, she would do something clumsy and end up getting scolded by her father.
The building stands high and might with the glass exterior giving it a sophisticated look. There are around sixty floors, adding the rooftop as well.
"Let's go, shall we?" Zheng Yuan says to which Shi Lian nods with a small smile. She is nervous. The knots in her stomach intensifies with each steps she takes towards the front glass double doors.
The guard standing by the door greets the Chairman— her father— and also his secretary, Hao Wang. The guard meets her eyes and is unsure who is she. He never saw her before.
"From now on, you will greet her too. She is my daughter and also the CEO of the company" Zheng Yuan announces with pride. Shi Lian gets embarrassed because she haven't yet have any knowledge and her father is already boosting about her.
The guard at first is surprised to hear such a big news and quickly greets Shi Lian politely. "Good Morning, Miss CEO."
"Er...good morning to you too" she says with an awkward smile.
They continue inside and Hao gives her a brief outlook of the reception area, continuing towards the other departments, halls and rooms.
Shi Lian hears the whispers of the employees as they pass by them, greeting the other two. She already feels embarrassed and conscious but she keeps her cool.
Everyone is curious about this fresh face that is walking with the Chairman. The stunning beauty that seems to be not simple at all. Just who is she? People are curious as they haven't seen her before nor are they aware she is the Chairman's daughter. Mo Zheng Yuan keeps his private life tight and only few people are aware about Shi Lian. As she has come here rarely, they don't know her.